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terms or words used in the present specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to typical or dictionary meanings , but should be interpreted as having meanings and concepts , which comply with the technical spirit of the present invention , based on the principle that an inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term to describe his / her own invention in the best manner . therefore , configurations illustrated in the embodiments and the drawings described in the present specification are only the most preferred embodiment of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical spirit of the present invention , and thus it is to be understood that various modified examples , which may replace the configurations , are possible when filing the present application . it is understood that the term “ vehicle ” or “ vehicular ” or other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles ( suv ), buses , trucks , various commercial vehicles , watercraft including a variety of boats and ships , aircraft , and the like , and includes hybrid vehicles , electric vehicles , plug - in hybrid electric vehicles , hydrogen - powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles ( e . g . fuels derived from resources other than petroleum ). as referred to herein , a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that has two or more sources of power , for example both gasoline - powered and electric - powered vehicles . the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention . as used herein , the singular forms “ a ,” “ an ” and “ the ” are intended to include the plural forms as well , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . it will be further understood that the terms “ comprises ” and / or “ comprising ,” when used in this specification , specify the presence of stated features , integers , steps , operations , elements , and / or components , but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features , integers , steps , operations , elements , components , and / or groups thereof . as used herein , the term “ and / or ” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items . unless specifically stated or obvious from context , as used herein , the term “ about ” is understood as within a range of normal tolerance in the art , for example within 2 standard deviations of the mean . “ about ” can be understood as within 10 %, 9 %, 8 %, 7 %, 6 %, 5 %, 4 %, 3 %, 2 %, 1 %, 0 . 5 %, 0 . 1 %, 0 . 05 %, or 0 . 01 % of the stated value . unless otherwise clear from the context , all numerical values provided herein are modified by the term “ about ”. hereinafter , the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . the present invention is an application of a microscopic count method used for an analysis of a fiber content in a fiber product . further , according to the present invention , for the qualitative analysis of the pet and ptt fibers , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy ( ft - ir ) and differential scanning calorimetry ( dsc ) are first used . in general , in the quantitative analysis in the related art , when fibers are different from each other in solubility in a drug in a state at which several kinds of fibers are mixed - spun , the weight percentage is obtained by dissolving each fiber in the drug , and then measuring the weight difference . however , in a case where different kinds of fibers are dissolved in the same drug , when it is observed that the shapes of the fibers are different on a microscope slide glass by using a microscope , the diameter thereof is measured in a circular shape of the fibers , and the cross - sectional area thereof is measured in a non - circular shape of the fiber . the fiber content is then analyzed by counting until the sum of the different kinds of fibers reaches 1 , 000 or more . however , in such a method , since the pet and ptt fibers are dissolved in the same drug , the forms observed with the naked eyes during the observation through a microscope are the same as each other . thus , there is a problem in that it is impossible to analyze the content thereof through the microscopic counting method in the related art . according to the present invention , pet and ptt fibers are observed in the cross polarization ( crossed nicol ) state of a polarized light microscope . in this state , fibers may be counted with the naked eyes through the difference in birefringence color by molecules of each fiber and crystal formation regardless of whether the fiber is dyed or not . in the case of a product in which other fibers are mixed - spun in addition to the pet and ptt fibers , the fiber content is calculated with the weight ratio of the other fibers by dissolving the other fibers using a drug . specifically , the method for measuring a fiber content according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a qualitative analysis step of indentifying whether pet and ptt fibers are present in a mixed - spun fiber ; and a quantitative analysis step of measuring the fiber content by a microscopic count through differences in color between pet and ptt fibers by birefringence in a cross polarization state of a polarized light microscope ( plm ). this method will be described in further detail below . the qualitative analysis step is a step that identifies whether pet and ptt fibers are present in a mixed - spun fiber product . in particular , the presence of the pet and ptt fibers may be identified by comparing the spectra and melting temperatures of the pet and ptt fibers using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy ( ft - ir ) and differential scanning calorimetry ( dsc ) ( see fig2 to 4 ). the quantitative analysis step is a step that measures the fiber content by a microscopic count through difference in birefringence color between pet and ptt fibers placed on a slide glass for observation by utilizing a cross polarization observation mode of a polarized light microscope ( plm ) ( see fig5 to 7 ). in particular , the fiber content may be measured by observing the birefringence colors of pet and ptt fibers in a cross polarization observation mode of a polarized light microscope , measuring the diameter or cross - sectional area of each fiber , multiplying the obtained value with a specific weight to obtain an average weight of each kind of fiber , counting the number of fibers contained in the material and product , and multiplying the average weight with the count value of each fiber . according to an embodiment of the present invention , when the cross - sections of the fibers are circular , it is preferred that the fiber content is measured through the following equations 1 and 2 by measuring the diameter , the number and the like of each fiber . ( fiber content ptt , number ptt , diameter ptt , and specific weight ptt mean the fiber content , number , diameter , and specific weight of ptt fiber , respectively ; and fiber content pet , number pet , diameter pet , and specific weight pet mean the fiber content , number , diameter , and specific weight of pet fiber , respectively ) furthermore , when the cross - sections of the fibers are not circular , it is preferred that the fiber content is measured through the following equations 3 and 4 by measuring the cross - sectional area , the number and the like of each fiber . ( fiber content ptt , number ptt , cross - sectional area ptt , and specific weight ptt mean the fiber content , number , cross - sectional area , and specific weight of ptt fiber , respectively ; and fiber content pet , number pet , cross - sectional area pet , and specific weight pet mean the fiber content , number , cross - sectional area , and specific weight of pet fiber , respectively ) through the equations 1 to 4 , the fiber content of pet and ptt fibers is calculated . as such , the present invention may be widely used during the physical property estimation of a material , the development of a new material , benchmarking , in response to a quality problem and the like . hereinafter , the present invention will be described in more detail through examples . these examples are only for illustrating the present invention , and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention is not interpreted to be limited by these examples . ptt fiber is a component which influences mechanical properties and chemical resistance . a reference specimen ( the cross - section of the fiber was circular ) containing the ptt fiber in an amount of 50 . 1 % by weight based on the total weight was prepared , and the analysis results according to the above equations are shown in the following table 2 . as illustrated in table 2 , the fiber content measured by using the equations and the actual fiber content were significantly similar to each other . thus , the reliability of the measurement method according to the present invention was confirmed . further , for evaluating reproducibility through repeated measurement , the measurement test was further performed three times , and the results thereof are shown in the following table 3 . at the confidence level of 95 %, the measurement result statistically ranged from 40 . 9787 % by weight to 50 . 4879 % by weight , and the p value was 0 . 058 , which is larger than a significance level of 0 . 05 . thus , the null hypothesis was adopted . in other words , as the measurement result , the fiber content of ptt fiber may be said to be the same as 50 . 1 % by weight . at the confidence level of 99 %, the measurement result statistically ranged from 34 . 7660 % by weight to 56 . 7007 % by weight , and the p value was 0 . 058 , which is larger than a significance level of 0 . 01 . thus , the null hypothesis was adopted . in other words , as the measurement result , the fiber content of ptt fiber may be said to be the same as 50 . 1 % by weight . that is , through the test results , it was confirmed that the method for measuring a fiber content according to the present invention was very useful and simple , and the calculated fiber content of ptt and pet fibers was reliable with respect to the actual fiber content at the level of 95 % or more . as described above , the present invention has been described in relation to specific embodiments of the present invention , but this is only illustration and the present invention is not limited thereto . embodiments described may be changed or modified by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from the scope of the present invention , and various alterations and modifications are possible within the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims which will be described below .
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fig2 shows a typical situation where ambiguity processing is used . a target 10 emits a signal , represented by arrows 11 , in all directions . the signal is received by a first receiver 12 and a second receiver 13 . it is clear that if the target is moving there will be a different doppler shift observed by the two receivers 12 and 13 . if the receivers 12 and 13 are different distances from the target 10 the signals 11 will also arrive at different times . therefore the signal observed by receiver 12 is of the form and the signal f 2 ( t ) observed by receiver 13 is of the form in these expressions ν ( t ) may be regarded as a function modulating a carrier wave . in equation ( 3 ) t o is a constant which expresses the difference of propagation time for the signal received by the first receiver 12 and the second receiver 13 . in general t o may be positive , negative or zero . if t o is positive , the signal arrives at receiver 12 before it arrives at receiver 13 . if t o is negative the signal arrives at receiver 13 first . if t o is zero both receivers 12 and 13 receive the signal at the same time . the terms e i ω . sbsp . 1 t and e i ω . sbsp . 2 . sup . ( t + t . sbsp . o . sup .) are carrier waves of angular frequency ω 1 and ω 2 respectively . the difference between ω 1 and ω 2 is the relative doppler shift . it is clear that the ambiguity function of equation ( 1 ) will take on a maximum value when fig1 shows the preferred embodiment of my earlier application , above referred to , using a linear phase shifter of the transmission type . a coherent source such as laser emits a light beam 31 , which is expanded and recollimated by microscope objective 32 and spherical lens 33 . the light beam 31 then strikes cylindrical lens 34 , which focuses the beam into a line lying within the one - dimensional slm ( spatial light modulator ) 35 . the signal f 2 ( t ) or f 2 *( t ) is applied to one - dimensional slm 35 , with the x axis of one - dimensional slm 35 corresponding to the t variable . if the signal used is f 2 ( t ) the complex conjugate must be obtained by a spatial filtering process . the light passing through one - dimensional slm 35 is coded with the applied function and then expands until it impinges upon spherical fourier transform lens 36 . spherical lens 36 fourier transforms the signal coded into the light beam by one - dimensional slm 35 . the fourier transformed image appears at the location of the linear phase shifter of the transmission type 37 . it is the linear phase shifter which performs the shearing function of the applied image . light beam 31 expands once more until it strikes spherical fourier transform lens 39 . the beam 31 is then compressed into a line again so that it may be coded by one - dimensional slm 40 . the signal f 1 ( t ) is applied to one - dimensional slm 40 with the x axis of one - dimensional slm 40 corresponding to the t variable . after passing through one - dimensional slm 40 light beam 31 expands until it strikes spherical fourier transform lens 41 . the fourier transform of the signal coded in light beam 31 prior to spherical lens 41 is performed and appears in the fourier transform plane 42 . because the fourier transform of the signal impinging upon spherical lens 41 is the ambiguity function arising from signals f 1 ( t ) and f 2 ( t ), plane 42 is the ambiguity plane and means for detecting the light intensity distribution is placed in ambiguity plane 42 . in order to present the invention accurately the following analysis is given . as has been pointed out in fig1 the telecentric spherical lens pair 36 and 39 forms the image of bragg cell i and f 2 ( t ) onto bragg cell ii and f 1 ( t ) through a linear phase shifter in the fourier plane . the presence of the linear phase shifter causes a position shift of the image , and this misregistration accomplishes the τ - shift . by spatially varying the slope of the linear phase shifter along the vertical direction , the system spatially scans continuously in the τ axis . lens 41 performs a spatial integration to yield the desired ambiguity function . the bragg cells accept temporal signals f 2 ( t ) and f 1 ( t ) and convert them into a running transmissivity function f 2 ( t - x / v ). at an instant in time we can consider them as the spatial transmissivity function b1 and b2 with an appropriate scaling factor . the linear phase shifter 37 is placed in the fourier plane to shift the phase according to φ = 2πξη where ξ and η are the coordinates in the fourier plane . thus the transmissivity function of this linear phase shifter ( lps ) is the process of this cascade optical system can be explained effectively using mathematical manipulations to show how this system generates the ambiguity function in the final plane . the optical fields are notated by u 0 , u 1 , . . . corresponding to plane 0 , plane 1 , . . . the superscript - and + indicate the field immediately before and after the device . first , u o - can be approximated by a horizontal line , lens 36 takes the fourier transform of this field to give lens 39 takes the fourier transform to give ## equ1 ## equation ( 11 ) indicates that the height of the pattern is the bandwidth of the signal f 1 ( x ). if the height of the bragg cell &# 39 ; s effective window is larger than the bandwidth , there is no loss of information due to the narrowness of the bragg cell window . lens 41 takes the fourier transform of this field and displays it in the plane 3 ## equ2 ## equation ( 13 ) clearly shows that the ambiguity function defined by equation ( 1 ) is achieved in the spatial frequency space ( ξ , η ). the conjugation of signal f ( x ) can be obtained by putting the signal on a carrier and evaluating the first diffraction order with the aid of a vertical slit in plane 1 . the mathematics manipulated in equation ( 4 ) through equation ( 13 ) are essentially the same to achieve it is clear that equation ( 14 ) is a spatial representation of the desired ambiguity function , and we can obtain equation ( 1 ) by converting the spatial variables into the temporal variables with the appropriate conversion factors . the manufacturability of the linear phase shifter element 37 is not easy and limits the feasibility of implementing the linear phase shifter approach . it is essentially an optical wedge whose wedge angle linearly changes with height . the complex transmissivity function of this components in rectangular coordinates is given by i have invented improved optics for the linear phase shifter in which it is fabricated out of more conventional optics . define r = x 2 + y 2 and introduce a coordinate system ( x &# 39 ;, y &# 39 ;) that is rotated from ( x , y ) by 45 ° ( fig3 ). then equation ( 16 ) can be rewritten as the first exponent in equation ( 17 ) is the complex transmissivity function of a cylindrical lens oriented parallel to the x &# 39 ; axis . the second exponent is a spherical lens . the cylindrical lens is twice as powerful as the spherical lens , and the sign is opposite . therefore , the space variant linear phase shifter can be accurately fabricated by cementing a cylindrical lens and a spherical lens of opposite power together , and orienting them at 45 °. the focal length of the cylindrical lens should be half that of the spherical lens . referring specifically to fig3 the improved linear phase shifter 37 &# 39 ; of this invention is shown wherein a combination of conventional optics is used . a cylindrical lens 50 has the power orientation parallel to the x &# 39 ; axis . the factor e j αx &# 39 ;. spsp . 2 is the complex transmissivity function of this cylindrical lens . a spherical lens 51 , of opposite sign as lens 50 , is represented by the factor e - j α / 2r . spsp . 2 in the equation 17 . in one specific successful experimental embodiment the linear phase shifter element 37 &# 39 ; was constructed from off - the - shelf components consisting of a 250 mm single element cylindrical lens 50 , and a 505 mm single element negative spherical lens 51 . the focal length of the cylindrical lens 50 is one - half that of the spherical lens 51 . in the overall system structure using element 37 &# 39 ; in place of element 37 and cooperating with the improved phase shifter element 37 &# 39 ; in the optical system of fig1 was a cylindrical lens 34 having 800 mm focal length and telecentric imaging lenses 36 and 39 of 762 mm in focal length . the lenses 33 and 41 were of 360 mm focal length .
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fig1 and 2 depict a package 10 which includes a flexible tape film 14 consisting of one or more layers 15 of flexible polyimide dielectric material such as upilex ™ or kapton ™ and two conductive layers 68 made of a material such as copper . the conductive layers 68 need not span the entire tape film 14 , but may be arranged in conductive paths or traces ( 64 , shown in fig1 ) electrically connected to each other on either side of the tape film 14 by conductive electrical vias ( 66 , shown in fig2 ). in the preferred embodiment , two clearance holes 46 ( only one shown in fig1 ), strategically located so as not to interfere with the conductive paths 64 , are punched in the tape film 14 to allow easy installation of a clamping mechanism once the package 10 is connected to a substrate . it is understood that the invention will work equally well with more than two clearance holes , with only one clearance hole , or without clearance holes altogether . the tape film 14 is identified as having a top surface 32 and a bottom surface 34 . as shown in fig2 a semiconductor die 12 is attached at a central location to the top surface 32 . any of a number of suitable methods used in the art , e . g . flip - chip , tape automated bonding ( tab ) or wire bonding can be used to connect the semiconductor die 12 to the tape film 14 . in fact , the semiconductor die 12 could similarly be attached to the bottom surface 34 , as will become apparent when discussing alternate embodiments of the present invention in fig4 to 9 . preferably , a heat spreader 18 for removing excess heat from the package 10 is laid upon the semiconductor die 12 . again , alternate embodiments exist in which the heat spreader is placed differently , or in which the heat spreader 18 is not required . still referring to fig1 and 2 , the package further comprises a molded body 20 , preferably made of epoxy resin , which is split by the tape film 14 into an upper molded body 22 with a flat top and a lower molded body 24 with a flat bottom . the upper molded body 22 and lower molded body 24 are respectively sealed to the top surface 32 and bottom surface 34 of the tape film 14 . advantageous compliant properties of the polyimide dielectric allow the molded body 20 to be molded onto either surface of the tape film 14 by a conventional transfer molding process and without damaging the conductive paths 64 . furthermore , prior to assembly of the package , the tape film 14 may comprise injection holes ( not shown ) which would cause both the upper and lower molded bodies 22 , 24 to form one integral piece of epoxy resin once molding is complete . the upper molded body 22 surrounds the semiconductor die 12 and heat spreader 18 . the flat bottom of the lower molded body 24 is generally in a same plane 90 as an array of conductive leads 16 , arranged as an array of solder balls , for eventual connection of the package 10 to a substrate such as a pcb . the conductive leads 16 are joined electrically to the semiconductor die 12 by the conductive paths 64 etched in the conductive layers 68 . other interconnect styles as known in the art may be used in place of the array of solder balls ; for example , perimeter leads used in gull wing surface mount technology . a layer of rigid support material 26 is bonded with an adhesive ( not shown ) onto the top surface 32 of the tape film 14 , without adversely affecting the conductive paths 64 . in the preferred embodiment , the support material 26 will surround the upper molded body 22 so as to support and keep the tape film 14 flat during soldering of the solder balls 16 to a substrate . without a &# 34 ; window frame &# 34 ; of support material , the package would not be flat enough during assembly and some leads might not solder to the substrate . ideally , the support material 26 is made of a soluble organic compound , such as water extendible vinyl ester resin ( wever ™) manufactured by dow chemical inc ., that can be dissolved by rinsing the package in water following connection to a substrate . support materials which are soluble in liquids other than water are also contemplated . alternatively , the compound can be made of an arbitrary rigid material , connected to the tape film by an ultraviolet - sensitive glue whose adhesive properties are altered upon exposure to ultraviolet light , and which can thus be made to shed the support material 26 after installation . still other embodiments may comprise support material adhering to the top surface of the tape film by means of a soluble glue which can similarly cause the package to shed the support material upon immersion in or rinsing with a solvent such as water . in fig3 the package 10 is shown connected to a printed circuit board ( pcb ) 40 . a heatsink 42 with a flat bottom is laid on top of the upper molded body 22 . the support material ( 26 , shown in fig1 and 2 ) has been removed as per one of the previously discussed methods . a heatsink - package interface 48 and a package - substrate interface 50 can be identified . the heatsink - package interface is defined between the flat top of the upper molded body 22 and the flat bottom of the heatsink 42 while the package - substrate interface is defined partly between the flat bottom of the lower molded body and the pcb 40 and partly between the solder balls 16 and the pcb 40 . a clamping mechanism 44 known per se and illustrated schematically protrudes through clearance holes ( 46 , shown in phantom ), extending into the pcb 40 at one end and through the heatsink 42 at the other . screws , bolts , springs , or any of a variety of suitable mechanical fasteners are used to tighten the clamping mechanism and compress the package 10 between the heatsink 42 and the pcb 40 . in operation , it is desired to press heatsink 42 to the upper molded body 22 with enough pressure to achieve efficient heat dissipation . with the clamping mechanism of fig3 this will result in large amounts of pressure being applied to the heatsink - package interface 48 and to the package - substrate interface 50 . as discussed previously , neither the upper part of the package nor the substrate is usually a source of failure under high pressure in traditional packages . it is at a point on the package - substrate interface , i . e . at the conductive leads , that a failure will often occur . in this inventive package , pressure on the conductive leads 16 is countered by a flex in the tape film 14 , so that pressure applied to the package - substrate interface is absorbed mostly by the lower molded body 24 . the effect is that efficient dissipation of heat is achieved without degrading the reliability of the conductive connection . the presence of a heat spreader 18 near the heatsink 42 assists in providing the illustrated embodiment with excellent thermal properties . although it is preferred that the lower molded body 24 be substantially the same thickness as the conductive leads 16 such that the flat bottom is substantially coplanar with the undersides of the leads 16 , slight deviation in either direction can be accommodated by flexure of the tape film . furthermore , the compliant nature of the tape reduces the need for the top and bottom surfaces to be parallel to each other . the slight sideways force generated during clamping will be absorbed in the tape layer in the same fashion that twisting a board does . the low modulus and thickness of the tape film result in a structure that , once the support material has been removed , is very compliant in all three axes . alternate embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to fig4 through 9 . all of the following embodiments share the presence of a flexible tape film having one layer of polyimide dielectric ; a window frame of rigid support material ; an array of solder balls ; and upper and lower molded bodies respectively molded to the top and bottom surfaces of the tape film . as previously discussed , the lower molded body is preferably substantially the same thickness as the array of conductive leads but slight deviations in either sense can be accommodated without undermining the value or functionality of the present invention . it is also understood that two or more layers each of polyimide dielectric and conductive material may be required to form more complex conductive paths leading from each conductive lead to the semiconductor die . in fig4 is shown a flip - chip setup , with the semiconductor die 12 mounted to the top surface 32 of tape film 14 by a set of flip - chip solder balls 80 . the conductive layers 68 are joined by conductive electrical vias 66 and electrically connect the flip - chip solder balls 80 to the conductive leads 16 . a thermal spreader 18 is mounted atop the semiconductor die 12 within the upper moulded body 22 , resulting in a package with high thermal performance . fig5 shows another flip - chip arrangement wherein only one conductive layer 68 and no electrical vias are required . in this version , however , the semiconductor die 12 is mounted to the bottom surface of tape film 14 and is surrounded by the lower molded body 24 . the thermal dissipation properties of this package would be poor if not for a heat spreader 18 , mounted onto the top surface of tape film 14 , rendering thermal performance moderate . in fig6 the semiconductor die 12 is attached upside - down onto the top surface of the tape film 14 . flip - chip solder balls have been replaced by wire bonds 82 electrically connecting the semiconductor die 12 ( through electrical vias 66 ) to conductive paths on a single conductive layer 68 adjacent the bottom surface of tape film 14 . no heat spreader is present , resulting in relatively poor thermal performance . fig7 depicts another wire bonded setup , this time with the semiconductor die mounted upside - down to the bottom surface of tape film 14 . a heat spreader 18 is mounted to the top surface of tape film 14 , and is thermally connected to the semiconductor die 12 by thermal vias 84 penetrating the tape film , resulting in moderate thermal performance of the integrated circuit package . it is noted that the package requires no more than one conductive layer 68 ; furthermore , no electrical vias are necessary . fig8 illustrates a similar arrangement to the one in fig5 except that an access window 86 is carved in the tape film 14 thereby allowing the semiconductor die 12 to be provided with tab bonds 88 . as will be apparent to one skilled in the art , thermal performance of this package will be poor due to the semiconductor die 12 being located underneath the tape film 14 and lack of a heat spreader . in contrast , fig9 provides a tab - mounted package offering high thermal performance , similar in many respects to the flip - chip arrangement in fig4 . in this variant of the present invention , two electrical vias 66 join conductive paths on each of two conductive layers 68 . while the preferred embodiment , in addition to several alternate forms , of the invention has been described and illustrated it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that further variations in the design may be made . the scope of the invention , therefore , is only to be limited by the claims appended hereto .
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the system architecture of a first embodiment of the apparatus and method of the present invention is illustrated with reference to fig1 through 8 . as shown in fig1 the apparatus of the present invention comprises end user interface 400 , control unit 200 , implementation management system 600 , and administration interface 500 ( collectively the “ nodes ”). each node interacts with another through a public and / or private network 110 , provided by a local or regional telephone company or alternatively provided by an internal organization within a business entity . connection may also be provided by dedicated data lines , cellular , personal communication systems (“ pcs ”), microwave , wireless or satellite networks . in a preferred embodiment , the nodes are connected via the internet . end user interface 400 and administration interface 500 are the input and output gateways for communication with the control unit 200 and the implementation management system 600 . implementation data capsule 800 is used to transfer implementation data between the control unit 200 and implementation management system 600 and end user interface 400 and administration interface 500 . using the above components , the present invention provides a method and apparatus for a commercial network system designed to facilitate , manage , and support the implementation and integration of technology systems . transactions fall into two categories : control unit transactions 120 and implementation management system transactions 130 . each category of transaction occurs between the end user interface 400 or in the case of administrative transactions , the administration interface 500 , and the control unit 200 or the implementation management system 600 . administrative transactions between the administration interface 500 and the control unit 200 or implementation management system 600 are managed by control unit administration transaction 150 and implementation management system administration transaction 140 respectively . some transactions will utilize the implementation data capsule 800 to package together implementation data accessible to the control unit 200 and the implementation management system 600 . the implementation data capsule 800 can then be manipulated through various mechanisms by the end user . an example of this manipulation would be an end user identifying an implementation data capsule 800 located on the control unit 200 and wishing to transfer the implementation data capsule from the control unit to their end user interface 400 . this would be accomplished using a control unit transaction 120 initiated from end user interface 400 . as shown in fig2 one preferred embodiment of the control unit 200 includes central processor ( cpu ) 205 , ram 210 , rom 215 , clock 220 , operating system 225 , network interface 230 , analysis processor 235 , implementation data capsule ( idc ) processor 240 , billing processor 245 , pricing processor 250 , and data storage device 260 . a conventional personal computer or computer workstation with sufficient memory and processing capability may be used as a control unit 200 . in the preferred embodiment it operates as a web server , both receiving and transmitting data inquires generated by end users . control unit 200 should generally be capable of high volume transaction processing , performing a significant number of mathematical calculations in processing communications and database searches . a pentium processor such as the 400 mhz pentium iii , commonly manufactured by intel corp ., may be used for cpu 205 . this processor employs a 32 - bit architecture . equivalent processors from such companies as motorola corp . and sun microsystems inc . can be substituted . referring again to fig2 analysis processor 235 , idc processor 240 , billing processor 245 , and pricing processor 250 comprise software subsystems that provide specialized functions for control unit 200 . these subsystems are invoked appropriately as determined by the transactions requested from control unit 200 . analysis processor 235 provides the capability to search for and analyze information in data storage device 260 and return the information to the end user . end user requests involving queries can also be handled . such requests are useful in determining if trends and patterns exist in the information stored in data storage device 260 . the results of these requests are then reported to the end user or administrator . functions executed by analysis processor 235 may be supported by commercially available software , such as the dimension series suite from neo vista software , inc . the dimension series suite consists of data mining engines that organize the relationships between the information stored in data storage device 260 . an end user request , such as “ tell me all implementations that utilize visual basic in microsoft windows nt environments ”, would be interpreted and passed to the data mining engines which would in turn search the databases for relevant information . the results of the operation would be returned to the end user . subsequent requests are re - submitted if the results returned did not match the users needs . implementation data processor 240 provides the capability to create implementation data capsules 800 and extract objects contained within the capsules . implementation data processor 240 interacts with data storage device 260 and the databases contained within it . for example , an end user locates the implementation data they want to include in an implementation data capsule after utilizing analysis processor 235 . the end user requests implementation data processor 240 to create an implementation data capsule including the selected objects . implementation data processor 240 extracts the objects from implementation objects database 275 and meta - information from the implementation database 280 and creates an implementation data capsule 800 . implementation data capsule 800 is then compressed to save space and aid in efficient transporting between nodes . implementation data processor 240 also performs the reverse operation as described above . in this case , the objects contained in implementation data capsule 800 are examined by uncompressing and opening implementation data capsule . implementation data processor 240 extracts the objects from implementation data capsule 800 whereby they are either updated or added to implementation objects database 275 and implementation database 280 . when an end user requests to create implementation data capsule 800 , implementation management system 600 uses the results from the analysis processor 235 to extract the correct implementation objects from implementation objects database 275 and implementation database 280 . the implementation management system 600 collects the objects associated with the implementation key and the end user criteria and adds them to implementation data capsule 800 . based on the objects selected , control files 825 are created and added to implementation data capsule 800 . control files 825 contain information which indexes the contents of implementation data capsule 800 and is used when control unit 200 and implementation management system 600 open implementation data capsule 800 . if they exist and the user selects to include them in implementation data capsule 800 , implementation deliverables associated with the implementation objects , are stored in implementation deliverables storage 830 . the compression algorithm employed to reduce the size of implementation data capsule 800 may be supported by commercially available software such as dynazip - ax manufactured by inner media , inc . the transfer and exchange of payments , charges , or debits , attendant to the method of the apparatus are supported by the billing processor 245 . processing of credit card transactions by this processor may be supported with commercially available software such as open market transact manufactured by open market , inc . the billing processor 245 provides commerce functions that may include online account statements , order - taking and credit card payment authorization , credit card settlement , automated sales tax calculations , digital receipt generation , account - based purchase tracking , and payment aggregation for low priced services . pricing processor 250 calculates the price for an implementation data capsule 800 . this price maybe determined by a number of factors which may include the implementation objects , stored in implementation objects database 275 , the end user wishes to include in the idc . the end user does not have to accept the price for the idc and can remove some of the implementation objects included in the idc . pricing processor 250 will then re - calculate the price for the idc based on the new configuration of the idc . in another embodiment pricing may be determined or influenced based upon a “ fixed price ” or a “ subscription ” arrangement with the end user . data storage device 260 may include hard disk magnetic or optical storage units , as well as cd - rom drives or flash memory . data storage device 260 contains databases used in the processing of transactions in the present invention , including admin database 265 , end user database 270 , implementation objects database 275 , implementation database 280 , billing database 285 , audit database 290 , and idc storage 295 . in a preferred embodiment database software such as sql server , manufactured by microsoft corporation , is used to create and manage these databases . admin database 265 maintains information on the administrators which may include name , company , address , phone number , id number , passwords , active role in the projects , email addresses , voice mail addresses , and security access levels . security access levels comprise the amount of control the administrator has over examining and updating information contained in the databases on the data storage device 260 . end user database 270 maintains data on end userswhich may include name , company , address , phone number , id number , passwords , email address , active role in the projects , billing preferences , past system usage , etc . end users can determine the amount of information they want to share with other users . end users are able to contact other users based on the information provided . implementation objects database 275 maintains an inventory of implementation objects . end users collect implementation data with respect to the technology systems they are implementing . the implementation data is input into the database and organized into logical groupings based on the method of the apparatus . some examples of the implementation objects are names of stakeholders and implementation team members , characteristics describing technology system being implemented , organizational areas where the technology system is to be used , and various sub - projects associated with the implementation . implementation database 280 maintains an index of all implementations represented in control unit 200 . this database is indexed by the implementation key which is unique across all implementations . billing database 285 tracks commercial transactions , as well as billing preferences . this database is valuable in the event of complaints by end users regarding billing and payment discrepancies . audit database 290 records transactional information about all requests initiated between each node which can be retrieved for later analysis . this database may also log transaction traffic rates , login / logout attempts , and success / failure status of transactions . implementation data capsule ( idc ) storage 295 acts as a storage area for implementation data capsules 800 . in one embodiment idc storage 295 represents a hierarchical file system on control unit 200 . network interface 230 is the gateway to communicate with end users and administrators through respective end user interface 400 and administration interface 500 . conventional internal or external modems or wireless network connection devices may serve as network interface 230 . network interface 230 supports a various range of baud rates from 1200 upward , but may also be combined into such inputs as a t 1 or t 3 line if more bandwidth is required . in a preferred embodiment , network interface 230 is connected with the internet to allow for the largest audience of end users to have access to the control unit 200 . along similar lines , network interface 230 may also be connected to a private intranet or other network to allow end users within a particular organization to access the control unit 200 . while the above embodiment describes a single computer acting as the control unit , those skilled in the art will realize that the functionality can be distributed over a plurality of computers . in another embodiment , control unit 200 may be configured in a distributed architecture , as shown in fig3 wherein the databases and processors are housed in separate units or locations . control unit ( s ) 200 perform the primary processing functions and contain at a minimum ram , rom , and a general processor . each of these control units is attached to wan hub 300 which acts as the primary communications link with the other processors . wan hub 300 itself may contain minimal processing capability with its primary function of acting as a passive device facilitating communications and routing . although only three control units are shown in this embodiment , those skilled in the art will appreciate that an almost unlimited number of control units may be supported . in such a configuration , each control unit is in communication with its processors as well as other control units . analysis processor 235 , idc processor 240 , billing processor 245 , and pricing processor 250 all communicate through wan hub 300 with control units 200 . data storage device 260 is available to each control unit and processor through wan hub 300 . this arrangement makes for a highly flexible and dynamic system , less prone to catastrophic hardware failures and bottlenecks . those skilled in the art will also realize that the processors may also be combined and / or distributed over a plurality of computers . in addition those skilled in the art will recognize that the database entities contained in the data storage device 260 may also be distributed and / or implemented as entities of one database or multiple databases . fig4 and 5 describe end user interface 400 and administrator interface 500 respectively . in an exemplary embodiment they are both conventional personal computers having an input device , such as a keyboard and mouse , or conventional voice recognition software package ; a display device , such as a video monitor ; a processing device such as a cpu ; and a network interface such as a modem or high speed network connection . referring now to fig4 there is described a preferred embodiment of an end user interface 400 which includes central processor ( cpu ) 405 , ram 410 , rom 415 , clock 420 , video driver 425 , video monitor 430 , input device 435 , network interface 440 , and data storage device 450 . a pentium processor such as the 400 mhz pentium iii described above may be used for the cpu 405 . clock 420 is a standard chip - based clock which can serve to timestamp control unit transactions 120 and implementation management system transactions 130 . network interface 440 is the gateway between end user interface 400 and a network such as the internet . in a preferred embodiment , users interact with control unit 200 using end user interface 400 and administrator interface 500 through a web browser such as internet explorer manufactured by microsoft corporation or netscape communicator manufactured by netscape corporation . data storage device 450 is a conventional magnetic based hard disk storage unit . information storage 460 may be used to store implementation data capsules 800 and other information while audit database 470 may be used for recording communications with the control unit 200 and implementation management system 600 as well as payment records . in one embodiment information storage 460 represents a hierarchical file system on end user interface 400 . referring now to fig5 there is described a preferred embodiment of the administrator interface 500 which includes central processor ( cpu ) 505 , ram 510 , rom 515 , clock 520 , video driver 525 , video monitor 530 , input device 535 , network interface 540 , and data storage device 550 . clock 520 is a standard chip - based clock which can serve to timestamp control unit administration transactions 150 and implementation management system administration transactions 140 . all of these components including data storage device 550 , information storage 560 , and audit database 570 may be identical to those described in fig4 . end user interface 400 and administrator interface 500 interact with implementation management system 600 using custom built applications programs appropriate to the respective operating system of the interface . those skilled in the art will appreciate that any number of commercially available programming environments , plug - ins , executables , dll &# 39 ; s , applets or objects can be employed to design and build the applications programs . in addition those skilled in the art will appreciate that the end user interface 400 and the administrator interface 500 can utilize any number of commercially available operating systems such as unix , linux , windows and windows nt , macintosh , windows ce or palm os . referring to fig6 the implementation management system 600 is described as comprising a central processor ( cpu ) 605 , ram 610 , rom 615 , clock 620 , operating system 625 , network interface 630 , analysis processor 235 , implementation data capsule ( idc ) processor 240 , implementation deliverable processor 640 , implementation planning processor 645 , and data storage device 660 . a conventional personal computer , computer workstation or hand held , wireless personal digital assistant ( pda ) with sufficient memory and processing capability may be used as implementation management system 600 . end users and administrators use their respective applications program to access implementation management system 600 . the implementation management system serves a different purpose than control unit 200 in the apparatus and method of the invention . it is a system used to collect and manage implementation data . it has the capability to share that implementation data with control unit 200 . control unit 200 also has the capability to share information with implementation management system 600 . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the implementation management system 600 may employ either the same or separate physical hardware as control unit 200 and that software components of the implementation management system 600 may either share code with or be entirely separate from the software components of control unit 200 . in addition those skilled in the art will appreciate that the databases and processors associated utilized by the implementation management system 600 and the control unit 200 may overlap or be consolidated in another embodiment of the invention . referring again to fig6 analysis processor 235 , idc processor 240 , implementation deliverable processor 640 , and implementation planning processor 645 comprise software subsystems that provide specialized functions for implementation management system 600 . these subsystems are invoked appropriately as determined by the transactions requested from implementation management system 600 . analysis processor 235 performs in the same way and includes the same capabilities as described above for control unit 200 . implementation management system 600 utilizes idc processor 240 in the same manner as control unit 200 . implementation deliverable processor 640 is used to create various documents and output files based on the information stored in data storage device 660 . this processor may be supported by commercially available software such as office 2000 and microsoft project 98 manufactured by microsoft corporation . in one embodiment , implementation management system 600 utilizes the instantiated objects in office 2000 and microsoft project 98 to create microsoft word documents and microsoft project schedules . the data used to generate these documents is taken from implementation objects database 675 and implementation database 680 . implementation planning processor 645 creates an implementation plan using a proprietary and unique implementation planning method and process . the method and process first divides the implementation project into incremental sub - projects based upon the features and functions of the technology system that will be implemented and the locations and environments where the technology system will be implemented . the method and process then generates ratings for sub - projects depending upon numerical or other measures of the technical complexities , risk , priority , visibility , cultural complexities and resource complexities of each sub - project . ratings may be provided by the end user or may be calculated automatically by the implementation planning processor 645 . those skilled in the art will recognize that a large number of techniques may be used to automatically generate ratings , such as generating ratings using a weighted average of all characteristics of a sub - project or generating ratings using a weighting of some subset of all characteristics of a sub - project . based upon the ratings associated with each sub - project the implementation planning processor creates an implementation plan that provides a preferred ordering and strategy for completing the sub - projects . as new relevant data is provided to the implementation management system 600 ( such as additional features and functions of the technology system , environmental data or updates to ratings ) the implementation processor automatically re - creates a revised implementation plan . data storage device 660 may include hard disk magnetic or optical storage units , as well as cd - rom drives or flash memory . data storage device 660 contains databases used in the processing of transactions in the present invention , including admin database 665 , end user database 670 , implementation objects database 675 , implementation database 680 , implementation deliverable storage 685 , audit database 690 , and idc storage 695 . in a preferred embodiment database software such as microsoft access or sql server , both manufactured by microsoft corporation , is used to create and manage these databases . admin database 665 maintains information on the administrators which may include name , company , address , phone number , id number , passwords , active role in the projects , email addresses , voice mail addresses , and security access levels . security access levels comprise the amount of control the administrator has over examining and updating information contained in the databases on the data storage device 660 . end user database 670 maintains data on end users , which may include name , company , address , phone number , id number , passwords , email address , active role in the projects , billing preferences , past system usage , etc . implementation objects database 675 maintains an inventory of implementation objects . end users collect implementation data with respect to the technology systems they are implementing . the implementation data input into the database are organized into logical groupings based on the method of the apparatus . some examples of the implementation objects are names of stakeholders and implementation team members , characteristics describing the technology system being implemented , organizational areas where the technology system is to be used , and various sub - projects associated with the implementation . implementation database 680 maintains an index of all implementations represented in implementation management system 600 . this database is indexed by the implementation key which is unique across all implementations . implementation delivery storage 685 stores output generated by the implementation deliverable processor 640 . in one embodiment implementation delivery storage represents a hierarchical file system on implementation management system 600 . audit database 690 stores transactional information about past communications which can be retrieved for later analysis . this database may also logs transaction traffic rates , login / logout attempts , and success / failure status of transactions . implementation data capsule ( idc ) storage 695 acts as a storage area for implementation data capsules 800 . in one embodiment idc storage 695 represents a hierarchical file system on implementation management system 600 . network interface 230 is utilized in the same way as described above with reference to fig2 . while the above embodiment describes a single computer acting as the implementation management system , those skilled in the art will realize that the functionality can be distributed over a plurality of computers . in another embodiment , implementation management system 600 may be configured in a distributed architecture , as shown in fig7 wherein the databases and processors are housed in separate units or locations . implementation management systems 600 perform the primary processing functions and contain at a minimum ram , rom , and a general processor . each of these implementation management systems is attached to wan hub 700 which acts as the primary communications link with the other processors . wan hub 700 itself may contain minimal processing capability with its primary function of acting as a passive device facilitating communications and routing . although only three implementation management systems are shown in this embodiment , those skilled in the art will appreciate that an almost unlimited number of implementation management systems may be supported . in such a configuration , each implementation management system is in communication with its processors as well as other implementation management systems . analysis processor 235 , idc processor 240 , implementation deliverable processor 640 , and implementation planning processor 645 all communicate through wan hub 700 with implementation management systems 600 . data storage device 660 is available to each implementation management system and processor through wan hub 700 . this arrangement makes for a highly flexible and dynamic system , less prone to catastrophic hardware failures and bottlenecks . . those skilled in the art will also realize that the processors may also be combined and / or distributed over a plurality of computers . in addition those skilled in the art will recognize that the database entities contained in the data storage device 660 may also be distributed and / or implemented as entities of one database or multiple databases . referring to fig8 there is described a preferred embodiment of implementation data capsule 800 , which includes digital package 810 , implementation objects database 815 , implementation database 820 , control files 825 , and implementation deliverables storage 830 . implementation objects database 815 , implementation database 820 , and implementation deliverables storage 830 represent a subset of all implementation objects and implementation data available in control unit 200 and implementation management system 600 . control files 825 act as an index and inventory of the implementation objects and data contained in digital package 810 . idc processor 240 utilizes control files 825 to update implementation objects database 275 and 675 and implementation database 280 and 680 and implementation deliverables storage 695 . digital package 810 acts as a container for the implementation objects and databases . those skilled in the art will realize that digital package 810 can be gathered together with other digital packages and each reside in a single implementation data capsule 800 . in this embodiment , implementation data capsule 800 is used to transport multiple digital packages using a single control unit transaction 120 or implementation management system transaction 130 . two exemplary embodiments describe the versatility in using implementation data capsule 800 . in one embodiment , an end user wishes to take a “ snapshot ” of a technology system implementation which includes all implementation data , tools and strategies that have been entered to date . the end user then wishes to transfer the snapshot to their technology system vendor for review and expert advice . this is accomplished by requesting idc processor 240 to create an implementation data capsule 800 and transfer it to control unit 200 . the vendor then submits a control unit transaction 120 to access and transfer the end users implementation data capsule for review . in another embodiment , an end user is beginning the process of implementing a technology system . the end user has identified a set of implementation objects that can be used as a template and staring point for their implementation . the end user creates an implementation data capsule 800 which contains the implementation objects and transfers the implementation data capsule from control unit 200 to implementation management system 600 the end user utilizes idc processor 240 in implementation management system 600 to create their working implementation environment using implementation data capsule 800 as a template . the end user initiates a series of ims transactions 150 to the implementation management system 600 and control unit transactions 120 to the control unit 200 . ims transactions 150 will initiate transactions such as creating a new implementation , managing the implementation workflow , managing the implementation planning process and creating an implementation data capsule 800 . control unit transactions 120 will initiate transactions such as searching for and locating an idc 800 to be used as an implementation template , creating a custom idc , providing implementation analysis and handling commerce items . with reference to fig9 there is described a process by which the end user initiates and completes a control unit transaction 120 . the end user creates a transaction request at step 900 . a transaction request may contain a specific request and any necessary parameters and criteria . for example an end user may initiate a control unit request to create a new idc which contains specific implementation objects . multiple requests may be bundled into a single transaction . the transaction is submitted to the control unit 200 at step 910 . at step 920 the control unit 200 then evaluates the request to determine the transaction type based upon the request , the parameters and criteria . an unlimited number of transaction types may be processed by the control unit and multiple transactions can be initiated and processed together . common transaction types include analysis , idc transfer , idc creation , billing and payment . at step 930 the request is processed accordingly by the control unit 200 depending on the type of transaction requested . at step 940 the results of the control unit transaction 120 are returned to the end user completing the transaction . with reference to fig1 , there is described a process by which the end user initiates and completes an ims transaction 150 . the end user creates a transaction request at step 1000 . a transaction request may contain a specific request and any necessary parameters and criteria . for example an end user may initiate an ims request to create a new implementation deliverable such as a project plan or schedule . multiple requests may be bundled into a single transaction . the transaction is submitted to the ims 600 at step 1010 . at step 1020 the ims 600 then evaluates the request to determine the transaction type based upon the request , the parameters and criteria . an unlimited number of transaction types may be processed by the ims and multiple transactions can be initiated and processed together . common transaction types include implementation data input , implementation planning , deliverable creation , idc creation , implementation setup and implementation data management . at step 1030 the request is processed accordingly by the ims 600 depending on the type of transaction requested . at step 1040 the results of the ims transaction 150 are returned to the end user completing the transaction . the administrator initiates a series of ims administration transactions 140 to the implementation management system 600 and control unit administration transactions 150 to the control unit 200 . ims administration transactions 140 will initiate transactions such as creating a new implementation , managing the implementation workflow , managing the implementation planning process and creating an implementation data capsule 800 . control unit administration transactions 150 will initiate transactions such as searching for and locating an idc 800 to be used as an implementation template , creating a custom idc , providing implementation analysis and handling commerce items . with reference to fig1 , there a described the process by which the administrator initiates and completes a control unit administration transaction 150 . the administrator creates an administration transaction request at step 1100 . a transaction request may contain a specific request and any necessary parameters and criteria . for example an administrator may initiate a control unit administration request to release an idc to the end user community . multiple requests may be bundled into a single transaction . the transaction is submitted to the control unit 200 at step 1110 . at step 1120 the control unit 200 then evaluates the request to determine the transaction type based upon the request , the parameters and criteria . an unlimited number of transaction types may be processed by the control unit and multiple transactions can be initiated and processed together . common transaction types include reviewing and releasing an idc to an end user and general maintenance of the control unit environment . at step 1130 the request is processed accordingly by the control unit 200 depending on the type of transaction requested . at step 1140 the results of the control unit administration transaction 150 are returned to the administrator completing the transaction . with reference to fig1 , there is described a process by which the administrator initiates and completes an ims administration transaction 140 . the administrator creates a transaction request at step 1200 . a transaction request may contain a specific request and any necessary parameters and criteria . for example an administrator may initiate an ims administration request add a new authorized user to the ims . multiple requests may be bundled into a single transaction . the transaction is submitted to the ims 600 at step 1210 . at step 1220 the ims 600 then evaluates the request to determine the transaction type based upon the request , the parameters and criteria . an unlimited number of transaction types may be processed by the ims and multiple transactions can be initiated and processed together . common transaction types would include setup of the ims environment and maintenance of the ims environment . at step 1230 the request is processed accordingly by the ims 600 depending on the type of transaction requested . at step 1240 the results of the ims transaction 140 are returned to the administrator completing the transaction . in one embodiment the present invention is used by the end user to facilitate , manage and support the implementation of a technology system through a series of transactions with the ims 600 and control unit 200 . 1 . the end user creates one or more implementation data capsules which will act as “ implementation templates ” through a combination of ims transactions 130 and control unit transactions 120 ( fig1 ). 2 . the end user then initiates an ims transaction 130 for starting a new implementation ( based upon the appropriate implementation template ) and registers the implementation with the control unit 200 . ( fig1 ) 3 . the end user then initiates a series of ims transactions 130 for inputting implementation data into the ims 600 . ( fig1 ) 4 . the end user then initiates a series of ims transactions 130 to the implementation planning facility with the goal of creating an implementation plan and strategy . ( fig1 ) 5 . the end user then initiates an ims transaction 130 to create an idc 800 that contains implementation data and planning information . ( fig1 ) 6 . the end user then initiates control unit transactions 120 that transfer the idc 800 to the control unit 200 . ( fig1 ) 7 . the end user then initiates control unit transactions 120 that will analyze the idc 800 for issues or problems that will impact the end user &# 39 ; s implementation . ( fig1 ) 8 . the end user then initiates a series of ims transactions 130 for creating implementation deliverables such as implementation schedules , reports and project plans . ( fig2 ) 9 . the end user then continues with the implementation process and continues to initiate ims transactions 130 to update and manage the data and information associated with the implementation . ( fig1 ) 10 . when the implementation process is complete the end user initiates an ims transaction 130 to create an updated idc 800 . ( fig1 ) 11 . the end user then initiates a control unit transaction 120 to transfer the idc 800 to the control unit 200 . ( fig1 ) 12 . the administrator then initiates a combination of ims administration transactions 140 and control unit administration transactions 150 to release and make available the idc and the contents of the idc to other end users . ( fig1 ) fig1 describes the process of creating an idc that can be used as an “ implementation template ” by the ims . at step 1300 the administrator initiates a request to create a new idc . at step 1305 the administrator enters specific criteria which will be used to locate implementation objects that will be used as the basis for the new idc . for example the administrator may specify criteria surrounding the implementation of microsoft excel in the apple macintosh environment . at step 1310 the idc processor returns a list of implementation objects matching the criteria based upon data within the implementation objects database the administrator selects specific objects from this list at step 1320 to be included in the new idc and the idc processor builds the new idc at step 1325 and adds to the idc to the idc storage area within the control unit . in another embodiment the process of selecting specific implementation objects is bypassed and the idc processor automatically builds the idc based upon the criteria provided at step 1305 without specific criteria selected . optionally various commercially available compression and encryption algorithms 1330 may be employed during the building of the idc . at step 1335 the new idc is reviewed and tuned by the administrator using the ims . at step 1340 the administrator releases the new idc so that it can be accessed and utilized by end users . fig1 describes the process of an end user creating a new implementation within the ims based upon an “ implementation template ” idc and registering the implementation with the control unit . at step 1400 the end user initiates a request to create a new implementation . an implementation refers to the project of implementing a particular technology in a specific area within the end user &# 39 ; s organization . at step 1405 the end user provides selection criteria to the idc to locate a list of idc &# 39 ; s that could be used as a template for the new implementation . at step 1410 a list of idc which match the criteria specified is provided and at step 1415 the end user selects the idc which will be used as template for the new implementation . at step 1420 the idc processor analyzes the idc selected and computes any fees or charges that will need to be paid to utilize the idc as a template . if a fee is required the control unit handles and processes the payment at step 1425 . at step 1430 the idc is transferred to the ims and a new implementation is created within the ims at step 1435 . in another embodiment the end user creates a new implementation without utilizing an idc as a template . at step 1440 the end user registers the new implementation with the control unit completing the process . fig1 describes the process of an end user inputting and updating implementation information into the ims . at step 1500 a data input request is initiated by the end user . at step 1505 the end user selects which implementation object type the implementation information will be associated with . for example the end user may be entering information about “ stakeholders ” in the ims . in this case the end user would select the stakeholder implementation object type . at step 1510 the end user determines whether a new implementation object will be added or an existing implementation object will be updated . at step 1515 an existing implementation object is updated while at step 1520 a new implementation object is added . at step 1525 all implementation information added or updated is recorded in the ims . fig1 describes the process of an end user using the ims implementation planning facility to create an implementation plan and strategy . at step 1600 an implementation planning request is initiated by the end user . at step 1605 the end user enters or updates planning information and criteria . at step 1610 the ims implementation planning processor analyzes the criteria and implementation data from the ims . at step 1615 an implementation plan and framework is automatically created by the implementation planning processor . fig1 describes the process of completing a transaction related to the creation of an idc . at step 1700 an idc creation request is initiated by the end user . at step 1705 the process of creating an idc commences by creating a control file . the control file contains information about the implementation and the idc that will be utilized by the control unit . for example the control file could contain an index and keywords of all the items in the idc . at step 1710 the idc processor determines the inventory of all objects and information that will be included in the idc . in one embodiment the end user may include all implementation objects and information in the idc while in another embodiment the user may select which implementation objects will be included through selection parameters 1715 . in step 1720 the idc digital archive 810 is created which includes all selected implementation information and objects . in one embodiment the idc can optionally be encrypted and compressed 1725 using commercially available compression and encryption utilities . at step 1730 the idc is saved to the ims storage device 697 . once this transaction is complete the idc can be transferred to the control unit or other end users . fig1 describes the process of completing a transaction related to the transfer of an idc to the control unit . at step 1800 an idc transfer is initiated by the end user . at step 1805 the transfer request is created which includes the specific idc to be transferred and information related to the transfer such as end users name and contact information . at step 1810 the idc transfer request is transferred to the control unit . at step 1815 the control unit verifies that the implementation associated with the idc is registered with the control unit . the control unit at step 1820 then processes the idc transfer request with implementation information added and updated to the implementation and end user databases . at step 1825 the implementation object database is updated . at step 1830 the idc is moved to the idc storage area in the control unit . at step 1835 the transaction is recorded in the audit database and the end user is notified that the transaction was successful 1840 . fig1 describes the process of the control unit analyzing an idc for issues or problems related to the implementation . for example an end user may want to know if the implementation plan and strategy that has been created is realistic based upon other similar implementations . in another embodiment the end user may want the implementation to be audited to ensure that the implementation data entered is accurate . at step 1900 a request to analyze an idc is made to the control unit . at step 1905 the end user selects the idc ( s ) that will be analyzed and in step 1910 specified the type of analysis that will be done . based upon the type of analysis selected specific analysis criteria may be provided by the end user . at step 1915 the analysis is done using the analysis processor within the control unit . at step 1920 the results of the analysis are returned to the end user by the control unit . fig2 describes the process of completing a transaction relating to the creation of implementation deliverables from the ims . at step 2000 a request to create implementation deliverables such as a project schedule , plan or report is initiated by the end user . at step 2005 the end user optionally selects which implementation objects are to be included in the deliverable . for example the end user may decide only to include information about the implementation team in a report . at step 2010 the end user selects the deliverables to be created . based upon this selection the implementation deliverables processor generates the requested deliverables in step 2015 . in one embodiment the present invention is used by the end user to facilitate the exchange of implementation data with another end user through a series of transactions with the ims 600 and control unit 200 . the purpose of this exchange is to enable other end users ( such as a vendor , consultant or industry expert ) to review and possibly update the end user &# 39 ; s implementation data . when the review is complete the implementation data will be returned the end user . 1 . the end user initiates an ims transaction 150 to create an idc 800 that contains implementation data ( fig1 ). 2 . the end user then initiates control unit transactions 120 that transfers the idc 800 to the control unit 200 . included in the transaction request is the identification ( s ) of the other end user ( s ) where the idc should be routed . ( fig1 ) 3 . the control unit 200 then routes the idc 800 to the ims 600 and notifies the appropriate end users . 4 . the receiving end user initiates a series of ims transactions 150 to review ( and possibly update ) the implementation data . 5 . when the review is complete the receiving end user initiates an ims transaction 150 to create an idc 800 that contains implementation data ( fig1 ). 6 . the receiving end user initiates control unit transactions 120 that transfers the idc 800 to the control unit 200 . ( fig1 ) 7 . the control unit 200 then routes the idc 800 to the ims 600 and notifies the sending end user that the transaction is complete . fig2 describes an exemplary billing system of the present invention . end users may be billed and make payments for executing various control unit transactions 120 and ims transactions 130 such as implementation analysis and review . in addition end users may be billed and make payments for the license and use of various idc &# 39 ; s 800 that are used as templates with the ims 600 . end user invoicing and payments are described using conventional credit card electronic charges , checks , electronic funds transfer (“ eft ”), or digital cash . these payment methods are meant to be merely illustrative , as there are many equivalent payment methods commonly known in the art which may be used . the billing process is initiated at step 2100 when the end user initiates a control unit transaction 120 or ims transaction 170 which is deemed to be billable . once the billing process is started the price and tracking number of the control unit transaction 120 or the ims transaction 170 is processed and sent to the billing database 290 at step 2105 . at step 2110 there are a number of billing protocols that can be used . for example , one protocal , cash on delivery (“ cod ”), requires that the end user pay before completing a control unit transaction 120 or an ims transaction 170 . another protocol is a credit system in which the end user pays at the end of the billing period . at step 2115 the end users preferred billing method is retrieved from the control unit 120 . in the cod protocol the billing processor 245 generates a bill prior to completing the control unit transaction 120 or the ims transaction 170 . in a credit protocol the billing processor 245 searches the billing database 290 at the end of each billing period and totals the amount owed by each end user . at step 2120 the appropriate billing module ( credit card , eft , check , electronic cash ) is initiated . fig2 describes an exemplary idc pricing system of the present invention . end users may be billed and make payments for the license and use of various idc &# 39 ; s 800 . the price of an idc may be determined based upon the objects that are included in the idc from the implementation object database 275 and the idc &# 39 ; s stored in idc storage 297 . the pricing method described is meant to be merely illustrative , as there are other many pricing methods which may be employed . the idc pricing process is initiated at step 2200 when the end user initiates a request to create an idc . at step 2205 the end user enters criteria in order to identify potential implementation objects to be included in the idc . at step 2210 the idc processor 240 identifies a list of implementation objects which match the criteria provided in step 2205 . at step 2215 the end user selects implementation objects to be included in the new idc 800 . as the user selects specific implementation objects the pricing processor 250 automatically calculates the price of the implementation object using data from the implementation object database 275 ( see step 2220 ). a total price of all implementation objects selected is maintained throughout the selection process . the pricing processor 250 automatically calculates discounts and other pricing incentives as objects from the implementation object database 275 are selected . at step 2225 the idc processor builds the idc based upon the implementation objects selected . at step 2230 the billing database is updated with the price of the idc 800 and the billing process ( as described in fig2 ) is initiated at step 2235 . another embodiment of the present invention revolves around the creation of an implementation marketplace and community . in one embodiment an end user develops an idc 800 that could contain valuable implementation data , tools and strategies for a specific type of technology system implementation . the end user can transfer the idc 800 to the control unit 200 and request that the idc 800 may be made available to be sold or licensed to other end users . a number of pricing strategies could be selected by the end user such as a fixed price or a bid approach . other end users could then access , review and purchase the idc by initiating a series of control unit transactions 120 with the control unit 200 . in another embodiment end users could procure the services of an implementation expert or consultant of a specific type of technology system implementation using the present invention . through a control unit transaction 120 end users can contact and establish a dialog with one or more experts for a specific technology system . implementation data capsules 800 can be exchanged between the end user and the expert as described in the implementation data exchange embodiment . in another embodiment an end user can establish dialogs with other end users that are involved in similar technology system implementations . implementation data capsules 800 can be exchanged between the end users as described in the implementation data exchange embodiment .
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referring to fig1 to 3 , description will be made of a basic structure of a card connector according to an embodiment of this invention . the card connector 1 illustrated in fig1 to 3 is a so - called push - push type card connector and comprises a base 2 made of an insulating material and a metal cover 3 . the base 2 and the cover 3 are faced to each other in a direction perpendicular to a drawing sheet . a combination of the base 2 and the cover 3 will be called a connector body . the card connector 1 further comprises an ejecting member 4 made of metal and movable in a first direction a 1 , and a compression coil spring 5 urging the ejecting member 4 in an ejecting direction , i . e ., the first direction a 1 . the ejecting member 4 and the compression coil spring 5 are fixed to an inner surface 3 a of the cover 3 . a card 7 is inserted between the base 2 and the cover 3 in a second direction a 2 opposite to the first direction a 1 . specifically , between the base 2 and the cover 3 , a space 8 is defined to receive the card 7 . the ejecting member 4 and the compression coil spring 5 are disposed adjacent to the space 8 in a widthwise direction , i . e ., a third direction a 3 perpendicular to the first and the second directions a 1 and a 2 . the inner surface 3 a of the cover 3 is provided with a receiving portion 3 b , comprising a wall portion faced to the ejecting member 4 in the third direction a 3 and extending in the first and the second directions a 1 and a 2 . on the other hand , the base 2 holds a plurality of conductive contacts 9 to be contacted with a plurality of signal patterns 7 a of the card 7 . the contacts 9 are arranged in parallel to one another in the third direction a 3 . each of the contacts extends in the first and the second directions a 1 and a 2 . as illustrated in fig5 a , the base 2 is provided with a heart cam 11 formed on its inner surface to control movement of the ejecting member 4 . a combination of the ejecting member 4 and the heart cam 11 will herein be called an ejecting mechanism . the relationship between the ejecting member 4 and the heart cam 11 will later be described in detail . referring to fig4 , the ejecting member 4 will be described . the ejecting member 4 comprises an ejecting member body 4 a guided by the cover 3 and movable in the first and the second directions a 1 and a 2 , a cam follower 4 b , and an elastically deformable locking member 4 c for preventing the card 7 ( see fig3 and so on ) from unintentionally jumping out from the connector 1 . the ejecting member body 4 a , the cam follower 4 b , and the locking member 4 c are integrally coupled to form an integral structure . the cam follower 4 b is elastically deformable and has a free end 4 d formed at its end to move along the heart cam 11 ( see fig5 a and so on ). the ejecting member 4 further comprises a contacting portion 4 e to be contacted with an end portion of the card 7 , an engaging portion , i . e ., a locking portion 4 f to be engaged with a recess 7 a formed on a lateral edge of the card 7 , a spring receiving portion 4 g for receiving the compression coil spring 5 , and a receiving portion 4 h for preventing excessive deformation of the locking member 4 c . the locking portion 4 f is formed at an end of the locking member 4 c and , with elastic deformation of the locking member 4 c , is displaceable between a first position where it is engaged with the recess 7 a and a second position where it is disengaged from the recess 7 a . referring to fig5 a to 5c and 6 a to 6 c in addition , the card connector 1 will continuously be described . a part near one end of the compression coil spring 5 is fitted over a protruding portion 3 c formed on the cover 3 by bending . a part near the other end of the compression coil spring 5 is fitted over the spring receiving portion 4 g of the ejecting member 4 . therefore , the ejecting member 4 is continuously urged by the compression coil spring 5 in the first direction a 1 with respect to the connector 1 . the heart cam 11 formed on the base 2 defines a circulating track for the free end 4 d of the cam follower 4 b . specifically , the circulating track has a starting point a , a forward stroke guide portion b inclined with respect to the first and the second directions a 1 and a 2 , a recessed portion c , a backward stroke guide portion d inclined with respect to the first and the second directions a 1 and a 2 , and an end point e , i . e ., the starting point a . when the card 7 is inserted as shown in fig5 a , the locking portion 4 f of the ejecting member 4 is engaged with an engaged portion , i . e ., a recessed portion 7 b of the card 7 as shown in fig5 c . in this state , when the card 7 is pushed by a finger or the like in the second direction a 2 , the ejecting member 4 moves in the second direction a 2 following the card 7 , with compression of the compression coil spring 5 . as a result , as shown in fig5 b , the free end 4 d of the ejecting member 4 moves from the starting point a , passes along the forward stroke guide portion b , and reaches a position depicted by a dashed - line circle in the recessed portion c . thereafter , when the finger or the like is released from the card 7 , the free end 4 d of the ejecting member 4 is engaged with the recessed portion c of the heart cam 11 by a restoring force of the compression coil spring 5 . as a consequence , the ejecting member 4 is locked . further , the locking member 4 c and the locking portion 4 f of the ejecting member 4 reach a position faced to the receiving portion 3 b in the third direction a 3 as shown in fig6 c . therefore , the locking member 4 c is prevented from elastic deformation . accordingly , the locking portion 4 f and the recessed portion 7 a of the card 7 are not disengaged from each other so that the card 7 is locked also . in this state , the signal patterns 7 a of the card 7 are contacted with the contacts 9 so that the card 7 is electrically connected to the connector 1 . when the card 7 is again pushed in the second direction a 2 by the finger or the like , the free end 4 d of the ejecting member 4 is released from the recessed portion c . therefore , by the restoring force of the compression coil spring 5 , the free end 4 d of the ejecting member 4 passes along the backward stroke guide portion d and returns to a position depicted by a dashed - line circle at the end point e , i . e ., at the starting point a . consequently , the card 7 moves in the first direction a 1 also . at this time , the locking portion 4 f is engaged with the recessed portion 7 a of the card 7 so that the card 7 is prevented from being unintentionally jumped out from the connector 1 . as a result of movement of the card 7 in the first direction a 1 , the locking portion 4 f of the ejecting member 4 is apart from the receiving portion 3 b as illustrated in fig5 c . therefore , by pulling the card 7 in the first direction a 1 , engagement between the locking portion 4 f and the recessed portion 7 a of the card 7 is easily released so that the card 7 is allowed to be pulled out from the connector 1 . in the foregoing , the receiving portion 3 b is formed on the cover 3 . however , the receiving portion 3 b may be formed at any appropriate position of the base 2 . referring to fig7 , description will be made of a structure of fixing the cover 3 to the base 2 . as illustrated in fig7 , the cover 3 is fitted to the base 2 . thereafter , six bending legs 3 d are bent to fix the cover 3 to the base 2 . referring to fig8 to 10 , description will be made of another structure of fixing the cover 3 to the base 2 . as shown in fig8 a and 8b , the cover 3 has protruding portions 3 e formed at two inner positions on each of left and right side portions thereof and a protruding portion 3 f formed at one outer position of each of the left and the right side portions thereof . on the other hand , as illustrated in fig9 , the base 2 has recessed portions 2 b formed at two inner positions on each of left and right side portions thereof and a raised portion 2 c formed at one outer position of each of left and right side portions thereof . the protruding portions 3 e are press - fitted into the recessed portions 2 b . the protruding portion 3 f is latched to the raised portion 2 c . as a result , the state illustrated in fig1 is reached . referring to fig1 and 12 , description will be made of the case where the card 7 is improperly or erroneously inserted into the connector 1 in a position inclined with respect to the second direction a 2 . herein , erroneous insertion collectively includes insertion of the card 7 into the connector 1 in an inclined position , insertion in an upside - down position , and insertion in a frontward - back position . in fig1 and 12 , a front left corner of the card 7 is contacted with a bent portion 4 c 1 of the locking member 4 c . when the bent portion 4 c 1 is pushed by the card 7 , a part around the bent portion 4 c 1 is brought into contact with the receiving portions 3 b and 4 h . therefore , the locking member 4 c is prevented from further elastic deformation so that the card 7 is prevented from being erroneously inserted into the connector 1 . while the present invention has thus far been described in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof , it will readily be possible for those skilled in the art to put this invention into practice in various other manners .
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the delivery system of the present invention improves the particular characteristics of liposomes to store and carry agents to the human epidermis in an efficient and effective manner to improve the skin condition . by freeze - drying the liposomes , the problems of stability and shelf - life of the liposomes and agents are overcome and a practical form for application is produced . this is furthered by use of a fabric pad for carrying and applying the freeze - dried liposomes . the agents considered are those directed to skin in either a healthy or pathological conditions . generally , the delivery system includes the processes of selection and preparation of specific liposomes for delivery to the epidermis , encapsulation of the specific effective agents , freeze drying , followed by topical application which may include transformative steps . liposomes provide a non - toxic means for encapsulation of agents and can be further modified to bind to specific sub - populations of cells . specifically , the liposome membranes according to the present invention can be made to bind to specific cells or sites within the epidermis . an advantage of this characteristic is the ability to reduce migration of particular agents into the dermis and blood stream . this can allow for local application of agents which otherwise penetrate the skin barrier too readily and cause systemic problems . in addition , dilution of the effective agents is reduced minimizing the required application . however , where delivery of agents to the dermal region is desired , the present invention is also applicable . in such case , liposome selection is directed to binding to cells below the epidermis / dermal boundary . liposomes are microscopic and larger membrane - enclosed vesicles or sacs made artificially in the laboratory by a variety of methods . they are generally spherical but may be form in other shapes as well . the primary requirements according to the present invention are that the liposomes should not be toxic to the living cells and that they should preferentially bind to , or otherwise reside among , the cells of the epidermal layer of the skin . the liposomes according to the present invention may be of various size and may comprise either one or several membrane layers separating the internal and external compartments . an important element in liposome structures is that the liposome be resistant to destruction as it travels from the surface of the skin down to the target region . liposome structures according to the present invention include small unilamellar vesicles ( less than 250 angstroms in diameter ), large unilamellar vesicles and multilamellar vesicles . the liposomes according to the present invention may be made from natural and synthetic phospholipids , glycolipids and other lipids and lipid congeners ; cholesterol , cholesterol derivatives and other cholesterol congeners ; charged species which impart a net charge to the membrane ; reactive species which can react after liposome formation to link additional molecules to the liposome membrane ; and other lipid soluble compounds which have chemical or biological activities . liposomes may also be formed of mixtures of the above compounds . encapsulation of the desired agent in liposomes may be effected by combining a phospholipid component with an aqueous component containing the selected agent under conditions which will result in vesicle formation . the phospholipid concentration must be sufficient to form lamellar structures , and the aqueous component must be compatible with the agent to be encapsulated . methods for combining the phospholipid and the aqueous components so that vesicles will form include : drying the phospholipids onto glass and then dispersing them in the aqueous components ; injecting phospholipids dissolved in a vaporizing or non - vaporizing organic solvent into the aqueous component which has previously been heated ; and dissolving phospholipids in the aqueous base with detergents and then removing the detergent by dialysis . the liposomes can be produced from the foregoing mixtures either by sonication or by dispersing the mixture through either small bore tubing or through the small orifice of a french press . the methods for producing the liposomes as set forth in u . s . pat . 5 , 077 , 211 to yarosh are incorporated herein by reference . it is within the scope of the present invention to use other methods for encapsulating agents within a liposome . a specific example of producing the liposomes would include the following process . a lipid mixture as set forth above is dissolved in an organic solvent and dried to a thin film in a glass vessel . the selected agent is purified and added to the vessel at high concentrations in an aqueous buffer to rehydrate the lipid . the mixture is then agitated by vortexing and sonicated to form liposomes . the liposome spheres containing the encapsulated agent are then separated from the unincorporated agent by centrifugation or gel filtration . administration to humans requires that the liposomes be pyrogen - free and sterile . to eliminate pyrogens , pyrogen - free raw materials , including all chemicals as well as the agents and water are used to form the liposomes . sterilization can be performed by filtration of the liposomes through a 0 . 2 micron filter . a general discussion of liposomes and liposome technology can be found in a three volume work entitled liposome technology edited by g . gregoriadis , 1993 , published by crc press , boca raton , fla . the pertinent portions of these references are incorporated herein by reference . a broad variety of agents may be liposome encapsulated for application to the skin . a few of the potential agents include one or more of the following types or compounds : pharmaceutically active compounds including antimicrobials ; antioxidants ; botanical extracts ; alpha hydroxy acids ; fruit and vegetable derived extracts and acids ; fragrances ; minerals ; moisturizers ; urea , proteinases such as papain and ananase ; and vitamins or combinations thereof the present invention includes the use of both water - soluble and hydrophobic ( oil - soluble ) compounds in the same liposome . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 128 , 139 to brown , etal ., and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 439 , 672 to zabotto , etal ., are incorporated herein as examples of encapsulation of cosmetic agents in liposomes . following encapsulation , the liposomes are freeze - dried to remove their water content . freeze - drying greatly expands both the utility of liposomes for skin care purposes and the range of application methods . liposomes in aqueous dispersions generally have limited physical stability and shelf life . individual liposome particles in dispersions tend to associate and coalesce , forming larger liposome particles . also , the agents may diffuse into the dispersing solution . in addition , the structural or agent components of a liposome in a dispersion may be lost due bacteriological , enzymatic , and / or chemical reaction degradative processes facilitated by the dispersing medium . freeze - drying liposomes considerably reduces these problems by reducing the time the liposomes are in a liquid phase , and provides for storage with far less opportunities for loss of integrity of either the structural component or the agent materials . freeze - drying of liposomes can be accomplished by various means known to those skilled in the art . see “ preservation of liposomes by freeze - drying ”, vol . 1 , p . 229 , in liposome technology , liposome preparation and related techniques , ed . by gregory gregoriadis , crc press , boca raton , 1993 . the addition of certain disaccharide sugars to the liposome - forming mixtures has been shown to improve stability upon rehydration of the freeze - dried liposomes . this effect is discussed in the above reference . although other sugars , such as sucrose , may be suitable for certain liposome compositions , trehalose has been found to be the preferred additive . once the desired topical agent has been encapsulated in the appropriate liposome and the liposomes freeze - dried , this material may be prepared in a variety of forms for application to the skin . the liposomes may be packaged alone for use as a single constituent of a skin treatment material . however , the freeze - dried liposomes may also be combined with secondary ingredients . in the freeze - dried state , the liposomes may be applied directly to the skin . the natural moisture found on and in the skin will rehydrate the liposomes effectively activating them to carry the encapsulated agent into the skin . rehydration can also be assisted by applying additional moisture to the skin prior to , after , or with the application of the freeze - dried liposomes . alternatively , water or water vapor may be used to rehydrate the liposomes immediately before use . application of the liposomes and addition of moisture may be accomplished in a variety of ways . the simplest may be by rubbing the liposomes directly onto the skin using the fingers . in a preferred embodiment , prepared liposomes are deposited within or onto a substantially fibrous or polymeric pad 10 ( see fig1 ) which is then put into contact with the skin to apply the liposomes . it is preferred that an binding agent 15 be applied to the pad 10 prior to depositing liposomes to assist in capture and adherence . the pad 10 may be made of natural fibers , filament fiber material , synthetic polymers , and any other materials having fabric - like properties . various pad materials are known and used in the skin care industry for skin care applications . the pad 10 may also be formed of sponge - like materials in which a greater quantity of liposomes or a secondary agent may be deposited . preferably , liposomes are deposited on the outer surface of the pad 10 such that contact with the skin is maximized and the amount of liposomes used is minimized . the liposomes may be deposited onto the pad 10 at the time of use or , preferably , the pad 10 is preimpregnated and then stored in a vapor - proof container or other packaging designed to reduce moisture contamination such as with a desiccant . this second alternative makes most use of the benefits of the liposomes in a commercial setting . that is , the liposomes themselves need not be handled , thereby preventing accidental hydration . use of such a pad 10 simplifies the hydration process . a pad 10 containing liposomes may be dipped into a hydrating solution , allowing for full reconstitution of the liposomes immediately before application to the skin . the hydrating solution may also contain secondary ingredients such as moisturizers . however , such secondary ingredients are limited to those which will not unduly disrupt the specific liposome structure . in a typical application , freeze - dried liposomes are formed using the above process . the encapsulated agent being the antifungal compound ketoconazole . the freeze - dried liposomes are deposited on one side of a fibrous pad 10 . the pad 10 then is sealed in a nitrogen flushed foil package . the protective wrapper is opened just prior to use , and the pad 10 rubbed onto the skin areas of concern which have been premoistened . disruption of a portion of the liposomes occurs at the skin surface as a consequence of the mechanics of application and chemicals residing on the skin . as a result , ketoconazole is released to effect its purpose as a antifungal . a second portion of the liposomes survives to penetrate the epidermis to deliver ketoconazole to the sebaceous glands . systemic absorption is minimized by liposome encapsulation . advantages can be gained by incorporating the above pad 10 into a hand held applicator such as the steam device 20 shown in fig2 . an obvious advantage is the ease of grasping and applying a fabric pad 10 when an applicator is provided as a “ handle ”. additionally , the applicator of the present invention allows for : minimizing contact with the fingers ; exposing the area of the pad 10 containing the liposome directly and completely to the targeted skin area ; providing steam or vapor for rehydration ; and providing a means for applying uniform or concentrated pressure . another advantage of an applicator such as the steam device 20 is that of providing water vapor or steam as a liposome rehydrating means . the steam device 20 shown in fig2 incorporates an internal steam generator 30 which produces steam and vapor that can be directed through an internal passage 40 such as to flow through an attached pad . in practice , the pad 10 containing freeze - dried liposomes may be secured to the steam device 20 via an adapter 50 shown in fig3 by a securing means 60 such as velcro ®. in this position , rehydration may be effected by manual addition of an separate aqueous solution . preferably , however , the liposomes are directed onto the skin simultaneous with steam or vapor being directed through the pad 10 and onto the skin . in this manner , the liposomes are hydrated at the moment of application . depending on the quantity and temperature , application of steam will cause some degree of disruption of the liposome structure thereby releasing the effective agent . this may be controlled by regulating the steam energy used . in specific applications this method may be used to cause early release where the agent is desired to act at the skin surface as well as through liposome delivery . the above described and depicted device is but one example devices which may be used for application of freeze - dried liposomes . it will be obvious to one skilled in the art to use similar devices in the current invention . the described methods for rehydration and reconstitution of liposomes can alternatively be used in combination . for instance , freeze - dried liposomes may be applied to the skin from a dry pad 10 using an hand held applicator such as the steam device 20 . after a period of time , allowing for some rehydration by skin moisture , either natural or added , steam or vapor may be applied using the same applicator or other independent means . an extension of the present invention is the introduction of freeze - dried liposomes to cosmetics . in these alternative embodiments , the moisturizing , agents are encapsulated in freezedried liposomes and the liposomes mixed in a cosmetic carrier such as a lipstick cream or a facial powder . the carrier must be without significant water content to prevent premature rehydration . the objective is to allow the liposomes to be reconstituted in a the release fashion as ambient moisture and vapor is absorbed from the skin and surrounding air . as a consequence , the encapsulated moisturizer is provided to the skin in an ongoing manner . similarly , other agents whose benefits will be enhanced by gradual application can be provided by this means . these include deodorants and fragrances . the preceding description and examples are intended to illustrate the present invention . they are not intended to be an exhaustive presentation of all possible alternatives and persons skilled in this field will recognize that modifications or substitutions could be made to the descriptions given above that would remain within the scope of the invention .
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the human artificial intelligence program acts like a human brain because it stores , retrieve , and modify information similar to human beings . the function of the hai is to predict the future using the data from memory . for example , human beings can answer questions because they can predict the future . they can anticipate what will eventually happen during an event based on events they learned in the past . 1 . overall ai program 2 . image processor 3 . search function 4 . universalize data in memory 5 . representing meaning to language 6 . topics on the robot &# 39 ; s conscious referring to fig1 , the present invention is a method of creating human artificial intelligence in machines and computer based software applications , the method comprising : an artificial intelligent computer program repeats itself in a single for - loop to receive information , calculate an optimal pathway from memory , and taking action ; a storage area to store all data received by said artificial intelligent program ; and a long - term memory used by said artificial intelligent program . said an ai program repeats itself in a single for - loop to receive information from the environment , calculating an optimal pathway from memory , and taking action . the steps in the for - loop comprises : 1 . receive input from the environment based on the 5 senses and determining the boundaries of the current pathway ( block 2 ). 2 . use the image processor to dissect the current pathway into sections called partial data . for visual objects , dissect data using the 5 functions : dissect moving image layers from frame to frame , dissect partially moving image layers , dissect image layers using recursive color regions , and dissect image layers based on associated rules ( block 4 ). 3 . generate an initial encapsulated tree for the current pathway and prepare visual object variations to be searched ( block 6 ). average all data in initial encapsulated tree for the current pathway and determine the existence state of visual objects from sequential frames ( block 8 ). 4 . execute two search functions to look for best pathway matches ( block 14 ). the first search function uses search points to match a visual object to a memory object . uses breadth - first search because it searches for visual objects in the initial encapsulated tree from the top - down and searches for all child visual objects before moving on to the next level . the second search function uses guess points to match a memory object to a visual object . it uses depth - first search to find matches . from a visual object match in memory the search function will travel on the strongest - closest memory encapsulated connections to find possible memory objects . these memory objects will be used to match with possible visual objects in the initial encapsulated tree . this search function works backwards from the first search function . the first search function will output general search areas for the second search function to search in . if the second search function deviates too far from the general search areas , the second search function will stop , backtrack and wait for more general search areas from the first search function . 5 . generate encapsulated trees for each new object created during runtime . if visual object / s create hidden object then generate encapsulated tree for said hidden object . allocate search points in memory closest to the visual objects that created the hidden object ( block 22 ). if visual object / s activates a learned object ( or activated element object ) then generate encapsulated tree for said learned object . search in memory closest to the visual object / s that activated the learned object ( block 24 ). if pathways in memory contain patterns determine the desirability of pathway ( block 12 ). 6 . if matches are successful or within a success threshold , modify initial encapsulated tree by increasing the powerpoints and priority percent of visual object / s involved in successful search ( block 10 ). if matches are not found or difficult to find , try a new alternative visual object search and modify initial encapsulated tree by decreasing the powerpoints and priority percent of visual object / s involved in unsuccessful search . if alternative visual object search is a better match than the original visual object match modify initial encapsulated tree by deleting the original visual object and replacing it with said alternative visual object ( block 16 ). 7 . objects recognized by the al program are called target objects and element objects are objects in memory that have strong association to the target object . the ai program will collect all element objects from all target objects and determine which element objects to activate . all element objects will compete with one another to be activated and the strongest element object / s will be activated . these activated element objects will be in the form of words , sentences , images , or instructions to guide the ai program to do one of the following : provide meaning to language , solve problems , plan tasks , solve interruption of tasks , predict the future , think , or analyze a situation . the activated element object / s is also known as the robot &# 39 ; s conscious ( block 18 and pointer 40 ). 8 . rank all best pathway matches in memory and determine their best future pathways . a decreasing factorial is multiplied to each frame closest to the current state ( block 26 and block 28 ). 9 . based on best pathway matches and best future pathways calculate an optimal pathway ( block 34 ). if the optimal pathway contains a pattern object , copy said pattern object to the current pathway and generate said pattern object &# 39 ; s encapsulated tree ( block 30 ). 10 . store the current pathway and the initial encapsulated tree ( which contains 4 data types ) in the optimal pathway ( block 32 ). rank all objects and all of their encapsulated trees from the current pathway based on priority and locate their respective masternode to change and modify multiple copies of each object in memory ( block 36 ). 11 . follow the future pathway of the optimal pathway ( block 38 ). 12 . universalize data and find patterns in and around the optimal pathway . bring data closer to one another and form object floaters . find and compare similar pathways for any patterns . group similar pathways together if patterns are found ( block 44 ). the purpose of the storage area is to store large amounts of images and movie sequences so that data is organized in an encapsulated format to compress data and prevent unnecessary storing of repeated data . images should be grouped together in memory based on : closest neighbor pixels , closest neighbor images , closest timing of images , closest strongest strength of images and closest training of images . movie sequences should be grouped together in memory based on : closest next ( or before ) frame sequences , closest timing of frame sequences , closest training of frame sequences and closest strength of frame sequences . a combination of criterias to store images and movie sequences listed above are used for storing data in memory . these criterias establish the rules to break up and group data in images and movie sequences . when an image is sensed by the ai program there are no information to establish what is on that image . there are no rules as well to break up the images into pieces . certainly , the computer can &# 39 ; t just randomly break up the input data and randomly group the pieces together — all objects should have set and defined boundaries . the present invention provide a “ heuristic way ” to store images / movie sequences ( data ), break up data into the best possible encapsulated groups , and universalize data in memory . the ai program receives input visually in terms of 2 - dimensional movie sequences . the ai program will use hidden data from moving and non - moving objects in the movie sequences to create a 3 - d representation of the 2 - d movie sequences ; and store the 2 - d movie sequences in such a way that a 3 - d environment is created . with this said , there exist a third set of rules to group data in memory . 3 - d movie sequences should be grouped together in memory based on : closest 3 - d neighbor of pixels , closest 3 - d neighbor of images , closest 3 - d strength of images , closest 3 - d training of images , closest 3 - d timing of images , closest 3 - d next ( or before ) frame sequences , closest 3 - d timing of frame sequences , and closest 3 - d strength of frame sequences . the storage area is made up of a 3 - dimensional grid . each space in the 3 - d grid contains a 360 degree view . this means that each point inside the network can store the next sequence in the movie from 360 degrees . to better understand how this works , the diagram in fig2 shows a 3 - d grid with dot 46 in the middle . dot 46 represents one frame in the network ; and the next frame can be stored in any 360 degree direction . this is important because life in our environment is 360 degrees at any given space . a person can stand in one place and look at the environment from the top , bottom , left , right and all the directions in between . the brain of this robot must have the means of storing every frame sequence . the human brain stores information not in an exact manner , but in an approximate manner . the movie sequences that are trained often will be stored in memory while the movie sequences that are not trained often will not be stored in memory . for an object like a house , if a human being has seen the house from the front and side , but not from the back , then his / her memory will only have movie sequences of the house from the front and side . in fact , when data begins to forget only sections of the house from the front and side are stored in memory . this happens because data in frames forget information . fig3 a - 3b shows how movie pathways are forgotten . the movie sequences that are sensed by the robot are actually 2 - dimensional . in order to make the robot understand the movie sequence is actually 3 - dimensional we have to use focus and eye distance . referring to fig4 a , human eyes are different from frames in a movie because the human eye can focus on an object while a frame from a movie has equal visibility . the focus area is clear while the peripheral vision is blurry . as the eyes focus on a close object the retinal widens , and when the eyes focus on far objects the retinal shortens . the degree in which the eye widens or shortens determine the distance between the object seen and the robot &# 39 ; s eyes . this will give the 2 - d images in movie sequences dept ; and provide it with enough information to interpret the data as 3 - dimensional . based on the focus factor the robot will create 3 - d data from 2 - d images . this means that if there exist two images that are exactly the same in terms of pixels , it doesn &# 39 ; t mean that they are the same 3 - dimensionally . one image can be a picture of a house and the other image can be a real - life view of a house . both are exactly the same , but the real life - view contains dept and distance . the robot will store these two images in the same group , but the distance data will be different . referring to fig4 a - 4b , the distances of the images are also important . the triangle is far away , but the cube and the cylinder is close by . if we train the example in fig4 a with equal frequency , then the cylinder will have higher powerpoints than the triangle because of the distance . the size of the object is also a factor in how strong ( powerpoints ) each object will be . the cylinder takes up more pixels than the triangle , therefore the cylinder will have more powerpoints . the focus and eye distance is supposed to create a 3 - d grid around the 2 - d images . this creates dept on the 2 - d images and this information will be used to break up the pixels into probable pieces . each pixel in the frame will try to connect to each pixel in the next sequence . this is called “ the existence of pixels ” where the computer tries to find what objects in the movie sequences are : existing , non - existing , or changed . for example , if a human face is staring at the robot and the next frame is the human face turning to the right , the robot needs to know that the shape of different encapsulated objects has changed . it has to lock onto the morphing image of the nose , eyes , mouth , cheek bones , forehead , hair , ears , neck and so forth . sometimes pixels in images disappear or new pixels that wasn &# 39 ; t there before appear . in order to recognize all these changing things the ai program has to group images together based on a variety of rules . repetition is the key ; the more the sequence is encountered the more the robot will learn the sequence . another way of learning the existence of an object is through the human conscious where the robot learns language and activates sentences that will tell the robot what is happening in the movie sequence . all these rules will be explained further in later sections . some terminology must be established first before explaining the functions of the image processor . objects are the items we are searching for in memory . this one object is made up of sub - objects and these sub - objects are made up of other sub - objects . one example is a movie sequence : pixels are encapsulated in images , images are encapsulated in frames , frames are encapsulated in movie sequences and movie sequences are encapsulated in other movie sequences . image layers are the combination of pixels . each image layer comprises one or more pixels . pixels on the image layer do not have to be connected ; they can be scattered or connected ( most likely pixels will be connected because the image processor group connected pixels more than scattered pixels ). sequential image layers are image layers that span in sequential frames . they can have a number of image layers in each frame . some of these image layers can be connected or scattered ( depending on the training and the robot &# 39 ; s conscious ). these image layers from frame to frame can also be existing , non - existing , or changed . the image processor is designed to break up the current pathway into pieces ( called partial data ) so that the strongest image layers or movie sequences are dissected and grouped together . the output of the image processor is to generate an initial encapsulated tree for the current pathway . ( for simplicity purposes , this invention will cover images and movie sequences only ; all nodes in the encapsulated tree for the current pathway are called visual objects ). the initial encapsulated tree will provide the ai program with a heuristic way to search for unknown data from images and movie sequences . when the ai program receives input from the environment , it has no idea what is contained in the input — there are no predefined information or relationships between individual pixels . the only way for the ai program to understand the input is by finding an identical copy in memory . each node in the initial encapsulated tree is called a visual object . the top node is called a visual object , the middle - level nodes are called visual objects and the bottom - level nodes are called visual objects . fig6 illustrates a visual object 50 and all information attached to it . each visual object comprises : a frame sequence with at least one frame , three variables : ( a ) average pixel color ( b ) average total pixel count ( c ) average normalized point ; a priority percent ; a powerpoint ; an existence state , encapsulated connections with other visual objects ; a domain number , and search data 52 . visual objects can be pixels , image layers , frames or frame sequences . each frame will have its own sub - encapsulated tree . if frame sequences contain 10 frames then an encapsulated tree will be generated for each frame . the initial encapsulated tree in this case will contain all 10 encapsulated trees for all 10 frames . each visual object will have a priority percent . the priority percent is the importance of that visual object in a given domain . each visual object will have a priority percent to indicate to the search function how important this visual object is . this will give the search function a better idea of what should be searched first , where should the search be done , and what possible search areas to search in . when all priority percent from all visual objects are added up , within a given domain , it will equal 100 %. the current pathway is the domain for all visual objects in the initial encapsulated tree . fig5 shows the priority percent of visual objects in one frame . if the domain is 1 frame 48 then all images that make up that 1 frame 48 will equal 100 %. in this example the image processor found the horse to be 20 %, the tree 12 %, the sun 8 %, and the rest of the image layers make up 60 %. if the tree and the horse are grouped together in a visual object then that visual object &# 39 ; s priority percent is 32 %. when comparing visual objects , the three variables ( or comparing variables ) establish the overall data to compare . the closer two visual objects are in terms of all three variables the better the match . fig7 shows visual object 54 is compared to 4 similar visual objects in memory . visual object 54 is 90 % similar to visual object 56 . the image processor will use certain dissection functions to cut out prominent image layers from images and movie sequences . there are basically 4 dissection functions : dissect image layers that are moving , dissect image layers that are partially moving , dissect image layers by calculating the 3 - dimensional shape of all image layers in the movie sequence , dissect image layers by calculating dominant color regions using recursion , and dissect image layers using associated rules . the two functions that really work for still pictures is “ dissecting image layers by calculating dominant color regions using recursion ” and “ dissecting image layers using associated rules ”. since still pictures have no pre - existing information these two functions provide a heuristic way of breaking up image layers and grouping them together . the first three functions work well with movie sequences . in the case of “ dissecting image layers that are partially moving ”, the image processor will try to combine this dissection function with the last two dissection functions to cut out the remaining probable image layers . this dissection function is very simple to understand . if one image layer is moving in the environment and the total image layer is found , then cut out that image layer . this means that the cut is very clean and the entire image layer is cut out from beginning to end . it &# 39 ; s kind of like cutting out one image from one picture , if the image can be taken out of the picture that means it &# 39 ; s a clean cut . if the cut is not clean and the image is still attached to the picture then that image is partially cut . this is what happens when some visual objects move while other visual objects stay still . one example is a human being . someone can stand still in front of a camera and wave his arm back and forth . the arm is moving , but the human being is standing still . the image processor will not know that the arm is part of the human being . the initial encapsulated tree has the average pixel color of all visual objects . the average pixel color at the top of the initial encapsulated tree will decide how important average pixel colors are in the lower - levels . dominant colors can be computed by following a chain of parent visual objects . this information will provide the image processor with possible color regions that are considered dominant and other color regions that are considered minor . with this technique , the image processor can cut out probable image layers from still pictures . dissect image layers by calculating the 3 - dimensional shape of all image layers in movie sequences by analyzing the 2 - dimensional movie sequences and adding in focus and distance to the images , a 3 - dimensional grid will pop up . the robot will be viewing real - life images from the environment . this grid will guide the breaking up of data in memory because it will tell the image processor where the edges of any given objects are . focus and distance is used to show dept in a still image . close objects will be cut out compared to far objects . for example , if there exist one frame with a still hand in front and a still human being in the background , the image processor will understand that the hand is one object that is closer to the robot than the human being . the hand is focused on so it is clear , while the human being is farther away and is fuzzy . this prompts the ai program to cut out the hand and designate that as one visual object . grouping image layers should be based on : closest neighbor pixels , closest neighbor images , closest timing of images , closest strongest strength of images and closest training of images . grouping movie sequences should be based on : closest next ( or before ) frame sequences , closest timing of frame sequences , closest training of frame sequences and closest strength of frame sequences . a combination of criterias to store images and movie sequences above are used for storing data in memory . these criterias establish the rules to break up and group data in images and movie sequences . when an image is sensed by the ai program there are no information to establish what is on that image . there are no rules as well to break up the images into pieces . certainly , the computer can &# 39 ; t just randomly break up the input data and randomly group the pieces together — all objects should have defined and set boundaries . the associated rules provide a “ heuristic way ” to break up frame sequences into the best possible encapsulated visual objects . the ai program receives input visually in terms of 2 - dimensional movie sequences . the ai program will use hidden data from moving and non - moving objects in the movie sequences to create a 3 - d representation of the 2 - d movie sequences ; and store the 2 - d movie sequences in such a way that a 3 - d environment is created . with this said , there exist a third set of associated rules for grouping 3 - d images and 3 - d movie sequences . 3 - d movie sequences should be grouped together based on : closest 3 - d neighbor of pixels , closest 3 - d neighbor of images , closest 3 - d strength of images , closest 3 - d training of images , closest 3 - d timing of images , closest 3 - d next ( or before ) frame sequences , closest 3 - d timing of frame sequences , and closest 3 - d strength of frame sequences . the image processor will cut out most of the image layers on the frames and also cut out most of the encapsulated visual objects in each image layer . it will also find alternative variations of visual objects to use to search for matches in memory . fig8 shows visual object 58 and the different variations 60 of the same object ( the grey areas are empty pixels ). when the ai program generates the encapsulated tree for the visual object , it is important that the ai program generates the same or similar encapsulated tree for the same visual object . infact , when a similar image is encountered the ai will generate a similar encapsulated tree for that image . if imagea is encountered once the ai program generates encapsulated tree 1 a . if imagea is encountered a second time the ai program will generate encapsulated tree 1 a or something very similar . if imageb is an image that is similar to imagea and the ai program generates 1 b , then 1 b should be similar to encapsulated tree 1 a . this is important because if the encapsulated tree is different for similar images it takes longer to find a match . the image processor should be a fixed mathematical equation where it generates the same or very similar results for the same visual object . similar visual objects will generate similar encapsulated trees . the priority percent for each encapsulated object is determined by the 5 dissection functions . the priority percent of image layers is determined by the 5 dissection functions in this order : ( 1 ). dissect image layers that are moving ( 2 ). dissect image layers that are partially moving ( 3 ). dissect image layers by calculating the 3 - dimensional shape of all image layers in movie sequences . ( 4 ). dissect image layers by calculating dominant color regions using recursion ( 5 ). dissecting image layers using associated rules image layers that are cut out with the higher - level functions will have a higher priority percent . for example , if an image of charlie brown is cut out ( clean cut ), it has more priority than a partially cut image . an image layer that is cut out with both function 2 and function 3 will have higher priority than an image layer that is cut out from function 3 and function 4 . tweaking of the importance of each function and the combination of functions is up to the programmer . the reason that a clean cut is a good image layer search is because that image layer has been delineated perfectly and all the edges of the object are cut out . the reason the fourth function is last is because the image processor isn &# 39 ; t sure what the edges of the image layers are . given that a 2 - d image is provided , the ai program has to rule out using expert probable systems to cut out image layers . the third function will have a better idea of the edges from a still picture because the edges can be calculated based on the closest objects . off course , the third function can only work with real - life views of the environment . it will not work for truly 2 - d images . when the ai program isn &# 39 ; t sure what the edges of the image layers are it has to fabricate alternative image layer combinations . it will rank them and test out which image layers are better than others by matching them with image layers in memory . when the search function finds out it has made an error in terms of delineating certain still image layers , it will change the image layer &# 39 ; s encapsulated visual objects by modifying branches of the initial encapsulated tree and changing the priority percent of visual objects that are involved in the error search ( from here on image layers will be referred to as visual objects ) fig9 shows the initial encapsulated tree 61 for current pathway 62 . we have learned that the current pathway 62 ( emphasis on visual objects ) use the image processor to generate the initial encapsulated tree 61 . the initial encapsulated tree 61 contains the hierarchical structure of visual objects and broken up into strongest encapsulated visual objects . each visual object in the encapsulated tree is given a priority percent . the priority percent determines their strength in the initial encapsulated tree 61 for the current pathway 62 . ( the grey areas are empty pixels ). the very strong visual objects ( or image layers ) are at the top levels while the weak visual objects are stationed at the bottom . if i were to show encapsulated tree 61 at the lower tree levels , the unimportant visual objects will be there . the “ noise ” of the current pathway will be filtered out to the lower levels . when the search function searches for information it will search for important visual objects first before moving on to the less important visual objects . the purpose of the lower levels in the initial encapsulated tree is not to search for data in memory , but to break up the current pathway into its smallest elemental parts ( groups of pixels or individual pixels ) so that when the initial encapsulated tree gets stored in memory , self - organization will knit similar groups together . thus , bringing association between two or more pathways ( or visual objects ). the next step is to average out all visual objects in the initial encapsulated tree for the current pathway . after the initial encapsulated tree is created for the current pathway , all visual objects from the initial encapsulated tree will be averaged out . each visual object in the initial encapsulated tree will average the value of each of its variables based on its &# 39 ; child visual objects . for example , if a parent visual object has 3 child visual objects then the parent visual object will add up all the values for one variable and divide by 3 . if a parent visual object has 10 child visual objects then the parent visual object will add up all the values for one variable and divide by 10 . all visual objects in the initial encapsulated tree will have the average value for each of its variables . each variable in a visual object will also have an importance percent . the importance percent is defined by the programmer to describe how important that variable is to the visual object . each variable will have an importance percent . if you add up all the importance percent for all variables it will add up to 100 %. there is one more factor added to the equation . the priority percent of a child visual object should influence the average value of one variable . the higher the priority percent the more that child visual object should influence the average value of one variable . a factorial ( 0 . 2 ) is also multiplied to indicate that the priority percent of a child visual object should not matter that much in the average value . 0 . 2 is used because the worth of the visual object shouldn &# 39 ; t over power the average value of a given variable for all child visual objects . the equation to calculate the average value for one variable in one visual object is presented in fig1 . v represents one variable , a represents the average value of v , n represents the number of child visual objects , p represents the priority percent of a child visual object , the importance percent is for variable v . i use this technique because when the ai program searches for possible matches it won &# 39 ; t search every single pixel in a visual object . the visual object should contain the average value of a variable from all of its encapsulated visual objects . so , when the ai program searches for matches , it only needs to compare three variables : average normalized point , average total pixels , and average pixel color . these three variables sum up the visual object compactly so that the search function doesn &# 39 ; t have to match every pixel in an image or rotate or scale the image to find a match or convolute the image to find a match . fig1 shows how the average value is computed for the normalized point . the grey areas indicate empty pixels . visual object 64 has a normalized point close to the center of the frame . the normalized point should be in the center only if all image layers are equal in priority . the fact that some image layers are more important than others influence the average normalized point . in this case , charlie brown and the character with the blanket have more priority , so their normalized points matter more . in the case when there are two separate image layers , such as in visual object 66 , the normalized point will fall in the center of both image layers . in addition to averaging data , the ai program has to determine the existence state of each visual object in the initial encapsulated tree . all visual objects have to be identified from one frame to the next according to one of three values : existing , non - existing or changed . for each frame all pixels , all image layers , and all combinations of image layers have to be identified from one frame to the next . in fig1 , the initial encapsulated tree records what visual objects are existing for three frames . notice that visual object b exists for all three frames . visual object e only exist in frame 1 and frame 2 , but not in frame 3 . visual object j only exists from frame 2 to frame 3 , but not in frame 1 . fig1 shows the existence of learned objects . learned object “ cat ” only exist in frame 1 and frame 2 . learned object “ house ” exist in all three frames . learned object “ dog ” only exist in frame 3 . the special thing about learned objects is that the image layers from frame to frame can look totally different , but the ai program will still classify it as the same learned object . for example , the learned object “ cat ” can be any cat image in the cat floater . the cat image can be an image of a cat from the front or back or side , the learned object “ cat ” will identify them as the same image layers . fig1 shows a cartoon illustration of visual object and their existence state . every pixel in the cartoon from one frame to the next must be identified . the ai program will try to lock on and determine what pixels , image layers or combination of image layers exist from one frame to the next . if images aren &# 39 ; t very different from one frame to the next , the image processor can use the old encapsulated tree from the previous frame to generate parts of the encapsulated tree in the next frame . this happens when visual objects don &# 39 ; t move and most of the images are exactly like the previous frame . if the existence of encapsulated objects are the same or similar in the next frame , then generate the encapsulated tree for the next frame similar to the previous frame . parts of the encapsulated trees will look the same while other parts will look different . this saves processing time and stops any unnecessary repeated computer calculations . the initial encapsulated tree for the current pathway will forget information by deleting visual objects starting on the lowest level and traveling up the tree levels . the strongest visual objects will be forgotten last and the weak visual objects will be forgotten first . specifically for images and movie sequences , the average pixel color will represent the overall value of a visual object . if all child visual objects are forgotten , the pixel cells they occupy will be represented by the average pixel color from its parent visual object . initially , the movie sequence will have sharp resolution , but as the movie sequences forget information the images are pixelized . important image layers will be sharp and the minor image layers will be pixelized or gone . movie pathways will also break apart into a plurality of sub - movie sequences . the initial encapsulated tree for the current pathway is what the search function wants to find in memory . each element in the initial encapsulated tree is called a visual object . the data we want to compare are called memory encapsulated trees ( or pathways ). each element in the memory encapsulated tree is called a memory object . the more visual objects matched in the initial encapsulated tree the better the pathway match . the more accurate each visual object match is the better the pathway match . the search functions can only travel on memory encapsulated connections that belong to the same pathway ( or memory encapsulated tree ). in later sections , this problem is solved when i explain about universalizing pathways . for example , if a search point was traveling on memory encapsulated connections for pathwayl then it can &# 39 ; t travel on memory encapsulated connections for pathway 2 . the search function will execute two functions to look for pathways in memory : first search function and second search function . both functions will work together to find the best pathway matches . the first search function uses “ search points ” to match a visual object to a memory object . it uses breadth - first search because it searches for visual objects in the initial encapsulated tree from the top - down and searches for all child visual object before moving on to the next level . the second search function uses “ guess points ” to match a memory object to a visual object . this search method uses depth - first search to find matches . from a memory object match in memory the search function will travel on the strongest - closest memory encapsulated connections to find possible memory objects . these memory objects will be used to match with possible visual objects in the initial encapsulated tree . this search function works backwards from the first search function . each search point has a visual object to search , a memory object to match , percentage of match between visual object and memory object , a radius length to search and a location for the best match so far . each search point have radius points , said radius points are equally spaced out points that can have 1 or more copies of itself to triangulate an average location a visual object might be located in memory . each radius point will lock onto a different memory object and compare said visual object to a memory object and output a match . all radius points will process the data and triangulate an optimal memory object to be matched with said visual object . each search point goes through recursion : if search_point ( visual object ) has a successful match ( memory object ) then execute two recursions : ( 1 ). search_point ( visual object ) ( 2 ). guess_point ( memory object ) else if search_point ( visual object ) has an unsuccessful match ( null ) then execute one recursion : ( 1 ). search_point ( visual object ) each search point has a recursion timer . the recursion timer will indicate how long to execute the next recursive thread . if the recursion timer is low that means it takes longer for the recursive thread to execute ( thus , less search points devoted to search for that visual object ). if the recursion timer is high that means it will be faster for the recursive thread to execute . ( thus , more search points devoted to search for that visual object ). the criteria for the recursion timer are : if the search point finds better matches increase the recursion timer and decrease the radius length . if the search point finds worst matches slow down the recursion timer and increase the radius length to search for the same visual object in the next recursive thread . each search point will go through recursion to find better and better matches . the first recursion will pinpoint a general area . the second recursion will pinpoint a more narrow area . the third recursion will pinpoint an even narrower search area . this will go on and on until the search point finds an exact match or there are no better matches left to find . fig1 is a diagram of the narrowing of search areas after every recursive iteration . if better matches are found , visual object “ a ” will change its search area . child visual objects that depend on visual object “ a ” will have there search area changed as well . from a memory object match in memory the search function will travel on the strongest - closest memory encapsulated connections to find possible memory objects . these memory objects will be used to match with possible visual objects in the initial encapsulated tree . the search function will also combine visual objects and match them to possible memory objects . this search function works backwards from the first search function . there are 2 criteria to determine what memory object to designate for a search : 1 . the stronger the memory encapsulated connections leading to the memory object are the better chance it will be picked . 2 . the stronger the powerpoints of the memory object is the better chance it will be picked as soon as the memory object is picked the function will compare it to the visual objects in the initial encapsulated tree . it &# 39 ; s easy to find a match in the initial encapsulated tree because it doesn &# 39 ; t have too much data to compare . visual objects can also be combined and matched . the strongest match will be outputted . each guess point goes through recursion : if guess_point ( memory object ) has a successful match ( visual object ) then execute two recursions : ( 1 ). guess_point ( memory object ) ( 2 ). search_point ( visual object ) else if guess_point ( memory object ) has an unsuccessful match ( null ) then execute one recursion : ( 1 ). guess_point ( memory object ) in the search point there is a last step that wasn &# 39 ; t mentioned ( for simplicity purposes ). the last step is : when the search point finds a match it will locate the match &# 39 ; s masternode . if there are multiple copies of one visual object in memory the masternode is the strongest copy of the visual object and the masternode has reference points to all copies in memory . if multiple copies of the same visual object are in the same general area the search function will use this data for future searches . the search function designates search points or guess points to said first search function and said second search function , each search point or guess point will find matches in memory . if matches are successful or within a success threshold , modify initial encapsulated tree by increasing the powerpoints and priority percent of visual object / s involved in successful search . if matches are not successful or within an unsuccessful threshold , try a new alternative visual object search and modify initial encapsulated tree by decreasing the powerpoints and priority percent of visual object / s involved in unsuccessful search . if alternative visual object search is a better match than the original visual object match modify initial encapsulated tree by deleting the original visual object and replacing it with said alternative visual object . the parent visual objects provide a general search area for its child visual objects . in fig1 a , visual object “ a ” has a big search area . visual object “ b ” is contained in visual object “ a ” s search area . visual object “ c ” is contained in visual object “ b ” s search area . these hierarchical search areas provide boundaries for the search function to limit the search area . the search area radius is calculated by the accuracy of the match . if the percent match is 50 % then the radius will be wide . if the percent match is 80 % then the radius will be narrower . if the percent match is 100 % then the radius is very narrow ( depending on how much data is in memory . in some cases that is a 100 percent match ). another factor of the search area is the tree - level the visual object is located . if the visual object is the top visual object then the radius is wider . if the visual object is at the middle tree - levels then the radius is narrower . the ai program will collect information on most search points and use that to determine where to allocate search points to maximize the search results . if some search areas are not finding enough matches the ai program will devote search points in other search areas . if some search areas are finding lots of matches the ai program will devote more search points in that area . if there are multiple copies of a visual object , the search function will limit the search to only the copies that are contained in the parent &# 39 ; s search area . in fig1 b , visual object b has 3 copies in memory ( visual object b 1 , b 2 , b 3 ). the search function will exclude b 2 and b 3 because they are not within the boundaries of visual object “ a ” s search area . fig1 is an illustration of a search point . the search point is given a visual object to compare called visual object 1 . r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , r 5 , r 6 , and r 7 are radius points and they are equally spaced out . in fig1 the radius points are structured in a top , bottom , front , back , left , right and center manner . each radius point will lock onto a dominant memory object in their area and compare with visual objectl . when all matches are made , the ai program will triangulate a probable area to find the optimal memory object . the optimal memory object is identified by pointer 68 . visual objectl will be compared to the optimal memory object and output a percent match . the percent match will be assigned to the search point . the radius points can be in any configuration . it can be configured in a ring shape , triangle shape , sphere shape , or arbitrary shape . the number of radius points can be 1 or more , but an adequate amount is 7 to cover a search area in 360 degrees . in fig1 a , memory object 70 has been matched . from memory object 70 the guest point will travel on the strongest memory encapsulated connection to find strong memory objects to search for . in this case , memory object 72 has been picked . the guest point will try to match memory object 72 to a visual object in the initial encapsulated tree . after the matches , visual object 74 was the best match and the match percent is 80 %. ( this type of searching is the direct opposite of how the search points find matches ). let &# 39 ; s look at another example of guess points . in fig1 b memory object 72 has been matched . memory object 72 will then travel on the strongest memory encapsulated connections to find other close - by strong memory objects to search for . in this case memory object 70 has been picked . the guest point will then attempt to match memory object 70 to a visual object in the initial encapsulated tree . the guest point found visual object 76 to be the best match . the match percent is 78 %. let &# 39 ; s say that the visual object 76 had a previous match of 42 % that means the current guest match can replace the previous match because the match percent is higher . fig1 c shows the same memory objects in fig1 b but in a cartoon sequence . referring to fig1 , if visual objects b and k are matched in the initial encapsulated tree , then the guess point can combine the two visual objects into visual object bk . if the guess point finds memory object bk as its search item then it will match to visual object bk in the initial encapsulated tree . since the guess point match is 95 % and is better than the previous match 60 % it will replace the previous match . re - organization of the initial encapsulated tree is required when the ai program finds out that the initial encapsulated tree created by the image processor doesn &# 39 ; t correlate with the encapsulated trees in memory . the image processor creates an initial encapsulated tree to break up the visual object to search for data heuristically , but most of the time the initial encapsulated tree is flawed . the encapsulated tree for a pathway in memory is considered optimal . the self - organization does a good job in bringing associated groups together . with this said , the initial encapsulated tree for the current pathway should correlate with the encapsulated tree for pathways in memory . the inner workings of this function will not be disclosed in this patent because it &# 39 ; s too long . i will demonstrate a simple example and back up the demonstration with illustrations . fig2 a shows the initial encapsulated tree for current pathway “ a ” made by the image processor . fig2 a shows the encapsulated tree for the same pathway “ a ” stored in memory . if the ai program finds visual objects b , h , c , k individually in memory , it will compare the match &# 39 ; s parent visual objects . if the two parent visual objects don &# 39 ; t correlate , the input current pathway “ a ” will go through re - organization . in this case fig2 b shows the flow diagram of switching visual objects “ h ” with visual object “ c ”. one example of re - organization is when the ai program encounters a still picture of a man in a shaded and dark background . the man has black hair and the image processor thinks the hair is part of the background . when the image processor finds the image layer of the man in memory it realizes that the black hair is actually part of the man and not the background . the image processor will then cut out pixels from the background image layer and transfer these pixels into the man image layer . the reason for re - organizing the initial encapsulated tree is because the initial encapsulated tree has to be optimal or close to optimal before it is stored in memory . if we store the initial encapsulated tree in memory as is , it won &# 39 ; t matter as much because self - organization will knit the flawed initial encapsulated tree to one that is optimal . i think it is important that the input to be stored in memory is optimal during the time of storage and not after . the search function will constantly be searching for data and modifying the initial encapsulated tree during the search process . by the time the search is over the initial encapsulated tree made by the image processor will be changed and all groupings will be optimal . for the topic of universalizing pathways , visual objects won &# 39 ; t be used anymore . visual objects will now be referred to as simply , objects . all 4 data types : 5 sense objects , hidden object , pattern object , and learned object are grouped together in combinations , encapsulating a series of groups . self - organization will bring all these encapsulated groups closer and closer together . as a result , the actual pathways will be closer and closer to one another in the network based on the associated rules for images and movie sequences — group pixels closer to one another , group sequences closer to one another , group images that are more likely to be seen together , etc . fig2 a is an example of two similar pathways : pathway 1 and pathway 2 . if pathway 1 ( the current pathway ) is stored close to pathway 2 , then their encapsulated groups will be grouped together and identical or similar groups will be shared . because of the pulling effect of the encapsulated groups pathway 1 and pathway 2 are pulled toward each other . their association connections with one another , gets stronger and stronger . both letters and numbers represent encapsulated groups from all 4 data types . the groups that are the same or similar will be grouped together . this means a , b , 1 , 3 , 6 are brought closer to each other and each node uses only one copy ; the other copy is deleted ( fig2 b ). this prevents any repeated data from forming in the network . each pathway has their encapsulated connections from all 4 data types . these encapsulated connections are only used by that pathway and no other . when searching for information the encapsulated connections can only be followed for a single pathway . this can pose a real problem when searching for large amounts of data in memory . the way to solve this problem is to universalize pathways and its encapsulated trees and create a rough idea what encapsulated connections belong to what pathways . referring to fig2 , in the diagram there are three pathways : pathway 1 , pathway 2 , and pathway 3 . if all three pathways are contained in a set of 10 pathways , the encapsulated groups will bring pathways closer to one another . as the encapsulated groups in all three pathways get stronger and stronger , all three pathways will break away from the 7 other pathways in the set . when this happens the 3 pathways are considered universal . that means all the encapsulated objects in all 3 pathways can be used to search for information when encountering a pathway that is either identical or similar to any of the 3 pathways . by universalizing the pathways and its encapsulated groups each object in the hierarchical tree isn &# 39 ; t exclusive anymore . same objects can be found in other encapsulated groups . the universalized pathways will contain the most likely permutations and combinations of one fuzzy object . in the case of the diagram in fig2 , the fuzzy object is the average of pathway 1 , pathway 2 , and pathway 3 . this is why searching for information in the encapsulated groups is not going to be exact . the search function will be constantly changing and modifying the search results . the reason for universalizing pathways is because the ai program will forget information . for example , if pathway 1 , pathway 2 , and pathway 3 are forgotten , but part of their data still remains in memory , the ai program will not be able to get a good match on any one particular pathway . by creating a fuzzy range between the three pathways the ai is able to find a match based on the strongest encapsulated connections . referring to fig2 , pathway 5 has several connections to the universal pathway and the universal pathway has several encapsulated connection to pathway 5 . the boundary line sets the area that excludes the universal pathway from traveling to outside pathways . it can only travel in the encapsulated connections in pathway 1 , pathway 2 , pathway 3 and no other pathway . universal pathways can have a range or degree of certainty . the diagram in fig2 shows that the universal pathway has 5 levels of certainty . the closer the levels are to the center the more certain the universal pathway is . this means that the stronger the universal pathway is the more likely all the encapsulated object belongs to that one object . the search function can use this level of certainty to search for information or modify its searches by either broadening the search or narrowing the search . broadening the search means searching in the higher levels of the universal pathway and narrowing the search means moving the search in the lower levels of the universal pathway . the search function can broaden the search first then slowly narrowing the search until a good match is found . referring to fig2 , each level will either include or exclude pathways based on how similar these pathways are . for example , leveli can contain a criteria that states any pathway that has 90 percent match will be included . in level 2 the criteria can be 80 percent match , level 3 can be 70 percent match , level 4 can be 60 percent match , and level 5 can be 50 percent match . the structure of the universal pathways can be very complicated when there are thousands of pathways that are trying to associate themselves . but , because of the way that the network is set up the complexity is managed . universal pathways that have too many hierarchical levels will break up into two or more groups of universal pathways . pathways in these similar groups do not have to be exclusive . a simple image will have 1 center point that represents the average location of that image . if looking at the network with many similar image examples there will exist gradual points concentrated at the center — the points will look like a sphere . for movie sequences , there exist , not one , but multiple center points . every image will have a center point , every frame will have a center point , and every movie sequence will have a center point . if looking at the network with many similar movie sequence examples the gradual points will look like a distorted 3 - dimensional shape . the shape will continue to change its form and size as the robot learns more movie sequences or forget data in memory . this 3 - dimensional shape is called a floater . by using the method i talked about earlier , universal pathways , the floater will eventually break away from a set of similar floaters . in other words the floater was trained so many times that the object got stronger and stronger until it breaks away from the rest of the set . one example is animals . if the robot works at an animal shelter and takes care of animals every day , then it will contain multiple animal objects in memory . these animal objects will group themselves based on physical common traits . as the robot learns more , it will create a floater for dogs , cats , horses , pigs and cows . all the cats in the animal shelter are stored and averaged out , all the dogs in the animal shelter are stored and averaged out and so forth . when the floater is created for a cat that means all the cats in the world are averaged out . it doesn &# 39 ; t matter if the robot encounters different types of cats in terms of color , size , gender , weight , and length , the robot knows where to store that cat object . the center of the cat floater stores the strongest common physical traits of all cats . as the floater deviates to the higher levels the cat images are broadened . i show in my earlier patent application that the rules program will bring association between the cat floater and a word . when the two objects ( floater and word ) pass the assign threshold , then the word “ cat ” represents the cat floater . this is how the robot learns meaning to language . for example , if the cat floater is assigned the sound “ cat ” that means the sound “ cat ” represent the cat floater . the sound “ cat ” is the learned group to represent any sequential cat images in the cat floater . this technique groups data together in a different way than physical common traits . the learned objects ( one of the 4 data types ) group data in terms of language . we learn language and we use language to group data in memory . language can represent not only physical objects , but events , situations , action , places , things , and complex situations . the robot will also use the learned objects to organize data in memory . when two or more floaters are stored in one area in memory , the ai program will average each floaters location . all sequential images from each floater will group itself together . for example , the robot is working in an animal shelter and the robot encounters three types of animal every day : cat , dog and horse . let &# 39 ; s use the horse as the object under investigation . if the robot encounters the horse and the cat 40 times , and the robot encounters the horse and the dog 15 times , then the robot will have stronger association between the cat and the horse . this will bring the horse floater and cat floater closer together . referring to fig2 a , the diagram shows that individual sequential images are shared between all three animal floaters . each floater has an overall center point . as the individual movie sequences are pulled closer to one another the center point for each floater are also pulling each other closer together . referring to fig2 b , the individual sequential images of the cat are pulled closer toward the horse and the sequential images of the horse are pulled closer toward the cat . the pull will affect the center point for each floater — it will bring the overall floaters closer to one another . after averaging out the floaters , notice that the cat floater and the horse floater are closer to one another , while the dog floater is farther away . the associational strength between the cat and the horse is stronger while the associational strength between the horse and the dog are weaker . also , notice that the dog floater has moved a little towards the horse floater . the floater object can be represented as sequential image layers of one object . if the object is charlie brown that means the floater has all the sequential image layers of charlie brown from all animated states including scaling and rotation . an object floater is created by training many movie sequences that contain charlie brown . as the sequential images of charlie brown is stored in memory the data gets stronger and stronger . it will reach a point where the sequential images of charlie brown will break away from all the movies that contain it . the result is a charlie brown floater . fig2 illustrates streaming pathways . after each iteration of the main for - loop the ai program generates streaming pathways 80 . the current pathway has a fixed amount of frames . in each iteration of the for - loop the ai program receives one extra frame from the environment and the last frame is deleted . in current pathway 2 , frame 2 from current pathway 1 is deleted and frame 6 is added to the front of the pathway . pathways in memory will be very close to one another because of the similarities between sequences in frames . in fig2 , streaming pathways 78 shows that pathways are brought closer to one another based on there similarities . pathway 1 will be closer to pathway 2 because they have more similarities , while pathway 2 and pathway 3 will be closer together because of their similarities . when the ai program is searching for streaming pathways in memory it will try to match streaming pathways that are consistent . current pathway 1 and current pathway 2 is consistent with pathway 2 and pathway 3 in memory . in some cases streaming pathways has to be broken up into sections and stored in different parts of memory . it really depends on what the optimal pathway is in each iteration of the for - loop . as the ai program learn more the streaming pathways get longer and longer . if it doesn &# 39 ; t learn enough the pathways begin to break up into two or more separate pathways . the forgetting of data will eventually delete all data in the pathway if it &# 39 ; s not retrained . there are many more data types that i haven &# 39 ; t disclosed yet . in this section i will give a brief summary of other major data types . humans have 5 different senses : sight , sound , taste , touch , and smell . so far , i have discussed visual objects in detail , but i left the rest of the senses behind . in addition to visual objects , there are sound objects , touch objects , taste objects , and smell objects . each one of these data types is represented differently and they have their own hidden data . just like how visual objects generate hidden data during runtime , the other data types will generate hidden data during runtime . sound is 3 - dimensional . there are two ears on a human being and the reason for the two ears is because of the ability to distinguish the distance of sound . just like there are two eyes on a human being to distinguish dept and distance , two ears on a human being will distinguish distance for sound . sound objects will be stored in a 3 - dimensional network . actually , all 5 senses are stored in the same 3 - d network . they are separated in different regions in the brain . sound has certain characteristic that visual images don &# 39 ; t have such as pitch , volume , distance , and tone . these characteristics will be the traits focused on when determining how sound is represented in the network . the data for sound is continuous in a pathway and it has these starting and stopping points : sound object exist , sound object non - exist , and sound object change . touch is a very interesting sense because it uses patterns in order to store . touch or feelings can be stored in sequential pathways and has basically the same characteristics as sound . each touch sense is stored in the network based on where that touch sense is in the environment in relations to the robot &# 39 ; s brain . for example , if you &# 39 ; re a human being , the touch senses will actually create a 3 - dimensional shape of all touch senses on your body . a 3 - d shape of what the human being looks like at that current state is created in memory . for example , if someone is a child the touch objects will create a 3 - d shape of that child in memory , if someone is a teen the touch objects will create a 3 - d shape of that teen in memory , and if someone is an adult the touch objects will create a 3 - d shape of that adult in memory . it really depends on what the robot looks like and where the touch sensors are located . for a human being , sensors are located inside as well as outside . this means the human being has a picture of not only the external sensors , but the internal organs that have sensors as well . if the robot is a frog , then the touch sensors will create a frog shape , if the robot is a bird then the touch sensors will create a bird shape and so forth . this shape that is made by the touch data is also called the touch floater . the shape of the robot created by the touch data is important to convey the meaning to the word “ i ”. that shape that is created from the touch objects is actually a floater that can be assigned to a word . the word “ i ” can be assigned to this touch floater and the robot will be able to identify itself not in terms of visual pictures , but by the touch floater . actually , sound pitches can be assigned to the word “ i ”, the touch floater can be assigned to the word “ i ”, the visual floater of the robot can be assigned to the word “ i ”. if all these different floaters are assigned to the word “ i ”, then the robot will have an understanding of the word “ i ” ( establishing identity ). the visual image it sees in the mirror represent the word “ i ”, the sound that the robot makes will represent the word “ i ”, and the touch floater will represent the word “ i ”. the touch objects can also be included in pattern objects to represent language . things like “ my hand touched the needle ” or “ the water is cold ” can be understood . touch objects can assign pain or pleasure to other objects . the touch floater will have pain or pleasure or certain feeling recorded in the pathways . when enough experience is encountered regarding touch objects , the robot will have pain and pleasure wired into the touch floater . any object recognized by the robot that elicit a certain pain or pleasure will have their powerpoints decreased or increased . for example , if the robot touches a needle and the needle causes pain , then the needle object will have its powerpoints lowered . if the robot goes to a spa and the touch feeling is pleasurable then the spa object will have higher powerpoints . touch objects can also be wired to sexuality and the objects that cause pleasure or pain will have their powerpoints lowered or highered . taste is actually an object that is derived from the touch object . sensors in your mouth is considered a touch object , but the mouth is only located in one local area . my guess is that the touch floater will store data regarding the taste of something in the mouth area . taste will also have a linear range ( it could be 3 - d as well ). the range for taste goes from very good to very bad . all other taste will fall between these ranges . scientists speculate that there are 10 , 000 different taste senses . this means within the range from very good to very bad are 10 , 000 different taste senses . referring to fig2 , taste objects will also have built in pain and pleasure attached to the data . if the robot eats a rotten tomato , then the taste will be painful and the object , tomato , that caused the pain will have its powerpoints lowered . if the robot eats ice cream , then the taste will be pleasureable and the object , ice cream , that caused the pleasure will have its powerpoints increased . smell object is just like taste in that it is derived for touch . the smell object also has a range or degree of smell . the range will go from very good to very bad . all the different smell objects will fall in between these two ranges . the smell object is the same as the taste object because it is a sensor and the most likely area it will be located is in the touch floater by the nose area . smell can also have built in pain or pleasure . when 5 sense objects are encountered that causes pain or pleasure , then that object will have its &# 39 ; powerpoints lowered or highered , depending on wither the robot is feeling pain or pleasure . all 5 sense objects : visual objects , sound objects , touch objects , taste objects and smell objects will generate their own hidden data during runtime . these 5 sense objects are also used in pattern objects to assign meaning to words or sentences . the rules program will find the association and patterns between words / sentences and certain 5 sense object / s . in visual frames there are hidden data set up by the programmer that will provide additional information about a movie sequence . these hidden data are set up to establish additional data and allow the ai program to find patterns that can &# 39 ; t be recognized by what is actually on the visual frames . action words such as jump , walk , throw and run have patterns that can be identified by these hidden data . also , patterned sentences from hidden data can provide meaning to object interaction . below demonstrate patterned sentences . object r 1 , r 2 , r 3 can be anything . 1 . r 1 is on r 2 . 2 . r 1 is walking toward r 2 . 3 . r 2 is on r 3 and r 3 is on r 1 . 4 . go around r 1 . 5 . r 1 is 3 feet from r 2 . 6 . r 1 is below r 2 . 7 . r 1 is under r 2 but over r 3 . 8 . r 1 collided with r 2 . the hidden data is wired to the visual frames . all the image layers or what is considered an image layer ( visual object ) will have measurements that provide the ai program with information about where that image layer is in relations to other image layers in the movie frames . the hidden data also provide information about the properties of the image layer such as the center point of the image layer and the overall pixel count . since the hidden data is wired to the visual object that means the learned object that is equal to the visual object has a reference to the hidden data . this is important because the ai program will use a combination of the three objects in order to find complex patterns and assign these complex patterns to sentences . a note on hidden data , when the visual object ( image layer ) is forgotten , the hidden data still has the learned object . if both the visual object and the learned object are forgotten then the hidden data stands alone . “ the hidden data can exist without either a learned object or a visual object or both ”. most of the hidden data are discussed in previous patent applications extensively so i &# 39 ; m going to do a review or a summary of these hidden data . these are the hidden data for visual objects or movie sequences : 1 . each image layer has a fixed frame size . 2 . each image layer has a normalization point ( center point for that image ). 3 . each image layer has a location point in the frame . the point is the normalization point . 4 . each image layer has focus area and eye distance . 5 . each image layer has an overall pixel count . 6 . each image layer has data that summarizes all the pixels that it occupies including pixel color , neutral pixel count , patterns in the pixels , 3 - dimensional shape and so forth . 1 . each image layer will have a direction of movement ( north , south , east , west , northeast , southwest etc .). this can represent words such as north , south , east , direction , down , up , bottom etc . 2 . each image layer will have coordinate movement in terms of x and y from frame to frame . this can represent words like : moving , walking slowly , fast , slow , one step , stationary , taking a break and so forth . if this data is combined with the direction of movement then more words can be represented such as : moving south , jump , walk , throw , trajectory , the car took a nose dive into the water , the book fell , turn around , jump up , look down , move sideways and so forth . 3 . each image layer will have relationships to other image layers in the current pathway . the relationships will include the coordinate points between the two image layers and the direction between the two image layers . 4 . each image layer will have a touch sensor that lights up when it touches another image layer . this can represent words like : touch , collision , slide , skim , and so forth . 5 . each image layer will have a degree of change from one frame to the next . if it changes its shape dramatically it will be recorded . if it changes its shape gradually it will be recorded . this is important because if the image layer touches another image layer the degree of change will tell if the interaction caused the image object to change or it didn &# 39 ; t cause the image object to change . a car accident definitely changes the way a car looks after the collision , while solid objects moving very slowly and colliding don &# 39 ; t change its shape . 6 . each image layer will have scaling and rotation data . did the image layer grow larger in size ? did the image layer rotate to the right ? if it did what is the degree of rotation ? words such as : grow bigger , deflated , change its size , rotated , towards , move away from , and shrink can be represented by this data . these are just some of the hidden data that will accompany visual images and movie sequences . the programmer can add in more data , but the al program will take a longer time to find patterns among the hidden data . this is where the programmer should decide how much hidden data to include . too much hidden data will overwhelm the system and too little will prevent the pattern function from doing its job properly . in prior art , discrete math and predicate calculus are used to represent language . predefined iconic objects and are used to represent words and grammar structure in a limited environment . assignment statements , if - then statements , or statements , and statements , not operators and so forth are used in combinations to represent language . they also classify sentences into one of these groups : facts , questions , answers , directed sentences , personal sentences , etc . the human artificial intelligence program doesn &# 39 ; t use any of the pre - existing ai techniques to represent language . the hai program has built in internal functions such as the 3 - d environment , long - term memory , hidden data , and so forth to find “ patterns ” and assign these patterns to language . the 3 - dimensional storage area contains all 4 data types : 5 sense objects , hidden objects , learned objects , pattern objects . 5 sense objects include : visual objects , sound objects , taste objects , smell objects , and touch objects . all these different data types are used to find patterns between similar pathways in memory . these pattern objects are important to assign meaning to words and sentences in a language . here are most of the internal functions used by the ai program to find meaning to language and predicting the future : 1 . the assignment statement — the rules program determine the assign threshold . if two objects pass the assign threshold that means both objects are equal . patterns are used to assign this function to a sentence . 2 . modifying data in memory — this function changes the data in memory by inserting data , deleting data , modifying data , modify the powerpoints and priority of data , and migrating data from one part of memory to another part . 3 . using the 4 different data types to find patterns . the 4 different data types are : 5 sense objects , hidden objects , learned objects , and pattern objects . the 5 sense objects contain : visual objects , sound objects , taste objects , touch objects , and smell objects . this function will use the 4 different data types as variables to find any patterns between similar pathways . these data types will be used to represent reference objects in patterns . these patterns will then be assigned to represent meaning to words or sentences . 4 . determining the existence of an object in our environment . this function determines if objects in our environment currently exist or not . objects like people , places , things situations , time and so forth can have one of three states : existing , non - existing or changed . 5 . searching for data in memory — this function searches for and extract specific data from memory by using patterns that were found in similar examples . the ai program can extract data from linear sound , it can extract data from 2 - dimensional visual movies , or any other 5 sense data . 6 . determining the distance of data in the 3 - d environment — finding the distances between two or more objects in memory is based on patterns . measurements and distances between objects are analyzed and assigned to words and sentences . 7 . rewinding and fast forwarding in long - term memory to find information — the length of when certain situations happen and where it happened is based on patterns . information will also be extracted from the movie sequences . 8 . determining the strength and weakness of data in memory . how strong is one data compared to another data and how the data changes during a time period depend greatly on patterns found in similar examples . below are just some of the patterns to represent different sentences . words in sentences can mean : one object belongs to someone , one object is located at a certain location , one object is existing in our environment , one object is a part of another object , or one object is made from another object . whatever the meaning is , regardless of how complex , the hai program will be able to find the patterns and assign these patterns to words / sentences . the ai program will use patterns within the 3 - dimensional storage area to find the meaning to r 1 has a r 2 . after the ai program compare similar pathways stored in memory a universal meaning will be assigned to this sentence structure . the pattern that resides in this sentence structure is the object r 2 is an encapsulated object located in object r 1 . dave has a head , jane has a head , a car has a steering wheel , a bank has a volt , and a soda can has a cap . all these sentences have a universal meaning . the meaning is presented in the diagrams in fig2 a and 27b . notice that the head is an image layer encapsulated within jane or dave . i show the reader the hierarchical groups that represent the human images . the ai program will look at the patterns of not only what that image is , but also , the hierarchical meaning of that image . for example , the group human can represent a child , a man , a woman , an old man , an old women , a girl child , a boy child , a handicapped man , a man in a wheelchair and so forth . the learned group women can represent any women image regardless of race , size , religion , shape and so forth . the ai program will find that the two examples ( fig2 a - 27b ) share a pattern : the head object is contained inside the human object . the sentence structure “ r 1 has a r 2 ” has a universal pattern . r 1 and r 2 can be any object , but the underline meaning of the sentence will stay the same . the ai program will find the universal pattern for all examples and it will understand the sentence regardless of what r 1 and r 2 are . if there exist multiple meaning to the sentence structure the ai program will find multiple meaning to the sentence . the conscious will tell the ai program what the real meaning is via activated sentences . this sentence structure means the object r 1 contains 4 objects of r 2 . for example , if the sentence is : a cat has 4 legs the pattern is the object cat comprises 4 object legs . this example is similar to the last sentence example . because 2 - d images hide features on the object , the 3 - d storage has data about an object from 360 degrees . the ai knows that a cat object has 4 legs , not from still pictures of the cat , but from the 360 degree floater of the cat . the floater of the cat contains every sequential image of a cat in all animated states . this r 1 has 4 r 2 can be applied to all sentences that have that kind of configuration . examples are listed below : the number 4 can also be a variable and can be any number . n 1 will represent a given number . for example , r 1 has n 1 r 2 . sentences that can be created from this structure are : a man has 2 arms a human has 1 head a giraffe has 2 eyes the picture has 2 animals this sentence structure is assigning certain images to words in the sentence . for example , if the sentence is “ five animals are on the table ”, this means that within the boundaries of the table object , encapsulates five animal objects . the word “ on ” also means that the animals are positioned on the table , most notably touching the surface of the table . if the word “ on ” is replaced with the word “ under ” that means the animals are positioned below the table , most notably on the ground , but within the confines of the table &# 39 ; s 4 legs . the rules program will find the patterns to any sentence structure regardless of how complex they may be . in this sentence structure , the pattern is that the object r 1 exist in or around object r 2 . if a teacher is teaching the robot that melissa is at the kitchen , then the robot will find out that object melissa is located within or near object kitchen . the approximate location of the two objects will be noted and the location of the two objects in relation to each other will be noted . similar examples are compared and the ai program will average out all examples and output a universal meaning to the sentence structure : r 1 is at the r 2 . depending on what r 1 and r 2 are the ai program will have different meaning to the sentence structure . for example , the meaning of sentence , “ melissa is at the kitchen ” is different from the meaning of sentence , “ the book is at the library ”. the relative location of each object is different . this sentence structure conveys an event that is happening now . all events , regardless of how complex , can be described in terms of language . events represented by words / sentences can take the variable r 1 . language can be used to classify any 5 sense data or a combination of 5 sense data . if the sentence is used , “ the singing show is happening now ”, and the robot looks at the television screen and sees the singing show , then it will know that there is a pattern . the pattern is that the singing show currently exists in our environment and the words in the sentence structure are trying to convey that meaning . this sentence structure is similar to the last example . the sentence includes a time that the event r 1 will happen . imagine the sentence , “ the car accident is happening in 2 minutes ”. the pattern is telling the ai program that from the current state , in approximately 2 minutes , the car accident will happen . if the ai program truly understands the sentence then it will know that in two minutes the car will turn into scrap metal . it will anticipate that the event will happen approximately 2 minutes into the future . different regions on an object can be focused on and certain characteristics can be extracted . in the case of the sentence above , the object is a cat . the sentence is trying to focus the robot &# 39 ; s attention to the color on the cat &# 39 ; s face . since the color of the cat &# 39 ; s face is the color blue , then that is what the sentence is trying to convey . different regions on 3 - d objects have different colors . the colors can be gradual or scattered or mixed or layered and so forth . the pattern of colors arranged on specific regions on an object can be extracted based on intelligence . words / sentences can be used to show different color displays . if a dog has spots all over its body , the sentence , “ the dog is grey with black spots all over its head ”, describes what it looks like . if a cat has different rainbow colors on its body , the sentence , “ the color of the cat is swirling with rainbow colors ”, describes what it looks like . if someone wants a specific color on a specific region on the animal then the sentence , “ the cat has a brown ring - like color on its &# 39 ; left ear ”, will describe the animal . other more complex sentences use the human conscious in order to find patterns . this sentence uses a form of logic to understand . activated sentences regarding how certain objects are made will average itself out . for instance , simple visual images can &# 39 ; t convey how paper is made from trees . however , we can use logical sentences to explain the process of how paper is made from trees . this paper example will be averaged out with other similar examples such as how apple juice is made from apples or how sound is made from speakers . similar logical sentences combined with visual movie scenes can provide the ai with the necessary objects to find patterns to complicated words / sentences . referring to fig2 , the diagram shows that all 3 objects have the same meaning . animal , cat , and the floater of a cat are the 3 objects . the pattern for the sentence , “ a cat is a form of animal ” is based on the fact that the learned groups animal and cat are assigned to the floater cat ; and the word animal has less powerpoints then the word cat . hiearchical objects can be represented by this kind of pattern . the universal sentence “ a r 1 is a form of r 2 ” can represent infinite possibilities . r 1 and r 2 can be any object . sentences that can be constructed from this sentence structure are : a human is a form of mammal a dog is a form of animal a cow is a form of animal a snake is a form of reptile a reptile is a form of animal adverbs and adjectives that describe a noun can be understood by a very sophisticated form of patterns . in current fuzzy logic topics , scientists try to solve problems such as understanding words like : a little tall , medium tall , very tall . the range of tallness is what they are trying to represent . the individual word tall is another factor . depending on what the object tall is referencing , there are varying degrees of tallness . for example , an 8 year old boy can be 5 ′ 6 ″ and he can be considered tall for his age . however , if a 20 year old is 5 ═ 6 ″ he is considered short . to solve the problem of understanding adverbs and adjectives in sentences , patterns are used . when we say things like : that boy is tall or that man is tall or that building is tall , the word “ tall ” is describing a noun . tall is not one word that describes all objects ( nouns ), but is a word that can have multiple meaning for different objects . the key is to locate what the word tall is describing . if the word tall is describing a boy then there should be a range of what tall is regarding boys . if the word tall is describing a man then there should be a range of what tall is regarding men . if the word tall is describing a building then there should be a range of what tall is regarding buildings . the word tall is describing the height of an object from the ground - up ( for the most part ). there are occasions where tallness is not about height , but width , or a combination of height and width . it really depends on the patterns found , but for the most part , the pattern found will be the height of the object . referring to fig3 , factors and data used to describe the meaning to the word “ tall ” comes from the image layer of an object ( objecta ). all encapsulated objects in objecta will also be considered . the length of one encapsulated object is compared to the length of another encapsulated object . if the computer finds a pattern it will assign this pattern to an object . the rules program will bring this object closer to the pattern sentence : the r 1 is very tall . for the tallness of a man , the length of the foot ( encapsulated object ) to the head ( encapsulated object ) will be used . this technique is also used for adverbs such as : very , medium , small , big , large , little and so forth . combination of words like : “ very tall ”, “ average tall ”, “ a little tall ”, can be used to find patterns instead of individual words . the words “ very tall ” should not be viewed as one fixed object . if these two words were put into different sentences they can mean very different things . it really depends on the current situation and other objects surrounding the two words , “ very tall ”. for example , the sentence , “ the boy is very tall ”, very tall means the height of the boy in comparison to the average height of all boys . another example is , “ the building is very tall ”. “ very tall ”, in this sentence mean the average height of all buildings . the two words , “ very tall ” may have an average meaning for all sentences that contain the two words , but to have a more defined meaning , the two words have to be understood in terms of the entire sentence and the current environment . the existence of an object is crucial to understanding something like an and - statement . if the pattern sentence is “ r 1 and r 2 ”, then after repeatedly training many examples with this sentence structure a universal meaning will be revealed . that meaning is that object r 1 is existing along with object r 2 . for example , if the robot sees someone holding a pencil and an eraser and the sentence is encountered : i am holding the pencil and the eraser , then there should be a pattern to this situation . another example is : the dog and the cat are in the picture . the fact that the dog and the cat are existing in the picture tells the robot that the word “ and ” is a grouping of two existing objects in a given environment . in this case the environment is the picture . r 1 is the dog and r 2 is the cat . if - statements are existence of objects or events based on a probability . “ if dave presses the red button then the sky will turn blue ”. if this sentence is encountered along with the situation , then the robot will understand that certain parts of the sentence is a condition part and the other part is an event . if the robot encounters this if - then statement 5 times and 2 out of 5 times the sky turns blue when dave presses the red button , then that means there is a 2 in 5 chance that the if - statement : “ if dave presses the red button ” will lead to the event : “ then the sky will turn blue ”. dave presses the red button is existing in the environment and the next existing event is : the sky will turn blue . the probability of the two existing events will happen 2 out of 5 times . all if - then statements will depend on their individual situation and what kind of objects are involved . the not - statement is the non - existence of an object . after many examples the robot will learn that the pattern “ not r 1 ” is the non - existing of object r 1 . if the sentence was encountered : dave is not here . the robot looks around and dave doesn &# 39 ; t exist — the robot can &# 39 ; t find dave . the robot will associate that meaning with the sentence and understand what “ not ” means . the next couple of sections will emphasize on the robot &# 39 ; s conscious and how the conscious is used to solve problems , plan tasks , predict the future and so forth . these sections were left out from my last patent application and i wanted to include them here so the readers can have a better understanding of how human intelligence is produced in a machine . 1 . the ai program receives 5 sense data from the environment . 2 . objects recognized by the ai program are called target objects and element objects are objects in memory that have strong association to the target object . 3 . the ai program will collect all element objects from all target objects and determine which element objects to activate . 4 . all element objects will compete with one another to be activated and the strongest element object / s will be activated . 5 . these activated element objects will be in the form of words , sentences , images , or instructions to guide the ai program to do one of the following : provide meaning to language , solve problems , plan tasks , solve interruption of tasks , predict the future , think , or analyze a situation . 6 . the activated element object / s is also known as the robot &# 39 ; s conscious . fig2 shows an illustration of target objects and activated element objects . as the ai program recognizes target objects in memory it will activate element objects . if the target object and the activated element object are equal , then the activated element object is a learned object of the target object . referring to fig3 , all 4 different data types and their encapsulated trees will be used to match pathways in memory ( 5 sense objects , hidden objects , learned objects or activated element objects , and pattern objects ). this is how language can be represented in terms of fuzzy logic . same sentences from different languages can look totally different , but the meaning is the same . the target objects are the sentences encountered and the activated element objects are the meaning . different sentences in english looks different , but they mean the same things . the three sentences below is one example . 1 . “ look left , right , and make sure there are no cars before crossing the street ” 2 . “ remember to see if there are no cars from the left and right before you cross the street ” 3 . “ don &# 39 ; t forget to look at all corners to make sure there are no cars before crossing the street ” visual text words and sound words can be deceiving because different sentences , even with a slight variation , can mean totally different things . the meaning of the sentences can be the same or similar . this is why the ai program will compare all 4 data types : 5 sense data , hidden data , learned groups , and patterns . the diagrams in fig3 a and 32b demonstrates how the robot compares pathways in memory . the current pathway is the input from the environment . the ai program will compare the current pathway with pathways in memory based on all 4 data types . it will lock onto each data type and find the closest matches ( finding a perfect match is very rare ). pathway 7 is a pathway stored in memory . in fig3 a , all the data types in the current pathway are set at 100 %. in fig3 b , the percent next to the data types in pathway 7 is the match percent it has with the current pathway . imagine if the target objects were visual text words . the ai program is reading in sequential text words from a book . notice that the target object match percents are very low , however the element objects that these text words activated have very high match percents . if target objects in the current pathway and pathway 7 are : current pathway : “ look left , right , and make sure there are no cars before crossing the street ” pathway 7 : “ remember to see if there are no cars from the left and right before you cross the street ” these two sentences don &# 39 ; t look the same , but the meaning is the same or similar ( the meaning is the activated element objects ). the pattern objects and hidden objects also have similar matches . in fact , the meaning is almost exactly the same . this is how the ai program represents language in terms of fuzzy logic . optimize search by using all 4 data types to search for information the present invention is novel because it contains one of the fastest search algorithms in computer science . human beings are intelligent because they are able to learn language and use language to search for and organize data in memory . instead of searching for information using only 5 sense objects ( visual objects , sound objects , taste objects , smell objects and touch objects ) learned objects can be used to search for information even faster . learned objects are two or more objects that have very strong association with one another . the connections are so strong that they are grouped together in an equals ring . all objects inside an equals ring are considered the same exact object . visual objects are grouped together in terms of object floaters . these object floaters are assigned to words or sentences to mean something . for example , the words “ cat ” means any sequential image of the cat floater . when a visual object is stored in memory , if a learned object is activated and the learned object is the same object as said visual object , then both learned object and visual object will be stored in the same area . when the ai searches for information the learned object will identify the visual object and vice versa because they are the same exact objects . in fig3 a is a diagram depicting the searching of data using only visual objects . imagine if there are 80 trillion encapsulated connections to travel on to get to the next visual object , the search function will narrow down the search by traveling on the strongest encapsulated connections first . even with this method searching for data in 80 trillion next encapsulated connections is like searching for a needle in a hay stack . using only visual objects to search for information will not work when dealing with very large scale problems . the novel approach covered in this invention is to use 4 different data types to search for information : 5 sense objects , hidden objects , learned objects , and pattern objects . all 4 data types have their own encapsulated connections and all 4 data types can be grouped together in combinations and permutations . fig3 b is a diagram depicting the searching of data using both visual objects and learned objects . imagine if you were looking for a visual object of a cat jumping over a table . in the diagram , visual object “ table ” 82 has already been located by the ai program . the next step is the find the image of a cat jumping over the table . if we use the encapsulated connection for visual objects only , there will be 80 trillion connections we have to search . referring to fig3 b , visual object “ table ” 82 is grouped together with the learned object “ cat ”, by following the group 84 that has both visual object “ table ” and the learned group “ cat ”, we can search for the cat images faster . imagine that the encapsulated connections for the learned objects is 50 , 000 , that means we only need to search a maximum of 50 , 000 to get to the encapsulated object (“ table ”, “ cat ”) 84 . if you search for the learned object by searching the strongest encapsulated connections first then the search will be much faster . referring to fig3 c , the learned object has a reference to the visual object “ cat ”, all the sequential images of a cat is grouped in the cat floater and the learned object “ cat ” has a reference pointer to this cat floater . by following the learned object “ cat ” the search has been narrowed down to 50 , 000 . imagine that the learned object “ cat ” has reference pointers to 20 , 000 sequential cat images . this means that the search function has now narrowed down the maximum search possibility to 70 , 000 . searching for a visual object in 70 , 000 entries is faster than searching for a visual object in 80 trillion entries . to narrow down the search even more i introduce hidden objects to the search . when visual objects move from one frame to the next in a movie sequence it generates hidden objects . that hidden object is attached to the visual object . in fig3 d , when the cat jumped in the movie sequence it generated a hidden object . that hidden object is now used to search for information along with the learned object and the visual object . from (“ table ”, “ cat ”) 84 the encapsulated connection for hidden object is 1 , 000 . that means it takes a maximum of 1 , 000 searches to get to (“ jump ”, “ table ”, “ cat ”) 86 . if you add up the maximum number of searches it will add up to 51 , 000 . referring to fig3 e , imagine that the hidden object has a reference pointer to 10 sequential images in the cat floater , that means we have narrowed down the possibility of 20 , 000 images in the cat floater to 10 images . the final maximum search required to find the visual object cat jumping over a table is 51 , 010 . this section will provide more examples on reasoning and the conscious . up to this point the lessons taught about the conscious is very basic . in real life the conscious is very complex and there are many forms of consciousness that are not discussed yet . hopefully , by the time the reader finishes reading this section they will have a better understanding of other factors that matter in terms of how human robots think . conscious thought with little or nothing to do with the 5 senses there are times when the robot will take in a small amount of data from the environment and use that to activate sentences ( conscious thoughts ). for example , if the robot was catching the bus to work and is bored , it will start to think . it will cut off the senses coming from the environment and simply jump and travel on different pathways in memory . those activated element objects has nothing to do with the environment . the only thing that was focused on was the word : “ bored ”. this word then activated thoughts in the robot &# 39 ; s mind without any relations to the environment . the conscious doesn &# 39 ; t use all of its data from the 5 senses to come up with thoughts , but it filters out the 5 senses to focus on the most important data . focusing on what data from the environment is important is a learned thing . learning to think based on focused data from the environment is also a learned thing . the robot learns meaning to sentences and these sentences have patterns that manipulate pathways in memory — the sentences modify pathways , organize pathways , search for pathways , delete pathways , insert pathways , modify the strength of the pathways and so forth . for example , if a teacher thought the robot : when you are bored , think of something to do . based on this sentence the robot will store this information in memory for future use . when the robot encounters a situation where it is bored such as staying home with nothing to do , then it will activate this sentence : “ think of something to do ”. this sentence essentially instructs the robot “ to do something ”. the sentence “ think of something to do ” is actually a search pattern to find pathways in memory based on things the robot sensed several hours ago , or several days ago . the instructions are not fixed and have many variations depending on the current environment or data that was sensed in the past . referring to fig3 , another example is , if a teacher thought the robot : when you have nothing to do , make future plans . when the robot is catching the bus to work and has nothing to do , it will activate the sentence : “ make future plans ”. the next response from this statement is based on a pattern . there are no fixed responses or no fixed sentences based on the sentence “ make future plans ”. the next response will depend on what the environment is at the moment and what kind of information did the robot sense in the last few hours , or last few days . the next response can be anything . the word “ think ”, if understood by the robot , can be used to control itself . sentences can be thought to the robot by teachers in terms of the word think . sentences like : 1 . think about the problem 2 . use your mind to think of a solution 3 . solve the problem by thinking of a way to solve the problem 4 . think of the image 5 . think of the sound 6 . he is thinking of a house 7 . think of how far the distance is from the supermarket to the library the ai program will find patterns between the thought process of the machine and the meaning of each sentence . these sentences are then used as patterns to control the machine to think in a certain way . thinking is actually just pathways in memory with specific patterns . “ think of a cat image ”, for example , means the robot has to locate the object cat in memory and activate one image of a cat . “ think of a logical solution to the problem ”, means that the robot has to use data from memory and certain objects from the environment to solve a problem . “ what are you thinking about ”, means that the robot has to say what was on his mind before the question was asked . he must look at short - term memory to find what was activated in memory based on the environment and use these activated pathways to answer the question . learning to focus on an object in the environment is thought by teachers and these lessons guide the robot to focus on certain objects . despite the countless objects that the robot senses from the environment it is able to filter out the objects that are most important . this process is done by one of the deviation functions : minus layers from the pathway . the focus of the object is the priority of the object . in the decision making process , the robot has to decide based on many pathway layers . all the data from the environment are broken up and searched in memory . the combinations and permutations of all data experienced from the environment are searched and ranked ( the ai will undoubtedly search for the strongest combinations and permutations ). the highest ranking pathway layer will be considered the optimal pathway . referring to fig3 , the diagram demonstrates that sometimes a higher percent match in memory doesn &# 39 ; t necessarily mean it will be picked . many factors are included in the decision making process . however , for the most part the best match is usually the optimal pathway . when objects from the environment are encountered by the ai program , those objects will become stronger . if these objects ( element objects ) happen to be in the rules program , they will have a better chance of being activated . things that happen in the last few minutes , or hours , or days , or weeks will have a better chance of being activated by the robot &# 39 ; s conscious . let &# 39 ; s use bill clinton as an example . the most famous memory anyone has of bill clinton is the sex scandal that happened in the late 90 &# 39 ; s . well , at least for me , but for the most part , the majority of people will associate bill clinton with monica lewinsky . if i saw bill clinton on tv talking about global warming then global warming will be the strongest associated object to bill clinton at that current moment . during minutes , days , weeks and even months after i see bill clinton talk about global warming my mind modified the object bill clinton and its associated objects . my mind assigned bill clinton with global warming as the strongest associated object ( monica lewinsky , now , becomes the second strongest associated object ). the next time i see bill clinton on tv , global warming will be the first associated object to activate . as time passes , global warming will lose its association to bill clinton and sex scandal will again dominate . unless my mind encounters more scenes of bill clinton and global warming , the associated connection between the two objects will lose its strength . these recent past 5 sense data are important because reasoning and conscious thoughts use the most recent data encountered by the ai program . the patterns in pathways might use data that happened 5 days ago or 3 minutes ago , or even 1 month ago . it varies depending on the pattern . stereotypes of an object such as the bill clinton example shows how recently encountered associated objects has a more likely chance of being activated than associated objects that were encountered a long time ago . it really depends on how strong associated objects are and how important the robot associate two objects . sex scandal is a very powerful memory while global warming is a weak memory . this means that the association between bill clinton and global warming is just temporary ; and eventually people will forget clinton ever gave a speech about global warming . logic and reasoning to solve difficult problems will activate recent knowledge instead of knowledge learned many years ago . again , this can vary because a knowledge can be trained many times so that it can have a permanent location in memory . doing basic addition and subtraction are permanent knowledge because we have encountered these problems so many times . on the other hand , reading knowledge from a science book a few days ago is considered recent knowledge . these recent knowledge will activate in the mind when the time is needed to solve a particular problem . as time passes , that knowledge if not retrained will be forgotten . conflicting facts about a subject matter can be solved through the conscious as well . if we learned a fact many times in the past we tend to use that fact . but , if we encounter a new fact that contradicts an old fact we have to use either logic or a form of conscious thought to guide us to choose between the two . for example , if i was thought that the world is flat by many people in the past ; and just recently i read in a magazine that the world is actually round , will i believe the world is flat or round ? all of this stems from my intelligence and past experiences . if the scientist who claims the world is round backs up his claims with strong and concrete facts then i will believe him . otherwise , i will believe what the majority of society believes . even though the old fact is very strong , patterns from sentences allow me to forget that old fact and replace it with a new fact . the new fact was only encountered once , but because of specific sentences i was able to delete the old fact and insert the new fact in memory . this will allow the ai program to adapt to the environment , not based on how many times data is encountered , but by assigning patterns to sentences and using the sentences to modify data in memory . these sentences can instruct the robot to insert new data , delete data , modify data , change the strength of the data , change the priority of the data or group data . logic in terms of activated sentences will tell the robot what kinds of data to modify in memory . again , words and sentences can describe how people feel . the conscious tells the robot what is going on in the environment . even though the images on a person &# 39 ; s face are small the images can convey different facial expressions . simple movements of the eye brows or lips or eye position convey a different facial expression . the way that the robot learns these facial expressions is through a teacher who uses sentences , movie sequences , or diagrams to explain what a person is feeling at that moment . the more we learn about a situation the more we understand it and the small things that make up that situation will be noticed . this is why , even though the face looks the same under any expression , we understand what the person is feeling based on certain minor facial movements . this idea is important to better understand how humans engage in conversations . the conversations we have with people are not based on what the next best sentence is , but it is based on a very complicated form of consciousness . previously learned lessons from teachers pop up in the robot &# 39 ; s mind to guide it to say things to people . the robot will analyze the person &# 39 ; s face , analyze the person &# 39 ; s conversation and analyze the environment . based on all these analytical data the robot &# 39 ; s conscious will activate , in the mind , lessons learned by teachers . these lessons guide the robot to have a conversation . when the robot takes in all these analyzed data , it will filter out some data and prioritize other data . based on all the possible matches found in memory the robot will pick one optimal pathway . in addition to the 5 senses , the hidden data , and the activated elements objects , the robot will also consider the patterns between all the data sensed . this means that within all the words spoken by the person , and within all the objects in the environment , and within all the events the robot has experienced in the last few hours , there might be a strong pattern or relationship between certain data sensed . as usual , the conversation the robot makes will be based on the average of what it learned . this would include : the lessons learned by teachers to have a conversation , the trial and error conversations the robot had , the copying of conversations on tv or real life . most of the conversations that humans tend to have are predictable because we understand what society view as normal conversation or abnormal conversation . but , there are some people , based on their own experiences , say wrong things during a conversation . they either say the wrong things because they want attention from people or they say the wrong things because of poor judgment ( random happenstance can also be considered poor judgment ). a human being has thousands of encapsulated objects . things that make up a human being such as a head , two arms , hand , legs , feet , chest , back , knee , eyes , nose , toes , hips , neck , shoulder and so forth are encapsulated objects . when we focus on a human being , we tend to focus on the face . why ? because the face has higher priority than any other encapsulated object in a human being . people can focus on the neck or leg or arm , but why do human beings focus their attention on the face ? the reason why is because of two factors : ( 1 ) innately we humans ( or animals ) focus on things that get our attention . noises made by the human being come from the face . when a human being talks we tend to focus our attention on the face . ( 2 ) teachers teach us to focus our attention on the face . the majority of animals will focus on the face when they stare at a human being . although they occasionally move their eyes in different areas , innately , they focus on the face . they were never taught how to behave or what to look at when they encounter certain creatures . there behavior is mostly governed by innate abilities . built in abilities is one factor that focuses our attention on the face . the 5 senses have built in abilities to focus our mind on things that get our attention . loud noises , the object that is making the noise , moving objects , pain / pleasure , beautiful / ugly things , abnormal things and so forth are just some of the things in our environment that get our attention . in human behavior we look at the face because we were thought to look at the face when we encounter a human being . teachers teach us that we should always look at the persons &# 39 ; eyes when we speak to them . the lessons given by the teachers guide us in terms of behavior and how the body should act in a given situation . back in the days of slavery , slaves were thought to look down at the ground when they encounter their master . this is why they don &# 39 ; t stare at the face when talking to a human being . the example given above shows that in any given object , their respective encapsulated objects matter in terms of what we remember about that object and what we focus on when we encounter that object . each encapsulated object has a priority in terms of how important it is in the overall object . the reason why we activate faces to identify human objects is because that is the most important encapsulated object in a human object . we don &# 39 ; t identify a human being by their feet or palm , or waist , but by their face . of course , this can vary from person to person depending on how an individual was taught . and there are encapsulated objects , besides the face , that we use to identify people . things like clothing , pants , upper body and so forth . but for the most part we identify people by their face . despite how similar faces can be , the more faces we encounter the more details of the face we can store and the more unique each face become . pronouns such as i , her , him , answer , they , and us are objects that are represented by the conscious . the meanings to these pronouns are assigned by conscious thoughts . for example , if you are reading a book and there is a word : “ i ”, that word isn &# 39 ; t representing you , but it is representing a character in the book . the conscious will activate element objects in the form of sentences ( or meaning of sentences ) to tell the robot what the word “ i ” is in the book . in the book , if the king is speaking then the conscious will say : “ the word “ i ” is referring to the king ”. in a math problem the word “ answer ” is a variable that will be assigned a meaning during runtime . if you &# 39 ; re doing one math problem the answer can be 14 and if you &# 39 ; re doing another math problem the answer can be 45 . the conscious will tell you what the answer is during runtime . the method in which the conscious assign an object to an answer comes from math teachers . their collective knowledge has been averaged out and the conscious will tell you what the answer is in the form of sentences ( or meaning of sentences ). when we identify people we have to say words to get their attention . identifying people , places and things will depend on what the environment is at that moment in time . there can be multiple names to identify an object . for example , a dog can be called an animal , dog , or a specific name like sam . referring to fig3 , the powerpoints in the diagram represent how strong each name is assigned to the dog floater . family members that own the dog calls the dog , “ sam ”. sometimes they call the dog , “ dog ”. and under rare conditions family members call the dog , “ animal ”. the strongest identification , sam , will most likely activate when the robot encounters the dog . however , there are rare occasions where it will activate the identity with the lowest powerpoints or medium powerpoints . it really depends on the current situation . if the robot is having a conversation with someone on the phone and this someone doesn &# 39 ; t know the dog , then the robot might address the dog as : “ dog ”. on the other hand , if the robot is talking to a family member then the robot can use the name , sam . a final example is if the robot is mad at the dog and it wants to call the dog in a derogatory way , then it can use the name , “ animal ”. as you can see from all the examples given , the identity of an object really depends on the current environment . many factors are used to determine what an object is called . the robot can learn two or more languages at once . however , let &# 39 ; s say that the robot is dominant in one language , english . how is the robot going to learn a second or third language ? the answer is through patterns in words and sentences . if the robot wanted to learn chinese , it must understand that one word in english can mean one character in chinese . a grammar structure in english can mean a grammar structure in chinese . english is read one letter at a time from left to right while chinese is read one character at a time from top to bottom . by understanding all these tricks the pathways simply contain patterns to assign one object to another object in memory . in this case , one word in english ( object ) to one character in chinese ( second object ). referring to fig3 a - 37b , the patterns in words / sentences will create the object “ mau ” and put it close to the object “ cat ” so that when the robot recognizes the chinese character , “ mau ”, it will activate the equivalent english word , “ cat ” . in the initial training phase , the robot should elicit this type of conscious thought . however , as time passes the robot , when recognizing a chinese character , should activate the meaning to the english word and not the english word . referring to fig3 a - 38b , in the initial stages of learning a word in chinese , the equivalent word in english will be activated . as the ai averages data from memory , the word mau will be closer and closer to the meaning of the english word cat . the meaning is the visual cat floater . as this learning continues the association connection between the word mau and the cat floater gets stronger and stronger . this will give the robot the ability to activate one image from the cat floater . just like how the word cat activates a cat image , the word mau will elicit the same response . this is a fairly easy example . understanding grammar structures and understanding complex forms of words / sentences will work the same way . it all comes down to bringing the words / sentences of the new language to the language that is understood by the robot and forcing the new language to point to the same meaning . once the new language establishes meaning , understanding said new language will be accomplished . “ the world is round ”, “ 5 + 5 equals 10 ”, “ the current president of the united states is george bush ”, “ the first president of the united states is george washington ”, “ hi stands for hawaii ”, “ there are 50 states in the united states ”. all these sentences are facts and are stored in memory the same way that other sentences ( questions , statements , etc ) are stored . in current database mining , facts are modified manually by having an expert programmer insert , modify , and delete facts from a database . in my ai program , words / sentences are used to insert , modify and delete facts from memory . changing a particular fact is based on a pattern . sentences contain patterns that will insert , modify and delete specific words from facts ( sentences ). for example , if someone told me a false fact such as : “ the world is flat ”. this false fact is learned many times in the past so the data becomes very strong ( fig3 a ). there must exist a way to change the fact so that the robot can delete the false fact and insert the correct fact in its place . before moving on i have to talk about forgetting information . there is no such thing as deleting data from memory . data can only be forgotten . so , if the robot wants to delete data from memory , all it has to do is decrease the strength of the false data so that eventually the false data is forgotten . we can also put a reminder on the false data , in the form of a sentence , telling the robot that the correct data is actually located somewhere else . referring to fig3 b , if someone say things like : that is the wrong answer or that is incorrect , we are actually storing that sentence in certain pathways . these sentences tell us that certain facts in memory are wrong and these sentences guide us to search for the correct facts . at the same time that this is happening the ai will attempt to look for any patterns . if any pattern is found between similar examples then it will be stored in the pathways . referring to 39 c , as you can see from the diagram , the words , “ that is incorrect ” has a pattern that instructs the robot to forget the false fact , and to establish a connection with the correct fact . over time the false fact will be forgotten and the connection is pointed to the correct fact . this is just an easy example to show how the mind modifies facts from memory . the opposite function can happen , which is to strengthen data in memory . words like : remember , don &# 39 ; t forget , concentrate and so forth are words that tell the robot that certain facts must be strengthened . pain and pleasure can also be a factor to determine what is the right answer and what is the wrong answer . if the robot is doing something wrong and the teacher slaps the robot on the hand and says , don &# 39 ; t ! in a harsh manner , then the robot will put negative points on the word , “ don &# 39 ; t ”. and when the robot does something and it &# 39 ; s done correctly the robot gets rewarded and the teacher will say , “ that &# 39 ; s correct ”. now , the sentence , “ that is correct ” will have positive points . learning something will then be governed by words that are used that tell the robot it is doing something good or bad . the robot will pick the pathway that leads to pleasure and stay away from pathways that lead to pain . this method can also be combined with the lesson above . ( extra note ) the present invention is my artwork . 6 years has been invested in designing the human artificial intelligence program . the material in this patent and a chain of parent patent applications describe in detail the processes and functions that make up the hai program . the foregoing has outlined , in general , the physical aspects of the invention and is to serve as an aid to better understanding the intended use and application of the invention . in reference to such , there is to be a clear understanding that the present invention is not limited to the method or detail of construction , fabrication , material , or application of use described and illustrated herein . any other variation of fabrication , use , or application should be considered apparent as an alternative embodiment of the present invention .
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[ 0023 ] fig1 shows an embodiment of an aesthetic security doorway 10 in accordance with the present invention . the doorway 10 comprises a door 12 suspended within a doorframe 14 . the doorframe 14 may be integral with a wall 15 of a dwelling or other building , or the doorframe 14 can serve as entryway to a fenced - in outdoor area . the door 12 comprises a rigid main structure 16 with a plurality of similarly rigid crossbars , cross members or cross pieces 18 attached to the main structure 16 . the main structure 16 ( shown here schematically ) is made up of vertical bars 20 a , 20 b and horizontal bars 22 a , 22 b joined at the four comers formed thereby . alternatively , the main structure 16 may comprise a solid panel of wood or metal with crossbars 18 across its outer surface . the main structure 16 is shown in a rectangular shape , but one of skill in the art will recognize that alternative forms are possible such as an arched - top style , with a rounded or arched horizontal bar 22 a . crossbars 18 span the plane of the main structure 16 with the crossbars 18 attached to each other and / or the main structure 16 to form a substantially planar , rigid grill with openings which are small enough to prevent human passage through the door 12 . the crossbars 18 are shaped and arranged to create an aesthetically pleasing design for the door 12 , such as the palm tree theme shown in fig1 or the vines and leaves shown in fig2 . those familiar with the art can readily envision alternative design themes which lend themselves to use as pattern for the crossbars 18 of the door 12 . the doorframe 14 includes a plurality of decor elements 24 which complement the design formed by the crossbars 18 . the decor elements 24 can comprise either extensions 26 of the crossbars 18 beyond the perimeter of the door 16 or they can be independent but complementary elements 28 , which carry the design theme onto the doorframe 14 in a different manner . both types of decor elements 24 cooperate with the design on the door 12 to create a single unitary design which visually blends the door 12 into the doorframe 14 . in this manner the otherwise rigid , rectilinear form of the security doorway 10 is obscured , making it difficult for an observer to recognize the door 12 as a security device . the decor elements 24 may be of lightweight construction so as to be purely decorative , or they may be composed of rigid material so as to reinforce the structure of the doorframe 14 and wall 15 , providing additional security . [ 0028 ] fig3 illustrates the use of the security doorway 10 in a residential home 30 , from the perspective of an observer on a sidewalk or street . complementary decor 32 can be added adjacent to windows 34 or other parts of the home 30 , or the entryway area , to continue the design theme throughout the exterior of the home 30 . furthermore , the design can be chosen to match or reflect the elements of the landscape 36 surrounding the home 30 . naturally , one of skill in the art will recognize the invention is not limited to use with doorways ; rather , it is equally suitable for use on windows or other passageways associated with the enclosure of buildings or land . [ 0030 ] fig4 depicts a sliding door embodiment 100 of the aesthetic security doorway . in this embodiment the door 12 is slidably received in the doorframe 14 , but the sliding - door embodiment may be largely similar to the embodiments described above , except as specified below . a secondary panel 102 may also be mounted in the doorframe 14 adjacent the door 12 . the secondary panel may be stationary , or it may slidable within the doorframe 14 like the door 12 . the door 12 of the sliding - door system 100 is preferably similar to that disclosed in the embodiments discussed above , with a rigid main structure 16 and a plurality of similarly rigid crossbars , cross members or cross pieces 18 attached to the main structure 16 . the secondary panel 102 includes a plurality of rigid , secondary crossbars , cross members or cross pieces 104 attached to a rigid main structure 106 of the secondary panel , and / or to adjacent portions of the doorframe 14 . the crossbars 18 and secondary crossbars 104 span the plane of the door 12 and secondary panel 102 , respectively , to form substantially planar , rigid grills with openings which are small enough to prevent human passage through the door 12 / secondary panel 102 . the crossbars 18 and secondary crossbars 104 are shaped and arranged to create an aesthetically pleasing design for the door 12 and secondary panel 102 , such as the palm tree theme shown in fig4 . those familiar with the art can readily envision alternative design themes ( including the vines and leaves shown in fig2 ) which lend themselves to use as pattern for the crossbars 18 and secondary crossbars 104 , which alternatives are considered to be within the scope of the present invention . the design formed by the crossbars 18 can be extended beyond the perimeter of the door 12 by the secondary crossbars 104 , which can be made to appear to be a continuation of the design onto the secondary panel 102 , as shown in fig4 . in addition , the decor elements 24 of the doorframe 14 carry the design or image from both the door and the secondary panel onto the doorframe . in this manner , the form or perimeter of the door and / or secondary panel is obscured as discussed above . that is , the decor elements 24 and / or the secondary crossbars 104 cooperate with the design on the door 12 to create a single unitary design which visually blends the door 12 into the secondary panel 102 and the doorframe 14 . in this manner the otherwise rigid , rectilinear form of the security doorway 100 , as well as the door 12 and secondary panel 102 , is obscured , making it difficult for an observer to recognize as a security device the door 12 , secondary panel 102 and the doorway as a whole . in addition , a glass panel ( not shown ) may be built into the door 12 and / or secondary panel 102 , either behind or integrated with the crossbars 18 / secondary crossbars 104 . [ 0035 ] fig5 depicts another sliding - door embodiment 200 of the aesthetic security doorway . in this embodiment the door 12 is slidably received in the doorframe 14 and is preferably located ( when in the closed position ) between a left secondary panel 106 a and a right secondary panel 106 b . the door 12 is preferably configured to slide to the left or right to permit entry therethrough . in this embodiment , however , the door 12 may occupy any of the three positions depicted ( when in the closed position ), and any of the three may serve as a secondary panel 106 , so long as at least one of the three is moveable and functions as a door . the door 12 and / or secondary panels may have a built - in glass panel as discussed above . the crossbars 18 form a design which is continued or extended beyond the perimeter of the door 18 by the decor elements 24 extending from the doorframe 14 and / or by the secondary crossbars 104 of the secondary panels 102 a , 102 b . the decor elements 24 may also extend the design of the crossbars 18 by appearing to continue the secondary crossbars 104 onto the doorframe 14 and / or the wall 15 . the doorway 200 may also include complementary windows 202 with tertiary crossbars 204 which extend and continue the design of the crossbars 18 and / or secondary crossbars 104 onto the windows 202 . secondary decor elements 206 may be affixed to the wall 15 to carry the design beyond the windows 202 . the secondary decor elements 206 may be generally similar to the decor elements 24 . with the design of the cross members 18 thus extended beyond the perimeter of the door 12 and secondary panels 102 a , 102 b , the form of the door is obscured against the secondary panels and doorframe , and the overall form of the entire doorway is obscured as well , making it difficult for an observer to recognize as a security device the door 12 , secondary panels 102 and the doorway as a whole . in a further embodiment , the decor elements 24 may be omitted so that the design is extended beyond the door 12 by only the secondary and / or tertiary crossbars 104 , 204 . it should be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be limited by the illustrations or the foregoing description thereof , but rather by the appended claims , and certain variations and modifications of this invention will suggest themselves to one of ordinary skill in the art .
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while the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms , there is shown in the drawings and described in detailed preferred embodiments of the invention . it is understood that the present disclosure is to be considered only as an example of the principles of the invention . this disclosure is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the illustrated embodiments . the scope of the protection should only be limited by the accompanying claims . a first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to fig1 - 14 . referring to fig1 , the transmission input shaft assembly 10 generally comprises an input shaft 12 , a torque converter stator shaft 14 positioned about the input shaft 12 and the transmission pump housing 18 positioned about the input shaft 12 and the torque converter stator shaft 14 . the torque converter stator shaft 14 typically includes a radial flange 16 extending adjacent the side wall of the pump housing 18 . the speed sensing device 20 generally includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced markings 22 about the input shaft 12 and a sensor 24 extending through the torque converter stator shaft 14 in close proximity to the circumferentially spaced markings 22 . referring to fig1 - 6 , the torque converter stator shaft 14 includes a hole 17 therethrough configured to receive the sensor 24 . as seen in fig4 , the hole 17 is aligned with the circumferentially spaced markings 22 such that the sensor 24 , positioned in the hole 17 , will be aligned with and in close proximity to the circumferentially spaced markings 22 . the sensor 24 has a body 27 configured to plug and seal the hole 17 . to accommodate the cable 25 extending from the sensor 24 , an axial groove 19 extends along the torque converter stator shaft 14 from the hole 17 to a radial groove 21 extending along the torque converter stator shaft flange 16 . as can be seen in fig5 and 6 , the cable 25 can be run through the grooves 19 and 21 and then along the wall of the pump housing 18 and out of the transmission assembly 10 without providing substantial obstruction . a seal member 23 may be used to fill the groove 19 to further ensure sealing of the hole 17 . the speed sensor cable 25 exits the transmission assembly 10 radially and is connected to an electronic control unit ( ecu ) that analyzes its output signal . in the case of an active speed sensor , the ecu provides power to the sensor . as the circumferentially spaced markings 22 rotate with the input shaft 12 in front of the speed sensor 24 , the sensor output signal is modulated and the ecu calculates the input shaft 12 rotational speed . the sensor 24 preferably has dual sensing elements which can , for example , be utilized for noise cancelation . in certain applications where direction of rotation is also desired , the dual sensing elements may be configured to determine the direction of rotation . in addition , the sensor 24 may be configured to provide a temperature measurement within the torque converter stator shaft 14 . commonly owned pct application no . pct / us03 / 32692 , herein incorporated by reference , describes a system of obtaining a temperature measurement with a vr sensor . alternatively , a separate temperature sensor may be integrated with the active speed sensor in order to provide temperature measurement at a location deep inside the transmission interior . depending on the design configuration , various hardware and software , for example , a specially designed asic , can be used . depending on the application constraints , the circumferentially spaced markings 22 can be provided in a variety of ways . for example , as illustrated in fig2 and 3 , the circumferentially spaced markings 22 can be defined around the input shaft 12 by machining , forming or otherwise providing splines into od surface of the input shaft 12 . alternatively , the circumferentially spaced markings 22 can be provided by attaching a target wheel incorporating the markings 22 to the input shaft 22 . a variety of target wheels are illustrated in fig7 - 14 . the target wheel can be attached to the input shaft 12 in a variety of ways , for example , but not limited to , press - fitting , welding , or bolting of the target wheel onto the input shaft 120 d surface . the variety of illustrated target wheels will be described with reference to fig7 - 14 . fig7 illustrates a gear ring 30 with a plurality of teeth 31 that define the circumferentially spaced markings . the gear ring may be manufactured in various ways , for example , from powdered metal or may be a stamped metal gear ring . fig8 a and 8 b illustrate a stamped metal cage ring 32 made from one or more sections and having a plurality of openings 33 that define the circumferentially spaced markings 22 . fig8 c illustrates a stamped metal cage ring 32 ′ similar to that shown in fig8 a and 8 b , with the cage ring 32 ′ being formed in to halves 32 a and 32 b to facilitate positioning about the input shaft 12 . each halve 32 a , 32 b has a projecting tab 39 and a retaining slot 41 for interconnection of the two halves 32 a , 32 b about the input shaft 12 . other interconnection means may also be utilized . additionally , the multi - piece configuration may be utilized for other target wheel types other than the stamped metal cage . for example , the split pair of magnetic rings 46 illustrated in fig1 and described hereinafter may be formed with interconnecting ends . fig9 illustrates a molded ring 34 with a plurality of spaced apart metallic inserts 36 that define the circumferentially spaced markings 22 . fig1 illustrates a target wheel similar to fig9 but further including a protective rim 38 positioned thereabout . fig1 - 13 illustrate molded multi - pole magnetic rings 40 , 44 and 50 for use as the target wheel . the multi - pole magnetic ring 40 of fig1 includes a split 42 for facilitating positioning about the input shaft 12 . the multi - pole magnetic ring 44 of fig1 includes a split pair of magnetic rings 46 with a retaining band 48 thereabout . the multi - pole magnetic ring 50 of fig1 is configured as an elastic member configured to be slipped over the input shaft 12 . fig1 a and 14 b illustrates a multi - pole magnetic ring similar to that shown in fig1 , 12 and 13 , with protective ribs 52 positioned about the ring 50 . the sensor 24 can be any one of the available speed sensors such as a vr sensor , a hall - effect sensor , a magnetoresistive sensor , a gmr sensor , or an eddy current sensor . the type of sensor 24 is selected to be compatible with the chosen circumferentially spaced markings 22 . for example , if the circumferentially spaced markings 22 are defined by teeth formed around the normally ferromagnetic input shaft by machining its od surface , or a ferromagnetic gear - ring 30 target wheel is placed around the input shaft 12 , a vr sensor , a hall sensor , a magnetoresistive sensor , or a gmr sensor with a back - biased magnet can be used . a multi - pole magnetic target wheel placed around the input shaft 12 preferably utilizes a magnetic sensor without the back - biased magnet . alternatively , an eddy current sensor is preferably utilized with circumferentially spaced markings 22 defined by a ferromagnetic material or a non - ferromagnetic conductive material . referring to fig1 , an alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated . the circumferentially spaced markings 22 are provided around the transmission input shaft 12 at a point along its axial length so that , in the final transmission assembly , the markings 22 are directly underneath the pump housing 18 . the chosen sensor 24 is mounted over the circumferentially spaced markings 22 after the pump housing 18 placement over the torque converter stator shaft 14 through an angled hole 17 from the pump housing sidewall to the stator 14 id surface . the sensor body 27 forms a sealed cylindrical plug inside the sensor hole 17 and extends beyond the pump housing 18 sidewall . in the illustrated embodiment , the sensor body 27 is mounted to the stator radial flange 16 by a clip 29 or the like . alternatively , the sensor body 27 may be secured to the pump housing 18 or otherwise secured within the angled hole 17 , for example , by an interference fit . beyond the pump housing 18 , the sensor cable 25 exits the transmission assembly 10 radially routed along the sidewall of the transmission pump housing 18 . referring to fig1 , an alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated . the circumferentially spaced markings 22 are provided around the transmission input shaft 12 inside a slot 35 next to a fluid channel 37 . this may cause axial displacement of existing oil channels for certain applications . the chosen sensor 24 is mounted over the circumferentially spaced markings 22 through a radial hole 17 on the body of the torque converter stator shaft 14 . the sensor body 27 forms a sealed cylindrical plug inside the sensor hole 17 and extends beyond the stator od surface in a way that allows its mounting onto the stator radial flange 16 or any other available mounting surface by a clip 29 or the like . beyond the stator flange 16 , the sensor cable 25 exits the transmission assembly 10 radially routed along the sidewall of the transmission pump housing 18 . referring to fig1 , an alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated . the circumferentially spaced markings 22 are provided around the transmission input shaft 12 inside a slot 35 next to a fluid channel 37 . this may cause axial displacement of existing oil channels for certain applications . the chosen sensor 24 is mounted over the circumferentially spaced markings 22 through a radial hole 17 inside the torque converter stator shaft flange 16 . the sensor body 27 forms a sealed cylindrical plug inside the sensor hole 17 and extends beyond the stator flange 16 in a way that allows its mounting onto the flange body . beyond the stator flange 16 , the sensor cable 25 exits the transmission assembly 10 radially routed along the sidewall of the transmission pump housing 18 . referring to fig1 , an alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated . the circumferentially spaced markings 22 are provided around the transmission input shaft 12 at a point along its axial length so that , in the final transmission assembly , the markings 22 are directly underneath the pump housing 18 . the pump housing 18 is formed with a radial hole 43 extending from the pump housing 18 inner diameter to the pump housing 18 outer diameter . the hole 43 may be formed in the pump housing 18 or may be drilled in to a previously manufactured pump housing 18 . the pump housing radial hole 43 is aligned with a radial hole 17 in the torque converter stator shaft 14 . the body 27 of the chosen sensor 24 is extended through the aligned radial holes 17 and 43 such that a forward end of the sensor is mounted in close proximity to the circumferentially spaced markings 22 . the sensor body 27 forms a sealed cylindrical plug inside the sensor hole 17 . the other end of the sensor body 27 extends beyond the pump housing 18 . in the illustrated embodiment , the sensor body 27 extends through a hole 62 of an oil pan 60 positioned at the outer diameter of the pump housing 18 . the oil pan 60 has a removable cover 64 that can be removed to access the sensor 24 . the sensor body 27 is removable from the radial holes 17 and 43 through the oil pan 60 to allow service or the like of the sensor 24 . the sensor cable 25 extends from the sensor body 27 and exits oil pan 60 through a sealed hole 66 . referring to fig1 , an alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated . the circumferentially spaced markings 22 are provided around the transmission input shaft 12 at a point along its axial length so that , in the final transmission assembly , the markings 22 are directly underneath the pump housing 18 , however , the markings 22 may be alternatively positioned . the chosen sensor 24 is mounted over the circumferentially spaced markings 22 after the pump housing 18 placement over the torque converter stator shaft 14 through an angled hole 17 from the pump housing sidewall to the stator 14 id surface . the sensor body 27 forms a sealed cylindrical plug inside the sensor hole 17 and extends beyond the pump housing 18 sidewall . in the present embodiment , the sensor body 27 has an extended axial length configured to pass through open space in the transmission assembly 10 . the extended sensor body 27 is configured to extend to an easily accessible portion of the transmission assembly 10 , for example , a sealed hole 72 through the transmission bell housing 70 , or alternatively , through the removal of the oil pan or the like accessible component . a clip 29 or the like can be provided to support a midsection of the sensor 24 . the sensor cable 25 extends from the sensor body 27 outside of the bell housing 70 from where it routed to the ecu . if the sensor 24 requires servicing , it can be easily withdrawn through the hole 72 .
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the preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail hereinafter in conjunction with drawings showing these embodiments . fig1 a and fig1 b are schematic views for explaining a constitutional example of one embodiment of a flexible printed circuit board for use in a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention , wherein fig1 a is a plan view and fig1 b is a cross - sectional view taken along a line a - a ′ in fig1 a . this flexible printed circuit board constitutes a first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 which is mounted on a gate drive side of a liquid crystal display panel . as shown in fig1 b , the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 includes a wiring pattern ptn and a dummy conductive pattern dpn at one side of a base film bfm and they are covered with a cover film cvr . at the other side of the base film bfm , output terminals ftm which are electrically connected with the above - mentioned wiring pattern ptn are formed . as shown in fig1 a and fig1 b , the output terminals ftm are arranged irregularly or non - uniformly for every group consisting of a plurality of output terminals ftm . the dummy conductive pattern dpn is provided between these groups of output terminals ftm . the dummy conductive pattern dpn is provided in the vicinity of a center portion of the arrangement of a group of output terminals ftm which are pressed mainly by a compression bonding tool . fig2 a and fig2 b are schematic views for explaining an essential part of one embodiment of a liquid crystal display device in which the flexible printed circuit board is connected to a liquid crystal display panel provided with driving circuit chips of an fca method according to the present invention , wherein fig2 a is a plan view and fig2 b is a cross - sectional view taken along a line b - b ′ in fig2 a . in fig2 a and fig2 b , reference symbols which are equal to the reference symbols shown in fig1 a and fig1 b indicate parts having identical functions . the flexible printed circuit board constitutes the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 explained in conjunction with fig1 a and fig1 b . in fig2 a and fig2 b , reference symbol sub 1 indicates one substrate which constitutes a liquid crystal display panel lcd ( here , a thin film transistor substrate having thin film transistors as active elements ), reference symbol sub 2 indicates another substrate ( here , a color filter substrate which faces the thin film transistor substrate in an opposed manner ), reference symbol ch 1 indicates driving circuit chips at a scanning signal supply side ( hereinafter , referred to as a gate driver ), and reference symbol ch 2 indicates driving circuit chips at a video signal supply side ( hereinafter , referred to as a drain driver ). in the above - mentioned manner , reference symbol fpc 1 indicates the first flexible printed circuit board which is connected to one substrate sub 1 side on which the gate drivers ch 1 are mounted and reference symbol fpc 2 indicates the second flexible printed circuit board which is connected to one substrate sub 1 side on which the drain drivers ch 2 are mounted . the constitution around the wiring of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 and the gate driver ch 1 of the liquid crystal display panel lcd is substantially equal to the constitution around the wiring of the second flexible printed circuit board fpc 2 and the drain driver ch 2 , so that the constitution around the wiring of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 and the gate driver ch 1 of the liquid crystal display panel lcd is explained here . with respect to the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 , on the base film bfm , the wiring pattern ptn having an input terminal portion tm which is connected to an interface printed circuit board not shown in fig2 a and fig2 b and an output terminal ftm which is connected to the wiring pattern ptn are formed . here , the output terminal ftm is exposed from the cover film cvr . although the wiring pattern ptn is covered with the cover film cvr in the same manner except for the output terminal ftm and the input terminal portion tm ( a connection portion with the interface substrate ) provided to an end portion of the wiring pattern ptn , the illustration of such a constitution is omitted from the drawings . the wiring pattern ptn of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 is formed of a wiring pattern which has the input terminal portion tm thereof connected to an interface printed circuit board ( not shown in fig2 a and fig2 b ) and is extended in the longitudinal direction of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 . output terminals ftm of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 are arranged as a plurality of groups of terminals between a plurality of gate drivers ch 1 in the direction which crosses the wiring pattern ptn from the region where the wiring pattern ptn is formed . as mentioned previously , the output terminals ftm of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 are exposed and are to overlap the panel inputting terminals ltm of the liquid crystal display panel lcd in an opposed manner and are connected to the panel inputting terminals ltm using an anisotropic conductive film acf . here , the inputting terminal tm which constitutes an inputting terminal of the driving circuit board ( the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 ) is not shown in fig2 b . in this liquid crystal display panel lcd , electrode terminals gt which are pulled out from a display region of the liquid crystal display panel are connected to the output terminals of the gate drivers ch 1 , while the panel input terminals ltm which are connected to the input terminals of the gate drivers ch 1 are bonded by compression to the output terminals ftm of the flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 by way of a pattern ( not shown in fig2 a and fig2 b ) which is wired on the first substrate sub 1 in the direction indicated by an arrow p . fig3 is a schematic cross - sectional view for explaining an essential part of one embodiment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention . in this liquid crystal display device , the driving circuit chip ( driver ) is mounted using the fca method explained in conjunction with fig2 a and fig2 b , wherein the gate driver ch 1 is directly mounted on the periphery of the first substrate sub 1 of the liquid crystal display panel . input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 are connected to terminal portions of an interface printed circuit board pcb . the interface printed circuit board pcb is bent toward a back surface of the first substrate sub 1 and is accommodated in the rear surface of the liquid crystal display panel . the input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 and the terminals of the interface printed circuit board pcb are also overlapped each other and are bonded by compression in the direction indicated by the arrow p . here , when the arrangement of the input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 is not uniform , by providing a dummy conductive pattern between the input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 in the same manner as the above - mentioned dummy conductive pattern ( see dpn in fig1 b ), it is possible to suppress the occurrence of cracks in the interface printed circuit board pcb . fig4 is a schematic cross - sectional view showing another embodiment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention . in this liquid crystal display device , the gate driver ch 1 is mounted on the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 . accordingly , the output terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 are directly connected by compression bonding to electrode terminals formed on the first substrate sub 1 . the compression bonding is also performed in the direction indicated by an arrow p . also in this embodiment , input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 are connected to terminal portions of an interface printed circuit board pcb . the interface printed circuit board pcb is bent toward a back surface of the first substrate sub 1 and is accommodated in the rear surface of the liquid crystal display panel . the input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 and the terminals of the interface printed circuit board pcb are also overlapped to each other and are bonded by compression in the direction indicated by the arrow p . also in this case , when the arrangement of the input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 is not uniform , by providing a dummy conductive pattern between the input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 in the same manner as the above - mentioned dummy conductive pattern ( see dpn in fig1 b ), it is possible to suppress the occurrence of cracks in the interface printed circuit board pcb . fig5 is a schematic cross - sectional view showing another embodiment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention . in this liquid crystal display device , the gate driver ch 1 is mounted on the interface printed circuit board pcb . the output terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 are directly connected by compression bonding to electrode terminals formed on the first substrate sub 1 . the compression bonding is also performed in the direction indicated by an arrow p . also in this embodiment , input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 are connected to terminal portions of an interface printed circuit board pcb . the interface printed circuit board pcb is bent toward a back surface of the first substrate sub 1 and is accommodated in the rear surface of the liquid crystal display panel . the input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 and the terminals of the gate drivers ch 1 which are mounted on the interface printed circuit board pcb are bonded to each other by compression in the direction indicated by the arrow p . also in this case , when the arrangement of the input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 is not uniform , by providing a dummy conductive pattern between the input terminals of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 in the same manner as the above - mentioned dummy conductive pattern ( see dpn in fig1 b ), it is possible to suppress the occurrence of cracks in the interface printed circuit board pcb . fig6 is a plan view for explaining a specific example of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention . the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 is mounted on a left side ( a lateral direction side at the left in the drawing ) of the liquid crystal display panel lcd which is formed by laminating the first substrate sub 1 and the second substrate sub 2 . the second flexible printed circuit board fpc 2 is mounted on a lower side ( a longitudinal direction side at the lower side in the drawing ) of the liquid crystal display panel lcd and is folded back toward the rear surface of the liquid crystal display panel pnl along the arrangement of openings hop for bending . further , both of the gate drivers ch 1 and the drain drivers ch 2 are directly mounted on the periphery of the first substrate sub 1 . a timing converter tcon is mounted on the interface printed circuit board pcb and various signals and voltages for displaying are supplied to the interface printed circuit board pcb from an external circuit ( host computer ) through a connector ct . the input terminal tm of the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 is connected to a terminal pbm of the interface printed circuit board pcb . signals supplied to the second flexible printed circuit board fpc 2 served for the above - mentioned displaying are supplied through wiring extending from the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 to the first substrate sub 1 . the first flexible printed circuit board fpc 1 and the second flexible printed circuit board fpc 2 are bent toward the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel lcd . the interface printed circuit board pcb is also accommodated in the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel lcd in the same manner . here , an upper polarizer pol 1 is laminated to a display screen side ( front surface of the second substrate sub 2 ) of the liquid crystal display panel lcd and a display region ar is formed in the inside of the liquid crystal display panel lcd . as has been explained heretofore in conjunction with several embodiments , according to the present invention , it is possible to obviate the occurrence of cracks on the substrate of the liquid crystal display panel at the time of connecting the output terminals of the flexible printed circuit board to the panel input terminals of the liquid crystal display panel by compression bonding so that it is possible to provide the liquid crystal display device which can enhance the reliability thereof .
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fig1 through 6 illustrate various views and embodiments of the present invention . in one embodiment , shown in fig1 , the trolling motor lift cord device 10 comprises a cable 12 having a proximal end 14 and a distal end 16 , a handle 18 connected to the proximal end 14 , and an attachment mechanism 20 affixed to the distal end 16 . the handle 18 depicted in fig1 is a full grip handle , having handle sides 22 . the trolling motor lift cord device 10 is preferably capable for use on any trolling motor , including all of the most popular brands and models of trolling motors , such as motorguide and minn kota trolling motors . the cable 12 is comprised of a flexible and bendable strand of material . the cable 12 is preferably comprised of a minimally stretchable , abrasion - resistant material such as metal wire or steel cable . in the preferred embodiment , the stretch ( lengthening of cable as adjusted under the proposed maximum load ) is less than 2 % of the total cable 12 length , and more preferably less than 0 . 5 % of the total length . the cable 12 can have a coating , cover , or jacket of nylon , polyester , polyethylene , polypropylene , or other plastic for additional abrasion resistance . other abrasion - resistant materials capable of being formed into a flexible cable may be used . in a preferred embodiment , the cable 12 is comprised of 7 × 7 3 / 32 ″ twisted or braided steel cable having a nylon coating . other types of cable 12 can be used ( e . g ., 7 × 19 cable ), and other sizes can be used ( e . g ., 1 / 16 ″, 5 / 64 ″, and ⅛ ″ are also preferred alternatives ). additionally , the cable 12 can be standard rope constructed from braided or twisted natural fibers ( such as cotton , hemp , etc .) or man - made fibers ( such as nylon , polypropylene , polyester , polyaramids , e . g . kevlar ®, polyimides , dacron ®, etc . ), or other materials such as high molecular density polyethylene , vectran ® manufactured fiber , and zylon ® manufactured fiber . such fibers may provide additional stretch , if desired . for example , nylon fibers may stretch 10 - 15 %, dacron ® may stretch 3 - 5 %, while kevlar ® may stretch 1 - 2 %. the handle 18 is connected to the proximal end 14 of the cable 12 as shown in fig1 . in the preferred embodiment , the handle 18 is a full grip handle 18 , having handle sides 22 which enclose a user &# 39 ; s fingers as shown in fig1 . it will be understood that in alternate embodiments , the handle 18 may also comprise a t - grip 24 as shown in fig6 . the handle 18 preferably comprises a one - piece structure , but it may also be comprised of two or more pieces that are mechanically fastened to form a single , unified handle . the handle 18 may have one or more ergonomic ridges 23 for finger placement on the handle . as shown in fig2 , the full grip handle 18 may have a palm side 36 that rests against the palm of the user &# 39 ; s hand when used , and a finger side 38 that rests against the user &# 39 ; s fingers when used . the handle 18 may be comprised of any conventional material , including plastic , wood , or metal . the handle 18 may also optionally include cushioned or foam material 40 to provide a softer surface for the user . the handle palm side 36 , handle finger side 38 , or both , could include the cushioned material 40 . the handle 18 is connected to the proximal end 14 of the cable 12 . in one embodiment shown in fig2 , the cable 12 is threaded through a cable entry point 26 and a cable access point 32 in the handle 18 . in the handle 18 of fig2 , there is a hollow core or channel that allows the cable 12 to be passed from the cable entry point 26 to the cable access point 32 . after passing through the cable entry point 26 and the cable access point 32 , a handle connector 28 is attached to the proximal end 14 of the cable 12 . the handle connector 28 can be mechanically fastened with a fastening device 30 as illustrated in fig2 . as shown in fig2 , the entry point 26 is sufficiently wide to permit the cable 12 to pass through , but once the handle connector 28 is attached to the cable 12 , the cable 12 can no longer pass through the entry point 26 . unlike the entry point 26 , the cable access point 32 is sufficiently wide to permit the cable 12 and the handle connector 28 to pass through so that the user can access the cable 12 and handle connector 28 . the cable access point 32 may covered by a cable access cover 34 . the cable access cover 34 can be one or more flexible flaps that are integral to the handle 18 through which the cable 12 can be pushed , or it can be a separate , removable cover or tab . the cable access point 32 may also remain open , without any cable access cover 34 . in one embodiment , the proximal end 14 of the cable 12 may be threaded through a washer 44 after being threaded through the cable entry point 26 . if a washer 44 is used , the handle connector 28 is preferably larger than the opening in the washer 44 through which the proximal end 14 of the cable 12 is threaded . this configuration can better secure the cable 12 to the cable entry point 26 . in the preferred embodiment , the fastening device 30 comprises a set screw , but it will be understood that any suitable fastener may be employed to mechanically fasten the handle connector 28 to the cable 12 . additionally , the handle connector 28 may not require a separate fastening device 30 , but could be directly attached to or engaging the cable 12 , for example a crimp . in one embodiment of the present invention , the handle connector 28 may be cylindrical in shape , and the hollow core or channel in the handle 18 is also cylindrical in shape . in that embodiment , the handle may spin or swivel a full 360 ° at the point of its connection to the cable 12 . the handle 12 may be secured to the trolling motor 46 by using a hook and loop strap or other securing device , which may be preferred when the trolling motor is in its raised position . the distal end 16 of the cable 12 contains an attachment mechanism 20 , shown in fig3 , which connects the trolling motor lift cord device 10 to a trolling motor locking mechanism 42 as shown in fig4 . the attachment mechanism 20 can be any fitting , device , or connection that is larger than the opening or eyelet 48 of the trolling motor locking mechanism 42 , including a ball ( as shown in fig1 , 3 , and 4 ), cone , t - shape , square , etc . preferably the attachment mechanism 20 is made of metal . the attachment mechanism 20 can be attached to the distal end 16 of the cable 12 in any manner , including mechanically , using a separate fastening device 30 , or directly attached to or engaging the cable 12 , for example by crimp . the attachment mechanism 20 may be either temporarily or permanently attached to the distal end 16 of the cable 12 . in the embodiments shown in fig3 and 4 , the cable 12 is threaded through a washer 44 prior to being threaded through the eyelet 48 . in the preferred embodiment , the opening of the washer 44 through which the cable 12 is threaded is smaller than the size of the attachment mechanism 20 , and better secures the attachment mechanism 20 against the eyelet 48 of the trolling motor locking mechanism 42 . in alternate embodiments , the attachment mechanism 20 may comprise a carabiner , clip , u - joint , loop , hook , crimp , or any other device suitable to connect the distal end 16 of the cable 12 to the trolling motor locking mechanism 42 . to install the preferred embodiment of the trolling motor lift cord device 10 on a trolling motor 46 as shown in fig5 , the proximal end 14 of the cable 12 is inserted through an eyelet 48 in the trolling motor locking mechanism 42 ( no washer is used in this embodiment between the attachment mechanism 20 and the eyelet 48 ). the cable 12 is then pulled through the eyelet 48 in the trolling motor locking mechanism 42 until the proximal end 14 is out of the trolling motor mounting bracket 50 and the attachment mechanism 20 on the distal end 16 of the cable 12 engages the eyelet 48 of the trolling motor locking mechanism 42 . in this embodiment , the attachment mechanism 20 is pre - attached , or integral to , the distal end 16 of the cable 12 . once the proximal end 14 of the cable 12 is clear of the trolling motor mounting bracket 50 , the proximal end 14 is pushed through the cable entry point 26 of the handle 18 . the proximal end 14 then passes through the handle 18 cavity and out of the cable access point 32 . after the proximal end 14 of the cable 12 passes out of the cable access point 32 , the handle connector 28 is attached to the proximal end 14 of the cable 12 , preventing the proximal end 14 from passing back through the cable entry point 26 . if desired , a fastening device 30 may be utilized to connect the handle connector 28 to the proximal end 14 of the cable 12 . the proximal end 14 of the cable 12 with the handle connector 28 is then pulled back through the cable access point 32 and into the handle 18 cavity , engaging and stopping at the cable entry point 26 . a cable access cover 34 may then be optionally utilized to cover the cable access point 32 . while the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments , those skilled in the art , having benefit of this disclosure , will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein . accordingly , the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims .
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embodiments of the present invention provide a catalytic process that produces diesel type fuels ( which include a majority of c 8 - c 24 hydrocarbons ) with high selectivity , while minimizing f - t wax ( which includes a majority of c 25 + hydrocarbons ) production using a unique catalyst and process . in this context , “ selectivity ” refers to moles of referenced fuel product formed per mole of co converted . in the preferred embodiment described herein , the product is a diesel type fuel or diesel type fuel blendstock consisting of majority of c 8 - c 24 hydrocarbons and a minimal amount of wax ( c 24 +) whereby the wax produced is a wax produced from this process is unique in that the hydrocarbons contained in the wax consist of no greater than 0 . 5 wt . % of each carbon number greater than c35 ( for example , each carbon number c35 , c36 , etc . each consist of no greater than 0 . 5 % wt . %). hereinafter , the diesel fuel or diesel blendstock fraction that consists of hydrocarbons with a majority in the c 8 - c 24 range is referred to as “ diesel fuel .” a process in accordance with the present invention described herein produces a non - gas product distribution of about ⅔ diesel fuel and about ⅓ light wax . the product produced directly from the application of this invention is a high cetane diesel type fuel or high cetane diesel type fuel blendstock . contrary to the traditional f - t product , in embodiments of the invention , the diesel fuel can be produced directly from syngas at high yields by passing the syngas through a f - t reactor in a single pass or by operating reactors in series to achieve a high overall carbon conversion . in other embodiments , unconverted syngas is recycled to the head of the reactor and blended with incoming feed gas . the diesel fuel is liquid under ambient conditions ( e . g ., at 72 ° f . and atmospheric pressure ). the liquid hydrocarbon product of the present catalytic reaction that is produced from f - t catalytic reaction can be used directly as a diesel blending stock or as a neat fuel without a need to employ costly refining or upgrading processes . the blendstock improves cetane number and reduces sulfur of typical petroleum derived diesel fuels . the blendstock also has superior lubricity properties . if the original feedstock from the syngas production is renewable such as derived from a bio - gas , the blendstock may also provide a beneficial low carbon component when blended with petroleum derived fuels . following the catalytic production process , product fractions are separated using a series of condensers or “ knock out vessels ”. for example , in other f - t process , a wax product is first condensed in a knock out vessel that is operated at 300 ° f .- 420 ° f . the liquid and water fractions are then condensed out in a second vessel at or below ambient conditions ( 80 ° f . or below ). in order to produce the ideal fraction of products , in another embodiment of the invention distillation is used to produce the desired product cuts from direct effluent from the catalytic reaction . this distillation column may contain as few as 5 plates or as many as 40 plates and may be run at a variety of temperatures ranging to efficiently produce the desired product fractions . embodiments of the invention also provide for the recycling of byproduct streams such as naphtha and wax which are gasified or reformed to produce additional syngas which is then subsequently used to produce more diesel fuel . embodiments of the invention include recycling wax back to the syngas generation unit whereby the syngas generation unit is a non - catalytic partial oxidation ( pox ) system and the wax is converted along with the primary feedstock which may be natural gas , natural gas liquids , or combinations thereof . recycling these byproduct steams back to produce additional syngas enables production of 100 % diesel fuel . embodiments of the invention provide several advantages . the diesel type fuels produced in accordance with the present invention are ideal as current diesel fuel blend - stocks since such blending improves cetane number , lowers fuel sulfur content , and lowers engine emissions . the diesel fuel product can be used a neat fuel , as a blend , or can either be mildly isomerized or splash blended with a cold flow improver to meet specifications for low temperature climates . furthermore , maximization of the c 8 - c 24 selectivity for the diesel type fuel fraction allows elimination of costly upgrading processes for this fuel fraction . thus , embodiments of the present invention enable the economic production of distributed gas to liquids plants that produce less than approximately 10 , 000 barrels of fuels per year , however much larger plant designs are possible . referring more specifically to the drawings , fig1 illustrates a schematic flow diagram with items a through e , each of which represents a different process step , starting with the production of a syngas feed to the processing of a diesel fuel . in fig1 , item a refers to any process that produces a syngas feed , which may include steam reforming , autothermal reforming , catalytic partial oxidation ( cpox ), non - catalytic partial oxidation , dry reforming , or other methods known in the art , as well as emerging processes that are being developed as economical ways to produce syngas from renewable , fossil , and other resources . item b represents syngas cleanup and conditioning processes . clean syngas free of impurities ( which may affect catalyst performance and lifetime ) is necessary for efficient and economical operation . impurities may include hydrogen sulfide , ammonia , chlorides , and other contaminants that result from a syngas production process . syngas cleanup processes are well known and described in the art . for example , syngas cleanup processes may include sulfur clean up catalysts , particulate filters , and other technologies to produce clean syngas for subsequent conversion to fuels . item c represents the conversion of syngas into a product gas stream which results in a product mixture containing f - t liquids , light gases , and wax . the present invention relates to the catalyst used in this process step and the corresponding operating conditions required for efficient operation during this process step . item d includes product separation processes whereby the liquid and wax products are condensed out of the product gas stream and the light gases are recycled back to the catalytic reactor and / or may be used for power production or other parasitic load requirements . item d may also include condensing out the product gas stream into a product mixture comprising diesel , water , and wax in a single knock out vessel wherein the wax stays entrained in the water fraction for ease of separation from the diesel fuel fraction . item e may also represent another optional step , where a small percentage of a cold flow improver or other additives are blended into the diesel fuel fraction in order to help cold flow properties of the fuel for use in cold climates . item f represents a step whereby the remaining wax and / or the naphta fraction may be recycled back to the syngas generation unit whereby more syngas is produced from the wax and / or the naphta products . ideally , the naphta and wax fractions are converted in addition to the natural gas and / or natural gas liquids primary feedstocks using a partial oxidation system . in f - t synthesis which occurs in item c , hydrocarbon product selectivity depends on diffusion , reaction , and convection processes occurring within the catalyst pellets ( i . e ., supported catalyst ) and reactor . in embodiments of the invention , catalyst pellets or supported catalyst refer to a catalyst ( which is typically a metal ) dispersed on suitable support material or pellets . the characteristics of a supported catalyst that affect a product distribution ( e . g ., the proportion of a diesel fuel and wax ) include structural parameters , such as an effective pellet radius and pore diameter of the support material , in addition to operating conditions of the catalyst . fig2 illustrates examples of shapes of pellets ( i . e ., support or support materials ) which may be used to support a catalyst in the f - t process which occurs in item c . fig2 shows a lobed catalyst which may be used in embodiments of the invention . support material with other shapes may also be used . the catalyst shape is ideally an extrudate with a lobed , fluted , or vaned cross section but could also be a sphere , granule , powder , or other support shape that allows for efficient operation . the use of a lobed structure , for example , enables a significant increase in the ratio of area to volume in the catalytic reactor , thus improving the volumetric efficiency of a catalytic reactor system . the lobed structures also provide an improved pressure drop , which translates into a lower difference in the pressure upstream and downstream of the catalyst bed , especially when they are used in fixed bed reactors . fig2 also illustrates how the effective pellet radius of a support material is defined . for a cylindrical support ( 230 ) the effective pellet radius is shown ( 240 ). for a lobed support ( 210 ) the effective pellet radius is shown ( 220 ). the effective pellet radius of a pellet or support refers to the maximum radius which is a distance from the mid - point of the support to the surface of the support . for lobed supports , the effective pellet radius refers to the minimum distance between the mid - point and the outer surface portion of the pellet as shown . in embodiments of the invention , the effective pellet radius may be about 600 microns or less . in one embodiment , the effective pellet radius may be about 300 microns or less . in embodiments of the invention , the pellet or support material may be porous . the mean pore diameter of the support material may be greater than 100 angstroms . in one embodiment , the pellet or support material may have a mean pore diameter greater than about 80 angstroms . any suitable material can be used as a support material in the fischer - tropsch process . these include metal oxides , such as alumina , silica , zirconia , magnesium , or combinations of these materials . preferably , alumina is used as a support material to make a supported catalyst . the catalytically active metals , which are included with or dispersed to the support material , include substances which promote the production of diesel fuel in the fischer - tropsch reaction . for example , these metals include cobalt , iron , nickel , or any combinations thereof . various promoters may be also added to the support material . examples of promoters include cerium , ruthenium , lanthanum , platinum , rhenium , gold , nickel , or rhodium . the catalyst support ideally has a crush strength of between than 3 lbs / mm and 4 lbs / mm and a bet surface area of greater than 150 m 2 / g . this combination of variables is unique . conventional high surface area supports have an average pore diameter less than 100 angstroms . supports that have been engineered to have a large average pore volume greater than 80 angstroms will have surface area much lower than 150 m 2 / g and crush strength will be below 2 lbs / mm despite additional calcination or heat treatment . achieving the above combination of variables is unique in the art . this is achieved with the addition of a structural stabilizer that provides additional crystallinity ( for example silicon or silica oxide ) and thus more strength upon heat treatment . the active metal distribution on the support is ideally between about 2 % and about 10 %, preferably about 4 %. the active metal dispersion is the fraction of the atoms on the catalyst surface that are exposed as expressed by : where d is the dispersion , n s is the number of surface atoms , and n t is the total number of atoms of the material . dispersion increases with decreasing crystallite size . in one embodiment , a supported catalyst includes cobalt , iron , or nickel deposited at between about 5 weight % and 30 weight % on gamma alumina , more typically about 20 weight % on gamma alumina , based on the total weight of the supported catalyst . also , the supported catalyst formulation includes selected combinations of one or more promoters consisting of ruthenium , palladium , platinum , gold nickel , rhenium , and combinations in about 0 . 01 - 20 . 0 weight % range , more typically in about 0 . 1 - 0 . 5 weight % range per promoter . production methods of the catalyst include impregnation and other methods of production commonly used in the industry and are described in the art . fischer - tropsch supported catalysts are generally used in either a fixed bed or a slurry bed reactor . in a fixed bed reactor , the supported catalysts are packed within tubes or may be spread across a tray or packed into a number of channels , or any other fixed bed reactor design whereby the reaction gas is evenly distributed and flows over the catalyst in the bed . in one embodiment , the catalyst is loaded in a multi - tubular fixed bed reactor , with each tube in a shell design with one inch diameter . in one embodiment , the catalyst is reduced in - situ in the multi - tubular fixed bed reactor at temperatures below 650 f . typical fischer - tropsch catalysts are reduced ex - situ ( before loading into the reactor ) and at temperatures above 650 f , and can be as high as 850 f . the use of a unique low temperature , in - situ reduction procedure is unique in the art with this catalyst . the operating parameters of the supported catalyst are selected to achieve the desired selectivity of diesel fuel . the fischer - tropsch reaction in embodiments of the invention is typically kept at pressures between 150 psi and 450 psi . the fischer - tropsch reaction is operated at temperatures between about 350 f and 460 f , more typically around 410 ° f . fig2 also shows a lobed support with lobes of different sizes ( 250 ). lobes marked as 270 and 290 denote the longer lobes and lobes marked with 260 and 280 denote the shorter lobes . this type of support allows for more efficient catalyst bed packing , better pressure drop characteristics , and higher diesel fuel to wax production ratios using the invention described herein . optionally , the diesel fuel fraction can be further processed to improve its cold flow properties ( e . g ., cold pour properties ). in some market areas , it is desired that the low temperature properties of the diesel fuel are improved to optimize the performance of diesel fueled vehicles in cold weather . in one embodiment , the light wax fraction can be further reacted with a catalyst which performs mild cracking of the wax to diesel fuel . an example of a suitable reactor is a trickle bed reactor . in the preferred embodiment described herein , the product is a diesel type fuel or diesel type fuel blendstock consisting of majority of c 8 - c 24 hydrocarbons and a minimal amount of wax ( c 24 +) whereby the wax produced is a light wax produced from this process is unique in that the hydrocarbons contained in the wax consist of no greater than 0 . 5 wt . % of each carbon number greater than c35 ( for example , each carbon number c35 , c36 , etc . each consist of no greater than 0 . 5 % wt . %). wax cracking reactors are generally operated at pressures in the range of about 100 psi to about 400 psi , preferably at about 150 psi . the reactor is kept at a temperature between about 300 ° f . to about 600 ° f ., preferably at about 425 ° f . in another embodiment , a cold flow improver may be blended with the diesel fuel fraction to improve cold flow properties of the diesel fuel . cold flow improvers are added to diesel fuel in an amount from 100 to 5 , 000 ppm to lower the pour point and freezing point properties . these pour point depressants typically consist of oil - soluble copolymers such as ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers ( eva ), esters of styrene - malefic anhydride copolymers , polymethyl - methacrylate copolymers and alkyl - methacrylate copolymers . supported catalysts are prepared using an incipient wetness procedure whereby cobalt and promoter metals are impregnated on a gamma alumina , quad - lobed support with a mean effective pellet radius of 0 . 25 mm and a mean pore diameter of 130 angstroms . the surface area of the catalyst is 110 m2 / g as measured by bet / n 2 physisorption technique . the crush strength of the catalyst is 4 lbs / mm . drying and calcination steps are used in the production process to produce a catalyst with 20 wt % cobalt and 0 . 3 wt % platinum promoter . following the production of the supported catalysts , the supported catalysts are loaded in a multi - tubular fixed bed reactor of a tube in shell design with 1 ″ ( 2 . 54 cm ) diameter tubes . the catalyst is reduced with hydrogen at 75 psig and at a temperature less than 650 ° f . which are operating conditions that can be achieved in a fixed bed reactor that can be manufactured inexpensively . in an alternative embodiment , the catalyst is reduced with a syngas feed with a high h 2 / co ratio under the same conditions . reduction with syngas ( instead of h 2 ) reduces commercial operating costs , especially in remote areas where smaller , distributed plants are sited . while in - situ reduction is highlighted in this example , other reduction procedures , including ex - situ options , can be used . following reduction , the supported catalysts are contacted with syngas with h 2 and co at a ratio of 2 . 05 : 1 . 0 ( h 2 : co ), at a pressure of 400 psi , and at a temperature of 410 ° f . following the catalytic conversion step , the diesel fuel fraction and the wax and water fraction are separated out from the light hydrocarbon gases and unreacted co and h 2 in a single knock out vessel at temperatures below 70 ° f . the separated liquid product fraction includes a diesel fuel fraction on top and a water fraction . a separator vessel with an internal vane is used to separate the diesel fuel fraction from the water . the wax is further distilled to extract an additional diesel fuel fraction . the catalyst system under these operating conditions produces a diesel fuel to wax ratio of ⅔ diesel fuel and ⅓ light wax ( following distillation ). in the preferred embodiment described herein , the product is a diesel type fuel or diesel type fuel blendstock consisting of majority of c 8 - c 24 hydrocarbons and a minimal amount of wax ( c 24 +) whereby the wax produced is a light wax produced from this process is unique in that the hydrocarbons contained in the wax consist of no greater than 0 . 5 wt . % of each carbon number greater than c35 ( for example , each carbon number c35 , c36 , etc . each consist of no greater than 0 . 5 % wt . %). the diesel fuel can be ideally used as a diesel fuel blendstock providing a petroleum derived diesel fuel with an improvement in cetane , reduction in sulfur , and in some cases ( based on the method of syngas production ) can be used as a low carbon blendstock . the wax is recycled back to the syngas production process and is used as an input to create additional syngas , thus improving overall conversion efficiencies of the integrated system . in this example , a majority of diesel fuel is desired as product output from the plant . the same catalyst system and processes are used as described above in example # 1 . following the catalyst synthesis process , the light wax fraction is contacted with a catalyst that performs hydrocarbon cracking under mild operating conditions . in this example , the catalyst used is a platinum promoted catalyst . in this example , a trickle bed reactor is used ; however , other known reactors can be used as well . the reactor is operated in a pressure range of about 100 psi to about 400 psi , ideally at 150 psi in a temperature range of about 350 ° f . to about 600 ° f ., preferably at 425 ° f . the h 2 / wax molar ratio is in the range of 1 . 5 - 5 , preferably equal to 2 . the output product converts up to about 75 % of the normal paraffins to diesel fuel with a high selectivity , thus creating another diesel product steam that can be blended with the output from the first catalyst system . the cold flow properties of a diesel fuel fraction are improved by splash blending the diesel fuel fraction with a cold flow improver . the same catalyst system and processes are used as described above in example # 1 . following the catalyst synthesis process , the diesel fuel fraction is splash blended with a cold flow improver that is blended at 2000 ppm and consists of alkyl - methacrylate copolymers . although the description above contains many details , these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention . therefore , it will be appreciated that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art , and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims , in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “ one and only one ” unless explicitly so stated , but rather “ one or more .” all structural , chemical , and functional equivalents to the elements of the above - described preferred embodiment that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims . moreover , it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention , for it to be encompassed by the present claims . furthermore , no element , component , or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element , component , or method step is explicitly recited in the claims . no claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 u . s . c . 112 , sixth paragraph , unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “ means for .” all publications , patents and patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes in their entirety .
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[ 0028 ] fig1 and 2 illustrate a pouch fabricated from two superposed rectangular panels 10 and 11 formed of a flexible laminate sheeting in accordance with the invention . the side margins 12 and 13 and the lower end margin 14 of the superposed panels are sealed together to create between these panels an expandable envelope or pocket p . in this embodiment , the pocket is fillable with a flowable food product f , such as mustard or ketchup . the upper end section 15 of the pouch is so sealed as to define an interior spout 16 which communicates with pocket p and leads to a normally - sealed outlet 17 . a weakened transverse tear line 18 is scored or perforated across the upper end section 15 to intersect the outlet 17 . thus , all that is necessary to put the pouch to use is to tear off the end section along tear line 17 , thereby opening outlet 17 . then by squeezing the pouch , the mustard or ketchup is extruded therefrom and discharged from the open outlet . this pouch , though illustrative of a flexible container fabricated of laminate sheeting in accordance with the invention is by no means the only form of pouch that can be so produced . thus , the pouch may be shaped and dimensioned to store potato chips , or candy and other solid food substances . or the pouch or container formed of the laminate sheeting may be designed to envelop and protectively package small toys and other non - food products which are more or less perishable . [ 0032 ] fig3 illustrates the structure of the laminate sheeting f from which panels 10 and 11 of the pouch are derived . sheeting f is a two ply laminate whose outer ply 19 is a film of synthetic plastic material biaxially or uniaxially oriented to enhance its tensile strength , thereby increasing the tear resistance of the pouch . in practice the film may have a thickness of no more than 2 mils . outer ply 19 is cold laminated by a layer 20 of water - based adhesive to an inner ply 21 of a synthetic plastic film material such as polyvinyl chloride whose tensile strength is not as great as that of the outer ply , but whose properties are such that the film is compatible and non - reactive with the food contents of the pouch and lends itself to sealing . thus , when at the margins 12 and 13 of the pouch , the inner ply 21 of the upper panel 10 engages the inner ply 21 of the lower panel 11 of the same film material , these margins may be sealed together by pressure and heat at a temperature sufficient to fuse these plies . to this end , the upper ply 19 should have a high glass transition temperature ( the temperature at which a polymer changes from a vitreous to a softened plastic state ), while the inner ply 21 should have a lower glass transition temperature . thus , when the margins of the superposed laminate panels are subjected to heat and pressure by sealing bars , only the pressed together inner plies of the panels will fuse together and the outer plies will be unaffected by the heat . film materials suitable for outer ply 19 of the laminate are polypropylene , polyethylene , nylon or a polyester such as mylar . the tensile strength of a synthetic plastic film is substantially increased by orientation which results in molecular orientation of the film material . in the case of biaxial orientation , orientation is in both the longitudinal and transverse directions . this is usually effected by controlled stretching of the unoriented film . lamination of outer ply 19 to inner ply 21 is effected at ambient temperature by water - based adhesive 22 which is preferably a polyacrylic copolymer composition having an affinity for both plies . a water - based adhesive when cured , is not soluble in water and cannot be remoistened . because the water - based adhesive is fluid at ambient temperature and is not a hot melt adhesive , no heat is applied to the biaxially - oriented film as it is being laminated to the inner ply ; hence cold lamination is effected . it is important to bear in mind that an oriented film is heat - sensitive , and that at elevated temperatures , the film relaxes and loses its molecular orientation and tensile strength . cold lamination at ambient temperature is therefore essential to the present invention in order to produce a pouch of high tear and burst strength . it is also to be noted that a synthetic plastic film material , such as polypropylene , is normally not receptive to adhesives , especially water - based adhesives . hence if one were to apply to the surface of this film a water - based adhesive which is flowable at ambient temperature or at a temperature somewhat above ambient but not at the elevated temperature of a hot melt adhesive , this adhesive will not be adsorbed by the film . essential to the invention is that the opposing surfaces of the film be treated so as to render them wettable and hence receptive to adhesives , as well as to standard printing inks . to this end , these surfaces are subjected to a corona discharge ionizing treatment which enhances their surface energy , as measured in dynes , and thereby renders them wettable to allow for better bonding of adhesives applied thereto . and the exposed surface of the outer ply 19 may be printed to identify the product in the envelope and its maker . it is important that the surfaces of the films be subjected to a corona - discharge treatment shortly before the adhesive is applied thereto , for the effect of such treatment has a relatively short duration . this conveniently is achieved by placing the adhesive application immediately downstream of the corona discharge electrode which is used to treat the film . thereafter the adhesive carrying plastic film contacts a second corona discharge treated film immediately before press rollers which laminate the films together . it is helpful to allow the adhesive carrying film to run for a sufficient distance to allow some of the moisture to evaporate from the adhesive before it is laminated to the other film . in another embodiment , an intermediate paper layer is used to absorb some of the water from the adhesive to accelerate the cure time for the adhesive . in this embodiment , the adhesive containing corona discharge treated film is laminated to the paper layer by passing through a first set of press rolls to form a paper - plastic laminate . this paper side of laminate then contacts a second plastic film that is corona discharge treated and applied with adhesive . the two materials are brought together and passed through a second set of press rolls to form a final plastic - paper - plastic laminate . this laminate can be used to prepare an envelope or pouch that can be used for mailing various items . the outer plastic layers provide resistance to moisture while the inner plastic film provides a smooth surface for introducing items into the pouch or envelope . the inner paper layer can be preprinted with written material , colors , or other indicia on one or both sides so that information regarding the origination or mailer of the package or its manufacturer can be readily observed . the paper layer can also be metallized on one or both sides for an enhanced appearance . there may be certain situations where it is undesirable to have exposed interior or exterior plastic surfaces . these situations can be avoided by laminating additional paper layers to one or both of the exposed surfaces of the plastic films . these additional paper layers can be applied as described above with any of the laminates disclosed herein to thus provide final laminates of paper - plastic - plastic ; paper - plastic - plastic - paper ; paper - plastic - paper - plastic ; or paper - plastic - paper - plastic - paper . this demonstrates the versatility of the invention in providing the most desirable form of the laminate for any particular use . the salient advantages of the laminate in accordance with the invention include the waterproof properties of the resulting laminate , and the fact that the laminate can be converted into products by conventional equipment for this purpose with minimum scrap in a range in a range comparable to the scrap rate encountered in making paper envelopes and other dilatable container products . as paper sheets have a high affinity for standard printing inks , when these are included , the resulting laminate can readily be printed and colored . also , when a paper layer or sheet is provided on the exterior surfaces , a standard starch or pressure - sensitive adhesive may be used on the flaps of envelopes formed of these laminates . referring now to fig6 shown therein in cross - section and on an enlarged scale is a flexible plastic - paper - plastic sheeting s in accordance with the invention . the laminate of this figure is illustrated with additional , optional layers or plies that are taught by the invention . the laminate includes plastic layers 105 , 110 , which are mandatory , intermediate paper layer 115 , and outer paper layers , 120 , 125 . each of the paper layers is optional . as noted above , in the most basic embodiment , the two plastic layers are treated on their opposed surfaces with a corona discharge to increase the surface energy and render these surfaces receptive to adhesives . thereafter , a water - based adhesive is applied and the layers are cod laminated together . in a first variation of this , the intermediate paper layer 115 is provided . this layer absorbs some of the moisture from the water - based adhesive to facilitate drying and curing of the laminate . also , the paper can be painted , colored , or metallized on either side to provide an enhanced appearance to the laminate . optionally , the laminate can include one or more additional paper layers 120 , 125 , whose gauge , weight and quality are appropriate to the end use for which the laminate is intended . thus if the end use is in a high strength grocery bag , the outer paper sheet may then be of good quality , unbleached kraft paper , whereas if the end use is an envelope , then a white or colored paper appropriate to the intended type of the envelope can be included as the outer layer ( s ) of the laminate . in some cases , as where the product to be produced is an attractive shopping bag of high quality , outer sheets of coated or metallized paper sheets may be used for this purpose . both plastic films 105 , 110 , are cold - laminated by an adhesive layer to the interior paper sheet 115 . preferably , as noted above , these plastic films or layers 105 , 110 are made of synthetic plastic material which is preferably transparent and is uniaxially or biaxially - oriented . film materials suitable for this purpose are polypropylene , polyethylene , nylon or a polyester such as mylar . the tensile strength of a synthetic plastic film is substantially increased by orientation which results in molecular orientation of the film . in the case of biaxial orientation , orientation is in both the longitudinal and transverse directions . this is usually effected by controlled stretching of the unoriented film . the tensile strength of an oriented film is seriously impaired if heat is applied thereto , for the heat acts to relax the film and cause it to lose its molecular orientation . thus when biaxially oriented mylar film panels are superposed and sealed together by heat and pressure applied along a line running along the panels , the film may then be easily torn along this line . this is the reason why in the present invention the use of hot melt adhesives to laminate the oriented plastic films to the paper sheet is interdicted ; for to do so would seriously diminish the reinforcing characteristics of the film . in the present invention , the plastic films are cold laminated to the paper sheet under pressure and at room temperature by means of a water - based polyacrylate copolymer adhesive , or by any other water - based adhesive having similar bonding properties and having an affinity both for the paper sheet and the plastic film . since paper tends to absorb water in the laminating process , before the paper sheet 115 and the first plastic film 105 are together fed into pressure rolls and subjected to pressure to effect lamination , the inner surface of the film is first coated with the water - based adhesive which does not encounter the inner surface of the paper sheet until these two surfaces meet in the pressure rolls . in this way , the period during which absorption of the adhesive into the interior of the paper sheet can take place is limited . and to render the inner surface of the film more receptive to the water - based adhesive applied thereto , it is preferably first subjected to ionization to enhance the dynes on this surface . the same procedure is used to laminate the second plastic film 110 to the paper - plastic laminate produced by laminating paper sheet 115 to the first plastic film 105 . finally , the outer paper layer ( s ) 120 and / or 125 are cold laminated to the previously formed laminate in the same manner . [ 0048 ] fig7 illustrates a system 150 for carrying out a preferred technique for effecting cold lamination of the paper sheet and the oriented plastic film to produce the laminate . the system includes a first combining station having a pair of cooperating pressure rolls 160 and 165 driven at high speed by a motor m . the nip between the rolls is related to the thickness of the layers to be laminated and is adjusted to provide the required degree of laminating pressure to ensure secure bonding of the webs . fed concurrently into the nip of the pressure rolls is a web of paper 115 drawn from a supply reel , and a web of plastic film also drawn from a supply reel . before entering the nip of the pressure rollers , film 105 is exposed to an ionization bar 170 which finctions to ionize the surface of film to increase the dynes of the surface preparatory to the application of a water - based adhesive thereto . then a coating of a water - based adhesive is applied onto the surface of film by means of an adhesive applicator 175 . it is not essential that the coating fully cover this surface , for in practice the roll of the adhesive applicator may take the form of a series of rings to apply parallel strips , dots or dashes of adhesive to the surface of the film . hence , when the adhesive - coated plastic film and paper together enter the combining station and are subjected to pressure by pressure rolls 160 and 165 , lamination is effected by this action to form a paper - plastic laminate fp . at the same time , a second plastic film 110 is being exposed to an ionization bar 180 to energize its surface , and then a water - based adhesive is applied thereto by adhesive applicator 185 , which applies a continuous or discontinuous adhesive thereupon . this adhesive coated plastic film faces the paper and is fed together with the paper - plastic laminate into a second combining station that has a second pair of cooperating pressure rollers 205 , 210 , driven by a motor m . this forms a plastic - paper - plastic laminate fpf . the resulting three - ply plastic - paper - plastic laminate then passes by another ionization bar 215 which ionizes the outer surface of the plastic film 105 . subsequently , adhesive is applied to the activated film using applicator 220 in the same manner as described above , and the adhesive - coated film and paper layer 120 , provided from a supply roll , now together enter into a third combining station having cooperating pressure rolls 230 , 235 . the various laminates are guided by idler rollers i as necessary . the resulting four - ply laminate fpfp has exterior paper layer , and may now be used in exactly the same manner as a reel of ordinary paper as the stock roll for standard equipment adapted to fabricate envelopes , bags or other dilatable paper products , by slitting , folding and whatever other operations are dictated by the form of the product . in some applications , a five - ply paper - plastic - paper plastic - paper laminate pfpfp may be desirable . in this laminate , paper sheet 125 is cold - laminated to the opposite side of the oriented plastic film 105 of the fpfp laminate . the film 105 is exposed to ionizing bar 240 and adhesive applicator 245 before entering a fourth combining station with cooperating pressure rolls 250 , 255 . the final product is a five - ply laminate pfpfp which is collected on a take up roll 275 for transport to envelope making machines . a problem encountered with four - ply paper - film laminate is that it tends to curl because of the dissimilar properties of the plies . such curling is not desirable in products such as envelopes , though it may not be objectionable in other products . when the oriented film plies are sandwiched between two like plies of paper , the resultant five - ply laminate has symmetry which avoids the problem of curling . the five - ply laminate has another important advantage , for now both outer exposed surfaces are paper . this makes it possible when the laminate is converted in standard equipment for this purpose into an envelope or grocery bag in which the sheeting is slit and folded to form flaps or other elements which must be sealed together , to use conventional , commercially available adhesives for this purpose , rather than the special adhesives that would be dictated if the surfaces to be sealed together included a plastic film surface . as all exposed surfaces of the laminate are paper , they can be readily printed . as explained above , the paper layers are optional , so that different embodiments can be made by omitting one or more of paper layers 115 , 120 and 125 . the resulting products can beremoved from the line after the desired laminations are made , such as at the points where laminates fp , fpf , or fpfp are formed . of course , the elimination of paper layer 115 would produce a film - film laminate at point fpf . thus a versatile laminate producing sstem is provided by the arrangement of fig7 . an example of a product fabricated from a five - ply laminate in accordance with the invention is shown in fig8 this being an envelope 300 . the envelope 300 has the form of a conventional paper envelope , except that its exterior surface 305 is one paper facing sheet component of the laminate and its interior surface 310 is the other paper component thereof , the films and interior paper plies being sandwiched between the outer paper layers . the flap 315 of the envelope is provided with an adhesive band 320 which may be a standard starch adhesive or a pressure - sensitive adhesive . while embodiments of the invention have been shown and described , it will be appreciated that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention . for example , the plastic films themselves can be colored or clear . coloration of the films can be made over the entire film or only on selective portions . metallization of the films can be provided in the same manner . when clear plastic films are utilized in a plastic - plastic laminate , the contents of the envelope or pouch are visible so that the recipient can readily determine what is included therein . this can be used for safety or quality control purposes .
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the data communication system utilizes a bidirectional power controller that controls power to a radiotelephone and facsimile machine , computer , or other accessory coupled to the radiotelephone . thus , when an accessory is needed , power to that accessory is enabled . the preferred embodiment of the data communication system is illustrated in fig1 . the system is comprised of a microprocessor or microcontroller ( 103 ) ( hereinafter referred to as the controller ) to control the system . the controller ( 103 ) controls power switches ( 106 - 108 ) to an external accessory ( computer , facsimile machine , etc .) ( 109 ), as well as to the modem ( 102 ) and radiotelephone ( 101 ), as required by the process of the present invention , illustrated in fig2 a and b . the power control switches ( 106 , 108 ) to the accessory and the radiotelephone are coupled to ground while the switch ( 107 ) to the modem is coupled to the radiotelephone &# 39 ; s battery or other power source . the external accessory ( 109 ) communicates commands and data to the controller ( 103 ) via an asynchronous communications interface adapter ( acia ) ( 104 ). the controller ( 103 ) communicates commands and data to the modem ( 102 ) via another acia ( 111 ). if the external accessory ( 109 ) communicates over an rs - 232 bus , a level translator ( 105 ) can be used to convert the rs - 232 logic levels to ttl levels . the radiotelephone ( 101 ) is coupled to the modem ( 102 ) by the radiotelephone &# 39 ; s audio line ( 110 ). the modem ( 102 ) can then transmit or receive modulated data through the radiotelephone &# 39 ; s transmitter or receiver . in the preferred embodiment , the radiotelephone &# 39 ; s battery powers the modem ( 102 ). the battery is coupled to the modem ( 102 ) through a power control switch ( 107 ). referring to fig2 b , the radiotelephone is normally in a low - power stand - by mode when turned on and not in use ( 201 ). the accessory , if not being used , is off or also in a low - power stand - by mode ( 201 ). the modem is off ( 201 ). when a call is received from a base station ( 202 ), the radiotelephone goes into an active mode to receive the call . the call is indicated by a received ring signal that is also coupled to the controller . the controller , in response to this ring signal , turns on the accessory and the modem and the call is answered by the radiotelephone ( 203 ). data is then received from the transmitting party . in one embodiment of the present invention , the controller can return the components of the system to their previous state of power ( 204 ). if the accessory originates a command ( 205 ), the command is executed by the controller ( 206 ). an example of such a command is for the data communication system to originate a data transfer . this data transfer process is illustrated in fig2 a . for this embodiment of the process , the accessory is on while the modem is off and the radiotelephone is off or in the standby mode . the accessory sends a command to the controller ( 220 ). if the controller determines the command is a power control command ( 221 ), the command is executed by the controller ( 223 ), e . g ., the controller turns on the radiotelephone and modem . if the radiotelephone was already on and in the stand - by mode , the transmission of data will cause it to go into the active mode . if the controller determines the command is to retrieve radiotelephone data ( 224 ), the controller turns on the radiotelephone if it was off and retrieves the data ( 225 ). this data could include received signal strength information ( rssi ) or data from the radiotelephone &# 39 ; s memory ( i . e ., telephone numbers ). if the controller determines the command is intended for the modem &# 39 ; s intelligent controller ( 222 ), the controller turns on the modem and passes the command to the modem &# 39 ; s controller ( 226 ). an example of such a command is the &# 34 ; at &# 34 ; dial command . the modem &# 39 ; s controller can then transfer the telephone number , attached to the command , to the radiotelephone for dialing . the accessory can now communicate , through the modem and radiotelephone , to another accessory that is using either a radiotelephone or a landline telephone and a modem . if the accessory ( 109 ) is a computer , a data modem can be used . an example of such a modem is a uds v . 22bis . if the accessory ( 109 ) is a facsimile machine , a facsimile modem can be used . an example of such a modem is a worldport 2496 . once the call has been completed , the controller ( 103 ) removes power from the modem ( 102 ) and the radiotelephone ( 101 ). the accessory ( 109 ) is powered down by its own internal power - down algorithm . an alternate embodiment powers down the modem and radiotelephone automatically a predetermined time after the call has ended . another alternate embodiment would power down the modem and radiotelephone a predetermined time after the last command has been sent from the accessory to the apparatus , if the radiotelephone is not in a call . yet another embodiment would complete the power down procedure only after a command was sent from the computer instructing the power down to occur . another embodiment could use the controlling controller to power - down the accessory after transfer of the data . the data communication system can be built into the accessory ( 109 ). in alternate embodiments , the items of the communication system can be in separate enclosures or share the same enclosures . also in alternate embodiments , all the components of the present invention can share the same power source or be combined in various combinations . the data communication system described reduces the time a battery needs to power a modem combined with a radiotelephone by turning off both components when not needed . by reducing the time these components are drawing power , the battery use can be greatly extended .
| 7 |
embodiments of the present invention relate generally to devices , materials and methods for replacing at least a portion of a intervertebral disc nucleus . more particularly , embodiments of the present invention relate to disc nucleus prosthesis structures , including prosthesis bag structures , implant structures , and a combination of prosthesis bag structures and implant structures . while various prosthetic structures discussed herein are presented with reference to replacement of part or all of a human disc , embodiments of the present invention have application beyond human disc replacement . for example , the prosthetic structures discussed herein could be used in or with discs for any suitable vertebrate animal that might need or justify a disc replacement . referring now to fig1 , one embodiment of the present invention comprises an intervertebral disc nucleus prosthetic bag structure 100 that may be used for replacing all or part of a diseased , damaged or otherwise non - functional intervertebral disc nucleus . in the illustrated embodiment , bag structure 100 includes an outer body 110 , an interior cavity 120 , and opening 130 for receiving , for example , an interior implant structure or material . in accordance with one embodiment of the invention , bag structure 100 , and in particular , outer body 110 is formed of a flexible material . in some other embodiments , the bag structure 100 , and in particular , outer body 110 is formed of a semi - permeable flexible , resilient , elastic or viscoelastic material . the later materials can have a time dependent deformation quality that dissipates some mechanical energy ; thus , there is a viscoelastic quality to the material in some of these examples . therefore , the bag structure can be compressed , so that it can be implanted in an annulus fibrosis cavity using a delivery device , such as a catheter or the like . once inserted into the intervertebral space , the bag structure can be released from the delivery device , so that it returns to its relaxed unstretched state . implantation of the bag structure will be discussed in more detail below . in one embodiment , outer body 110 of bag structure 100 is formed of an immunologically inert material that is compatible with the environment found within a mammalian body , and in particular , within an intervertebral disc . as one skilled in the art will appreciate , the immunologically inert material does not induce any significant response by the immune system when the structure is implanted into a subject . bag structure 100 can be formed of one or more materials , including in some embodiments , one or more composite materials . in addition , the outer body 110 of bag structure 100 can be formed from one or more layers of material . in some embodiments , bag structure 100 can be formed of one or more different materials , which exhibit semi - permeable , flexible , resilient and / or elastic properties . that is , the material of bag structure 100 is such that it is capable of being easily stretched , expanded or compressed , and then resuming its former shape or close to its former shape . for example , in one embodiment , a bag structure 100 can be formed from a woven or non - woven polymeric fiber material , such as , an aramid material ( e . g ., kevlar ™, nomex ™, twaron ™, etc . ), a polyester fiber material , an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fiber material , a nylon fiber material , a cellulose fiber material , a polyurethane fiber material , or a polyacrylonitrile based fiber material . in some embodiments the polymeric fiber material can be woven or configured into a 2 - dimensional or 3 - dimensional fabric configuration . in another embodiment of the present invention , bag structure 100 can be made and / or formed from a metallic material , such as nitinol , stainless steel ( eg . heat - treated ph 17 - 7 stainless steel fabric ) or the like . in still other embodiments , bag structure 100 can be made and / or formed from metallic fibers woven into a fabric - type material . in some embodiments , the fabric - type material can be a 2 - dimensional or 3 - dimensional fabric configuration . in further embodiments , bag structure 100 can be made of a combination of materials . for example , one combination might be a combination of a polymeric fiber and a metallic material ; e . g ., an aramid material ( e . g ., kevlar or the like ) and a metallic material ( e . g ., nitinol , stainless steel ). in another embodiment of the present invention , bag structure 100 can be made of a semi - permeable , flexible , composite material , such as a composite comprised of an elastomeric or hydrogel matrix material and a polymeric fiber , a metal fiber or wire , or a ceramic fiber . examples of suitable matrix materials that can be used to form bag structure 100 include , but are not limited to , a natural or synthetic polymer matrix material , an elastomer , a flexible polyolefin polymer , an elastomeric matrix material , or a hydrogel material . discussed above are various examples of classes of materials that can be used to form bag structure 100 . other specific materials that can be used to make bag structure 100 include , but are not limited to , polyaramid fibers , such as kevlar 49 , kevlar 149 — or the like , ultra high molecular weight , highly oriented , highly crystalline polyethylene ( e . g ., dyneema or spectra 900 or spectra 1000 ), polyester fibers , such as dacron , silk fiber , elastin fiber , elastomeric materials for ( polyurethane or other thermoplastic elastomer ), fused ptfe ( polytetrafluoroethylene ), expanded ptfe of generally high tenacity fibers or other high strength woven or non - woven fibers or fabrics . it is also contemplated that any embodiment of the present invention may be accompanied by vertebroolasty to increase the strength of any weakened vertebrae including but not limited to disease , aging or injury . in some embodiments , an interior implant material and / or structure is placed into bag structure 100 so that the combination of the bag structure and interior implant material create a resilient disc nucleus prosthesis . in some embodiments , the interior implant material or structure conforms to at least a portion of the interior cavity of the bag structure , thus creating the resilient prosthetic structure . in accordance with some embodiments of the invention , the interior implant material or device can be , for example , a hydrogel implant , a spiral implant , a biological implant , the implant structure discussed below , or any other suitable disc nucleus implant material or device . in one embodiment , the interior implant material and / or device can be , for example , the spiral implant devices disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 919 , 235 , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . further , in other embodiments , the sinusoidal - shaped structural device discussed below can be implanted or positioned within bag structure 100 . the implantation of this device in a bag structure will be discussed in more detail below . referring now to fig2 , a cross - sectional view of a spinal column 200 having a herniated disc or damaged disc is shown . in the illustrated embodiment , the cross - section shows a vertebrae 210 , a spinal cord 220 with nerve roots 225 , and a disc 230 , having an annulus 240 and a disc nucleus 250 . as is illustrated by location 260 in fig2 , a herniated disc occurs when disc nucleus 250 protrudes an opening or weakness in annulus 240 , putting pressure on spinal cord 220 and / or nerve roots 225 . when this occurs , one remedy is to remove the protruding disc nucleus and replace it with a prosthetic nucleus structure and / or material . as one skilled in the art will appreciate , a disc nucleus replacement procedure includes , first removing at least a portion of the disc nucleus . in addition , as one skilled in the art will appreciate , a disc replacement procedure includes estimating the size and conformation required to replace the damaged disc area . in one embodiment of the present invention , the entire disc can be removed and replaced if warranted . in some embodiments , partial and / or total disc replacement can require anchoring of the intervertebral prosthetic structure such as encouraging tissue ingrowth into a structure ( e . g . 2 - or 3 - dimensional weave structure ). these procedures are known in the art , and thus , will not be discussed in detail herein . after at least a portion of the disc nucleus is removed , the prosthetic structure and / or material can be placed within the annulus where the nucleus material was removed . in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , once the nucleus material is removed , a delivery device ( e . g ., a cannula or other catheter device ) can be used to introduce bag structure 100 into the annulus cavity . in one embodiment , bag structure 100 can be stretched and / or compressed and then attached to the delivery device so that it can be delivered through an opening in the disc annulus into the disc nucleus region . for example , in one embodiment , bag structure 100 is compressed into a cannula or onto a catheter , and then delivered into the nucleus region using a balloon catheter delivery technique , or the like . after the bag structure 100 is delivered into the nucleus region , it is released . in some embodiments , upon release , bag structure 100 will expand to substantially its uncompressed original shape . in other embodiments , a balloon device ( e . g ., balloon catheter device ) can be used to deploy bag structure 100 within the disc nucleus region . as one skilled in the art will appreciate , during a balloon catheter delivery procedure , a balloon catheter is used to place bag structure 100 within the disc nucleus , and then a balloon is inflated within the bag structure 100 , causing the compressed bag structure to expand to its original or close to original shape . once the bag structure is expanded , the balloon is deflated and then removed . after bag structure 100 has been positioned within the disc nucleus region , an interior implant structure and / or material can be placed within the interior 120 of bag structure 100 for additional nucleus support . the interior implant structure and / or material can be introduced or positioned within interior 120 of bag structure 100 through opening 130 ( see fig1 a and 1 b ). different delivery devices and / or methods may be used to insert the interior implant into the bag structure , and the delivery devices and / or methods used may differ depending on the type of implant material or structure used . after the interior implant material and / or structure is placed within bag structure 100 , opening 130 of bag structure 100 then can be sealed or closed , thus holding the interior implant material and / or structure within the bag structure . as one skilled in the art will appreciate , any sealing or closing process and / or device can be used to seal the bag structure , such as suturing , clamping , tying , using a single directional opening valve or the like . one aspect of the present invention relates to an interior implant structure , which can act as a disc nucleus replacement prosthesis , or at least as an interior portion of a disc nucleus prosthesis structure ; one embodiment of which is illustrated in fig3 . in the illustrated embodiment , interior implant structure 300 comprises one or more sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 . in accordance with this particular embodiment of the invention , each sinusoidal - shaped structure 305 comprises a plurality of periodic portions 310 , which are formed of a flexible , resilient , elastic material . as illustrated in fig3 , each periodic portion 310 intersecting a longitudinal axis 320 of the interior implant structure 300 at two points , 330 a and 330 b . in one embodiment , the sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 is flexible , such that when stretched in a longitudinal direction ( i . e ., along axis 320 ), the structure sufficiently flattens or otherwise reduces the amplitude of each of the periodic portions 310 , so that it can be placed within a disc nucleus region or holding structure within the disc nucleus region ( e . g ., bag structure 100 , discussed above ). fig3 b illustrates one embodiment of interior implant structure 300 ( i . e ., sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 ) in a stretched configuration . further , sinusoidal - shaped implant structure 300 are formed of a flexible , resilient material , so that when released from a stretched position ( typically , within the disc nucleus region , or in an implant holding structure ), the device returns substantially to its original sinusoidal shape . in one embodiment of the present invention , the original sinusoidal shape of the device includes a configuration where the amplitude of at least one of the periodic portions of the sinusoidal shape when in an unstretched position is large enough to prevent the device from exiting the opening in the bag structure . fig4 illustrates sinusoidal - shaped implant structure 300 positioned within bag structure 100 , which is discussed in detail above . as illustrated in fig3 , one embodiment of the invention can comprise multiple sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 positioned together , or otherwise interwoven with each other . the embodiment illustrated in fig3 shows two sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 interwoven or otherwise joined and positioned in planes that are positioned at or near 90 degrees from one another . in other embodiments , two sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 can be positioned in different planes that are not necessarily perpendicular to one another . in still other embodiments , more than two sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 can be used . in accordance with yet other embodiments of the invention , sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 can include holes 340 through the material at or near the center of the structures ( i . e ., at or near longitudinal axis 320 ). as discussed in more detail below , the holes can be used to accommodate an implantation or delivery device such as a cannula , catheter , etc . as with bag structure 100 discussed above , some embodiments of interior implant structure 300 can be formed of an immunologically inert material that is compatible with the environment found within a mammalian body , and in particular , within an intervertebral disc . as one skilled in the art will appreciate , the immunologically inert material does not induce any significant response by the immune system when the structure is implanted into a subject . further , as with bag structure 100 , interior implant structure 300 can be formed of one or more materials , including in some embodiments , one or more composite materials . in addition , interior implant structure 300 , and in particular , sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 can be formed from one or more layers of material . in some embodiments , as with bag structure 100 , sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 can be formed of one or more different materials , which exhibit flexible , resilient and / or elastic or viscoelastic properties . that is , the material of structures 305 is such that it is capable of being easily stretched , expanded or compresses , and then resuming its former shape or close to its former shape . for example , in one embodiment , structures 305 can be formed from a woven or non - woven polymeric fiber material , such as , an aramid material ( e . g ., kevlar ™, nomex ™, twaron ™, etc . ), a polyester fiber material , an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fiber material , a nylon fiber material , a cellulose fiber material , a polyurethane fiber material , or a polyacrylonitrile based fiber material . in some embodiments the polymeric fiber material can be woven or configured into a 2 - dimensional or 3 - dimensional fabric configuration . further , in other embodiments , sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 can be made and / or formed from a metallic material , such as nitinol , stainless steel or the like . in still other embodiments , structures 305 can be made and / or formed from metallic fibers woven into a fabric - type material . in some embodiments , the fabric - type material can be a 3 - dimensional fabric configuration . in further embodiments , sinusoidal - shape structures 305 can be made of a combination of materials . for example , one combination might be a combination of a polymeric fiber and a metallic material ; e . g ., an aramid material ( e . g ., kevlar or the like ) and a metallic material ( e . g ., nitinol , stainless steel ). in another embodiment of the present invention , sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 can be made of a flexible composite material , such as a composite comprising an elastomeric or hydrogel matrix material and a polymeric fiber , metal fiber or wire , or a ceramic fiber . examples of suitable matrix materials that can be used to form structures 305 include , but are not limited to , a natural or synthetic polymer matrix material , an elastomer , a flexible polyolefin polymer , an elastomeric matrix material , or a hydrogel material . discussed above are various examples of classes of materials that can be used to form sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 . other specific materials that can be used to make structures 305 include , but are not limited to , polyaramid fibers , kevlar 49 , kevlar 149 or the like , polyester fiber ( e . g . dacron ), ultra high molecular weight , highly oriented , highly crystalline polyethylene ( e . g ., dyneema ), silk , elastin , elastomeric ( polyurethane or other thermoplastic elastomer ), fused ptfe ( polytetrafluoroethylene ), expanded ptfe of generally high tenacity fibers or high strength non - woven fabric polyethylene , polyaryl , and peek ( polyetheretherkeytone ). as discussed above , interior implant structures can be placed or positioned within a bag or containment structure , such as bag structure 100 discussed above . in some embodiments , interior implant structure 300 can be placed within bag structure 100 to form a resilient disc nucleus prosthetic structure ( see fig4 ). in one embodiment , one or more sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 can be placed within bag structure 100 to form the disc nucleus prosthesis . in other embodiments , one or more sinusoidal - shaped implant structures 305 can be placed in bag structure 100 , along with one or more other implant materials such as hydrogel implant , a spiral implant , a therapeutic implant , a biologic implant , or a an in - situ curable material . in one embodiment , interior implant structure 300 ( i . e ., sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 ) can be inserted into a bag structure ( e . g ., bag structure 100 ) located in the intervertebral cavity using an external delivery device , such as a cannula , a catheter , or other suitable delivery device . in accordance with one embodiment , a delivery device can be inserted through holes 340 in sinusoidal - shaped structures 305 , and then the structures can be stretched along the delivery device to reduce the height or amplitude of the sinusoidal - shaped devices , as discussed above . once the height of the structure is sufficiently reduced , it can be positioned or placed within the internal cavity 120 of bag structure 100 , for example , through opening 130 in bag structure 100 . once inside the bag structure , interior implant structure 300 ( i . e ., sinusoidal structures 305 ) is released from the delivery device , which will allow structures 305 to expand back to or near its original shape , thus filling the bag structure and at least a portion of the disc nucleus regions . in some embodiments , a coating agent can be applied to a bag structure ( e . g ., bag structure 100 ) and / or an interior implant structure ( e . g ., interior implant structure 300 ). in one embodiment , the coating agent may include one or more of hydrogel , a curable biomaterial that changes states once introduced to the intervertebral disc region ( e . g ., by chemical or heat promotion ), elastomers ( e . g ., thermoset and thermoplastic ), polyolefins , therapeutic agents ( e . g ., anti - bacterial or anti - fungal agents or biological agents ). biological agents can include , for example , tissue extracts , cells ( e . g ., bone derived cells ), growth factors ( e . g ., platelet derived growth factor ( pdgf )), proteins ( e . g . the hormone calcitonin ) or genes ( e . g ., nerve growth or bone growth promoting genes ). the foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein . although the description of the invention has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications , other variations and modifications are within the scope of the invention , e . g ., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art , after understanding the present disclosure . it is intended to obtain rights , which include alternative embodiments , including alternate , interchangeable and / or equivalent structures , functions , ranges or steps to those claimed , whether or not such alternate , interchangeable and / or equivalent structures , functions , ranges or steps are disclosed herein , and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter .
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in fig1 a to 1 d it is schematically illustrated how a first component 1 and a second component 2 , which are each made of a thermoplastic layer or laminate composite material having multiple layers , are welded together . in the depicted exemplary embodiment , the two components 1 , 2 are fuselage sections of an aircraft fuselage . the corresponding method is illustrated in fig4 . as shown in fig1 a , the two components 1 , 2 are plate - shaped and comprise a plurality of layers 3 ( five in the example depicted ), which are disposed one on top of the other . the layers 3 are provided in the same number and with the same thickness in each component 1 , 2 . each layer has two opposite extended surfaces 3 a , 3 b , between which lateral or side surfaces 3 c extend ( depicted for only one layer 3 in each case ). in the depicted example , the layers 3 are dimensioned such that the lateral surfaces 3 c of the layers of each component 1 , 2 are aligned with one another and form straight lateral or side surfaces of the components 1 , 2 . each layer 3 is made of a thermoplastic material into which , for the purpose of reinforcement , fibers may be embedded , such as , for example , glass fibers and / or carbon fibers ( not depicted ). the two components 1 , 2 are each subjected to a laser ablation or evaporation step , in which material is removed by means of a laser beam in order to form , on a longitudinal edge of each component 1 , 2 or at an end section of each component 1 , 2 , a step structure 4 having multiple steps 5 . in this regard , each step 5 is preferably formed by an end section of exactly one other of the layers 3 so that , in the depicted example , five steps are created per component 1 , 2 . each step 3 of the component 1 is formed by a surface section of the extended surface 3 a of the corresponding layer 3 and a lateral surface 3 c of the corresponding layer 3 . the surface section of the extended surface 3 a defines the tread , and the lateral surface 3 c defines the rise or height of the step 3 . each step 3 of the component 2 is formed by a surface section of the extended surface 3 b of the corresponding layer 3 and a lateral surface 3 c of the corresponding layer 3 . the surface section of the extended surface 3 b defines the tread , and the lateral surface 3 c defines the rise or height of the step 3 . as can be seen from fig1 b and 1 c , the two step structures 4 complement one another , or are complementary with respect to each other , so that they can be brought into mating engagement with one another . for this purpose , the two components 1 , 2 are disposed before or after the laser evaporation or ablation step in such a way that the formed step structures 4 or the corresponding longitudinal edges or end sections face one another and are disposed at the same level or height . the two components 1 , 2 are then moved towards one another , as indicated by the arrows in fig1 b , until the step structures 4 engage or mesh with one another and the components 1 , 2 abut one another by means of the step structures 4 . this position is shown in fig1 c , from which it can be seen that the two components 1 , 2 are both disposed on the same level . due to this each layer 3 of the first component 1 is associated with exactly one layer 3 of the second component 2 and is disposed at the same level or height as it . the front faces 3 c of these layers 3 associated with one another abut one another in a butt joint . due to this arrangement of the two components 1 , 2 , the two outer surfaces 6 of the combination or conjunction of the two components 1 , 2 have no step , which ensures good aerodynamic properties . in this abutting position , the two components 1 , 2 are then welded together by means of laser welding , specifically , in each case at the abutting surface sections 3 a of the steps 3 . as depicted in fig1 d , four welded connections or joints 7 are thus produced between four pairs of steps . during laser welding , the laser beam used is in each case focused on the desired welding area , so that the layers lying above it are penetrated by the laser beam without causing damage to the material . due to the separate welded connection of multiple layers of the two components 1 , 2 , a high strength and reliability of the connection is achieved . in an alternative embodiment of the method , the two components 1 , 2 are , after the formation of the two step structures 4 , again moved towards one another in accordance with fig1 b until the step structures 4 matingly engage with one another and the components 1 , 2 abut one another by means of the step structures 4 , but in such a way that the two components 1 , 2 are disposed offset to one another by one layer . this alternative abutting position is depicted in fig2 a , from which it can be seen that the layer 3 of the component 1 , which layer 3 is bottommost in the figure , is disposed below the bottommost layer 3 of the component 2 , the uppermost layer 3 of the component 2 is disposed above the uppermost layer 3 of the component 1 , and all remaining layers 3 of the two components 1 , 2 are each associated with exactly one layer 3 of the other component 1 , 2 and are disposed at the same level as the associated layer 3 of the other component 1 , 2 . the front faces 3 c of these layers 3 associated with one another each abut one another in the butt joint . due to this arrangement of the two components 1 , 2 , the two outer surfaces 6 of the combination or conjunction of the two components 1 , 2 each have a step , which is , however , only a layer thickness in height . in this alternative abutting position , the two components 1 , 2 , just like in the case of fig . ld , are then welded together by means of laser welding , and specifically in each case on the abutting surface sections 3 a of the steps 3 . as shown in fig2 b , five welded connections 7 are thus produced between all five pairs of steps . the slightly reduced aerodynamic properties compared with the example of fig1 d , thus go hand in hand with an even greater strength and reliability of the connection , because separate welded connections or joints now exist for all layers 3 of the two components 1 , 2 . in general , the method for connecting or joining the two components 1 , 2 in accordance with the two exemplary embodiments thus comprises , as depicted in fig4 , the step 10 of laser evaporation or ablation for the formation of the step structure 4 of the first component 1 , the step 11 of laser evaporation or ablation for the formation of the step structure 4 of the second component 2 , the step 12 of arranging the first component 1 and the second component 2 in the abutting position , as is shown , for example , in fig1 c and 2 a , and the step 13 of welding together the first component 1 and the second component 2 , by welding together the abutting surface sections 3 a of the steps 3 of the first and second step structures 4 . fig3 a to 3 d depict an advantageous possibility of how the above method steps may be carried out , which are generally and schematically illustrated in fig1 a to 2 d . the two components 1 , 2 , which are shown in fig3 a to 3 d as curved plate - shaped fuselage segments , are disposed and supported in such a way on a first support device 22 provided with castors 21 that their longitudinal edges or end sections 23 , at which the step structures 4 are to be formed , face upwards and are therefore freely accessible for a laser evaporation or ablation . for this purpose , the first support device 22 comprises support surfaces 24 a , 24 b , 24 c and 24 d , which are adapted to the shape of the components 1 , 2 . with the aid of the castors 21 , the first support device 22 can be moved to a laser device 25 which is mounted on a robot arm 26 . this allows the step structures 4 to be automatically produced on the two longitudinal edges or end sections 23 by means of laser evaporation or ablation controlled by a control device . for this purpose , the control device stores information about the dimensions and the layer construction of the two components 1 , 2 , which are taken into account when controlling the robot arm 26 and the laser device 25 . the two components 1 , 2 are then disposed spaced apart from one another on a second support device 27 provided with castors 21 and are supported on the second support device 27 , which support device has a curved support surface 28 , the curvature of which corresponds to the curvature of the two components 1 , 2 ( see fig3 c ). the positioning is effected such that the two step structures 4 face one another , and specifically in such a way that , simply by moving the two components 1 , 2 towards one another ( see the arrows in fig3 c ), they can be pushed into one another and then abut one another in the manner described above and depicted in fig2 a . for this purpose , a step 29 is provided in the support surface 28 , which is as high as a layer thickness of the layers 3 and which ensures an arrangement of the two components 1 , 2 offset by the thickness of one layer . the support surface 28 easily guides the two components 1 , 2 into the position shown in fig2 a and 3 d . finally , the support device 27 is once again moved with the aid of the castors 21 to the laser device 25 mounted on the robot arm 26 and is welded by it in the manner depicted in fig2 b . while at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention ( s ) is disclosed herein , it should be understood that modifications , substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure . this disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment ( s ). in addition , in this disclosure , the terms “ comprise ” or “ comprising ” do not exclude other elements or steps , the terms “ a ” or “ one ” do not exclude a plural number , and the term “ or ” means either or both . furthermore , characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise . this disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority .
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in fig1 is shown the complete ball retrieving apparatus wherein a football 10 , of the well known size and shape is formed of a plastic foam material , and has the familiar ellipsoidal configuration . it is tethered by a length of elasticized bungy cord 12 which is connected at its opposite end to an adjustable wrist band 14 consisting of a flat , flexible rectangular - shaped member capable of being entrapped around the wrist of a thrower and having stitched thereto a pair of velcro patches 16 , which patches may be brought into confrontation with each other after the step of wrapping the band around the person &# 39 ; s wrist has been completed , all to tie the tether to the thrower . the ball is provided with a central end - to - end hollow chamber 20 along its longitudinal axis , into which chamber is seated an end - to - end plastic tube 22 . at the rightward ball end , as viewed in fig4 a right end cap 24 , having a curved exterior surface conforming to the exterior surface of the ball , is provided for covering the nose of the ball in a hollow - chamber - enclosing manner . the right end cap also has a central , inwardly - projecting tubular extension 26 integral therewith , which extension snugly nests within the rightward terminus of tube 22 , the extension diameter being slightly less than the tube diameter to allow this . a throw opening 28 extends centrally of the end cap and extension . at the leftward ball end , a left end cap 30 , having a curved exterior surface for conforming to the exterior surface of the ball is provided for covering the opposite nose of the ball . the left end cap has a central inwardly - projecting tubular extension 32 integral therewith , which extension is of a diameter so as to snugly fit around the exterior of the leftward terminus of tube 22 . the left end cap is provided with an enlarged central through opening 34 defining an annular shoulder 36 approximately midway therethrough . an end cap plug 38 is nestably receivable within the outer end of the opening 34 of the left end cap . a tubular swivel housing 40 is so dimensioned so as to be receivable within the left terminus of tube 22 and is provided with a flared outer annular rim 42 which is seatable upon the annular shoulder 36 of the left end cap . a swivel housing plug 42 is nestably receivable within the outer opening of tubular swivel housing 40 . and a central opening 46 extends through the inner end wall of the swivel housing . the end of the tether on assembly is extended through opening 28 in the right end cap 24 , through the length of tube 22 , and through opening 46 in the swivel housing . the terminus of the tether has a cup shaped swivel 50 sleeved thereon , which swivel is held fast to the tether by virtue of a knot 52 formed at the extreme end of the tether , it being appreciated that swivel and tether terminus are disposed within the swivel housing when the arrangement is completely assembled . the novel arrangement of the tubular guides , allows the bungy cord to spin freely within the ball and imparts the spiralling motion to the ball as it proceeds in its trajectory , when thrown . an invention has been disclosed which fulfills the objects thereof as set forth hereinabove and provides a new and useful tethered football of novelty and utility . slight changes and modifications or alterations in the teachings hereof may be contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the intended spirit and scope thereof . as such , it is intended that the present invention only be limited by the terms of the appended claims . the arrangement is such that the tether is loosely confined within the football body and is anchored at the leftware end ( as viewed in fig4 ) so as to allow a swivelling motion of the left end cap when the ball is in operational use thereby defining a twisting trajectory when thrown .
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fig2 shows a diagram of the measurement and control signals which are included in the air flow control and the limiting controls which are associated therewith . under the &# 34 ; summary of the invention &# 34 ; a description is given of how both the set value and the actual value for the air flow control is produced . the production of these quantities are therefore shown only symbolically in fig2 in the form of the set value calculator 23 and the actual value calculator 24 . input signal to the set value transducer is , in the example shown , the bed level &# 34 ; h &# 34 ; which is assumed to have been obtained in some known way , for example via the pressure difference measurement between p o and p b as previously described . the determination of the actual value for the air flow is performed , as mentioned above , with the aid of measured values for pressure upstream and downstream of the high - pressure compressor , the temperature downstream of the high - pressure compressor and the speed of the high - pressure unit , which values are supplied to the actual value calculator which , with access to stored characteristics for normalized air flow of the high - pressure compressor for different π - values for normalized speeds thereof , may supply an actual value for air flow . fig2 also shows the pid - connected air flow regulator 13 according to fig1 . the output of the regulator , that is , the control signal to the operating member of the guide vane if this control is switched on , is supplied to the selection system 25 which will be described in detail below . as mentioned , the selection system determines which control system is to be switched on and the output signal from the selection system is supplied to the operating device 11 of the guide vane according to fig1 . to avoid an intermittent transition between the different control systems when the selection system determines that another control means is to become activated , each control will be supplied with a follow - up set value fset , as described above and shown in fig2 which continuously ensures that each control system receives a control output signal which differs , by a small deviation only , from the control signal which is activated . under normal operation the compressors must operate within a certain operating range . if the working point approaches the limits of the working range , problems with so - called surging and choking may arise . these phenomena may lead to considerable damage on the compressor and must therefore be avoided . if the working point of the compressor should arrive outside the working range and below the curve corresponding to the choking limit , choking occurs , and if the working point should arrive outside the working range and above the curve corresponding to the surging limit , surging occurs . the air flow control is therefore supplemented by a limiting control referred to as π hc - control , symbolically shown at 26 in fig2 . to obtain a certain margin to the actual limit curves , this control is based on a π - surging limit curve which lies below the actual limit curve for surging and a π - choking limit curve which lies above the actual limit curve for choking . as is otherwise clear from fig2 this control has as input signal the π hc - value and the normalized speed n n of the high - pressure compressor , which both values are obtained in connection with the production of the actual value for the air flow control as well as the pressure after the high - pressure compressor . the π hc - control comprises two regulators , one of which supplies a control signal &# 34 ; min π &# 34 ; and the other a control signal &# 34 ; max π &# 34 ; which , when the operating range starts to approach the respective limit regions , exert an influence on the air flow control in such a way that these signals , via the selection system , are determining for the position of the guide vane ring . in the same way as for the pid regulator , the π hc - regulators are supplied with the follow - up set value f set to avoid disturbing jerks in the control when any of these controls is switched on . a brief description as to when the surging and choking problems arise and how the max - π and min - π values are obtained for the different air flows will now be given . on each one of the curves for normalized speeds in the multitude of curves which provides the relationship between π and the compressor air flow there is a point where surging and choking , respectively , are initiated . if the points for surging on all the curves in the multitude of curves are linked together , a coherent curve is obtained which is called the surging curve , and if in similar manner the points for choking are linked together , a coherent choking curve is obtained . the region between these two curves defines the permissible working range of the compressor . to provide margins to these limit curves , π - limit curves according to the above have been decided . the max - π regulator then sees to it that a set value for the max - π control is generated which has such a value that the working point of the compressor by a certain margin does not come too close to the π - surging limit curve , that is , lies below the π - surging limit curve . suitably , a maximum curve is assumed which is determined by a curve equal to 0 . 9 times the π - surging limit curve . in a corresponding manner , the min - π regulator provides a set value for min - π control when an operating position approaching the region for choking is about to be obtained . for reasons of process technique a margin in relation to the π - choking limit curve has been selected which is dependent on the pressure after the high - pressure compressor , that is , p 4 , and for that reason also a measured value for this pressure is supplied to the π - regulator . when the pressure after the high - pressure compressor is greater than a certain pressure , for example 3 . 5 bar , a min - π value is used which is determined by the π - choking limit curve and when the pressure is lower , a curve which is a few per cent lower than the π - choking limit curve is used . however , this value , of course , also permits a satisfactory margin in relation to the actual choking limit curve . as already mentioned , the low - pressure unit is not allowed to operate at speeds below a certain minimum speed or above a certain maximum speed . if there are tendencies in that direction , the limitation is to take over the control of the guide vane ring via the selection system . the measured value for the speed of the low - pressure unit , as it can be obtained from the transducer 20 in fig1 is therefore supplied to the n lc control 27 in fig2 . from there a signal &# 34 ; minspeed lc &# 34 ; is obtained if the actual speed drops to the lowest permissible speed and a signal &# 34 ; maxspeed lc &# 34 ; is obtained if the speed is increased to the highest permissible . one of these signals will determine the mode of running of the air flow system via the selection system if this signal is the predominant one of all control signals that is , having the highest control priority . as is clear from the figure , also this control is supplied with the follow - up set value f set . as previously described , an electric machine 10 according to fig1 is connected to the shaft of the high - pressure unit . during normal operation this machine operates as a generator and delivers electrical power to the power network . the same machine may also advantageously be used as a motor for start - up of the high - pressure unit and then draws power from the network . in order not to overload the shaft between the high - pressure compressor and the turbine , however , the power from the network to the machine operating as a motor must be limited . a measured value of this power is therefore supplied to a maximum power control device 28 according to fig2 . this control device operates in exactly the same way as the dp control . this means that the output signal follows the output signal of the selection system because of the follow - up set value f set for as long as the input signal , that is mw , lies below a maximally allowed value set in advance . when the supplied power amounts to the maximally allowed value , a control signal &# 34 ; max mw &# 34 ; is obtained which , in the same way as for the other control systems , is supplied to the selection system . the air flow which is supplied to the pressure vessel tends to give this vessel an overpressure in relation to the combustor . the difference pressure must be limited to a maximum value and the measured value dp of the difference pressure dp , obtained with the aid of the transducer 21 according to fig1 is therefore supplied to the difference pressure control device 29 according to fig2 . this control device operates in the same way as the other control systems in that the output signal , for as long as the difference pressure is below a permissible maximum value set in advance with a certain margin , because of the follow - up set value delivers a signal which follows the signal which is currently switched on . if , on the other hand , the input signal , that is dp , exceeds the set value , the dp control delivers a &# 34 ; max dp &# 34 ; signal which , if the other conditions are fulfilled , is allowed to determine the movement of the guide vanes via the selection system . the maximum permissible difference pressure in a plant designed according to the invention has been set at 0 . 55 bar . the status of the fuel injection concerns the operating state of the whole pfbc plant and information about the condition ( fo ) must therefore be supplied to the selection system . if , for some reason , the gas turbine unit comes outside its permissible working range so that , for example , surging of the low - pressure compressor and surging of the high - pressure compressor occur , that the maximum speed of the low - pressure compressor is exceeded , that vibrations occur on the units , and the like , a function called gt trip is triggered . upon a gt trip , special measures must be taken and it is therefore important that the selection system is informed of this ( gt ). as mentioned above , during start - up of the plant the high - pressure unit is driven by the electric machine , connected to the common shaft and fed from the network . only when the speed of the unit has reached the speed which corresponds to the necessary speed to be able to phase the machine into the network , is it opened for air supply to the pressure chamber and also for gas outlet from the combustor . this opening is performed with the intercept valve 22 according to fig1 . it is therefore important for the selection system to know whether the intercept valve has opened or not ( io ). information about the states of the above functions is obtained in the form of logical 0 - and 1 - signals which are supplied to the selection system . that part of the selection system which is to process these input signals must then be designed for logic processing and is for this purpose designed such that the 0 - and 1 - signals have the following meaning : ______________________________________fuel injection , off yes = 1 , no = 0intercept valve , on yes = 1 , no = 0gt trip yes = 1 , no = 0______________________________________ the selection system 25 according to fig2 can be designed in a plurality of different ways depending on the desired control and protection strategy and whether input and output signals are analog and / or digital signals . the selection system may also be built up in a more or less integrated form within the scope of the invention . a preferred embodiment is shown in fig3 . since the input signals in the described embodiment consist of both analog and digital signals , the selection system must comprise both analog and digital selectors for the logic decisions that are to be made . all the digital selectors in fig3 are drawn in a position in which the activation signal from the logic inputs are 0 . selector v1 is a first minimum selector whose output signal u1 is the smaller of the control signal and the signal minspeed lc . the output signal is passed to a maximum selector v2 whose output signal u2 consists of that of the input signals thereto which is the greater . besides u1 , the input signals also comprise the signals from min - π , maxspeed lc and the signals u3 and u4 from a first digital selector d1 , and a reference signal a1 = 0 . when d1 is not activated , both u3 and u4 will have the value zero because of the reference signal a2 = 0 . the first digital selector is activated , as is clear from fig3 by the signal fuel injection when this changes from 0 to 1 . u3 will then be equal to a max mw signal filtered in the filter f and u4 will be equal to the max dp signal . the greatest of all the input signals to v2 will now , as the signal u2 , be supplied to a second minimum selector which there are also supplied the signal from max - π and a reference signal a3 = 100 . the output signal from v3 , that is u5 according to fig3 consists of the control signal which is passed to the operating device of the guide vane unless the logical signals from intercept or gt trip are activated and request otherwise . if none of a second digital selector d2 and a third digital selector d3 is activated , the output signal u6 from d3 , because the reference a4 of d2 corresponds to the maximum control signal to the operating device of the guide vane , will thus be guided towards an open guide vane ring . in such a state the control signal u5 to the operating device will be disconnected . if d3 is activated , that is , if a gt trip is obtained , the output signal u6 from d3 , because of the feedback according to the figure , will retain the value of the signal prevailing prior to the activation independently of the state of d2 . as is clear , the signal u5 also forms the follow - up set value f set . the activation state of the digital selector d2 is determined by the logical signals from intercept and gt trip . as is clear from the figure , these signals are passed to a memory m with a subsequent time lag element t . the relationship between the input signals to the s - and r - inputs on the memory and its output is clear from the following summary : ______________________________________intercept signal s 0 1 0 1gt trip r 0 0 1 1m signal m1 0 1 0 0______________________________________ as will be clear , it is only the combination of s = 1 and r = 0 , that is , normal operating state with a switched - on intercept valve and no gt trip , that may trigger d2 , which can be done at the earliest , after a certain time determined by the time lag element t . this means that during normal operation the two control signals u5 and u6 have the same value , and if a gt trip should occur , d3 will be locked to the control signal prior to the occurrence of a gt trip . then when a gt trip has been corrected , that is , the gt trip signal becomes zero , u6 is increased 100 %. only when the intercept valve is opened , does the normal control switch in u6 = u5 .
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the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the attached drawings . fig1 illustrates an example of the bit clock reproducing circuit according to the invention . the bit clock reproducing circuit , generally designated as 10 in fig1 is composed of 2 d - type flip - flops 11 and 12 , an exclusive or gate 13 , a counter 14 and a rom ( read - only memory ) 15 connected as shown . input data i is supplied through an input terminal 16 to the d - input terminal of the d - type flip - flop 11 , and a master clock i . e . clock signal c 0 of high frequency is supplied through an input terminal 17 to a t - input terminal of the d - type flip - flop 11 . the output at a q - output terminal of the d - type flip - flop 11 is supplied to a d - input terminal of the d - type flip - flop 12 and the clock signal c 0 is supplied to a t - input terminal of the d - type flip - flop 12 . the exclusive or gate 13 is supplied with the outputs from the q - output terminals of the d - type flip - flops 11 and 12 and produces a detecting pulse lp for detecting the edges of data . the counter 14 is of a load type , and is supplied at its load terminal ld with the data edge detecting pulse lp from the gate 13 as a load pulse signal and receives at its clock terminal ck the clock signal c 0 . in this example , the frequency of the clock signal c 0 is selected to be 16 times that of a bit clock which is to be provided , so that the counter 14 is of the 4 bits and hexadecimal type . in the counter 14 , numerical values are applied to its load input terminals l 0 , l 1 , l 2 and l 3 and are , respectively , loaded to its output terminals q 0 , q 1 , q 2 and q 3 on the negative edge of the load pulse lp . the rom 15 corresponds to the counter 14 , and both the rom 15 and the counter 14 utilize 16 words of 4 bits each . the outputs q 0 to q 3 of the counter 14 are applied to the address input terminals a 0 , a 1 , a 2 and a 3 of the rom 15 and the numerical values corresponding thereto are respectively read out and delivered to output terminals d 0 , d 1 , d 2 and d 3 of the rom 15 . the read out numerical values are fed to the load input terminals l 0 to l 3 of the counter 14 . thus , the counter 14 is loaded at every negative edge of the data edge detecting pulse lp with such numerical values in response to the state of the outputs q 0 to q 3 just before the occurence of the negative edge of the data edge detecting pulse lp . the relationship of the numerical values obtained at the output terminals d 0 to d 3 of the rom 15 correspond with those at the address input terminals a 0 to a 3 and are by way of example , shown in the table of fig2 a . the most significant bit in the outputs appearing at the terminal q 3 of the counter 14 is derived as an output bit clock c bit . in this case , the d - type flip - flops 11 , 12 and counter 14 each operate at , for example , the positive edge of the clock signal c 0 . in fig1 designates a d - type flip - flop which is provided to extract data and receives at its d - input terminal the input data i which is the same as that applied to the d - type flip - flop 11 and receives at its t - input terminal the clock bit c bit . the input data i is extracted at , for example , the positive edge of the clock bit c bit and is delivered through a q - output terminal of the d - type flip - flop 20 to an output terminal 21 as the binary value data i 0 . the operation of the bit clock reproducing circuit 10 of the invention shown in fig1 is as shown in fig3 . that is , the exclusive or gate 13 generates , based upon the input data i and the clock signal c 0 applied thereto , the data edge detecting pulse lp which rises at the positive edge of the clock signal c 0 and is generated immediately after the edge of the input data i and falls down at the positive edge of the following clock signal c 0 . at every falling edge i . e . negative edge of the data edge detecting pulse lp , the contents of the rom 15 according to the state of the outputs at terminals q 0 to q 3 of the counter 14 immediately before the negative edge of the pulse lp will be loaded into the counter 14 . after the loading of the contents into the counter 14 , the counter 14 counts up one step for each step on every positive edge of the clock signal c 0 . at the time when the value of the counter 14 becomes 8 , which means that 1 appears at its output terminal q 3 , the output bit clock c bit signal rises up , and at the time when the value of the counter 14 becomes 0 , which means that the value at the output terminal q 3 has again returned to 0 , the output bit clock c bit will fall down . as shown by the first data edge in fig3 if the counter 14 is 0 immediately before the negative edge of the data edge detecting pulse lp , the value 1 at the output terminals d 0 to d 3 of the rom 15 which corresponds to the case where the values at the input terminals a 0 to a 3 of the rom 15 are 0 will be loaded into the counter 14 . in other words , in this case the counter 14 changes in the sequence similar to the case where no value is loaded into it . if the phase of the second data edge is not shifted as shown at the central position in fig3 the data edge detecting pulse lp reaches a position shown in the third row in fig3 and at the negative edge of the pulse lp the counter 14 will be loaded from 0 to 1 similar to the above example . when the phase of the second data edge is shifted in the direction and advanced by one period of the clock c 0 as shown by + 1 in fig3 the data edge detecting pulse lp will also be shifted as shown in the second row in fig3 . thus , at the negative edge of the pulse lp the counter 14 is loaded from 15 to 0 as in the example where the inputs a 0 to a 3 are 15 as shown in fig2 a . when the phase of the second data edge is shifted in the direction and advanced by two periods of the clock signal c 0 as shown by + 2 in fig3 the data edge detecting pulse lp is also shifted as shown in the first row in fig3 . thus , at the negative edge of the pulse lp the counter 14 is loaded from 13 to 15 as shown in the second row in the figure and as in the example where the inputs a 0 to a 3 are 13 in fig2 a , and the phase of the bit clock c bit is shifted in the direction to advance it by one period of the clock signal c 0 as shown in the second row in the figure . when the phase of the third data edge is shifted in the direction to advance it by four periods of the clock signal c 0 shown by + 4 in fig3 the data edge detecting pulse lp is shifted as shown in the first row in the figure . thus , at the negative edge of the pulse lp the counter 14 is loaded from 12 to 15 as shown in the first row and as in the example where the inputs a 0 to a 3 are 3 in fig2 a , and the phase of the bit clock c bit is shifted in the direction to advance it by two periods of the clock signal c 0 as shown in the first row in the figure . when the phase of the third data edge is shifted in the direction to delay it by three or four periods of the clock signal c 0 as shown by - 3 or - 4 in fig3 due to the operation which is similar to the example where the phase advances as described above , the phase of the bit clock c bit will be shifted in the direction to delay it by one or two periods of the clock signal c 0 as shown in the fourth or fifth row in the figure . that is , when the phase shift of the data edge is more than ± 3 , the phase of the bit clock c bit will be shifted in the direction the same as that of the phase shift of the data edge which is less than it by 2 . in the above manner , the memory contents as shown in fig2 a give the relationship between the phase shift of the data edge and that of the bit clock signal which is indicated by a solid line a in the graph of fig4 and the back - lash of ± 2 occurs as shown . it is not necessary that the relationship between the state of the outputs q 0 to q 3 of the counter 14 , which are fed to the address input terminals a 0 to a 3 of the rom 15 , and the numerical values which are read out at the output terminals d 0 to d 3 of the rom 15 and which are applied to the load input terminals l 0 to l 3 of the counter 14 be limited to those shown in fig2 a , but the relationships shown in fig2 b and 2c can be used . in fig2 b , the relationship between the phase shift of the edge of the data and the bit clock signal is as indicated by broken line b in fig4 while in the case of fig2 c , the same relationship is as indicated by the one - dot chain line c in fig4 . according to the invention , it is possible to use in place of the load type counter 14 a plurality of flip - flops of , for example , 4 bits for the above example . in this case , when the data edge is detected , the numerical value corresponding thereto is read out from the rom 15 with the output from the flip - flops of 4 bits and the read out value is returned to the flip - flops of 4 bits . in the example of the invention shown in fig1 and in the above modified example , a logic circuit composed of combined gates , may be used in place of the rom 15 . as described above , according to the present invention a certain constant numerical value is not unconditionally loaded into the counter at the edge of the data as in the prior art , but the numerical value determined by the state of the output from the counter at that time is loaded into the counter . therefore , according to the invention , the response characteristic of the bit clock to the jitter of the data edge can be easily determined , and a back lash , for example , appears in the characteristic so as to avoid the generation of jitter in the bit clock signals which are caused by fine jitter due to the peak shift of the data edge etc ., and a fly - wheel effect occurs so as to obtain a response characteristic similar to that of the analog pll type circuit bit clock reproducing circuit , and the generation of clock bits with extremely short or long periods can be avoided . it will be apparent that many modifications and variations could be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirits or scope of the novel concepts of the present invention so that the spirits or scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims .
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the present invention relates generally to a furnace for use in a manufactured home . in particular , the present invention relates to a panel and filter assembly for such furnaces . in site - built residential homes , the furnace typically delivers conditioned air to the home by means of ductwork contained within the walls , floor , basement , and / or attic of the home . the air returns to the furnace by means of a return air ductwork . the furnace then conditions the air and delivers it back to the home . in these systems air filtration generally occurs at some point in the return air ductwork . in contrast , manufactured homes typically do not contain return air ductwork . instead , the air returns to the furnace by means of the interior of the home . typically , the furnace is installed in a closet or utility room in such a way that the front panel of the furnace is exposed . this front panel usually contains a plurality of louvers . the return air enters the furnace through these louvers . the furnace conditions the air and then delivers it back to the home . generally , these furnaces contain filters located behind this louvered front panel . typically , these furnaces use clips , brackets , or wire retainers to hold the filters in place behind the front panel . these fasteners often make it difficult for the homeowner to replace the filters . the homeowner must remove the clips , brackets or retainers , remove the old filter , insert a new filter . and then reinstall the clips , brackets , or retainers . this requires a certain amount of mechanical ability . as a result , many homeowners either never replace their filters or remove their filters and never install new ones . this results in diminished furnace performance . it also results in the circulation of dirtier air throughout the home . in addition , many manufactured home furnaces use permanent filters as opposed to disposable air filters . often , commonly available disposal filters will not fit the space behind the front panel of the furnace . permanent filters have many drawbacks . first , replacements are difficult to find because usually they are specially made to fit the furnace . second , they require the homeowner to remove and clean the filter . as already stated , removing the filter alone can be problematic . in practice , very few homeowners clean these filters . in many cases after removing the filter , the homeowner either never replaces the filter or replaces it with a filter that does not fit . in either case this results in both reduced performance and cleanliness . the present invention is a panel and filter assembly for a manufactured home furnace . it includes at least one filter , a panel , a top and bottom flange on the panel , and at least two brackets . the top and bottom flanges are sized to provide a support to hold the filter vertically in position when the filter is installed . at least one bracket is fixed to each respective side of the panel . each bracket has a generally z - shaped configuration such that the bracket prevents the filter from moving outwardly away from the panel or horizontally when the filter is installed . the brackets and flanges cooperate to retain at least one filter behind said panel and are spaced such that the filter can be readily installed or removed without adjusting the brackets or flanges . in another embodiment , the panel and filter assembly includes a plurality of brackets on one side of the panel and a plurality of brackets on the opposite side of the panel . in a further embodiment , the panel and filter assembly includes a single elongated bracket on each respective side of the panel . the brackets are spaced from the flanges to permit the filter to be bent slightly and inserted or removed from the panel . in another embodiment , the panel and filter assembly includes at least two filters , at least two panels , a top and bottom flange on each panel , and at least two brackets on each panel . the top and bottom flange on each panel are sized to provide a support to hold one filter vertically in position behind each panel , when the filter is installed . at least one bracket is fixed to each respective side of each panel . each bracket has a generally z - shaped configuration such that the bracket prevents the filters from moving outwardly away from the panel or horizontally when the filter is installed . the brackets and flanges cooperate to retain one filter behind each panel and being spaced such that the filter can be readily installed or removed without adjusting the brackets or flanges . in a further embodiment , the front panel assembly comprises a single elongated bracket on each respective side of each panel , the brackets being spaced from the flanges to permit the filter to be bent slightly and inserted or removed from the panel . in another embodiment , the front panel assembly comprises two panels and two filters . in a further embodiment , the panels are manufactured from an injection molding process . additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows , and in part will be obvious from the description , or may be learned by practice of the invention . the objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims . it is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention , as claimed . the accompanying drawings , which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification , illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description , serve to explain the principles of the invention . fig1 is a perspective view of a furnace embodying the present invention . fig2 is a perspective view of the rear face of the panel and filter assembly . 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 will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts . fig1 shows a furnace containing one embodiment of the present invention . the furnace 1 is of the type used in manufactured homes . the furnace 1 consists of a casing 2 with a partially open front . at its front , it includes a panel and filter assembly 3 with a filter system for delivering return air to the furnace . the furnace itself can be any one of a number of conventional furnaces used in a manufactured home , as well as future improvements of such furnaces . these furnaces require a front closure panel assembly to accept and filter return air . when the furnace 1 is installed in a manufactured home , the installer places the furnace in a closet or utility room . the furnace is installed such that the front panel is exposed . during operation , the furnace delivers air to the home by means of ductwork . the air circulates through the home and returns to the furnace through the panel and filter assembly 3 . the furnace then conditions the air and returns it to the home . fig2 is a perspective view of the rear face of one embodiment of the panel and filter assembly 3 . in this embodiment the panel assembly consists of two panels . the panel assembly , however , can include one or more panels . in the preferred embodiment , two generally z - shaped metal brackets 4 & amp ; 5 are connected to the interior face of the panels . the brackets have a top flange , a generally parallel base , and a wall connecting the two . preferably , the wall is perpendicular to the flange and the base . in this embodiment , fasteners 8 , such as push nuts , connect the brackets 4 & amp ; 5 to the molded panels . as shown , the push nuts press tightly over cylindrical embossments on the rear of the panel , thereby holding the rails in place . while this embodiment uses push nuts , other fasteners such as screws could also be used to connect the brackets to the panels . the two brackets 4 & amp ; 5 in this embodiment , in combination with a top and bottom flange 9 and 10 , cooperate to securely hold filters 6 & amp ; 7 in place directly behind each panel . the top flange of the bracket keeps the filter from moving outwardly away from the panel assembly 3 and the connecting wall of the bracket . the z - shape of the brackets 4 & amp ; 5 is closely fit to the dimensions of the filters 6 & amp ; 7 and prevents the filters 6 & amp ; 7 from sliding horizontally . the filters are prevented from sliding vertically by the flanges 9 and 10 located on both panels . as shown , in fig2 the flanges 9 and 10 preferably do not extend outwardly from the panel as far as the flange on the brackets 4 & amp ; 5 , thereby providing more space for inserting and removing a filter . as shown , the top and bottom of the brackets are spaced vertically from the flanges 9 and 10 . preferably , the brackets are spaced generally from ⅛ inch to { fraction ( 3 / 16 )} inch from the flanges 9 and 10 . this spacing allows the filter to be easily installed and removed , while still holding the filter securely in place once it is installed . the filters are made of materials that allow the filter to be bent when it is installed and then return to its original position , whereby the filter is securely held in place . in the illustrated embodiment , the brackets 4 & amp ; 5 are permanently fixed to the panel , when the panel is assembled . therefore , a person removing or installing a panel does not have to loosen or release any aspect of the panel assembly to install or remove a filter . as a result , a person can easily install or remove the filters by bending the end of the filter slightly until it clears the flanges 9 and 10 and then sliding it in or out of the space enclosed by the bracket . although in the preferred embodiment continuous brackets 4 & amp ; 5 and flanges 9 and 10 hold the filter in place , other permanent brackets could be used as guides according to the principles of the invention . other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein . it is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only , with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims .
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referring now to fig1 - 5 , a camera support in accordance with the present invention is shown at 10 . support 10 includes a mounting bracket 12 for releasable securement to a tree trunk 14 . the inner end of a boom 16 is releasably fastened to bracket 12 . the outer end of boom 16 carries a camera mount 18 to which a video camera 20 is releasably fastened . mounting bracket 12 is t - shaped having a screw 22 and a handle 24 that is affixed at its midpoint to the rearward end of screw 22 for applying torque . as shown , screw 22 is a cylindrical rod incised with one or more helical or advancing spiral threads . also , screw 22 is tapered and pointed at its forward end for the easy penetration of tree trunk 14 . handle 24 is a plain , cylindrical rod having a length that is substantially the same as that of screw 22 . screw 22 is driven into tree trunk 14 by placing its pointed end against tree trunk 14 and , then , turning it by twisting handle 24 . with handle 24 being vertically oriented , boom 16 can be readily attached to it . fig5 shows an alternate mounting bracket 26 for securing camera support 10 tree trunk 14 or a similar thing . mounting bracket 26 has a base portion 28 through which a tree - encircling belt 30 is extended . mounting bracket 26 can be secured to tree trunk 14 at any height without damaging tree trunk 14 . base portion 28 has a rectangular base plate 32 having a rigid tab 34 affixed to both the top and the front thereof . tab 34 extends downwardly toward the bottom of base plate 32 and forms a narrow slot 36 between itself and base plate 32 for receiving belt 30 . beneath tab 34 , a threaded bore 38 is provided in the bottom of base plate 32 . a tubular sleeve 40 is affixed to the front of base plate 32 to reinforce base plate 32 adjacent bore 38 and to elongate bore 38 . an l - shaped , mounting pin 42 is affixed to the front of base plate 32 between tab 34 and sleeve 40 . pin 42 has a horizontal member 44 that projects forwardly from base plate 32 beyond tab 34 and a vertical member 46 that projects upwardly from the free end of horizontal member 44 . a collar 48 is affixed to the vertical member 46 and serves as a stop for the inner end of boom 16 . a thumbscrew 50 is threadably engaged with bore 38 . belt 30 is a strip of webbing with a ratchet - type winder ( not shown ) affixed to one of its ends . belt 30 is sized for easy extension through slot 36 and has a length sufficient to extend around tree trunk 14 . by ratcheting the winder , the free end of belt 30 is reeled in to pull tight against tree trunk 14 . releasing the ratchet mechanism of the winder frees belt 30 and bracket 26 from tree trunk 14 . boom 16 has four arms 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 that are pivotally connected together . arms 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 move in such a manner that camera mount 18 can be yawed from side to side , pitched up and down and rolled , much like an airplane in flight . thus , a user of support 10 is afforded substantial freedom in the positioning of camera 20 on mount 18 while making a movie . first arm 52 includes a first bar 60 having an inner end and an outer end and a socket member 62 affixed to the inner end so as to provide first arm 52 with an l - shaped profile . socket member 62 extends downwardly from first bar 60 and is open at its bottom so as to receive one end of handle 24 therein . a threaded bore 64 penetrates socket member 62 and threadably receives a thumbscrew 66 . when tightened , thumbscrew 66 clamps the end of handle 24 in socket member 62 thereby preventing first arm 52 from pivoting on handle 24 . loosening thumbscrew 66 , however , permits a pivoting movement akin to the yaw of an airplane . remote from socket member 62 , a vertical bore 68 extends through the outer end of first bar 60 and receives therein a first bolt 70 which threadably carries a first , wing nut 72 . second arm 54 is substantially the same length as first arm 52 and is carried by first arm 52 . second arm 54 includes a second bar 74 having an outer end and an inner end . a horizontal bore 76 passes through the outer end of second bar 54 and receives therein a second bolt 78 which threadably carries a second , wing nut 80 . additionally , a vertical bore 82 passes through the inner end of second bar 74 and is adapted for registration with vertical bore 68 . bolt 70 extends through vertical bore 82 so as to releasably fasten second arm 54 to first arm 52 . tightening wing nut 72 on bolt 70 locks bars 60 and 74 together . loosening wing nut 72 , on the other hand , permits bars 60 and 74 to pivot about a vertical axis defined by bolt 70 . this pivoting action serves to yaw camera mount 18 and camera 20 carried thereby . a washer 84 positioned on first bolt 70 between bars 60 and 74 prevent bars 60 and 74 from binding when pivoted relative to one another . third arm 56 measures about one - sixth the length of first arm 52 and is carried by second arm 54 . third arm 56 includes a third bar 86 having an outer end and an inner end . a vertical bore 88 passes through the outer end of third bar 86 and receives therein a third bolt 90 which threadably carries a third , wing nut 92 . also , a horizontal bore 94 passes through the inner end of third bar 86 and is adapted for registration with horizontal bore 76 . second bolt 78 extends through horizontal bore 94 so as to releasably fasten third arm 56 to second arm 54 . tightening wing nut 80 on second bolt 78 locks bars 74 and 86 together , and loosening wing nut 80 , allows bars 74 and 86 to pivot about a horizontal axis defined by second bolt 78 . this pivoting action serves to pitch camera mount 18 , and camera 20 carried thereby , up and down . a washer 96 positioned on second bolt 78 between bars 74 and 86 prevent bars 74 and 86 from binding when pivoted relative to one another . fourth arm 58 is about one - half as long as first arm 52 and includes a fourth bar 98 having both an outer end and an inner end . camera mount 18 is affixed to the outer end of fourth bar 98 . a vertical bore 100 passes through the inner end of fourth bar 98 and is adapted for registration with vertical bore 88 in third bar 86 . third bolt 90 extends through vertical bore 100 so as to releasably fasten fourth arm 58 to third arm 56 . tightening wing nut 92 on third bolt 90 locks bars 86 and 98 together , and loosening wing nut 92 , allows bars 86 and 98 to pivot about a horizontal axis defined by third bolt 90 . this pivoting action serves to roll camera mount 18 and camera 20 . a washer 102 positioned on third bolt 90 between bars 86 and 98 prevent bars 86 and 98 from binding when pivoted relative to one another . for user comfort , a gauntlet 104 is affixed to fourth bar 98 adjacent bolt 90 . gauntlet 104 is a ring that extends around bar 98 and serves as a rest for the hand of a user which is expected to manipulate boom 16 by grasping bar 98 above gauntlet 104 and applying pushing and pulling forces to position camera 20 at a desired orientation . gauntlet 104 also prevents the hand of a user from inadvertently turning wing nut 92 . camera mount 18 comprises a flat plate 106 that is affixed atop fourth arm 58 . plate 106 is provided with a transverse slot 108 remote from fourth arm 58 through which a thumbscrew 110 passes upwardly . thumbscrew 110 is turned into an internally threaded socket ( not shown ) provided in the bottom of camera 20 to releasably secure camera 20 to mount 18 . to dampen vibrations and ensure a firm grip of mount 18 upon camera 20 , a resilient , foam rubber pad 112 is affixed to the top of plate 106 . video camera 20 is attached by mount 18 to the outer , free end of boom 16 . camera 20 is digital in type and conventional in construction . camera 20 has a lens 114 for gathering light and a microphone 116 for capturing sound . light passing through lens 114 contacts an imager ( not shown ) that converts the incident light into an electronic video signal which is delivered to a recorder ( not shown ) for storage and subsequent playback . microphone 116 is an acoustic - to - electric transducer that converts sound into an electronic signal that is delivered to the recorder for simultaneous playback with the video signal . camera 20 , of course , can be any light - gathering , optical instrument the use of camera support 10 is straightforward . first , mounting bracket 12 is placed at a suitable height adjacent tree trunk 14 and fastened thereto by turning screw 22 with handle 24 . then , socket member 62 is positioned atop one end of handle 24 and fixed there by tightening thumbscrew 66 . ( alternately , mounting bracket 26 is fastened to tree trunk 14 at a convenient height by means of belt 30 and socket member 62 is positioned on vertical member 46 of mounting pin 42 . afterward , thumbscrew 66 is tightened to snugly grip vertical member 46 .) now , camera 20 is attached to mount 18 by tightening thumbscrew 110 inserted into camera 20 . once camera 20 is energized , arms 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 can be moved about to easily , comfortably and stably point camera 20 in any direction for recording video or still images and audio . only a few minutes are required to set up support 10 . while carried by support 10 , camera 20 can be turned in any orientation . it can be yawed from side to side , pitched up and down and rolled simply by manipulating boom 16 while grasping fourth arm 58 above gauntlet 104 . if the user desires to fix the position of camera 20 on boom 16 , he need merely tighten wing nuts 72 , 80 and 92 to lock the positions of arms 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 relative to one another . loosening wing nuts 72 , 80 and 92 , of course , permits 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 to move with a desired amount of freedom . taking down support 10 requires less time than setting it up . first , camera 20 is disconnected from mount 18 by loosening thumbscrew 110 . then , support 10 is removed from tree trunk 14 by reversing the steps outlined in the previous paragraph . after arms 52 , 54 , 56 and 58 are folded upon one another , support 10 can be transported and stored in a compact state . support 10 is ready for immediate reuse . an alternate camera support 410 is illustrated in fig6 . support 410 is substantially identical to support 10 except that mounting brackets 12 and 26 used therewith are replaced by a boom arm 310 having integral mounting features described hereinbelow . these mounting features permit support 410 to be freestanding . support 410 includes a boom 416 that supports a camera mount 418 at its free end . boom 416 has five arms 310 , 452 , 454 , 456 , and 458 that are pivotally connected together and permit camera mount 418 to be yawed from side to side , pitched up and down and rolled . a user of support 410 , like support 10 , is afforded substantial freedom in the positioning of camera 420 on mount 418 . auxiliary arm 310 has an auxiliary bar 312 with an inner end and an outer end . a crossbar 314 is affixed at its midpoint to the inner end of auxiliary bar 312 . the outer ends of two , ground - penetrating spikes 316 are affixed to crossbar 314 in a spaced apart relationship and provide auxiliary arm 312 with a configuration of a fork with spikes 316 serving as tines and bar 312 acting like a handle . remote from crossbar 314 , a horizontal bore 318 extends through the outer end of auxiliary bar 312 and receives therein an auxiliary bolt 320 which threadably carries an auxiliary , wing nut 322 . first arm 452 is substantially the same length as auxiliary arm 310 and is carried by auxiliary arm 310 . first arm 310 includes a first bar 460 having an inner end and an outer end . a vertical bore 468 extends through the outer end of first bar 460 and receives therein a first bolt 470 which threadably carries a first , wing nut 472 . a horizontal bore 476 passes through the inner end of first bar 460 and is adapted for registration with horizontal bore 318 in auxiliary bar 312 . bolt 320 extends through horizontal bore 476 so as to releasably fasten first arm 452 to auxiliary arm 310 . tightening wing nut 322 on bolt 320 locks bars 312 and 460 together . loosening nut 322 , however , permits bars 312 and 460 to pivot about a vertical axis defined by bolt 320 . this pivoting action serves to pitch up and down camera mount 418 and camera 420 carried thereby . a washer 324 positioned on first bolt 320 between bars 312 and 460 prevents bars 312 and 460 from binding when pivoted relative to one another . second arm 454 is substantially the same length as first arm 452 and is carried by first arm 452 . second arm 454 includes a second bar 474 having an outer end and an inner end . a horizontal bore 476 passes through the outer end of second bar 474 and receives therein a second bolt 478 which threadably carries a second , wing nut 480 . additionally , a vertical bore 482 passes through the inner end of second bar 474 and is adapted for registration with vertical bore 468 in first bar 460 . bolt 470 extends through vertical bore 482 so as to releasably fasten second arm 454 to first arm 452 . tightening wing nut 472 on bolt 470 locks bars 460 and 474 together . loosening wing nut 472 , however , permits bars 460 and 474 to pivot about a vertical axis defined by bolt 470 . this pivoting action serves to yaw camera mount 418 and camera 420 carried thereby . a washer 484 positioned on first bolt 470 between bars 460 and 474 prevent bars 460 and 474 from binding when pivoted relative to one another . third arm 456 measures about one - sixth the length of first arm 452 and is carried by second arm 454 . third arm 456 includes a third bar 486 having an outer end and an inner end . a vertical bore 488 passes through the outer end of third bar 486 and receives therein a third bolt 490 which threadably carries a third , wing nut 492 . also , a horizontal bore 494 passes through the inner end of third bar 486 and is adapted for registration with horizontal bore 476 in second bar 474 . second bolt 478 extends through horizontal bore 494 so as to releasably fasten third arm 456 to second arm 454 . tightening wing nut 480 on second bolt 478 locks bars 474 and 486 together , and loosening wing nut 480 , allows bars 474 and 486 to pivot about a horizontal axis defined by second bolt 478 . this pivoting action serves to pitch camera mount 418 , and camera 420 carried thereby , up and down . a washer 496 positioned on second bolt 478 between bars 474 and 486 prevent bars 474 and 486 from binding when pivoted relative to one another . fourth arm 458 has a length that is about one half that of first arm 452 and includes a fourth bar 498 having both an outer end and an inner end . camera mount 418 is affixed to the outer end of fourth bar 498 . a vertical bore 500 passes through the inner end of fourth bar 498 and is adapted for registration with vertical bore 488 in third bar 486 . third bolt 490 extends through horizontal bore 500 so as to releasably fasten fourth arm 458 to third arm 456 . tightening wing nut 492 on third bolt 490 locks bars 486 and 498 together , and loosening wing nut 492 , allows bars 486 and 498 to pivot about a horizontal axis defined by third bolt 490 . this pivoting action serves to roll camera mount 418 and camera 420 . a washer 502 positioned on third bolt 490 between bars 486 and 498 prevents bars 486 and 490 from binding when pivoted relative to one another . the use of camera support 410 is straightforward . first , auxiliary arm 310 is positioned at a desired spot on the ground and spikes 316 are driven into the earth by stepping on crossbar 314 . next , arms 452 , 454 , 456 and 458 are sequentially elevated above auxiliary arm 310 and secured in place by tightening wing nuts 322 , 472 , 480 and 492 . then , camera 420 is attached to mount 418 . once camera 420 is energized , arms 452 , 454 , 456 and 458 are moved about to easily , comfortably and stably point camera 420 in any direction for recording video or still images and audio . only a few minutes are required to set up support 410 . while carried by support 410 , camera 420 can be turned in any orientation . it can be yawed from side to side , pitched up and down and rolled simply by manipulating boom 416 while grasping fourth arm 458 . if the user desires to fix the position of camera 420 on boom 416 , he need merely tighten wing nuts 322 , 472 , 480 and 492 to lock the positions of arms 452 , 454 , 456 and 458 . loosening wing nuts 322 , 472 , 480 and 492 permits arms 452 , 454 , 456 and 458 to move with a desired amount of freedom . taking down support 410 requires minimal time . first , camera 420 is disconnected from mount 418 . then , support 410 is disengaged from the ground by reversing the steps outlined in the previous paragraph . after arms 310 , 452 , 454 , 456 and 458 are folded upon one another , support 410 can be transported and stored in a compact state . support 410 is ready for immediate reuse . while camera supports 10 and 410 have been described with a high degree of particularity , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the field that modifications can be made to them . for example , the lengths and numbers of the arms forming booms 16 and 416 can be varied as a matter of design choice . making arms 56 and 58 longer , however , might be make support 10 cumbersome to use since pitching and rolling movements of camera 20 must take place within a comfortable range of heights within the reach of a user . also , the various orientations of the bores and bolts that permit the pitching , yawing and rolling movements of mounting plates 18 and 418 can also be varied in accordance with the needs of a user . of course , any number of spikes 316 can be used to attach support 410 to the ground with greater numbers offering greater stability and fewer numbers providing lightness . therefore , it is to be understood that my invention is not limited merely to camera supports 10 and 410 , but encompasses any and all camera supports within the scope of the following claims .
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the following description of the preferred embodiment is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention , its application , or uses . fig1 depicts an exemplary motor vehicle 10 having a seat 12 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention . seat 12 includes a head restraint assembly 14 , a seat back 16 and a seat bottom 18 . seat back 16 is pivotally coupled to seat bottom 18 . head restraint assembly 14 is adjustably coupled to seat back 16 such that the head restraint assembly may be vertically positioned relative to the seat back depending on the physical characteristics of the vehicle occupant . it should be appreciated that the “ 2 - way ” adjustable embodiment shown is merely exemplary and that the head restraint assembly of the present invention may be used in conjunction with a “ 4 - way ” adjustable seat and head restraint assembly without departing from the scope of the present invention . fig2 - 4 depict seat back 16 including a frame 20 , bushings 22 and end caps 24 . frame 20 includes a pair of side rails 26 interconnected by a top rail 28 . top rail 28 includes a pair of apertures 30 extending therethrough . bushings 22 are positioned within apertures 30 . each bushing 22 includes a tubular segment 32 having a flange 34 positioned at one end . tubular segments 32 extend through top rail 28 . each flange 34 abuts an upper surface 36 of top rail 28 when bushings 22 are mounted to frame 20 . end caps 24 are coupled to bushings 22 and provide an aesthetically pleasing cover for the bushings . one of the end caps 24 includes a locking mechanism with a release lever 38 extending therefrom . the locking mechanism normally engages a portion of the head restraint assembly 14 to maintain the vertical position of the head restraint assembly relative to the seat back . if adjustment of the vertical height of the head restraint assembly relative to the seat back is desired , the vehicle occupant operates release lever 38 to disengage the locking mechanism and allow movement of head restraint assembly 14 relative to seat back 16 . head restraint assembly 14 includes a head restraint post 40 , a support member 42 and a pad 44 . head restraint post 40 is preferably constructed from a metal tube or rod bent to resemble the shape shown in the figures . head restraint post 40 includes a pair of substantially parallel , vertically oriented leg portions 46 interconnected by a substantially horizontally oriented crossbar portion 48 . each leg portion 46 includes a seat back engaging section 50 , a pad engaging section 52 and a transitional section 54 interconnecting seat back engaging section 50 and pad engaging section 52 . support member 42 is preferably an injection molded plastic component . however , support member 42 may be constructed from sheet steel , aluminum or any other suitable structural material . support member 42 includes an arcuate wall 56 bounded by end walls 58 . arcuate wall 56 and end walls 58 define a generally hollow shell 60 . inner clips 62 are integrally formed with and extend from an inner surface 64 of arcuate wall 56 . ribs 65 provide structural support for inner clips 62 along inner surface 64 . each inner clip 62 includes an inner arcuate surface 66 engaging crossbar portion 48 of head restraint post 40 . inner arcuate surface 66 defines an arc length greater than 180 degrees . accordingly , inner clips 62 are snap - fit to crossbar portion 48 to retain support member 42 to head restraint post 40 . outer clips are formed integral with and adjacent to end walls 58 of support member 42 . each outer clip 68 includes an arcuate wall 70 having a slot 72 extending therethrough . each wall 70 includes an inner surface 74 engaging a leg portion 46 of head restraint post 40 . inner surface 74 defines an arc length greater than 180 degrees to assist in retaining support member 42 to head restraint post 40 . arcuate wall 56 of support member 42 includes an outer convex surface 76 . outer convex surface 76 defines a radius in the range of 10 to 60 millimeters . this radius range has been shown to be beneficial in distributing load imparted to head restraint assembly 14 by a vehicle occupant &# 39 ; s head during a rear impact collision . a radius of 50 mm may be preferable . as was mentioned earlier , it is highly desirable to limit the maximum neck deflection of a vehicle occupant during a rear impact collision . by sizing convex surface 76 as previously described , the maximum deflection of the vehicle occupant &# 39 ; s neck is reduced . pad 44 is preferably constructed from a urethane foam of a type typically used to make head restraint pads . pad 44 encompasses support member 42 to provide an aesthetically pleasing and comfortable surface for supporting the vehicle occupant &# 39 ; s head . pad 44 may be separately molded and slit to accept support member 42 or may be directly injection molded over support member 42 and the uppermost section of head restraint post 40 . a fabric cover 78 encloses pad 44 . pad 44 is sized and shaped to minimize the deflection of the vehicle occupant &# 39 ; s neck during a rear end collision . specifically , head restraint pad 44 includes an outer convex surface 80 spaced apart from outer convex surface 76 of support member 42 . outer convex surface 80 defines a radius sized to conform to the geometry of the posterior side of an occupant &# 39 ; s head and neck . a thickness 82 of pad 44 located between outer convex surface 80 and outer convex surface 76 is defined to be in the range of 20 to 60 millimeters . this range of thickness assures that a vehicle occupant &# 39 ; s head is sufficiently cushioned during the collision while at the same time assuring that load is transferred to support member 42 to resist further neck deflection of the vehicle occupant . fig5 and 6 depict the angular relation of a vehicle occupant &# 39 ; s head to its torso before and during a rear impact collision . specifically , angle a of fig5 exists when the occupant is traveling in a vehicle under “ normal ” conditions . fig6 shows the change in head to torso orientation as increased angle b . because support member 42 effectively reduces thickness 82 of pad 44 , the maximum neck - deflection is reduced . furthermore , because support member 42 includes specifically sized outer convex surface 76 , the magnitude of load imparted to the posterior side of the vehicle occupant &# 39 ; s head is maintained within reasonable limits . additionally , the amount of foam between the vehicle occupant &# 39 ; s head and the support structure has been reduced by the present invention to store less energy within the foam during the rear impact event . as such , the tendency of the compressed foam to fling the vehicle occupant &# 39 ; s head forward after the rear impact event is reduced . fig7 depicts an alternate embodiment seat 84 . alternate embodiment seat 84 is substantially similar to seat 12 . accordingly , like elements will maintain the previously introduced reference numerals . seat 84 includes a head restraint post 86 including a pair of substantially parallel leg portions 88 interconnected by a crossbar portion 90 . crossbar portion 90 follows a serpentine shape having two peaks 92 interconnected by a trough 94 . it should be appreciated that inner clips 62 of support member 42 are spaced apart to engage peaks 92 of head restraint post 86 or the corresponding locations of the crossbar portion 48 of head restraint post 40 . by constructing support member 42 in this manner , a single support member may be used in seats utilizing either embodiment head restraint post . furthermore , the foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention . one skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion , and from the accompanying drawings and claims , that various changes , modifications and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims . for example , head restraint post 40 may be formed from alternate materials such as aluminum , magnesium , plastic or any number of structural materials . additionally , the head restraint post need not be formed as a unitary tubular structure , but may include rectangular cross - sectional portions , flanges and additional support brackets as deemed necessary without departing from the scope of the present invention .
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although detailed illustrative embodiments are disclosed herein , other suitable structures for practicing the invention may be employed and will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art . consequently , specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are representative only ; they merely describe exemplary embodiments of the invention . turning to fig1 a preferred embodiment of a dust cover 10 provided in accordance with practice of the present invention is illustrated . the structural features of the dust cover 10 that comprise an assembly for enabling the attachment of a preformed lanyard , include a flange 12 , a groove 14 adjacent the flange and a slot 16 through the flange . the slot 16 forms an angle 18 , which is defined relative to the centerline of the dust cover 10 . in one preferred embodiment , the attachment assembly portion of the dust cover is manufactured by lathing a round rod of aluminum . the lathe turns down the diameter of the rod to create the flange 12 and the groove 14 and then a milling machine is used to create the slot 16 . anodizing the aluminum rod completes the manufacturing process . however , other methods of construction that result in the creation of a groove and a flange with a slot in it can also be used . turning now to fig2 a in addition to fig1 there is shown a lanyard 20 with a preformed loop 22 which can be attached to the dust cover 10 by means of the attachment assembly . the lanyard 20 is typically constructed from a flexible nylon covered wire formed into a loop using a crimping sleeve 24 . however , preformed plastic lanyards can also be used . turning now to fig2 b , an embodiment of a plastic lanyard 20 ′ provided in accordance with practice of the present invention comprising a preformed loop 22 ′ is illustrated . referring back to fig1 the external surface of the dust cover 10 is preferably cylindrical , however , any shape is appropriate . the flange 12 is preferably a disk at one end of the dust cover possessing a diameter larger than the inside diameter of the preformed loop 22 . however , the flange 12 can be any shape so long as the combination of the flange shape and size prevents the removal of the lanyard 20 without the use of the attachment assembly once it has been attached to the dust cover . the groove 14 is preferably a circular groove around the dust cover comprising a hub with a diameter “ d ” located adjacent the flange 12 . however , the groove 14 can be any shape so long as its shape can be contained within the preformed loop 22 . the groove 14 is constructed so that the hub diameter “ d ” is less than the internal diameter of the preformed loop 22 , when it is substantially formed as a circle as shown by the imaginary line 26 in fig2 a . turning now to fig3 a - 3 d , a process provided in accordance with practice of the present invention for attaching the preformed loop 22 to the dust cover 10 is illustrated . a portion of the preformed loop 22 is placed in the slot 16 . the dust cover 10 and the preformed loop 22 are then rotated relative to each other and the motion of rotation guides the preformed loop 22 into the groove 14 . the direction of rotation required to attach the preformed loop 22 is as shown in fig3 a - 3 d . referring now to fig3 c and 3 d , when a single rotation is almost complete , the majority of the preformed loop 22 has been guided into the groove 14 and a small segment remains outside of the groove 14 . as the rotation completes , the portion of the preformed loop 22 remaining outside of the groove 14 disengages from the slot 16 and proceeds into the groove , so that the entire preformed loop 22 is inside the groove 14 . in embodiments that use flexible nylon coated wire lanyards , the preformed loop 22 disengages from the slot 16 and proceeds into the groove 14 because the crimping sleeve creates a loop that is not exactly circular . in embodiments utilizing plastic lanyards , such as the lanyard shown in fig2 b with circular preformed loops 22 , the elastic properties of the plastic enable the preformed loop 22 to disengage from the slot 16 and proceed into the groove 14 . the preformed loop 22 can be detached by performing the above process in reverse . due to the fact that the preformed loop 22 must be placed in the slot 16 for detachment to occur , the attachment assembly can be designed to virtually eliminate the possibility that the preformed loop 22 will detach during the regular usage of the dust cover 10 . referring again to fig1 and fig2 a in addition to fig3 a - 3 d , the ability to attach the preformed loop 22 to the dust cover 10 using the dust cover attachment assembly of the present invention is dependent on the angle 18 of the slot 16 relative to the dust cover center line , the width of the slot 16 ( shown as “ s ” in fig1 ), the internal diameter of the preformed loop 22 when it is substantially formed as a circle as shown by the imaginary line 26 of fig2 a , the diameter of the flange 12 ( shown as “ d ” in fig1 ), the width of the flange 12 ( shown as “ f ” in fig1 ), the hub diameter “ d ” of the groove 14 , the width of the groove 14 ( shown as “ g ” in fig1 ) and the materials used to construct the dust cover 10 and the lanyard 20 . in one preferred embodiment of the dust cover 10 , it is constructed from anodized aluminum and the preformed loop 22 and lanyard 20 are constructed using nylon coated wire . the angle of the slot 18 is 45 °, the width “ s ” of the slot is 0 . 065 in , the internal diameter of the preformed loop 22 of the lanyard 22 is 1 . 0 in , when it is substantially formed as a circle as shown by the imaginary line 26 of fig2 a , the diameter “ d ” of the flange 12 is 1 . 2 in , the width “ f ” of the flange 12 is 0 . 08 in and the hub diameter “ d ” of the groove 14 is 0 . 99 in . turning now to fig4 a and 4 b , in one embodiment of the dust cover 10 of the present invention , the slot 16 has an outside leading edge 30 , an inside leading edge 32 , an outside trailing edge 34 and an inside trailing edge 36 . the outside leading edge 30 and inside trailing edge 36 are rounded . referring again to fig1 and 3 a - 3 d in addition to fig4 a and 4 b , decreasing the angle 18 of the slot 16 causes the preformed loop 22 of the lanyard 20 to catch against the outside leading edge 30 and the inside trailing edge 36 of the slot as the lanyard is being guided into groove 14 . catching of the preformed loop 22 of the lanyard 20 against the edges of the slot 16 can be alleviated by reducing the width “ f ” of the flange 12 , increasing the width “ g ” of the groove 14 or decreasing the friction between the attachment assembly and the preformed loop 22 . increasing the angle of the slot 18 increases the ease with which the preformed loop 22 can be attached to the dust cover 10 using the dust cover attachment assembly provided in accordance with practice of the present invention . however , two problems result when the angle 18 is increased . the first is that the outside leading edge 30 and the inside trailing edge 36 of the slot 16 can cut into the preformed loop 22 as it is being attached to the dust cover 10 , causing the loop 22 to break . a closer inspection of fig4 b reveals that the outside leading edge 30 and inside trailing edge 36 of the slot 16 are rounded to prevent breakage from occurring . the extent of the required rounding increases as the angle 18 of the of the slot 16 increases . the second problem that arises from increasing the angle and thus increasing rounding is that the rounding increases the width “ s ” of the slot 16 at its opening into the groove 14 . increasing the width “ s ” of the slot 16 opening increases the likelihood that the preformed loop 22 will inadvertently detach from the dust cover 10 , because the greater the slot width “ s ” the more likely a portion of the preformed loop 22 of the lanyard 20 will enter the slot . once the preformed loop 22 has entered the slot 22 , then rotation of the preformed loop relative to the attachment assembly can result in the detachment of the preformed loop from the attachment assembly . for example , the preformed loop 22 can inadvertently detach if a portion of the preformed loop proceeds into the slot 16 and then the preformed loop is rotated relative to the dust cover 10 in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation shown in fig3 a - 3 d causes the loop to slide through the slot and off the attachment assembly . the minimum width “ s ” of the slot 16 is constrained by the width of the material used to construct the lanyard 20 . when the slot angle 18 is large , unwanted detachment can be avoided by increasing the friction between the preformed loop 22 and the attachment assembly . increasing the friction has the effect of requiring a greater force be used to detach the preformed loop 22 and reduces the likelihood of use of the dust cover 10 resulting in detachment of the preformed loop from the attachment assembly . in alternative embodiments of the dust cover constructed from the same materials and with the same dimensions as the embodiment described above , acceptable performance was achieved for slot angles 18 in the range of 30 ° to 60 °. other factors that influence the ease with which the attachment assembly enables the preformed loop 22 of a lanyard 20 to be attached to or detached from the dust cover 10 include the hub diameter “ d ” of the groove 14 and the internal diameter of the preformed loop 22 . increasing the hub diameter “ d ” of groove 14 has the effect of requiring more force to attach and detach the preformed loop 22 using the attachment assembly of the dust cover . conversely , increasing the internal diameter of the preformed loop 22 has the effect of requiring less force to attach and detach the preformed loop 22 of the lanyard 20 using the attachment assembly . in an alternative embodiment of the dust cover in accordance with practice of the present invention , the plastic lanyard 20 ′ of fig2 b is attached to the dust cover using the attachment assembly . the material used to construct the plastic lanyard 22 is chosen such that it has a flexural modulus large enough to enable the preformed loop 22 to be deformed to lift out of the slot 16 during attachment , but small enough to prevent the preformed loop 22 from detaching from the dust cover 10 without proceeding through the slot 16 of the attachment assembly . for the preferred embodiment of the dust cover 10 described above , a lanyard 20 ′ with a circular preformed loop 22 ′ constructed from a material having a flexural modulus in the range of 330 - 420 kilo pounds per square inch (“ kpsi ”) can be used , such as an injection molded lanyard constructed from engineering grade nylon 6 / 6 , which has a flexural modulus of 380 kpsi . plastics with a flexural modulus lower than 330 kpsi can be used . however , a plastic lanyard constructed from a material with a flexural modulus lower than 330 kpsi and a circular preformed loop 22 cannot be used in combination with the dust cover 10 described above because the preformed loop could not be deformed to lift out of the slot 16 during attachment . a plastic lanyard constructed from a material with a flexural modulus lower than 330 kpsi and constructed to have a non - circular shape similar to the shape of the preformed loop of the flexible lanyard shown as 22 in fig2 a can be used in combination with the dust cover 10 described above , because the irregular shape enables the preformed loop to lift out of the slot during attachment . although the embodiments recited above relate to the attachment of a preformed loop to a dust cover , the methods and techniques described above are equally adaptable to the attachment of a preformed loop to any structure having a groove and a flange with a slot in it . in other embodiments , the attachment assembly can be used to attach preformed loops to a wide variety of objects including covers for containers , computers , luggage , merchandise , clothing , shoes , buildings , seagoing vessels or any other object that requires the attachment of a lanyard . while the above description contains many specific features of the invention , these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention , but rather as an example of one preferred embodiment thereof . many other variations are possible . accordingly , the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated , but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents .
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this invention relates to nesting blocks for bees and more particular , a nesting block for the leaf cutter bee . in areas where alfalfa and other crops are grown , it is known that pollination greatly improves the yield . honey bees , wasps , and other insects have been found to pollinate crops , but it is the leaf cutter bee which is one of the superior pollinaters . unfortunately , the leaf cutter bee does not fly far from its nesting site . as such , it is necessary to bring the nesting site closer to the areas to be pollinated . in nature , the leaf cutter bee finds a crevice or hole in a tree or log and lays its eggs therein , sealing the opening of the hole with a small piece of cut leaf . the cut leaf discourages other leaf cutter bees from entering and laying eggs in the same hole , and also prevents parasites and other intruders from entering the hole . it is known in the art to simulate the natural nesting habitat of the leaf - cutter bee by using a block of wood with holes bored therein as an artificial nesting site . these nest blocks , once filled with eggs , are moved into the fields where pollination is required . once the young bees hatch they restrict their area of pollination and travel to the new nesting site . the wooden blocks are expensive to produce , heavy , and difficult to clean . a multiplicity of thin wooden boards having parallel grooves on one face from edge to edge have also been used . such a device is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 936 , 894 . this device allows the larvae to be viewed and the nesting holes to be cleaned . a disposable type of nesting device has also been used . it is cheaper , more economical , and easier to handle . boards similar to those described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 936 , 894 are made of expanded polystyrene beads and placed together . finally the inventor of the present invention made and used a one piece nesting block constructed out of expanded polystyrene beads , with a plurality of holes molded therein . it has been found , however , that there is not a sufficient amount of permeability of moisture travel through the expanded polystyrene block , and that mold and other damage occurs with loss of the larvae . it is therefore an object of the present invention to construct a one piece nesting block with the desired characteristics of both environmental water dissipation and permeability of air and moisture through the construction . it has now been discovered that a mixture of vermiculite and expanded polystyrene beads offers the desirable properties . therefore , this invention provides for a one piece molded nesting block for leaf cutter bees comprising a mixture of at least one permeable substance and expanded polystyrene beads , including a plurality of bore holes formed therethrough , said bore holes being of sufficient diameter for a leaf cutter bee to pass therein . in another embodiment of the invention , one end of a certain number of said bore holes are molded closed such that in operation when a backing sheet is applied to one side of said nesting block said molded closed holes are inaccessible to bees . in a preferred embodiment , a rectangular nesting block is formed from a mixture of vermiculite and expanded polystyrene beads . the vermiculite portion of the mixture is from 5 to 30 %, preferably 10 %. the block is molded with 2 to 4 bore holes in each square inch of area . the holes are of sufficient size for a leaf cutter bee to pass therethrough ( approximately 1 / 4 inch in diameter ). the holes continue through the entire thickness of the rectangular block , which is approximately 3 inches . in operation , a porous backing sheet , such as paper or adhesive or screen , is placed on one side of the block so that the holes are accessible by the bees from one side only . the blocks are placed in the field near an existing nesting area of leaf cutter bees and after eggs are layed therein , the blocks are removed from the field and placed in over winter storage . the vermiculite mixture in the blocks allows air and some moisture to permeate throughout the block , thereby preventing mold from forming around the eggs or larvae . the invention is more fully described in conjunction with the following drawings , wherein : fig1 is a perspective view of a nesting block of the present invention ; fig3 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention ; and in fig1 a nesting block 1 is comprised of eps beads 2 and vermiculite 3 . bore holes 4 pass directly through the entire thickness of the nesting block 1 . in fig2 the holes 4 are shown passing through the entire thickness of the nesting block 1 . in fig3 a number of the holes 4a are molded shut on side 7 . in fig4 an adhesive , porous , or other satisfactory backing sheet 5 is applied to the nesting block on one side 6 when the block is placed in the field in operation . when the backing sheet 5 is applied to this nest block , holes 4a are inaccessible to the bees while holes 4 are accessible only from side 7 . because of the vermiculite 3 within the block , moisture and air can travel throughout the block and the closed holes allow for greater permeability .
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referring now to fig1 - 3 of the drawings in general , there is shown the type of new and improved paperboard tray shown generally by the numeral 10 of the type for which the applicant &# 39 ; s machine is designed to set up . the tray 10 comprises a bottom panel 12 having front and rear end panels 14 and 16 hingedly attached to side panels 18 and 20 and to the bottom panel 12 . folded corner gusset panels 22 and 24 are hingedly attached to each side and end panel as is known in the art and one of the gusset panels 22 has formed thereon corner flap 26 which is hingedly attached to the gusset panel 22 by means of the score line 28 . an upwardly turned top flap 30 is hingedly attached to the front end panel 14 and the rear end panel 16 by means of the score line 28 and is designed to seal against a top lid which later is placed over the erected tray to prevent the product from slopping over the front or rear of the tray . the remaining dashed lines shown in fig2 of the drawing indicate score lines as is known in the art and are used to allow the production blank shown generally by the numeral 32 to be easily folded to the desired position . by referring to fig2 and 3 in combination with fig1 it can be readily seen how each of the various panels and flaps are folded to provide the erected carton shown in fig1 of the drawing . the applicant &# 39 ; s new and improved tray forming machine is then directed to forming the tray in the manner shown in fig1 through the various forming stations which will hereinafter be described . referring now to fig4 of the drawing , there is shown a diagrammatic of the applicant &# 39 ; s new and improved tray forming machine showing the steps through which the various panels and flaps are folded in the erection of the carton . a plurality of paperboard blanks 32 are removed from a feeder hopper and are positioned over a plurality of endless traveling mandrels which are fixedly attached to an endless conveyor 34 . in the first step in the erection sequence on the applicant &# 39 ; s machine , the front end panel 14 is folded downwardly from the bottom panel 12 . thereafter in the second step , the rear end panel 16 is folded downwardly in a manner similar to the folding of the front end panel 14 . the third step in the folding sequence is to influence the gusset panels 22 and 24 on the front of the carton in proximity to the front end panel 14 so that they assume their proper inwardly folded position inwardly of the folded tray . the fourth step in the folding sequence then is to influence the rear gusset panels 22 and 24 in proximity to the rear end panels 16 in a manner similar to the manner previously obtained in influencing the front gusset panels . in the fifth step of the applicant &# 39 ; s new and novel tray forming machine , the side panels 18 and 20 are then folded downwardly so that the carton at this position in the machine appears in a downwardly positioned open rectangular configuration having four corner flaps 26 facing downwardly in the direction of the endless conveyor 34 . in the sixth step , a pre - determined quantity of adhesive is sprayed on the front portion of the side panels 18 and 20 by means of adhesive guns 36 positioned on each side of the traveling tray . in the seventh step , a pair of plows 38 , positioned on each side of the front end panel 14 , are used to plow the corner flaps 26 upwardly and outwardly in the direction shown by the arrow 40 . in the eighth step , a pre - determined quantity of adhesive is applied to the rear corner flaps 26 by means of the adhesive guns 36 and in the ninth step the plows 38 are used to position the rear corner flaps 26 upwardly and outwardly as shown by the arrow direction 42 . during the application of the adhesive by means of the adhesive guns 36 and the plowing of the corner flaps 26 by means of the plows 38 , an endless conveyor belt is utilized to hold the previously positioned corner flaps 26 in their glued position until the adhesive sets . this is shown diagrammatically in fig4 by the use of the arrow 44 representing an inward force applied by the endless conveyor which will be described hereinafter to hold the corner flaps 26 against the previously applied adhesive . during the travel of the production blank 32 through the applicant &# 39 ; s new and improved machine , the endless coveyor 34 will be traveling in the direction shown by the arrow 46 . it will be understood that the steps 1 - 11 referenced herein when referring to fig4 all take place on top of the conveyor 34 and it should be understood that several of the steps are combined in one area of the machine which will be shown hereinafter when referring to later figures of the drawings . the diagrammatic reference of fig4 is shown for purposes of clarity in order to understand how the various panels and flaps are folded and glued in order to more fully understand the applicant &# 39 ; s new and novel machine . referring back to fig4 in the tenth step the front top flap 30 is pre - broken inwardly as will be described more fully hereinafter and is positioned in the direction shown by the arrow 48 while in the eleventh step the rear top flap 30 is pre - broken inwardly in the direction shown by the arrow 50 . thereafter the entire carton is now in a position to have its direction reversed 180 ° as shown by the arrow 52 whereupon it now travels in the reverse direction shown by the arrow 54 when it is released from the beforedescribed mandrel . in the twelfth step the carton is dropped onto a second in - line conveyor 56 which carries the package to the food filling section of the customer &# 39 ; s food line . while on the conveyor 56 , the front and rear top flaps 30 are pre - broken by a second means and positioned inwardly as shown by the arrow direction 58 and 60 to a pre - determined angle internally of the tray . referring now to fig5 of the drawings , there is shown in greater detail , by means of a cross sectional view , the applicant &# 39 ; s new and novel machine showing the various steps hereindescribed . it should be noted in fig5 that the cross sectional view taken through the applicant &# 39 ; s machine is shown in the reverse direction than that shown in the diagrammatic of fig4 and this is done for purposes of clarity in order to try to visually understand where each of the parts of the machine fit together and how they inter - relate to each other so that later on when looking in still greater detail at the applicant &# 39 ; s machine , the various steps and parts will not be confused in the reader &# 39 ; s mind . as has been beforementioned , a hopper 62 is mounted on a frame 64 for containing a plurality of production blanks 32 . the production blanks 32 are withdrawn from the bottom of the hopper by means of a suction cup 66 attached to an arm 68 and to the arms 70 and 72 by means known in the art . a segmental drive wheel 74 is positioned above a circular drive wheel 76 to catch the paperboard blank as it is removed from the hopper 62 . the segmental drive 74 is rotating in the direction shown by the arrow 78 while the circular drive wheel 76 is rotating in the direction shown by the arrow 80 to force the production blank 32 downwardly across the tray 82 onto the endless conveyor 34 having positioned thereupon a plurality of mandrels 84 as has been beforedescribed . the feeding hopper 62 and its feeding mechanism hereinbefore described is of the type known in the prior art and is utilized in combination with the other features of the applicant &# 39 ; s invention to form the applicant &# 39 ; s complete machine . a pair of guide rolls 86 and 88 guide and drive the paperboard blank 32 onto the mandrels 84 as will be seen more clearly in fig6 of the drawing . it can be seen also in fig5 of the drawing how the second in - line conveyor 56 is positioned below the applicant &# 39 ; s tray forming machine and is designed to rotate in the direction shown by the arrow 90 so as to be in position to receive the set up and glued production blank as it is removed from the mandrels 84 which will be described more fully hereinafter when referring to fig1 and 13 of the drawings . it can also be seen more clearly in fig5 how the thirteenth step of the applicant &# 39 ; s folding sequence is accomplished wherein the front and rear top flaps 30 are pre - broken by the pre - breaking means shown generally by the numeral 92 which is designed to move upwardly and downwardly as shown by the arrow direction 94 . there can also be seen in fig5 how the adhesive tank 96 would be positioned on the one end of the applicant &# 39 ; s tray forming machine so that the adhesive hose 98 would be able to be easily positioned in the proper position for applying adhesive to the corner flaps 26 . referring now to fig6 of the drawing , there is shown the first and second steps in the folding process for the paperboard tray . the production blank 32 is moving in the direction shown by the arrow 46 having been removed from the hopper 62 as has been beforementioned and has been positioned on top of the mandrel 84 . therefore , the first means for folding the front panel downward over the mandrel comprises a rotating rectangular bar 100 which is fixedly attached to the shaft 102 and to a means for rotating the shaft not shown in the drawing . as the production blank 32 passes underneath the rotating rectangular bar 100 the rear end panel 16 is folded downwardly over the mandrel 84 by means of the second folding means in the form of another rotating rectangular bar 104 fixedly attached to the shaft 106 . the shaft 106 is also attached to a means for rotating the shaft not shown in the drawing and is timed to the rotation of the shaft 102 as well as to the movement of the mandrel 84 by means of the conveyor 34 as is known in the art of mechanical timing . the shafts 102 and 106 are also carried by the frame 64 in bearings of the type known in the art also . when the front and rear end panels 14 and 16 were folded downwardly by the rotating rectangular bars 100 and 104 , a spring loaded plate 116 and 118 are used to retain the front and rear end panels 14 and 16 in their vertically downward position . the plates 116 and 118 are fixedly attached to a horizontal frame 120 and 122 which are also attached to a horizontal bar 124 and 126 . the horizontal bars 124 and 126 are fixedly attached to the endless conveyor chain 34 by means well known in the art and not shown in the drawings . by referring now to fig6 and 7 , there can be seen the third step in the folding of the paperboard production blank 32 wherein a first pair of gusset influencers , in the form of rotating fingers 108 and 110 , are used . the gusset influencers 108 and 110 are fixedly mounted to the shaft 112 to rotate in the direction shown by the arrow 114 . the purpose of the rotating finger gusset influencers 108 and 110 is to influence or partially fold the front gusset corner panels 22 and 24 inwardly so that the side panels 18 and 20 may be next positioned downwardly by the next step in the machine process . when the rotating fingers 108 and 110 influence the gussets 22 and 24 , it will become apparent that the side panels 18 and 20 will partially be turned downwardly and a pair of channels 128 and 130 are then utilized to hold the side panels 18 and 20 in their partially downwardly turned position . the side channels 128 and 130 are fixedly attached to the frame 64 by means known in the art and not shown in the drawing . referring now to fig8 of the drawing , there is shown the fourth and fifth step in the folding process whereby a second pair of gusset influencers , in the form of a pair of rotating fingers 132 and 134 , are fixedly attached to the shaft 136 and are used to influence the rear gusset corner panels 22 and 24 to position them inwardly as shown so that the side panels 18 and 20 may be folded downwardly in the next step . as has been beforementioned , it can be seen in fig8 how the spring loaded plate 118 attached to the frame 122 is used to hold the previously positioned rear end panel 16 in its vertically downward position . in the fifth step of folding the production blank 32 into the erected tray , it can be seen how a pair of vertically positioned circular segmental plates 138 and 140 , which are also fixedly attached to the shaft 102 , are then used to complete the downward folding of the side panels 18 and 20 to the position shown in fig8 . the circular segmental plates 138 and 140 are positioned adjacent to a pair of circular plates 142 and 144 which are fixedly attached to the shaft 102 . a threaded stud 146 , shown in fig6 is positioned in a arcuate slot 150 and is tightly held in position by a threaded nut 148 . in this manner , it can be seen how the circular segmental plates 138 and 140 may be rotated through the length of the arcuate slot 150 in order to properly time the circular segmental plates 138 and 140 moving downwardly and folding the side panels 18 and 20 into their vertical position . referring to fig9 of the drawing , there can be seen the steps 6 through 9 which consist generally of the application of hot melt to the side panels 18 and 20 and the folding of the corner flaps 26 over the side panels 18 and 20 onto the previously applied hot melt . a hot melt adhesive gun 36 is positioned on each side of the traveling package at the appropriate point in the folding process and is utilized to spray a quantity of adhesive 152 on the front portion of the side panels 18 and 20 and also to apply a pre - determined quantity of adhesive 154 on the rear portion of the side panels 18 and 20 . it can be seen in fig9 that the previously folded production blank 32 has had adhesive applied to the front portion of the side flaps 18 and 20 and is having a quantity of adhesive applied to the rear portion of the same flaps . it can also be seen in fig9 how the front corner flap 26 is being turned upwardly by a pair of plows 156 and 158 positioned on either side of the production blank and fixedly attached to the angle 160 and 162 . it can be seen by referring to fig8 and 9 how the angles 160 and 162 are used as a guide to guide the corner flaps 26 along until the plows 156 and 158 are able to plow the corner flaps upwardly in the direction shown by the arrow 164 . a plurality of top rails 166 and 168 are used to hold the formed tray in the erect inverted position over the mandrel 84 and a plurality of side rails 170 and 172 are used for the same purpose of the sides . referring now to fig1 of the drawing , there can be seen how the previously upwardly plowed corner flaps 26 are held against the side panels 18 and 20 by means of a pair of conveyor belts 174 and 176 which are rotated around a belt pulley 178 and 180 . the belt pulleys 178 and 180 are fixedly attached to the rotating vertically positioned shafts 182 and 184 and are also attached to means for rotating the shafts of the type known in the art and not shown in the drawing . the conveyor belts 174 and 176 are used to hold the upwardly turned corner flaps 26 tightly against the side panels 18 and 20 until the previously applied hot melt adhesive 152 and 154 is able to set . it can also be seen in fig1 how the tenth step of the folding sequence for the production blank 32 is obtained where a portion of the front panel is pre - broken at a pre - determined angle internally of the tray . the front panel 14 contains a top flap 30 as has been beforedescribed which is hingedly attached thereto by means of a score line 186 . the first pre - breaking means comprises a pair of horizontally positioned rotating rectangular bars 188 and 190 which are fixedly attached to a plurality of gears 192 and 194 which in turn are rotatably turned by a plurality of gears 196 and 198 . the gears 196 and 198 are fixedly attached to means for rotating the gears of the type known in the art and not shown in the drawing for purposes of clarity . in fig1 , the endless conveyor chain 34 is also not shown for purposes of clarity . in order to tightly hold the conveyor belts 174 and 176 against the upwardly turned corner flaps 26 , there is provided a pair of angles 200 and 202 fixedly attached to the machine frame 64 by a plurality of bolts and nuts 204 . referring now to fig1 of the drawing , there is shown the eleventh step in the folding sequence whereby the production blank 32 has its rear top flap 30 which is hingedly attached to the rear end panel 16 pre - broken so that the top flap 30 is positioned at a pre - determined angle internally of the tray . this is accomplished by a second pair of bars 208 and 210 which are fixedly attached to a rotating gear 212 and 214 . the gears 212 and 214 are also rotated by means of the pair of gears 216 and 218 as well as the pair of gears 220 and 222 . the gears 216 and 218 are fixedly attached to the shafts 224 and 226 while the gears 220 and 222 are fixedly attached to the shafts 228 and 230 . these shafts are also attached to means for rotating the shaft of the type known in the art and not shown in the drawing . it can be seen in fig1 how the conveyor belts 174 and 176 are positioned around a pair of pulleys 232 and 234 thereby continuing to hold the upturned corner flaps 26 tightly against the side panels 18 and 20 . at this point in time in the machine , the corner flaps 26 have their adhesive set sufficiently so that no further holding is required of these flaps by the conveyor belts 174 and 176 . a pair of arcuate turning rails 236 and 238 are then used in combination with lower turning rails not shown in the drawing for turning the folded tray downwardly in the direction shown by the arrow 52 and reversing its direction to that shown by the arrow 54 in fig1 of the drawing . it can be seen by referring now to fig1 of the drawing that the completely folded , glued and erected tray is still contained on the mandrel 84 which is now also moving in the direction 54 since the conveyor chain 34 has been reversed in direction also as can be more readily seen by referring to fig5 of the drawing . a second in - line conveyor 56 moving in the direction shown by the arrow 240 is positioned immediately below the applicant &# 39 ; s tray forming machine and is designed to carry the formed tray after it has been removed from the mandrel onto the filling station of the food processor &# 39 ; s filling line . a pair of side rails 242 are positioned on each side of the frame 244 and are bolted thereto by means of the bolts 246 and the bolts 248 which pass through the angle 250 to hold the side rails in place . referring now to fig1 - 15 , there will be shown in detail how the formed tray 10 is removed from the mandrel 84 during the twelfth step in the folding sequence for the tray . as has been beforementioned , the tray 10 has been reversed in direction by means of the conveyor chain 34 traveling in the arcuate path shown by the arrow 52 . thereafter , the mandrel 84 connected to the endless conveyor chain 34 is traveling in the direction shown by the arrow 54 and the folded tray is in the position shown in fig1 of the drawing where it is positioned around the mandrel 84 . a plurality of brushes 252 are positioned on each side of the tray 10 and are inwardly inclined so as to be utilized to aid in guiding the tray 10 downwardly when it is released from the mandrel 84 . in fig1 of the drawing , only one brush 252 is shown for purposes of clarity and it will be understood that a similar brush is positioned on the other side of the mandrel 84 . positioned behind the brushes 252 are a plurality of air nozzles 254 directing air from an air compressor through the air compressor lines 256 into a chamber 258 positioned downwardly and inwardly in the same general direction as the brushes 256 . the purpose of the air nozzles 254 is to further aid in directing the path of the tray 10 as it is ejected downwardly from the mandrel 84 so that the tray 10 is positioned between the side rails 242 on the second in - line conveyor 56 . by referring now to fig1 , it can be seen how the releasing means positioned internally of the mandrel 84 is utilized to eject or release the tray 10 from the mandrel 84 . the releasing means comprises a scissors mechanism shown generally by the numeral 260 which travels in the direction shown by the arrows 262 and 264 . the releasing means comprises a pair of pivotably fastened arms 266 and 268 , pivotably held together by means of the horizontal rod 270 positioned midway between the positioning of the arms . a similar pair of arms 266 and 268 is positioned on the other side of the mandrel 84 and the horizontal rod 270 is positioned between both sets of arms . by the use of the releasing scissors mechanism shown in fig1 , it can be seen how the tray 10 is removed from the mandrel 84 whenever the scissors mechanism is activated and the tray is positioned between the side rails 242 being aided in its downward journey by means of the pair of brushes 252 and the air nozzles 254 positioned within the air chamber 258 . referring now to fig1 and 15 , there will be shown simplified longitudinal views of the releasing means scissors mechanism shown in fig1 of the drawing . fig1 would be a longitudinal sectional view showing the scissors mechanism extended . as has been beforementioned , a pair of arms 266 and 268 are pivotably connected together by means of the horizontal rod 270 . the pair of arms 266 positioned on each side of the mandrel 84 are fixedly attached to members 272 which also has rotatably mounted thereon a pair of cam followers 274 on each side of the mandrel . the members 272 are bolted to the arms 266 by means of the bolts 273 . the cam followers 274 are designed to ride on the cam surface 276 which is positioned in proximity to the mandrel and serves to activate the releasing scissors mechanism at a pre - determined time in order to remove the formed tray 10 from the mandrel 84 . the cam followers 274 are held on the members 276 by means of the pins 278 and are designed to allow the cam followers to rotate on the pins 278 and to ride upwardly on the inclined cam surface 276 . a connecting arm 280 is positioned on each end of the arms 266 and is pinned thereto by means of the pins 282 and is also pinned at the other end thereof by means of the pin 284 connected to the member 286 . in a similar manner , a connecting arm 288 is pinned to the arms 268 by means of the pins 290 and is also pinned at the other end thereof by means of the pin 292 to the member 294 . the members 286 and 294 are fixedly attached to the endless conveyor chain 34 thereby moving the internally positioned releasing scissors mechanism of the mandrel 84 in the direction shown by the arrow 54 . prior to the releasing mechanism being activated by the cam follower 274 riding on the inclined cam surface 276 , the scissors mechanism will be in the position shown in fig1 . whenever the endless chain 34 moves the entire mandrel mechanism so that the cam follower 274 rides on the cam surface 276 then it can be seen how the scissors mechanism will activate and the ends 298 and 300 of the arms 268 and 266 will eject the tray 10 from the mandrel 84 downwardly in the direction shown by the arrows 262 and 264 and as shown in fig1 of the drawing . referring now to fig1 of the drawing , there is shown a longitudinal sectional view similar to fig1 showing the scissors mechanism positioned within the mandrel 84 and showing the scissors mechanism before it has been activated to eject the tray 10 shown positioned over the mandrel 84 . it can be seen in fig1 how the rod 270 is positioned through the pair of arms 266 and 268 to carry the arms in the position shown in fig1 . fig1 also shows the scissors mechanism after it has been activated and has been retracted into the mandrel 84 . the carton 10 has not been shown in fig1 for purposes of clarity . referring now to fig1 and 17 , there will be shown in greater detail the thirteenth and last step in the folding sequence of preparing the production blank into a folded and glued tray ready for filling by a filling station downstream of the applicant &# 39 ; s machine . as has been beforementioned , the erected tray 10 contains a plurality of top flaps 30 which had previously been pre - broken inwardly and now are further pre - broken so that the upwardly turned top flaps are positioned to a pre - determined position which permits a lid to be later positioned over the tray so that the top flaps 30 are tightly sprung against the underside of the lid . the tray 10 is driven along the second in - line chain conveyor 56 by means of a plurality of fingers 302 which are fixedly attached to the endless chain conveyor 56 . the fingers 302 drive the tray 10 in the direction shown by the arrow 54 . at the appropriate position in the applicant &# 39 ; s machine , a pair of folding plates 304 and 306 are moved downwardly in the direction shown by the arrow 308 to further pre - break the top flaps 30 to the exact position desired . the folding plates 304 and 306 are carried on a horizontally positioned frame 310 and are pinned thereto by means of the pivot pins 312 and 314 carried by the arms 316 and 318 . the frame 310 is also carried by a plurality of arms 320 and 322 which are pinned to the frame 310 by means of the pins 324 and 326 . counter - weights 328 and 330 are fixedly attached to rotating shafts 332 and 334 which also carry the other ends of the arms 320 and 322 . the counter - weight 328 and 330 rotate in the direction shown by the arrows 336 and 338 and force the frame 310 downwardly in the direction shown by the arrow 308 . referring to fig1 of the drawing , it can be seen how the counter - weights 328 and 330 have moved in their complete downward position and are now moving upwardly in the direction shown by the arrows 340 thereby lifting the frame 310 to the upward position in the direction shown by the arrow 344 . the shafts 332 and 334 that rotate the counter - weights 328 and 330 are rotated by means for rotating the various shafts contained within the machine and are timed so as to be timed with the ultimate timing of the various rotating parts in the machine using known techniques in the art . it can be seen in fig1 that when the rotating counter - weights 328 and 330 are positioned as shown in the figure , the tray 10 has had its top flaps 30 positioned to the desired position and the tray is able then to be moved onto the filling portion of the packaging line by means of the pair of fingers 302 moving the tray on the conveyor . from the foregoing , it can be seen that there has been provided by the subject invention a new and novel tray forming machine for forming from a flat production blank a paperboard tray of the type hereindescribed . it should become apparent from a review of the drawings and the description of the preferred embodiment that many changes may be made in the various parts of the applicant &# 39 ; s machine without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . it should also be noted that the applicant &# 39 ; s invention is not to be limited to the exact embodiment shown which has been given by way of illustration only .
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the authors of the present invention have surprisingly found that the saccharification process of plant biomasses may be improved by reducing the regions of de - esterified hga in pectin , decreasing the “ glue ” feature of the middle lamellas , rich in pectins , which join the cell walls of two adjacent cells . it is therefore the object of the present invention the use of plants having a reduced content of de - esterified homogalacturonan ( hga ) in the pectins of said plants cell walls and a reduced resistance to saccharification with respect to control plants in a saccharification process of plant biomasses . preferably , the plants are obtained by genetic transformation with a gene encoding an agent able to reduce the content of de - estherified hga in the pectins . still preferably the gene encoding a polygalacturonase is from aspergillus niger . yet preferably the gene encoding a polygalacturonase is modified to produce an enzyme having a reduced specific activity . in a preferred embodiment the gene encodes a polygalacturonase having a reduced specific activity and having the amino acid sequence of seq id no . 2 . in a still preferred embodiment the gene encoding a polygalacturonase having a reduced specific activity has the nucleotide sequence of seq id no . 1 . preferably , the plants are obtained by transformation with a gene encoding an inhibitor of pectin methylesterases or with a gene encoding encoding a pectate lyase . still preferably , the gene encoding an inhibitor of pectin methyl esterases is of plant origin . yet preferably , the gene encodes an inhibitor of pectin methyl esterases having the amino acid sequence of seq id no . 4 . still preferably , the gene encoding an inhibitor of pectin methyl esterases has the nucleotide sequence of seq id no . 3 . preferably , the gene encoding encoding a pectate lyase is of bacterial origin . still preferably , the gene encodes a pectate lyase having the amino acid sequence of seq id no . 6 . yet preferably , the gene encoding a pectate lyase has the nucleotide sequence of seq id no . 5 . in a preferred embodiment the plants are obtained by selecting natural or mutagenesis induced variants . plants with reduced contents of de - esterified hga in pectins are obtainable with different methods , all comprised within the protection scope of the invention . they are produced transgenically , transforming wild plants with a gene coding for an agent capable of reducing the contents of de - esterified hga in pectins . as particular embodiment , the plants are transformed with a nucleic acid of a nucleotidic sequence coding for a polygalacturonase , preferably from aspergillus niger , more preferably a mutant ( variant ) thereof , such as to code for an enzyme with reduced specific activity ; even more preferably , a mutant ( variant ) of the sequence of gene pgaii ( genbank id n . xm 001397030 , nt 166530 ), preferably deleted of the sequence from nt . 1 to nt . 81 coding for the signal peptide of 21 aa . and for the propeptide from aa . 22 to aa . 27 ), and with such modifications as to have a deletion of the treonin amino acid in position 34 and a replacement of the amino acidic residue asparagin 178 with an aspartate ( n178d ). such positions refer to the non - mature native protein . the nucleotidic sequence coding for the mature mutated protein ( pgaiim ) is as follows ( seq id no . 1 ): the amino acidic sequence coding the mature mutated protein ( pgaiim ) is as follows ( seq id no . 2 ): as an alternative example , the plants are transformed with a gene coding a pectin methylesterase inhibitor , preferably from a plant source , more preferably of sequence ( locus tag : at3g17220 ; ncbi n . nm — 112599 and np — 188348 ). the full length nucleotide sequence is as follows ( seq id no . 3 ): the amino acid sequence coding the protein is as follows ( seq id no . 4 ): as a further and alternative example , arabidopsis plants are transformed with a gene coding a bacterial pectate lyase from a bacterial source ( pel1 pectate lyase 1 of pectobacterium carotovorum ) ( bartling , 1995 ) ( ncbi n . x81847 and caa57439 ) here named pl1 plants . the full length nucleotide sequence is as follows ( seq id no . 5 ): the amino acid sequence coding the protein is as follows ( seq id no . 6 ): the use of plants already with reduced contents of de - esterified hga made transgenic as described above , or double transgenic plants , is also within the scope of the invention . the present invention shall now be described by the following figures with reference to explanatory examples non - limiting the scope of protection . fig1 . saccharification of pg ( fungal polygalacturonase ) and pme1 ( pectin methylesterase inhibitor ) plants . the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis , expressed as percentage of total sugars released in the medium , at the indicated times was measured in leaf tissues of non transformed ( wt ) and transgenic plants with cellulases ( celluclast 1 . 5 l ) and ( a ), wt tobacco plants and anpgll ( aspergillus niger endopolygalacturonase ii , pg )); ( b ) arabidopsis wt and expressing pgallm ( pg ), ( c ) arabidopsis wt and expressing atpme12 ( a . thaliana - specific pectin methyl esterase inhibitors , pmei ); ( d ) saccharification of leaf tissues of wt , pg and pmei plants pre - treated with diluted acids before enzymatic hydrolysis . the bars represent the average ± s . e . m ( n & gt ; 6 ). the asterisks indicate statistically significant differences between wt and transgenic plants , according to the t test of student (*, p & lt ; 0 . 05 ; ***, p & lt ; 0 . 01 ). the panels in the inserts demonstrate the maceration of the wt and transgenic representative samples after 48 hours of digestion . fig2 . immunodot analysis of fractions of cell wall . fractions of cell wall enriched in pectin ( chass chelating agents soluble solids ) extracted from cell wall material from leaves of wt , pmei or anpgii ( pg ) plants were applied on nitrocellulose to the dilutions indicated and tested with jim5 and pam1 monoclonal antibodies . fig3 . efficiency of saccharification of arabidopsis wt plantules in the presence of beta - estradiol and pl1 plants with and without beta - estradiol inductor . saccharification carried out on seedlings of non transformed ( wt ) and transgenic ( pl1 ) lines with cellulose ( cellulast 1 . 5 l 0 . 1 % v / v ) previously treated and not treated with beta - estradiol . the efficiency of the enzymatic hydrolysis is expressed as percentage of reducing sugars released in the medium compared to the total sugars of the tissue at the times indicated . the panel in the inserts shows the maceration after 24 hours of digestion of wt seedlings incubated with 50 μm beta - estradiol , pl1 seedlings non induced and induced with beta - estradiol . plants of arabidopsis thaliana , ecotype columbia ( col .- 0 ) were obtained from g . redei and a . r . kranz ( arabidopsis information service , frankfurt , germany ). the generation pmei plants and tobacco plants expressing pgallm has been described ( 23 , 24 ). for the transgenic expression of pgallm in arabidopsis , an expression cassette was used which included the promoter of the 35s of the cauliflower mosaic virus ( camv ) of the binary vector pbi121 ( stratagene : genbank id af485783 ), the coding gene pgallm fused with peptide signal of pgip1 from phaseolus vulgaris ( corresponding to the first 87 nt . of the sequence x64769 ( 3 ) and the terminator of the gene nopaline synthase ( nos ) of the vector pbi121 , excised from the construction described in ( 2 ) by double digestion of plasmid with pstl and ecori . the fragment of dna excised was cloned in the binary vector pcambia3300 ( cambia , can berra , australia ) and the recombinant vector used to transform the strain gv3101 ( pmp90rk ) of agrobacterium tumefaciens through electroporation ( 31 ). arabidopsis ( ecotype col - 0 ) plants of 4 week were stably transformed with the floral - dip method ( 32 ). the transgenic plants pg or pmei t2 plants were selected on the soil after irroration with basta ( 300 um phosphinothricin , ppt ). the resistant lines were transferred to soil without herbicide and the seeds collected . the t2 progeny was selected on solid sterile murashige - skoog soil with 8 mg l − 1 of ppt , and the lines with a ratio of segregation of 3 : 1 by resistance to ppt were selected for analysis . the homozygous lines were analyzed for protein expression and activity by western blot analysis and test of diffusion in agar as described in ( 24 ). the growth of wt and transformed plants was carried out in controlled environment rooms , at 22 ° c ., 70 % of relative humidity with a photoperiod of 16 - h light and 8 - h dark ( 100 μmol m − 2 s − 1 of fluorescent light ). for the quantification of the fresh weight ( fw ) and dry weight ( dw ) of the rosette after 15 days of growth , the plants were transferred to a photoperiod of 12 - h ( 100 m − 2 s − 1 of fluorescent light ). the tobacco plants were grown in a greenhouse at 23 ° c . and 60 % relative humidity with a photoperiod of 16 - h light and 8 - h darkness ( 130 μmol m − 2 s − 1 of fluorescent light ). for the transgenic expression of pel1 in arabidopsis , the gene was fused to the peptide signal of pgip1 from phaseolus vulgaris ( corresponding to the first 87 nt of the sequence x64769 ) and to the ha of the hemagglutinin of the virus of human influenza ( corresponding to the 27 nt from 10 to 37 of the sequence ef014106 ) and was cloned in the vector of expression in plant inducible by estrogen pmdc7 ( zuo , 2000 ). such vector was used to transform strain gv3101 of agrobacterium tumefaciens ( 31 ) by electroporation . arabidopsis ( col - 0 ) plants of 4 week were transformed with floral - dip method ( 32 ). the t1 pl1 transgenic plants were selected after a growth of 4 days in darkness on solid soil murashige - skoog ( ms ), 0 . 5 % sterile sucrose containing hygromycin 20 mg / l . the plants resulting positive after selection were transferred to soil and the seeds collected . the pl1 lines selected with antibiotic were induced with 50 μm beta - estradiol and analyzed for protein expression enzymatic activity by western blot analysis using commercial antibodies against ha and enzymatic activity was detected by agar diffusion assay as described in ( 24 ) with the following modifications : the substrate was prepared by dissolving polygalacturonic acid ( pga ) in 0 . 1m tris - hci ph 8 and 0 . 3 mm cacl 2 . pl1 seedlings selected in solid soil containing hygromycin were grown in light in rooms with controlled atmosphere ( 22 ° c . photoperiod 16 h light / 8 h darkness 100 μmol m − 2 s − 1 of fluorescent light ) for three days and afterwards 10 plants ( fresh weight of approximately 200 mg ) were transferred to liquid sterile culture medium ms , 0 . 5 % sucrose . after 7 days following the transfer , the plants were transferred to sterile water containing 50 im beta - estradiol to induce the expression of the pel1 . after 24 hours of induction with beta - estradiol , the plants were treated with 0 . 1 % cellulose ( cellulast 1 . 5 l ) at various times as indicated in the figure at 37 ° c . in a solution of 50 mm buffer sodium acetate at ph5 . 5 , sterilized through filtration . leaf explants from wt , pg and pmei plants ( 100 mg of fresh weight sterilized in a solution of 1 % sodium hypochlorite for 1 minute and washed two times with sterile water to avoid microbial contamination ) were incubated for 20 hours at 37 ° c . in a solution containing 50 mm sodium acetate buffer ph 5 . 5 , and 0 . 5 % celluclast 1 . 5 l ( cellulase from trichoderma reesei ; sigma , st louis , mo . ), already sterilized through filtration . the reducing sugars released in solution were quantified with the test pahbah assay ( 4 ) after centrifugation . the total sugars before enzymatic hydrolysis are determined with the dubois ( 33 ) method . the leaf material was mixed with dilute sulfuric acid ( final concentration 1 . 3 %) and pre - treated at 110 ° c . for 20 minutes . after the pre - treatment , the hydrolyzates were separated and collected through filtration and the residual biomass washed with water . ais ( insoluble solids in alcohol ) were extracted as described in ( 23 ). after washing with chloroform : methanol , the material was washed twice with 80 % acetone and air dried . to obtain fractions of soluble solids in chelating agents ( chass ), the ais ( approximately 10 mg ) were homogenized twice in a buffer containing 50 mm tris - hci and 50 mm trans - 1 , 2 - cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid ( cdta ) ph 7 . 2 , at 80 ° c . after centrifugation at 10 , 000 rpm for 10 minutes , the two supernatants were united and lyophilized . squares of 6 × 6 mm were marked on membranes of nitrocellulose ( amersham , uk ) with a pencil and equal quantities of chass fractions from each line were dissolved in water and applied in the squares drawn on the nitrocellulose , respectively in dilutions of about 3 ×. specific peptic epitopes were revealed with the monoclonal antibodies pam1 ( 25 , 26 ) and jim5 ( 26 ) ( provided by prof . p . knox university of leeds ). the membranes were blocked in mpbs ( 1 × pbs with 3 % “ membrane blocking reagent powder ”, amersham , uk ) for 1 hour before the incubation with the primary ab ( supernatants of hybridomas of jim5 and lm7 diluted 1 / 10 or of pam1 diluted 1 / 20 in 3 % mpbs ) for 1 . 5 h . after washing in 1 × pbs , the membranes were incubated with the secondary ab ( anti - rat conjugate with peroxidase from radish , amersham , uk ) diluted 1 / 1000 for jim5 and with an anti - histidine antibody conjugate with peroxidase from radish ( sigma a - 7058 ) diluted 1 / 1000 for pam1 . the membranes were washed as described and subsequently treated with the ecl reagent ( amersham , uk ) for the measurement of the peroxidase activity . the authors analyzed the efficiency of saccharification from leaf tissues of transgenic plants expressing a polygalacturonase from aspergillus niger ( pg plants ) and of plants overexpressing an inhibitor of the pme ( pmei plants ) ( 24 ). the pg plants show reduced levels of hga , while the pmei plants have a reduced activity of pme and an increased methylation of hga . in pg plants of arabidopsis or tobacco ( fig1 a and b ) and pmei plants of arabidopsis ( fig1 c ), the treatment of leaf tissues with commercial cellulase ( celluclast 1 . 5 l ) for 24 hours causes a release of higher amount of sugars than in control wt plants . the saccharification of pg and pmei plants is accompanied by an increased maceration of the tissues ( see inserts in the fig1 a - c ). after an incubation of 24 hours without cellulase no release or sugars or maceration of the tissues was noted in both transformed and wt plants . this proves that the reduction in the hga content or in its methylation does not cause by itself the disassembling of the tissues and the saccharification , but rather promotes the capacity of the cellulases to degrade the cellulose in the intact tissue . furthermore , the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis on acid pre - treated leaves from wt transgenic ( pg and pmei ) plants does not differ significantly ( fig1 d ). it must be noted that , after 24 hours of saccharification , the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis obtained with acid pre - treated leaves of all the plants is the same as that observed with the transgenic plants not pre - treated . no significant release of sugars is obtained after acid pre - treatment alone , regardless of the plants used . the results indicated that the degradability of the cellulose is improved in tissues from pg and pmei plants and that it is not necessary to pre - treat such plants with acid to obtain a good saccharification . a possible explanation is the reduced content of “ junction zones ” due to the particular hga characteristics in these plants . pg plants from tobacco have been described to show a reduced content of galacturonic acid ( gala ) ( 23 ), which reduces the possibility that long chains of hga are formed , which are necessary for the formation of “ junction zones ”. on the other hand , even if the pmei plants have the same content of gala as the wt , they show an increased level of pectin methylation ( 24 ) which also prevents the formation of “ junction zones ”. to verify the presence of de - esterified regions of hga in pg and pmei plants compared to the wt ones , the following are used : a monoclonal antibody pam 1 , which specifically recognizes large de - esterified blocks of hga ( at least 30 continuous units of gala ) ( 25 , 26 ) and a monoclonal antibody jim5 , which binds to pectin of low methylation level ( level of methylesterification up to 40 %) ( 26 ). serial dilutions of pectic polysaccharides enriched in polyuronides ( chelating agents solid solubles , chass ), extracted from leaves of wt or arabidopsis transgenic plants as in lionetti et al . ( lionetti , v . et al . 2007 ). the pam1 antibody binds epitopes both in pg and pmei plants , but to a lesser extent than in wt plants , indicating that both the transformed plants show a reduced quantity of de - methylated hga . the jim5 also binds epitopes in pg and pmei plants , but to a lesser extent than in wt plants ( fig2 ), indicating the presence of hga with a higher degree of methylesterification . in conclusion , the authors have demonstrated that the reduction of de - esterified hga in cell walls increase the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis in the plant tissues . this change is advantageously used to improve the process of saccharification used in the production of bio fuels and other bio - products . the reduction of de - esterified hga in the cell walls of plant tissues can be obtained in different ways , such as genetic transformation for the obtention of pg and / or pmei transgenic plants ; selection of natural or mutagenesis - induced variants having elevated levels of endogenous pmei or lower level of pme . the pmei plants have a better saccharification and also an increased yield of biomass production ( approximately 80 % increase ) ( table i ) ( 17 , 24 , 28 ). the data represents the average ± s . e . m . of at least 6 independent samples . the asterisks indicate significant differences compared to wt according to the t test of student ( p & lt ; 0 . 001 ). moreover , the plants of the invention , in particular pmei plants display an increased resistance to microbial pathogens ( 24 ) and are therefore an ideal source of biofuels and of other commercial products . 1 . poorter , h . & amp ; villar , r . in plant resource allocation . eds . bazzaz f a & amp ; grace j . 39 - 72 ( academic press , san diego , usa ; 1997 ). 4 . willke , t . & amp ; vorlop , k . d . appl . microbiol . biotechnol . 66 , 131 - 142 ( 2004 ). 5 . ogier j c , et al ., j oil gas sci technol 54 , 67 - 94 ( 1999 ). 6 . yu , z . & amp ; zhang , h . bioresour . technol 93 , 199 - 204 ( 2004 ). 8 . iiyama , k ., lam , t ., & amp ; stone , b . a . plant physiol 104 , 315 - 320 ( 1994 ). 10 . klinke , h . b ., et al ., appl . microbiol . biotechnol . 66 , 10 - 26 ( 2004 ). 11 . cosgrove , d . j . nat . rev . mol . cell biol . 6 , 850 - 861 ( 2005 ). 12 . lynd , l . r . et al nat . biotechnol . 26 , 169 - 172 ( 2008 ). 13 . carpita , n . c . & amp ; mccann , m . c . in biochemistry and molecular biology of plants . eds . buchanan , b . b ., gruissem , w ., & amp ; jones , r . 52 - 109 ( american society plant physiologists , rockville , md . ; 2000 ). 14 . chen , f . & amp ; dixon , r . a . nat . biotechnol . 25 , 759 - 761 ( 2007 ). 15 . ezaki , n ., et al ., plant and cell physiology 46 , 1831 - 1838 ( 2005 ). 16 . proseus , t . e . & amp ; boyer , j . s . ann . bot . 98 , 93 - 105 ( 2006 ). 17 . derbyshire , p ., mccann , m . c ., & amp ; roberts , k . bmc plant biology 7 , ( 2007 ). 18 . ridley , b . l ., o &# 39 ; neill , m . a ., & amp ; mohnen , d . phytochemistry 57 , 929 - 967 ( 2001 ). 19 . voragen , a . g . j ., et al ., g . c . in food polysaccharides and their applications . ed . stephen , a . m . 287 - 339 ( marcel dekker inc ., new york ; 1995 ). 20 . brown , j . a . & amp ; fry , s . c . plant physiol . 103 , 993 - 999 ( 1993 ). 21 . zhang , g . f . & amp ; staehelin , l . a . plant physiol . 99 , 1070 - 1083 ( 1992 ). 22 . pelloux , j ., rusterucci , c ., & amp ; mellerowicz , e . j . trends plant sci . 12 , 267 - 277 ( 2007 ). 25 . willats , w . g ., gilmartin , p . m ., mikkelsen , j . d ., & amp ; knox , j . p . plant j 18 , 57 - 65 ( 1999 ). 26 . willats , w . g . et al carbohydr . res . 327 , 309 - 320 ( 2000 ). 27 . willats , w . g . t . & amp ; knox , j . p . anal . biochem . 268 , 143 - 146 ( 1999 ). 28 . hasunuma , t ., fukusaki , e ., & amp ; kobayashi , a . j . biotechnol . 111 , 241 - 251 ( 2004 ). 29 . grabber , j . h . and hatfield , r . d . ( 2005b ) j . of agricult . and food chem . 53 : 1546 - 1549 . 31 . koncz , c . and schell , j . ( 1986 ). mol . gen . genet . 204 : 383 - 396 . 32 . clough , s . j . and bent , a . f . ( 1998 ). plant j 16 : 735 - 43 . 34 . bartling s , wegener c , olsen o . microbiology ( 1995 ), 141 , 873 - 881 35 . zuo j , niu q - w , chua n - h the plant journal ( 2000 ) 24 ( 2 ), 265 - 273zuo j , niu q - w , chua n - h the plant journal ( 2000 ) 24 ( 2 ), 265 - 273
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embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail hereinbelow with reference to the drawings . fig2 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus having functions of a facsimile , a printer , and a copying apparatus . reference numeral 1 denotes an image forming apparatus having the following component elements 2 to 8 . a reception signal of a facsimile from a telephone line 10 is decoded into an image signal of a bit map form by a decoding device 8 . after that , the decoded signal passes through an interface 3 and is visualized by a visualizing device 4 . an image signal from a computer 9 passes through the interface 3 and is visualized by the visualizing device 4 . in case of copying , an image signal from a reader 2 for photoelectrically converting and reading an original image passes through the interface 3 and is visualized by the visualizing device 4 . the reader 2 , interface 3 , visualizing device 4 , and a display unit 5 are controlled by a cpu 6 by mutually communicating . the cpu 6 includes memory means having an area in which control procedures as shown in fig1 , and 5 , which will be explained hereinlater , have been stored and a work area of the cpu 6 . fig3 is a schematic diagram of a cross section of a main section of the visualizing device 4 in the image forming apparatus 1 . by scanning a laser beam 12 for emitting a light in response to the inputted image signal , an electrostatic latent image is formed onto the surface of an image holding member 20 charged uniformly by a primary charging device 11 . the electrostatic latent image is developed to a toner image by a developing device 13 . the toner image is transferred to a transfer material 15 by a transfer device 14 . after that the toner image on the transfer material 15 is fixed onto the transfer material 15 by a fixing device ( not shown ). in the embodiment , a uniform charged potential on the surface of the image holding member 20 is set to - 700 v , a latent image potential corresponding to a blank portion of the image is set to - 700 v , and a latent image potential corresponding to a black portion of the image is set to - 250 v . the developing device 13 is a device for developing the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image holding member 20 to the toner image by allowing a developing agent holding member 16 to which a developing bias voltage including a dc component was applied to face the image holding member 20 . as a developing system of the developing device 13 , an inversion developing system using a toner of a minus polarity is used . a value of the dc component of the developing bias voltage which is supplied from a developing bias power supply 17 to the developing agent holding member ( developing sleeve ) 16 changes in accordance with a control signal which is sent from the cpu 6 . a toner remaining amount detecting device 18 to detect a remaining amount of the toner is provided in the developing device 13 . the toner remaining amount detecting device 18 is constructed by a piezoelectric element or the like and informs the cpu 6 of a judgment result about whether the toner amount in the developing device 13 has decreased to a predetermined amount or not . when the toner remaining amount reaches the predetermined amount , a signal from the toner remaining amount detecting device 18 is set to an on state . fig1 shows a flowchart for the image forming operation in the first embodiment using the above construction . after a power source of the image forming apparatus 1 was turned on and the memory and the like were initialized , first in step s1 , when the signal which is sent from the toner remaining amount detecting device 18 to the cpu 6 is off , namely , when the toner remaining amount in the developing device 13 exceeds the predetermined amount , step s2 follows . in step s2 , a check is made to see if the image signal has been inputted . even in any one of the image signals inputted from the telephone line 10 , computer 9 , and reader 2 , the processing routine advances to step s3 . the image formation is executed on the basis of the inputted image signal . the processing routine is returned to step s1 . in step s1 , when the signal which is sent from the toner remaining amount detecting device 18 to the cpu 6 is on , namely , when the toner remaining amount in the developing device 13 is equal to or less than the predetermined amount , a toner supply lamp ( not shown ) of the display unit 5 is lit on in step s4 . in step s5 , the device waits for the input of the image signal . when the image signal is inputted , step s6 follows and a check is made to see if the inputted signal is a facsimile signal . only when the inputted image signal is the facsimile signal from the telephone line 10 , the image formation based on the image signal is executed in step s7 . the processing routine is returned to step s1 . when the inputted image signal is the image signal from the computer 9 in step s6 , step s8 follows and the input of the image signal is inhibited . the cpu 6 transmits a message indicating that the image formation is inhibited because of the lack of the toner remaining amount to the computer 9 through the interface 3 . the processing routine is returned to step s1 . when the inputted image signal is the image signal from the reader 2 in step s6 , the input of the image signal is inhibited in step s8 . the cpu 6 transmits a message indicating that the image formation is inhibited due to the lack of the toner remaining amount to the display unit 6 . the processing routine is returned to step s1 . according to the embodiment , after the toner remaining amount detection signal was turned on , the absence of the toner is detected at a level such that about 500 standard originals of 7 % can be printed . according to the embodiment , with respect to only the image signal of the facsimile which was transmitted from the operator at a remote location where the toner cannot be supplied even if the toner remain amount in the developing device decreases to the predetermined amount or less , the image formation is executed , so that the operator at a remote location can transmit the information irrespective of the toner remaining amount state of the image forming apparatus on the reception side . according to the embodiment , when the toner remaining amount in the developing device decreases to a predetermined amount , in the case where the image signal other than the facsimile signal is inputted , the image formation is not executed . therefore , not only the supply of the toner can be strongly promoted to the operator who is present near the device but also the entire amount of toner remaining in the developing device is used as toner for reception of the facsimile signal , so that a large amount of facsimile signals can be received until the toner is completely eliminated . in the second embodiment , the bias voltage which is applied to the developing agent holding member 16 which is executing the image formation is changed in accordance with the signal from the toner remaining amount detecting device 18 , fig4 shows a flowchart for the image forming operation also including a change in bias voltage in the embodiment . characteristics portions in the embodiment will now be mainly explained . processing steps which are common to those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals . first in step s1 , when the signal which is sent from the toner remaining amount detecting device 18 to the cpu 6 is off , namely , in the case where the toner remaining amount in the developing device 13 exceeds the predetermined amount , step s2 follows . when the image signal is inputted , the processing routine advances to step s9 so as to immediately execute the image formation irrespective of the image signal inputted from any one of the devices such as telephone line 10 , computer 9 , and reader 2 . in order to set an image density of the visualized image to an enough density , the developing bias voltage which is supplied to the developing agent holding member 16 is set to - 600 v by the control signal from the cpu 6 . the processing routine advances to step s3 . in step s1 , when the signal which is sent from the toner remaining amount detecting device 18 to the cpu 6 is on , namely , when the toner remain amount in the developing device 13 decreases to the predetermined amount or less , the processing routine advances to step s6 through steps s4 and s5 . only when the inputted image signal is the facsimile signal from the telephone line 10 , in order to execute the image formation of the image signal , the developing bias voltage which is supplied to the developing agent holding member 16 is set to - 450 v by the control signal from the cpu 6 . the processing routine advances to step s7 . even when the developing bias voltage is set to - 450 v , since a development contrast decreases , the image density slightly decreases . however , there is no information to be dropped . according to the embodiment , in addition to the effects of the first embodiment , the image formation based on the reception signal of the facsimile which is executed after the toner remaining amount in the developing device was reduced to the predetermined amount is executed by decreasing a toner amount to be consumed by changing the developing bias voltage . thus , there is an effect such that a larger amount of facsimile reception signals can be visualized until the toner is perfectly eliminated . in the above example of the operation , the means for reducing the toner amount to be consumed when the image formation is executed is not limited to only the change in developing bias voltage . for example , a light amount of the laser beam 12 , the uniform charging potential of the image holding member 20 , or the like can be also changed . even if the image is reduced and outputted , the consumption amount of the toner can be reduced . in the case of using an ink jet system as a visualizing device , it is sufficient to reduce an emission amount of the ink by changing the electric power which is supplied to a nozzle for emitting the ink . in this embodiment , a counter n to count the number of image forming times of the facsimile reception signal which was executed after the toner remaining amount detecting device 18 had detected that the toner remaining amount in the developing device 13 had decreased to the predetermined amount is provided on the memory means in the cpu 6 . when a count value reaches a predetermined number of times , the facsimile reception is not executed . with this construction , it is possible to prevent that the visualized image of the reception signal of the facsimile is outputted as a blank paper . fig5 shows a flowchart for the image forming operation in the third embodiment . in the diagram , processing steps common to those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals . characteristic portions in the embodiment will be mainly described . after the processing routine was started , first in step s0 , the counter n is reset to 0 and step s1 follows . in the case where the facsimile signal is received in step s6 , step s11 follows and a check is made to see if the count value n is less than 100 . when n is less than 100 , step s7 follows . if no , step s8 follows . after completion of the execution of step s7 , step s12 follows and the count value of the counter n is increased by &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; and the processing routine is returned to step s4 . in the third embodiment , therefore , after the toner amount in the developing device 13 was reduced to the predetermined amount , the image formation based on the reception signal of the facsimile can be executed only 100 times . after that , the reception of the facsimile is inhibited . in step s8 , a message indicating that the facsimile reception is inhibited due to the lack of the toner is informed to the device on the transmission side . according to the embodiment , it is possible to prevent that the visualized image of the facsimile reception signal is outputted as a blank paper . in this embodiment , a first predetermined amount and a second predetermined amount are provided as reference values for the remaining amount of the toner which is detected by the toner remaining amount detecting means 18 , in which there is a relation of ( the first predetermined amount )& gt ;( the second predetermined amount ). when the toner remain amount detecting means detects that the remain amount of the toner has reduced to the first predetermined amount , the image formation of only the reception signal of the facsimile is executed . when the toner remaining amount detecting means detects that the toner remaining amount has reduced to the second predetermined amount , the input of all of the image signals is inhibited . thus , it is possible to prevent that the visualized image of the facsimile reception signal is outputted as a blank paper . fig6 shows a schematic diagram of the developing device 13 which can be applied to the fourth embodiment . a first toner remaining amount detecting device 21 can detect that the remaining amount of toner has been reduced to the first predetermined amount . a second toner remaining amount detecting device 22 can detect that the toner remaining amount has been reduced to the second predetermined amount . the first and second toner remaining detecting devices 21 and 22 can be constructed by piezoelectric devices or the like . a difference between the first and second predetermined amounts is set to a value such that about 500 standard originals can be visualized . the construction in which the image formation of only the facsimile reception signal is executed even if the toner remain amount in the developing device 13 decreased to the predetermined amount has been described in the above embodiments . however , the kind of image signal which permits the execution of the image formation even if the toner remain amount in the developing device 13 decreased to the predetermined amount , is not limited to the facsimile reception signal . in the case where the computer 9 in the first embodiment is arranged at a remote location in a manner similar to the facsimile , the image formation of the image signal from the computer 9 is also executed after the signal of the toner remaining detection signal was turned on . if the kind of device for executing the image formation even if the remain amount decreased to the predetermined amount can be preset by an operating unit ( not shown ) or the like of the image forming apparatus 1 , the effect of the invention can be further enhanced . the visualizing device of the invention is not limited to the electrophotographic system which uses the toner but even in case of the ink jet system using the ink or the like , a similar effect can be obtained . in each of the above embodiments , in a device having a memory for substitution reception as in case of a paper absent state or the like , even if the toner is completely eliminated due to the visualization of the facsimile reception image after the toner remaining amount detection signal was turned on , the memory substitution reception can be continued until a vacant capacity of the memory is eliminated . the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments but many modifications and variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the appended claims of the invention .
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the present invention provides novel processes and intermediates useful in the preparation of certain n -( indole - 2 - carbonyl )- β - alaninamides . more particularly , the invention provides novel processes for preparing the compound 5 - chloro - n -[( 1s , 2r )- 3 -[ 3r , 4s ]- 3 , 4 - dihydroxy - 1 - pyrrolidinyl ]- 2 - hydroxy - 3 - oxo - 1 -( phenylmethyl ) propyl ]- 1h - indole - 2 - carboxamide ( i ). the invention further provides intermediates useful in the preparation of the aforementioned compound , and processes for the production of such intermediates . in one aspect of the invention , there is provided a process for preparing a compound of structural formula ( i ) with 3 - pyrroline to provide an amide derivative of structural formula ( ib ) ( b ) oxidizing the amide derivative ( ib ) formed in step ( a ) to provide the compound of structural formula ( i ). in the coupling reaction set forth in step ( a ), the compound of structural formula ( ia ) prepared according to the methods disclosed in the aforementioned u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 107 , 329 , 6 , 277 , 877 , and 6 , 297 , 269 , is coupled with 3 - pyrroline to provide the compound of structural formula ( ib ) such coupling reaction may be effected according to standard synthetic methodologies known to one of ordinary skill in the art . for example , such coupling may be effected using an appropriate coupling reagent such as 1 -( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl )- 3 - ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride ( edc ), in the presence of 1 - hydroxybenzotriazole ( hobt ), 2 - ethyloxy - 1 - ethyloxy - carbonyl - 1 , 2 - dihydroquinone ( eedq ), cdi / hobt , propanephosphonic anhydride ( ppa ), or diethylphosphorylcyanide , and the like , in an aprotic , reaction - inert solvent , such as dichloromethane , acetonitrile , diethylether , tetrahydrofuran , optionally in the presence of a tertiary amine base , such as triethylamine or n , n ′- diisopropylethylamine ( hunig &# 39 ; s base ). such coupling is typically effected at a temperature range of from about 0 ° c . to about the reflux temperature of the solvent employed . in a preferred embodiment , the coupling reaction is effected at ambient temperature in tetrahydrofuran using edc , and a catalytic amount of hobt , in the presence of an organic base selected from triethylamine or hunig &# 39 ; s base . the use of hunig &# 39 ; s base in such coupling is especially preferred . the 3 - pyrroline starting material may be obtained from commercial sources . the oxidation reaction set forth in step ( b ) may be effected according to synthetic methodologies known to one of ordinary skill in the art for converting olefins into cis - diols . such oxidation may be carried out using ruthenium ( iii ) chloride , with sodium periodate as a co - oxidant , ago ( j . org . chem ., 61 , 4801 ( 1996 )), osmium tetroxide , or a catalyst with n - methylmorpholine n - oxide ( nmo ) in a reaction - inert , polar organic solvent such as acetonitrile , tetrahydrofuran , alkyl ethers , and the like . in a preferred embodiment , the oxidation of ( ib ) to compound ( i ) is effected using catalytic osmium tetroxide and n - methylmorpholine n - oxide ( nmo ) in tetrahydrofuran ( rosenberg , et al . ; j . med . chem ., 33 , 1962 ( 1990 )). the product of step ( b ) is then preferably isolated according to well - known methodologies known to one of ordinary skill in the art . in another aspect , the invention provides a process for preparing a compound of structural formula ( i ) ( b ) cleaving the acetonide derivative ( iia ) formed in step ( a ) to furnish the compound of structural formula ( i ). the coupling of compound ( ia ) with ( ivi ) to form the acetonide derivative ( iia ) can be effected according to the methods disclosed hereinabove for the preparation of compound ( ib ). preferably , the coupling is performed using edc and hobt in the presence of hunig &# 39 ; s base . the hobt may be employed catalytically , i . e ., in an amount less than one equivalent . generally , a range of from about 0 . 05 to about 0 . 50 equivalents may be employed in the coupling step , however , it is generally preferred that the hobt be employed in a catalytic ratio of about 0 . 15 to about 0 . 25 molar equivalents of acid ( ia ). although acetonide ( iia ) can be employed directly in the subsequent cleavage step , it may occasionally be preferable , for reasons of improved color and purity , to isolate acetonide ( iia ) prior to such cleavage . the isolation of the less polar acetonide ( iia ) allows a purge of more polar impurities then , following the deprotection step , the more polar substrate ( i ) is isolated by crystallization , thereby allowing for a purge of less polar impurities that may be present . the conversion of acetonide ( iia ) into compound ( i ) may be effected according to generally known methods , for example , by treatment of the isolated acetonide ( iia ) with a mineral acid , such as hydrochloric or hydrobromic acid , or an organic acid , such as methanesulfonic or p - toluenesulfonic acid , all in the presence of water . alternatively , compound ( i ) may also be conveniently prepared by the production , and in situ cleavage , of acetonide ( iia ). the preparation of a solution of acetonide ( iia ) in a suitable solvent may be effected as outlined hereinabove . the in situ conversion of acetonide ( iia ) into compound ( i ), described in example 5 hereinbelow , may also be conveniently effected according to known methods , for example , by treating the solution of acetonide ( iia ) with an aqueous mineral acid , such as hydrochloric or hydrobromic acid , or an organic acid , such as methanesulfonic , or p - toluenesulfonic acid , also under aqueous conditions . compound ( i ) so produced may then be isolated according to known preparative methods . in another aspect of the invention , there is provided a process for preparing a compound of structural formula ( i ) ( b ) desolvating the ethanol solvate ( iiia ) formed in step ( a ) to furnish the compound of structural formula ( i ). the coupling of compound ( ia ) to form ethanol solvate ( iiia ) may be performed according to those coupling methods previously described hereinabove for the preparation of compound ( ib ) and acetonide ( iia ). preferably , the coupling is effected using edc and hobt in the presence of a tertiary amine base , such as triethylamine , or hunig &# 39 ; s base . the use of hunig &# 39 ; s base is especially preferred . the ethanol solvate ( iiia ) may be desolvated to form compound ( i ) by dissolving ( iiia ) in an aprotic solvent , such as ethyl acetate or toluene , distilling the solution to remove residual ethanol , treating the solution with water such that a concentration of water in the range of between about 1 % to about 3 % water is achieved , and warming the aqueous solution to reflux temperature , at which point crystallization of ( i ) begins . the addition of seed crystals to the aqueous solution prior to reflux is typically preferred . the reflux period may comprise from a few hours to one or more days , preferably from about eight to about twenty hours . once crystallization is essentially complete , excess water is removed by azeotropic distillation , preferably at atmospheric pressure , and the slurry is then cooled to between about 5 ° to about 30 ° c ., preferably , about room temperature , where the isolation of ( i ) is performed according to standard methods , such as by filtration . in yet another aspect , the present invention provides a process for preparing a compound of structural formula ( i ) the coupling of compound ( ia ) with cis - 3 , 4 - dihydroxypyrrolidine free base ( v ) to form compound ( i ) may also be performed according to those coupling methods previously described hereinabove for the preparation of compound ( ib ), acetonide ( iia ), or ethanol solvate ( iiia ). the free base of cis - 3 , 4 - dihydroxypyrrolidine ( v ) may be prepared according to the several synthetic methods described in detail hereinbelow including , for example , the process disclosed in example 18 . the compound of structural formula ( i ) so prepared is then preferably isolated according to standard methodologies that are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art . another aspect of the invention provides synthetic methods useful for preparing compound ( v ), and the acid addition salts thereof , which compound , or which acid addition salts , are intermediates useful in the preparation of compound ( i ). these exemplary synthetic methods are described in detail hereinbelow in schemes 1 to 7 . the cis - 3 , 4 - dihydroxypyrrolidine , p - toluenesulfonate salt ( vi ) may be obtained commercially . in one aspect , the invention provides a process useful in preparing compound ( v ), or an acid addition salt thereof , which process comprises the steps outlined hereinbelow in scheme 1 . as shown in scheme 1 , the 3 - pyrroline starting material ( aldrich chemical co ., milwaukee , wis .) is protected with boc - anhydride in the presence of an organic or brönsted base in an aprotic solvent . the mixture of protected n - boc - 3 - pyrroline products ( va ) may then be oxidized to the corresponding diol ( vb ) according to known methods , for example osmium tetroxide oxidation , the use of catalytic osmium tetroxide with a co - oxidant , the use of ruthenium ( iii ) chloride / sodium periodate ( shing , t . k . m ., et al ., angew . chem . eur . j ., 2 , 50 ( 1996 ), or shing , t . k . m ., et al ., angew . chem . int . ed . engl ., 33 , 2312 ( 1994 )), potassium permanganate , or similar reagents and conditions that will be well - known to one of ordinary skill in the art . the boc protecting group of ( vb ) may be subsequently removed by treatment with a suitable acid , for example , trifluoroacetic acid , methanesulfonic acid , and the like , in the presence of a reaction - inert solvent such as tetrahydrofuran , dichloromethane , or acetonitrile , to form ( v ). preferably , compound ( v ) is then isolated , either in the form of the free base , or in the form of an acid addition salt thereof , wherein such acid addition salt may be prepared according to known methods . such acid addition salts , may include , for example , the hydrochloride , hydrobromide , sulfate , hydrogen sulfate , phosphate , hydrogen phosphate , dihydrogen phosphate , acetate , succinate , citrate , methanesulfonate ( mesylate ), and 4 - methylbenzenesulfonate ( p - toluenesulfonate ) acid addition salts . such acid addition salts may be prepared readily by reacting compound ( v ) with an appropriate conjugate acid . when the desired salt is of a monobasic acid ( e . g ., hydrochloride , hydrobromide , tosylate , acetate , etc . ), the hydrogen form of a dibasic acid ( e . g ., hydrogen sulfate , succinate , etc . ), or the dihydrogen form of a tribasic acid ( e . g ., dihydrogen phosphate , citrate , etc . ), at least one molar equivalent , and usually a molar excess , of the acid is employed . however , where such salts as the sulfate , hemisuccinate , phosphate , or hydrogen phosphate are desired , the appropriate and stoichiometric equivalent of the acid will generally be employed . the free base and the acid are normally combined in a co - solvent from which the desired acid addition salt then precipitates , or can be otherwise isolated by concentration of the mother liquor , or by the precipitative effect resulting from the addition of a non - solvent . especially preferred acid addition salts of compound ( v ) comprise the p - toluenesulfonate ( vi ) and hydrochloride acid addition salts . an alternative method that may be used to prepare compound ( v ), or an acid addition salt thereof , comprises the process outlined hereinbelow in scheme 2 . as shown in scheme 2 , the dibromo diketone starting material is reduced in the presence of a suitable reducing agent , such as sodium borohydride , in a reaction - inert solvent , such as an ether ( tetrahydrofuran or methyl tert - butyl ether ), or other suitable solvent ( s ) to provide a mixture of the syn - and anti - alcohols ( via ) and ( via ′). alcohols ( via ) and ( via ′) are then cyclized with benzylamine in the presence of a suitable base , such as sodium bicarbonate , to yield diol ( vib ). the use of an additive , such as potassium iodide , has been shown to improve the rate of cyclization . see , for example , larock , comprehensive organic transformations , vch , new york , 337 - 339 ( 1989 ). the benzyl protecting group of ( vib ) may be subsequently removed by standard methods , such as hydrogenation using a catalyst such as palladium on carbon in a reaction - inert solvent , such as an alcohol or ether , to form compound ( v ), followed by acid addition salt formation , if desired . yet another alternative method that may be employed in the preparation of ( v ), or an acid addition salt thereof , comprises the process depicted in scheme 3 . in scheme 3 , meso - tartaric acid is cyclized with benzylamine to give diol ( viib ). such cyclization is typically effected in a reaction - inert solvent such as methylene chloride , tetrahydrofuran , or ethyl acetate at temperatures generally above ambient temperature . see , for example , march , advanced organic chemistry , 4 th ed ., wiley interscience , 420 ( 1992 ). it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that such amide bond formations from carboxylic acids may be aided by addition of coupling agents such as dicyclohexylcarbodiimide , n , n ′- carbonyidiimidazole , or ethyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 2 - ethoxy - 1 - quinolinecarboxylate ( eedq ). diol ( viib ) is then reduced to diol ( vib ) through the use of known reducing reagents , such as lithium aluminum hydride , diborane , or sodium borohydride , in the presence of boron trifluoride . the benzyl protecting group of ( vib ) may be subsequently removed by standard methods , such as hydrogenation using a catalyst such as palladium on carbon in a suitable solvent , such as an alcohol or ether , to form compound ( v ), followed by acid addition salt formation , if desired . yet another method useful in the preparation of compound ( v ), or an acid addition salt thereof , comprises the steps shown in scheme 4 . in scheme 4 , the butane - tetraol starting material is converted to diactetate ( viia ) under standard conditions , such as treatment with hydrobromic acid and acetic acid , or by those methods described in talekar , d . g ., et al ., indian j . chem ., sect . b , 25b ( 2 ), 145 - 51 ( 1986 ), or lee , e ., et al ., j . chem . soc ., perkin trans . 1 , 23 , 3395 - 3396 ( 1999 ). diacetate ( viiia ) is then cyclized with benzylamine in the presence of a suitable base , such as sodium bicarbonate , to give ( vib ). as disclosed hereinabove , the use of an additive , such as potassium iodide , to assist cyclization may be employed if desired , or appropriate . the benzyl protecting group of ( vib ) may be subsequently removed by standard methods , such as hydrogenation using a catalyst such as palladium on carbon in a suitable solvent , such as an alcohol or ether , to form compound ( v ), followed by acid addition salt formation , if desired . yet another method useful in the preparation of ( v ), or an acid addition salt thereof , comprises the process shown in scheme 5 . in scheme 5 , ( e )- 1 , 4 - dichloro - 2 - butene is di - hydroxylated to furnish diol ( ixa ) employing conditions known to one of ordinary skill in the art , for example , hydrogen peroxide and formic acid , or m - chloroperoxybenzoic acid and water . diol ( ixa ) is then cyclized with benzylamine in the presence of a suitable base , such as sodium bicarbonate , to give diol ( vib ). as disclosed hereinabove , the use of an additive , such as potassium iodide , to assist cyclization may be employed if desired , or appropriate . the benzyl protecting group of ( vib ) may be subsequently removed by standard methods , such as hydrogenation using a catalyst such as palladium on carbon in a reaction - inert solvent , such as an alcohol or ether , to form compound ( v ), followed by acid addition salt formation , if desired . yet another method useful in the preparation of ( v ), or an acid addition salt thereof , comprises the process depicted in scheme 6 . in scheme 6 , ( z )- 1 , 4 - dichloro - 2 - butene is di - hydroxylated to furnish diol ( ixa ) according to synthetic methods known to one of ordinary skill in the art . for example , such oxidation may be effected employing a mixture of sodium periodate and a ruthenium salt in a reaction - inert , aprotic solvent such as acetontrile , or a halogenated hydrocarbon solvent such as chloroform , methylene chloride , or carbon tetrachloride . where appropriate or desired , solvent mixtures comprising reaction - inert , aprotic solvents , for example , acetonitrile and ethyl acetate , may also be utilized . in a preferred embodiment , the oxidation reaction is effected utilizing ruthenium ( iii ) chloride hydrate and sodium periodate in a cooled acetonitrile / ethyl acetate solvent mixture . diol ( ixa ) is then cyclized using benzylamine in the presence of a suitable base , such as sodium bicarbonate , to furnish compound diol ( vib ). as disclosed hereinabove , the use of an additive , such as potassium iodide , to assist in cyclization may be employed if desired , and / or appropriate . the benzyl protecting group of ( vib ) may be subsequently removed by standard methods , such as hydrogenation using a catalyst such as palladium on carbon in a suitable solvent , such as an alcohol or ether , to form compound ( v ), followed by acid addition salt formation , if desired . yet another method of preparing compound ( v ), or an acid addition salt thereof , comprises the process shown in scheme 7 . as shown generally in scheme 7 , the aminodiol starting material is protected with boc - anhydride in the presence of an organic or brönsted base in an aprotic solvent . the boc protected diol ( xia ) is then oxidized to dialdehyde ( xib ) by methods generally known to those skilled in the art . for example , diol ( xia ) may be oxidized using a strong oxidant such as potassium permanganate , ruthenium tetroxide , manganese dioxide , or jones &# 39 ; reagent ( chromic acid and sulfuric acid in water ). alternatively , oxidation of ( xia ) to ( xib ) may be effected by catalytic dehydrogenation using reagents such as copper chromite , raney nickel , palladium acetate , copper oxide , and the like . for additional examples see , for example , march , advanced organic chemistry , 2 nd edition , wiley - interscience , 1992 . the dialdehyde ( xib ) may then be cyclized to boc - protected diol ( vb ) via pinacol coupling . known methods of effecting such coupling may comprise direct electron transfer using active metals such as sodium , magnesium , or aluminum , or through the use of titanium trichloride . the boc - group of ( vb ) can then be removed by treatment with a suitable acid as described hereinabove . preferably , compound ( v ) is then isolated , either in the form of the free base , or in the form of an acid addition salt thereof , wherein such acid addition salt may be prepared as described hereinabove . another aspect of the instant invention provides synthetic methods useful for preparing compound ( iv ) hereinbelow , and the acid addition salts thereof , which compound and acid addition salts , are also intermediates useful in the preparation of compound ( i ). such exemplary synthetic methods are depicted in detail hereinbelow in schemes 8 to 10 . in one aspect , compound ( iv ), or an acid addition salt thereof , may be prepared according to the process shown in scheme 8 . as shown in scheme 8 , ribose is protected by forming the acetonide derivative ( xiia ) thereof . such acetonide formation can be effected in a variety of ways , for example , according to those methods described in greene , t . w ., et al ., protective groups in organic synthesis , 2 nd edition , wiley - interscience , ( 1991 ). as an example , the formation of protected diol ( xiia ) may be performed using acetone in the presence of iodine . the oxidation of ( xiia ) to ( xiib ) may be effected using reagents including sodium periodate in methanol . the reduction of ( xiib ) may be performed according to known methods , for example , through the use of lithium aluminum hydride or sodium borohydride in the presence of acid , such as acetic acid . amine ( ivc ) is prepared by treating ( xiib ) with benzylamine in methylene chloride or similar reaction - inert solvents . the benzyl protecting group of ( ivc ) can be subsequently removed according to standard methods , such as hydrogenation , using a catalyst such as palladium on carbon in a suitable solvent , such as an alcohol or ether , to form compound ( iv ). preferably , compound ( iv ) is then isolated , either in the form of the free base , or in the form of an acid addition salt thereof , wherein such acid salt may be prepared as described hereinabove . especially preferred acid addition salts of compound ( iv ) are the p - toluenesulfonate ( ivi ) and hydrochloride acid addition salts . yet another method for the preparation of compound ( iv ), or an acid addition salt thereof , comprises the process illustrated in scheme 9 . wherein piv represents the pivaloyl moiety , i . e ., ( ch 3 ) 3 c ( o )—. as shown in scheme 9 , meso - erythritrol is protected using standard methodologies to form the di - pivaloyl derivative ( xiiia ). such protection is preferably effected using pivaloyl chloride in the presence of a strong organic base , such as pyridine . the resulting diol ( xiiia ) may be protected by formation of the acetonide ( xiiib ) by treatment of ( xiiia ) with tosic acid in acetone or by treatment with 2 , 2 - dimethoxypropane ( dmp ). the piv - groups of ( xiiib ) may be subsequently removed according to standard methods , for example those methods disclosed in greene , t . w ., et al ., protective groups in organic synthesis , 2 nd edition , wiley - interscience , ( 1991 ), to form deprotected derivative ( xiiic ). as an example , the deprotection of ( xiiib ) may be effected using a strong inorganic base , such as sodium or potassium hydroxide , in an aqueous solvent , such as an alcohol . mesylate activation of the diol ( xiiic ), in a suitable non - reactive solvent in the presence of a base such as triethylamine , gives compound ( xiiid ). cyclization of ( xiiid ) with benzylamine in the presence of a base , such as an organic amine , affords ( ivc ). the benzyl protecting group of ( ivc ) can be subsequently removed according to standard methods , such as hydrogenation , using a catalyst such as palladium on carbon in a suitable solvent , such as an alcohol or ether , to form compound ( iv ). preferably , compound ( iv ) is then isolated , either in the form of the free base , or in the form of an acid addition salt thereof , wherein such acid salt may be prepared as described hereinabove . in another aspect , the invention provides a generally preferred process for the preparation of compound ( iv ), or the preferred p - toluenesulfonate acid addition salt ( ivi ) thereof , which process is depicted hereinbelow in scheme 10 . the oxidation of n - benzylmaleimide to diol ( viib ) may be performed according to synthetic methods known to one of ordinary skill in the art . for example , such oxidation may be effected employing a mixture of sodium periodate and a ruthenium salt in a reaction - inert , aprotic solvent such as acetonitrile , or a halogenated hydrocarbon solvent such as chloroform , methylene chloride , or carbon tetrachloride . where appropriate or desired , solvent mixtures comprising reaction - inert , aprotic solvents , for example , acetonitrile and ethyl acetate , may also be utilized . in a preferred embodiment , the oxidation reaction is effected utilizing ruthenium ( iii ) chloride hydrate and sodium periodate in a acetonitrile / ethyl acetate solvent mixture at below ambient temperature . the formation of acetonide ( ivb ) may be effected according to synthetic methodologies known to one of ordinary skill in the art . for example , such protection may be performed by condensing diol ( viib ) with acetone , 2 , 2 - dimethoxypropane , or a mixture of both , in the presence of an acid catalyst , such as sulfuric , p - toluenesulfonic , or methanesulfonic acid . in a preferred embodiment , the protection reaction is effected by condensing diol ( viia ) in 2 , 2 - dimethoxypropane with a catalytic amount of methanesulfonic acid . the reduction of acetonide ( ivb ) to ( ivc ) may be effected according to synthetic methodologies known to one of ordinary skill in the art . for example , such reduction may be performed using a boron or aluminum hydride complex including , for example , bh 3 thf , bh 3 etherate , or red - al ® ( sodium bis ( 2 - methoxyethoxy ) aluminum hydride ; aldrich chemical co ., milwaukee , wis . ), in an aprotic , reaction - inert solvent , such as toluene or diethylether . in a preferred embodiment , the reduction of protected acetonide ( ivb ) to ( ivc ) is effected using red - al ® in toluene . the deprotection of ( ivc ) may be effected according to synthetic methodologies known to one of ordinary skill in the art . for example , such using palladium salts , or complexes , such as pd ( oh ) 2 , or pd / c in polar , protic solvents , such as methanol or ethanol , in a non - protic solvent , such as tetrahydrofuran , or in a mixture of such solvents . alternatively , such deprotection may be effected under hydrogenation - transfer conditions , i . e ., pd / c with cyclohexene . in a preferred embodiment , the deprotection reaction is effected using pd ( oh ) 2 / c in methanol . the deprotected product ( iv ), is then preferably isolated , in the form of the preferred p - toluenesulfonate acid addition salt ( ivi ) thereof , which may be either prepared as described hereinabove , or obtained commercially . the present invention is illustrated by the following examples . it is to be understood , however , that the examples hereinbelow are provided solely for the purpose of illustration , not limitation . the cis - 3 , 4 - dihydroxypyrrolidine , p - toluenesulfonate salt ( vi ) was purchased from aldrich chemical co ., fine chemicals division , milwaukee , wis . a 5 . 00 g ( 0 . 0134 mmol ) sample of ( αr , βs )- β -[[( 5 - chloro - 1h - indol - 2 - yl ) carbonyl ] amino ]- α - hydroxy - benzenebutanoic acid ( ia ) ( prepared according to the methods disclosed in the aforementioned u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 107 , 329 , 6 , 277 , 877 , and 6 , 297 , 269 ) and 3 - pyrroline ( 1 . 11 g , 0 . 015 mmol ) ( aldrich chemical co ., milwaukee , wis .) were slurried in 100 ml of tetrahydrofuran at a temperature of between 20 ° and 25 ° c . the mixture was treated with 0 . 6 g ( 0 . 33 equiv .) of 1 - hydroxybenzotriazole hydrate ( hobt ) and the mixture was cooled to between 0 ° and 5 ° c . n , n - diisopropylethylamine ( 2 . 08 ml , 2 . 1 equiv .) was added to the mixture over 15 minutes at 0 ° to 5 ° c . the mixture was then treated with 1 -( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl )- 3 - ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride ( edc ) ( 2 . 78 g , 1 . 1 equiv .) at − 10 ° to − 6 ° c . the reaction was allowed to warm to about 20 ° c . and was stirred at ambient temperature for about 24 hours . the reaction mixture was treated with water ( 50 ml ) and ethyl acetate ( 50 ml ) to give a two - phase mixture . the layers were settled and the organic layer was separated and concentrated to furnish a solid by distillation under partial vacuum . a total of 5 . 1 g ( 92 . 7 % yield ) of the pure title product was isolated . a 1 . 59 g ( 3 . 75 mmol ) sample of ( ib ), n - methylmorpholine n - oxide ( 413 mg , 3 . 52 mmol ), and osmium tetroxide ( 3 . 6 g , 0 . 352 mmol ) were combined in 15 ml of tetrahydrofuran and the resulting mixture was stirred overnight under a blanket of nitrogen . the solvent was evaporated in vacuo and the residue was partitioned between ethyl acetate and saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate . the layers were separated , and the organic layer was washed twice with sodium sulfite solution , and then sodium bicarbonate . the aqueous washes were backwashed with ethyl acetate , dried over sodium sulfate , stirred with decolorizing charcoal , and evaporated in vacuo . the residue was adsorbed onto silica gel and flash chromatographed eluting with ethyl acetate : methanol ( 9 : 1 ). the product - containing fractions were combined , treated with decolorizing charcoal , and evaporated to a foam which was triturated overnight with hexanes to furnish 505 mg ( 25 % yield ) of a tan solid , m . p . 150 °- 155 ° c . a 25 g ( 0 . 067 mol ) amount of ( ia ) and ( ivi ) ( 22 . 2 g , 0 . 0704 mol ) were stirred in 125 ml of dichloromethane and 125 ml of tetrahydrofuran at 20 ° to 25 ° c . n , n - diisopropylethylamine ( 23 . 4 ml , 0 . 134 mole ) was added to the mixture over 15 minutes at 20 ° to 25 ° c . the reaction solution was cooled to between 0 ° and − 10 ° c . and treated with 1 -( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl )- 3 - ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride ( edc ) ( 14 . 2 g , 0 . 0741 mol ), and hydroxybenzotriazole hydrate ( hobt ) ( 10 . 0 g , 0 . 074 mol ). the reaction mixture was stirred at − 6 ° to − 10 ° c . for about 30 minutes . the reaction was allowed to warm to ambient temperature over about 45 minutes and stirred for about 2 hours . the reaction mixture was treated with 50 % aqueous sodium hydroxide to give a ph of about 10 , and the two - phase mixture was allowed to settle . the organic layer was concentrated to an oil by rotary evaporation using partial vacuum . a total of 31 g ( 88 % yield ) of title compound was isolated . a 2 . 0 g sample of acetonide ( iia ) was dissolved in a mixture of 10 ml tetrahydrofuran and 10 ml of water . the ph was adjusted to 1 . 8 with 6n hydrochloric acid , and the solution was heated to reflux . after refluxing overnight , the ph was adjusted to about 7 to 8 with 50 % sodium hydroxide , and the mixture was atmospherically distilled to remove the tetrahydrofuran . the layers were separated , the organic layer was washed with 10 ml of water , and to the combined organic layers were added 25 ml of heptane . the resulting white crystalline precipitate was stirred for about one hour , collected by filtration , and washed with heptane . the solid was dried overnight in vacuo to provide 1 . 7 g of the title compound . a 10 g ( 0 . 027 mole ) sample of ( ia ), an 8 . 88 g ( 0 . 028 mole ) sample of ( ivi ) and 0 . 06 g ( 0 . 044 mole ) of hobt were combined in 50 ml of tetrahydrofuran , and the resulting slurry was cooled to − 10 ° to − 5 ° c . a total of 4 . 15 g ( 0 . 032 mole ) of hunig &# 39 ; s base , and 5 . 66 g ( 0 . 03 mole ) of edc were added and the resulting solution was stirred at ambient temperature for about 12 hours . the solution was diluted with 50 ml of water , and the ph was adjusted to about 1 . 7 using 1 . 5 ml of concentrated hcl . the reaction mixture was then heated to reflux for about 10 hours . the ph was adjusted to 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 with 50 % sodium hydroxide , and the solution was reduced to a small volume by atmospheric distillation at a pot temperature of about 90 ° c . a total of 100 ml of ethyl acetate was added , the organic layer was washed with 50 ml of water , and the organic layer was diluted with 50 ml of toluene . the mixture was refluxed overnight , stirred for about 10 hours at ambient temperature , and filtered . the residual solid was dried in vacuo at a temperature of about 45 ° c . to afford 10 . 4 g ( 86 . 6 % yield ) of the title product . a 53 kg ( 142 . 2 mol ) sample of ( ia ) was suspended in 35 gallons of n , n - dimethylformamide . the resulting mixture was treated with ethyl acetate ( 70 gallons ) and cooled to between 0 ° to 5 ° c . the cooled mixture was treated in order with n , n - diisopropylethylamine ( 36 . 6 kg , 284 . 3 mol ), 1 -( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl )- 3 - ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride ( 30 kg , 156 . 4 mol ), and 1 - hydroxybenzotriazole hydrate ( 24 kg , 156 . 38 mol ). the reaction mixture was then treated with cis - 3 , 4 - dihydroxypyrrolidine , p - toluenesulfonate ( vi ) ( 41 . 1 kg , 149 . 3 mol ) and the reaction was allowed to stir for about 30 minutes at 0 ° to 5 ° c . the reaction was then warmed to ambient temperature and stirred for about 6 hours . the reaction mixture was treated with water ( 175 gallons ), stirred for about 1 hour , and then allowed to settle . the aqueous layer was separated off and was washed twice with ethyl acetate ( 2 × 35 gallons ). the ethyl acetate layers were combined and washed three times with aqueous sodium bicarbonate ( 2 × 23 . 8 kg sodium bicarbonate in 70 gallons of water and 1 × 11 . 9 kg sodium bicarbonate in 35 gallons of water ). the ethyl acetate solution was combined with 20 gallons of ethyl acetate and 35 gallons of water , stirred for about 30 minutes and then allowed to settle . the ethyl acetate layer was separated off , treated with decolorizing charcoal ( 0 . 55 kg ), and then stirred for about 15 minutes . the mixture was filtered to remove the charcoal and the solution was concentrated in vacuo to a volume of about 80 gallons . the ethyl acetate was displaced by distillation using ethanol ( 4 × 55 gallons ), whereupon a thick white slurry formed at a final volume of about 110 gallons . the product was stirred at ambient temperature for about 18 hours . a total of 83 . 2 kg of the title compound was isolated by filtration as an ethanol - wet cake . a 74 kg sample of ( iiia ) and 88 gallons of ethyl acetate were combined and the resulting slurry was stirred at ambient temperature until a complete solution was obtained . the mixture was concentrated by atmospheric distillation until about 44 gallons of distillate had been collected ( distillate refractive index = 1 . 3716 ). a thick white slurry , formed upon cooling below about 40 ° c . water ( 6 . 1 l ) was added to the slurry to form an almost clear solution , and then hexanes ( 54 gallons ) was added over a period of between 2 and 3 hours . the resulting slurry was stirred at ambient temperature for about 2 . 5 days . the solids were filtered off , washed with ethyl acetate ( 8 gallons ), and then blown dry under a nitrogen stream . the solid was dissolved in ethyl acetate and the solution was stirred at ambient temperature for about 11 days , whereupon a solid product gradually formed . the solid was then filtered off and vacuum dried at 30 ° to 45 ° c . to give the title compound ( 30 . 9 kg , 71 . 6 % yield ). a solution of n - benzylmaleimide ( 50 . 0 kg ), in 125 l of acetonitrile and 859 l of ethyl acetate was combined with an aqueous mixture of 0 . 499 kg of ruthenium ( iii ) chloride hydrate in 352 l of water , and the resulting reaction mixture was cooled to about 5 ° c . sodium periodate ( 74 . 4 kg ) was added with stirring to the reaction solution in small portions , while maintaining the reaction temperature between 3 ° c . and 5 ° c . once the addition was complete , the reaction was quenched with an aqueous solution of sodium thiosulfate ( 45 kg ) in 38 l of water , and the resulting slurry was granulated for about 20 minutes . the inorganic salts were removed by suction filtration , and the filter cake was washed with ethyl acetate . the combined filtrates were washed with water and allowed to settle . the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate and the product - rich organic layers were combined and washed with a solution of 8 kg of sodium chloride in 72 l of water . the organic extracts were concentrated by atmospheric distillation at a temperature of about 75 ° c ., cooled to room temperature , and allowed to granulate for 2 to 4 hours . hexanes ( 360 l ) was added to the cooled ( 5 ° c . to 15 ° c .) slurry and granulation was continued for about 1 hour . the precipitated solids were collected by suction filtration , washed well with ethyl acetate followed by hexanes , and then dried in vacuo at a temperature of about 40 ° c . to about 45 ° c . to provide the title compound ( 42 . 0 kg , 71 % yield ) as a white solid . to a slurry of 58 . 6 kg of ( iva ) in 117 . 2 l of 2 , 2 - dimethoxypropane was added 1 . 72 l of methanesulfonic acid and the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 6 to 9 hours until the reaction was complete . a total of 322 l of diisopropyl ether was added to the reaction mixture and the resulting slurry was granulated . after cooling to − 10 ° to − 15 ° c ., the granulation was continued for an additional 2 hours . the precipitated solids were collected by filtration , washed with diisopropyl ether , and dried under vacuum for about 12 hours at 40 to 45 ° c . to provide the title compound ( 57 . 8 kg , 84 % yield ). a total of 56 . 1 kg of ( ivb ) and 563 l of toluene were combined and the mixture was warmed to between 50 ° c . and 60 ° c . until an almost complete solution had been achieved . the resulting solution was filtered to remove some trace insolubles and was then added to a solution of 277 . 6 kg of red - al ® ( 65 wt . % solution of bis ( 2 - methoxyethoxy ) aluminum hydride in toluene ) in 141 l of toluene . the resulting solution was heated to reflux for about 4 hours and was then cooled to about room temperature . to the reaction solution was slowly added a solution of 224 l of a 50 % aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide in 623 l of water , while carefully maintaining an internal temperature of between 10 ° c . and 30 ° c . following addition , the mixture was stirred for about 20 minutes and the layers were allowed to settle . the organic layer was washed twice with 74 gal . portions of water , dried , and the toluene was removed by atmospheric distillation , displacing with methanol . the resulting oil ( 93 % yield ) was employed directly in the next step . a solution of 47 . 5 kg of ( ivb ) in 378 . 5 l of tetrahydrofuran was concentrated to about ¾ volume by distillation , cooled , and sampled for water content . while maintaining a temperature of between 10 ° c . and 20 ° c ., a total of 263 kg of borane - tetrahydrofuran complex ( 2m in tetrahydrofuran ) was added under nitrogen at a rate of about 1 . 0 kg / minute . the reaction mixture was allowed to stir at room temperature for about 4 hours , after which time the reaction was quenched by the addition of 238 . 5 ml of methanol while maintaining a temperature of 10 ° c . and 20 ° c . during the addition . following the methanol addition , the mixture was stirred for about 1 hour at room temperature , then at 35 ° to 45 ° c . for about 2 hours , and then to reflux temperature where the tetrahydrofuran was displaced with methanol by concentrating the reaction mixture to about 145 l via atmospheric distillation at a temperature of 55 ° c . to 65 ° c . the mixture was cooled to 30 ° c . and 50 ° c ., 473 l of methanol was added , and the mixture was concentrated to a final volume of about 145 l again by atmospheric distillation as previously described . the concentrate was cooled to about room temperature and about 1 l of water was added . the resulting solution of the title compound was used directly in the following step . a 195 l sample of ( ivc ) was combined in a hydrogenation vessel with 7 . 1 kg of 20 % palladium hydroxide on carbon ( 50 % water wet ), and the mixture was hydrogenated at about 50 psig for about 10 hours at about 20 ° c . upon reaction completion , the mixture was filtered to remove the catalyst , and the filter cake was washed well with methanol . the reaction mixture was concentrated by atmospheric distillation to a volume of about 80 l and 288 l of methyl ethyl ketone was added . the solution was reduced in volume to about 133 l by atmospheric distillation , and the solution filtered . the resulting solution was then treated , over a time period of about 1 hour , with a solution of 34 . 6 kg of p - toluenesulfonic acid in 102 l of methyl ethyl ketone and the mixture was allowed to granulate for about 5 hours at 10 ° c . to 20 ° c . the slurry was cooled to between 0 ° c . and 5 ° c ., and granulated for a further 2 hours . the precipitated product was collected by filtration , washed with cold methyl ethyl ketone , and dried in vacuo at 40 ° c . to 45 ° c . to furnish the title compound ( 44 . 8 kg , 74 % yield ) as a white crystalline solid . to a 500 ml flask equipped with a magnetic stir bar was charged d - ribose ( 20 . 0 g , 0 . 13 mol ). acetone ( 200 ml ) was added and stirring was commenced . iodine ( 0 . 01 g , 0 . 40 mmol ) was added and the solution was stirred at room temperature until a clear brown solution was obtained . sodium thiosulfate ( 0 . 50 g , 3 . 16 mmol ) was added and the slurry stirred until the solution had become colorless . diatomaceous earth ( 5 . 00 g ) was added to the slurry and the mixture was filtered . the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo affording 25 . 0 g ( 99 % yield ) of the title compound as a thick yellow oil , which was used directly without further purification . thin layer chromatographic analysis ( ethyl acetate ; silica gel ; visualized with phosphomolybdic acid ) indicated four spots : r f = 0 . 89 , 0 . 72 major ( product ), 0 . 38 , and 0 . 00 . 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz ; cdcl 3 ): δ6 . 47 ( d , 1h ), 5 . 32 ( d , 1h ), 4 . 96 ( t , 1h ), 4 . 82 ( d , 1h ), 4 . 53 ( d , 1h ), 4 . 32 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 64 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 48 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 32 ( s , 3h ) to a three - necked flask equipped with a reflux condenser , mechanical stirrer , and a temperature controller , was added ( xiia ) ( 20 . 0 g , 0 . 11 mol ), and anhydrous methanol ( 500 ml ). the stirred reaction mixture was then placed under a nitrogen atmosphere . sodium periodate ( 44 . 8 g , 0 . 21 mol ) was added and the stirred mixture was heated to about 40 ° c . overnight . the solution was allowed to cool to room temperature , diatomaceous earth ( 10 g ) was added , and the slurry was filtered . the resulting filtrate was concentrated to a thick oil which was dissolved in 300 ml of methylene chloride . the resulting filtrate was washed successively with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate ( 200 ml ), 2 % aqueous sodium thiosulfate ( 200 ml ), and saturated aqueous sodium chloride ( 200 ml ). the organic layer was dried over magnesium sulfate , filtered , and concentrated in vacuo to afford 13 . 2 ( 66 % yield ) of the title compound as a yellow oil . this material was used directly without further purification . thin layer chromatographic analysis ( 1 : 1 ethyl acetate / hexanes ; silica gel ; visualized with phosphomolybdic acid ) indicated two spots : r f = 0 . 82 , 0 . 66 major ( product ). 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz ; cdcl 3 ) [ diasteriomeric mixture ]: δ5 . 43 ( 2s ), 5 . 41 and 5 . 28 ( 2d ), 5 . 05 ( s , 1h ), 4 . 85 ( s , 1h ), 4 . 68 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 98 and 3 . 98 ( s ), 3 . 43 ( s , 3h ), 3 . 36 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 53 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 38 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 47 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 32 ( s , 3h ). methylene chloride ( 400 ml ) was charged to a three - necked flask equipped with a pressure equalizing addition funnel , mechanical stirrer , and thermometer . sodium borohydride ( 7 . 20 g , 0 . 19 mol ) was added , stirring was commenced , and the slurry was cooled to about 5 ° c . with an ice bath . acetic acid ( 37 . 1 g , 0 . 62 mol ) was added dropwise over about 45 minutes . the cooling bath was removed and the reaction mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature where it was allowed to stir for about two hours . benzylamine ( 7 . 10 g , 0 . 07 mol ) was added , followed immediately by the addition of a solution of ( xiib ) ( 12 . 0 g , 0 . 63 mol ) in 30 ml of methylene chloride . the solution was stirred overnight at room temperature . the reaction was quenched with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution ( 200 ml ), and the resulting bi - phasic mixture was stirred vigorously for about thirty minutes . the organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with methylene chloride ( 200 ml ). the combined organic extracts were washed successively with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate ( 200 ml ), and 10 % aqueous sodium chloride ( 200 ml ). the combined organic extracts were dried over magnesium sulfate , filtered , and concentrated in vacuo . this afforded 14 . 5 g ( 98 . 6 % yield ) of the title compound as a yellow oil . thin layer chromatographic analysis ( 20 % ethyl acetate / hexanes ; silica gel ; visualized with phosphomolybdic acid ) indicated two spots : r f = 0 . 36 major ( product ), 0 . 02 . 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz ; cdcl 3 ): δ7 . 2 - 7 . 4 ( m , 5h ), 4 . 65 ( d , 2h ), 3 . 62 ( s , 2h ), 3 . 06 ( d , 2h ), 2 . 17 ( dd , 2h ), 1 . 58 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 32 ( s , 3h ). to a round - bottomed flask equipped with a reflux condenser and a magnetic stirring bar was added ( ivd ) ( 5 . 00 g , 0 . 02 mol ). ethanol ( 10 ml ) was added and stirring was commenced . concentrated hydrochloric acid ( 7 ml , 0 . 09 mol ) was added and the solution was heated to reflux . after about four hours , the solution was allowed to cool to room temperature and concentrated in vacuo to afford a thick oil . ethanol ( 10 ml ) was added and the resulting solution was stirred at room temperature . isopropyl acetate ( 35 ml ) was added dropwise resulting in crystallization of the product . the slurry was stirred overnight , filtered , and the filter cake was washed with isopropyl acetate ( 20 ml ). the filter cake was dried overnight at room temperature under reduced pressure ( about 30 mm hg ) to afford 2 . 7 g ( 56 % yield ) of the title compound as an off - white solid , m . p . 122 - 123 ° c . 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz ; cdcl 3 ): δ7 . 58 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 45 ( m , 3h ), 5 . 48 ( br d , 2h ), 4 . 38 ( d , 1h ), 4 . 32 ( br s , 2h ), 4 . 25 ( br s , 1h ), 4 . 08 ( br s , 1h ), 3 . 42 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 32 3 . 13 ( m , 1h ), 302 ( m , 1h ). a 3 . 34 kg sample of ( vib ) was dissolved in 1 . 8 l of ethyl acetate and added to a mixture of 669 g of 10 % pd / c ( 50 % water wet ) in 9 gallons of methanol . the resulting mixture was hydrogenated with agitation at a pressure of about 50 psi for about 73 hours . the catalyst was removed by filtration , and the filter cake was rinsed with methanol . the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo to 1 . 98 kg of thick , amber - colored oil that partially crystallized . to the oily residue was added about 2 l of isopropanol , and the suspension was azeotropically distilled to remove residual traces of water , resulting in the collection of about 1 l of distillate . an additional 1 l of isopropanol was added and the resulting suspension was stirred at ambient temperature for about 48 hours . the mixture was filtered , the collected solid was washed with 420 ml of isopropanol , and the product dried in vacuo at ambient temperature to furnish 826 g of the title free base as a hygroscopic white solid , m . p . 108 °- 119 ° c . an additional 97 g of product was obtained from the concentrated filtrate . 1 hnmr ( dmso - d 6 ): δ2 . 46 - 2 . 51 ( m , 2h , 2 ′ h , 5 ′ h ), 2 . 81 - 2 . 87 ( m , 2h , 2 ″ h , 5 ″ h ), 3 . 30 ( br s , 1h , 1 - nh ), 3 . 74 - 3 . 77 ( m , 2h , 3 - h , 4 - h ), 4 . 39 ( br s , 2h , both oh ). anal . calc &# 39 ; d , for c 4 h 9 no 2 : c , 46 . 59 ; h , 8 . 80 ; n , 13 . 58 . found : c , 46 . 62 , h , 9 . 36 ; n , 13 . 43 . a 3 . 05 kg amount of ( ia ) was dissolved in a mixture of 6 . 1 l of dimethylformamide and 4 gallons of ethyl acetate . the reaction solution was cooled to between 0 ° and 5 ° c . and treated with hydroxybenzotriazole hydrate ( hobt ) ( 1 . 38 kg ), followed by 1 -( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl )- 3 - ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride ( edc ) ( 1 . 72 kg ). while maintaining the internal temperature at about 5 ° c ., a total of 884 . 4 g of cis - 3 , 4 - dihydroxypyrrolidine free base ( v ) was added , and the reaction was allowed to stir at ambient temperature for about 15 hours . the reaction was then cooled to between 10 ° and 15 ° c ., and quenched slowly with 39 l of water . the lower , product layer was removed and the aqueous layer was then washed with about 2 gallons of ethyl acetate . the organic and product layers were combined and washed three times with sodium bicarbonate solutions ( one wash with a solution of 1 . 37 kg sodium bicarbonate in 4 gallons water , followed by two washes with a solution of 687 g sodium bicarbonate in 2 gallons water ). the organic layer was treated with decolorizing charcoal , filtered , and the residue washed with 1 gallon of ethyl acetate . the filtrate was concentrated to a volume of about 2 gallons , diluted with 16 l of ethanol , and then concentrated in vacuo to a volume of about 8 l . an additional 10 l of ethanol was added , and the resulting suspension was stirred overnight . an additional 10 l of ethanol was added , and the mixture was filtered . the collected solid was washed with 3 l of ethanol , and dried in vacuo at a temperature of about 35 ° c . to furnish 2 . 47 kg of the title compound .
| 2 |
a carrier according to the invention illustrated in fig1 and 4 to 7 is denoted in its entirety by reference sign 10 , while a carrier illustrated in fig2 and 3 has the reference sign 12 and the carrier illustrated in fig8 has the reference sign 14 . the carriers 10 and 12 illustrated in fig1 and 2 represent two main exemplary embodiments of the carriers according to the invention . both carriers 10 and 12 have a base area 16 and 18 , respectively , which substantially replicates the shape of a human jaw . the base area 16 of the carrier 10 is laterally delimited to the outside with respect to a jaw by the wall 20 and to the inside by the wall 22 . the carrier 12 from fig2 correspondingly comprises the wall 24 toward the outside and the wall 26 toward the inside . here it is possible to see clearly the difference in the inwardly situated walls 22 and 26 between carrier 10 and carrier 12 . while the wall 26 of the carrier 12 from fig2 has a parallel profile with respect to the outwardly situated wall 24 , which profile is embodied such that the teeth of the dentition to be surrounded are held as in a groove , the inwardly situated wall 22 of the carrier 10 from fig1 is initially , proceeding from the base area 16 , also embodied parallel to the outwardly situated wall 20 but , in the further extent , it is oriented parallel to the palate of the patient . hence , with respect to fig1 , the inwardly situated wall 22 is upwardly closed , while the wall 26 finishes toward the top with an edge 27 . as a result of their embodiments with the base areas 16 and 18 and also the laterally delimiting walls 20 and 22 as well as 24 and 26 , respectively , both carriers 10 and 12 have a u - shaped cross - sectional profile as seen perpendicularly to the arch - shaped profile of the respective base area 16 and 18 , respectively . these carriers 10 and 12 are used to take impressions of the human jaw in patients . to this end , they are provided with an impression material 28 which is described in more detail below in conjunction with fig6 and which , for reasons of clarity , is not illustrated in fig1 to 5 and 7 and 8 . furthermore , to this end , the carrier 10 or 12 must be placed onto an impression tray 30 or inserted therein , as will be explained in more detail below on the basis of fig3 to 5 . in fig3 the impression tray 30 is illustrated on its own . this impression tray 30 comprises a handle 32 and a holder 34 , which serves to hold the carrier 10 . in this exemplary embodiment of the impression tray 30 , this holder 34 comprises an area 36 which is matched to the base area 16 of the carrier 10 and onto which this base area 16 can be placed . in order moreover to ensure a secure hold of the carrier 10 on the impression tray 30 , the latter has additional fastening means on the holder 34 . in the present exemplary embodiments , these fastening means are embodied as latching openings 38 , into which corresponding latching pins ( not shown in any more detail in this context ) of the carrier 10 can be inserted . however , instead of these latching openings 38 illustrated here in an exemplary fashion , all other conventional connection methods known from the prior art for a connection between holder 34 and carrier 10 which permit a correspondingly fast and comfortable connection between carrier and impression tray are also feasible . tongue and groove , screw - in and magnetic connections or similar are mentioned here in an exemplary fashion . a corresponding combination of inserted carrier 10 and impression tray 30 can be seen in fig4 . however , since this arrangement in accordance with fig4 merely allows an impression to be taken of only one jaw of the patient , an alternative embodiment provides for the holder 34 to be allowed to hold a further carrier 10 on its opposite side . this is illustrated in fig5 . as a result , it is now possible to simultaneously make an impression of upper and lower jaw . in the preceding figures , the already - mentioned impression material 28 , and also the electronic sensors 42 and optical elements 40 according to the invention , were not illustrated for reasons of clarity . here the impression material 28 should initially be discussed in more detail on the basis of fig6 . such an impression material 28 is preferably curable . as already explained at the outset , the present invention is based on a measurement method which is based on interplay between electronic sensors 42 , as will be described in more detail in conjunction with fig7 c , and a corresponding impression material 28 . in order to carry out the measurement method , the carrier 10 with the impression material 28 is inserted into a suitable impression tray , for example the impression tray 30 . since the carrier 10 is transparent in the present case , the impression tray 30 comprises illumination elements for illuminating the impression material , and optical sensors for measuring light emerging from the impression material . in order to measure e . g . a jaw , the impression tray illuminates the compound arranged in the carrier and causes the compound to phosphoresce , for example . the user then presses the teeth or the jaw to be measured into the impression material . the impression tray is then used to measure the light emerging from the impression material . here the measured light can originate directly from the luminescence of the compound , with it being possible for the digitized model of the jaw to be determined via the specific luminescence , i . e . the light yield per unit volume . however , it is also feasible to measure the reflections on the structures to be measured in the form of image information , with the luminescent material leading to a particularly good illumination , and to calculate the digital model on the basis of the image information . furthermore , the method can also be based on a combination of the aforementioned measurements . here , it is indispensable in this method for the impression material to be free from impurities or inclusions such as air , for example . here , even the smallest air - bubble inclusions , which cannot be identified with the naked eye , are a potential cause of significant errors , which can lead to imprecision in the established data and hence also in the image of the dentition . this is extremely undesirable because this can result in subsequent errors during the production of implants or prostheses , which leads to discomfort for the patient and may , for example , lead to an implant that cannot be used . for the same reasons it is also important that the impression material 28 is introduced uniformly in the carrier 10 or 12 , i . e . that this also reduces the imprecision during the measurement to a minimum . both can be reduced by virtue of the impression material 28 already being filled in a corresponding carrier 10 or 12 when it is supplied to the dentist or dental technician . the impression material 28 is filled into a space 43 defined by the walls 20 and 22 and the base area 16 as can be seen from fig6 . it can thereby be seen from the differently shaded regions of the impression material 28 that the latter is subdivided into two regions in this preferred embodiment . these regions consist of an at least already partly cured region 44 and a non - cured or less cured region 46 . the already at least partly cured region 44 , which also extends along the base area 16 ( which cannot be seen here ), prevents the patient from being able to bring their teeth as far as the base area 16 or onto the inwardly situated walls 22 or outwardly situated walls 20 when the patient presses their jaw into the impression material 28 . this is necessary in particular when use is made of the corresponding impression material 28 with the preferred fluorescing or phosphorescing materials . this is due to the fact that , as already described above , the amount of light which is re - emitted by the impression material 28 after corresponding irradiation is used to determine a distance . if no impression material 28 is present between the electronic sensors 42 and the teeth of the patient ( not illustrated here ), for example because the tooth of the patient lies directly on the base area 16 , then it is not possible to determine a distance value in this case either . this leads to errors and , in particular , to imprecision when measuring the jaw of the patient . however , if the at least partly cured region 44 is present , the tooth finally meets this region 44 after passing through the not yet cured region 46 . the former region then prevents further penetration , for example up to the base area 16 . as already mentioned above , appropriate electronic sensors 42 are required for creating the image of the jaw . the sensors register light which originates from a reflection at the teeth or from the luminescent impression material already described above and is induced by light which is emitted by illumination means 48 . these illumination means 48 will be described in more detail below . in one embodiment , the electronic sensors 42 can already be present in impression trays 30 , which is not illustrated in any more detail in the present figures . for this case , the carriers 10 and 12 then have a multiplicity of corresponding optical elements 40 , as are described in more detail in conjunction with fig7 a and 7b . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , these optical elements 40 can for example be lenses , optical fibers , filters or combinations of these . depending on the type and use of the utilized electronic sensors 42 , these optical elements can be arranged in such a way that , for example as shown in fig7 a , they are arranged in the base area 16 of a carrier 10 . here , the optical elements are illustrated schematically in fig7 as circular objects . a further option for arranging the optical elements 40 lies in merely arranging these in the walls 20 and / or 22 . here , fig7 b illustrates the embodiment in which the optical elements are present both in the outwardly lying wall 20 and in the inwardly lying wall 22 . in addition to the embodiments shown in fig7 a and 7b , provision is naturally also made within the present invention for those embodiments in which the optical elements 40 are arranged both in the base area 16 and in the walls 20 and / or 22 . these aforementioned exemplary embodiments of the carriers 10 with the optical elements 40 provide for the light , which is irradiated between optical elements 40 and , for example , a tooth of the patient ( not illustrated in any more detail here ), after the above - described reflection , or for the luminescence light emitted by the impression material to be able to pass through the optical elements 40 without significant losses to the electronic sensors 42 . additionally , in particular in the case of using optical fibers as optical elements 40 , it is also feasible for a uniformly distributed arrangement of the optical elements 40 only to be present on an inner side 50 of the carrier 10 , and for the corresponding entrance for the light to be formed as a result thereof . compared to this , the exit , which is formed by the other end of the optical fibers , is embodied as at least an optical fiber bundle . this optical fiber bundle ( not shown in any more detail here ) can then be routed to corresponding electronic sensors 42 . an illustration corresponding to this embodiment , in which merely the inner side 50 has been provided with identifiable optical elements 40 or the ends thereof , is illustrated in an exemplary fashion for the walls 20 and 22 in fig7 c . there it is possible to see that an outer side 52 lying opposite to the inner wall 50 does not comprise any ends of optical elements 40 . however , in contrast to the above - described exemplary embodiment , the electronic sensors 42 can also be arranged such that these electronic sensors are likewise contained in the carrier 10 or 12 and therefore form part of the optical elements 40 . a corresponding embodiment would then be designed like the one illustrated in exemplary fashion in fig7 c for the walls 20 and 22 . in this case , the electronic sensors 42 could either be a multiplicity of individual sensors which are distributed on the inner side 50 at the desired points of the carrier 10 . however , if use is made of optical fibers or else of lenses , an embodiment would also be feasible in which the optical elements 40 form at least one group , the optical information of which is conveyed to at least one common electronic sensor 42 . the exemplary embodiment in which the electronic sensors 42 are part of the optical elements 40 in the carrier 10 also differs from the aforementioned exemplary embodiment , in which the electronic sensors 42 are arranged at corresponding points in the impression tray 30 , by virtue of the transmission of the collected data . in the first - mentioned exemplary embodiment , the data are initially transmitted through light connectors still in the form of the corresponding light , while in the second embodiment the data are transmitted already in the form of digital data . depending on the type of the electronic sensor 42 , this data could also already be processed at least to a certain extent . here the second embodiment is preferred in view of the data transmission because , in addition to a simpler data - transmission connector between carrier 10 and impression tray 30 , this digital data transmission is also less susceptible to errors . the connector not shown in any more detail here for transmitting the optical or digital data can , for example , be arranged in the front 54 , visible in fig3 , at the end of the area 36 on the impression tray 30 . continuing with reference to the embodiments of fig7 a to 7c , provision is additionally made in a preferred embodiment for the base area 16 and / or the walls 20 and / or 22 to be mirrored at least in part on the inner side 50 . irradiated or emitted light is therefore reflected by the walls 20 , 22 and / or the base area 16 rather than being absorbed . hence the resultant amount of light available for the measurements is greater , increasing the accuracy . however , what is important in this case is that unwanted mirroring of the optical elements 42 is omitted because this interferes with the measurement . fig8 shows another carrier 14 according to the invention , which is similar to the carriers 10 and 12 and detachably attached to an impression tray 46 . the impression tray 56 is comparable to the impression tray 30 illustrated in fig3 to 5 , but it does not have an area 36 for holding the carrier 14 . in this exemplary embodiment of fig8 , the fastening to the impression tray 56 takes place via a connection end 58 , which is comparable to the front 54 of the impression tray 30 and has additional fastening means in accordance with the explanations made above in respect of the area 36 . in contrast to all previous illustrations of the carriers 10 and 12 , the carrier 14 in fig8 can be seen from underneath . here , it is possible to see that illumination means 48 are arranged in the base area 60 . these illumination means 48 are connected via actuation lines 62 to one another and / or to a control and power supply ( not shown in any more detail here ). these can be arranged both in the carrier 14 and in the impression tray 56 . in the latter case , the connection between the actuation line 62 with the control in the impression tray 56 takes place via a connection point ( not shown in any more detail here ) in the connection end 58 , for example a plug - in connection . the illumination means 48 , which are illustrated here as circular objects , can preferably be leds , or else oleds , laser leds or combinations of these . a further preferred embodiment also provides for embodying the illumination means 48 as chemiluminescent elements , both on their own and in combination with the aforementioned illumination means . in addition to the embodiment shown in fig8 , in which the illumination means 48 are arranged in the base area 60 of the carrier 14 , provision is likewise made within the scope of this invention for the illumination means to be arranged either in an outwardly lying wall 64 and / or an inwardly lying wall 66 , as well as both in the walls 64 and / or 66 and in the base area 60 . so that the light emitted by the illumination means 48 , in accordance with the illustration for the carriers 10 and 12 , also impinges on the teeth of the dentition of the patient arranged on the inner side 50 or on the impression material 28 , the exit openings of the illumination means 48 must be arranged on the inner side 50 . as an alternative to this , it would also be possible for the light of the illumination means 48 to pass through corresponding optical elements 40 , such as e . g . optical fibers , lenses , filters or combinations of these , which are situated on the inner side 50 . in a further alternative embodiment it would also be feasible for the material of the carrier 14 , or of the carriers 10 and 12 , to have a transparent design . acrylate polymers , preferably polymethyl methacrylate ( pmma ), should be mentioned as a preferred option for this . as a result of this , the corresponding light of the illumination means 48 could emerge through this if the latter are arranged in the carrier 14 or on the outer side 67 thereof . in addition to the appropriate material selection , provision is furthermore made within the scope of the present invention for the carriers 10 , 12 and 14 to be preferably embodied as injection - molded parts . as a result , a corresponding industrial production is made possible . since use is often made of silicone - based impression materials 28 when the impression material 28 is used in the corresponding carriers 10 , 12 and 14 , the carriers 10 , 12 and 14 are , in a preferred embodiment , provided with a surface 68 on their inner side 50 , see fig1 , which has increased adherence to silicone . this prevents the impression material 28 from inadvertently detaching from the carrier 10 or 12 . in one embodiment , the carriers 10 , 12 and 14 , shown above , can be embodied as repeatedly reusable objects . however , by contrast , they can preferably also be designed for single use . the latter preferred embodiment is advantageous in that the manufacturer can already fill carriers 10 , 12 or 14 with an impression material 28 so that the latter , as already explained above , is free from non - uniformity and unwanted inclusions . the customer , i . e . the dentist or the dental technician , can then , according to the invention , use the carriers with a corresponding impression tray 30 or 56 and simply dispose of them after obtaining the corresponding impression data . cleaning and disinfecting , which are time - consuming and costly , are dispensed with . building thereon , yet a further preferred embodiment also comes into consideration , in which the producer already produces a complete set of impression tray 30 or 56 , carrier 10 , 12 or 14 and impression material 28 as its own embodiment . the latter can then likewise be supplied to the dentist or dental technician , who can then likewise dispose of this after use or , in view of the electronics contained therein , return it to the producer within the scope of a recycling program . within the scope of this invention , such a recycling program would also be feasible for the above - described carriers 10 , 12 or 14 with the impression material 28 .
| 0 |
the present invention provides a process and an apparatus for determining useful properties of individual building blocks of a material library which do not have the disadvantages of the methods previously used in the analysis of such material libraries and , in addition , provide in a simple and rapid manner information on useful properties , preferably catalytic properties , in this case in particular activity and selectivity , of building blocks of a material library . the term “ material library ” used in the context of the present invention describes here an arrangement of at least two , preferably up to 10 , further preferably up to 100 , in particular up to 1000 and further preferably up to 100 , 000 , building blocks which are situated in at least two different substrate sections which are separated from one another . the term “ building block ” describes a single defined unit which is situated in the respective substrate sections which are separated from one another and which single defined unit can consist of one or more components . the term “ substrate ” comprises in principle all devices having a rigid or semirigid surface which can be either flat or have depressions or boreholes or channels . the substrate must be suitable for physically separating from one another the at least two individual building blocks in the at least two different sections which are separated from one another . the building blocks can be disposed in the substrate one -, two - or three - dimensionally , that is to say next to one another and one above the other in various planes . preferably the substrate comprises continuous channels in parallel and can have , inter alia , a wire grid or foamed ceramic . further preferably it is a tube - bundle reactor . the geometric disposition of the individual sections to one another can be chosen freely in this case . for example , the sections can be disposed in the manner of a row ( quasi one - dimensionally ), a chessboard pattern or honeycomb - like ( quasi two - dimensionally ). in the case of a substrate having parallel continuous channels , preferably a tube - bundle reactor having a multiplicity of tubes parallel to one another , the disposition becomes clear when considering a cross - sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubes : a surface results in which the individual tubular cross sections reflect the different regions at a distance from one another . the sections or tubes can , for example for tubes having a circular cross section , also be present in a dense packing , so that different rows of sections are disposed offset from one another . the term substrate describes a three - dimensional article which has a multiplicity ( at least two ) of “ sections ”. preferably , these sections are tubes , but they can also be individual sections physically separated from one another of a substrate which is flat or has depressions , for example in the form of a spotting plate . preferably , the sections are constructed as channels . the channels thus connect two surface regions of the substrate and run through the substrate . preferably , the channels are essentially , preferably completely , parallel to one another . the substrate in this case can be made up of one or more materials and can be solid or hollow . it can have any suitable geometric shape . preferably it has two surfaces which are parallel to one another , in each of which there is an opening of the channels . the channels in this case preferably run perpendicularly to these surfaces . an example of a substrate of this type is a parallelepiped or cylinder in which the channels run between two parallel surfaces . however , a multiplicity of similar geometries is also conceivable . the term “ channel ” describes a connection running through the substrate between two openings present on the body surface , which connection permits , for example , the passage of a fluid through the body . the channel can have any desired geometry in this case . it can have a cross - sectional area which is variable over the length of the channel or it can preferably have a constant channel cross - sectional area . the channel cross section can have , for example , an oval , round or polygonal periphery having straight or curved connections between the points of the polygon . preference is given to a round or equilateral polygonal cross section . preferably , all channels in the body have the same geometry ( cross section and length ) and run parallel to one another . the term “ tube bundle reactor ” describes combined parallel dispositions of a multiplicity of channels in the form of tubes , with the tubes being able to have any desired cross section . the tubes are disposed in a fixed spatial relationship to one another , are preferably spatially separated from one another and are preferably enclosed by a housing or shell which includes all tubes . through this , for example , a heating medium or cooling medium can be passed through the shell , so that all tubes are heated or cooled uniformly . the term “ block of a solid material ” describes a substrate made of a solid material ( which in turn can be made up of one or more starting materials ) which has the channels , for example in the form of boreholes . the geometry of the channels ( boreholes ) can be selected freely , as described in general for the channels above . the channels ( boreholes ) need not be introduced by drilling , but can be left open , for example even during moulding of the solid body / block , for instance by extrusion of an organic and / or inorganic moulding composition ( for example by an appropriate nozzle geometry during extrusion ). in contrast to the tube bundle reactors or heat exchangers , the space in the body between the channels in the block is always filled by the solid material . preferably , the block is made up of one or more metals . the term “ predetermined ” means that , for example , a number of different or identical building blocks , for example catalysts or catalyst precursors , are introduced to , for example , a tube bundle reactor or heat exchanger in such a manner that the assignment of the respective building blocks , for example catalysts or catalyst precursors , to the individual tubes is recorded and can be retrieved later , for example when determining useful properties , for example activity , selectivity and / or long - term stability of the individual building blocks , for example catalysts , in order to enable clear assignment of defined measured values to defined building blocks . preferably , the building blocks are prepared and distributed onto the different regions under computer control , the respective composition of a building block and the position of the section in the substrate , for example tube bundle reactor , into which the catalyst or catalyst precursor is introduced being stored in the computer and being able to be retrieved later . the term “ predetermined ” thus serves for differentiation from a chance or random distribution of the individual building blocks among the substrate sections . thus the present invention relates in particular to a process of the type in question here , which is characterized in that the substrate is a tube bundle reactor or heat exchanger and the regions are channels , preferably tubes , or the substrate is a block of a solid material which has regions , preferably channels . in addition , the at least two individual building blocks have preferably useful properties and further preferably are heterogeneous catalysts and / or their precursors , further preferably inorganic heterogeneous catalysts and / or their precursors and in particular solid catalysts or supported catalysts and / or their precursors . they are present here preferably in each case as catalyst bed , tube - wall coating or auxiliary coating . in the context of the present processes the individual building blocks can be identical or different from one another . if they are different from one another , the selected reaction conditions during the reaction can be identical or different ; if the building blocks are identical , preferably the reaction conditions are different in the individual regions . the process according to preferred embodiments of the present invention relates to the following steps . the material libraries and / or the individual building blocks present therein may be prepared , as described in general terms below , with reference being made with respect to further details to wo 99 / 19724 , wo 96 / 11878 and wo 99 / 41005 . in detail , the following methods may be mentioned : processes for applying thin films , for example electron beam vaporization , sputtering , thermal vaporization , plasma vaporization , molecular beam epitaxy , precipitation from the gaseous phase , precipitation by a modulatable laser ; co - precipitation and impregnation ; impregnation of suitable support materials which , for example porous silicon dioxide or aluminium oxide , as previously are each introduced into the substrate sections . the active component ( s ) can be applied by introducing solutions , suspensions or pastes , each of which comprise the active component ( s ) or one or more suitable compounds thereof . with respect to the supports which can be used , there are no restrictions , reference here in particular being made to porous and monolithic supports . in addition , it is also possible to prepare material libraries which comprise homogeneous building blocks , for example homogeneous catalysts . for this purpose , for example , organometallic or inorganometallic compounds and / or any desired complex molecules , for example enzymes , are used , employing a suitable device , for example a suitable pipette having a plurality of channels in order to introduce the building blocks into the appropriate sections separated from one another . in particular , the material libraries studied according to the invention may be prepared by the following procedures which are described by way of example with reference to the inorganic heterogeneous catalysts and / or their precursors also preferably used in the context of the present invention . reference is made to wo 99 / 41005 with respect to further details of the procedures ( a ) to ( f ) described below . a1 ) production of solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions of elements and / or element compounds of the elements present in the catalyst and / or catalyst precursor , and if appropriate of dispersions of inorganic support materials , a2 ) if appropriate introduction of adhesion promoters , binders , viscosity regulators , ph - regulating agents and / or solid inorganic supports into the solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions , a3 ) simultaneous or sequential coating of the substrate channels with the solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions , a predetermined amount of the solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions being introduced into each channel in order to obtain a predetermined composition , and a4 ) if appropriate heating the coated body , in the presence or absence of inert gases or reactive gases , to a temperature in the range from 20 to 1500 ° c . for drying and if appropriate sintering or calcining the catalysts and / or catalyst precursors . b1 ) production of solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions of elements and / or element compounds of the elements present in the catalyst and / or catalyst precursor , and if appropriate of dispersions of inorganic support materials , b2 ) if appropriate introduction of adhesion promoters , binders , viscosity regulators , ph - regulating agents and / or solid inorganic supports into the solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions , b3 ) simultaneous or sequential coating of the catalyst supports present in the substrate channels with the solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions , a predetermined amount of the solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions being introduced into each channel in order to obtain a predetermined composition on the catalyst supports , and b4 ) if appropriate heating the substrate together with the coated catalyst supports in the channels , in the presence or absence of inert gases or reactive gases , to a temperature in the range from 20 to 1500 ° c . for drying and if appropriate sintering or calcining the catalysts and / or the catalyst precursors . c1 ) production of solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions of elements and / or element compounds of the chemical elements present in the catalyst and / or catalyst precursor , and if appropriate of dispersions of inorganic support materials , c2 ) mixing predetermined amounts of the solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions and if appropriate precipitation aids in one or more reaction vessels operated in parallel , c3 ) if appropriate introduction of adhesion promoters , binders , viscosity regulators , ph - regulating agents and / or solid inorganic supports into the resultant mixture ( s ), c4 ) coating one or more predetermined channels of the substrate with the mixture or a plurality of mixtures , c5 ) repeating steps c2 ) to c4 ) for other substrate channels until the channels are coated with the respectively predetermined catalyst compositions and / or catalyst precursor compositions , c6 ) if appropriate heating the coated substrate , in the presence or absence of inert gases or reactive gases , to a temperature in the range from 20 to 1500 ° c . for drying and if appropriate sintering or calcining the catalysts and / or catalyst precursors . c1 ) production of solutions of element compounds of the chemical elements present in the catalyst except for oxygen , and if appropriate of dispersions of inorganic support materials c2 ) mixing predetermined amounts of the solutions or dispersions and if appropriate precipitation aids in one or more reaction vessels operated in parallel with precipitation of the chemical elements present in the catalyst , c3 ) if appropriate introduction of adhesion promoters , binders , viscosity regulators , ph - regulating agents and / or solid inorganic supports into the resultant suspension , c4 ) coating one or more predetermined tubes of the tube bundle reactor or heat exchanger with the suspension , c5 ) repeating steps c2 ) to c4 ) for different tubes of the tube bundle reactor or heat exchanger until the tubes are coated with the respectively predetermined catalyst compositions , c6 ) heating the coated tube bundle reactor or heat exchanger , in the presence or absence of inert gases or reactive gases , to a temperature in the range from 20 to 1500 ° c . for drying and if appropriate sintering or calcining the catalysts . d1 ) production of solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions of elements and / or element compounds of the chemical elements present in the catalyst and / or catalyst precursor , and if appropriate of dispersions of inorganic support materials , d2 ) mixing predetermined amounts of the solutions , emulsions and / or dispersions and if appropriate precipitation aids in one or more reaction vessels operated in parallel , d3 ) if appropriate introduction of adhesion promoters , binders , viscosity regulators , ph - regulating agents and / or solid inorganic supports into the resultant mixture ( s ), d4 ) coating catalyst supports present in one or more predetermined substrate channels with the mixture or one or more of the mixtures , d5 ) repeating steps d2 ) to d4 ) for other ( that is to say generally not yet coated ) catalyst supports in the substrate channels until the ( preferably all ) catalyst supports present in the substrate channels are coated with the respectively predetermined ( generally differing from one another ) catalyst compositions and / or catalyst precursor compositions , d6 ) if appropriate heating the substrate , together with the coated catalyst supports in the channels , in the presence or absence of inert gases or reactive gases , to a temperature in the range from 20 to 1500 ° c . for drying and if appropriate sintering or calcining the catalysts and / or catalyst precursors . in this case the adhesion strength of the channels ( for example of the inner surface of the tubes ) of the substrate or of the catalyst supports can be increased before the coating by chemical , physical or mechanical pretreatment of the inner walls of the channels ( for example inner tubes ) or of the catalyst supports or by applying an adhesion layer . this relates in particular to the procedures ( a ) and ( c ), and ( b ) and ( d ), respectively . e1 ) production of different heterogeneous catalysts and / or their precursors in the form of solid catalysts having a predetermined composition , e2 ) charging in each case one or more predetermined substrate channels which are secured against the heterogeneous catalysts falling out with in each case one or more of the heterogeneous catalysts and / or their precursors having a predetermined composition , e3 ) if appropriate heating the body together with the heterogeneous catalysts and / or their precursors in the channels , in the presence or absence of inert gases or reactive gases , to a temperature in the range from 20 to 1500 ° c . for drying and if appropriate sintering or calcining the catalysts and / or catalyst precursors . f1 ) coating and if appropriate heating predetermined catalyst supports for producing predetermined supported catalysts in the manner defined above in process b ) or d ) outside the body , f3 ) if appropriate heating the charged substrate , in the presence or absence of inert gases or reactive gases , to a temperature in the range from 20 to 1500 ° c . for drying and if appropriate sintering or calcining the catalysts . preferably , here , the external shape of the supported catalysts corresponds to the shape of the channel interior in the body , at least substantially , preferably approximately or completely . the procedures outlined above are suitable for preparing a multiplicity of catalyst systems , as described , for example , in g . ertl , h . knozinger , j . weitkamp , editors “ handbook of heterogeneous catalysis ”, wiley — vch , weinheim , 1997 . with respect to further details regarding the production of a material library according to ( i ) of the inventive process , reference is made to the section “ production of the inorganic heterogeneous catalyst arrays ” of wo 99 / 41005 . in this section , the production of a material library ( there termed “ array ”) is described in detail with reference to producing a material library of inorganic heterogeneous catalysts . the content of this section of wo 99 / 41005 is , moreover , incorporated in its entirety in the context of the present invention by reference . obviously , the concept described there may also be applied to other building blocks , for example homogeneous catalyst systems , in particular organometallic systems , organic substances , for example pharmacological active compounds , polymers , composite materials , in particular those made of polymers and inorganic materials . in principle , the inventive process is applicable to all areas of the technique in which formulations , that is to say compositions having more than one constituent , are produced and are studied for their useful properties . fields of application outside material research are , for example , drug formulations , formulations of foods and food supplements , feeds and cosmetics . accordingly , the present invention is not restricted to determining the useful properties of certain catalyst materials and catalyst compositions . the production of the abovementioned mixtures can be carried out here in parallel or sequentially and is generally carried out in automated form , for example using an automated pipetting system or pipetting robot , by inkjet processes , as described , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 449 , 754 , and automated sputtering or electrolysis processes . in addition to the procedures ( a ) to ( f ) described above , obviously , it is also possible to prepare different heterogeneous catalysts in the form of solid catalysts or supported catalysts by known processes , for example combinatorial processes , having a predetermined composition and charging in each case one or more predetermined sections , preferably tubes of a tube bundle reactor or heat exchanger or tubes or auxiliary supports introduced into these , with each of these prefabricated heterogeneous catalysts . the chemical or physical , or chemical and physical , conversion of the starting material in the at least two substrate sections which are separated from one another , with an effluent stream comprising at least one conversion product being obtained , according to step ( ii ) can be carried out as follows . firstly , if necessary , the catalyst can be activated in the substrate . this can be carried out by thermal treatment under inert gases or reactive gases or other physical and / or chemical treatments . the substrate is then brought to a desired reaction temperature and then a fluid starting material , which can be a single compound or a mixture of two or more compounds , is passed through or along one , a plurality of , or all the sections , preferably channels , of the substrate . the fluid starting material consisting of one or more reactants is generally in the liquid state , or preferably in the gaseous state . preferably , oxidation catalysts , for example , are tested by parallel or sequential impingement of individual , a plurality of , or all sections , preferably tubes of a coated tube bundle reactor , with a gas mixture comprising one or more saturated , unsaturated or polyunsaturated organic starting materials . those which may be mentioned in this case are , for example , hydrocarbons , alcohols , aldehydes etc ., and oxygen - containing gases , for example air , o 2 , n 2 o , no , no 2 , o 3 and / or , for example , hydrogen . furthermore , an inert gas , for example nitrogen or a noble gas , may also be present . the reactions are generally carried out at temperatures of from 20 to 1200 ° c ., preferably from 50 to 800 ° c ., and in particular from 80 to 600 ° c ., the parallel or sequential separate removal of the respective gas streams from individual , a plurality of , or all sections being ensured by means of a suitable device . the resultant effluent stream comprising at least one reaction product is then collected either from individual substrate sections or a plurality of substrate sections and preferably analysed separately , sequentially or preferably in parallel , if analysis of the effluent stream after the inventive processes is required for the respective section . a plurality of reactions , in each case interrupted by a purge step with a purge gas , can be carried out sequentially at the same or different temperatures and analysed . obviously , identical reactions at different temperatures are also possible . preferably at the start of the process , the collected effluent stream of the entire library is analysed in order to establish whether a reaction has taken place at all . in this manner , groups of building blocks may be analysed very rapidly as to whether they have any useful properties , for example catalytic properties , at all . obviously , after carrying out this “ coarse screening ”, individual groups of building blocks may in turn be analysed together in order to establish in turn which group of building blocks , if there are a plurality of such groups of building blocks present in the material library , have catalytic properties . the invention permits the automated preparation and catalytic testing for the purpose of mass screening of , for example , heterogeneous catalysts for chemical reactions , in particular for reactions in the gas phase , very particularly for partial oxidations of hydrocarbons in the gas phase with molecular oxygen ( gas - phase oxidations ). reactions and conversions suitable for study are described in g . ertl , h . knozinger , j . weitkamp , editor , “ handbook of heterogeneous catalysis ”, wiley — vch , weinheim , 1997 . examples of suitable reactions are principally listed in this reference in volumes 4 and 5 under numbers 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 . examples of suitable reactions are the decomposition of nitrogen oxides , the synthesis of ammonia , the oxidation of ammonia , oxidation of hydrogen sulphide to sulphur , oxidation of sulphur dioxide , direct synthesis of methylchlorosilanes , oil refining , oxidative coupling of methane , methanol synthesis , hydrogenation of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide , conversion of methanol to hydrocarbons , catalytic reforming , catalytic cracking and hydrocracking , coal gasification and liquefaction , fuel cells , heterogeneous photocatalysis , synthesis of ethers , in particular mtbe and tame , isomerizations , alkylations , aromatizations , dehydrogenations , hydrogenations , hydroformylations , selective or partial oxidations , aminations , halogenations , nucleophilic aromatic substitutions , addition and elimination reactions , dimerizations , oligomerizations and metathesis , polymerizations , enantioselective catalysis and biocatalytic reactions and for material testing , and , in this case , in particular for determining interactions between two or more components on surfaces or substrates , in particular in the case of composite materials . the effluent streams of the respectively selected sections comprising at least one reaction product and / or the starting material which is preferably obtained separately from the individual sections are preferably removed via a device which is connected gas - tightly to the respective sections . in particular those which may be mentioned are sample removal using suitable flow guidance , for example valve circuits and mobile capillary systems ( sniffing apparatus ). in this manner the individual effluent streams of the individual , plurality of , or all sections can be removed separately and then analysed separately via a valve circuit . the , for example , computer - controlled mechanically movable “ sniffing apparatus ” comprises a sniffing line or sniffing capillary for the effluent stream to be taken off which is positioned essentially automatically on , in / or above the exit of the respective section and then takes off the effluent stream . details with respect to the arrangement of such a “ sniffing apparatus ” may also be taken from wo 99 / 41005 which has been cited repeatedly above . the measurement of the first parameter under step ( iii ) may be carried out at all sections . in principle , there is freedom of choice of the measurement method , but it should be in this case a relatively rapid and simple measurement method , since in some preferred embodiments a great number of sections must be analysed . the purpose of this first measurement is preselection of those sections which are to be analysed under step ( iv ). the preferred measurement method which may be mentioned is infrared thermography which may be accomplished simply using an infrared camera . in this case the temperature development of the individual sections may be taken from the infrared image recorded , preferably using digital image processing . in the event of a small number of sections , if appropriate , a temperature sensor may be assigned to each individual section , for example a pyrometric element or a thermocouple . the results of temperature measurement for the individual sections can all be passed to a data processing system , which preferably controls the inventive process . in order to eliminate substantially interfering environmental effects , the substrate together with the sections to be tested should preferably be situated in a thermally insulated housing having a controlled atmosphere . if an infrared camera is used , this should preferably be situated outside the housing , observation of the substrate being enabled by infrared - transparent windows , in particular made of sapphire , zinc sulphide , barium difluoride , sodium chloride etc . on the basis of the results of measurement of the first parameter , using a data processing system or a computer , those sections are selected from which the second parameter is to be measured . in this case various selection criteria are conceivable . firstly , those sections can be selected for which the first parameter is “ better ” than a predetermined limit value , or secondly the “ best ” x % of all sections on a substrate can alternatively be selected for measuring the second parameter . the said minimum requirements or the number of sections to be selected depends firstly on the respective quality requirements of the materials to be tested and secondly on the time which is available for testing a substrate . if there is a predetermined limit value with respect to the minimum requirement of the first measured value , this need not be constant for all sections of a substrate , but it can , for example , be predetermined as a function of other properties of the respective building components for the individual sections . the measurement of the at least one further parameter is preferably carried out on the effluent stream of the selected sections . in principle the further sensor ( see fig1 and 2 , reference nos . 35 , 135 ) is not subject to any restrictions provided that it is suitable for measuring a further parameter which gives indications of a further property of the building block under test . preferably , the further sensor is based on a spectroscopic method which is selected from the group comprising mass spectrometry , gas chromatography , a combination of these two techniques , raman spectroscopy and fourier transformation ( ft - ir ) spectroscopy . on the basis of these preferred methods , more precise information on the effluent stream of the respective sections or building blocks may be obtained . using these spectroscopic methods , the concentration of a desired product , or the concentration of parallel products and the residual concentration of the starting materials can be determined , from which , for example , for catalytic building blocks , information on selectivity may be derived . for mass spectroscopy , preferably a quadrupole mass spectrometer is used , although tof mass spectrometers ( real - time mass spectrometers ) are conceivable . the effluent stream of the sections under test is fed to the mass spectrometer , or other sensors , preferably via a pipe system , with this being , in particular , a sniffing capillary , which is positioned in the effluent stream of the respective sections using an xyz robotic system . for optical systems such as raman spectrometers and ft - ir spectrometers , it is conceivable that light is directed onto each of the sections under test and is received from each of the sections under test using scanning mirrors . according to another embodiment of the present invention , an apparatus is provided as shown in fig1 and 2 . the inventive apparatuses 10 ; 110 each have a housing 11 ; 111 , which is provided with at least one heater ( not shown ) in order to control the temperature in the housing . the cylindrical housing 11 ; 111 has a planar support which is constructed as a wire grid or foamed ceramic 14 ; 114 and in which parallel cylindrical sections 13 ; 113 are arranged for receiving the building blocks . in the embodiment shown in fig1 the starting material gas is introduced above the support into the entire space above the sections 13 and can flow downwards through the sections , the exhaust gas leaving the housing at an outlet ( which is not shown ). in contrast thereto , in the case of the apparatus 110 shown in fig2 the starting material gas is passed specifically by means of a pipe system 112 below the respective cylindrical sections 113 . the gas then flows through the cylindrical sections , and if appropriate the planar support 114 , the reaction products or the remaining starting material leaving the upper housing part as exhaust gas through an outlet ( which is not shown ). the exemplary embodiments shown have as the first sensor an infrared camera which is positioned so that it can determine simultaneously the temperature of all cylindrical sections . for this purpose the temperature values in the temperature distribution recorded as an image are each assigned to the sections whose position corresponds to an image region . the assignment can be made according to varying criteria . firstly , the temperature of each section can be retrieved by determining the temperature in each image region which corresponds to a section position . secondly , the temperature distribution observed in the image can also be used as a starting point , with the associated sections only being determined for temperature values of “ interest ”, for example extreme values or values within or below or above one or two threshold values . the second procedure is recommended , in particular , for systems having a large number of sections in which only “ particularly promising ” sections are to be studied further . the infrared camera 30 is preferably positioned outside the housing in order to protect it from the starting materials and products in the housing . observation of the substrate even from outside the housing is possible via an infrared - transparent window 15 , for example a sapphire disc . other suitable materials for the disc are calcium fluoride , barium fluoride , zinc sulphide etc . as a second sensor , a mass spectrometer ( 35 ; 135 ) is provided , to which the effluent stream from selected sections is fed via a capillary 20 ; 120 . the upper layer of the substrate 14 ; 114 preferably consists of a material whose emissivity properties ideally approach those of a black - body radiator , with particular preference being given to natural slate . in this manner , interference in the temperature measurement by the substrate is substantially eliminated . the capillary for this purpose is positioned via an xy robot or an xyz robot ( not shown ) with its intake orifice in each case in the effluent stream of a selected section . the robot is controlled via the data processing system ( 40 , 140 ), which selects the sections for the second measurement on the basis of the measured results of the first measurement . the above - described combination of an integral analytical method which may be employed with relatively low expenditure to a multiplicity of samples or sections with a more precise or more complex analytical method which , however , is only carried out for selected sections , allows , for example , in the development of catalysts , the activity and selectivity of materials having promising activity to be determined very rapidly and effectively . finally , reference may also be made to the fact that what is termed the “ sniffing capillary ” would also be usable as a sample inlet system for other analytical techniques , for example chromatographic methods . other expedient analytical combinations are ir thermography / gc - ms , ir thermography / raman spectroscopy , ir thermography / dispersive ft - ir spectroscopy , colour detection using chemical indicator / ms , colour detection using chemical indicator / gc - ms , colour detection using chemical indicator / dispersive ft - ir spectroscopy and others . as a further preferred alternative embodiment of the above - described embodiments , an integrated apparatus comprising a heatable substrate and carriers is disclosed . according to the invention the apparatus is characterized in that the substrate comprises a block made of electrically conducting material exhibiting sections having the form of channels , said block being heatable by the principle of a resistance heating , whereas the substrate is characterized in that each channel comprises a carrier . in principle , an electrically conducting , preferably metallic material being heatable via a resistance heating comprising preferably channels in numbers , shape and orientation , as respectively described above , serves as a substrate . further materials that may be used instead of metals as the substrate are , e . g ., alloys , particularly metal alloys , graphite and ceramics . on a preferably round metal disk , which has holes , e . g ., in the form of a narrow screen , an array of channels is generated . then , a ceramic carrier may be directly synthesized into these channels . according to the invention the substrate is characterized in that the carrier is synthesized into the channels . by way of particularly the “ in situ synthesis ” of the ceramic carrier into the channels , each channel may individually be provided with catalytic active components . each individual channel penetrates the disk and exhibits a certain cross section . with regard to the plurality of possible shapes of the cross section of the channel , reference is made to the above description thereof . the carrier may preferably be a porous ceramic material , such as sio 2 , al 2 o 3 , zro 2 , tio 2 , ceolites , mixtures thereof , oxides , carbides , foam ceramics , which are filled into the channels by means of “ in situ synthesis ”, such that these channels are preferably completely filled . due to the pore size distribution in the range of large meso pores or macro pores , this filling of the channel allows for preferably gas mixtures of starting materials to flow through these channels . the pore size lies preferably at values of larger than 20 nm , preferably within the micrometer to millimeter range . furthermore the substrate according to the invention is characterized in that the carrier and / or the channel comprises at least one building block . by means of conventional coating methods , such as dip - coating , spraying processes , sequential impregnation of the channels , integral ( simultaneous ) coating of all channels , sol - gel - processes , colloidal solutions , etc ., the individual channels may be provided with building blocks ( active components ), which are preferably different from each other . this provision is preferably carried out automatically , e . g . by way of a robotic . the construction of this substrate having dimensions , which are preferably adapted to the apparatus according to the invention , renders it possible to integrate the substrate into the apparatus according to the invention without any problems via an easy modification of the reactor . this concept allows for a fast modular change of individual substrates ( material libraries ). this results in a more effective testing and analysis of individual building blocks with regard to preferably catalytic properties . the substrates may exhibit a statistical coating of preferably different building blocks or concentration lines of preferably four materials , which are preferably a coating having a concentration gradient . other coating variants are also possible , e . g . by forming sections of different materials having a shape which is different from lines or rows , e . g . a polygonal form . all coatings are provided automatically , e . g . with a robotics system . in a preferred process for generating a material library comprising multiple components having a large diversity , the substrate together with the channels and carriers is immersed in e . g . a solution of an active component and subsequently again pulled out . by increasing the velocity during such a “ dip coating process ”, the coating of a first component having a concentration gradient is possible . subsequently , the substrate is dried and rotated by 90 °. the same procedure is repeated when coating the preferably three more components . subsequently , the substrate is treated at elevated temperature , i . e . between 100 and 1000 ° c . for a longer period of time , such that on the individual sections of the substrate new compounds are formed . in this manner , it is possible to form a new compound in each individual channel , which may be tested with regard to preferably useful properties . as an alternative to the “ dip coating ”, spray processes may be used , wherein one or more nozzles provide individual sections of the substrates with solutions of active components in variable velocity . by providing voltage on contacts , which are preferably provided outside of the substrate , the preferably disk - like substrate exhibiting a number of carriers may , dependant on the height of the provided voltage , be brought to a freely chosen temperature , which lies under the melting point of the respective material of the substrate in a very homogenous manner . each individual channel of the substrate provides for a practically punctual heat transfer on e . g . carrier and building block by an electrically conducting enclosure . the preferably disk - like substrate preferably exhibits a thickness in the range of 1 mm to 30 cm , particularly preferred in the range of 5 to 50 mm . the disk - like substrate exhibits a diameter preferably in the range of 1 cm to 100 cm , particularly preferred 5 cm to 50 cm . the diameter of the channels lies preferably in the range of 1 μm to 10 cm , particularly preferred in the range of 1 to 10 mm . depending on the diameter of the substrate and the channels , the substrate may exhibit 1 to 100 , 000 , preferably 100 to 2000 and particularly preferred 500 to 1000 channels . while the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof , it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention . thus , the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above - described exemplary embodiments .
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in fig2 , a internal - combustion four - stroke , for example spark - ignition , engine comprises four cylinders 10 or a multiple of four cylinders , such as eight or twelve straight or v cylinders . in the example of fig1 , the cylinders are successively referred to as cylinder no . 1 , cylinder no . 2 , cylinder no . 3 and cylinder no . 4 from the bottom of fig2 . each cylinder comprises at least one intake means 12 , here two intakes , with an intake valve 14 and an intake pipe 16 , and at least one exhaust means 18 , also two exhausts , with an exhaust valve 20 and an exhaust pipe 22 . intake means 12 open onto an intake manifold 24 whereas exhaust means 18 open onto an exhaust manifold 26 . the intake manifold is connected by a line 28 to the outlet of compression section 30 of a single - inlet turbosupercharger 32 whereas exhaust manifold 26 is connected by a line 34 to the single inlet of turbine 36 of the supercharger . each cylinder also comprises a piston ( not shown ) driven into a reciprocating translation motion by means of a connecting rod 38 connected to a crankpin of a crankshaft 40 , a crankpin bearing reference numbers 42 , 44 , 46 , 48 respectively for the pistons of cylinders no . 1 , no . 2 , no . 3 and no . 4 . in the example shown in this figure , the engine works with a cycle referred to as 1 , 3 , 4 , 2 wherein , during the combustion cycle and at a determined angle of rotation of the crankshaft , a cylinder , such as cylinder no . 1 , is in the intake phase with a scavenging stage of the burnt gases present in the combustion chamber by simultaneous opening of the intake and exhaust valves , the next cylinder ( cylinder no . 2 ) is in the compression phase with the exhaust and intake valves in closed position , cylinder no . 3 is in the exhaust phase with opening of the exhaust valves and the last cylinder ( cylinder no . 4 ) is in the expansion phase , the exhaust and intake valves being closed . in order to prevent the exhaust gases from cylinder no . 3 from disturbing discharge of the exhaust gases during the burnt gas scavenging stage of cylinder no . 1 in the intake phase , the start of the exhaust phase of cylinder no . 3 is shifted in relation to the start of the intake phase of cylinder no . 1 . more precisely , this exhaust stage is designed to be carried out in such a way that the exhaust pressure peak , as mentioned above , does not occur during the burnt gas scavenging stage of the cylinder at the start of the intake phase . by way of example , this can be carried out either by starting this exhaust phase once exhaust valve 20 of cylinder no . 1 in the intake phase is closed , or practically closed , i . e . the scavenging stage is completed or practically completed , or by starting the intake phase of cylinder no . 1 after the exhaust pressure peak generated by the exhaust gases from cylinder no . 3 is finished or practically finished , i . e . once the exhaust pressure of this cylinder is stabilized or practically stabilized in the manifold or at the inlet of the supercharger . this shift between the intake phase of cylinder no . 1 and the exhaust phase of cylinder no . 3 is obtained using , as illustrated in fig3 , a crankshaft of which at least two crankpins , here crankpins 44 and 46 connecting the pistons of cylinders no . 2 and no . 3 , are not in the same plane p as the remaining crankpins , i . e . crankpins 42 and 48 connecting the pistons of cylinders no . 1 and no . 4 . preferably , the crankpins connected to the pistons of cylinders no . 2 and no . 3 have a clockwise circumferential angular offset d in relation to plane p or an anticlockwise offset d of the same order . plane p is understood to be the plane usually passing through the crankpins and the axis of rotation of the crankshaft . in the example described , plane p is considered to pass through crankpins 42 and 48 and through the axis of rotation of crankshaft 40 . by way of example , the running of such an engine is explained with reference to fig4 a to 4d which show cylinder no . 1 at the start of the intake phase with the burnt gas scavenging stage and wherein crankpin 42 is in the plane p passing through a vertical axis intersecting the axis of rotation of crankshaft 40 ( fig4 a ) and cylinder no . 3 with an anticlockwise offset d of crankpin 44 in relation to plane p ( fig4 b ). the other cylinders are not shown for the description hereafter to be clear , these cylinders being , for cylinder no . 2 , in the compression phase and , for cylinder no . 4 , in the expansion phase . during the running cycle , cylinder no . 1 in the intake phase and crankpin 42 , and consequently piston 50 , are in the vicinity of its top dead center ( tdc ). in this position , intake valves 14 and exhaust valves 20 are open for scavenging of the burnt gases present in the combustion chamber of this cylinder ( fig4 a ). at this time , piston 50 of cylinder no . 3 has not yet reached its bottom dead center position because crankpin 46 to which it is connected is set back in relation to the bottom dead center ( bdc ). the position shown in fig4 b substantially corresponds to the end of the expansion phase of cylinder no . 3 during which the inlet 14 and exhaust 20 valves are closed . after some degrees of clockwise rotation of crankshaft 40 , piston 50 of cylinder no . 1 is in the position illustrated in fig4 c and crankpin 42 has left its top dead center ( tdc ) position and reached the position illustrated in the figure by means of an angle of rotation a of crankshaft 40 . in this position , exhaust valves 20 close and only the intake valves remain open to continue the intake phase until the bottom dead center ( bdc ) is reached . during this rotation a of the crankshaft , crankpin 46 of cylinder no . 3 moves clockwise to reach the bottom dead center ( bdc ) position , as illustrated in fig4 d . this position , wherein piston 50 is in the vicinity of the bottom dead center , corresponds to the start of the exhaust phase of this cylinder and exhaust valves 20 start to open or have started to open . thus , between the position of fig4 a and the position of fig4 c , burnt gas scavenging has been carried out in cylinder no . 1 whereas the exhaust phase of cylinder no . 3 has not started yet or is just going to start . at the start of the exhaust phase of cylinder no . 3 , as mentioned above , an exhaust pressure peak occurs , but this pressure peak has no influence on scavenging of the burnt gases , which is completed or practically completed in cylinder no . 1 when this peak appears in exhaust manifold 26 . in a variant of the invention , as illustrated in fig5 a to 5d , the offset d of crankpin 46 of cylinder no . 3 in relation to plane p is a clockwise offset as shown in fig5 d , whereas crankpin 42 of cylinder no . 1 in the intake phase is in the vicinity of the top dead center as can be seen in fig5 c . thus , when cylinder no . 1 is in the intake phase as shown in fig5 c with simultaneous opening of the intake 14 and exhaust 20 valves for the burnt gas scavenging stage , cylinder no . 3 has already started its exhaust phase , exhaust valves 20 having been opened from the bottom dead center ( bdc ). more precisely , the exhaust pressure peak has already occurred between the bottom dead center and the position of crankpin 46 shown in fig5 d . thus , when crankpin 46 of cylinder no . 3 is at the bottom dead center ( fig5 b ) which corresponds to the start of its exhaust phase , crankpin 42 of cylinder no . 1 has not yet reached its top dead center position ( fig5 a ) corresponding to its intake phase . in these positions , cylinder no . 3 starts its exhaust phase and exhaust valves 20 are open , and cylinder no . 1 has nearly finished its exhaust phase , exhaust valves 20 being open . from this position illustrated in fig5 a and 5b , the crankshaft is driven into a clockwise rotation of some degrees ( angle a ) and crankpin 46 of cylinder no . 3 shifts from the position of fig5 b to the position of fig5 d . during this progress , the exhaust pressure peak generated by the exhaust of cylinder no . 3 is produced in the exhaust manifold , then the pressure is stabilized in this exhaust manifold . at the pressure peak production end , cylinder no . 1 starts its intake phase with burnt gas scavenging by opening intake valve 14 . the pressure peak therefore cannot disturb the burnt gas discharge from cylinder no . 1 during the scavenging stage . of course , in the above description , when reference is made to the top dead center or bottom dead center for a crankpin , this also applies for the position of the piston to which it is connected by the connecting rod . similarly , when we mention that the piston or the crankpin is in the vicinity of the top dead center or the bottom dead center , it is understood that the piston or the crankpin is some degrees or some ten degrees before or after the dead center .
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the present invention relates to a security label , that can be preferably machine applied , designed to activate a security device that generates an electronic field , such as an electronic gate , so as to prevent the theft of a retail item on which the security label is placed . the security label 10 , as shown in fig1 and 8 , is comprised of a top label 12 , having a sub - assembly label 14 located within the periphery of the top label . importantly , the sub - assembly label 14 does not contact the edges of the top label 12 . this allows for a metal strip 16 or similar material to be hidden below the surface of the top label so that it is more difficult for a potential thief to locate the metal strip 16 . such strip 16 is necessary to activate the security device . as such , the sub - assembly label 14 , as shown in fig1 , and 6 will be comprised of the metal strip 16 held by a substrate material 18 . the top label 12 is shown in a preferred construction in more detail in fig3 and will be comprised of an outer edge , which can be a continuous edge or multiple edges , and opposed faces . the top label can have any of a variety of shapes and dimensions , including rectangles , boxes , strips , half - moon shapes , circles , triangles , and a variety of other shapes and designs . more preferably , the top label 12 will have a rectangular shape so that it has four edges 28 , 30 , 32 , and 34 , as shown in fig3 . additionally , as shown in fig1 and 3 , the top label 12 will have opposed faces 36 and 38 , with one face 36 having adhesive located thereon , also known as the adhesive face , and the opposite face or print face 38 having scripting , or printing , located thereon . the print face 38 can alternatively be a blank or white . preferably , the top label will be formed from a material comprised of two distinct layers 44 and 46 , shown in fig4 a paper or face layer 44 , which is used to form the print face , and a carrier or polyester layer 46 , which is used to form the adhesive face . the paper layer is desired because it can readily be printed on . if the paper layer is not printed on , it can be made into a blank or white label . thus , the paper layer 44 will form the print face 38 . the polyester layer 46 is desired because it imparts rigidity and strength to the top label , with the polyester layer forming the adhesive face 36 . any type of adhesive that will allow the sub - assembly label 14 and the top label 12 to be attached fixedly to one another , if that is the desired construction , can be used . while the adhesive can be used to fixedly attach the top label and sub - assembly label together , it is necessary , and more important , for the adhesive to be of a sufficient strength to allow the security label 10 to be attached fixedly to a video cassette or game . the design of the top label 12 is preferred so that , if desired , printing or scripting can be placed on one face 38 of the top label 12 to impart information to consumers . while the top label can be of any length , width , shape , and dimension , it is generally preferred for the top label to be approximately 14 . 5 centimeters ( cm ) or greater in length , and have a width equal to at least 1 cm . such dimensions are desired , ad as they allow for a top label that will sufficiently conceal the metal strip 16 , as well as allowing the metal strip to have a sufficient length to activate a security system . any dimension , however , can be used , as long as the top label sufficiently conceals the security activating material , with enough material present to activate a security device . the sub - assembly label 14 is shown with greater specificity in fig2 , 6 , and 7 . as mentioned , the sub - assembly label will be comprised of a metal strip 16 fixedly held by a substrate material 18 . as such , the sub - assembly label 14 will have opposed faces 40 and 42 , shown in fig2 and 7 , and at least one outer edge . like the top label , the sub - assembly label can be of any of a variety of shapes and dimensions , including rectangles , boxes , strips , half - moon shapes , circles , triangles , and a variety of other shapes and designs . more preferably , the sub - assembly label will have a rectangular construction , similar to the top label 12 , so that the sub - assembly label 14 has four edges , 20 , 22 , 24 , and 26 . any design , however , can be used , as long as the metal strip 16 , or security activating material , can be attached fixedly to or held by the substrate material 18 to form the sub - assembly label 14 that can be placed on and concealed within the top label 12 , while still allowing for activation of a security device . the substrate material 18 is preferably made from a semi - rigid material , such as polyester ; however , any material may be used , as long as the metal material can be placed thereon so as to prevent curling and the metal material is fixedly held onto the substrate material . in forming the security label 10 , it is necessary to simply attach the metal strip 16 to the substrate material 18 . this can be accomplished in any of a number of ways , including placing a glue or adhesive on a face of the sub - assembly label 14 and attaching the metal strip to the surface so that the glue will fixedly hold the metal strip to the substrate material . it is more preferred if the substrate material 18 is comprised of two discrete layers , 48 and 50 , shown in fig5 and 6 , a clear or semi - gloss layer 48 also known as a face sheet , and a rigid or polyester layer 50 . the preferred two layer construction for the sub - assembly layer is shown in fig4 . preferably , the clear layer 48 corresponds to face 42 and the polyester layer 50 to face 40 . the two layer construction is desired because the two layers , 48 and 50 , can be separated with the metal strip 16 inserted , thereby making it more difficult to remove the metal strip 16 from the security label . this is shown in fig6 . also , the semi - gloss or clear layer 48 can be colored , preferably darkened , shown in fig7 so as to further conceal the metal strip 16 from the potential thief &# 39 ; s view . the metal strip 16 can be made from any of a variety of metals or compositions that will activate an electronic security device , with the metal strip 16 having any of a variety of shapes and dimensions . more particularly , the metal strip can be any material that can be placed on a label , hidden , and used to activate a security system when a thief tries to steal a tape or game . thus , the metal strip 16 can be made from any of a variety of magnetic metals , including amorphous metal , that will activate a security device . the metal strip is most preferably a metallic glass or amorphous metal . the metal strip 16 must be of a sufficient construction to allow it to be located on the sub - assembly label 14 without the metal strip curling or pulling away from the substrate material . in particular , the metal strip should lay flat on the substrate material . also , the security material or metal strip must be sufficiently magnetic so that a comparatively small strip can be used while still activating the security device . an example of a metal strip of suitable size is one whereby the metal strip is about 8 cm long and about 2 mm wide . while a strip construction is preferred because it will lay flat , and sufficient metal can be included to activate the device , any design or construction can be used that will sufficiently activate the device , including squares , chips , circular shapes , and a variety of other constructions and designs . once the top label 12 and the sub - assembly label 14 have been formed , they can be attached to one another to form the security label 10 . importantly , the sub - assembly layer 14 must be attached in a manner so that a sub - assembly layer is within the periphery of the top label 12 . it is important that the metal strip 16 not be located on or near an edge of the top label so as to thereby make it more difficult to remove , or “ zipper out ”, the metal strip . preferably , the sub - assembly layer is located at least 1 mm from the outer edge of the top label . more preferably , the sub - assembly label is located at least 5 mm from the top label edges . the sub - assembly 14 can be fixedly attached by locating such label on the adhesive face 36 of the top label 12 . in the alternative , it is more preferred to separate layers 44 and 46 of the top label 12 and to locate the sub - assembly label 14 between layers 44 and 46 , as shown in fig8 . when this is done , the sub - assembly label 14 should be located such that the metal strip does not contact the edges of the top label . once the sub - assembly layer 14 is inserted , the layers 44 and 46 are returned to the previous position and sealed to form the security label 10 . other methods can be used , as long as the sub - assembly label is fixedly attached to the top label and the metal strip is located within the periphery of the top label . while polyester is preferred for use in both the top label 12 and the sub - assembly label 14 , any semi - rigid material can be used that will adequately hold a metal strip . preferably , the material will have a machine direction elongation equal to 150 % and cross direction break equal to 110 %. also , the material should have a tear strength equal to 36 , 000 psi in the machine direction and 40 , 000 psi in the cross direction . the method for forming the security label 10 includes forming the sub - assembly layer 14 , with the metal material or material designed to activate the security system held by the sub - assembly layer . preferably , the method includes separating two layers that comprise the material used to form the sub - assembly label , so that a metal strip is located therebetween , and the two layers are remarried . this can be achieved using any of a variety of different types of equipment which are common in the industry that are designed to separate a face layer from a carrier layer . such equipment is readily available . after the two sub - assembly layers are remarried , the reformed sub - assembly material is passed through a die and cut to the desired size to prepare for placement on the top label . the top label 12 material will then be preferably separated by a known machine with the sub - assembly label 14 located between the two separated layers , with the layers then remarried to form a unitary material . this material is then passed through a standard die and cut to the desired label size . the labels are then ready to be placed on any retail item that can hold a label , including dvd discs , video tapes or games , by hand or , more preferably , by a label machine . attempted theft of an item having the security label should become less likely , as it will be difficult to remove the metal strip , which activates the security device , from the video cassette or game . thus , there has been shown and described a security label product which fulfills all the objects and advantages sought therefore . it is apparent to those skilled in the art , however , that many changes , variations , modifications , and other uses and applications for the security label product are possible , and also such changes , variations , modifications , and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow .
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reference is now made to fig1 - 6 showing the mining machine 10 of the present invention for the continuous mining of a mineral seam . such a mining machine may be utilized in a highwall mining system of the type described in , for example , u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 112 , 111 and 5 , 261 , 729 to addington et al . owned by the assignee of the present invention . the full disclosure presented in these patent documents is incorporated herein by reference . advantageously , highwall mining systems of the type described allow for operation in thin seams to a depth of substantially 5 - 10 times greater than that possible with conventional auger mining . since a large percentage of the remaining coal reserves around the world exists in relatively thin seams too low to mine with current underground methods and so situated to make surface mining impractical , highwall mining is expected to move to the forefront of coal recovery methods in the future . as best shown in fig1 and 3 the mining machine 10 includes a main frame 12 supported for moving or propelling relative to the ground by means of a pair of crawler assemblies 14 , one on each side of the mining machine . these crawler assemblies 14 are powered by electric or hydraulic motors ( not shown ) carried on the frame 12 in a manner well known in the art . the mining machine 10 also includes a means , generally designated by reference numeral 16 , for winning aggregate material from the mineral seam . more particularly , the winning means comprises a three piece rotary cutter drum assembly 18 carried on the forward end of a boom 20 that is pivotally mounted to the frame 12 . more specifically , as known in the art the cutter drum assembly 18 includes a series of picks 19 for ripping , breaking or cutting aggregate material from the mineral seam for subsequent recovery . as shown , the cutter drum assembly 18 is substantially cylindrical in shape . it should be appreciated , however , that other shaped drum assemblies may be utilized ( e . g . barrel shaped with a bulging midline tapering toward the opposing ends ). the boom 20 includes a pair of spaced , lateral arms 22 , each arm being pivotally mounted to the frame 12 through a trunnion 24 . a pair of hydraulic actuators 26 ( only one shown in the figures ) allow the selective angular positioning of the boom 20 relative to the frame 12 . one actuator 26 is operatively connected between the frame 12 and each of the boom arms 22 . as should also be appreciated , one motor 28 and cooperating gear case 30 are carried by each arm 22 to drive the cutter drum assembly 18 . accordingly , it should be appreciated that the cutter drum assembly 18 being described is of conventional design and operates in a conventional manner well known in the art . as best shown in fig3 - 5 , a loading shovel 32 is pivotally mounted to the front of the frame 12 so as to extend in a forward direction immediately below the boom 20 and below and behind the cutter drum assembly 18 . the orientation of the loading shovel relative to the frame 12 is controlled by a pair of hydraulic actuators 33 mounted on the frame 12 ( only one shown in the drawing figures ). one actuator 33 is operatively connected to each side of the loading shovel 32 . the loading shovel 32 includes an inclined , reinforced front lip 34 , a floor pan 36 and a pair of cooperating sidewalls 38 that form a scoop . as shown in fig1 and 4 , a rear section of the sidewalls 38 converge toward a twin chain conveyor 40 as they extend in a rearward direction . as best shown in fig3 and 4 , the twin chain conveyor 40 may include a series of interdigitating flights 42 . as will be described in greater detail below , the interdigitating flight conveyor 40 includes relatively larger flights that convey aggregate material from a larger surface area of the loading shovel 32 thereby reducing aggregate material residence time in the shovel and increasing carrying capacity of the conveyor . it should be recognized , however , that conveyors of other design including aligned flights could also be utilized . the particular design of the conveyor 40 utilized is simply a matter of determining which design has characteristics meeting the needs of the mine operator . a forked section 44 with a deviation - from - centerline angle of between substantially 1 °- 60 ° and more preferably 20 °- 40 ° is provided at the forwardmost end of the conveyor 40 so that the conveyor extends toward the outer corners of the loading shovel 32 ( see fig6 ). in fact , by utilizing a relatively small diameter ( e . g . 4 inches ) reversing roller 45 at the forwardmost end of each leg of the forked section 44 of the conveyor 40 it is possible to position the conveyor flights 42 to sweep within substantially 5 inches and , more preferably , substantially 3 inches of the front lip 34 and sidewalls 38 of the loading shovel 32 . further , the front lip 34 preferably provides a rise of approximately 7 inches so that the aggregate material carrying surface thereof extends at a tangent to the reversing roller 45 . this structural arrangement insures prompt and efficient loading of the conveyor 40 thereby minimizing the residence time of the aggregate material in the loading shovel 32 . in accordance with another important aspect of the present invention it should be appreciated that the cut aggregate material is conveyed rearwardly from the loading shovel 32 to the rear end of the frame 12 on the conveyor 40 in a continuous and uninterrupted manner . as best shown in fig5 when the loading shovel 32 is in the scoop position for loading aggregate material from the mine floor , the conveyor 40 extends rearwardly along a pathway of substantially constant acclivity without any humps or dips to interfere with the efficient conveyance of the aggregate material . preferably , the acclivity follows an inclination angle of between substantially 3 °- 7 ° and more preferably substantially 5 °. such a slope or grade allows efficient conveyance without significant spillage over the flights and undesired breakage of the aggregate material . further , as a result of the present design , greater space or flow volume is available for the movement of material both into and along the conveyor 40 . this is accomplished in at least four ways . first , the hydraulic or electric drive motor 46 is provided at the rear or discharge end of the conveyor 40 opposite the loading shovel 32 where space is readily available to accommodate drive components . further , the drive components are less likely to be contaminated with water and mud when housed in this position away from the mine floor . still further , by driving at the discharge end , the motor 46 pulls the chains 50 from the load side thereby providing maximum operating efficiency and chain service life . as a further result , it is only necessary to provide sufficient space in the loading shovel for the relatively small return or reversing roller 45 for each of the chains 50 of the conveyor 40 . this results in significant space savings in the loading shovel 32 and increases the open space for movement of the aggregate material . second , the relatively low profile of the reversing roller 45 noted above allows the receiving end of the conveyor 40 to be extended nearly to the lip 34 of the loading shovel 32 . in effect , the conveyor 40 is made self - loading and there is no need to provide gathering arms or centripetal / centrifugal loading arms for moving coal into the conveyor 40 in accordance with continuous miners of conventional design . through the elimination of the gathering arms and their associated gearing and drive motors from the area of the loading shovel 32 , clearance for those mechanical components is no longer required and , accordingly , the pan may be lower in overall height and present a relatively low angle of rise ( e . g . 3 °- 7 °). this reduces the work necessary to push the aggregate material into the conveyor 40 . further , it allows a minimum clearance of 12 inches to be maintained between the floor pan 36 and boom 20 to furnish unimpeded conveyance of the aggregate material . such large clearance is noteworthy in a mining machine with an overall height of less than 50 inches and more preferably 48 inches . thirdly , greater open space is also provided for the flow of aggregate material which can then proceed unconstricted and uninterrupted in a far more efficient manner than possible in prior art equipment . in fact , the conveyor pathway opening has a minimum throat opening area of at least 10 ft 2 throughout the length of the conveyor 40 . this is also noteworthy in a mining machine of less than 50 inches in height . of course , the greater available space allows the individual flights 42 to be made both wider and deeper . hence , the carrying capacity of the conveyor 40 is substantially increased over a conveyor on a conventionally designed machine of the same size that includes a gathering arm mechanism . as a result , conveyor efficiency / capacity is no longer limiting and mining productivity may also be increased . fourthly , the design of the conveyor 40 allows one to take full advantage of wider flights 42 and the added conveying capacity such flights provide in the critical loading zone on the loading shovel 32 . this is done while still meeting space limitation requirements at other , rearward parts of the mining machine 10 . more specifically , the flights 42 of width w ( e . g . 30 inches ) provide a conveying capacity flight width of ( w + w ) ( e . g . 60 inches ) along the forked section 44 of the conveyer 40 on the loading shovel 32 . rearwardly of the forked section 44 , the flights 42 on the opposing chains 50 of the chain conveyor 40 are interdigitated . thus , the overall width of the conveyor 40 may be reduced to less than ( w + w ) ( e . g . perhaps 48 inches ) in order to provide clearance to extend along a narrow pathway defined between other mining machine components such as traction motor housings . accordingly , the conveyor 40 incorporated into the mining machine 10 of the present invention meets the seemingly conflicting concerns of providing enhanced conveyance capacity within limited space confines . other advantages also result from the forward placement of the conveyor 40 and the elimination of gathering arms . more specifically , actual aggregate material handling is reduced . this has the two - fold benefit of increasing the size consist of the aggregate product while reducing the production of fines that are a waste product of the coal cleaning process . additionally , spillage is minimized . spillage is a serious problem in conventional mining machines as the stirring action of the gathering arms results in a significant portion of the aggregate material being thrown from the gathering pan where it remains , unrecovered , on the mine floor . in accordance with yet another important aspect of the present invention , it should be appreciated that the loading shovel 32 is of relatively low profile ( note particularly fig2 ). more specifically , the elimination of all haulage drive systems from the area of the loading shovel 32 reduces space and , therefore , height requirements necessary to accommodate the bulky components associated with such systems . further , it should be appreciated that in a highwall mining process , one bore hole is cut between opposing sidewalls of the mineral seam . these seam walls cooperate with the loading shovel 32 and particularly the sidewalls 38 to direct cut aggregate material onto the conveyor 40 . of course , the presence of the mineral seam sidewalls means that the sidewalls 38 of the loading shovel 32 may also assume a relatively low profile . advantageously , the low profile of the loading shovel 32 allows the mining machine 10 to accommodate a boom 20 of an increased size or vertical dimension while still maintaining an overall height low or lower than possible with conventional mining equipment . accordingly , the boom 20 may be outfitted with larger drive motors 28 and symmetrical gear cases 30 so as to provide more horsepower to the cutter drum assembly 18 . as a result , aggregate material may be removed from the mineral seam at a faster rate . advantageously , since the conveyor 40 also includes a receiving end adjacent the lip 34 for self - loading as well as deeper and wider flights 42 , the faster cutting rate may also be accommodated by the conveyor system so that overall mining efficiency and therefore productivity is significantly enhanced . yet another advantage of the low profile loading shovel 32 is its ability to accommodate the operation of a straight or flat boom 20 . more particularly , it is not necessary to provide a hump or arch in the boom 20 to provide the necessary clearance to lay over the loading shovel 32 . advantageously , the flat cutter boom 20 provides enhanced forward visibility through cameras ( not shown ) that allow for remote operation of the mining machine 10 . further , it should be appreciated that conventional miners incorporating arched or humped booms present an obstacle that may lead to the miner becoming trapped in the event of a roof fall . in contrast , the straight or flat boom 20 of the present mining machine 10 significantly reduces this possibility by eliminating the arch that otherwise serves as a catch point . it should further be appreciated , that the elimination of all haulage drive systems from the loading shovel 32 significantly reduces the weight of the shovel . accordingly , the frictional loading of the loading shovel 32 against the mine floor is significantly reduced as the miner sumps forward . thus , again , it should be appreciated that improved operating efficiency is the beneficial result . still further , it should be appreciated that the low profile loading shovel 32 and the straight or flat boom 20 function in combination to provide all of these benefits while still further providing an overall lower profile mining machine 10 capable of operation in thinner seams . this is a significant advantage as most of the remaining coal reserves in the world today are in seams too thin to be mined by a conventional continuous miner . in summary , numerous benefits result from employing the concepts of the present invention . the mining machine 10 of the present invention advantageously allows for the application of more powerful motors and stronger or higher rated gear boxes to power the cutter drum assembly 18 for the more efficient winning of aggregate material from the mineral seam . increased conveyance capacity and efficiency is provided by moving the receiving end of the conveyor 40 forward so as to become self - loading , increasing the height and width of the conveyor flights 42 and removing bottlenecks and / or constrictions to flow . together , the increased cutting capacity and increased conveying capacity compliment one another allowing the operator to receive the full benefits of the increases in performance . the total elimination of the gathering arm mechanism also serves to significantly simplify the mechanical structure of the mining machine , reducing the necessary downtime to perform maintenance / service operations . thus , production or operation time is increased so as to provide an overall improvement in mining productivity relative to conventional continuous mining machines . additionally , all of these benefits are achieved while allowing operation in relatively thinner seams . thus , it should be appreciated that the mining machine of this invention represents a significant advance in the art . the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings . for example , while the present invention has been described with reference to utilization in a highwall mining system , it can also be utilized in underground mining . the embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . all such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with breadth to which they are fairly , legally and equitably entitled .
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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 . wherever possible , the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts . fig1 shows an optical pickup 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig1 , the optical pickup 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises light source 110 , collimate lens 120 , beam splitter 130 , diffraction grating 140 , wavelength plate 150 , object lens 155 , condensing lens 160 and light detecting means 170 , and an optical storage 180 may be placed before the object lens 155 . the light source 110 generate laser beam and the collimate lens 120 transforms the light generated by light source 110 into a parallel beam . the beam splitter 130 which is a light dividing means transmits the incident light from collimate lens 120 depending on the polarizing direction of the light or reflects the light reflected by the optical storage 180 to the condensing lens 160 . the transmission light through beam splitter 130 passes through the diffraction grating 140 and then is transformed to a circularly polarized light by quarter wavelength plate 150 . the circularly polarized light passes through the object lens 155 and is reflected by the optical storage 1380 having land and groove structure and goes back to the object lens 130 . the reflected light is transformed to a parallel beam by the object lens 130 and then is polarized by quarter wavelength 150 so that its polarizing direction is reversed . and then the light is diffracted by the diffraction grating 140 . the diffraction grating 140 diffracts and divides the reflected light by the optical storage 180 into a main beam and two sub beams , in which the diffracted lights of main beam and sub beams form a baseball pattern as shown in fig3 . the diffraction grating 140 comprises two grating pattern regions which have different polarization direction from each other . the first grating pattern performs diffracting and dividing of the reflected light by the optical storage and excludes the ac signal causing area i . e . the region which the sub beam region and the main beam region overlap . the second grating pattern covers the region which the sub beam region and the main beam region overlap and diffracts the lights to a direction different from case of the first grating pattern . the diffracted light by the second grating pattern does not enter the light detecting means and is excluded from error detecting process . the detailed structures of the diffraction grating 140 will be described below with reference to fig4 and the following drawings . the main beam out of the divided by the diffraction grating 140 is 0 th beam and is detected as an mpp signal at the light detecting means 170 , the sub beams thereof are + 1st beam and − 1st beam and detected as first spp signal and second spp signal at the light detecting means 170 respectively . the diffracted light from the diffraction grating 140 is reflected by beam splitter 130 and transmits to the light detecting means via condensing lens 160 . the light detecting means 170 is a light - to - electrical conversion device such as photo diode , receives 0 th beam , + 1 st beam − 1 st beam and generates mpp signal , first spp signal and second spp signal and detects tes ( track error signal ) therefrom . fig2 a illustrates the diffraction of light by optical storage . as shown in fig2 a , the incident light into optical storage 180 is diffracted by the track structure of land / groove on the optical storage 180 with a certain angle θ and forms 0 th , + 1 st and − 1 st beams . and the 0 th , + 1 st and − 1 st beams form circular pattern ( s ). the size of circular pattern formed by 0 th , + 1 st and − 1 st beams may be equivalent to epd ( entrance pupil diameter ) of the object lens placed right before the optical storage and can be calculated by the following equation . fig2 b illustrates forming of a baseball which is formed by diffracted light at the optical storage 180 . as shown in fig2 b , when a circular patterned beam is incident into the optical storage 180 , it is diffracted to form three beams b 1 , b 2 , b 3 . the circular patterns formed by side beams b 1 , b 3 are shifted from the central pattern by the central beam b 2 , wherein the amount of shift can be calculated by the following equation . wherein “ the dimension of the sub beam is + 1 or − 1 , reflected by the optical storage 180 , three beams b 1 , b 2 , b 3 from a baseball patter as shown in fig3 . the size and overlapping area is dependent upon the kind of the optical storage 180 . for example , the overlapping area tends to be relatively large in case of bd ( blu ray disk ) or dvd rw . the baseball pattern p 1 , p 2 , p 3 formed by reflection at the optical storage 180 is transformed to a parallel beam by object lens 155 , and passes through wavelength plate 150 and diffraction grating 140 . fig4 shows a plane view of the first embodiment of a diffraction grating according to the present invention which may be used in the optical pickup 100 in fig1 . in the optical pickup 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention , the structure of diffraction grating 140 a is equivalent to circular patterns p 1 , p 2 , p 3 . beams passing through sub beam (± 1 st beam ) region ( p 4 , p 6 ) and the overlapped region p 7 of main beam region p 5 and sub beam region p 4 , p 6 are diffracted to other direction than to the light detecting means 170 so that they are excluded from the process of detecting tes signal . the ac signal is caused by the overlapped region of sub beam region and main beam region . by preventing the ac signal from reaching light detecting means 170 , it enhance detecting the accurate tes . referring to fig4 , assuming y axis lies along the track direction and x axis lies along the tangential direction , in the diffraction grating 140 a , the first grating pattern a 1 covers the area except sub beam region and main beam region which overlaps with the sub beam regions and the second grating pattern a 2 covers the rest of the diffraction grating 140 a . the second grating pattern a 2 prevent the ± 1 st beam from reaching the optical storage , so that ac signal is excluded from the process of detecting tes signal . fig5 shows a plane view of the second embodiment of a diffraction grating according to the present invention which may be used in the optical pickup 100 in fig1 . referring to fig5 , similarly to the first embodiment , the second embodiment of diffraction grating 140 b comprises the first grating pattern a 3 and the second grating pattern a 4 . the first grating pattern a 3 is in the shape of rectangle which does not overlap with circular pattern of sub beam p 4 , p 6 . the second grating pattern a 4 covers the rest of the diffraction grating 140 a . preferably , one side of the first grating pattern a 3 is in contact of the circular pattern of sub beam as shown in the fig5 . the width and length of the rectangle is variable within the scope of the present invention . fig6 shows a plane view of the third embodiment of a diffraction grating according to the present invention which may be used in the optical pickup 100 in fig1 . referring to fig6 , similarly to the first embodiment , the third embodiment of diffraction grating 140 c comprises the first grating pattern a 5 and the second grating pattern a 6 . the first grating patter a 5 comprises two horizontally long rectangles , each of rectangles being placed in the top and the bottom respectively . similarly , the first grating patter p 5 does not overlaps with the circular patterns of sub beams p 4 , p 6 and the second grating pattern a 6 covers the rest of the diffraction grating 140 a . the one side of the first grating pattern a 5 passes through upper or lower two of four intersection points at which the circular pattern of main beam and those of sub beams . the width and length of the rectangle of the first grating pattern is variable within the scope of the present invention . fig7 shows push - pull signals mpp generated by 0 th and spp1 and spp2 generated by ± 1 st beams after being reflected by track structure on the optical storage and transmitting the first , second or third diffraction grating 140 a , 140 b , 140 c of present invention . note that there is substantially no ac signal in the push - pull signals generated by ± 1 st beam . by transmitting the diffraction gratings 140 a , 140 b , 140 c of present invention dc offset is excluded from the signal detected by the light detecting means 170 which will be described with reference to fig9 a and the following drawings . meanwhile , tracking error level from tracking error signal detected by the light detecting means 170 can be calculated by the following equation . it is noted the tracking error level is improved by the present invention since the ac signal of spp signal is excluded before it reaches the optical storage . tracking error level = mpp signal − k ×( the first spp 1 signal + the second spp signal ) ( equation 3 ) wherein “ k ”= dc level of mpp signal ÷( 2 × dc level of spp signal ) the first grating patterns a 1 , a 3 , a 5 just pass the main beam b 2 without phase shift , and shift the phase of the sub beams b 1 , b 3 , so that the phase - shifted sub beams are excluded from the process of detecting tracking error signal . the gratings of the second grating patterns a 2 , a 4 , a 6 have different direction from those of the first grating patterns a 1 , a 3 , a 5 , for example , by 90 ° so that they can divert beam towards a certain position other than light detecting means 170 . fig8 shows positions where main beam and sub beams reach over the optical storage according to the present invention . the main beam b 2 is on the border line between the unrecorded area u and recorded area r and the sub beams are shifted by about ½ tp from the border line , which corresponds to the track lines on the optical storage . fig9 a shows change of offset voltage dependent on time when there is no radial shift of object lens and fig9 b shows change of offset voltage dependent on time when there is radial shift of object lens , in both cases the object lenses being placed on - axis . before time = 0 along time axis , it represent offset voltage in the unrecorded area , and after time = 0 along time axis , offset voltage in the unrecorded area . the difference between the unrecorded area u and recorded area r appears as difference of reflection ratio . when applying ddp method using three beams , comparing fig9 a and 9 b , there occurs a voltage level difference between the unrecorded area and the recorded area by the radial shift of object lens , i . e . by moving object lens over the optical storage . there is no change of offset voltage level between before and after t = 0 when there is no radial shift of object as shown in fig9 a , while there occurs a difference of offset voltage level between before and after t = 0 when there is radial shift of object as shown in fig9 b . fig1 shows change of offset voltage dependent on time when sub beam error occurred in which the object lenses are placed on - axis . in fig1 , sub beam error occurred , so that sub beam was de - tracked towards 0 th beam by 10 tp . as such , offset voltage level change was increased near t = 0 . fig1 shows change of offset voltage dependent on time when sub beam error occurred and there is radial shift of object lens in which the object lenses are placed on - axis . note that offset voltage level change was even more increased near t = 0 . fig1 a and 12 b show change of offset voltage dependent on time when there is radial shift of object lens by 1 au ( arbitrary unit ) and 5 au respectively in which the object lenses are placed off - axis . comparing fig1 a and 12 b , it is noted that the more radial shift there is , the more serious the offset voltage level change gets . in on - axis configuration in which two objects are along the radial direction , ± 1 st beams are shifted from the 0 th beam by ½ tp and the shift amount is fixed with the object lens moving , so that there occurs relatively small amount of offset change . in contrast , in off - axis configuration in which two objects are along the track direction , ± 1 st beams are shifted from the 0 th beam by ½ tp and the shift amount varies depending the distance from the center of optical storage , so that there can occur very large amount of offset level change . fig1 a shows change of offset voltage dependent on time when there is radial shift of object lens by 5 au and sub beam error occurred in which the object lenses are placed on - axis and fig1 b shows change of offset voltage dependent on time when there is radial shift of the object lens by 5 au and sub beam error occurred in which the object lenses are placed off - axis . comparing fig1 a and fig1 b , it is noted that there occurs more serious offset voltage level change near t = 0 in fig1 b than fig1 a . fig1 shows change of offset voltage dependent on time detected by using the optical pickup according to the present invention , given the same conditions as those of fig1 b measured in an optical pickup according the present invention . comparing fig1 and fig1 a or 13 b , it is noted that the amplitude of ac signal is slightly changed at t = 0 but there is substantially no offset voltage level change near t = 0 . fig1 shows a schematic diagram of an optical pickup 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig1 , the optical pickup 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention comprises light source 210 , collimate lens 220 , beam splitter 230 , wavelength plate 250 , object lens 255 , diffraction grating 240 , condensing lens 260 and light detecting means 270 , and an optical storage 280 may be placed before the object lens 255 . the structure of the second embodiment of the optical pickup of fig1 is similar to the second embodiment of fig1 , but is different in that the diffraction grating 240 is positioned between beam splitter 230 and condensing lens 260 . the optical pickup according to the first embodiment of the present invention of fig1 can employ all of three embodiment of diffraction gratings 140 a , 140 b , 140 c , while the optical pickup according to the second embodiment of the present invention of fig1 cannot employ second embodiment of diffraction grating 140 b . referring to fig5 , when there is radial shift of object lens , i . e . object lens moves along the radial direction , which is corresponds to the horizontal direction of the paper in fig5 , the first grating pattern region a 3 of the second embodiment of diffraction grating 140 b can intrude the second grating pattern region a 4 . in this case , there may be a significant error in detecting tracking error signal , which makes the second embodiment of the diffraction grating unavailable . detailed description regarding other components in fig1 will be the same as that of fig1 and is omitted . the optical pickup according to the present invention provides following advantages : the offset voltage level change can be prevented when off - axis configuration is employed and the object moves over the border of unrecorded area and recorded area . it is possible to alleviate the offset voltage level change without being affected by radial shift , sub beam error etc . and without dpp level and light efficiency being degraded when performing tracking servo over hd dvd , dvd - r , dvd - rw , bd which have different track structures .
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by reference to the drawings , a wireless communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is described by taking a cordless telephone as an example . fig1 is a block diagram showing a cordless telephone according to an embodiment of the present invention . in fig1 , ( a ) is a block diagram showing a transmission function of a master device ( a first communication terminal ), and ( b ) is a block diagram showing a receiving function of a slave device ( a second communication terminal ). for the sake of convenience , fig1 illustrates only the transmission function of the master device and the receiving function of the slave device . however , each of the master device and the slave device has both functions . the cordless telephone includes the master device 10 and one or more slave devices 20 , as shown in fig1 . the cordless telephone is a wireless communication device that establishes a digital link on a wireless channel between the master device 10 and the slave device 20 ; that compresses a sound signal by adaptive pulse code modulation ; and that performs a communication while containing the thus - compressed sound signal in a sound packet by means of tdma ( time division multiple access )/ tdd ( time division duplex ). g . 722 that is the itu - t ( international telecommunication union telecommunication standardization sector ) recommendation is adopted for the codec . the master device 10 includes a sound input unit 11 , a pcm conversion unit 12 , an adpcm encoding unit 13 , a transmission conversion table 14 , a transmission conversion table switching unit 15 , a transmission packet generation unit 16 , and a wireless transmission circuit 17 . the sound input unit 11 inputs a sound signal formed from signal that is delivered by way of a telephone line network or an ip network . the sound input unit 11 corresponds to a microphone that is built in a handset if the master device 10 is provided with the handset . the pcm conversion unit 12 samples the sound signal at a predetermined cycle and quantizes the thus - sampled signal into an integral value including a predetermined number of bits . the adpcm encoding unit 13 generates digital sound data ( hereinafter referred to simply as “ sound data ”) by means of g . 722 wideband adpcm ( adaptive differential pulse code modulation ). the adpcm encoding unit 13 first separates input data into a high frequency signal and a low frequency signal by means of a quadrature mirror filter and performs adpcm encoding on the high frequency signal and the low frequency signal , respectively . fig2 is a diagram for explaining a low frequency adpcm encoder of the adpcm encoding unit 13 . the low frequency adpcm encoder shown in fig2 includes a 60 - level adaptive quantizer 13 a , a bit mask unit 13 b , and a 15 - level adaptive dequantizer 13 c , and an adaptive predictor 13 d . the bit mask unit 13 b extracts bits which are set as core bits , from a 6 - bit low frequency adpcm code generated by the adaptive quantizer 13 a . in the embodiment , four higher order bits are set as core bits and input to a feedback loop . the 15 - level adaptive dequantizer 13 c calculates a quantized differential signal from data pertinent to the core bits ( four bits ), outputting a calculation result . the differential signal output from the 15 - level adaptive dequantizer 13 c is delivered to the adaptive predictor 13 d and an adder 13 f . the adder 13 f adds a prediction signal generated in the encoder to the differential signal , to thus generate a regenerative signal . the adaptive predictor 13 d generates a prediction signal from the differential signal originating from the 15 - level adaptive dequantizer 13 c and the regenerative signal originating from the adder 13 f . an input signal sent from the pcm conversion unit 12 is delivered to the adder 13 e , and the adder 13 e calculates a difference between the input signal sent from the pcm conversion unit 12 and the prediction signal sent from the adaptive predictor 13 d . a resultant difference signal generated by the adder 13 e is delivered to the 60 - level adaptive quantizer 13 a , and the 60 - level adaptive quantizer 13 a generates a 6 - bit low frequency adpcm code . in the meantime , the high frequency adpcm encoder performs 2 - bit high frequency adpcm encoding on an input high frequency signal according to g . 722 standards . the high frequency adpcm encoder does not have a bit mask unit and is configured so as to input all bits into the adaptive dequantizer . the high frequency adpcm encoder can be analogous to the low frequency adpcm encoder except this configuration , and hence its detailed explanations using the drawings are omitted . the adpcm encoding unit 13 multiplexes the thus - generated 6 - bit low frequency adpcm code and the 2 - bit high frequency adpcm code by use of a multiplexer as shown in fig1 , thereby generating an 8 - bit wideband adpcm code . in the embodiment , the adpcm encoding unit 13 of the master device 10 generates adpcm data that are a low frequency signal having a data rate of 48 kbps . in the adpcm data , low frequency sound data are assigned six bits , and highest order bits include a positive code bit and a negative code bit . accordingly , as shown in fig3 , the 6 - bit low frequency adpcm data are represented as 000000 to 111111 . since the adpcm data represent a difference between data that have been digitized immediately before and the current data . hence , 000000 designates the positive minimum value , and 111111 designates the negative minimum value . in addition , 011111 denotes the positive maximum value , and 100000 designates the negative maximum value . in conformance with g . 722 standards , four bits of the 6 - bit low frequency adpcm code are set as core bits , and remaining two bits are set as enhancement bits in the embodiment . specifically , the adpcm encoding unit 13 generates adpcm data while taking four higher order bits as core bits , and the decoding unit of the receiving side also performs decoding operation while taking the four higher order bits as core bits . as above , so long as the same number of core bits is set on the encoder and the decoder , respectively , a prediction signal generated by the adaptive predictor 13 d assumes the same value at both the encoder and the decoder . accordingly , even when enhancement bits are used in another application , like a data communication , great degradation of sound quality cannot be avoided . in fig1 , the wideband adpcm code generated by the adpcm encoding unit 13 is delivered to the transmission conversion table 14 , and the transmission conversion table 14 converts the 4 - bit sound data output from the adpcm encoding unit 13 into 4 - bit transmission data to be output to the slave device 20 . fig4 is a diagram for explaining the transmission conversion table 14 . the transmission conversion table 14 is now described in detail by reference to fig4 . the transmission conversion table 14 contains a table t 1 and a table t 2 . when receiving condition is excellent , the table t 1 is employed , and input sound data are output while assuming exactly the same value . when receiving error information on the receiving side reaches a predetermined level , the table t 2 is used . the table t 2 is configured such that two bits of the high frequency adpcm data and four higher order bits among six bits of the low frequency adpcm data respectively assume exactly the same values as their originally input values and that two lower order bits act as even parity bits for the two bits of the high frequency adpcm data and the four higher order bits of the low frequency adpcm data , respectively . in short , in relation to the two lower order bits of the table t 2 ; namely , b 6 ( the next least significant bit ( lsb )) and b 7 ( the least significant bit ), the “ next least significant bit ” is reversed such that the number of “ is ” in the two bits becomes even according to the number of “ is ” in the two bits of the high frequency adpcm data , and the “ least significant bit ” is reversed such that the number of “ is ” in the four bits become even according to the number of “ 1s ” in the four higher order bits of the low frequency adpcm data , thereby letting the two bits act as a parity signal . by means of converting the sound data by use of the table t 2 , the two lower order bits b 6 and b 7 of eight bits per one sample value of a sound data sequence to be transmitted ; for instance , eight bits b 0 , b 1 , . . . , b 7 shown in fig3 , act as a parity signal . in fig1 , the transmission conversion table switching unit 15 performs switching between two tables ( the table t 1 and the table t 2 ) of the transmission conversion table 14 according to the receiving error information sent from the slave device 20 . fig5 is a diagram for explaining the transmission conversion table switching unit 15 . a function of the transmission conversion table switching unit 15 is now described by reference to fig5 . by use of a changeover switch 15 a intended for connection with the adpcm encoding unit 13 and a changeover switch 15 b intended for connection with the transmission packet generation unit 16 , the transmission conversion table switching unit 15 toggles between the table t 1 and the table t 2 in accordance with the receiving error information so as to apply any one of the tables to the adpcm encoding unit 13 and the transmission packet generation unit 16 . when an excellent communication environment is maintained and when there is no need for transmission conversion , the changeover switches 15 a and 15 b are switched to the table t 1 . when transmission conversion is required as a result of deterioration of the communication environment , the changeover switches 15 a and 15 b are switched to the table t 2 , thereby converting transmission data such that two lower order bits of the transmission data act as a parity signal . in fig1 , the transmission packet generation unit 16 accumulates sound data output from the transmission table 14 by an amount corresponding to 10 msec , thereby generating a sound packet . by reference to fig5 , the sound packet is described . fig6 is a diagram showing a format of the sound packet and a configuration of a field for storing sound data in the embodiment . the sound packet shown in fig6 is made up of a sync field ( 16 bits ) where sync data ( a sync word ) are to be stored , a field a ( 48 bits ) where control signal data are to be stored , a field - a crc ( 16 bits ) where a crc ( cyclic redundancy check ) for the field a is to be stored , a field b ( 640 bits ) where sound data are to be stored , and a field - b crc ( four bits ) where a crc for the field b is to be stored . in the embodiment , wideband adpcm sound data to be stored in the field b are assigned eight bits per sample value , and two lower order bits ( b 6 , b 7 ) of the eight bits are allocated for a parity signal . in addition , two higher order bits ( b 0 , b 1 ) are assigned for high frequency adpcm data , and subsequent four bits ( b 2 , . . . , b 5 ) are assigned for four core bits of the lower frequency adpcm code . further , in the embodiment , when conversion is carried out by reference to the table t 2 , the transmission side sends per sample , as low frequency adpcm data , 5 - bit data that are made up of four bits of adpcm data ( core bits ) and one least significant bit that is to act as a parity bit . the transmission side also sends per sample , as high frequency adpcm data , 3 - bit data that are made up of two bits of adpcm data and one next least significant bit that is to act as a parity bit . thus , the transmission side transmits both the parity bit for a low frequency signal and the parity bit for a high frequency signal without changing the number of bits ( eight bits ) per sample . the crc for the field b does not take the entirety of 320 - bit field b as a target and partially takes only data pertinent to predetermined bit positions as a target . to be specific , the field - b crc takes , as a target , sound data that are distributed in ten locations every 16 bits . the sound data are only a total of 160 bits that are represented by bit numbers : b 48 to b 63 , b 112 to b 127 , b 176 to b 191 , . . . , b 560 to b 575 , and b 624 to b 639 . in fig1 , the wireless transmission circuit 17 functions as a transmission circuit unit that modulates the sound packet output from the transmission packet generation unit 16 into a wireless signal and that transmits the wireless signal from the antenna 17 a . as above , in the master device 10 , data transmission section is configured by the transmission conversion table 14 that converts a portion of the adpcm sound data into a parity bit , the transmission packet generation unit 16 that generates a sound packet including the thus - converted sound data , and the wireless transmission circuit 17 that transmits the sound packet as a wireless signal to the slave device 20 . the slave device 20 is now described by reference to ( b ) in fig1 . the slave device 20 includes a wireless reception circuit 21 and an antenna 21 a . a signal received by the wireless reception circuit 21 is processed by a received data processing unit 30 , whereupon the thus - processed signal is output as high frequency adpcm data and low frequency adpcm data . the received data processing unit 30 is provided with a received packet processing unit 22 , a reception conversion table 23 , a receiving error processing unit 24 , and a reception conversion table switching unit 25 . further , the slave device 20 is provided with the adpcm decoding unit 26 , a pcm conversion unit 27 , a sound output unit 28 , and a received signal strength indicator processing unit 29 . the wireless reception circuit 21 acts as a reception circuit unit that receives by way of an antenna 21 a the wireless signal output from the master device 10 , demodulates the thus - received signal , and outputs the thus - demodulated signal as a sound packet to the received packet processing unit 22 . the wireless reception circuit 21 measures a received strength indicator ( rssi ) of the received sound packet , outputting the thus - measured indicator to received field strength processing . the received packet processing unit 22 detects a sync error when a predetermined sync word is not acquired , a crc error for the field a or the field b , and a parity error in sound data , sending the error to the receiving error processing unit 24 and extracting the sound data and outputting the thus - extracted sound data to the reception conversion table 23 . the reception conversion table 23 converts the 4 - bit sound data received from the master device 10 , outputting a conversion result . by reference to fig7 and fig8 , the reception conversion table 23 is now described in detail . fig7 is a diagram for explaining a table pertaining to a low frequency signal in the reception conversion table 23 , and fig8 is a diagram for explaining a table pertaining to a high frequency signal . as shown in fig7 and fig8 , the reception conversion table 23 includes tables r 1 to r 4 for each of a low frequency signal and a high frequency signal . in any event , the table r 1 is configured so as to output input sound data in exactly the same values . in fig7 and fig8 , the table r 2 is configured so as to replace the sound data with mute data when results on the parity check of the two bits of the high frequency adpcm data and the six bits of the low frequency adpcm data show occurrence of a parity error . in conformance with an even parity rule , the transmission side ( the master device 10 ) identifies occurrence of a high frequency parity error by means of the number of “ is ” in a total of three bits ; namely , the two bits of the high frequency adpcm data and the “ next least significant bit p 1 .” specifically , a parity error is identified by means of “ 001 ,” “ 010 ,” and “ 111 ” that include an odd number of is . likewise , occurrence of a low frequency parity error is identified by means of the number of “ is ” in a total of five bits ; that is , four higher order bits of the low frequency adpcm data and the “ least significant bit p 2 .” during the conversion performed by the table r 2 of the reception conversion table 23 , sound data are exactly output without change unless a parity error occurs . in contrast , if occurrence of a parity error is identified ( when the number of “ is ” in target bits is determined to be odd ), sound data are replaced with mute data . in the embodiment , high frequency signal mute data are assigned “ 11 ,” and low frequency signal mute data are assigned “ 111111 ” or “ 000000 .” however , the mute data are not limited to them , and another mute data can also be used . as above , in response to occurrence of a parity error , the reception conversion table 23 converts the sound data including the error with mute data , thereby preventing reproduced sound from being affected by the error . in connection with high frequency data , the table r 3 converts data including a parity error with mute data as does the table r 2 . in addition to this , in connection with low frequency data , the table r 3 is configured so as to add one to four higher order bits of data that are free of an error , thereby replacing the data with sound data that will attenuate a sound . in the case of ; for instance , “ 1001 ,” “ 1010 ,” and “ 1100 ,” they are converted into “ 1010 ,” “ 1011 ,” and “ 1101 ” by addition of one . the table r 4 is configured so as to replace all of the sound data with mute data regardless of occurrence of the parity error ; in other words , the high frequency data with “ 11 ” and the low frequency data with “ 111111 ” or “ 000000 .” in ( b ) of fig1 , the receiving error processing unit 24 is an error determination section that has a counter ( to be described in detail later ) which performs count - up operation at the time of occurrence of a reception error , such as a sync error detected by the receiving packet processing unit 22 , a field a error , and a field b error and which performs count - down operation at the time of occurrence of no error . a value of the counter is sent to the reception conversion table 25 , whereupon the reception conversion table 23 is switched in accordance with the counter value . the reception conversion table switching unit 25 acts as a data conversion section ( a receiving side processing unit ) along with the reception conversion table 23 by switching among four tables ( the tables r 1 to r 4 ) of the reception conversion table 23 in accordance with a command from the slave device 20 by way of the receiving error processing unit 24 or a received signal strength indicator signal originating from the received signal strength indicator processing unit 29 . the reception conversion table switching unit 25 is now described by reference to fig9 . fig9 is a diagram for explaining the reception conversion table switching unit 25 . by means of changeover switches 25 a and 25 b , the reception conversion table switching unit 25 switches among the tables ( r 1 to r 4 ) used in the reception conversion table 23 . for instance , when conversion processing is not performed , the received packet processing unit 22 and the adpcm decoding unit 26 are switched to the table r 1 . in the meantime , when parity processing is practiced , the received packet processing unit 22 and the adpcm decoding unit 26 are switched to the table r 2 . in addition , when parity processing and attenuation processing are performed , the received packet processing unit 22 and the adpcm decoding unit 26 are switched to the table r 3 . the adpcm decoding unit 26 shown in ( b ) of fig1 separates 8 - bit input data sent from the reception conversion table 23 into a high frequency signal and a low frequency signal by means of a separator , subsequently performing adpcm decoding on the respective signals . in other words , even when the 8 - bit data include two lower order bits of parity bits and the mute data , all of the eight bits are decoded into sound data . the adpcm decoding unit 26 is now described by reference to fig1 . fig1 is a diagram for explaining a low frequency adpcm decoder of the adpcm decoding unit 26 . the low frequency adpcm decoder shown in fig1 is now described . the low frequency adpcm decoder includes a feedback adaptive dequantizer 26 a , a feedforward adaptive dequantizer 26 b , a bitmask unit 26 c , and an adaptive predictor 26 d . the bitmask unit 26 c extracts core bits from the adpcm code input , and only the thus - extracted core bits are input to the feedback adaptive dequantizer 26 a . the feedback adaptive dequantizer 26 a calculates a quantized differential signal , outputting the thus - calculated , quantized differential signal . the thus - output , quantized differential signal is added to the prediction signal by the adder 26 e , and a result of addition is input to the adaptive predictor 26 d , where a prediction signal is generated . the feedforward adaptive quantizer 26 b calculates a quantized differential signal by use of all bits in the adpcm data , outputting a calculation result . when the low frequency sound data are 48 kbps , a 6 - bit adpcm code input is output . the adder 26 f adds the prediction signal calculated only from the core bits to the quantized differential signal calculated from all six bits , whereby a low frequency regenerative signal is output . in the meantime , the essential requirement for the high frequency adpcm decoder of the adpcm decoding unit 26 is to perform processing conforming to the known g722 standard . the bitmask unit is not necessary , and all of the bits are input to the adaptive dequantizer . the high frequency adpcm decoder is analogous to the low frequency adpcm decoder except absence of the bitmask unit , and hence its detailed explanations are unnecessary . the adpcm decoding unit 26 combines the thus - decoded low frequency signal and the high frequency signal together by means of a receiving rectangular mirror filter , to thus generate a wideband sound signal . even when a parity bit is transmitted without changing the number of bits per sample ( eight bits ), the receiving side uses the low frequency adpcm data as they are without changing four core bits thereof to generate a prediction signal . the receiving side also processes the high frequency adpcm data while taking them as two bits , so that deterioration of sound quality is small , and a conversation can be performed while a certain degree of sound quality is maintained . in ( b ) of fig1 , the pcm conversion unit 27 generates an analog sound signal from the reproduction signal . the sound output unit 28 may be a speaker that reproduces the sound signal , for example . the received electric field strength processing unit 29 functions as the received electric field strength level determination means that determines the change of the received electric field strength measured by the wireless reception circuit 21 and outputs the result of the determination to the reception conversion table switching unit 25 . this determination is made in a manner such that , in the case where the master device 10 and the slave device 20 are spaced apart from each other , the received electric field strength is lowered , and if the received electric field strength is lower than a threshold value a ( a first threshold value ), the communication environment is inferior . further , in the case where the master device 10 and the slave device 20 are close to each other , the communication environment becomes good and the received electric field strength is elevated . if the received electric field strength exceeds a threshold value b ( a second threshold value ), the communication environment becomes good . however , in determination , the threshold value b is set to be higher than the threshold value a . the received electric field strength processing unit 29 outputs information on the communication environment to the reception conversion table switching unit 25 , and the reception conversion table switching unit 25 selects the table r 1 that does not perform the parity check if the communication environment is good . further , if the communication environment is inferior , the reception conversion table switching unit 25 performs the parity check ( the transmission side : table t 2 ), the reception side selects any one of other tables ( tables r 2 to r 4 ) to be sound - processed . the received electric field strength processing unit 29 performs the synchronization between the master device 10 and the conversion table by transferring the determination result information that is obtained by determining the change of the received electric field strength to the master device 10 using a control packet . by setting the threshold value b to be larger than the threshold value a , switching is performed from the table r 1 in which the parity check is not performed to the tables r 2 to r 4 in which the parity check is performed and the sound process is performed when the communication environment is deteriorated , and even if the communication environment becomes good thereafter , the switching is not performed at the same electric field strength as that switched by the reception conversion table 23 . since the parity check is stopped after the communication environment reaches a sufficiently good level , the reception conversion table 23 and the transmission conversion table 14 are prevented from being frequently switched . a communication method of the cordless telephone as configured above according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings . first , in communication between the master device 10 and the slave device 20 , a case where the communication environment is good and no reception error occurs will be described . in this case , it is assumed that the table t 1 illustrated in fig4 is selected in the transmission conversion table 14 , and the table r 1 illustrated in fig7 and 8 is selected in the reception conversion table 23 . the sound signal from the sound input unit 11 is quantized by the pcm conversion unit 12 , and one code is compressed into 8 - bit sound data through adpcm by the adpcm encoding unit 13 . this 8 - bit sound data is input to the table t 1 of the transmission conversion table 14 , and then the sound data having the same value as the input is output from the table t 1 as the transmission data . the sound data output from the transmission conversion table 14 is included in the sound packet by the transmission packet generation unit 16 , and is transmitted to the slave device 20 through the antenna 17 a by the wireless transmission circuit 17 as the wireless signal . in the slave device 20 , the wireless signal from the master device 10 is received in the wireless reception circuit 21 through the antenna 21 a . the wireless signal received in the wireless reception circuit 21 is demodulated and output to the received packet processing unit 22 as the sound packet . the received packet processing unit 22 checks the occurrence of the reception error of the sound packet , extracts the 8 - bit sound data included in the sound packet , and outputs the extracted sound data to the reception conversion table 23 . if the sound data is input to the table r 1 of the reception conversion table 23 , 8 - bit sound data having the same value as the input is output from the table t 1 . the sound data output from the reception conversion table 23 is input to and expanded by the adpcm decoding unit 26 , converted into a sound signal by the pcm conversion unit 27 , and is reproduced by the sound output unit 28 . in this case , since the master device 10 that is the transmission side transmits the sound to the slave device 20 as it is without processing all the 8 - bit adpcm sound data , high - quality sound can be transmitted . next , a case where the slave device 20 detects the reception error will be described . if the received packet processing unit 22 of the slave device 20 detects the reception error such as a sync error or a crc error , it transmits reception error information regarding the effect that the reception error has occurred to the master device 10 using a transmission function ( not illustrated ). the master device 10 can recognize that the communication environment is deteriorated through the notification of the reception error information . accordingly , the transmission conversion table switching unit 15 performs switching of the connections of the transmission conversion table 14 to be applied between the adpcm encoding unit 13 and the transmission packet generation unit 16 from the table t 1 to the table t 2 . by doing so , the two lower order bits of the 8 - bit sound data is converted into the parity bit ( see fig3 ). the parity bit generation using the transmission conversion table 14 is simpler than the parity bit calculation through operation . the slave device 20 instructs , in synchronization with the notification of the reception error to the master device 10 , the reception conversion table switching unit 25 to perform switching of the reception conversion table 23 from the table r 1 to the table r 2 . that is , the reception conversion table 23 is switched to the table r 2 as a reception conversion table pertinent to the low frequency signal as shown in fig7 , and switched to the table r 2 as a reception conversion table pertinent to the high frequency signal as shown in fig8 . as described above , the conversion by the table r 2 is performed in a manner such that the sound data is output as it is if the parity error has not occurred , and the sound data is converted into the mute data if the parity error has occurred . next , the influence on the sound packet in the related art and the influence on the sound of the sound packet according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described based on fig1 to 12 . fig1 is a diagram illustrating sound processing in a sound packet in the related art . fig1 is a diagram illustrating sound processing in a sound packet according to the embodiment of the present invention . in the sound packet in the related art as illustrated in fig1 , since a crc of a b - field is added to 16 - bit sound data that is distributed in ten locations in the b - field , sound data that is not the subject of the crc is present , and the reception error for all the sound data may not be detected . accordingly , even in the case where not only the crc error of the b - field but also the error of data for synchronization and the crc error ( crc error of an a - field ) added to data for a control signal are detected , it is necessary to perform the sound process such as mute with respect to the entire one frame on the assumption that there is a high possibility that the error has occurred even in the sound data that is not the subject of the crc of the b - field . as illustrated in fig1 , sound data of about 10 msec is included in one frame , and if the sound data for one frame is processed , it exerts a great influence on the sound . in the sound packet according to the embodiment , a parity bit is added for each 8 - bit sound data , and thus the error can be detected every 8 bits . accordingly , as illustrated in fig1 , by converting only the sound data in which the parity error has occurred into the mute data , it is not required to perform the sound process with respect to the whole one frame . in a conventional method in which a crc is added to 16 - bit sound data that is distributed in about ten locations in the b - field of one frame of a sound packet , it is required to perform sound processing such as muting with respect to the whole of one frame if the crc error is detected . on the other hand , according to the embodiment , it is possible to detect an error in a minute unit in a sound packet and replace the sound packet . thus , since the influence range corresponds to only the replaced sound data , it exerts a low influence on the sound . the sound data output from the reception conversion table 23 is input to and expanded by the adpcm decoding unit 26 , converted into a sound signal by the pcm conversion unit 27 , and is reproduced by the sound output unit 28 . in reproducing the sound , since the two lower order bits are used as the parity bit while the data rate is maintained , the sound quality is somewhat deteriorated in comparison to the case where all the 8 bits are used as the sound data , but high sound quality can be secured in comparison to the case where sound data for one frame is processed in a state of the sync word error or the crc error due to the deterioration of the communication environment . next , a method of switching transmission and reception conversion tables that is performed by the reception error processing unit 24 will be described based on fig1 a to 17 . fig1 a and 13b are diagrams illustrating a counter installed in the reception error processing unit 24 . fig1 a is a diagram illustrating a frame error counter , and fig1 b is a diagram illustrating a sound data error counter . fig1 is a flowchart illustrating a reception conversion table switching process , and fig1 is a flowchart illustrating a reception conversion table switching process continuously performed from fig1 . fig1 is a diagram illustrating a reception conversion table switching process that is determined by the received electric field strength , and fig1 is a diagram illustrating a reception conversion table switching process that is determined by a frame error counter . as shown in fig1 a and 13b , the reception error processing unit 24 has two counters that count number according to the contents of error notification from the received packet processing unit 22 . these counters include , as illustrated in fig1 a , a frame error counter c 1 that counts up by the sync word error , a - field crc error , or b - field crc error and counts down by no error , and , as illustrated in fig1 b , a sound data error counter c 2 that counts up when the 8 - bit sound data is the parity error and counts down by no error . in this embodiment of the present invention , count - up corresponds to + 1 and count - down corresponds to − 1 . however , the count - up / down may be set to have different values in order to change the weight . it is possible to appropriately determine these values according to the communication environment where the cordless telephone is installed . as illustrated in fig1 , the reception error processing unit 24 determines whether or not the frame system error , such as the sync word error , a - field crc error , or b - field crc error , has occurred in the received packet processing unit 22 ( s 100 ). if the error has occurred , the reception error processing unit 24 increases the frame error counter c 1 by + 1 ( s 110 ), while if the error has not occurred , the reception error processing unit 24 increases the frame error counter c 1 by − 1 ( s 120 ). next , the reception error processing unit 24 determines whether or not the reception conversion table 23 that is currently used is the table r 1 ( s 125 ). if the reception conversion table 23 is the table r 1 , the reception error processing unit 24 determines whether or not the frame error counter value is equal to or larger than a threshold value c ( s 130 ). if the frame error counter value is equal to or larger than the threshold value c , the reception error processing unit 24 invalidates a flag of the table r 1 ( s 135 ). that is , as illustrated in fig1 , since the error is increased due to an interference radio wave or the like , the reception error processing unit 24 invalidates the flag of the table r 1 , and performs switching of the reception conversion table 23 from the table r 1 that does not perform the parity check to the tables r 2 to r 4 that perform the parity check or the sound processing . by doing so , the reception error processing unit 24 can detect the error of the sound data that occurs according to the deterioration of the communication environment at high accuracy . if the frame error counter value is smaller than the threshold value c in s 130 , the table r 1 of the reception conversion table 23 is used as the current state , and the flag of the table r 1 is in a valid state . further , if it is determined that the reception conversion table 23 that is currently used is not the table r 1 in s 125 as illustrated in fig1 , the reception error processing unit 24 determines whether or not the frame error counter value is smaller than a threshold value d ( s 140 ). if the frame error counter value is smaller than the threshold value d , the reception error processing unit 24 validates the flag of the table r 1 ( s 150 ). that is , as illustrated in fig1 , in the case where no error has occurred due to the nonexistence of the interference radio wave , the reception error processing unit 24 validates the flag of the table r 1 , and performs switching of the reception conversion table 23 from the tables r 2 to r 4 that perform the parity check or the sound processing to the table r 1 that does not perform the parity check . by doing so , the communication environment becomes good , and thus communication of the sound data can be performed with a better sound quality . if the frame error counter value is not smaller than the threshold value din s 140 , the tables r 2 to r 4 of the reception conversion table 23 are used as the current state , and the flag of the table r 1 is in an invalid state . next , the received electric field strength processing unit 29 determines whether or not the reception conversion table 23 currently used is the table r 1 ( s 160 ). if the reception conversion table 23 is the table r 1 , the received electric field strength processing unit 29 determines whether or not the received electric field strength measured by the wireless reception circuit 21 is lower than the threshold value a ( s 170 ). if the received electric field strength is lower than the threshold value a , the received electric field strength processing unit 29 invalidates the flag of the table r 1 ( s 180 ). that is , as illustrated in fig1 , since the received electric field strength is lower than the threshold value a due to the long distance between the master device 10 and the slave device 20 or the like , the received electric field strength processing unit 29 invalidates the flag of the table r 1 , and performs the switching of the reception conversion table 23 from the table r 1 that does not perform the parity check to the tables r 2 to r 4 that perform the parity check or the sound processing . by doing so , the received electric field strength processing unit 29 can detect the error of the sound data that occurs according to the deterioration of the communication environment at high accuracy . if the received electric field strength is not smaller than the threshold value a in s 170 , the table r 1 of the reception conversion table 23 is used as the current state , and the flag of the table r 1 is in a valid state . further , if it is determined that the reception conversion table 23 currently used is not the table r 1 in s 160 shown in fig1 , the received electric field strength processing unit 29 determines whether or not the received electric field strength is equal to or higher than the threshold value b ( s 190 ). if the received electric field strength is equal to or higher than the threshold value b , the received electric field strength processing unit 29 validates the flag of the table r 1 ( s 200 ). that is , as illustrated in fig1 , since the received electric field strength is equal to or higher than the threshold value b due to the short distance between the master device 10 and the slave device 20 or the like , the received electric field strength processing unit 29 validates the flag of the table r 1 , and performs the switching of the reception conversion table 23 from the tables r 2 to r 4 that perform the parity check or the sound processing to the table r 1 that does not perform the parity check . by doing so , the communication environment becomes good , and thus communication of the sound data can be performed with a better sound quality . if the received electric field strength is smaller than the threshold value b in s 190 , the tables r 2 to r 4 of the reception conversion table 23 are used as the current state , and the flag of the table r 1 is in an invalid state . next , as illustrated in fig1 , the reception error processing unit 24 determines whether or not the sound data error that is the parity error of the sound data has occurred ( s 210 ). if the error has occurred , the reception error processing unit 24 increases the sound data error counter c 2 by + 1 ( s 220 ), while if the error has not occurred , the reception error processing unit 24 increases the sound data error counter c 2 by − 1 ( s 230 ). next , the reception error processing unit 24 determines whether or not the flag of the table r 1 is valid ( s 240 ). if the flag of the table r 1 is valid , it means that the frame error rate is low and the communication environment is good , and thus regardless of the count value of the sound data error counter c 2 , the side of the master device 10 is switched to the table t 1 and the side of the slave device 20 proceeds to s 300 to be switched to the table r 1 . next , the reception error processing unit 24 determines whether or not the sound data error counter c 2 is within a range of the level b ( s 250 ). this level b is in a range where the frame system error rate has been elevated , but the sound data error rate is determined to be still low . accordingly , in order to perform the parity check of the sound data , the reception conversion table 23 validates the flag of the table r 2 that selects the table r 2 ( s 260 ), and then proceeds to s 300 . if the sound data error counter c 2 is not within the range of the level b , the reception error processing unit 24 then determines whether or not the sound data error counter c 2 is within the range of the level c ( s 270 ). this level c is in a range where it is determined that the sound data error rate has been gradually elevated . accordingly , the reception error processing unit 24 validates the flag of the table r 3 , which selects the table r 3 that not only replaces the sound data with the mute data in the case where the parity error of the sound data has occurred but also replaces the sound data with the sound data that mutes the high frequency sound and attenuates the low frequency sound even in the case where the parity error has not occurred ( s 280 ), and then proceeds to s 300 . if the sound data error counter c 2 is not within the range of the level c , it means that the sound data error counter c 2 is within the level d , and the reception error processing unit 24 validates the flag of the table r 4 . this level d is in the range where the communication environment is worst . accordingly , the table r 4 which replaces all the sound data with the mute data is selected in the reception conversion table 23 ( s 290 ). in s 300 , the reception error processing unit 24 performs the switching of the reception conversion table 23 according to the flag . for example , if the flag of the table r 1 is valid , the reception error processing unit 24 instructs the reception conversion table switching unit 25 to perform switching of the reception conversion table 23 to the table r 1 . further , the reception error processing unit 24 transmits a control packet to the master device 10 so that the master device 10 switches the transmission conversion table 14 to the table t 1 . further , if any one of flags of the tables r 2 to r 4 is valid , the reception error processing unit 24 instructs the reception conversion table switching unit 25 to perform switching of the reception conversion table 23 to any one of the tables r 2 to r 4 . further , the reception error processing unit 24 notifies the master device 10 of the error information , and instructs the master device 10 to perform switching of the transmission conversion table 14 to the table t 2 . as described above , since the reception error processing unit 24 determines the increase / decrease of the error rate by adding the frame system error , such as the sync word error , the a - field crc error , or the b - field crc error , to the parity error of the sound data , it can cope with the occurrence of the error with higher accuracy . further , if it is determined that the error has occurred by the parity bit value of the sound data , the reception error processing unit 24 makes the sound data error counter c 2 count up , while if it is determined that the error has not occurred , the reception error processing unit 24 makes the sound data error counter c 2 count down . by increasing / decreasing the error rate by the sound data error counter c 2 , the reception error processing unit 24 can cope with the communication environment in which the reception level is deteriorated or becomes good . further , in the table r 2 of the reception conversion table 23 , the sound data in which the parity error has occurred is converted into the mute data . however , a click noise may occur depending on the sound data . accordingly , by performing switching of the reception conversion table 23 to the table r 3 , the sound data for which the error does not occur in the same frame is converted so that the sound is attenuated , and thus the influence of the click noise can be suppressed . further , in the case where the communication environment is further deteriorated , by performing switching of the reception conversion table 23 , which converts the whole sound data in the same frame into the mute data , to the table r 4 , the click noise can be suppressed more effectively . as described above , the embodiment of the present invention has been described thus far , but the present invention is not limited to the embodiment . for instance , in the embodiment , the high frequency signal is muted by means of a parity error for a high frequency signal , and the low frequency signal is muted by means of a parity error for a low frequency signal . however , both the high frequency signal and the low frequency signal can be muted by means of either of the two parity errors . fig1 a and 18b are diagrams collectively showing an example of received data processing used for setting the reception conversion table 23 . explanations are hereunder provided along fig1 a and 18b . in an example shown in fig1 a , when a sound data error counter c 2 in the receiving error processing unit 24 shows “ low ” or “ level b ” that is below a threshold value of one , “ mute ” processing is performed for a high frequency sound when the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng .” “ mute ” processing is performed for a low frequency sound when a low frequency signal parity bit p 2 represents “ ng .” in the example shown in fig1 a , when the sound data error counter c 2 shows “ level c ” or a threshold value which is more than one to less than two and when the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng ,” “ mute ” processing is performed . further , in connection with a low frequency sound achieved when the sound data error counter c 2 represents “ level c ,” even when the low frequency signal parity bit and the high frequency signal parity bit are normal ; namely , “ ok ,” “ attenuation ” is performed . if the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng ,” “ attenuation ” will be performed . further , if the low frequency signal parity bit p 2 represents “ ng ,” “ mute ” processing will be performed . in the example shown in fig1 a , when the sound data error counter c 2 shows a threshold value of more than two , or deterioration proceeding up to ; namely , “ level d ,” both the high frequency signal and the low frequency signal are muted regardless of whether both the low frequency signal parity bit and the high frequency signal parity bit are “ ok ” or “ ng .” in the examples shown in fig1 a and 18b , first signal processing corresponds to high frequency sound processing that is practiced when the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng ” or when the low frequency signal parity bit p 2 represents “ ng .” the second signal processing corresponds to low frequency sound processing that is practiced when the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng ” or when the low frequency signal parity bit p 2 represents “ ng .” in the example shown in fig1 b , in a case where the sound data error counter c 2 in the receiving error processing unit 24 shows “ low ” or “ level b ” that is below a threshold value of one , “ mute ” processing is performed for a high frequency sound when the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng ” or when the low frequency signal parity bit p 2 represents “ ng .” in a case where the sound data error counter c 2 represents “ level b ,” “ mute ” processing is performed for the low frequency sound when the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng ” or when the low frequency signal parity bit p 2 represents “ ng .” in the example shown in fig1 b , when the sound data error counter c 2 shows “ level c ,” or a threshold value which is more than one to less than two , “ mute ” processing is performed for the high frequency sound if the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng ” or if the low frequency signal parity bit p 2 represents “ ng .” further , when the sound data error counter c 2 represents “ level c ,” “ attenuation ” processing is performed even when both the low frequency signal parity bit and the high frequency signal parity bit are normal ; namely , “ ok .” in addition , when the low frequency signal parity bit p 2 represents “ level c ,” “ mute ” processing is performed for a low frequency sound if the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng ,” and “ mute ” processing is performed for a low frequency sound if the low frequency signal parity bit p 2 represents “ ng .” in the example shown in fig1 b , when the sound data error counter c 2 shows a threshold value of more than two , or deterioration proceeding up to ; namely , “ level d ,” both the high frequency signal and the low frequency signal are muted regardless of whether both the low frequency signal parity bit and the high frequency signal parity bit are “ ok ” or “ ng .” third to fifth signal processing corresponds to the following processing in the example shown in fig1 b . the third signal processing corresponds to high frequency sound processing that is performed when the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng .” the fifth signal processing corresponds to high frequency sound processing that is performed when the low frequency signal parity bit p 2 represents “ ng .” the fourth signal processing corresponds to low frequency sound processing that is performed when the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng .” in addition , the sixth signal processing corresponds to low frequency sound processing that is performed when the low frequency signal parity bit p 2 represents “ ng .” in the embodiment , lower order bits of sound data are employed as error detection bits ; namely , parity bits . however , the least significant bit can also be generated by means of another error detection method . in the above embodiment , an error detection code including a total of two bits ; namely , the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 and the low frequency signal parity bit p 2 , is generated , and the error detection codes are assigned to two lower order bits of the sound data . however , in another embodiment , only one parity bit of entire data that include both a high frequency signal and a low frequency signal is assigned to the error detection code , and both the high frequency signal and the low frequency signal can also be muted in accordance with the parity error code . specifically , there may be generated a parity bit ( the third parity bit : p 3 ) that reverses bits in accordance with the number of “ 1s ” in a series of data including both high frequency adpcm data and low frequency adpcm data , and a least significant bit of the low frequency adpcm data can be also replaced with the third parity bit p 3 . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , processing is performed by use of only the parity bit p 3 . to be specific , if the sound data error counter c 2 represents “ small ,” or “ level b ” which is a threshold value below one , “ mute ” processing will be performed for high frequency sound if the parity bit p 3 represents “ ng .” further , “ mute ” processing will be performed even for a low frequency sound if the parity bit p 3 represents “ ng .” moreover , in the embodiment , when the sound data error counter c 2 shows “ level c ,” or a threshold value which is more than one to less than two , “ mute ” processing is performed for the high frequency sound when the high frequency signal parity bit p 1 represents “ ng .” further , when the sound data error counter c 2 represents “ level c ,” “ attenuation ” processing is performed for the low frequency sound regardless of whether the parity bit p 3 is normal , that is , “ ok ,” or “ ng .” furthermore , in the example , when the sound data error counter c 2 shows a threshold value of more than two , or deterioration proceeding up to “ level d ,” both the high frequency signal and the low frequency signal are muted regardless of whether the parity bit p 3 represents “ ok ” or “ ng .” since the system that is based on a wideband fixed - size sound packet can enhance accuracy in error detection while assuring a certain degree of sound quality when a communication environment becomes worse , the present invention is preferable for a wireless communication device and a communication terminal that practice a communication by means of a wideband sound packet . the present application is a continuation - in - part of international patent application no . pct / jp2013 / 077016 filed on sep . 27 , 2013 claiming the priority of japanese patent application no . 2012 - 215890 filed on sep . 28 , 2012 , the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety .
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referring to fig1 to 6 , an embodiment of the present invention of a preservation container cover comprises a flexible film 2 adapted to contact with a rim of a container ( not shown in figures ), an upper sealing ring 1 and a lower sealing ring 3 , wherein the upper sealing ring 1 and the lower sealing ring are adapted to affix a periphery portion 21 of the flexible film 2 . the upper sealing ring 1 has a ring slot 11 provided along the periphery portion 21 of the flexible film 2 . the lower sealing ring 3 comprises a ring plug 31 extended along the periphery portion 21 of the flexible film 2 . the ring slot 11 and the ring plug 31 forms the clamp structure to affix and retain the periphery portion 21 of the flexible film 2 in the ring slot . the upper sealing ring 1 , flexible film 2 , and the lower sealing ring are firmly and rigidly connected together by fusing . the upper sealing ring 1 comprises an upper shoulder 12 corresponding to an edge portion 22 of the flexible film 2 and the lower sealing ring comprises a lower shoulder 32 corresponding to the edge portion 22 of the flexible film 2 , wherein the upper shoulder 12 and the lower shoulder 32 form a clamp construction to affix the edge portion 22 of the flexible film 2 in position . the lower shoulder 32 of the lower sealing ring 3 has an insertion slot 33 provided therearound , wherein a bottom sealing ring 4 is embedded in the insertion slot 33 . an extruding portion 41 of the lower bottom sealing ring 4 forms an expanding structure of the lower shoulder 32 of the lower sealing ring 3 . the flexible film 2 has an extending portion 23 extending beyond from the rim of the container , the extending portion 23 is constructed as a vacuum releasing element of the flexible film 2 which is used to release the vacuum after vacuum sealing the container . the upper sealing ring 1 comprises a handle 13 with respect to the extending portion 23 of the flexible film 2 , so that the handle 13 is able to apply an upward force to the vacuum releasing portion of the flexible film 2 for releasing the vacuum . the flexible film 2 is made of thermoplastic material , selected from a group consisting of polycarbonate , polyethylene , polyvinylidene chloride , and propylene , which is non - toxic to human body . the operation and principle of the cover of the present invention are described hereinafter . the cover is adapted to be used with all kinds of container , regardless of the types and sizes thereof , as long as the cover is larger than the opening of the container . vacuum sealing : slightly push down the flexible film 2 of the cover softly that squeezes the air out of the container from its rim , the flexible film 2 and the container are sealed by vacuum . vacuum releasing : to press the handle 13 with a thumb while pressing the extending portion 23 of the flexible film 2 , i . e . the vacuum releasing portion , the air is able to enter into the container while pulling the extending portion 23 , so that the vacuum is released and the cover can be removed . in the present invention , the shape of periphery of the cover can be circular which is close to the shape of the container , or can be oval , rectangular , square , or other polygon . of course , it can also be other shape which is not mentioned above . referring to fig7 to 15 , in an alternative embodiment of the present invention , the cover comprises an upper ring 1 ′, a flexible film 2 ′, and a lower ring 3 ′. the upper ring 1 ′ comprises an inner block ring 11 ′ and an outer block ring 13 ′. the inner block ring 11 ′ and the outer block ring 13 ′ form a clamp ring 12 ′ with an opening thereof facing downward , wherein a cross section of the clamp ring is in a “ u ” shape . the lower ring 3 ′ comprises an inner expanding ring 31 ′ and an outer expanding ring 33 ′. the inner expanding ring 31 ′ and the outer expanding ring 33 ′ form an expanding ring 32 ′ with an opening thereof facing upward , wherein a cross section of the expanding ring 32 ′ is in a “ u ” shape . the opening of the clamp ring 12 ′ and the opening of the expanding ring 32 ′ are facing each other and coupled by clamping and expanding which affixes the periphery portion 21 ′ of the flexible film 2 ′. the inner expanding ring 31 ′ comprises a shoulder 311 ′ corresponding to the press surface 111 ′ of the inner block ring 11 ′. the shoulder 311 ′ further comprises a conical ring 312 ′ integrally extended from the shoulder 311 ′, wherein the conical ring 312 ′ is plugged into the inner wall of the inner block ring 11 ′. the shoulder 311 ′ and the press surface 111 ′ provide a vertical pressure to the periphery portion 21 ′ of the flexible film 2 ′, and the conical ring 312 ′ provides an inner tilt pressure to the periphery portion 21 ′ of the flexible film 2 ′. the outer expanding ring 13 ′ comprises a conical expander 331 ′. the expander 331 ′ further provides an outer tilt pressure to the periphery portion 21 ′ of the flexible film 2 ′. the outer block ring 13 ′ comprises a loop 14 ′ on the inner wall thereof , wherein the loop 14 ′ limits the position of the terminal 332 ′ of the conical expander 331 ′ of the outer expanding ring 33 ′. because the loop 14 ′ provides the limit to the terminal 332 ′ of the conical expander 331 ′ of the outer expanding ring 33 ′, the expanding ring 32 ′ can be plugged into the opening of the clamp ring 12 ′ that is not easy to be detached . the handle 15 ′ of the upper ring 1 ′ comprises a date indicator 4 ′ for indicating the preservation period . the flexible film 2 ′ comprises an extending portion 22 ′ extending beyond the rim of the container outwardly . the extending portion 22 ′ forms a vacuum releasing element for detaching the flexible film 2 ′ from the rim of the container after the container is vacuum sealed . in the present invention , the flexible film 2 ′ is generally made of high - quality polymeric materials such as polystyrene . the operation and principle of the cover of the present invention are described hereinafter . the cover is adapted to all kinds of container regardless of types and sizes thereof , as long as the cover is larger than the opening of the container . vacuum sealing : slightly push down the flexible film 2 of the cover softly to squeeze the air out of the container from the rim thereof , the flexible film 2 and the container are sealed by vacuum . vacuum releasing : to press the handle 13 by the thumb while pressing the extending portion 23 of the flexible film 2 , i . e . the vacuum releasing element , the air is able to enter into the container by pulling the extending portion 23 so as to release the vacuum and remove the cover . one skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting . it will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished . it embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles . therefore , this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims .
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the accompanying drawings are used for purposes of illustrating the invention only and should not be used to construe the claims in a limiting fashion . fig1 is a schematic illustration of a high enthalpy plasma torch to which is attached a water - cooled nozzle for injection of a carbon - containing gas feed ; fig2 is a schematic illustration of a plasma torch wherein a nozzle is shown that includes separate injection lines for carbon - containing gas and a carrier gas and for catalyst particles and a carrier gas ; fig3 a is a schematic illustration of a portion of a plasma torch and a nozzle which provides for metal catalyst injection downstream of the plasma torch nozzle assembly ; fig3 b is a schematic illustration of a high enthalpy plasma torch to which is attached a water - cooled nozzle for injection of a carbon - containing gas feed and wherein a hollow graphite cylinder is provided within the reactor ; fig4 is a schematic illustration of a plasma torch attached to a synthesis reactor with water - cooled walls and an off - gas cooling system ; fig5 is a schematic illustration of the nozzle walls shown in fig1 to 4 with carbon nanotubes depicted thereon ; fig6 to 13 are electron microscopy images taken of cnt product obtained by operation of the method of the invention in helium at 200 torr pressure ; fig1 a - c are electron microscopy images taken of product obtained by operation of the method of the invention in helium at 500 torr pressure at various magnifications ; and fig1 is an electron microscope image showing well dispersed small catalyst particles in the soot ; fig1 gives the element analysis spectra obtained on the black particles visible in fig1 ; and fig1 is an electron microscope image talcen of cnt product obtained by operation of the method of the invention in argon at 200 torr pressure . the following exemplifies the type of apparatus which may be employed to conduct the method of the invention . a high enthalpy plasma torch an example of which is found in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 147 , 998 can be used to generate the plasma . at the torch 1 outlet is attached a water - cooled nozzle 2 ( see fig1 ) for the injection of the carbon - containing gas feed 4 . experiments were carried out using tetrachloroethylene ( tce , c 2 cl 4 ) as the carbon source . the invention however is not limited to this gas as other mixtures of hydrocarbon have been shown to yield the fullerene precursor molecules . for example , see u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 395 , 496 ; 5 , 985 , 232 ; 6 , 162 , 411 ; 6 , 083 , 469 ; 6 , 099 , 696 ; 6 , 350 , 488 b1 ; 6 , 261 , 532 b1 ; 6 , 303 , 094 b1 ; 6 , 221 , 330 b1 ; 6 , 331 , 209 b1 ; and 6 , 333 , 016 b1 for examples of other gases and mixtures thereof . thus various carbon halides can be used , as can various hydrocarbons . typically , the carbon - containing gas may be characterized generally as a c 1 - c 6 compound having as hetero atoms h , o , n , s or cl , optionally mixed with hydrogen and mixtures thereof . the carbon - containing gas was carried to the nozzle and injected using a transporting gas such as helium or argon . the transporting gas is typically referred to as the carrier gas . experiments described herein for cnt growth were made both with helium and argon gas . cnt production with argon ( see fig1 ) has an important advantage of lower cost of operation . typically , but not necessarily , the transporting gas is the same type as that used as the main plasma forming gas 5 inside the plasma torch . the method described above and illustrated schematically in fig1 is based on the method described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 395 , 496 for fullerene production . the electrode material in contact with the electric arc inside the plasma torch constitutes , through the arc erosion process , the source of material for the production of nano - particles of catalyst . the torch design used in the tests is based on u . s . pat . no . 5 , 147 , 998 with tungsten as the electrode surface material . alternatively , fine metal particles can be injected along with the carbon in the carrier gas or by using a separate injection line 11 in the nozzle as shown in fig2 . alternatively , metal catalyst injection 12 can also be made downstream of the plasma torch - nozzle assembly using powders or metal samples melted and vaporized by the strong heat flux of the plasma flame as shown in fig3 a . alternatively , metal catalyst nanoparticles can be added in the liquid carbon precursor and injected either downstream of the plasma torch . alternatively , metal catalyst nanoparticles added in the liquid carbon precursor can be injected directly in the plasma when using an injection probe inserted in an inductively coupled thermal plasma torch ( tp - icp ) instead of a dc plasma torch . the plasma torch may be attached to a synthesis reactor 17 with water - cooled walls 7 and an off gas cooling system 8 as illustrated in fig1 and 4 . the pressure in the reactor can be controlled between 200 torr and 800 torr . peripherals may be attached to the reactor and may be selected from units for off gas cleaning , pumping , cooling , control and electrical power supply for the plasma torch . inside the reactor is a provision for product recovery on a water - cooled plate 10 facing the plasma torch at some adjustable position . provisions to control the temperature profile and residence time in some given temperature zone can be added in the main chamber through the use of an inner enclosure surrounding the plasma jet . a hollow graphite cylinder 30 cm long is used as the inner enclosure in the present embodiment of the invention ( see fig3 b ). in the experiments described herein , tungsten electrodes were used to generate the nano - particles of catalyst . the very high boiling point of tungsten ( 5660 ° c .) results in the metal particles being generated directly within the nozzle , and as the nearby area of the nozzle wall has a temperature typically in the range of 1000 - 1500 ° c ., the resulting fast quench of the metal vapor induces nanometer size particle nucleation . in such a scenario , an significant amount of long cnt structures 35 are produced directly on the nozzle walls as seen in fig5 , as this region corresponds to a good catalyst particle nucleation zone from the strong thermal gradients occurring close to the nozzle 34 wall . also , the nucleation of catalyst particles from the thermal gradients generated by the cold tce injection ( compared to the hot plasma ) also occurs in the main stream . these particles exit the plasma torch 36 and enter the main reactor chamber for cnt growth in the gas phase . a change in electrode material to a metal with a lower boiling point , and / or a change in surface temperature of the nozzle , and / or a change of the nozzle geometry inducing a given flow pattern and quenching rate , and / or a change in the position of the carbon - containing gas acting as a quench , and / or the insertion of a quenching surface within the plasma torch tailflame , and / or alternate source of catalyst as illustrated in fig2 and 3a , all result in modifying and controlling the position of cnt formations . thus the cnt formed may be single - walled , multi - walled ( depending mainly on the size of metal particles ), and the lengths of the tubes may be affected by any of these changes . fig6 to 13 , and 16 , show electron microscopy images of the cnt formed within the nozzle . fig6 , 7 , 8 are lower magnification scanning electron microscope ( sem ) images showing that very long fibers are produced with lengths up to 50 μm , and the presence of fibers throughout and strongly imbedded within the carbon soot particles . fig9 , 10 , 11 are higher magnification sem images of these fibers , revealing a typical tube diameter from 10 to 30 nm , and a good uniformity of the tubes over their lengths . fig1 and 13 are transmission electron microscope ( tem ) images showing that nano - fibers are effectively nanotubes with inside diameters around 2 nm . fig1 also shows the catalyst particles ( black dots ) of tungsten located at the tip of the tube and responsible for the tube growth . fig1 presents the results of an energy dispersive x - ray analysis ( edax ) of the black particles visible in fig1 , showing the tungsten peaks . fig1 shows similar cnts produced using argon instead of helium as the plasma and carrier gas . one important aspect of the present application is the ability of the method to generate the nanometer sized metal particles . fig1 shows other images of tubes formed outside the torch - nozzle assembly and collected on a water - cooled plate . in fig1 , the metal sample vaporization technique of fig3 was used with iron wires inserted into graphite holders at the outlet of the torch . demonstration of cnt generation using the present method was made at the 55 kw power level . fig1 shows an additional sem of well dispersed small catalyst particles in the soot . good dispersion and homogeneity of the nano - particles is a difficult task considering strong agglomeration effects encountered at this scale length . the present method solves this problem through in situ generation of the catalyst , this occurring within the plasma at the site of tube growth . the present invention can involve the use of a plasma torch 1 as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 147 , 998 on which a water - cooled nozzle assembly is added for carbon - containing gas injection . typically , the material for the nozzle is tungsten when using tetrachloroethylene ( tce ) as a carbon source gas . the electrodes used in the demonstration experiment were coated with tungsten , although electrode surfaces containing either fe , ni , co , cr , mo , pd , pt , ru , rh , hf and gd should also show significant catalytic effects . using tce as a carbon source gas , an evaporator 23 is used to transform the liquid tce 22 ( at room temperature ) to a gas carried in heated lines at 200 ° c . with a helium or argon flow 19 . flowrates used are typically 20 standard liters per minute ( slpm ) of helium and 0 . 05 to 0 . 54 mol / min tce . higher power dc plasma torches or inductively coupled thermal plasma torches ( tp - icp ) can provide the flexibility to inject the liquid tce directly into the torch . in such cases , nanoparticles of catalyst can also be incorporated into the liquid feed and simultaneously injected into the plasma . the plasma torch 1 , nozzle 2 and carbon / carrier gas 4 feed lines are assembled to a reactor chamber 17 made of stainless - steel with water cooling 7 using a double wall system . provision is made for access inside the chamber for product recovery on the walls and / or on a collecting plate / receptacle . for continuous operation , further provision should be made for product removal during plasma torch operation . the reactor chamber is to be operated at pressures between 200 and 800 torr he . experiments the results of which are shown in fig6 to 13 were made at 200 torr he , while the experiments for which the results are shown in fig1 were made at 500 torr he , and those for fig1 were made at 200 torr argon . provision is made for pumping of the off gases 8 using a water ring vacuum pump 25 in the scheme using tce as the carbon source gas . provision is also made at the reactor outlet for off gas cooling 9 before its transport to the vacuum pump . using the scheme of tce carbon source , a chlorine separation / recovery system 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 and 26 is used at the outlet of the vacuum pump . helium or argon gas is supplied to the main plasma torch 5 gas inlet at a volumetric rate of typically 200 to 225 slpm . this rate is very much dependent on the plasma torch employed . in the experiments described herein , a plasma torch sold by pyrogenesis inc . model rpt - 2 , 100 kw high enthalpy plasma torch was used . the use of other torches would dictate the rate . plasma torch operation also requires water cooling lines and electrical power line connections 6 . typically , tp - icp plasma torch systems require much lower flowrates . a summary of the experimental conditions used for the production of the carbon nanotubes described in the present application is provided in the following table i . at startup , the tce injection system is brought up to its optimal temperature . water cooling systems are then actuated as well as off gas cleaning systems . these comprise conventional equipment known in the art . the reactor is then evacuated to the desired pressure and a torch preheat is made in the first minute using argon or helium plasma gas and the carrier gas . this provides the high nozzle temperature for tce injection and prevents a condensation of the tce in the inlet lines . the type and flow rate of plasma gas can then be adjusted to the desired values . tce flow is admitted to the evaporator 23 and injected into the torch nozzle 2 at a desired flow rate . adjusting the electric current supplied to the plasma torch sets the quantity of metal vapor in the main plasma stream . tests were made with arc current at 350 a . cnts are produced and collected in the nozzle wall , and / or on the walls of the chamber or on collecting surfaces that may be located along the plasma jet at the outlet of the nozzle . generally , the current , voltage and flow rates are all interdependent parameters which depend on the plasma torch , use of metal electrode or metal particles to generate the catalyst and the plasma gas . preliminary demonstration experiments were made with a tungsten nozzle geometry that allows for an expansion of the plasma jet in order to provide a rapid cooling of the metal vapour at a position corresponding to tce injection . computational fluid dynamic ( cfd ) modeling of the temperature / flow patterns in the nozzle provided the basic knowledge for nozzle geometries enabling nucleation of the nano - particles of metal . experiments with the expansion nozzle resulted in rapid production of tungsten nanoparticles inside the nozzle itself , solid tungsten nucleation occurring at the very high temperatures attained in this zone the system . long cnt ( mainly multi - wall nanotubes — mwnt ) of over 50 micrometers in length and typically 30 nanometer in external diameter were produced from the tungsten nano - particles directly inside the nozzle expansion zone . these nanotubes were grown both in argon and helium , and were found in high concentration inside a soot adhering strongly to the nozzle walls . experiments with increasing reactor pressure were aimed at pushing the nanotube formation outside the nozzle area into the reactor . similarly , experiments with iron catalyst wires held and vaporized by the plasma jet outside of the reactor also allowed for cnt formation on the iron droplets projected onto the water cooled surface facing the plasma torch . this showed that providing catalyst nano - particles within the plasma jet outside of the plasma torch in a zone where atomic carbon is present enables the possibility of growing the cnt in the gas phase . reactor optimization may be achieved through the selection of a metal electrode catalyst ( for example fe or ni / co ) that will nucleate nano - particles downstream of the nozzle ( i . e . outside the nozzle ), and further inject these particles in a controlled temperature and flow velocity zone optimizing the nanotube formation and elimination of the by - products such the chlorinated compounds ( mainly c 2 cl 4 ). various nozzle geometries can be used to attain the necessary cooling rates of the metal vapours . also , an inner wall made of a hollow cylinder of graphite is added inside the main reactor to better control the temperature and flow pattern in order to attain uniform temperature ( typically around 1000 ° c .) and long residence times . a fast cooling of the plasma jet at the nozzle exit contributes to achieving nucleation of the metal vapour into nanometer - sized particles having a narrow size distribution . the invention may be varied in any number of ways as would be apparent to a person skilled in the art and all obvious equivalents and the like are meant to fall within the scope of this description and claims . the description is meant to serve as a guide to interpret the claims and not to limit them unnecessarily .
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fig1 shows a schematic form , by way of example , of a cross - section of an apparatus 10 in accordance with the present invention . apparatus 10 facilitates washing and drying of one or more semiconductor wafers w , with the wafers w being substantially free of watermarks ( water spots ) after drying . the apparatus 10 comprises an airtight housing 12 , a wash tank 14 , a wafer holding and lifting rack 16 , a water cooling unit 18 , and a pump 20 . other elements of the apparatus 10 , or within the housing 12 , are not shown but may be such as found with similar apparatus commercially available . one such apparatus is sold by dai nippon screen ( das ) co . of japan . illustratively , the wash tank 14 is three dimensional in shape with four vertical walls 22 , a bottom 26 , no top , and a top lip 28 . the tank 14 is continuously filled with de - ionized water ( diw ) 60 via a supply pipe 30 through one tank wall 22 near the bottom 26 of the tank 14 . there is an hermetic seal 32 around the pipe 20 where it passes through a wall of the housing 12 to the tank 14 . the pipe 30 runs to the water cooling unit 18 which in turn is supplied via a pipe 34 from a diw supply ( not shown ). cold ( chilled ) diw 60 close to freezing temperature ( e . g ., at about 50 ° c . ), running into the bottom of the tank 14 continuously flows upward within the tank and drains out of the tank over its top lip 28 . we have discovered that the use of cold water enhances the &# 34 ; marangoni effect &# 34 ; and results in a substantial reduction in watermarks being left on the wafers w as a result of the washing and drying process . the water overflowing the tank 14 falls to the bottom of the housing 12 and is pumped out via a drain pipe 36 and the pump 20 . the tank 14 is deep enough so that when the wafer rack 16 is in its down position as seen in fig1 the wafers w are completely submerged in diw washing upward over and around them . the housing 12 is hermetically sealed when apparatus 10 is in operation . the interior of the housing 12 during wafer - washing is maintained at atmospheric pressure . during wafer drying the interior of the housing 12 is maintained at a low pressure . this low pressure is typically a fraction of a torr and can be from about one torr or less . the interior of the housing 12 above the tank 14 comprises a space 38 which is continuously supplied with an organic vapor such as ipa in dry nitrogen via a pipe 40 , as indicated by an arrow 41 . the pipe 40 is connected to a supply ( not shown ). to suppress ipa condensation in the vessel containing the chilled diw , the temperature of the ipa / n 2 mixture may be reduced as it is introduced into the process chamber . the temperature is reduced to equal or less than about the temperature of the diw . in one embodiment , the temperature of the ipa / n 2 mixture is reduced by chilling the n 2 gas and / or the ipa vaporizer . by lowering the temperature of the mixture , the ipa concentration may be maintained less than the saturation value . by this method , even though the chamber temperature is reduced due to the presence of chilled diw , condensation of ipa in the tank may be suppressed . the n 2 and / or the vaporizer can be chilled using the same cooler to chill the diw . as such , no additional hardware is necessary for the chilled n 2 / ipa supply . after the wafers w have been sufficiently washed in diw 60 ( e . g ., during an elapsed time of 10 to 20 minutes ), the rack 16 and the wafers w held thereby are raised within the sealed housing 12 . a mechanism ( not shown ) raises wafers and rack at a controlled rate ( e . g ., over an elapsed time of 5 to 10 minutes ) vertically from the down position shown until they are entirely out of the wash tank 14 , as indicated by a vertical arrow 42 . only after the wafers are entirely out of the wash tank 14 is the pressure in the housing 12 reduced to low value such as mentioned above . as the wafers w are gradually raised by the holder 16 above the top lip 28 ( water level ) of the tank 14 , the wafers w become exposed to ipa vapor molecules in the upper space 38 of the housing 12 ( still at atmospheric pressure ) and , in accordance with one feature of the invention , enhanced &# 34 ; marangoni effect &# 34 ; fluid flow takes place . the flow is a convection current of diw with absorbed ipa molecules down away from and off of the face of the wafers w into the wash water . this enhanced action , together with other features of the invention , substantially eliminates the formation of watermarks on the wafers w after dying , as will now be explained . referring to fig2 there is shown a greatly enlarged schematic representation of a portion of apparatus 10 of fig1 with a semiconductor wafer w therein being pulled out of tank 14 and into space 38 at the top of housing 12 . the wafer w is being withdrawn generally vertically from the wash tank 14 ( see fig1 ) at a controlled rate in the direction of the arrow 42 from a body of wash water ( diw ) 60 in the tank 14 . a top surface 62 of the diw 60 is level with the tank lip 28 . as was mentioned previously , the space 38 within the upper part of the housing 12 is continuously supplied with organic vapor ( ipa / n 2 ), and molecules of the vapor , indicated by &# 34 ; dots &# 34 ; 64 , are absorbed into the diw 60 . there is much higher concentration of the organic molecules 64 at and near the surface 62 of the diw 60 than deeper into it . the continuous flow of the diw 60 up and over the tank lip 28 helps keep the organic molecules 64 concentrated near the water surface 62 . a front face 70 of the wafer w is shown partially in and partially out of the diw wash water 60 of the tank 14 . a rear face and other portions of the wafer w are broken away and not shown . the wafer face 70 is configured into ics ( as is well known in the art ). by way of example , three &# 34 ; trenches &# 34 ;, an upper trench 72 , a middle trench 74 , and a lower trench 76 are shown etched into the face 70 of the wafer w to illustrate surface details of the ics ( other details being not shown ). the trenches 72 , 74 and 76 are microscopically small in size ( less than one micron ). diw wash water 60 flows by capillary action into the trenches 72 , 74 and 76 ( and on other surface details of the ics not shown ) during washing of the wafer w . it is important that all such water which may remain after washing be expeditiously removed from these trenches ( and from other such surface details ) on the face 70 of the wafer w as it is removed from the wash tank 14 in order to preclude the formation of watermarks , as was explained previously . the vertical face 70 of the wafer w , as it is drawn upward , is in contact with a meniscus generally indicated at 80 , of diw 60 . an upper , thin zone 82 of the meniscus 80 is rich in absorbed molecules 64 of ipa as indicated by the high concentration of &# 34 ; dots &# 34 ; representing these molecules . on the other hand , lower down along the meniscus 80 the concentration of ipa molecules 64 is much less because of , among other reasons , the continuous flow of diw 60 up and over the tank lip 28 , as was explained previously . the surface tension ( st ) of liquid ipa is less than the surface tension of diw . thus where there is a high concentration of ipa molecules 64 in the diw 60 , as in the meniscus zone 82 , the surface tension ( st ) of the liquid mixture is lower than the st of diw alone . this differential in sts gives rise to an internal flow of liquid , indicated by an arrow 84 , from a region of lower st ( zone 82 ) to a region of higher st ( the main body of diw 60 ). such internal liquid flow is termed the &# 34 ; marangoni effect &# 34 ;. as was mentioned previously diw 60 supplied to the tank 14 is chilled to near freezing ( e . g ., 50 ° c .) by the cooling unit 18 . the wafer w as it is withdrawn from the diw 60 is thus relatively cold . this promotes the condensation of ipa vapor on the exposed face 70 of the wafer w . and this condensed ipa continuously flows down the face of the wafer further concentrating ipa molecules 64 in the meniscus zone 82 . moreover , as diw is cooled to near freezing , as here , its st increases faster than the st of ipa as it is cooled . thus the differential in sts between diw mixed with ipa and diw alone is in fact increased by the cold temperature here compared to ambient of about 20 ° c . this feature of the invention enhances the &# 34 ; marangoni effect &# 34 ;. also , because diw is less active as a solvent at lower temperature ( e . g ., 50 ° c .) than at ambient or higher temperatures , smaller amounts of silicon of the wafer w are dissolved by the diw . this further inhibits the formation of watermarks . while the wafer w is immersed in the diw 60 , the continuous flow of wash water up and over the wafer flushes away any diw with dissolved silicon ( or other contaminants ) in it . as indicated schematically in fig2 the lower trench 76 in the face 70 of the wafer w is below water level and is filled with almost pure diw . the middle trench 74 however , is in the thin meniscus zone 82 where the diw is rich in ipa molecules 64 , as was previously explained . the trench 74 accordingly is filled with liquid ( diw with a high concentration of ipa ) which has a lower st than diw alone . accordingly , as the wafer w is further raised above the meniscus 80 and the zone 82 , liquid in the trench 74 will be drawn in the direction of the arrow 84 by the &# 34 ; marangoni effect &# 34 ; out of and down away from the trench 74 leaving it free of diw . such a liquid - free condition is illustrated in fig2 for the upper trench 72 which is shown already above the meniscus 80 . any microscopic amounts of diw which may still remain in the trenches 72 , 74 , 76 , or on other surface details of the wafer w after it has been completely withdrawn from the tank 14 are quickly evaporated as will now be explained . as soon as the wafers w are completely out of the wash water in the tank 14 ( i . e ., entirely above the top surface 62 of the dwi 60 ) the supply of organic vapor ( ipa / n 2 ) to the housing 12 via the pipe 40 is turned off . at the same time the pump 20 is operated at a rate to quickly reduce the pressure within the housing 12 and the upper space 38 to less than about one torr . at this low pressure any residual diw ( and ipa ) on a wafer w quickly evaporates . this considerably shortens the time during which such residual diw can dissolve silicon from the body of the wafer and thereby subsequently leave watermarks after drying . also because the residual diw and wafer w are cold ( e . g ., near freezing ) any residual diw is further inhibited in dissolving silicon from the wafer . low pressure , shortened time and cold temperature here all contribute to virtually zero incidence of watermarks . thus the apparatus 10 provides improved washing and drying of semiconductor wafers w and insures substantially better prevention of watermarks than do previous systems . various modifications in the apparatus and method disclosed may occur to those skilled in the art and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims . for example , the temperature and pressure values mentioned can be changed , and the washing and drying times for particular wafers may be as best suited for them . moreover , organic vapor other than ipa in nitrogen can be used .
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referring now to fig1 , there is illustrated a block diagram of an exemplary communication system for configuring a mobile terminal to provide a time varying random password in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . the system includes a computer network 100 and a wireless network 130 . the computer network 100 includes a server 105 that is accessible over a computer network 100 by a client terminal 115 in a physical location 117 . the computer network 100 is any electronic or optical information distribution network and can comprise any combination of a variety of communication media , such as , but not limited to , the internet , the public switched telephone network , a local area network ( lan ), and a wide area network ( wan ). the server 105 may provide access to a database storing sensitive information or the like , or allow individuals to perform various transactions . accordingly , it is important to control access to the server 105 . as a result , the server 105 requires a password from the client terminal 115 that validates the identity of the user at the client terminal 115 . as an additional layer of security , the computer network 100 requires the authorized user to access the computer network 100 from the physical location 117 . the particular physical location 117 is preferably a physically secured location that is not accessible by the general public . when an authorized user attempts to access the computer network 100 , the computer network 100 requests the user to provide a password . additionally , the computer network 100 uses the wireless network 130 , via terminal 125 to locate the position of a mobile terminal 120 associated with the user . the terminal 125 is a terminal that has access to the wireless network 130 , either directly , or via another network . for example , the terminal 125 can comprises a computer connected to either the wireless network 130 or the public switched telephone network . the computer network 100 grants access to the user , if the user provides the proper password , and the mobile terminal 120 is located in the physical location 117 . it is noted now that an unauthorized user needs , not only an authorized user &# 39 ; s password , but also the ability to place the authorized user &# 39 ; s mobile terminal 120 at the physical location 117 to access the computer network 100 . furthermore , even if an unauthorized user succeeds in remotely accessing the client terminal 115 , the computer network 100 will not grant the unauthorized user access to the computer network 100 . accordingly , remote access need not be cut off from the client terminal 115 . this allows the client terminal 115 to be used for other purposes , such as accessing the internet . in one embodiment , as an additional security feature , the computer network 100 can use time varying randomly generated passwords . the time varying randomly generated passwords can be displayed on the mobile terminal 120 . exemplary systems and methods for the foregoing are described in “ integration of secure identification cards into cell phone ”, u . s . application for patent ser . no . 10 / 801 , 470 , by relan , et al ., filed mar . 16 , 2004 , which is incorporated herein by reference . during access , the authorized user provides the time varying randomly generated password displayed on the mobile terminal 120 . this additional feature virtually assures that the accessing user himself is at the physical location 117 . the mobile terminal 120 can also be integrated into the client terminal 115 for ease of use . referring now to fig2 , there is illustrated a block diagram describing the operation of the server 105 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . at 155 , the server 105 receives a request for access to the computer network 100 . at 160 , the server 105 requests the password from the user . as noted above , a number of schemes can be used for allocating the password . in one embodiment , the password can be a time varying randomly generated alpha - numeric number . at 165 , the server 105 determines whether the password provided is the correct password . if at 165 , the password provided during 160 is incorrect , the server 105 requests the password again from the user a predetermined number of times . if after the predetermined number of times ( 175 ) the user has failed to provide the correct password , the server 105 denies access ( 180 ). when the user provides the correct password at 165 , the server 105 then requests , via terminal 125 , a wireless network to check ( 185 ) the location of the mobile terminal 120 to determine ( 190 ) if the mobile terminal 120 is located within location 117 . if the mobile terminal 120 is within location 117 , the server 105 grants access ( 195 ) to the authorized user . if the mobile terminal 120 is not within the location 117 , the server 105 denies ( 180 ) access . the server 105 checks the location of the mobile terminal 120 using a wireless network 130 . the wireless network 130 can comprise a variety of communication networks , such as , but not limited to , the global system for mobile ( gsm ) communications , or the personal communication services ( pcs ) network , ieee 802 . 11 wireless lan network , ethernet etc . referring now to fig3 there is illustrated a block diagram of a global system for mobile communication ( gsm ) public land mobile network ( plmn ) 210 . the pmln 210 is composed of a plurality of areas 212 , each with a node known as a mobile switching center ( msc ) 214 and an integrated visitor location register ( vlr ) 216 therein . the msc / vlr areas 212 , in turn , include a plurality of location areas ( la ) 218 , which are defined as that part of a given msc / vlr area 212 in which a mobile terminal 120 may move freely without having to send update location information to the msc / vlr area 212 that controls the la 218 . each location area 212 is divided into a number of cells 222 . the mobile terminal 220 is the physical equipment , e . g ., a car phone or other portable phone , used by mobile subscribers to communicate with the cellular network 210 , each other , and users outside the subscribed network , both wireline and wireless . the msc 214 is in communication with at least one base station controller ( bsc ) 223 , which , in turn , is in contact with at least one base transceiver station ( bts ) 224 . the bts is a node comprising the physical equipment , illustrated for simplicity as a radio tower , that provides radio coverage to the geographical part of the cell 222 for which it is responsible . it should be understood that the bsc 223 may be connected to several base transceiver stations 224 , and may be implemented as a stand - alone node or integrated with the msc 214 . in either event , in one embodiment , the bsc 223 and bts 224 components , as a whole , are generally referred to as a base station system ( bss ) 225 . at least one of the mscs 214 are connected to the public switched telephone network ( pstn ). the plmn service area or wireless network 210 includes a home location register ( hlr ) 226 , which is a database maintaining all subscriber information , e . g ., user profiles , current location information , international mobile subscriber identity ( imsi ) numbers , and other administrative information . the hlr 226 may be co - located with a given msc 214 , integrated with the msc 214 , or alternatively can service multiple mscs 214 , the latter of which is illustrated in fig3 . the vlr 216 is a database containing information about all of the mobile terminals 120 currently located within the msc / vlr area 212 . if a mobile terminal 120 roams into a new msc / vlr area 212 , the vlr 216 connected to that msc 214 will request data about that mobile terminal 120 from the hlr database 226 ( simultaneously informing the hlr 226 about the current location of the mobile terminal 120 ). accordingly , if the user of the mobile terminal 120 then wants to make a call , the local vlr 216 will have the requisite identification information without having to re - interrogate the hlr 226 . in the afore - described manner , the vlr and hlr databases 216 and 226 , respectively , contain various subscriber information associated with a given mobile terminal 120 . the gsm plmn 210 also includes the capabilities of locating a mobile terminal 120 , using what is known as a global positioning system ( gps ). the gps uses a number of btss 224 in the vicinity of the mobile terminal 120 to determine the physical location of the mobile terminal 120 . each of the number of btss 224 use radio signals to determine the distance of the mobile terminal 120 from each bts 224 . the btss 224 transmit signals to the mobile terminal 120 . responsive to receiving the signal from the btss 224 , the mobile terminal 120 transmits radio signals . the radio signals transmitted by the mobile terminal 120 are indicative of the time that the mobile terminal 120 transmits the signals . accordingly , the distance between the mobile terminal 120 and the btss 224 can be determined from the time delay between the transmission of the signals and the receipt of the signals at the btss 224 . a gps node 236 determines and triangulates the distances from several btss 224 to determine the physical location of the mobile terminal 120 . in one embodiment of the present invention , during an attempted access by a user , the computer network 100 requests the gsm plmn 210 to use the gps to locate the mobile terminal 120 . responsive thereto , the gsm plmn 210 reports the location of the mobile terminal 120 to the computer network 100 . the computer network 100 then determines whether the mobile terminal 120 is within the physical location 117 . if the mobile terminal 120 is within the physical location 117 and the user provides the correct password , the computer network 100 grants access . referring now to fig4 , there is illustrated a signal flow diagram describing the operation of the communication system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . a user requests access to the computer network 100 by providing a password ( signal 405 ) to the server 105 of the computer network 100 . the server 105 then validates the password ( 410 ). upon validating the password , the server 105 then sends a request ( signal 415 ) for the position of the mobile terminal 120 associated with the authorized user , to a gps node 236 associated with the wireless network 130 . the infrastructure of the wireless network 130 routes the request to an msc 214 associated with the mobile terminal 120 . the msc 214 commands ( signal 420 ) several btss 224 to determine the distance between the said bts and the mobile terminal 120 . the btss 224 transmit radio signals ( signal 425 ) to the mobile terminal 120 and receive radio signals ( signal 430 ) from the mobile terminal 120 . the radio signals transmitted by the mobile terminal 120 are indicative of the time that the mobile terminal 120 transmits the signals . accordingly , the distance between the mobile terminal 120 and the btss 224 can be determined from the time delay between the transmission of the signals and the receipt of the signals at the btss 224 . the btss 224 provide the time of receipt of the signals from the mobile terminal 120 to a gps node 236 ( signal 435 ). the gps node 236 determines and triangulates ( 440 ) the distances from several btss 224 to determine the physical location of the mobile terminal 120 . the gps node 236 then provides the physical location ( signal 445 ) of the mobile terminal 120 to the server 105 , via terminal 125 . the server 105 then determines ( 450 ) whether the mobile terminal 120 is within the physical location 117 and denies or grants access , thereon . referring now to fig5 , there is illustrated a block diagram of an exemplary server 105 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . a cpu 60 is interconnected via system bus 62 to random access memory ( ram ) 64 , read only memory ( rom ) 66 , an input / output ( i / o ) adapter 68 , a user interface adapter 72 , a communications adapter 84 , and a display adapter 86 . the input / output ( i / o ) adapter 68 connects peripheral devices such as hard disc drives 40 , floppy disc drives 41 for reading removable floppy discs 42 , and optical disc drives 43 for reading removable optical disc 44 ( such as a compact disc or a digital versatile disc ) to the bus 62 . the user interface adapter 72 connects devices such as a keyboard 74 , a mouse 76 having a plurality of buttons 67 , a speaker 78 , a microphone 82 , and / or other user interface devices such as a touch screen device ( not shown ) to the bus 62 . the communications adapter 84 connects the computer system to a data processing network 92 . the display adapter 86 connects a monitor 88 to the bus 62 . an embodiment of the present invention can be implemented as a file resident in the random access memory 64 of one or more computer systems 58 configured generally as described in fig5 . until required by the computer system 58 , the file may be stored in another computer readable memory , for example in a hard disc drive 40 , or in removable memory such as an optical disc 44 for eventual use in an optical disc drive 43 , or a floppy disc 42 for eventual use in a floppy disc drive 41 . the file can contain a plurality of instructions executable by the computer system , causing the computer system to perform various tasks , such effectuating the flow chart described in fig2 . it is noted that the physical storage of the sets of instructions physically changes the medium upon which it is stored electrically , magnetically , or chemically so that the medium carries computer readable information . while the present invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present invention without departing from its scope . therefore , it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed , but that the present invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims .
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referring initially to the drawing ( fig1 - 6 ), there is shown flotation vessel or swimming aid or walker 10 . this walker 10 is preferably configured in a square or rectangular shape , best illustrated in fig1 and 5 , but it can also be round or circular , or any other shape , if so desired . walker 10 basically consists of outer support members 12 and inner support means 14 which are integrally secured together by braces or supports 16 for strength and rigidity . inner support means 14 is designed so as to be unobtrusive to the user , thereby providing him with maximum open area for freedom of movement of his arms and legs while also safely supporting him well above the water &# 39 ; s surface . outer support members 12 provide buoyancy to walker 10 . these members 12 can consist of hollow tubing , such as plastic piping , or they can consist of foam covered supports ( the supports being either solid or hollow with the foam providing the necessary buoyancy ). regardless of the construction of such members 12 , it is preferable for them to be wrapped or enclosed within a soft outer padding 11 so as to protect the user ( as well as others ) from injury . this outer padding will also protect the integrity of the foam covered supports if such is the construction of walker 10 ( in which case this soft outer padding may simply be a durable fabric ). such a soft outer padding is desired so that outer members 12 may be hit or kicked without harming the user . also , it is preferable for such buoyancy or outer members 12 to be constructed of a non - rusting , durable material so that the fear of breaking due to corrosion is eliminated , especially since such soft outer padding ( or foam ) may inadvertently trap moisture next to such members 12 while walker 10 is being stored . as shown in fig1 and 5 , outer support or buoyancy members 12 are interconnected to each other ( or integral ) to form the continuous enclosure of walker 10 . one embodiment of walker 10 employs lengths of plastic piping ( such as pvc piping ) that is only a few inches in diameter ( in the range of about 2 to 6 inches ). this size piping , when closed or sealed , provides the buoyancy desired . the four corners 13 of walker 10 then simply consist of four 90 ° elbows which connect the lengths of piping together . for additional comfort and safety , all of this piping and these fittings would preferably be wrapped in soft outer padding 11 . in this manner , walker 10 may be easily assembled and disassembled as needed , especially if soft outer padding 11 consists of a slit foam tube that simple presses over such piping and fittings . interior of buoyancy members 12 , and connected thereto , is positioned support means 14 . this support means 14 consists of a series of longitudinal and transverse braces or supports 15 , 16 , respectively , which support seat assembly 18 . these braces or supports 15 , 16 are generally constructed of the same material as buoyancy members 12 , but of a much smaller diameter or cross - section . for example , should walker 10 be constructed of pvc piping , then braces or supports 15 , 16 can be constructed of the same material , but of about one ( 1 &# 34 ;) inch diameter or so . such braces 15 , 16 can be secured to buoyancy members 12 by reduced fittings and &# 34 ; t &# 34 ; connectors if so desired . any connections between the braces 15 , 16 themselves would be via normal sized fittings . however , if desired , braces 15 , 16 and buoyancy members 12 may be bolted , glued , welded or otherwise secured together depending upon the material from which members 12 and braces 15 , 16 are constructed . in any event , no matter how they are connected , braces 15 , 16 provide rigidity to buoyancy members 12 while also centrally supporting seat assembly 18 . seat assembly 18 is also generally constructed of the same material as braces 15 , 16 . in this embodiment , seat assembly 18 comprises a closed loop or enclosure 20 that is supported from opposing sides by a plurality of braces , transverse braces 16 . the rear portion 25 of closed loop or enclosure 20 is also secured to buoyancy members 16 via a plurality of braces , longitudinal braces 15 . however , the final configuration of the manner of support of seat assembly 18 may vary as needed . in any event , as indicated in the drawing , the user is generally surrounded by two separate concentric enclosures 12 , 20 while positioned in walker 10 . the first enclosure is defined by outer support or buoyancy members 12 while the second enclosure is defined by closed loop 20 of seat assembly 18 . suspended within closed loop 20 is seat 22 . generally seat 22 is slung from opposite portions or ends 23 , 25 of closed loop 20 in the manner of a hammock , thereby providing two leg openings on either side of seat 22 between it and closed loop 20 . such openings are large enough to enable the legs of the user 40 ( in phantom ) to freely move or kick as needed , as best illustrated in fig6 . also , seat 22 is constructed of a soft pliable material , such as a nylon fabric , so that it may be easily crumpled between the user &# 39 ; s legs without chafing or any discomfort while still providing the necessary strength when the user is in the sitting position . in this fashion , should the user 40 ( in phantom ) desire to walk along the bottom of the water , as best illustrated in fig6 seat 22 will not interfere with such leg movement , however , should the user decide instead to float upon the water , the user need only sit upon seat 22 , in which case the back of closed loop 20 can act as a backrest . to retain seat 22 in place without slippage to one side or the other of closed loop 20 , seat 22 is fastened to closed loop 20 on opposite sides of transverse braces 16 and to at least one of brace 15 , as best shown in fig1 and 5 . thus , by this construction , these braces 15 , 16 prevent seat 22 from sliding one way or the other , thereby keeping it centrally positioned within closed loop 20 . immediately in front of seat assembly 18 is hand rest 24 . hand rest 24 is also constructed of the same material as braces 15 , 16 and closed loop 20 . this hand rest 24 is generally centrally located along the front buoyancy member 12a some distance from seat assembly 18 , as best seen in fig1 and 5 , but without any connection between the two . hand rest 24 is generally u - shaped with each of its open ends 27 , 29 rigidly secured to this front buoyancy member 12a in the normal fashion thereby also forming a closed loop . also , if desired , the size ( length &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; and width &# 34 ; w &# 34 ;, fig2 and 5 ) of the opening defined by hand rest 24 may be the same as closed loop 20 or such opening sizes may be different . additionally , if desired , hand rest 24 may be centrally aligned with respect to seat assembly 18 for ease of use and grasping . by this configuration and as seen in fig1 and 2 , large areas on opposite sides of hand rest 24 and closed loop 20 remain open and unobstructed , thereby enabling the user to swim or otherwise use his arms for play or exercise . an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in phantom in fig1 and comprises the parallel mounting of railing 30 to the upper side of float members 12 . railing 30 comprises piping similar to braces 15 , 16 and loop 20 and hand rest 24 , thus being of smaller diameter then members 12 . railing 30 has portions 31 mounted on the upper side of and parallel to members 12 by means of vertical supports 32 spaced therearound . as with members 12 , rail portions 31 can be connected by four ( 4 ) 90 ° elbows 33 or formed integrally into a rectangular shape as that of members 12 ( or circular shape , etc . ), as the case may be . railing 30 can be secured to supports 32 which in turn can be secured to members 12 in the conventional way ( welding , etc .) or be formed integrally therewith . railing 30 gives the user an additional means of support during operation . the use of walker 10 would involve placing the user 40 ( in phantom in fig6 ) within seat assembly 18 while walker 10 is floating upon the water . if walking is desired , the user would simply stand upright within closed loop 20 while moving his legs since seat 22 would easily be crushed together between the user &# 39 ; s legs . if continuous or temporary support is needed or if the user falters for any reason , the user need only grasp transverse braces 16 or transverse bar 26 of front hand rest 24 to again regain balance ( as illustrated in fig6 ). also , if desired , the user could lean upon or grasp any side of closed loop 20 for further stability as needed . on the other hand , if the user desires to float in a sitting position , he need only sit upon seat 22 ( and use the back of closed loop 20 as a backrest ) so that his legs no longer touch the bottom of the water . the large open areas on either side of seat assembly 18 and hand rest 24 permit the user to easily maneuver or steer walker 10 by moving his arms and hands in the water . also , if desired , the user may kick with his legs underneath walker 10 to further move or steer walker 10 . now , should the user desire to swim in a more horizontal position , he need only lean forward upon the front of closed loop 20 . in this position , the user &# 39 ; s hands and feet are both free for kicking or swimming strokes while walker 10 safely supports the user above the water . due to the relatively large configuration of walker 10 , stability is provided whether the water is flat and smooth or whether it is rough with waves . also , by providing more than sufficient buoyancy , walker 10 enables the user to move about in the water independent of any other person , yet if desired , another person or persons can also grasp and rest upon walker 10 in deeper water . also , as can be seen , walker 10 provides either continuous support to the user ( such as when in the floating position ) or such support is supplied only intermittently as needed ( such as when the person falters while walking or wading - fig6 ). also , while walker 10 is ideal for use by a handicapped or physically impaired person , it can also be successfully used by any person whose mobility has been compromised for any reason , including age or illness . because many varying and differing embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught and because many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirement 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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this method stores a file thumbnail at a telecommunications message server in the event the destination client device is not immediately available . in the preferred embodiment the destination client is a wireless mobile device and the rich communications suite and the sip and msrp protocols are used to transfer the file thumbnail and associated file to and from an rcs server . the file thumbnail is retained for delivery at the server until the recipient client becomes available and the server determines , by any of several new methods , if the messaging client is available and is accepting file thumbnails . in one embodiment , as shown in fig1 , the registration occurs on the message server , which might know immediately from an onboard database , the thumbnail capabilities of the recipient client as well as when the client becomes available . when the recipient client becomes available and it is determined the recipient client supports thumbnail service , the server includes the thumbnail to the recipient client . the sip invite command , for example , could be used to communicate the thumbnail to the recipient client . the msrp send command could be repeatedly used to transmit the body of the associated file , if requested by the client . for networks without a presence server , as in fig2 the message server ( shown as rcs server in the figure ) can store the thumbnail with the file on the message server . the message server can initiate a sip options to obtain the recipients capabilities after it is notified of the client registration . this allows the message server to make an informed decision as to if the thumbnail should be included in the file transfer request , shown as a later sip invite in the diagram . note that the sip options request / response is only between the message server and the recipient client ( client 2 in the diagram ). the sip invite command is used to communicate the thumbnail to the recipient client , if the client supports that capability , and one or more msrp send commands can optionally be used to transmit the body of the file if requested . in some networks the registration is handled by the ims core with use of a separate presence server . in this case the message server stores the thumbnail with the associated file . when the message server is notified by the ims core of the availability of the client and based upon , for example , the message server local policy and local knowledge of the recipient , the rcs server may initiate a sip subscribe to the local presence server to obtain the recipients capabilities as shown in fig3 . the presence server responds with a sip notify containing the recipient &# 39 ; s capabilities . the sip invite is again used to transmit the thumbnail and one or more msrp send commands can be used to transmit the file if requested by the client .
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fig1 shows , in the form of a perspective view , a metal component 1 in the form of a guide vane cluster 2 which for the purpose of forming a complete ring , is assembled with a plurality of such clusters to give a ring shape . such a guide vane cluster consists of two shrouds 3 , 4 and a multiplicity of airfoils 5 extending between said shrouds 3 , 4 . the shrouds 3 , 4 and the airfoils 5 are fashioned from solid material by cutting and / or other removal processes . the airfoils 5 have a complexly twisted geometry and are very closely spaced apart , i . e . there are only very narrow spaces 6 between the individual airfoils 5 . the complex geometry consequently results in curved edge regions and curved surfaces in the transition between the airfoils 5 and the shrouds 3 , 4 or at the surfaces of the shrouds 3 , 4 and at the surfaces of the airfoils 5 themselves , which , after the metal component 1 or its sections ( shrouds 3 , 4 , airfoils 5 ) have been pre - machined using appropriate working processes , have to be finish - machined using the method according to the invention . an apparatus as shown in fig2 as a diagrammatic illustration is used for this purpose . the apparatus comprises a manipulator element 7 in the form of a multi - axis , preferably at least five - axis , robot 8 which carries a cathode 9 which serves for the ecm of the metal component 1 , which is arranged on a corresponding work holder 10 . the cathode 9 is a nozzle - like , narrow tube which can be moved in any desired manner in space via the robot 8 , such that any desired three - dimensional structures can therefore be traversed and machined . in addition to the mobility of the cathode 9 , it is also possible for the work holder 10 to be movable , either translationally along one or more space axes or rotationally about one or more space axes , or both translationally and rotationally , as indicated by the motion arrows . a liquid electrolyte , for example an nacl solution , is delivered via the cathode 9 directly into the working region , for which reason the electrode 9 is embodied , as described , as a nozzle or tube . provided for this purpose is an electrolyte reservoir 11 , from which the electrolyte 12 is directed to the cathode 9 via a controlled pump 13 and a suitable electrolyte feed line 14 . provided at the robot 8 is a corresponding connection box 15 , at which the line opens out and at which the cathode 9 is also interchangeably accommodated . the volumetric flow of the electrolyte can be monitored via a flow meter 16 , and the fluid pressure can be monitored via a pressure gage 17 . furthermore , a temperature measuring device 18 , a heating controller 19 and a ph measuring instrument 20 and a conductivity measuring instrument 21 are provided in the electrolyte reservoir 11 in order to be able to correspondingly set or monitor the electrolyte properties . the electrolyte collected after delivery via the cathode 9 is fed back into the electrolyte reservoir 11 by an electrolyte feed line 23 , i . e . a circuit is established . the robot 8 and the work holder 10 are provided in an enclosure 24 , i . e . the apparatus is closed to this extent with regard to the working region . furthermore , the apparatus comprises a process energy source 26 , via which the working voltage and the process current can be applied . the parameters are correspondingly monitored via an ammeter 27 and a voltmeter 28 . a supply line 29 runs , once again , to the connection box 15 ; it makes contact with the cathode 9 . the supply return line 22 leads from the metal component 1 back to the process energy source 26 . in the process , the circuit is closed by the electrolyte stream . finally , a gas supply , in this case shown embodied as a compressed air supply , for example in the form of a compressor 30 , is provided , from which an air feed line 31 runs likewise to the connection box 15 . this air feed line is connected in turn to the cathode , which is embodied as a double - walled tube . the electrolyte is fed in the central passage ; in the outer passage , an air curtain which encloses the electrolyte can be blown out via the fed compressed air . a controlled restrictor valve 32 and a flow meter 33 , via which the air flow can be measured , are provided in the air feed line 31 . three roughly distinguishable regions are therefore provided , namely the “ process energy ” region a , the “ electrolyte supply ” region b and the “ compressed air supply ” region c . finally , a control device 34 is provided . the control device controls the operation of the robot 8 , that is to say the free movement in space of the cathode 9 and the movement of the work holder 10 , if provided . it is of course also possible to control and monitor all the sub - components of the apparatus in fig2 for the electrolyte and gas supply and the process energy source 26 ( that is to say the regions a , b and c ) via the control device 34 . fig3 shows , as a diagrammatic illustration , the tip of the cathode 9 in a sectional view . the electrolyte 12 flows through the tubular , nozzle - like cathode 9 . the anodically polarized metal component 1 , for example the guide vane cluster 2 known from fig1 , is at a distance from the cathode 9 . as illustrated by the arrow diagram , the cathode 9 can be moved translationally in the three directions in space , just as it can also be moved rotationally about each of the three directions in space . the robot 8 is accordingly activated for this purpose via the control device 34 . control is based here on a stored model of the metal component 1 , which defines the surface along which the electrode 9 is to be moved . it can be seen that the electrolyte 12 is conveyed through the nozzle - like or tubular cathode 9 and delivered to the metal component 1 . an electric flow field 36 forms in the electrolyte stream 12 . electrochemical , locally limited metal removal takes place in the region 37 , i . e . a cavity forms in the metal component 1 . the corresponding removal depth is obtained in accordance with the process parameters selected . fig4 shows , as a diagrammatic illustration , the movement of the cathode 9 , which , for example in the case of a round cross - sectional geometry , has a diameter of three millimeters and is at a distance of , for example , one millimeter from the original workpiece surface . it can be seen that a linear region 37 can be removed by a horizontal movement of the cathode 9 , as shown by the arrow p . whereas only a movement along one space coordinate is shown in fig4 , it is possible , as described , for the cathode 9 to be moved in any desired manner in space , i . e . the round edge regions of the guide vane cluster 2 shown in fig1 or the three - dimensionally twisted airfoils 5 , etc ., can be readily traversed in order to remove material there to the desired extent . finally , fig5 shows a further embodiment of the cathode 9 , which is embodied as a double - walled tube . the electrolyte 12 is directed in the central passage 38 . the compressed air fed via the gas feed device , shown in fig2 as air feed device 31 , is discharged in the outer passage 39 . as fig5 shows , a gas curtain 40 enclosing the electrolyte stream 12 all around is formed . this reduces the effect on adjacent metal component surfaces . even though a cathode 9 of round cross section is shown by way of example in the figures , the cathode can of course also have an elongated cross section or any other desired cross section . it can have , for example , in the electrolyte passage , a length of 10 mm and a width of 3 mm , such that a long , but narrow , zone can be machined , which is expedient in particular for machining relatively large areas . if a gas curtain is present , the corresponding air passage has , of course , a corresponding geometry .
| 1 |
the sole figure illustrates a cone beam 3d ct imaging apparatus that operates in accordance with the principles of the present invention . except as to be specifically described later with respect to implementation of image reconstruction processing in accordance with the present invention , the illustrated imaging apparatus is constructed and operates substantially the same as described in the forenoted u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 257 , 183 and 5 , 446 , 776 . as shown in the figure , a computer controlled manipulator 6 , in response to control signals from an appropriately programmed computer 8 , cause a source 10 of a cone beam of energy ( such as x - rays ) and a two - dimensional pixelated detector array 12 to cooperate ( scan ) at a plurality of discreet , sequentially occurring adjacent source positions , along a pre - defined source scanning path . in the illustrated embodiment the scanning path is shown as a spiral scan path 14 centered on a predetermined axis 15 of an object 16 . as a result of the source / detector cooperation detector 12 acquires complete cone beam measurement data which is then used for reconstructing an image of object 16 . alternatively , and equivalently , object 16 could be rotated and translated to cause scanning by a fixed position source and detector . furthermore , the scanning can be accomplished in a continuous or stepwise manner , and the spiral path can have equally spaced turns ( sometimes referred to as stages ), or turns with decreasing pitch at the top and bottom edges of a region of interest of the object . even furthermore , although source 10 is shown as an x - ray source , other types of imaging energy might be useful , such as neutrons , positrons , etc . computer 6 , manipulator 8 , source 10 and detector 12 cooperate to accomplish scanning of the object in a manner generally well understood by those skilled in this art , i . e ., such as described in detail in the forenoted u . s . pat . no . 5 , 463 , 666 , and therefore discussion of further details of this portion of the operation of the cone beam imaging apparatus is deemed not necessary . after the x - ray energy passes through the field of view of the imaging apparatus , measurement signals corresponding to the sensed x - ray energy falling on the elements ( pixels ) within detector 12 are supplied to a data acquisition system ( das ) 17 which , like the previously described portions of fig1 may operate in a fashion well known to those of ordinary skill in this technology for digitizing and storing of the acquired measurement signals . the measurement signals from das 17 are supplied to a buffer memory and image reconstruction processor 18 , which may be a computer programmed to perform various data conversions that process the measurement signals so as to reconstruct an image in accordance with the steps generally illustrated by blocks 20 to 24 within processor 18 . more specifically , at block 20 the measurement signals are subjected to various forms of conventional nonlinear pre - processing steps , such as logarithmic processing for converting the acquired measurement signals into measurement data representative of attenuation , as well as other processing needed to correct the measurement data due to non - uniformities in the imaging system . it is noted that alternatively , the non - linear pre - processing of block 20 can be incorporated into the function of das 17 , thereby making block 22 the first block of processor 18 . at block 22 the non - linearly processed measurement data is processed for calculating the radial derivative of the 3 - d radon transform of the imaged object , or more correctly stated , a sampled version of this function . for brevity , these samples are referred to hereinafter as &# 34 ; radon samples &# 34 ;. without benefit of the present invention , the processing provided by block 22 is complex and very time consuming , and would be accomplished using the prior art techniques described in the background portion of this application as reconstruction processing steps ( 1 ) and ( 2 ). at block 24 the radon samples are integrated for developing samples of the radon transform , which are then subjected to inverse 3d radon transformation processing ( as is conventional and well known ). a suitable technique for a two - step 3d radon inversion is known and described , for example , in the forenoted u . s . pat . no . 5 , 257 , 183 . alternatively the two - step 3d radon inversion technique of u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 940 , 324 of sauer et al , incorporated herein by reference , could be used to reduce the size of the detector weight list , by use of the concept of &# 34 ; local radon origins &# 34 ;. the final result is reconstructed image data representative of the spatial distribution of the 3d object , sampled in a cartesian coordinate system ( x , y , z ). the image data developed thereby stored at block 26 and then fed from reconstruction processor 18 to a display 28 , which may operate in known fashion , to provide a 3d ct view of object 16 . except for the determination and use of a detector weight list 21 by block 22 for developing the radon samples , to be described next , a more detailed description of the blocks of the figure can be found in the forenoted patents and patent applications . the present inventors realized that by organizing the image reconstruction processing as shown in the sole figure , the calculations needed at block 22 to develop the radon samples will only involve linear operations . hence , at the input to block 22 , each measurement datum contributes to a given radon sample in proportion to its measured value . the corresponding proportionality factor is essentially the weight of the contribution . one can also understood these weights as the point - spread - function from detector / measurement space to the 3 - d radon space . the present inventors also realized that these weights are determined solely by the given geometry of the scanner and detector array , and by the desired sampling of the source path and the radon space . consequently , in accordance with the principles of the present invention , these weights are pre - calculated and then stored in a &# 34 ; detector weight list &# 34 ; 21 . consequently , calculation of the radon samples from the acquired measurement data during the run - time operation of the imaging apparatus is reduced to an accumulation of simple multiplications of measurement data by corresponding weights . thus , in accordance with the invention , after the raw measurement signals are ( non - linearly ) pre - processed , the sampled derivative of the object &# 39 ; s radon transform is calculated at block 22 of processor 18 by accumulating the contributions of the measurement data one after the other . source position after source position , detector element after detector element , detector weight list 21 is used to look up the target radon samples and corresponding weights to which each measurement datum contributes , and then the value of each measurement datum is multiplied with the corresponding weight from weight list 21 and the result is added to the value stored for that target radon sample . initially , the stored value is set to zero . consequently , the calculations to be performed by block 22 of processor 18 are reduced to simple and fast - acting multiply and add operations . it is noted that the processing function of integrating the samples of the radon derivative before radon transform inversion is advantageously not included in the function of block 22 , since the integration process results in a &# 34 ; smearing &# 34 ; of the measurement datum into many samples of the radon transform , which would unduly burden the storage requirements of detector weight list 21 . the detector weight list database 21 can be sorted according to the radon samples or as may be more appropriate in some circumstances , according to the measurement data acquired by the detector elements . in the illustrated embodiment the latter case is considered . for each measurement datum , the list can include several entries . each entry specifies a &# 34 ; target &# 34 ; radon sample , i . e . a radon sample the measurement datum contributes to , and the corresponding weight factor with which it contributes . thus , the weight factors are essentially a substitute for a sequence of linear processing operations that were conventionally separately performed in the prior art , such as detector mapping ( cylindrical to flat ), detector masking , linear interpolation , line integration , derivative calculation , etc . the weight list may be ordered according to the source positions ( i . e . in the same order the scan path is traversed and the measurement data will be received ). as previously noted , the weight list contains information for each source position . the information , stored for each source position , lists for each detector element , to which radon samples it contributes and with which weight it does so . consequently , let w -- s k be the block of information stored for source position # k . then , w -- s k contains blocks of information w -- de i , j which relate to the detector elements with indices i , j . each w -- de i , j is a list of target radon samples r l , m , n and weights w . accordingly , weight list ={ w -- s k | for all source positions s k } w -- s k ={ w -- de i , j | for all detector elements i , j } w -- de i , j ={ r l , m , n , w | for all radon samples r l , m , n , to which detector element i , j at source position s k contributes } thus , there has been shown and described a novel method and apparatus for greatly speeding up exact image reconstruction processing in a cone beam ct imaging apparatus . many changes , modifications , variations and other uses and applications of the invention will , however , become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this specification and its accompanying drawing , which disclose a preferred embodiment thereof . all such changes , modifications , variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the general teaching of the invention described herein , are deemed to be covered by this patent , which is limited only by the claims which follow , as interpreted in light of the foregoing description .
| 6 |
fig2 depicts the inventive circuit in which the hf is generated by a balanced hp bc , as preferred for maximum fd , and the lf is generated by the same rung elements operating as a balanced lp bc . these characteristics are essential to insure that coil achieves similar rf magnetic field profiles at the two homogeneous frequencies with the best possible performance at the highest fd products . operation is understood in general terms most easily by first assuming the capacitors c p are not needed and ignoring the hf traps , l th , and the lf traps , l tl . a small - value , high - q inductance l 1 is placed in parallel with each ring capacitance c e to form a ring trap with isolated resonance ( resonance when disconnected from the rest of the circuit ) generally a little below the desired hf frequency f h but at least greater than 0 . 5 f h . then , at the lf , the ring trap appears as a small additional inductance in series with l e , and at the hf it appears as a small capacitor . hence , at the lf , the ladder network looks like a balanced lp bc , with lf feeds , for example , at lf - a , lf - b , lf - c , and lf - d , having relative phases of 0 °, 90 °, 180 °, and 270 °. and at the hf , the ladder network looks like a balanced hp bc , with hf feeds , for example , at hf - a , hf - b , hf - c , and hf - d , having relative phases of 0 °, 90 °, 180 °, and 270 °. hence , assuming the lf and hf are widely separated and the number of sections is at least 8 , the reactance of the ring traps at f h , normally the proton resonant frequency , will be large compared to that of c 1 at f h . note that because there may be significant stray capacitance in the structure in parallel with c e , in some cases the isolated resonance of the ring trap could be up to 1 . 1 f h . while standard two - point quadrature drive may be used at the lf , for example at lf - a and lf - b , coil symmetry , in particular at the lf , is improved from the use of a four - point matching network , according to the prior art . one attribute of the dbdt coil of fig2 is that substantial lf and hf voltages are present at all available feed points . hence , traps are required , as shown , on all feed lines . the lf feed lines driving the lf feed points require series hf isolation traps ( l th and its parallel capacitor ), and the feed lines driving the hf feed points require lf isolation traps ( l tl and its parallel capacitor ). moreover , these traps must have high q to avoid degrading performance of their respective frequencies . the lf isolation traps are less critical , as a small capacitance may be used to match to the hf , which would have high reactance at the lf . other standard coupling arrangements could also be used . for fd above 25 mhz - m , it is not difficult to achieve high hf efficiencies — i . e ., very low losses in the circuit components relative to the losses in the sample . this is mostly because the sample losses increase quickly with frequency , but also because the parallel resistance of the ring trap at the hf is easily made quite large compared to its reactance . minimizing the relative ring trap losses at the lf is more of a challenge , largely because the sample losses are lower , but also because it is difficult to achieve very low series resistance in the ring trap inductance . partly for this reason , but perhaps mostly for manufacturing simplifications , there is a strong incentive to use the minimum practical number of sections , which in general is eight , as illustrated in fig2 and in subsequent figures . because there are two significant inductances , l 1 and l e , and two significant capacitances , c e and stray ( not shown ), in each ring section as well as distributed rung coupling , the mode structure is not as simple as the above discussion implies , especially for more than 4 sections . in the 8 - section case , a parasitic inhomogeneous mode will generally be present relatively near f h and often close enough to adversely affect homogeneity and efficiency of the desired hf resonance . this inhomogeneous mode is characterized by an m = 2 voltage pattern and thus is most conveniently shifted relative to the homogeneous hf mode by addition of a reactive element between adjacent rung ends . a relatively small capacitor , c p , may be used to shift the parasitic mode downward relative to f h . alternatively , a relatively large inductor may be used here to shift the parasitic mode upward . in either case , the magnitude of the reactance of the element designated as c p is generally at least twice that of c e at the hf . fig3 shows the copper foil pattern laid out flat for an 8 - section dbdt coil . here , one sees two parallel copper bands 31 , 32 for each rung element , as first used by crozier in an hp bc , as this reduces stray capacitance without significantly increasing rung inductance or resistance and thus permits operation at higher fd for a given number of sections . note that the axial inductive element comprised of the two parallel bands 31 , 32 is represented in fig2 as the series combination of two trls and two mutual inductances , as , for example , the circuit elements between nodes 2 and 7 . at least for fd up to 40 mhz - m , an insulated cross - over at the center between the two parallel bands , as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 060 , 882 , is of further benefit in improving rf field homogeneity , though it makes it much more time consuming to achieve the precision in the full - wave simulations needed for accurate tune - up , owing to the fine mesh elements needed at the cross - over . a short 33 between the two bands near the center may be useful in suppressing an inhomogeneous mode that sometimes appears for fd above 40 mhz - m . fig4 illustrates in perspective view a rung section containing an insulated crossover 34 between adjacent inductive subroutes at the center . fig5 gives a perspective view of the 8 - section dbdt coil without the external shield or coupling networks . as noted earlier , l 1 is of small value , at most four times l e and typically about twice l e , which is generally as small as practical — usually under 20 nh . but if l t is too small , it may become more difficult to shift the parasitic mode sufficiently away from the hf . because of the practical difficulties of making low - inductance inductors of very high q , it is advantageous to use two parallel inductors 44 , 45 of twice the desired inductance for l 1 , as seen in fig5 . each ring trap inductor is of heavy copper wire and of relatively large diameter for high q . for further reductions in coil and capacitor losses , it is preferably to use two axially spaced capacitors 46 , 47 of half the desired capacitance for c e . and it is preferable to use two azimuthally spaced capacitors 48 , 49 of half the desired capacitance for c 1 . a further clarification is needed on the distinction between two - ring and four - ring birdcages , as it may appear that the structure shown in fig5 , based on that of fig3 , is a four - ring birdcage . however , as was noted earlier , the reactance of c p is generally at least twice that of c e . moreover , the spacing between the c p trace and the end ring on which the l 1 / c e tanks are mounted is a minimum practical spacing — in part to maintain matched field profiles at the two frequencies . so the energy in the fields between the end ring and the c p trace is negligible at both frequencies . in four - ring bcs on the other hand , as previously disclosed by murphy - boesch and others , the adjacent rings at each end are well spaced , and the magnetic fields between the adjacent rings are substantial and play an integral role in establishing the resonant frequencies . it should be noted that at high fd products , such as for a 3 t head coil , there will be significant differences between the rf fields at the two frequencies because of dielectric resonance effects even though the rung current distributions are essentially identical for both frequencies . however , the field matching is about as good as is practical under such conditions , and s / n may be nearly ideal at both frequencies . fig6 is a perspective view of an 8 - section dbdt bc with enclosure and external rf shielding , which is generally required for sufficiently stable tuning and reduced radiation losses at the hf . the 8 - section coil leaves sufficient space between sections for useful access windows , as shown . it will thus be appreciated that one embodiment of the invention is an mri rf double - balanced double - tuned ( dbdt ) coil comprising 4n substantially identical adjacent ladder sections , where n is a small integer , on a substantially cylindrical dielectric coilform of diameter d f , for use in polarizing field b 0 . in the figures , n is 2 , but n up to 4 or 5 may be justified in some special cases . the dbdt coil is further characterized as including means for orthogonal coupling at a lower frequency f l and a higher frequency f h . the ladder section is further characterized as comprising serially connected ring sections at each end and rung sections axially there between . the rung sections are further characterized as each comprising an axial inductive element having opposite rung ends and a rung capacitance c 1 series connected to each rung end . the ring sections are further characterized as each comprising a ring inductive element l e and a ring trap . the rung capacitance c 1 is further series connected to an adjacent ring inductive element . the ring trap comprises the parallel combination of a ring capacitance c e and a ring trap inductance l 1 . the ring trap is further characterized as providing interconnection between adjacent ring inductive elements , the c e and the l 1 are further characterized as having reactances of equal magnitudes at a frequency denoted as the ring - trap isolated resonant frequency f t , where said f t is greater than 0 . 5 f h but less than 1 . 1 f h . optionally l 1 may be less than four times l e . optionally c 1 has a magnitude of reactance at f h that is small compared to that of said ring trap at f h . optionally there may be a reactive mode - shifting element connected between adjacent rung ends , said mode - shifting element having a magnitude of reactance greater than twice that of c e at f h . optionally the axial inductive element may comprises two azimuthally spaced inductive subroutes in parallel . optionally the dbdt coil may include an external cylindrical rf shield . optionally f h may be the 1 h resonant frequency in said b 0 . optionally c 1 may be a plurality of azimuthally spaced capacitors in parallel . optionally l 1 may be a plurality of axially spaced trap inductors in parallel . optionally c e is further characterized as comprising a plurality of axially spaced capacitors in parallel . optionally the means for orthogonal coupling at a lower frequency includes a series isolation trap tuned to f h . optionally the subroutes are foil strips with an insulated cross - over at the axial center of said axial inductive element . optionally the dbdt coil may including access windows through said rf shield between said rung sections . optionally the trap inductor may be a solenoid of diameter greater than 0 . 04 d f and made of wire of diameter greater than 0 . 005 d f . it will be appreciated that although the invention is described with respect to particular embodiments , the invention itself is not so limited , and those skilled in the art will have no difficulty whatsoever in devising myriad obvious variants and improvements , all of which are intended to be encompassed within the claims which follow .
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referring now to fig1 an input reactor l1 is connected to a dc power supply dc . a primary winding n1 and a tertiary winding n3 of a transformer tr and a main switch q1 are connected in series to input reactor l1 . a diode d1 is connected in parallel across main switch q1 so that current flows only in an opposite direction to that of main switch q1 . a snubber capacitor cs is also connected in parallel with the main switch q1 . a series circuit consisting of a resonance capacitor c2 , a resonance reactor l2 and an auxiliary switch q2 is connected in parallel with snubber capacitor cs . a diode d2 is connected in parallel with auxiliary switch q2 , so that current flows in a direction opposite to the current flow in auxiliary switch q2 . a diode d3 is connected between auxiliary switch q2 and the connection point of primary winding n1 and tertiary winding n3 . a series combination of capacitor c1 and diode d3 is connected in parallel with primary winding n1 . referring now to fig2 auxiliary switch q2 is switched on in advance of main switch q1 being switched on . when auxiliary switch q2 is switched on , the voltage across snubber capacitor cs decays to zero . switching auxiliary switch q2 on also engages a first resonance series of resonance capacitor c2 , resonance reactor l2 , and snubber capacitor cs . a resonance circuit is completed through auxiliary switch q2 . the voltage across auxiliary switch q2 drops to zero , and the current through auxiliary switch q2 increases very slowly as the current through snubber capacitor cs drops to zero . the low current allows auxiliary switch q2 to execute zero - current switching . when the voltage across snubber capacitor cs decays to zero , main switch q1 is switched on , thus achieving zero - voltage switching . as main switch q1 switches on , a second resonance series of resonance capacitor c2 and resonance reactor l2 is engaged . a resonance circuit is completed by main switch q1 and diode d2 . when current flows through diode d2 , the voltage across auxiliary switch q2 is zero . auxiliary switch q2 is then switched off and achieves zero - voltage switching . since the voltage across snubber capacitor cs decays to zero when auxiliary switch q2 is switched on , main switch q1 achieves zero - voltage switching when it is switched off . when main switch q1 is switched off , the voltage across snubber capacitor cs rises gradually to a steady value . furthermore , switching main switch q1 off regenerates the charge in capacitor c1 from the electric charge stored in resonance capacitor c2 . capacitor c1 is further recharged by the energy stored in the leakage inductance of the primary winding n1 via diode d3 . referring now to fig3 a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown . the circuit of fig3 is similar to that of fig1 except for the absence of resonance capacitor c2 . also in fig3 resonance reactor l2 is directly connected to auxiliary switch q2 . the circuit of fig3 functions similarly to that of the above described circuit of fig1 . auxiliary switch q2 is switched on in advance of main switch q1 , forming a resonance circuit with the resonance series of snubber capacitor cs and resonance reactor l2 . when switched on , auxiliary switch q2 has very little current flowing through it and is thus able to achieve zero - current switching . main switch q1 achieves zero - voltage switching by being switched on when the voltage across snubber capacitor is zero . when auxiliary switch q2 is switched on , the voltage of snubber capacitor cs decays to zero . switching main switch q1 on keeps the voltage of snubber capacitor cs at zero . when main switch q1 is switched off , the voltage across snubber capacitor cs gradually rises to a steady value . thus when it is switched off , main switch q1 achieves zero - voltage switching . furthermore , when main switch q1 is switched off , the energy stored in the leakage inductance of primary winding n1 is regenerated to capacitor c1 via diode d3 . referring now to fig4 a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to a third embodiment of the present invention is shown . in this embodiment , tertiary winding n3 of fig1 is replaced with a reactor l3 . as with the circuit of fig1 auxiliary switch q2 is switched on in advance of main switch q1 . auxiliary switch q2 makes a resonance circuit which includes the resonance series of snubber capacitor cs , resonance capacitor c2 and resonance reactor l2 . very little current flows through the resonance series prior to auxiliary switch q2 switching on , which achieves zero - current switching . the circuit of fig4 otherwise operates in the same manner as that of fig1 and a duplicated explanation is therefore omitted . the replacement of tertiary winding n3 in fig3 with reactor l3 does not otherwise alter the operability of the circuit . referring now to fig5 a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to a fourth embodiment of the invention is shown . in this embodiment , diode d3 of fig1 is omitted and tertiary winding n3 is short - circuited to provide primary winding n1 with further windings in transformer tr . as with the circuit of fig1 auxiliary switch q2 is switched on in advance of main switch q1 . when auxiliary switch q2 is switched on , the voltage across snubber capacitor cs decays to zero . switching auxiliary switch q2 on provides a resonance circuit that includes first resonance series of snubber capacitor cs , resonance capacitor c2 and resonance reactor l2 . very little current flows through the resonance series prior to auxiliary switch q2 switching on , which achieves zero - current switching . when the voltage across snubber capacitor cs decays to zero , main switch q1 is switched on , thus achieving zero - voltage switching . as main switch q1 switches on , a second resonance series of resonance capacitor c2 and resonance reactor l2 is engaged . a resonance circuit is completed by main switch q1 and diode d2 . when current flows through diode d2 , the voltage across auxiliary switch q2 is zero . auxiliary switch q2 therefore achieves zero - voltage switching upon being switched off . the voltage across snubber capacitor cs decays to zero when auxiliary switch q2 is switched on , and remains zero during the period when main switch q1 is switched on . when main switch q1 is switched off , the voltage across snubber capacitor cs is still zero , thus achieving zero - voltage switching . once main switch q1 is switched off , the voltage of snubber capacitor cs rises gradually to a steady value . furthermore , switching main switch q1 off regenerates the charge in capacitor c1 from the electric charge stored in resonance capacitor c2 . referring now to fig6 a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to a fifth embodiment of the invention is shown . a dc input is connected in series to a main switch q1 and a primary winding n1 of a transformer tr . a diode d1 is connected in parallel across main switch q1 so that current flows through diode d1 only in a direction opposite to that of main switch q1 . a snubber capacitor cs is connected in parallel with main switch q1 . a series circuit consisting of a resonance capacitor c2 , a resonance reactor l2 and an auxiliary switch q2 is connected in parallel with the snubber capacitor cs . a diode d2 is connected in parallel across auxiliary switch q2 so that current flows only in an opposite direction to that of main switch q1 . as with the circuit of fig1 auxiliary switch q2 is switched on in advance of main switch q1 . when auxiliary switch q2 is switched on , the voltage across snubber capacitor cs decays to zero . switching auxiliary switch q2 on provides a resonance circuit that includes first resonance series of snubber capacitor cs , resonance capacitor c2 and resonance reactor l2 . very little current flows through the resonance series prior to auxiliary switch q2 switching on , which achieves zero - current switching . when the voltage across snubber capacitor cs decays to zero , main switch q1 is switched on , thus achieving zero - voltage switching . as main switch q1 switches on , a second resonance series of resonance capacitor c2 and resonance reactor l2 is engaged . a resonance circuit is completed by main switch q1 and diode d2 . when current flows through diode d2 , the voltage across auxiliary switch q2 is zero . auxiliary switch q2 therefore achieves zero - voltage switching upon being switched off . the voltage across snubber capacitor cs decays to zero when auxiliary switch q2 is switched on , and remains zero during the period when main switch q1 is switched on . when main switch q1 is switched off , the voltage across snubber capacitor cs is still zero , thus achieving zero - voltage switching . once main switch q1 is switched off , the voltage of snubber capacitor cs rises gradually to a steady value . referring now to fig7 a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to a sixth embodiment of the invention is shown . in this embodiment , input reactor l1 of fig1 is replaced by a quaternary winding n4 of a transformer tr . as with the circuit of fig1 auxiliary switch q2 is switched on in advance of main switch q1 . when auxiliary switch q2 is switched on , the voltage across snubber capacitor cs decays to zero . switching auxiliary switch q2 on provides a resonance circuit that includes first resonance series of snubber capacitor cs , resonance capacitor c2 and resonance reactor l2 . very little current flows through the resonance series prior to auxiliary switch q2 switching on , which achieves zero - current switching . the circuit of fig7 otherwise operates in the same manner as that of fig1 and a duplicated explanation is therefore omitted . moreover , the replacement of input reactor l1 with quaternary winding n4 in fig3 and 5 does not otherwise alter the operability of the circuit . the following embodiments focus on providing a switching power supply that exhibits a high power factor . referring now to fig8 a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to a seventh embodiment of the invention is shown . a pulsed dc input is connected to an input reactor l1 . a series circuit consisting of a primary winding n1 of a transformer tr and a main switch q1 is connected in series to the input reactor l1 . a diode d1 is connected in parallel across main switch q1 so that current flows through diode d1 only in a direction opposite to that of main switch q1 . a series circuit consisting of a capacitor c1 and an auxiliary switch q2 is connected in parallel with the series circuit of primary winding n1 and main switch q1 . a diode d2 is connected in parallel across auxiliary switch q2 so that current flows through diode d2 only in a direction opposite to that of auxiliary switch q1 . a diode d3 is connected between auxiliary switch q2 and the connection point of primary winding n1 and main switch q1 . the switching power supply operates by first switching on main switch q1 to provide an input current flow . switching main switch q1 on improves the power factor of the power supply because input current flows even with low input voltage . when main switch q1 is switched off , a portion of the excitation energy within transformer tr is stored in capacitor c1 which is connected in parallel with primary winding n1 of transformer tr through diode d3 . auxiliary switch q2 is then switched on , causing the energy stored in capacitor c1 to be transferred to input reactor l1 through a rectifier rec . switching auxiliary switch q2 off then causes the energy stored in input reactor l1 to be transferred to the transformer tr . the result is that the energy stored in capacitor c1 is fed to the load . referring now to fig9 a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention is shown . this embodiment is substantially the same as that of fig8 except that input reactor l1 in fig8 is replaced with a tertiary winding n3 of transformer tr . the operation of the switching power supply of fig9 is substantially the same as that of the switching power supply of fig8 and an explanation will therefore be omitted for the sake of simplicity . referring now to fig1 , a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention is shown . this embodiment is substantially the same as that of fig8 except that input reactor l1 in fig8 is omitted . a tertiary winding n3 of a transformer tr is connected between a capacitor c1 and an auxiliary switch q2 . the operation of the circuit is otherwise substantially the same as that of the switching power supply of fig8 and an explanation will therefore be omitted for the sake of brevity . the embodiments of the present invention presented to this point represent switching power supplies with fly - back - type power converters . as explained below , the present invention is also applicable to switching power supplies with fly - forward - type power converters . referring now to fig1 , a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention is shown . in this embodiment , a high - speed reverse - recovery diode d2 is connected in series between a tertiary winding n3 and a primary winding n1 of a transformer tr . tertiary winding n3 is connected in series to a rectifier rec that rectifies an input ac voltage to a pulsed dc voltage . an electrolytic capacitor c1 is connected between primary winding n1 and the common connection of rectifier rec . a semiconductor switch q1 is connected in series with primary winding n1 . a diode d1 is connected in parallel with semiconductor switch q1 so that current flows through diode d1 only in a direction opposite to that of semiconductor switch q1 . the circuit of fig1 operates by first switching on semiconductor switch q1 . when semiconductor switch q1 is switched on , a voltage is generated across tertiary winding n3 in opposite polarity to diode d2 . the opposite polarity voltage causes diode d2 to be reversed biased . since the reverse recovery of diode d2 occurs at high speed , the current is quickly interrupted and no current flows through rectifier rec . the characteristic of high speed current interruption provided by diode d2 makes it unnecessary to specify that rectifier rec have high - speed reverse - recovery performance . rectifier rec can then be constructed from conventional low - speed diodes , thus significantly reducing the manufacturing costs associated with the switching power supply . referring now to fig1 , a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention is shown . in this embodiment , a semiconductor switch q1 is connected in series to a primary winding n1 of a transformer tr . a diode d1 is connected in parallel across semiconductor switch q1 so that current flows through diode d1 only in a direction opposite to that of semiconductor switch q1 . a series circuit consisting of a quaternary winding n4 of transformer tr , a diode d3 and an electrolytic capacitor c1 is connected between primary winding n1 and a common connection of rectifier rec . a series circuit consisting of a tertiary winding n3 of the transformer tr and a semiconductor switch q2 is connected in parallel with the electrolytic capacitor c1 . a diode d2 is connected in parallel across second semiconductor switch q2 so that current flows through diode d2 only in a direction opposite to that of semiconductor switch q2 . semiconductor switch q1 provides a portion of the control of the operation of the switching power supply . when semiconductor switch q1 is switched on , energy is stored in primary winding n1 of transformer tr . as energy is stored in primary winding n1 , a voltage is generated across quaternary winding n4 of transformer tr . the voltage across quaternary winding n4 has a polarity that is positive towards the connection to rectifier rec and negative towards the connection to electrolytic capacitor c1 . this voltage across quaternary winding n4 prevents electrolytic capacitor c1 from being charged up . switching semiconductor switch q1 off causes the energy stored in primary winding n1 to be transferred to secondary winding n2 and quaternary winding n4 of transformer tr . energy transferred to secondary winding n2 is fed to the load through a rectifier rec 1 . as energy is transferred from primary winding n1 , a voltage is generated across quaternary winding n4 . the polarity of the voltage across quaternary winding n4 is negative towards the connection to rectifier rec and positive towards the connection to electrolytic capacitor c1 . this voltage across quaternary winding n4 feeds energy through diode d3 to charge electrolytic capacitor c1 . semiconductor switch q2 provides another portion of the control of the operation of the switching power supply . when semiconductor switch q2 is switched on , electrolytic capacitor c1 is discharged through tertiary winding n3 . the discharging current stores energy tertiary winding n3 of transformer tr . as energy is stored in tertiary winding n3 , a voltage is generated across quaternary winding n4 of the transformer tr . the polarity of the voltage across quaternary winding n4 is positive towards the connection to rectifier rec and negative towards the connection to electrolytic capacitor c1 . this voltage across quaternary winding n4 prevents electrolytic capacitor c1 from being charged . switching semiconductor switch q2 off causes the energy stored in tertiary winding n3 to be transferred to secondary winding n2 and quaternary winding n4 of transformer tr . the energy transferred to secondary winding n2 is fed to the load through rectifier rec1 . as energy is transferred from tertiary winding n3 , a voltage is generated across quaternary winding n4 . the polarity of the voltage across quaternary winding n4 is negative towards the connection to rectifier rec and positive towards the connection to electrolytic capacitor c1 . this voltage across quaternary winding n4 feeds energy through diode d3 to charge electrolytic capacitor c1 . in the above described circuit operation , quaternary winding n4 discharges either by switching semiconductor switch q1 or semiconductor switch q2 . an input current therefore flows through the path connecting quaternary winding n4 , diode d3 , electrolytic capacitor c1 , rectifier rec and alternating power supply ac , even when the input voltage is lower than that of electrolytic capacitor c1 . the uninterrupted current flow widens the conduction angle and improves the power factor . the operation of the above described circuit provides a voltage sum applied to capacitor c1 . the voltage across quaternary winding n4 and the input voltage combine during specific intervals to apply a charge voltage to capacitor c1 . this voltage charges capacitor c1 to a value that is greater than the peak value of the input voltage . the voltage of power supply ac drops during specific intervals to the point where the sum of the voltage of power supply ac and quaternary winding n4 is less than the voltage of the electrolytic capacitor c1 . when the combined voltage of power supply ac and quaternary winding n4 reaches falls to this point , electrolytic capacitor c1 is not charged . during the interval when electrolytic capacitor c1 is not charged , a current still flows through the series circuit consisting of primary winding n1 and semiconductor switch q1 . the current flows through rectifier rec and widens the conduction angle , thus improving the power factor of the circuit . in the above described circuit operation , semiconductor switch q1 and semiconductor switch q2 have been described as operating independent of each other . it should be recognized that the circuit also operates properly when semiconductor switches q1 , q2 are switched simultaneously or in sequence . television sets and other similar portable devices generally have a so - called waiting mode when operating normally . in this waiting mode the load on the power supply from the device is about 1 / 100 as great as the rated load of the device . under this type of light - load condition the conversion efficiency of the power supply is greatly diminished . this loss of efficiency is particularly notable when the electric power to the device is regulated by a conventional switching power supply as shown in fig1 . the loss of efficiency is related to the switches being driven for the rated load , which produces electric power much too great for the light load . moreover , the transformer is energized with a rectangular wave that is shaped to deliver power for the rated load . the shape of the energizing wave produces a high peak current in a short interval . thus , when the load on the transformer lightens , energy within the transformer is dispersed through high copper losses . furthermore , the loss of efficiency due to high driving power and copper losses results in the battery of the portable device being rapidly consumed . the operational life of the portable device is therefore shortened . the shortened operating life presents further difficulties in meeting power consumption regulations . referring now to fig1 , a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to a twelfth embodiment of the present invention is shown that facilitates obviating the foregoing problems . in this embodiment , a series circuit consisting of a resonance reactor l1 , a resonance capacitor c2 and an auxiliary switch q2 is connected in parallel with a main switch q1 . auxiliary switch q2 is rated at a value which is about 1 / 10 as high as that of main switch q1 . the switching power supply of fig1 operates by storing energy in a transformer tr when main switch q1 is switched on . a snubber capacitor cs connected in parallel with main switch q1 is charged when the circuit operates and auxiliary switch q2 is switched off . auxiliary switch q2 is switched on in advance of main switch q1 being switched on . switching auxiliary switch q2 on causes the electric charge in snubber capacitor cs to be discharged through resonance capacitor c2 and resonance reactor l1 . once the voltage of snubber capacitor cs has fallen to zero , main switch q1 is switched on . switching main switch q1 on while snubber capacitor cs is discharged achieves zero - voltage switching with main switch q1 . when the power supply is operating under light - load conditions such as , for example , in waiting mode , auxiliary switch q2 is switched on while main switch q1 is switched off . when only auxiliary switch q2 is switched on , a current flows through the series circuit consisting of primary winding n1 , resonance capacitor c2 and resonance reactor l1 . due to the presence of resonance capacitor c2 , the load is driven only with current flowing through the resonance series circuit and auxiliary switch q2 . when this current drives the load , the voltage of primary winding n1 decreases as the voltage of resonance capacitor c2 increases . when the voltage of resonance capacitor c2 exceeds the input voltage , the voltage of primary winding n1 reverses polarity and current flows in through primary winding n1 in an opposite direction . the current through primary winding n1 supplies a voltage across secondary winding n2 . the voltage across secondary winding n2 increases until it exceeds an output voltage vo . when the voltage of secondary winding n2 exceeds output voltage vo , a diode d1 becomes forward biased and transfers the energy stored in secondary winding n2 to the load . when a rated load is driven , main switch q1 is on and the input voltage is applied directly to primary winding n1 of transformer tr . the current that flows through primary winding n1 in this instance has a triangular wave form . when a light load is driven , only auxiliary switch q2 is switched on . the current in this instance is suppressed to a value determined by the impedance of resonance capacitor c2 , resonance reactor l1 and the excitation inductance of transformer tr . in this configuration , resonance capacitor c2 is selected to have a capacitance corresponding to the rating of the light load . the smaller capacitance of resonance capacitor c2 reduces the current through transformer tr , so that the peak value of the current is less than the peak value of the triangular wave form of the rated current . a lower peak value for the current reduces losses in transformer tr and conduction losses in switches q1 , q2 . since the rating of auxiliary switch q2 is approximately 1 / 10 of that of main switch q1 , the electric power that drives the light load is suppressed to approximately 1 / 10 of the electric power that drives the rated load . referring now to fig1 , a circuit diagram of a switching power supply according to a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention is shown . in this embodiment , resonance reactor l1 of fig1 is replaced by a tertiary winding n3 of a transformer tr . the circuit of fig1 operates in substantially the same manner as the circuit of fig1 . the main difference is that switching auxiliary switch q2 on connects primary winding n1 in series with tertiary winding n3 . the excitation inductance of tertiary winding n3 is proportional to the square of the number of turns of the winding . the excitation inductance of tertiary winding n3 is made very large by adding only a few turns to primary winding n1 of transformer tr . the high excitation inductance of tertiary winding n3 achieves a lower peak value for the current through transformer tr . in addition , resonance reactor l1 is a constituent element of the circuit in fig1 . replacing resonance reactor l1 with tertiary winding n3 reduces the number of constituent elements , while still providing the capability of efficiently driving a light load . although the switching power supply of fig1 or 14 are described driving the rated load and the light load ( in the waiting mode of operation ) with the same circuit , two separate circuits are usually used to drive the rated load and the light load , respectively . referring now to fig1 , a circuit diagram of a general switching power supply for driving a light load and a rated load is shown . in this embodiment , the switching power supply includes a main power supply and a sub power supply . the main power supply includes capacitors c1 , c3 and c4 , a transformer tr1 , a power integrated circuit (&# 34 ; power ic &# 34 ;) ic1 and diodes d5 , d6 . the sub power supply includes capacitors c5 , c 11 , a transformer tr2 , a power ic ic2 and a diode d7 . power ic ic1 includes a mosfet q1 and a control integrated circuit (&# 34 ; control ic &# 34 ;) ic11 . power ic ic2 includes a mosfet q11 and a control ic ic21 . when a load ( not shown ) is driven , dc power is fed to a main circuit power supply that includes diode d5 and capacitor c3 , and to a cpu power supply that includes diode d6 and capacitor c4 . the dc power is generated by switching mosfet q1 on and off such that an ac voltage is applied to transformer tr1 . control ic ic11 adjusts the main circuit power supply to a specific value by detecting and comparing the output voltage with a reference voltage . the results of the comparison are used to regulate the on - off time ratio of mosfet q1 . when driving a light load in the waiting mode of operation , mosfet q11 is switched on and off and mosfet q1 is not driven . switching mosfet q11 on and off applies an ac voltage to transformer tr2 which in turn supplies dc power to only the cpu power supply . in this configuration , dc power provided through diode d7 and capacitor c5 is fed only to the cpu power supply . control ic ic21 adjusts the cpu power supply to a specific value by detecting and comparing the output voltage with a reference voltage . the results of the comparison are used to regulate the on - off time ratio of mosfet q11 . in this configuration the consumed power is reduced to several watts which provides compliance with various energy regulations . referring now to fig1 ( a )-( b ), top plan views of power ic ic1 and ic2 are shown . each power ic package includes a chip that has an insulative substrate on which a copper pattern is formed . the chip must be electrically isolated from a terminal and from a casing to function properly . this requirement increases the size of the respective power ics and also adds to their cost . referring now to fig1 , a top plan view of a power ic package according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown . this embodiment obviates the above described problems inherent in the individual power ic packages . the ic package according to the present invention mounts the structure of power ics ic1 and ic2 on a common insulative substrate . the common mounting reduces the total area needed to realize the power ic and thus reduces the total cost of the power ics ic1 and ic2 . referring now to fig1 , a top plan view of another power ic package according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown . in this embodiment , the functions of the control ics ic1 and ic2 are integrated into a single control ic . this integration is possible because control ics ic1 and ic2 have almost the same structure and function . integration of various switching power supply devices is not limited to that described in connection with the general switching power supply illustrated in fig1 . the various switching power supplies shown and described in fig1 through 14 may also be integrated and achieve equivalent efficiencies in cost and size . when any of the various switching power supplies described in fig1 through 15 must handle a light load associated with the waiting mode of operation , control ics may be used in place of main and auxiliary switches . alternatively , a control ic may be used that has common main and auxiliary switches disposed thereon . the following are some examples of the advantages of the various embodiments of the present invention . since zero - voltage switching and zero - current switching are obtained , the switching loss is reduced . the switching power supply according to the invention is adaptable to tv sets and display devices that synchronize the switching frequency with the deflection frequency . the power factor is improved and noise is reduced . moreover , the output voltage is easily compensated , since the energy stored in the primary side capacitor is fed to the load at instantaneous service interruption . the manufacturing costs of the switching power supply are reduced , since a high - speed reverse - recovery diode is used on the primary side of the transformer and , therefore , general low - speed diodes are satisfactorily employable to the rectifier . the power factor is improved , since the input current is made flow as far as the switching power supply is operating . and , the output voltage is compensated easily at instantaneous service interruption , since it is possible for the voltage of the electrolytic capacitor to exceed the peak value of the input voltage . the switching power supply may be used for a longer period of time , since the driving electric power in the waiting mode is small due to the small rated values of the auxiliary switch and , therefore , the power consumption is reduced . therefore , it is possible to meet the power consumption regulations for the tv sets and such instruments . it is not necessary to install any additional switching power supply , the rated values thereof are 1 / 100 as large as those of the main switching power supply . therefore , a small , light - weight and low cost switching power supply is obtained . the number of the packaging parts such as an insulative substrate is reduced , the dimensions of the package are minimized and the costs of the switching power supply are reduced , since the switch for the main power supply , the control ic for controlling the switch for the main power supply , the switch for the sub power supply and the control ic for controlling the switch for the sub power supply are installed on a common package . moreover , the common control ic that controls the switches for the main power supply and the sub power supply facilitates further down - sizing and cost reduction . having described preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments , and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims .
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a valve 20 is shown in fig1 a having a valve pin 22 . valve pin 22 has a head 24 that selectively seats in a valve seat 26 to control the flow of a fluid from an upstream location 35 , to a port 36 , through the valve seat 26 , and to a downstream port 38 in a downstream connection 40 . the valve pin 22 is coupled at 28 to a support shell 30 . the support shell 30 is received within a bore 31 , and coupled at 32 to the housing 34 . the coupling at 28 and 32 may be performed by welding or other techniques known in the art . the support shell 30 is formed of a material having a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the valve pin 22 . the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion may be selected such that the coefficient of one of the materials will be at least twice the coefficient of the other . this will provide significant movement that can be achieved in a relatively short period of time to provide better control over the amount of a sample fluid , as an example . in one embodiment , the support shell 30 and the housing 34 are formed of a stainless steel , and in particular stainless steel 304 . in that same embodiment , the valve pin 22 may be formed of a tungsten . with such materials , the stainless steel will expand with a coefficient of thermal expansion that is three or four times the coefficient of the tungsten . while the support shell 30 is shown in fig1 a as a cylindrical element surrounding a cylindrical valve pin , other embodiments of the support shell 30 which support the valve pin 22 for movement relative to the valve seat 26 can be utilized . as an example , spaced legs , or even a single support leg may support the valve pin 22 and cause movement of the valve pin 22 relative to the valve seat 26 . when exposed to heat , the support shell 30 will expand more than the valve pin 22 . since the two are connected together , this will cause the valve pin 22 to move to the left as shown in fig1 a , and such that the head 24 moves from the position shown in fig1 b at which it seals the connection , to the position shown at fig1 a , wherein it allows fluid flow . a heater 42 may be provided to drive the expansion . alternatively , the valve 20 may be responsive to environmental heat to provide this movement . the present invention is capable of providing very precise movement of the valve pin 22 , such that extremely small amounts of fluid can be metered between port 36 to port 38 . the valve 20 is particularly well suited for applications in which it is desirable to gather a small metered quantity of a gas . while the valve pin 22 is described as having the lower coefficient of thermal expansion relative to the support shell 30 or housing 34 , the opposite could be utilized . in addition , while heating is disclosed as actuating the valve 20 , in fact cooling can be used to actuate the valve 20 in other embodiments . for example , depending upon the materials selected for the valve pin 22 and the support shell 30 , the valve 20 can be configured to passively open or close responsive to an increase or decrease temperature . fig2 shows another embodiment of a valve 51 wherein a valve pin 43 is received within a support shell 44 , and a heater coil 46 is provided . the valve pin 43 has a head 48 selectively received in an opening 54 in a diaphragm 50 , where the diaphragm 50 at opening 54 serves as a valve seat for valve pin 43 . diaphragm 50 is secured within a housing 52 . an inlet 56 extends into a chamber 57 , and an outlet 58 extends outwardly of the chamber . a vacuum connection 62 is applied to an opposed side of the diaphragm . in the embodiment shown in fig2 , the materials and basic mounting of the support shell 44 and valve pin 43 may be as shown for the support shell 30 and valve pin 22 of the fig1 a embodiment . as shown in fig2 , the support shell 44 is supported within the housing 52 . a weld joint 100 secures the diaphragm 50 within the housing 52 . a frit 70 , which may be formed of a powdered sintered metal , allows a controlled amount of leakage across its surface area in a pre - determined period of time . in this embodiment , a very precise amount of gas may be sampled by simply actuating the valve 51 to pull the valve pin head 48 away from the opening 54 , and while a vacuum is applied . this will sample a very precise amount of the fluid flowing between inlet 56 to outlet 58 . the sample is drawn across the frit 70 and into connection 62 . in the embodiments as depicted in fig1 a and 2 , the valve pins 22 and 43 may be held against the valve seat 26 and opening 54 in diaphragm 50 to provide a very tight fit , and a very secure seal to prevent leakage . the diaphragm 50 also allows the embodiment to be utilized in extremely cold environments . in such a cold environment , thermal expansion will operate to cause the sleeve and pin to be drawn toward the diaphragm to provide a very tight fit . the flexible diaphragm allows this movement , without damage to the overall valve . in prior art valves having moving valve parts , to provide a solid or high force holding the valve pin against the seat requires that same high force to be overcome . however , since the expansion of the materials in the disclosed embodiments is what causes the movement here , that concern does not apply as much as in the prior art . also , very precise movement of a valve element relative to its housing is provided by the disclosed embodiments , and precise metering can be achieved . in one application , an embodiment of the valve 20 of fig1 a was made to close off a fused silica capillary with an internal dimension of 100 micrometers ( 0 . 0039 inches ). with a two inch ( 50 . 8 mm ) tungsten pin and 200 degree f . ( 93 . 33 degrees c .) rise in temperature , the gap between the valve pin 22 and the valve seat 26 is 0 . 0029 inches ( 73 . 66 mm ). this gap is well suited for this 100 micrometers capillary application . the diameter of valve pin 22 and the wall thickness of the support shell 30 may be selected such that the valve seat 26 can be operated within the elastic limits of the material and hold helium leak rate of less than 10 **− 10 standard cubic centimeter per second ( sccs ). a worker of ordinary skill in the art , armed with the coefficients of expansion , and the particular sizes of the components , would be able to calculate the relative movement of the valve pin 22 , and the support shell 30 to achieve this tight control . in many valve applications , both the valve pin and the valve seat are polished after formation . however , it is preferred in this embodiment that only the valve pin is polished , with the valve seat left unpolished . then , during initial run - in , the valve will form the actual contour of the valve seat such that a very tight and precise seat will be provided that will block almost all leakage . the valves 20 and 51 of fig1 a and 2 have no moving parts , making the valves 20 and 51 very reliable and simple to manufacture . dead volume is very small , which is well suited for applications requiring low leak rate , low dead volume and reliable applications such as gas chromatography , flow switching devices , and vacuum systems . of course , any other size and material may be used . although embodiments of this invention have been disclosed , a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention . for that reason , the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention .
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in that form of the present invention chosen for purposes of illustration in fig1 a telephone is shown , indicated generally at 2 , having a base unit 4 and a handset , shown in phantom at 6 . the telephone handset may be formed in substantially any desired shape and may be formed of any conventional material . the handset , as shown , is the traditional handset with a generally triangular shaped stem joining a rounded mouthpiece 9 and earpiece 11 . however , in order to overcome the disadvantages of prior art telephones , as discussed above , a cover 8 is provided for the handset 6 formed of soft , resilient material , such as fabric , plastic , leather or the like . moreover , if desired , the cover may be provided with cushioning material , such as a layer 10 of cotton batting , polyurethane foam , foam rubber or the like . the cover 8 contains a cavity formed to closely overlie the handset 6 and can be provided with openings 12 and 14 in front of the mouthpiece cover 13 and earpiece cover 15 so as not to interfere with sound transmission to or from the handset . alternatively , the fabric cover can extend over the mouthpiece and earpiece covers 13 , 15 and be provided with perforations so that sound waves can reach the sound transducers without undue interference . as best seen in fig3 the cover 8 is formed with an opening 16 in the rear surface 18 thereof . suitable releaseable closure means are provided along the edges 20 , 22 of the opening 16 in the rear surface to permit the cover 8 to be removed from the handset 6 to permit cleaning or sterilization of the cover 8 . the edges 20 and 22 of the opening 16 are formed to overlap and suitable cooperative closure means , such as releaseable , touch fastening &# 34 ; velcro &# 34 ; closure strips 24 , are provided on the facing surfaces of the edges 20 and 22 to permit the cover 8 to be releaseably secured on the handset 6 . it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that other forms of closure means , such as hooks , snaps , zippers or the like may be substituted for the strips 24 . the opening can contain an overlapped welted seam 25 to provide an attractive finish to the closure means and increased comfort to the user . fig4 shows an alternative form of handset 26 in which the central portion 28 of the handset has been reduced to a thickness , just sufficient to house the cables connecting the mouthpiece to the earpiece . this permits the thickness of the layer 10 of cushioning material to be greatly increased to provide increased comfort for the user , and / or to reduce the overall profile of the handset . also , as seen in fig4 a thin layer of material 30 , may be provided over the openings 12 and 14 to provide protection for the speaker and earpiece of the handset 26 . however , when this is done , it is preferred that only an annular ring 29 , 27 of the cushioning layer 10 is provided in front of the mouthpiece 31 and earpiece 33 . these rings 29 , 27 displace the cover material 30 from the surfaces of the mouth and ear pieces 31 , 33 which minimizes interference with the sound transmission to or from the handset 26 . in this embodiment , the opening 36 , which permits the handset 26 to be inserted into or removed from the cover 8 is located on the underside of the cover 8 , as seen at 32 in fig4 and 5 . it will be apparent that the cover can be formed of substantially any suitable material , either natural fabrics such as cotton or silk or wool or synthetics such as nylon or polyester or even fur - like materials . moreover , many different stuffing materials may be used for the cushioning layer 10 such as cotton or foam . in the model in which the handset is reduced to a minimum size to house the wiring etc ., the soft inner stuffing layer could be thicker to fill out the shape . rather than moving the covering of the handset to gain access to the wiring , access could be via the annular ring . the round parts at either end would also be reduced and filled with stuffing to maintain the shape of the receiver . the end caps could have external threads and received in internally threaded ends of the handset . the caps would unscrew to allow access . the ends would be finished , i . e ., closed with material so the cushoning material would not fall out and when screwed into the central portion of the handset would join smoothly to feel and fit like one continuous piece . this embodiment could also have the outer removable light cover with a seam with velcro or other fasteners . also the base of the phones could be soft and matching the receivers . the dialing mechanism could be either on the base as in the older , traditional phone design or can be provided on the handset as in most modern phones . it is to be understood that these and other modifications , variations , etc . may be made without departing from the present invention . accordingly , it should be clearly understood that the forms of the present invention described above and shown in the accompanying drawing are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention .
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throughout all the figures , same or corresponding elements may generally be indicated by same reference numerals . these depicted embodiments are to be understood as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting in any way . it should also be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols , phantom lines , diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views . in certain instances , details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted . turning now to the drawing , and in particular to fig1 , there is shown a motor vehicle 10 moving in a driving direction indicated by the arrow 14 . the motor vehicle 10 has two front wheels 16 a and 16 b arranged proximate to its front side 12 . these are connected with each other by way of a front axle 24 . the motor vehicle also includes two rear wheels 16 c and 16 d . vertical actuators 18 a to 18 d , which are part of an abc ( active body control ) actuator system , are associated with each of the wheels 16 a to 16 d in one to one correspondence . the vertical actuators 18 a to 18 d are controlled by an abc control device 20 . in this way , the vertical lift of each individual wheel can be individually adjusted . for example , the vertical actuators 18 a can affect the vertical wheel position of wheel 16 a . the abc control device 20 is connected with a control device 22 which controls a semi - automatic vehicle guidance system . alternatively , the abc control device 20 and the control device 22 may also form part of a common control device . the motor vehicle 10 also includes a sensor 32 configured for measurement of the instantaneous transverse acceleration of the motor vehicle 10 . the sensor 32 is connected with the control device 22 and transmits to the control device 22 the measurement information about the transverse acceleration . the front wheels 16 a to 16 d can be steered via a steering system 26 , i . e . the steering angle b can be adjusted with the steering system 26 . in particular , the steering system 26 includes a steering wheel that can be operated by a driver 30 . in addition to manual steering , the motor vehicle 10 also includes a steering actuator 28 , with which the steering angle b of the wheels 16 a and 16 b can be automatically adjusted . to this end , the steering actuator 28 is connected with the control device 22 . in particular , the steering actuator 28 is constructed so that a superimposed steering angle δb can be superimposed on the steering angle b adjusted by the driver 30 with the steering system 26 , resulting in a steering angle b + δb . however , the steering wheel angle c of the steering wheel of the steering system 26 should continue to be the angle corresponding to the steering angle b . the driver 30 then does not receive a haptic feedback on the steering wheel relating to the superimposed steering angle δb . fig2 shows a schematic rear view of a motor vehicle with a conventional roll control . in the exemplary embodiment , the motor vehicle 10 travels through a left - hand turn . to enhance the driving comfort for the occupants of the motor vehicle 10 , the vertical actuators 18 a to 18 d are controlled such that the body of the motor vehicle 10 tilts into the left - hand turn . the tilt is accomplished by a rotation about the roll axis w , which extends parallel to a roadway 34 . when traveling in a straight line , no transverse forces act on the motor vehicle 10 , so that its body is oriented substantially parallel to a plane e 1 . in a left - hand turn , the body is actively tilted by the vertical actuators 18 a to 18 d by a roll angle a . the body is then substantially parallel to a plane e 2 which is no longer parallel to the roadway 34 . the plane e 2 then encloses the roll angle a with the plane e 1 . because the vehicle body now leans into the turn , the transverse acceleration experienced by the driver 30 is improved . fig3 shows three possible trajectories t 1 , t 2 and t 3 along which the motor vehicle moves , depending on which systems affecting the driving dynamics are activated . the motor vehicle travels along the trajectory t 1 when the steering angle b is set by the driver 30 . in this example , neither does the motor vehicle 10 actively lean into the turn ( see fig2 ), nor does the steering actuator 28 actively intervene in the steering . the situation illustrated in fig2 will now be described , where the motor vehicle 10 tilts actively into the left - hand turn shown in fig3 by the roll angle a . the motor vehicle 10 then no longer travels along the trajectory t 1 , although the steering angle b is set , but travels instead on the trajectory t 2 , which is tighter , i . e . has a smaller radius of curvature than the trajectory t 1 . active rolling produces a yaw moment towards the left into the turn . the active rolling increases the yaw angle of the motor vehicle 10 in relation to the yaw angle associated with the trajectory t 1 , although the steering angle b remains the same . this corresponds to the situation known in the art . in order to be nevertheless able to travel along the trajectory t 1 , the driver 30 must correctively intervene in the steering system 26 by moving the steering wheel further to the right , i . e . by reducing the steering angle b . the driving characteristics of the motor vehicle 10 then appear unfamiliar to the driver 30 . the driver 30 may be surprised that he must steer back to the right which may endanger the driving safety . the corrective steering intervention is therefore performed automatically . the situation is illustrated again in fig4 . the control device 22 computes a superimposed steering angle δb which is applied on the steering system 26 by way of the steering actuator 28 , thereby producing an effective steering angle b + δb . the steering wheel angle c remains unchanged and keeps the value corresponding to the steering angle b . the control device 22 uses several input variables to compute the superimposed steering angle δb . these are , in particular , the roll angle a , the steering angle b , and optionally the speed v of the motor vehicle 10 . the superimposed steering angle δb and the roll angle a are functionally correlated by way of a curve k . a roll angle a of 5 ° causes , for example , a superimposed steering angle δb of − 1 °. rolling to the left causes a superimposed steering angle δb to the right and vice versa . as a result , the actual trajectory t 3 traveled by the motor vehicle 10 runs on the right of the trajectory t 2 . the radius of curvature associated with t 3 is greater than the radius of curvature associated with t 2 . ideally , the superimposed steering angle δb is selected so that the trajectories t 1 and t 3 coincide . the driver 30 then experiences the familiar cornering performance of the motor vehicle 10 . correlating automatic rolling and automatic counter steering is particularly advantageous when the motor vehicle 10 is steered manually , or in the so - called chauffeur mode . the system composed of control device 22 and steering actuator 28 can also be referred to as superimposed steering system and may be constructed as an ads . the roll angle a is adjusted by acquiring with the control device 22 signals from the sensor 32 and determining with the control device 22 the transverse acceleration from these signals . depending on the respective value of the transverse acceleration , the control device 22 now determines a suitable transverse tilt with the roll angle a and a suitable superimposed steering angle δb . the transverse tilt is adjusted by transmitting signals from the control device 22 to the abc control device 20 , wherein the latter controls the corresponding lift of the individual vertical actuators 18 a to 18 d . the superimposed steering angle is adjusted by transmitting corresponding signals from the control device 32 to the steering actuator 28 which intervenes in the steering system 26 so as to define a particular steering angle for the wheels 16 a and 16 b . while the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with currently preferred embodiments shown and described in detail , 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 and scope of the present invention . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and practical application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated .
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referring now to fig1 a , a transmission link 101 carries packets between a source a and a destination b . a transmission link 102 carries packets between source b and destination a . a monitoring point 103 makes copies of packets travelling on both transmission links 101 , 102 . processors 301 , 302 , 303 each process a subset of the packets copied by the monitoring point 103 . a packet filter 201 , 202 , 203 is associated with each processor . the packet filter 201 determines which packets are processed by processor 301 . the packet filter 202 determines which packets are processed by processor 302 . the packet filter 203 determines which packets are processed by processor 303 . alternatively there may be a separate filter for packets travelling on each transmission link . in fig1 b packet filters 401 , 402 determine which packets are processed by the processor 301 . packet filters 403 , 404 determine which packets are processed by the processor 302 and packet filters 405 , 406 determine which packets are processed by the processor 303 . in this description the term network refers to any interconnected set of transmission paths , the term packet filter refers to any device which selects which packets to process and which to discard . it will be understood that a filter may be implemented in hardware or in software or a combination of both hardware and software . in a packet switched network each packet has a header which contains fields indicating the source and destination of the packet . for example the packet may contain internet protocol ( ip ) addresses and / or user datagram port ( udp ) addresses . fig2 illustrates an example of such a packet 12 . when two packets represent transmission in opposite direction within the same call in a voice over ip transmission then the source field and the destination field contain complementary portions , such packets will be referred to as complementary packets . for example , in fig2 a if the source address 13 of a packet 12 contains fields ip_src_address_high 13 a ip_src_address_low 13 b udp_src_port 13 c , where ip_src_address_high 13 a represents the 16 most significant bits in a 32 bit ip address and ip_src_address_low 13 b represents the 16 least significant bits in the 32 bit ip address and udp_src_port 13 c represents a 16 bit udp port address , then the destination address 17 of the complementary packet 14 ( fig2 b ) will contain ip_dest_address_high cp 15 a ip_dest_address_low cp 15 b udp_dest_port cp 15 c a pair of fields comprising the same portion of the source address 13 and destination address 16 within a single packet 12 ( eg ip_src_address_high 13 a and ip_dest_address_high 16 a ) will be referred to as pairs of complementary portions . in order to filter packets a filter value is calculated using the source address 13 and destination addresses 16 from a packet 12 , and then the packet is either processed or discarded in dependence upon this filter value . known methods of filtering / routing packets may involve performing a hash function on the source and / or destination addresses usually using modulo arithmetic . such methods do not necessarily allow complementary packets ( ie packets representing the same call ) to follow the same route as one another . in the method of the present invention a function is performed on the source and destination addresses in which the part of the function applied to pairs of complementary portions of the packet source and destinations addresses is commutative . eg using the examples above the filter value may be formed from a combination of alternatively different operators may be used for different pairs of complementary portions of the addresses , for example the results of these commutative operations may be combined using either commutative or non commutative operators . the result of such an operation is that the filter value is the same for complementary packets . fig3 illustrates the method of the present invention . at step 40 one or more pairs of complementary portions of the source and destination address of the packet are selected . at step 42 a commutative operation is performed on each pair of selected complementary portions . at step 44 the results of the commutative operation ( s ) are combined to provide a filter value ( clearly if a single pair of complementary portions is selected at step 40 then this step is unnecessary ). in order to aid load balancing between processors 301 , 302 , 303 at step 46 a modulo operation is performed on the filter value and at step 48 the packet is either processed or discarded depending upon the final result . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention the filter value check1 is calculated as follows : ie the commutative operations and the combining operations are all performed using the exclusive or function . a modulo operation is then applied to check1 ( step 48 ) to form a value check2 that is derived from all of the bits in check1 in the preferred embodiment a prime number is chosen which in this case is 251 . check2 is then compared with an upper and lower limit . if the value of check2 lies between the two limits , the packet is processed , otherwise the packet is discarded , i . e . : check2 is treated as an address space and each processor is allocated a subset of this address space . note that the size of the subset need not be the same for all processors and the whole address space need not be covered , for example , if it is only desired to monitor a proportion of transmission paths . furthermore if more than one type of monitoring process is desired then some portions of the address space may be selected by more than one filter . if separate filters are provided for packets travelling on different transmission lines , as illustrated in fig1 b then the function applied and the upper and lower limit must be the same for each filter associated with a particular processor . fig4 illustrates schematically a packet switched network connecting a plurality of sources 10 to a plurality of destinations 20 via a plurality of routers 30 . it can be seen that there are a plurality of possible paths between a particular source 10 ′ and destination 20 ′. for example two such routes are illustrated in bold . it will be appreciated that the method of packet filtering described may also be used in a routing application to ensure that packets traveling in both directions between a particular source and a particular destination are routed via the same path as each other . it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the processes described above may be implemented on a conventional programmable computer , and that a computer program encoding instructions for controlling the programmable computer to perform the above methods may be provided on a computer readable medium . it will also be understood that various alterations , modifications , and / or additions may be introduced into the specific embodiment described above without departing from the scope of the present invention .
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as used herein “ small molecules ” means compounds having a molecular weight of less than 1000 dalton , preferred are compounds having a molecular weight of less than 800 dalton . “ modulating and normalizing an impaired haemostatic balance ” means achieving an effect on the coagulation system measurable in vitro assays and / or animal models which effect diminishes the risk for thrombosis or bleedings . “ treatment ” means the administration of an effective amount of a therapeutically active compound of the invention with the purpose of preventing any symptoms or disease state to develop or with the purpose of curing or easing such symptoms or disease states already developed . the term “ treatment ” is thus meant to include prophylactic treatment . a fviia / tf related disease or disorder or a thrombotic or coagulopathic related disease or disorder is meant to include inflammatory responses and chronic thromboembolic diseases or disorders associated with fibrin formation including vascular disorders such as deep venous thrombosis , arterial thrombosis , post surgical thrombosis , coronary artery bypass graft ( cabg ), percutaneous transdermal coronary angioplastry ( ptca ), stroke , tumour metastasis , angiogenesis , thrombolysis , arteriosclerosis and restenosis following angioplastry , acute and chronic indications such as inflammation , septic chock , septicemia , hypotension , adult respiratory distress syndrome ( ards ), disseminated intravascular coagulopathy ( dic ), pulmonary embolism , platelet deposition , myocardial infarction , or the prophylactic treatment of mammals with atherosclerotic vessels at risk for thrombosis , and other diseases or disorders . the fviia / tf related disorder is not limited to in vivo coagulopatic disorders such as those named above but includes ex vivo fviia / tf related processes such as coagulation that may result from the extracorporeal circulation of blood , including blood removed in - line from a patient in such processes as dialysis procedures , blood filtration , or blood bypass during surgery . “ inhibitors of fviia - tf activity ”: compounds with the general formula i inhibit fviia / tf - activity in in vitro assays of amidolytic and proteolytic activity and thus are able to prolong by preventing the formation of a fviia / tf complex the tf - induced coagulation in human plasma . they may do so by inhibiting fviia activity , by inhibiting the activity of fviia / tf complex , by preventing the binding of fx to fviia / tf complex , or by preventing the activation of factor x when bound to fviia / tf . compounds which solely inhibit the proteolytic activity of fviia / tf and / or prolong the coagulation time may do so by preventing the association of factor x with the fviia / tf complex or by preventing the activation of factor x bound to the complex . the compounds may hinder the tf / fviia activation of fx by binding to either tf , fvii , or fx , thus hindering either the formation of the tf / fvii complex , the binding between the tf / fviia complex and fx , or the binding of fx to either fvii or tf . structures binding to fvii or fx may do this either at the active site — thus hindering the progress of the coagulation cascade — or in areas outside the active site . preferred compounds are the ones which have low activity at the fx active site as seen from a fxa amidolytic assay screen and which exhibit a medium to low effect on the fvii active site as seen from a fviia / tf amidolytic assay . activity on other serine proteases should be minimal . in this context , the term half - maximal inhibition means reducing the activity of the respective enzyme or enzyme - cofactor complex in the absence of inhibitory compound by 50 %. “ modulators of the tf / fviia pathway ”: compounds that modulate the coagulation process through an inhibitory action on the tf / fviia complex or on tf activity . the activity of fviia in complex with tf , in particular its activation of factor x , can be inhibited by a low - molecular weight compound . by this action , the initiation and acceleration of the blood coagulation cascade upon exposure of tf to flowing blood is prevented . “ modulating and normalizing an impaired haemostatic balance ” means achieving an effect on the coagulation system measurable in vitro assays and / or animal models which effect diminishes the risk for thrombosis or bleedings . in another aspect , the present invention includes within its scope pharmaceutical compositions comprising ; as an active ingredient , at least one of the compounds of the present invention or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent . optionally , the pharmaceutical composition of the invention may comprise a compound combined with one or more other compounds exhibiting anticoagulant activity , e . g ., platelet aggregation inhibitor . the compounds may be formulated into pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent . such carriers include water , physiological saline , ethanol , polyols , e . g ., glycerol or propylene glycol , or vegetable oils . as used herein , “ pharmaceutically acceptable carriers ” also encompasses any and all solvents , dispersion media , coatings , antifungal agents , preservatives , isotonic agents and the like . except insofar as any conventional medium is incompatible with the active ingredient and its intended use , its use in the compositions of the present invention is contemplated . the compositions may be prepared by conventional techniques and appear in conventional forms , for example , capsules , tablets , solutions or suspensions . the pharmaceutical carrier employed may be a conventional solid or liquid carrier . examples of solid carriers are lactose , terra alba , sucrose , talc , gelatine , agar , pectin , acacia , magnesium stearate and stearic acid . examples of liquid carriers are syrup , peanut oil , olive oil and water . similarly , the carrier or diluent may include any time delay material known to the art , such as glyceryl monostearate or glyceryl distearate , alone or mixed with a wax . the formulations may also include wetting agents , emulsifying and suspending agents , preserving agents , sweetening agents or flavouring agents . the formulations of the invention may be formulated so as to provide quick , sustained , or delayed release of the active ingredient after administration to the patient by employing procedures well known in the art . the pharmaceutical compositions can be sterilized and mixed , if desired , with auxiliary agents , emulsifiers , salt for influencing osmotic pressure , buffers and / or colouring substances and the like , which do not deleteriously react with the active compounds . the route of administration may be any route , which effectively transports the active compound to the appropriate or desired site of action , such as oral or parenteral , e . g ., rectal , transdermal , subcutaneous , intranasal , intramuscular , topical , intravenous , intraurethral , ophthalmic solution or an ointment , the oral route being preferred . if a solid carrier for oral administration is used , the preparation can be tabletted , placed in a hard gelatine capsule in powder or pellet form or it can be in the form of a troche or lozenge . the amount of solid carrier may vary widely but will usually be from about 25 mg to about 1 g . if a liquid carrier is used , the preparation may be in the form of a syrup , emulsion , soft gelatine capsule or sterile injectable liquid such as an aqueous or non - aqueous liquid suspension or solution . for nasal administration , the preparation may contain a compound of formula i dissolved or suspended in a liquid carrier , in particular an aqueous carrier , for aerosol application . the carrier may contain additives such as solubilizing agents , e . g . propylene glycol , surfactants , absorption enhancers such as lecithin ( phosphatidylcholine ) or cyclodextrin , or preservatives such as parabenes . for parenteral application , particularly suitable are injectable solutions or suspensions , preferably aqueous solutions with the active compound dissolved in polyhydroxylated castor oil . tablets , dragees , or capsules having talc and / or a carbohydrate carrier or binder or the like are particularly suitable for oral application . preferable carriers for tablets , dragees , or capsules include lactose , corn starch , and / or potato starch . a syrup or elixir can be used in cases where a sweetened vehicle can be employed . a typical tablet , which may be prepared by conventional tabletting techniques , contains the compounds of the invention may be administered to a mammal , especially a human , in need of such treatment , prevention , elimination , alleviation or amelioration of various coagulation - related diseases as mentioned above . such mammals also include animals , both domestic animals , e . g . household pets , and non - domestic animals such as wildlife . the compounds of the invention are effective over a wide dosage range . for example , in the treatment of adult humans , dosages from about 0 . 001 to about 100 mg , preferably from about 0 . 05 to about 100 mg per day may be used . a most preferable dosage is about 0 . 1 mg to about 70 mg per day . in choosing a regimen for patients , it may frequently be necessary to begin with a dosage of from about 20 to about 70 mg per day and when the condition is under control to reduce the dosage as low as from about 0 . 1 to about 10 mg per day . the exact dosage will depend upon the mode of administration , on the therapy desired , form in which administered , the subject to be treated and the body weight of the subject to be treated , and the preference and experience of the physician or veterinarian in charge . generally , the compounds of the present invention are dispensed in unit dosage form comprising from about 0 . 1 to about 100 mg of active ingredient together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier per unit dosage . usually , dosage forms suitable for oral , nasal , pulmonal or transdermal administration comprise from about 0 . 001 mg to about 100 mg , preferably from about 0 . 01 mg to about 50 mg of the compounds of formula i admixed with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent . the compounds may be administered concurrently , simultaneously , or together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent , whether by oral , rectal , or parenteral ( including subcutaneous ) route . the compounds are often , and preferably , in the form of an alkali metal or earth alkali metal salt thereof . suitable dosage ranges varies as indicated above depending upon the exact mode of administration , form in which administered , the indication towards which the administration is directed , the subject involved and the body weight of the subject involved , and the preference and experience of the physician or veterinarian in charge . the compounds are dissolved in dmso and mixed with a solution of fviia in ca 2 + - containing buffer ( 1 + 5 ). 30 μl of this mixture was then mixed with 45 μl tf ( relipidated in pc / ps vesicles ) and 25 μl of a solution containing fx , all in ca 2 + - containing buffer . this gives final concentrations of 100 pm fviia , 5 pm tf , 175 nm fx and various concentrations of the compounds . after a 5 - min incubation , the fviia / tf - catalyzed activation of fx is terminated by the addition of 50 μl buffer containing enough edta to give an excess over the ca2 + ions present . 50 μl of a 2 - mm solution of s - 2765 ( fxa substrate ) is then added and the fxa formed is allowed to hydrolyze the substrate for 10 minutes during which the absorbance at 405 nm is continuously monitored in a spectramax ™ 340 plate reader . the slope of the absorption curve is compared to that of a control where dmso alone was added to fviia / tf / fx . the test compounds , 20 mm in dmso , are diluted in citrated normal human plasma just before the analysis ( 1 + 19 ) and placed in the sample carousel . 55 μl sample ( compound in plasma ) is mixed with 55 μl of thromboplastin ( innovin , dade ) and incubated for 5 min . the clotting reaction is started by adding 55 μl of a 25 - mm cacl 2 solution , yielding a final compound concentration of 0 . 33 mm . the clotting time is measured using an acl 300 r coagulometer . the ratio between the clotting time in the presence and absence of test compound is used to quantify the anticoagulant efficiency . counterscreeninq assays to eliminate compounds directed towards the active site of fviia or fxa ( the fviia / tf amidolytic assay also detects compounds interfering with fviia / tf complex assemble ): compound solutions and buffer are the same as in the above fx activation assay . 150 microliters of fviia ( 13 . 3 nm in buffer ), 20 microliters of soluble tf . ( 250 nm in buffer ), 10 microliters of test compound ( various concentrations in dmso ) and 20 microliters of substrate s - 2288 ( 10 mm in water ) is mixed in microtiter plate well . this gives final concentrations of fvii ( a , tf and s - 2288 of 10 nm , 25 nm and 1 mm , respectively . the absorbance at 405 nm is measured continuously for 20 minutes . the degree of inhibition is calculated from the slope of the absorbance curve compared to the curve obtained when using dmso without test compound . compound solutions and buffer are the same as in the above fx activation assay . 170 microliters of fxa ( 1 . 17 nm in buffer ), 10 microliters of test compound ( various concentrations in dmso ) and 20 microliters of substrate s - 2765 ( 10 mm in water ) is mixed in a microtiter plate well . this gives - final concentrations of fxa and s - 2765 of 1 nm and 1 mm , respectively . the absorbance at 405 nm is measured continuously for 20 minutes . the degree of inhibition is calculated from the slope of the absorbance curve compared to the curve obtained when using dmso without test compound . the compounds of this invention can be used to modulate and normalise an impaired haemostatic balance in mammals caused by deficiency or malfunction of blood clotting factors or their inhibitors . the fviia and in particular the fviia / tf activity plays an important role in the control of the coagulation cascade , and modulators of this key regulatory activity such as the present invention can be used in the treatment of coagulation - related diseased states . the pharmaceutical composition according to the invention is useful for modulating and normalising an impaired haemostatic balance in a mammal . in particular , the pharmaceutical composition may be useful for the treatment of coagulation - related diseased states . more particularly , the pharmaceutical composition may be useful as an inhibitor of blood coagulation in a mammal , as an inhibitor of clotting activity in a mammal , as an inhibitor of deposition of fibrin in a mammal , as an inhibitor of platelet deposition in a mammal , in the treatment of mammals suffering from deep vein thrombosis , pulmonary embolism , stroke , disseminated intravascular coagulation ( dic ), vascular restenosis , platelet deposition and associated disorders , myocardial infarction , angiogenesis , tumour growth , tumour invasion , metastasis , and in the prophylactic treatment of mammals with atherosclerotic vessels at risk for developing thrombosis . compound solutions and buffer are the same as in the above fx activation assay . 150 microliters of fviia ( 13 . 3 nm in buffer ), 20 microliters of soluble tf ( 250 nm in buffer ), 10 microliters of test compound ( various concentrations in dm80 ) and 20 microliters of substrate s - 2288 ( 10 mm in water ) is mixed in microtiter plate well . this gives final concentrations of fviia , tf and s - 2288 of 10 nm , 25 nm and 1 mm , respectively . the absorbance at 405 nm is measured continuously for 20 minutes . the degree of inhibition is calculated from the slope of the absorbance curve compared to the curve obtained when using dmso without test compound . compound solutions and buffer are the same as in the above fx activation assay . 170 microliters of fxa ( 1 . 17 nm in buffer ), 10 microliters of test compound ( various concentrations in dmso ) and 20 microliters of substrate s - 2765 ( 10 mm in water ) is mixed in a microtiter plate well . this gives final concentrations of fxa and s - 2765 of 1 nm and 1 mm , respectively . the absorbance at 405 nm is measured continuously for 20 minutes . the degree of inhibition is calculated from the slope of the absorbance curve compared to the curve obtained when using dmso without test compound . the compounds are dissolved in dmso and mixed with a solution of fviia in ca 2 + - containing buffer ( 1 + 5 ). 30 μl of this mixture was then mixed with 45 μl tf ( relipidated in pc / ps vesicles ) and 25 μl of a solution containing fx , all in ca 2 + - containing buffer . this gives final concentrations of 100 pm fviia , 5 pm tf , 175 nm fx and various concentrations of the compounds . after a 5 - min incubation , the fviia / tf - catalyzed activation of fx is terminated by the addition of 50 μl buffer containing enough edta to give an excess over the ca 2 + ions present 50 μl of a 2 - mm solution of s - 2765 ( fxa substrate ) is then added and the fxa formed is allowed to hydrolyze the substrate for 10 minutes during which the absorbance at 405 nm is continuously monitored in a spectramax ™ 340 plate reader . the slope of the absorption curve is compared to that of a control where dmso alone was added to fviia / tf / fx . the test compounds , 20 mm in dmso , are diluted in citrated normal human plasma just before the analysis ( 1 + 19 ) and placed in the sample carousel . 55 μl sample ( compound in plasma ) is mixed with 55 μl of thromboplastin ( innovin , dade ) and incubated for 5 min . the clotting reaction is started by adding 55 μl of a 25 - mm cacl 2 solution , yielding a final compound concentration of 0 . 33 mm . the clotting time is measured using an acl 300 r coagulometer . the ratio between the clotting time in the presence and absence of test compound is used to quantify the anticoagulant efficiency . compounds having an ic50 of & lt ; 20 μm in a ), ic50 & gt ; 100 μm in b ), and ic50 & gt ; 100 μm in c ) are selected , and the anticoagulant potency is tested in a fviia / tf - induced plasma clotting assay . the selected compounds show a clot ratio & gt ; 1 .
| 8 |
in the current z / architecture there exist the rxe format as described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 105 , 126 ( incorporated fully by reference ) shown here and in that patent as fig1 , and also rse , shown here as fig2 , instruction formats . there are existing instructions in the z / architecture which use the base register plus 12 unsigned displacement or base register plus index register plus 12 bit unsigned displacement to form the operand storage address . in accordance with our preferred embodiment the invention creates three new formats rxy , fig3 , rsy , fig4 , and siy , fig5 . these new formats are used to provide a 20 bit signed displacement field that can be used to form the operand storage address base register plus 20 bit signed displacement or base register plus index register plus 20 bit signed displacement . this new 20 bit signed displacement field can be used for support of new instructions or can allow prior instructions that only had a 12 bit unsigned displacement to now have access to a signed 20 bit signed displacement . it is a feature of our invention that any software code created under the prior instruction formats will operate as they were originally defined , with a 12 bit unsigned displacement , while especially , any new software code created under the new instruction formats can operate with the new 20 bit signed displacement ( chosen as comprising signed long displacement bits numbering , in the preferred embodiment 20 ). the new 20 bit signed displacement is done as two parts that are adjacent to each other . the two parts of the displacement value while being located in adjacent fields in the instruction text are not sequentially numbered bit ranges . the dl1 or dl2 field in the instruction formats is the least significant 12 bits of the 20 bit signed displacement and are in the same location in the rxy , rsy , and siy instruction formats as the 12 bit unsigned d2 field in the existing rxe and rse formats . the dh1 or dh2 field in the rxy , rsy , or siy instruction formats are defined as the 8 most significant bits of the 20 bit signed displacement field and is located in an undefined area of the rxe and rse instruction formats . by reference to the figures it will be appreciated that d 1 and d 2 refers to the displacement field for operand one and the displacement field for operand two of an instruction while , as dl is an acronym for “ displacement low ” while dh is an acronym for “ displacement high ” for which it will be appreciated that dl 1 and dh 1 will refer to the displacement fields for operand one and dl 2 and dh 2 will refer to the displacement fields for operand two . in fig6 , # 501 shows a computer memory storage containing instructions and data . the long displacement instructions described in this invention would initially stored in this computer . # 502 shows a mechanism for fetching instructions from a computer memory and may also contain local buffering of these instructions it has fetched . then the raw instructions are transferred to an instruction decoder , # 503 , where it determines what type of instruction has been fetched . # 504 , shows a mechanism for executing instructions . this may include loading data into a register from memory , # 501 , storing data back to memory from a register , or performing some type of arithmetic or logical operation . this exact type of operation to be performed has been previously determined by the instruction decoder . the long displacement instructions described in this invention would be executed here . if the long displacement instructions are being executed natively on a computer system , then this diagram is complete as described above . however , if an instruction set architecture , containing long displacement instructions , is being emulated on another computer , the above process would be implemented in software on a host computer , # 505 . in this case , the above stated mechanisms would typically be implemented as one or more software subroutines within the emulator software . in both cases an instruction is fetched , decoded and executed . more particularly , these architected instructions can be used with a computer architecture with existing instruction formats with a 12 bit unsigned displacement used to form the operand storage address and also one having additional instruction formats that provide a additional displacement bits , preferably 20 bits , which comprise an extended signed displacement used to form the operand storage address . these computer architected instructions comprise computer software , stored in a computer storage medium , for producing the code running of the processor utilizing the computer software , and comprising the instruction code for use by a compiler or emulator / interpreter which is stored in a computer storage medium 501 , and wherein the first part of the instruction code comprises an operation code which specified the operation to be performed and a second part which designates the operands for that participate . the long displacement instructions permit additional addresses to be directly addressed with the use of the long displacement facility instruction . in a commercial implementation of the long displacement facility computer architected instruction format the instructions are used by programmers , usually today “ c ” programmers . these instruction formats stored in the storage medium may be executed natively in a z / architecture ibm server , or alternatively in machines executing other architectures . they can be emulated in the existing and in future ibm mainframe servers and on other machines of ibm ( e . g . pseries servers and xseries servers ). they can be executed in machines running linux on a wide variety of machines using hardware manufactured by ibm , intel , amd , sun microsystems and others . besides execution on that hardware under a z / architecture , linux can be used as well as machines which use emulation by hercules , umx , fxi or platform solutions , where generally execution is in an emulation mode . in emulation mode the specific instruction being emulated is decoded , and a subroutine built to implement the individual instruction , as in a “ c ” subroutine or driver , or some other method of providing a driver for the specific hardware as is within the skill of those in the art after understanding the description of the preferred embodiment . various software and hardware emulation patents including , but not limited to u . s . pat . no . 5 , 551 , 013 for a “ multiprocessor for hardware emulation ” of beausoleil et al ., and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 009 , 261 : preprocessing of stored target routines for emulating incompatible instructions on a target processor ” of scalzi et al ; and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 574 , 873 : decoding guest instruction to directly access emulation routines that emulate the guest instructions , of davidian et al ; u . s . pat . no . 6 , 308 , 255 : symmetrical multiprocessing bus and chipset used for coprocessor support allowing non - native code to run in a system , of gorishek et al ; and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 463 , 582 : dynamic optimizing object code translator for architecture emulation and dynamic optimizing object code translation method of lethin et al ; and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 790 , 825 : method for emulating guest instructions on a host computer through dynamic recompilation of host instructions of eric traut ; and many others , illustrate the a variety of known ways to achieve emulation of an instruction format architected for a different machine for a target machine available to those skilled in the art , as well as those commercial software techniques used by those referenced above . in the preferred embodiment the existing instruction formats form the operand storage address by the summing of the base register and 12 bit unsigned displacement or the base register , the index register , and the 12 bit unsigned displacement and the new instruction formats form the operand storage address by the summing of the base register and the 20 bit signed displacement or the base register , the index register , and the 20 bit signed displacement . as illustrated by fig6 , these instructions are executed in hardware by a processor or by emulation of said instruction set by software executing on a computer having a different native instruction set . in accordance with the computer architecture of the preferred embodiment the displacement field is defined as being in two parts , the least significant part being 12 bits called the dl , dl 1 for operand 1 or dl 2 for operand 2 , and the most significant part being 8 bits called the dh , dh 1 for operand 1 or dh 2 for operand 2 . furthermore , the preferred computer architecture has an instruction format such that the opcode is in bit positions 0 through 7 and 40 through 47 , a target register called r 1 in bit positions 8 through 11 , an index register called x 2 in bit positions 12 through 15 , a base register called b 2 in bit positions 16 through 19 , a displacement composed of two parts with the first part called dl 2 in bit positions 20 through 31 and the second part called dh 2 in bit positions 32 through 39 . this computer architecture has an instruction format such that the opcode is in bit positions 0 through 7 and 40 through 47 , a target register called r 1 in bit positions 8 through 11 , an source register called r 3 in bit positions 12 through 15 , a base register called b 2 in bit positions 16 through 19 , a displacement composed of two parts with the first part called dl 2 in bit positions 20 through 31 and the second part called dh 2 in bit positions 32 through 39 . furthermore , our computer architecture instructions having a long displacement facility has an instruction format such that the opcode is in bit positions 0 through 7 and 40 through 47 , a target register called r 1 in bit positions 8 through 11 , a mask value called m 3 in bit positions 12 through 15 , a base register called b 2 in bit positions 16 through 19 , a displacement composed of two parts with the first part called dl 2 in bit positions 20 through 31 and the second part called dh 2 in bit positions 32 through 39 . as illustrated , our preferred computer architecture with its long displacement facility has an instruction format such that the opcode is in bit positions 0 through 7 and 40 through 47 , an immediate value called 12 in bit positions 8 through 15 , a base register called b 2 in bit positions 16 through 19 , a displacement composed of two parts with the first part called dl 1 in bit positions 20 through 31 and the second part called dh 1 in bit positions 32 through 39 . our long displacement facility computer architecture operates effectively when using new instructions which are created that only use the instruction format with the new 20 bit unsigned displacement . a specific embodiment of our computer architecture utilizes existing instructions which have the instruction formats that only have the 12 bit unsigned displacement and are now defined to be in the new instruction formats to have either the existing 12 bit unsigned displacement value when the high order 8 bits of the displacement , field dh , are all zero , or a 20 bit signed value when the high order 8 bits of the displacement , field dh , is non - zero . while the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described , it will be understood that those skilled in the art , both now and in the future , may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow . these claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described .
| 6 |
this invention is directed to novel membranes made from polyurethane - polyether and polyurea - polyether block copolymers . the invention is also directed at processes for separating one or more polar gases from a gaseous mixture using such membranes . the polyurethane - polyether and polyurea - polyether block copolymers are produced by reacting at least one polyether glycol with either an aromatic or aliphatic diisocyanate followed by reaction with at least one aliphatic diol ( to form a polyurethane - polyether ) or with at least one aliphatic diamine ( to form a polyurea - polyether ). the resulting polymers contain polyether soft segments and polyurethane or polyurea hard segments . embodiments of this invention are directed to membranes made from certain polyurethane - polyether and polyurea - polyether block copolymers that exhibit a unique combination of both high permeability and high permselectivity for the separation of various gas mixtures . another aspect of this invention is directed to the separation of gases using said block copolymers . the block copolymers are produced by reacting at least one polyether glycol with either an aromatic or aliphatic diisocyanate followed by reaction with at least one aliphatic diol ( to form a polyurethane - polyether ) or with a at least one aliphatic diamine ( to form a polyurea - polyether ) in the presence of a catalyst , such as organotin compounds , such as dibutyltindilaurate , but other catalysts known to one skilled in the art may be used . during polymerization the temperature is preferably about 150 °- 260 ° c . the resulting polymers contain segments ( noted as “ i ”) that are soft ( noted as “ s ”) comprising polyether soft segments ( noted as “ i s ”) and hard ( noted as “ h ”) comprising polyurethane or polyurea hard segments ( noted as “ i h ”). depending on the chemical components , glycol excess , catalyst , and temperature , the polymerization is complete within about 4 - 8 hours . preferably this process is carried out at ambient pressure , but it may also be conducted at other pressures known to one skilled in the art for polymerization . the synthesized or resultant block copolymers are represented by the repeating units of formulas ( i s ) and ( i h ): in which r i of formulas ( i s ) and ( i h ) is an aliphatic or aromatic radical of at least about 2 - 18 carbon atoms ; ( pe ) of formula ( i s ) is a polyether segment having a number average molecular weight , m n ( which is essentially equivalent to m n of the repeating formula ( i s )), ranging from about 600 to 8000 , and preferably about 1000 to 4000 ; and r a of formula ( i h ) is a linear or branched aliphatic radical of at least about 2 - 18 carbon atoms ; and , x is an oxygen atom or — nh —. if x is oxygen , the block copolymer is a polyurethane - polyether , and if x is — nh —, the block copolymer is a polyurea - polyether . within the block copolymer , the number of carbon atoms in the repeating units may vary and there may be varieties and combinations of numbers of carbon atoms therein . the number average molecular weight of the repeating formula ( i h ) is preferably in the range of about 200 to 3000 , and more preferably about 200 - 1000 . in a preferred embodiment of the invention r i is linear —( ch 2 ) 6 —, or a moiety of composition selected from the group primarily comprising formula ( s ), formula ( t ), formula ( u ), or ( v ) below , and a combination or mixtures thereof . these structures correspond 1 , 6 - hexanediisocyanate , tolylene - 2 , 6 - diisocyanate , tolylene - 2 , 4 - diisocyanate , 1 , 3 - xylylenediisocyanate , and 4 , 4 ′- methylenebis ( phenylisocyanate ), respectively . it has been discovered that the oxygen content and molecular weight of the polyether glycol affects permeation properties of the resulting block copolymers . thus , the polyether segment , ( pe ), is derived preferably from a polyether glycol of number average molecular weight of about 600 - 8000 , and more preferably about 1000 - 4000 , and preferably an oxygen / carbon ratio of about 0 . 2 - 0 . 5 . preferred polyether glycols are hydroxyl terminated polyethylene glycol , hydroxyl terminated 1 , 2 - polypropylene glycol , and hydroxyl terminated 1 , 4 - polybutylene glycol , although other glycols known or used by one skilled in the art may be used . the hard segment of the block copolymer is derived from the reaction of residual aliphatic or aromatic diisocyanate end groups or monomer with either at least one aliphatic diol or at least one aliphatic diamine . preferred diols or diamines contain at least about 2 - 18 carbon atoms and can be linear or branched . most preferred are diols or diamines containing at least about 2 - 6 carbon atoms . typical diols and diamines are ethylene glycol , 1 , 3 - propanediol , 1 , 2 - propanediol , 1 , 4 - butanediol , 1 , 6 - hexanediol , 1 , 2 - diaminoethane , 1 , 4 - diaminobutane , 1 , 5 - diaminopentane , 1 , 5 - diaminohexane , 1 , 6 - diaminohexane , and dl - serine ( 3 - amino - 2 - hydroxypropionic acid ), although other diols and diamines known or used by one skilled in the art may be used . typically , the polymers of this invention exhibit a number average molecular weight in the range from about 23 , 000 to 400 , 000 and preferably about 50 , 000 - 280 , 000 . as shown from the variety of combinations of components , a wide range and variety of types of polyurethane - polyether and polyurea - polyether block copolymers are contemplated and disclosed herein . it has also been discovered that the ratio of soft segment to hard segment of these block copolymers is critical to gas separation properties of the polymer and the ability to fabricate the polymers into suitable membranes . preferably , the soft segment comprises about 50 - 90 weight % of the polymer weight , and most preferably , about 60 - 85 %. these block copolymers exhibit superior permeability and permselectivity with respect to several gaseous mixtures and particularly with respect to separating polar gases from non - polar gases . they can be fabricated into various membrane structures , depending on the particular end use . gas separation membranes prepared from such block polymers possess an excellent balance of gas permeation rate and permselectivity for one gas over other gases in a multi - component gas mixture . it has been discovered that the membranes of this invention exhibit extremely high permeability for polar gases , and excellent permselectivity versus non - polar gases . thus , these membranes are ideally suited for the separation of polar gases , such as carbon dioxide , hydrogen sulfide , and sulfur dioxide from non - polar gases , such as helium , hydrogen , nitrogen , oxygen , and methane . since the separation of carbon dioxide from hydrogen is a difficult separation with high industrial significance , it was chosen to demonstrate the utility of the membranes of this invention . it was found that the polyurethane - ether and polyurea - ether membranes exhibit significantly higher carbon dioxide permeability than prior - art membranes while maintaining excellent carbon dioxide / hydrogen selectivity , thus clearly differentiating them from the prior art . the high gas permeability of these membranes is believed to be due to the propensity of the polyether soft segment to absorb high amounts of the more permeable gas . the high selectivity of these membranes is believed to be due to the interactions between the semi - crystalline polyurethane or polyurea hard segments and the polyether soft segments . the preferred polyurethane - polyether and polyurea - polyether block copolymers are insoluble or only slightly soluble in most common solvents . suitable solutions for membrane fabrication can be made using highly polar solvents such as n - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidone , n , n - dimethylacetamide , m - cresol and the like although other highly polar solvents known or used by one skilled in the art may be used . alternatively , membranes in accordance with this invention can be melt - processed at elevated temperatures , generally above 200 ° c . the polymer can be formed into films or hollow fiber membranes by any of the diverse techniques known or used by one skilled in the art . a preferred form of the membrane is a composite structure comprising a non - selective microporous support layer coated with a thin layer of the block copolymer to provide the separation function . typically , the support layer of such a composite membrane is made by solution - casting a film or spinning a hollow fiber . the selective layer is usually solution coated on the support in a separate step . alternatively , hollow - fiber composite membranes can be made by co - extrusion of both the support material and the separating layer simultaneously as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 085 , 676 . the membranes of the invention may be housed in any convenient type of separation unit . for example , flat - sheet membranes can be stacked in plate - and - frame modules or wound in spiral - wound modules . hollow - fiber membranes are typically potted with a thermoset resin in cylindrical housings . the final membrane separation unit can comprise one or more membrane modules . these can be housed individually in pressure vessels or multiple modules can be mounted together in a common housing of appropriate diameter and length . in operation , a mixture of gases is contacted with one side of the membrane . under a suitable driving force for permeation , such as imposing a pressure difference between the feed and permeate sides of the membrane , one gas , usually called the “ fast ” gas , passes to the permeate side at higher rate than other gases in the mixture . this produces a “ fast ” gas - enriched or concentrated stream which is withdrawn from the permeate side of the membrane . the “ fast ” gas - depleted residue , occasionally referred to as the “ retentate ”, is withdrawn from the feed side . the membranes of this invention are particularly suited for separating polar gases from non - polar gases . that is , the polar gases permeate faster than the non - polar gases . for example , the membranes of this invention are well suited for separating carbon dioxide ( polar gas ) from hydrogen , or carbon dioxide from methane or nitrogen . thus a gas mixture that contains carbon dioxide and hydrogen can be separated into a carbon dioxide - rich stream , and a carbon dioxide - depleted stream . the carbon dioxide - rich stream , often referred to as the “ permeate ”, is collected at lower pressure on the permeate side of the membrane , and the carbon dioxide - depleted stream , occasionally referred to as the “ retentate ”, is withdrawn from the feed side . the novel process can operate under a wide range of conditions and is thus adapted to accept a feed stream supplied from diverse sources . if the feed stream is a gas that exists already at a sufficiently high , above - atmospheric pressure and a pressure gradient is maintained across the membrane , the driving force for separation can be adequate without raising feed stream pressure farther . otherwise , the feed stream can be compressed to a higher pressure and / or a vacuum can be drawn on the permeate side of the membrane to provide adequate driving force . preferably the driving force for separation should be a pressure gradient across the membrane of about 0 . 7 to about 11 . 0 mpa ( 100 - 1600 psi ). a ) providing a two - sided , selective permeable membrane comprising a block copolymer having the repeating units of formulae ( i s ) and ( i h ), b ) contacting a first side of the membrane with a feed gas mixture , c ) causing the component gases of the feed mixture to selectively permeate through the membrane , thereby forming on the second side of the membrane a permeate composition which has a greater concentration of a more permeable species than that of the feed mixture , d ) removing from the second side of the membrane a permeate composition enriched in the more permeable species , and e ) withdrawing from the first side of the membrane a gas composition depleted in the more permeable species . this invention is now illustrated by examples of certain representative embodiments thereof , wherein all parts , proportions and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated . all units of weight and measure not originally obtained in si units have been converted to si units . a flame - dried 3 - necked round bottomed flask , equipped with a mechanical stirrer , an addition funnel , and a nitrogen inlet , was charged with the hydroxyl terminated polyether glycol , t - 12 catalyst ( dibutyltindilaurate ), and n - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidone (“ nmp ”). the diisocyanate , dissolved in nmp , was added drop - wise to the solution over a 5 - minute period . the solution was gradually heated to around 90 ° c . for 2 hours under a nitrogen atmosphere . the solution was then cooled to room temperature and the diol ( or diamine ), dissolved in nmp , was added drop - wise over a 5 - minute period . the polymer solution was then heated to around 80 - 90 ° c . for 2 hours . after cooling the polymer solution to room temperature , the copolymer was precipitated by pouring the solution into acetone at room temperature , and ground up in a blender . the polymer was filtered and washed with acetone ( 2 ×). the polymer was air - dried overnight at room temperature and then further dried in a vacuum oven at 80 ° c . for 36 hours . a film was solution cast from a solvent such as nmp or m - cresol , or melt - pressed . for the solution cast method , a 20 % ( by weight ) polymer solution was cast onto a glass plate that has been preheated to around 80 - 100 ° c . the film is kept of the plate for 12 - 18 hours to ensure the removal of most of the solvent . after removing the film from the glass plate , the film is further dried in a vacuum oven at 80 ° c . under a nitrogen atmosphere for 3 days . for the melt pressed film , the polymer is pressed at an elevated temperature ( generally around 200 ° c .) in a melt - press at about 5000 psi using a 0 . 10 mm ( 4 mil ) template . the material was maintained at the elevated temperature for 1 - 2 minutes , and then allowed to gradually cool in the press . the film is then removed from the template . a sample disk of 47 mm diameter was cut from a sheet of polymer film ( generally 0 . 05 to 0 . 30 mm thick ) and placed in a 47 - mm ultrafiltration permeation cell ( millipore ) modified for gas permeation measurement . permeation measurements were conducted by placing the cell in an oven maintained at 35 ° c . hydrogen , at a pressure of 1 . 5 mpa ( 200 psig ), followed by carbon dioxide at ( 1 . 5 mpa ) was introduced into the cell , in that order . the permeate pressure was maintained at 4 - 20 mmhg . the permeate flowrate was determined from the rate of increase in pressure over time in the fixed - volume permeate chamber of the permeation cell with a baratron pressure sensor . the permeation performance of the polymer was characterized in terms of carbon dioxide permeability and carbon dioxide / hydrogen permselectivity . the permeability is the permeate flowrate normalized by the film surface area and the film thickness and by the pressure difference across the film . units of permeability are barrers . one barrer is 10 − 10 cm 3 ( stp )· cm /( sec · cm2 · cm hg ). the carbon dioxide / hydrogen permselectivity is the ratio of the carbon dioxide and hydrogen permeabilities . a sample disk of 47 mm diameter was cut from a sheet of polymer film ( generally 0 . 050 to 0 . 30 mm thick ) and placed in a 47 - mm ultrafiltration permeation cell ( millipore ) modified for gas permeation measurement . the cell was equipped with ports for a feed stream and a retentate stream on the upstream side of the sample disk and for a permeate stream on the downstream side of the sample disk . permeation measurements were conducted by placing the cell in an oven maintained at 35 ° c . a feed gas mixture of 20 % carbon dioxide in hydrogen was provided as the feed stream at a pressure of 1 . 5 mpa ( 200 psig ). the feed flowrate was set high enough to ensure less than 1 % conversion of the feed into permeate . the permeate pressure was 4 - 20 mmhg . the composition of the feed and permeate streams was measured by gas chromatography with a thermal conductivity detector and high - purity nitrogen as carrier gas . the permeate composition was in the range 20 to 80 % carbon dioxide . the permeate flowrate was determined from the rate of increase in pressure over time in the fixed - volume permeate chamber of the permeation cell with a baratron pressure sensor . the permeation performance of the polymer was characterized in terms of carbon dioxide permeability and carbon dioxide / hydrogen permselectivity . the carbon dioxide permeability is the flowrate of carbon dioxide across the film normalized by the film surface area and film thickness and by the carbon dioxide partial pressure difference across the film . units of permeability are barrers . one barrer equals 10 − 10 cm 3 ( stp )· cm /( sec · cm 2 · cm hg ). the carbon dioxide / hydrogen permselectivity is simply the ratio of the carbon dioxide and hydrogen permeabilities . a film pebax mh1657 , a polyether - block co - polyamide polymer from atofina chemicals , inc , 2000 market street , philadelphia , pa ., 19103 , was melt pressed at 250 ° c . at 5000 psig using a 3 - mil template (˜ 3 . 0 g of polymer ). the sample was maintained at 250 ° c . for 1 minute at pressure , then allowed to cool to 10 ° c . a disk of the film was tested for gas permeation properties as described above . a flame - dried 3 - necked 250 ml round bottomed flask , equipped with a mechanical stirrer , an addition funnel , and a nitrogen inlet , was charged with 15 . 0 g ( 0 . 0075 mol ) of ppg - 2000 ( hydroxyl terminated poly - 1 , 2 - propylene glycol , mw ˜ 2000 ), 0 . 10 g of t - 12 catalyst ( dibutyltindilaurate ), and 80 ml of nmp . the solution was stirred at room temperature and 3 . 785 g ( 0 . 0225 mol ) of hdi [ hexane - 1 , 6 - diisocyanate ], dissolved in 20 ml of nmp , were added drop - wise to the solution over a 5 - minute period . the solution was gradually heated to around 90 ° c . and kept at this temperature for 2 hours under a nitrogen atmosphere . the solution was then cooled to room temperature and 1 . 352 g ( 0 . 015 mol ) of 1 , 4 - butane diol , dissolved in 20 ml of nmp , were added drop - wise over a 5 - minute period . the polymer solution was then reheated to 80 - 90 ° c . for 2 hours . after cooling the polymer solution to room temperature , the polyurethane - ether was precipitated into water and ground up in a blender . the polymer was filtered and washed with water ( 3 ×). the polymer was air - dried overnight at room temperature and then further dried in a vacuum oven at 80 ° c . for 36 hours . the polymer had an inherent viscosity of 0 . 60 dl / g in nmp at 25 ° c . a film was cast from a 20 % ( by weight ) nmp solution onto a glass plate at around 100 ° c . for 12 hours . the film was then removed from the plate and allowed to air - dry at room temperature overnight . the film was then further dried in a vacuum oven at 80 ° c . for 72 hours . a flame - dried 3 - necked 250 ml round bottomed flask , equipped with a mechanical stirrer , an addition funnel , and a nitrogen inlet , was charged with 15 . 0 g ( 0 . 005 mol ) of ppg - 3000 ( hydroxyl terminated poly - 1 , 2 - propylene glycol , mw ˜ 3000 ), 0 . 10 g of t - 12 catalyst ( dibutyltindilaurate ), and 80 ml of nmp . the solution was stirred at room temperature and 2 , 523 g ( 0 . 015 mol ) of hdi [ hexane - 1 , 6 - diisocyanate ], dissolved in 20 ml of nmp , was added drop wise to the solution over a 5 - minute period . the solution was gradually heated to around 90 ° c . and kept at this temperature for 2 hours under a nitrogen atmosphere . the solution was then cooled to room temperature and 1 . 022 g ( 0 . 010 mol ) of 1 , 5 - diaminopentane , dissolved in 20 ml of nmp , was added drop wise over a 5 - minute period . the polymer solution was then reheated to around 80 - 90 ° c . for 2 hours . after cooling the polymer solution to room temperature , the polyurea - ether was precipitated into water and ground up in a blender . the polymer was filtered and washed with water ( 3 ×). the polymer was air - dried overnight at room temperature and then further dried in a vacuum oven at 80 ° c . for 36 hours . the polymer had an inherent viscosity of 0 . 77 dl / g in nmp at 25 ° c . a film was cast from a 20 % ( by weight ) m - cresol solution onto a glass plate at around 100 ° c . for 12 hours . the film was then removed from the plate and allowed to air - dry at room temperature overnight . the film was then further dried in a vacuum oven at 80 ° c . for 72 hours . various polymers were made using the ingredients depicted in table 1 utilizing the synthesis techniques of example 1 and example 2 . dense films were either cast from solution or melt pressed to form films for permeation testing . gas permeation results are shown in table 1 . it should be noted that the gas permeabilities could also be tested at other suitable temperatures and / or pressures . typically , the membranes are used to separate gases which are at about 0 ° c . to about 120 ° c . additionally , the membranes of this invention may vary in thickness and can be of about 0 . 00005 mm about 0 . 30 mm or of other thickness known or used by one skilled in the art . all gas testing results are by the single gas test method unless the example number is designated with an *, in which case the mixed gas test was used it is clear from the above examples that the polyurethane - ether and polyurea - ether membranes of this invention exhibit significantly higher carbon dioxide permeability than prior - art polymers while maintaining excellent carbon dioxide / hydrogen selectivity , thus clearly differentiating them from the prior art . although specific forms of the invention have been selected for illustration in the preceding description is drawn in specific terms for the purpose of describing these forms of the invention fully and amply for one of average skill in the pertinent art , it should be understood that various substitutions and modifications which bring about substantially equivalent or superior results and / or performance are deemed to be within the scope and spirit of the following claims .
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a preferred embodiment of the present invention is now described with reference to the figures where like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements . some portions of the detailed descriptions that follow are presented in terms of stochastic optimization agents which can be implemented by those skilled in data processing art to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art . it should be noted that the stochastic optimization agents of the present invention could be embodied in software , could be downloaded to reside on and be operated from different platforms used by a variety of operating systems . the present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the operations herein . this apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes , or it may comprise a general - purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in a computer . furthermore , the computers referred to in the specifications may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability . the stochastic optimization agents presented herein are not inherently related o any particular computer of other apparatus . various general - purpose systems may also be used with programs in accordance with the teaching herein , or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus . the required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description below . in addition , the present invention is not described with reference to any programming language . it will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the present invention as describe herein , and any references below to specific languages are provided for disclosure of enablement and best mode of the present invention . accordingly , the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative , but not limiting , of the scope of the invention , which is set forth in the claims . fig1 provides an overview of the processing completed by the stochastic optimization agents of the multimedia resource discovery and retrieval system . processing starts in this system 110 when the data extraction portion of the stochastic optimization component extract multimedia files from a mapping of an information ecosystem 111 to selected areas of the network structure of the internet infrastructure 112 which provides access to external databases 113 , web data 114 , organization system databases 115 , or internal data warehouses 116 . fig2 presents the adaptive stochastic optimization agents 221 - 230 for the stochastic optimization component of multimedia resource discovery and retrieval system based on the information discovery model . this model has built - in mechanisms that allow each stochastic optimization agent to adapt its operational parameters to a changing environment . the stochastic optimization agents 221 - 230 are applied to the ever - changing environment of local area network ( lan ) and / or a wide area network ( wan ) traffic which varies considerably , depending on : 1 ) time of day , 2 ) time zones , 3 ) various holiday and / or vacation patterns that exist throughout the world , and 4 ) naturally occurring disasters . the stochastic optimization further agents 228 - 230 communicate via message passing mechanisms 231 , 232 , and emulate stochastic optimization information search strategies for : locating forage sources , and detecting and avoiding foraging congestion . stochastic optimization probe further agents 228 are deployed throughout the information ecosystem 111 in search of isps hosting multimedia services in order to initiate the development of customized routes for the retrieval of multimedia files by stochastic optimization forager further agents 230 . stochastic optimization scout further agents 229 use information obtained by the stochastic optimization probe further agents 228 to detect network congestion . the various objectives just mentioned are monitored by the stochastic optimization agents 221 , 222 and stochastic optimization regulatory agents 223 - 226 using rescaled adjusted range ( rs ) statistics . the stochastic optimization agents 221 , 222 focus on performance monitoring of the interaction between stochastic optimization regulatory agents 223 - 226 . the stochastic optimization probe agents 224 , 228 and stochastic optimization forager agents 225 , 229 form crucial components of the stochastic optimization component of the multimedia resource discovery and retrieval systems . each located isp is identified as useful by stochastic optimization probe regulatory agents 224 if it provides the desired multimedia services . these marked sites are provided to the stochastic optimization scout regulatory agent 225 . the stochastic optimization probe further agents 228 are not concerned with network congestion or any other aspect of file retrieval . the stochastic optimization scout regulatory agents 225 proceed with the site metrics provided by only its group stochastic optimization probe regulatory agents 224 . stochastic optimization scout further agents 229 are released to each selected site periodically to gather and update information ecosystem 111 congestion traffic metrics . the stochastic optimization scout regulatory agent 225 use these metrics on a per - site basis to determine the feasibility of retrieving multimedia files from a selected site . site rankings are based on the results of the feasibility tests which use rs statistics to perform time series analysis on each site &# 39 ; s congestion metrics . the feasibility results for each site vary based on the time of day , time zone location with respect to the location of the stochastic optimization agents of multimedia resource discovery and retrieval system , localized holiday and vacation patterns , and natural disasters . the periodic feasibility update of each site occurs within a random time period and is based on the workload of each stochastic optimization scout regulatory agent 225 and stochastic optimization forager regulatory agent 226 coupled with the update rate of the newly located sites provided by its corresponding stochastic optimization probe regulatory agents 224 . the stochastic optimization regulatory agents 223 - 226 contain those features essential for releasing and coordinating the stochastic optimization further agents 227 - 230 . each stochastic optimization regulatory agents 223 - 226 has a finite scope , limiting its activity to those isps inscribed within an area whose radius is given by a value v ( its visibility ). the stochastic optimization probe regulatory agent 224 provide stochastic optimization scout regulatory agent 225 with results in the form of ip addresses reflecting initial visits to random isps . the stochastic optimization scout regulatory agent 225 use the ip address of the appropriate isp in order to start the process of determining / charting the optimal ( customized ) route using rs statistics . the stochastic optimization forager regulatory agent 226 uses the selected ip address if the rs statistics indicate that the corresponding information server meets the required qos . this methodology has the ability to discover new isps as well as new sub - hosts , thus providing services to both new and existing information clients — this in turn resulting in faster discovery of new and updated documents . each stochastic optimization further agent 227 - 230 is : 1 . reactive — can interact with the information ecosystem 111 within appropriate time limits 2 . independent — can act on its own 3 . robust — can cope with the ever - changing network environment within the information ecosystem the efficiency of the stochastic optimization forager further agents 230 is due to customized isp router tables which are discovered by the stochastic optimization scout further agents 229 — the result of periodic searches for optimized routes that exist for short periods of time . the initial step in this methodology is the releasing of stochastic optimization probe further agents 228 for all isps in a manner similar to reliable flooding . the rapid release of a series of stochastic optimization further agents ( probe / scout / forager sets 228 - 230 ) can have an adverse affect on the receiving host ( isp server ) as well as on the releasing stochastic optimization regulatory agent 224 - 226 . each stochastic optimization regulatory agent 223 - 226 creates a series of stochastic optimization further agents 227 - 230 which can exhaust the resources of the system resources allocated to the stochastic optimization regulatory agent 223 - 226 . the stochastic optimization further agents 228 - 230 are most effective in the event / case of reliable flooding , where monitoring stochastic optimization agents 221 , 222 and stochastic optimization regulatory agents 224 - 226 are used to adequately control and coordinate valuable information returned by each individual process . the isp hosting multimedia services may interpret the simultaneous requests as a form of flooding , resulting in requests being queued at the router level and / or server level . in the worst - case scenario , the life - span of a stochastic optimization further agent agents 228 - 230 will exceed the amount of time needed to establish communication with the selected isp and retrieve the requested information . attempts to avoid worst - case scenarios are made through the use of rs statistics provided by the stochastic optimization scout further agents 229 . the stochastic optimization regulatory agents 223 - 226 needed for retrieving multimedia documents require some form of adaptive methodology since each stochastic optimization further agent 227 - 230 searches for efficient paths ( routes ) to an uncongested source of information ( documents ) in order to build the stochastic optimization component of multimedia resource discovery and retrieval system isp router tables . the stochastic optimization forager regulatory agent 226 receives input from the stochastic optimization scout regulatory agent 225 which makes retrieval decisions based on the conversion of congestion detection information into high - level congestion avoidance mechanisms before releasing stochastic optimization forager further agents 230 . the release of stochastic optimization forager further agents 230 can only occur if the stochastic optimization scout regulatory agent 225 indicates that the feasibility results pass the qos requirements imposed by the stochastic optimization component of multimedia resource discovery and retrieval systems . this layer of congestion avoidance incorporates network metrics from mechanisms used to customize routes between the location of the stochastic optimization component of multimedia resource discovery and retrieval systems and each selected isp . snapshots of source / destination traffic flow can change drastically over relatively short periods of time — depending on the release and return of each stochastic optimization scout further agents 229 . the second layer of congestion avoidance is handled implicitly by information ecosystem and internet routers and switches 111 , 112 between the source 110 and destination 113 , 114 , 115 , 116 .
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the present invention provides a non - volatile memory ( nvm ) transistor that takes advantage of the threshold instability of a negatively biased p - channel transistor at a high temperature . fig1 is a layout diagram illustrating a five - terminal p - channel nvm transistor 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . fig2 a is a cross sectional view of p - channel nvm transistor 100 along section line a - a of fig1 . fig2 b is a cross sectional view of p - channel nvm transistor 100 along section line b - b of fig1 . as described in more detail below , p - channel nvm transistor 100 is controlled to operate as a non - volatile memory cell . p - channel nvm transistor 100 , which is fabricated in p - type substrate 201 and n - type well region 202 , includes p - type source / drain regions 101 - 102 , n - type well contact region 103 , field dielectric region 105 , gate electrode 110 , electrically conductive contact elements 121 - 125 , electrically conductive traces 131 - 135 and dielectric sidewall spacers 140 . p - channel transistor 100 is fabricated using conventional cmos processing techniques . in the described embodiments , p - type substrate 201 is a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate ( e . g ., silicon ). n - type well region 202 is formed in substrate 201 using conventional cmos processing techniques ( e . g ., n - type ion implantation ). field dielectric region 105 is formed in the upper surface of n - type well region 202 as illustrated . in the illustrated embodiments , field dielectric region 105 is a shallow trench isolation ( sti ) region , which is created by forming a trench in substrate 201 , and then filling the trench with a dielectric material , such as silicon oxide . however , in other embodiments , field dielectric region 105 can be formed by the local oxidation of silicon ( locos ). a gate dielectric layer 106 is formed over the upper surface of n - type well region 202 . the gate dielectric layer 106 can be , for example , thermally grown silicon oxide having a thickness in the range of about 10 to 25 angstroms . a conductively doped polycrystalline silicon ( polysilicon ) layer 111 is formed over the upper surface of the gate dielectric layer 106 . in the described embodiment , polysilicon layer 111 has a thickness in the range of about 500 to 1500 angstroms . in this embodiment polysilicon layer 111 is doped with boron to a dopant concentration in the range of about 10 20 atoms / cm 3 . a layer of refractive metal polysilicide 112 is formed over the upper surface of polysilicon layer 111 . in one embodiment , metal polysilicide layer 112 is formed by depositing a layer of refractive metal , such as titanium ( ti ), nickel ( ni ) or cobalt ( co ), on polysilicon layer 111 . a subsequent thermal anneal causes the refractive metal to react with the underlying polysilicon layer , thereby forming metal polysilicide layer 112 . alternately , a layer of metal polysilicide ( tisi or cosi ) can be deposited directly on polysilicon layer 111 . in accordance with one embodiment , metal polysilicide layer 112 has a thickness in the range of about 1000 to 2000 angstroms . the metal polysilicide layer 112 and polysilicon layer 111 are patterned to form gate electrode 110 . gate electrode 110 includes a first end 110 a dimensioned to receive a first contact element 123 , a second end 110 b dimensioned to receive a second contact element 124 , and a central region 110 c dimensioned to define a channel region 104 of p - channel nvm transistor 100 . lightly doped source / drain regions ( p −) are formed in n - well region 202 , wherein the edges of these p − regions are self - aligned with edges of gate electrode 110 . dielectric sidewall spacers 140 ( e . g ., silicon nitride , silicon oxide , or silicon oxynitride ) are formed adjacent to gate electrode 110 . heavily doped source / drain contact regions ( p +) are formed in n - well region 202 , wherein the edges of these p + regions are self - aligned with edges of sidewall spacers 140 . the p + and p − regions form p - type source / drain regions 101 and 102 . in an alternate embodiment , lightly doped p − regions and sidewall spacers 140 can be eliminated . heavily doped n - well contact region 103 ( n +) is formed in n - well region 202 , away from source / drain regions 101 - 102 . in one embodiment , self - aligned metal polysilicide ( i . e ., salicide ) can be formed over exposed upper surfaces of source / drain regions 101 - 102 , n + type contact region 103 and polysilicon layer 111 , in a manner known to those of ordinary skill in the semiconductor processing art . electrically conductive contact elements 121 , 122 , 123 , 124 and 125 are formed through a first dielectric layer ( not shown ), thereby contacting source / drain region 101 , source / drain region 102 , the first end 110 a of gate electrode 110 , the second end 110 b of gate electrode 110 , and n + contact region 103 , respectively . contact element 123 ( coupled to first end 110 a ) and contact element 124 ( coupled to second end 110 b ) may be coupled to separate nodes in a circuit , thereby allowing for independent control of first end 110 a and second end 110 b of gate electrode 110 . in the described embodiment , contact elements 121 - 125 are tungsten . however , other materials can be used to form contact elements 121 - 125 in other embodiments . electrically conductive traces 131 - 135 , which are formed over the first dielectric layer , contact the contact elements 121 - 125 , respectively . although traces 131 - 135 are all illustrated as part of a first conductive layer ( e . g ., the first metal layer ), it is understood that these traces may be located in different conductive layers in other embodiments , as required by the layout of the associated device . in accordance with one embodiment , five - terminal p - channel nvm transistor 100 is controlled to operate as a non - volatile memory cell in the manner described below . nvm transistor 100 is programmed by applying a first program control voltage to the first end 110 a of gate electrode , a second program control voltage to the second end 110 b of gate electrode 110 , and a third program control voltage to the body / substrate ( i . e ., n - well 202 ) of nvm transistor 100 . the first program control voltage is selected to be greater than the second program control voltage , such that a programming current flows through gate electrode 110 , thereby generating localized heat . the third programming control voltage is selected to be greater than the second programming control voltage , such that p - channel nvm transistor 100 is negatively biased . the localized heat and negative bias causes an accelerated threshold voltage shift within p - channel nvm transistor 100 . in the present embodiment , p - channel nvm transistor 100 is programmed by applying a first positive supply voltage to the first end 110 a of gate electrode 110 , a second positive supply voltage to n - well 202 , and a ground supply voltage to the second end 110 b of gate electrode 110 . the first positive supply voltage is a core supply voltage v cc , which is typically used to operate the core logic of a cmos device , or an input / output supply voltage v dd , which is typically used to operate the input / output logic of a cmos device . for example , core supply voltage v cc may have a nominal value of 1 volt . the second positive supply voltage can be an input / output supply voltage v dd , which is typically used to operate the input / output logic of a cmos device . for example , input / output supply voltage v dd may have a nominal value of 2 . 5 or 3 . 3 volts . note that both supply voltages v cc and v dd are normal operating voltages of the cmos device . under the above - described conditions , a current of about 10 to 20 milli - amperes passes through gate electrode 110 , thereby heating the polysilicon and metal polysilicide layers of gate electrode 110 . also under these conditions , the second end 110 b of gate electrode 110 is negatively biased with respect to n - well region 202 . the heat generated within gate electrode 110 and the negative bias voltage on this gate electrode 110 results in a bias temperature degradation effect on p - channel nvm transistor 100 . in accordance with one embodiment , the programming operation is performed for a duration of about 100 microseconds to 100 milliseconds . during this time , gate electrode 110 reaches a temperature in the range of about 400 ° c . to 900 ° c . under these conditions , the threshold voltage of transistor 100 shifts ( i . e ., becomes more negative ), such that transistor 100 will not conduct current when a conventional read control voltage ( e . g ., 0 volts ) is applied to gate electrode 110 . for example , the threshold voltage of p - channel transistor 100 may shift from a range of about − 0 . 3 to − 0 . 4 volts , to a range of about − 1 . 1 to − 2 . 0 volts . it is important to note that the programming operation permanently shifts the threshold voltage of p - channel transistor 100 , such that this transistor operates as a non - volatile memory cell . to read the programmed / non - programmed state of p - channel nvm transistor 100 , a ground supply voltage ( 0 volts ) is applied to both ends 110 a and 110 b of gate electrode 110 and to source / drain terminal 102 . the v cc supply voltage is applied to n - well region 202 and source / drain region 101 . current sense circuitry ( not shown ) is coupled to source / drain region 101 . if nvm transistor 100 is programmed , the threshold voltage of this transistor is negative enough to prevent current from flowing between source / drain regions 101 - 102 . thus , the current sense circuitry fails to detect a significant read current when nvm transistor 100 is programmed . the current sense circuitry identifies the absence of read current as a first logic stage ( e . g ., a logic “ 1 ” value ). conversely , if nvm transistor 100 is not programmed , the threshold voltage of this transistor is less negative , thereby allowing a significant read current to flow between source / drain regions 101 - 102 . thus , the current sense circuitry detects a significant read current when nvm transistor 100 is not programmed . the current sense circuitry identifies the presence of a read current as a second logic state ( e . g ., a logic “ 0 ” value ). in this manner , the current sense circuitry is able to identify the programmed / non - programmed state of p - channel nvm transistor 100 . in the described embodiment , the duration of the read operation is comparable to the duration of a read operation of a conventional non - volatile memory cell , on the order of 1 microsecond . p - channel nvm transistor 100 may be placed in an off ( standby ) state , wherein no current flows between source / drain regions 101 - 102 , by applying the v cc supply voltage to gate electrode 110 , source / drain region 101 and n - well region 202 , and applying the ground supply voltage to source / drain region 102 . one advantage of p - channel nvm transistor 100 is that this transistor can be fabricated using a conventional cmos process , without requiring any additional process steps or masks . in addition , nvm transistor 100 can be programmed without a high programming voltage ( i . e ., a voltage greater than the normal operating voltage of other transistors formed on the same substrate as transistor 100 ). nvm transistor 100 can advantageously be used in an application such as repairing bad circuitry ( i . e ., disabling faulty circuitry and enabling redundant circuitry ). a plurality of nvm transistors identical to transistor 100 can be used to store an encryption key in a device for security applications . nvm transistor 100 has an advantage over conventional fuse - based nvm technology in an encryption key application . when using conventional fuse - based nvm technology , a visual inspection of the fuse - based elements may reveal the encryption key , because the physical characteristics of programmed and non - programmed fused - base nvm devices are different . however , the physical differences between the programmed and non - programmed nvm transistor 100 are subtle , thereby making it difficult to reverse engineer the contents of this nvm transistor 100 . although the invention has been described in connection with several embodiments , it is understood that this invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed , but is capable of various modifications , which would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art . for example , although a single p - channel nvm transistor has been described , it is understood that an array of these transistors can be created . such an array could be used in any application where a non - volatile memory fabricated using a standard cmos process would be desirable , for instance in a programmable read - only memory ( prom ) or a programmable logic device ( pld ). as another example , other types of transistors , such as n - type transistors , may be used in accordance with the present invention . thus , the present invention is only limited by the following claims .
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referring now to the drawings , wherein like numerals indicate the same elements throughout the views , fig1 illustrates an exemplary prior art variable stator vane assembly . in fig1 the stator vane is indicated at 1 and is shown located between a pair of compressor blades 2 and 3 representing adjacent compressor stages . the compressor casing is illustrated at 4 and is provided with an outwardly extending boss 5 . the compressor casing is provided with a bore 6 having an inner portion 6a , an intermediate portion 6b of lesser diameter , and an outer portion 6c having a diameter greater than the portion 6b and slightly less than the portion 6a . an annular shoulder 7 is formed between bore portions 6a and 6b . a second annular shoulder 8 is formed between bore portions 6b and 6c . the variable stator vane 1 has a base 9 provided with an annular portion 10 and a central spindle 11 . the spindle 11 has a first portion 11a terminating in a second threaded portion 11b of lesser diameter . the base portion 9 , annular portion 10 and spindle 11 extend into and through the casing bore 6 . a composite thrust washer 12 is located between the base 9 and the annular shoulder 7 . a composite bushing 13 is also provided . the composite bushing 13 has a cylindrical journal bearing portion 13a located between the bore portion 6b and the annular portion 10 of the variable stator blade base 9 . the bushing 13 also has an annular thrust washer portion 13b overlying the shoulder 8 . the stator vane spindle portion 11a extends through a perforation 14 in a spacer 15 . the spacer 15 has a circular peripheral configuration and a depending outer rim portion 15a which faces the portion 13b of bushing 13 . the portion 11a of spindle 11 also passes through a perforation 16 through one end of a lever arm 17 . spindle portion 11a has a flat formed thereon ( not shown ) and the perforation 16 is correspondingly configured , so that the lever arm 17 is non - rotatable with respect to the spindle portion 11a . the lever arm 17 is operatively connected to the variable stator vane actuation system ( not shown ) described heretofore . the spindle 11 passes through an alignment sleeve 18 and the assembly thus far described is held together by a nut 19 threadedly engaged on the spindle portion 11b . when nut 19 is tightened , the outer end of annular portion 10 abuts spacer 15 assuring a running clearance between the base 9 and the thrust washer 12 as well as between the depending outer rim portion 15a of the spacer 15 and the portion 13b of bushing 13 . from the above description , it will be apparent that in order to replace the thrust washer 12 and bushing 13 , it is necessary to remove the casing 4 from the compressor section of the engine and to remove the variable stator vane base elements 9 , 10 and 11 from the casing bore 6 . reference is now made to fig2 wherein the variable stator vane assembly of the present invention is illustrated . the variable stator vane is indicated at 20 and is located between a pair of compressor blades 21 and 22 , representing adjacent compressor stages . the compressor casing is illustrated at 23 and is provided with a high , upstanding boss 24 . the boss 24 has a rectangular peripheral configuration . a bore 25 is located centrally of the boss . the bore 25 has a first portion 25a and a second portion 25b of lesser diameter , forming a shoulder 26 therebetween . the embodiment of fig2 also includes a housing 27 . the housing 27 is also shown in fig3 and 4 the housing 27 is a metal member having a cylindrical body 27a . at its inner end , the body 27a terminates in a planar , annular bottom surface 27b . at its outer end , the body 27a is provided with a lateral flange 27c having a rectangular peripheral configuration . the housing 27 has a central bore 28 . the bore 28 has a first portion 28a and a second portion 28b of greater diameter . an annular shoulder 29 is formed between the two bore portions . the housing 27 supports a bushing assembly 30 . the bushing assembly 30 preferably constitutes an integral , one - piece structure and is made of any material appropriate for this use . excellent results have been obtained using a woven fabric impregnated with resin and formed directly within the housing 27 . under these circumstances , the resin bonds the bushing assembly 30 to the housing 27 . the bushing assembly has a journal bearing cylindrical portion 30a . the bushing assembly portion 30a terminates at its inner end in an annular thrust bearing portion 30b overlying the inner end 27b of housing 27 . the bushing assembly portion 30a terminates at its outer end in an annular thrust bearing portion 30c which overlies the housing shoulder 29 . the housing body 27a has an external diameter equivalent to the internal diameter of the casing bore portion 25b and is receivable therein , as is shown in fig2 . the flange 27c of housing 27 is adapted to overlie the high boss 24 of the compressor casing 23 . the housing flange 27c has a pair of perforations 31 and 32 located in opposite corners thereof . the compressor casing boss 24 is provided with a pair of threaded bores ( not shown ) coaxial with the flange perforations 31 and 32 , respectively . a pair of bolts 33 and 34 extend through the perforations 31 and 32 and threadedly engage in the threaded boss bores ( not shown ) to secure the housing 27 in its mounted position as shown in fig2 . the bolt 34 is shown in phantom lines in fig2 since it would not normally be visible in this figure . the adjustable stator vane 20 is provided with a base 35 and an upstanding spindle 36 . the spindle 36 has a first portion 36a , a second portion 36b of lesser diameter , and a third portion 36c of yet lesser diameter . the third portion 36c is externally threaded , as shown in fig2 . a shoulder 36d is formed between spindle portions 36a and 36b . the base 35 of the variable stator vane 20 is receivable with clearance in the bore portion 25a of the casing bore 25 . it will be noted that the thrust bearing portion 30b of bushing assembly 30 is located between the variable stator vane base 35 and the inner annular end surface 27b of housing 27 . the first spindle portion 36a is of a diameter approximating the internal diameter of the journal bearing portion 30a of bushing assembly 30 and is rotatively received therein . a disc - like spacer 37 has a peripheral diameter slightly less than the diameter of housing bore portion 28b and is receivable therein , overlying the thrust bearing portion 30c of bearing assembly 30 . it will be noted that the periphery of spacer 37 is relieved as at 37a to provide clearance for the heads of bolts 33 and 34 . the spacer 37 has a central perforation 38 through which the spindle portion 36b extends with clearance . the spacer 37 is surmounted by an alignment sleeve 39 having a central bore 40 , coaxial with the spacer perforation 38 . the variable stator vane spindle portion 36b extends into the bore 40 of alignment sleeve 39 . spindle portion 36b has a number of flats ( not shown ) formed thereon and the alignment sleeve bore 40 is correspondingly configured to render the alignment sleeve non - rotatable with respect to the spindle 36 . the elements thus far described are held in place by a hex nut 41 , threadedly engaged on the threaded shaft portion 36c and abutting the alignment sleeve 39 . when the hex nut 41 is tightened , the spacer 37 abuts the spindle shoulder 36d assuring a running clearance between the base 35 and bushing portion 30b as well as between the spacer 37 and bearing portion 30c . the threaded portion 36c of shaft 36 extends through a perforation 42 in a lever arm 43 . the alignment sleeve 39 is provided with three peripheral flats , one of which is shown at 39a in fig2 . each of the alignment sleeve flats is engaged by a depending tab on the lever arm 43 . one such tab is shown at 43a in fig2 and 6 . a second one of the tabs is shown at 43b in fig6 . this arrangement assures that the lever arm 43 is non - rotatable with respect to the alignment sleeve 39 . since the alignment sleeve 39 is non - rotatable with respect to spindle 36 , the lever arm 43 is also non - rotatable with respect thereto . the other end of lever arm 43 ( not shown ) is operatively attached to the variable stator vane actuation system , described above . the lever arm 43 is held in place by a nut 44 threadedly engaged on shaft portion 36c . it would be within the scope of the present invention to provide a multi - piece bearing assembly of any appropriate bearing material such as a carbon composite material , rather than the one - piece bearing assembly 30 . this is illustrated in fig5 . the housing of fig5 is designated by index numeral 45 and is essentially identical to the housing 27 of fig4 . to this end , the housing 45 is a metallic member having a cylindrical body 45a , terminating at its inner end in a planar , annular bottom surface 45b . at its outer end , the body 45a is provided with a lateral flange 45c identical to the flange 27c of fig4 . as in the case of the housing 27 of fig4 the housing 45 of fig5 has a central bore 46 having a first portion 46a and a second portion 46b of greater diameter , an annular shoulder 47 being formed therebetween . in this instance , the bushing assembly comprises a cylindrical journal bearing 48 , an inner thrust washer 49 and an outer thrust washer 50 . the cylindrical journal bearing 48 and the outer thrust washer 50 are held in place by an interference fit . the inner thrust washer 49 is maintained in place by an annular swaged area 51 about the inner surface 45b of housing 45 . alternatively , the annular swaged area 51 could be replaced by an annular bead of solder or the like . it will be understood by one skilled in the art that the housing 45 and its bushing elements 48 , 49 and 50 could be readily substituted in the assembly of fig2 for the housing 27 and the bearing assembly 30 . the invention having been described in detail , the manner in which the housing 27 and its bearing assembly 30 can be rotated 180 ° or replaced , can now be set forth . reference is made to fig6 which is an exploded view of the structure of fig2 and wherein like parts have been given like index numerals . to rotate or remove and replace the housing 27 and bearing assembly 30 , the nut 44 is first removed , enabling disengagement of the lever arm 43 from spindle 36 and alignment sleeve 39 . hex nut 41 is thereafter removed from the threaded portion 36c of spindle 36 , permitting removal of alignment sleeve 39 . at this point , the bolts 33 and 34 , affixing housing 27 to boss 24 , are removed . the spacer 37 can now be removed , or can simply be removed with the housing 27 . to assist in removal of the housing 27 from the boss bore 25 , it is within the scope of the invention to provide the housing flange 27c with a pair of threaded bores 52 and 53 ( see fig3 ). the threaded bores 52 and 53 enable the use of jack screws ( not shown ) to assist in lifting the housing 27 from the bushing bore 25 . once the housing 27 has been removed , it can be rotated 180 ° and repositioned in the boss bore 25 , or it and its bushing assembly 30 can be replaced , depending upon the condition of the bushing assembly . thereafter , the spacer 37 is reinstated and the housing 27 is affixed to the boss 24 by the bolts 33 and 34 . the alignment spacer 39 is mounted on spindle 30 , followed by hex nut 41 . the lever arm 43 is mounted on spindle 36 with its tangs engaged on the flats of alignment sleeve 39 and the nut 44 is again threadedly engaged on the portion 36c of spindle 36 . from the above , it will be apparent that rotation or replacement of the housing 27 and its bushing assembly 30 can be accomplished quickly and easily . furthermore , rotation or replacement of the housing 27 and bushing assembly 30 can be accomplished from the exterior of the compressor casing 23 , without the necessity of removing the compressor casing 23 from the compressor and removing the variable stator vane spindle 36 from the bushing bore 25 . modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of it .
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the present invention provides a system and method for construction of weld - stabilized rebar panels . by way of overview and with reference to fig1 the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a welded rebar manufacturing center 10 including a rebar shear 12 used to cut the rebar to predetermined lengths ; a rebar bender 14 used to impart required curvature to the rebar ; a welding jig 16 used to align the rebar in the desired rebar panel configuration ; a rebar welder 18 , preferably a gas metal arc welder ( gmaw ); a power source 20 , such as an 100 - 185 kw electrical generator ( for example , a lincoln power source 400 ); and one or more rolling tables 22 facilitating the movement of the rebar from the rebar shear to the rebar bender and ultimately to the welding jig . in operation , the rebar starts at rebar shear 12 , where the rebar is cut , as necessary , to predetermined lengths . the rebar then travels along rolling table 22 a to rebar bender 14 , where any required curvature is imparted to the rebar . the rebar is then forwarded along rolling table 22 b to welding jig 16 , where is comes to a stop aligned within the jig to facilitate intersection with other rebar in the panel assembly . once the rebar is properly aligned in the welding jig , rebar welder 18 , powered by power source 20 , is used to fusion weld the rebar intersections , and described with more particularity below . welding jig 16 is described in more detail with reference to fig2 and 3 . welding jig 16 includes a frame 30 , a base reference spacer 32 , an adjustable stop bar 34 , and adjustable stopping pins 36 for placing the rebar in the desired spatial relationship to the intersecting rebar . in the preferred operation of this embodiment , a layer of rebar is placed in jig 16 and is held in proper spatial relation to the intersecting rebar via base reference spacer 32 and spacer bar 34 . subsequently , as the adjacent layer of rebar is applied , adjustable stop pins 36 dictate the proper spacing of the rebar . critical to the ability of the rebar to function as a tensional load - bearing member is the maintenance of the rebar metallurgical properties . a specific welding process to achieve a flare bevel groove weld of grade a706 must be carried out to ensure that the metallurgical properties of the rebar is not compromised during the fusion weld . after extensive experimentation , its was determined that this welding process is accomplished as follows . in the preferred embodiment , specific settings are used on welder 18 and power source 20 in order to achieve a flare bevel groove weld that meets the grade a706 requirements . with respect to welder 18 , initially the shielding gas supply hose of the welder ( not shown ) must be disconnected and a flow filter with manual adjustment attached . this results in diffusing the typical narrow flow pattern to a more open spray pattern . the gas flow rate is set to approximately 35 cubic feet per hour . the spot time on the welder is set to approximately 0 . 02 seconds , and the voltage to approximately 26 volts . a 0 . 046 inch diameter or equivalent i . e . murimatic d2 - er80s - d2 electrode wire is fed into the welding area at a feed rate of 350 inches per minute . additional adjustments are likewise made with respect to power supply 20 , preferably an electrical power generator . specifically , the cover of the electrical generator is removed , after which the main feed cable is removed from the internal breaker . next , a voltage booster is inserted where the main feed cable was previously attached . following the insertion of a voltage booster , the main feed cable is attached to the voltage booster in a manner understood by those skilled in the relevant art , or as specifically indicated on the junction plate of a lincoln power source 400 . in the preferred embodiment , and as applied using an electrical generator , the selected arrangement is red = black , 0 = green , b = white . in this manner , the required voltage ( optimally 25 - volts ) is achieved at an even ratio in order to create the desired weld without affecting the metallurgical properties of the rebar . in operation of the gmaw rebar welder upon rebar sections in the welding jig , the weld area is flooded with an argon - carbon dioxide shielding gas ( approximately 90 % argon , 10 % co 2 ). the argon / co 2 shielding gas pours at approximately 35 cubic feet per hour ( cfh ). filler weld material grade la90 or murematic d2 — single shield or dual shield consumable electrode — is placed near the rebar intersection areas . in a preferred embodiment , an arc is struck for two or three seconds , resulting in a molecular fusion weld approximately ¼ to ⅝ inches long . it will be appreciated that longer or shorter welds may also be made . by american welding society standard , a flare bevel groove weld is produced . this welding process is repeated at all or a desired subset of rebar intersections of a panel . the shielding gas contains not only heat , but also helps create the fusion between the rebar and consumable electrode without causing any carbon breakdown in the heat - affected zone of the rebar , thus maintaining the rebar ductility . based on experimentation , using argon / co 2 shielding gas with the 90 / 10 % ratio and at approximately 35 cfh flow rate obtains the strongest fusion rebar weld . a rebar panel containing a plurality of such fusion welds is inherently strong and self - stabilizing . thus , the fusion welded rebar panels do not require any additional stabilizing structure to maintain panel integrity . an independent testing facility was employed to examine the strength value of the weld and to examine the overall effect of the weld on the structural integrity of the rebar . the conclusions reached by researchers at the independent testing facility are presented in appendix a and incorporated by reference herein . the present invention anticipates a variety of alternative embodiments of the welded rebar manufacturing center without deviating from the scope of the present invention . [ 0027 ] fig4 discloses a portable welded rebar panel manufacturing center 40 made in accordance with the present invention . the portable welded rebar panel manufacturing center is mounted on a movable vehicle , such as a trailer , but otherwise includes the same components as described above , namely , rebar shear 12 ; rebar bender 14 ; welding jig 16 ; rebar welder 18 ; power source 20 ; and one or more rolling tables 22 . the portable manufacturing center is designed to be transported to a construction job site for manufacture of rebar panels of various sizes . this portable version of the invention is especially useful for producing large welded rebar panels that are difficult to transport intact from remote manufacturing facilities using existing technology . in addition , the portable manufacturing center is useful when especially complex panels are required in the construction process . an alternative embodiment is shown with reference to fig5 - 7 , which disclose a stationary welded rebar panel manufacturing center 50 . fig5 discloses a building 52 . at an end of the building is a pile of stock rebar 54 — no precut rebar is necessary . within the building is a welded rebar manufacturing center similar to system described above . following the same processes disclosed above , welded rebar panels are produced . the welded panels are then placed on a transport vehicle 56 and hauled to the construction site . fig6 discloses a frontal view of the stationary center in which a plurality of welded rebar manufacturing centers 60 are employed . in this manner , the production capabilities of the stationary center is greatly improved . further , a loading space 58 is maintained between the assembly systems 50 to allow efficient transport of the completed welded panels . the stationary center is generally more useful when employed with smaller welded panels more easily capable of being transported to the construction site from a remote location . fig7 discloses the welded rebar panel manufacturing center having similar components but a slightly different layout in which additional rolling tables are added and the welder is located between the welding jig and the rolling tables . [ 0029 ] fig8 is a lifting device 70 . the lifting device is used to move completed welded rebar panels from the welded rebar panel assembly control , whether the portable or stationary , to transport vehicle 56 , to a the concrete form ( not shown ), or to a storage pile ( not shown ). in the preferred embodiment , a cable is attached to a picking eye 72 of the lifting device . the picking eye is also connected to a spreader bar 74 , which in turn attaches to evenly spaced cable connectors 76 . the cable connectors are attached to the welded rebar panel to facilitate movement of the panels to the desired location . while the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described , as noted above , many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment . instead , the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow . a unique spot welding process has been developed to be used when appropriate in lieu of ties between reinforcement bars being placed prior to pouring concrete . this evaluation was completed to qualify the process based on testing and analyses . the rebar spot welds were examined for strength and ductility . furthermore , the effect of the welding on the reinforcement was examined to ensure the process does not degrade the material strength or ductility . specific issues of concern are the weld strength and ductility as well as quantification of the effect of the weld on the reinforcement . a test program was procedurized and testing completed to collect laboratory data appropriate for analyses and evaluation of the weld process suitability . the following evaluation summary memorializes the program results . the minimum failure load and rotational angle at failure are 120 pounds and 19 °. this failure load is compatible with the material strength . all failure surfaces show ductility . the welding process does not degrade the reinforcement strength . the weld and haz are stronger than the parent material and did not exhibit any non - ductile behavior . a total of eight specimens will be tested . four of them shall be welded # 4 bars and four welded # 8 bars . the specimens shall be identified , photographed , and visually inspected prior to testing . the inspection results shall be recorded . it is necessary to note the weld locations and sizes as well as any weld defects such as undercut or lack of fusion . two twisting and two rolling bend tests shall be conducted for each specimen size as shown in the following figure . the specimens shall be rigidly restrained and loaded to failure . the maximal load applied as each specimen is broken shall be recorded in the following load data summary table along with the rotation angle at maximal load application . the broken specimens shall be photographed and visually inspected . the inspection results shall be recorded . pretest inspection correlations comments must be made . specimen weld failure surfaces shall be photographed and the failure surface characteristics shall be noted to establish whether ductile or brittle failures occurred . failure load tabulation failure load rotational angle at specimen test condition ( pounds ) failure ( degrees ) 4 - 1 twisting 4 - 2 twisting 4 - 3 rolling 4 - 4 rolling 8 - 1 rolling 8 - 2 twisting 8 - 3 twisting 8 - 4 rolling one piece from each type of broken specimen shall be selected and sectioned through the broken weld so that microstructure and microhardness characteristics may be obtained in the weld , heat affected zone , and parent material . the specimens ( 4 ) shall be appropriately etched and photographed to show the metallurgical characteristics of the weld , heat affected zone , and parent material . microhardnesses shall be recorded in the following data summary table . this same size ( 4 ) provides confidence that the complete weld population ( 16 ) does not contain different attributes . the data required by this test program procedure shall be included as the following section of this evaluation . microhardness data summary weld haz material specimen ( hrc ) ( hrc ) ( hrc ) 4 - 1 4 - 2 4 - 3 4 - 4 8 - 1 8 - 2 8 - 3 8 - 4 failure load tabulation failure load rotational angle at specimen test condition ( pounds ) failure ( degrees ) 4 - 1 twisting 120 19 4 - 2 twisting 200 28 4 - 3 rolling 280 27 4 - 4 rolling 210 28 8 - 1 rolling 320 50 8 - 2 twisting 615 36 8 - 3 twisting 415 42 8 - 4 rolling 505 35 [ 0047 ] microhardness data summary weld haz material specimen ( hrc ) ( hrc ) ( hrc ) 4 - 1 33 . 5 45 . 0 87 . 0 4 - 2 35 . 0 32 . 0 85 . 0 4 - 3 39 . 0 45 . 0 86 . 0 4 - 4 35 . 0 40 . 0 88 . 0 8 - 1 36 . 0 45 . 0 93 . 0 8 - 2 33 . 0 40 . 0 91 . 0 8 - 3 32 . 0 47 . 0 96 . 0 8 - 4 28 . 0 44 . 0 91 . 0 test and inspection program results follow on a specimen - by - specimen basis . pretest specimen photographs and inspection comments are followed by equivalent posttest information . maximal loads and deflections are summarized . lastly , failure surface and material photomacrographs are provided with a microhardness data recapitulation . the minimum failure load and rotations angle at failure are 120 pounds and 19 °. all failure surfaces show ductility . the minimum ultimate parent material strength converted from hrb data is 81 ksi . the minimum haz and weld material ultimate strength converted from hrc data are 150 ksi and 134 ksi respectively . the weld and haz are stronger than the parent material and they did not exhibit any observed non - ductile behavior . failure loads are compatible with the material strength .
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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 . wherever possible , the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts . a plasma display panel according to the present invention has a feature in that electrodes thereof are formed by an offset process or ink - jet process . specifically , with the offset process or ink - jet process , address electrodes may be formed on a lower panel of the plasma display panel , and bus electrodes may be formed on an upper panel of the plasma display panel . fig2 is a schematic view illustrating an electrode of a plasma display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention . fig3 is a view illustrating the lifting of a conventional electrode formed by an ink - jet process or off - set process . fig4 is a sectional view illustrating the electrode of the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention . now , the first embodiment of the plasma display panel according to the present invention will be explained with reference to fig2 to 4 . referring to fig2 schematically illustrating the electrode of the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention , the electrode is formed on a substrate 200 in such a manner that a ratio of width 210 to thickness 220 thereof is preferably in a range of 5 : 1 ˜ 50 : 1 , and more preferably , the width 210 of the electrode is in a range of 50 ˜ 100 μa . if the ratio of width to thickness of the electrode formed by an ink - jet process or offset process is greater than 50 : 1 , the electrode may exhibit the lifting at opposite ends thereof after being fired , and thus , suffer from an irregular shape as shown in fig3 . conversely , if the ratio of width to thickness of the electrode formed by an ink - jet process or offset process is smaller than 5 : 1 , only a small amount of electrode paste or ink is injected or transcribed onto the substrate through nozzles of an ink - jet device or a blanket of an offset device . accordingly , this results in a limit in the number of electrodes to be formed on the substrate , and makes it impossible to obtain a superior electrode pattern because of an irregular surface . to solve the above described problems , it is desirable that the electrode formed by an ink - jet process or offset process have a ratio of width to thickness in a range of 5 : 1 ˜ 50 : 1 . in this case , as shown in fig4 , the resulting electrode can achieve a regular cross section . fig5 and 6 are schematic views illustrating a first embodiment of a method for forming electrodes of the plasma display panel according to the present invention . now , the first embodiment of the electrode forming method according to the present invention will be explained with reference to fig5 and 6 . the present embodiment describes a method for forming electrodes of a plasma display panel by an offset process . first , a master mold 500 having recesses 510 is prepared . the recesses 510 are used for the injection of an electrode paste , and preferably , have a ratio of width to thickness in a range of 5 : 1 ˜ 50 : 1 . more preferably , the recesses 510 have a width in a range of 50 ˜ 100 μm . subsequently , an electrode paste 520 is injected into the recesses 510 . preferably , the electrode paste 520 contains silver , binder , solvent , dispersing agent , etc . after the electrode paste 520 is injected into the recesses 510 of the master mold 500 , the electrode paste 520 is finished in shape by means of a blade , to have the same shape as that of a desired electrode . thereafter , as shown in fig5 , a roll 530 , around which a blanket 540 is wound , is rolled on the master mold 500 , such that the electrode paste 520 injected in the recesses 510 is transferred onto a surface of the blanket 540 . then , as shown in fig6 , the blanket 540 is rolled on a substrate 550 , to transcribe the electrode paste 520 onto the substrate 550 . finally , if the electrode paste 520 is fired , the formation of electrodes is completed . with the above described embodiment , the electrodes are formed by the offset process to have a ratio of width to thickness in a range of 5 : 1 ˜ 50 : 1 , and thus , have a regular surface without causing the lifting of opposite ends of the electrode . fig7 is a view illustrating a second embodiment of the method for forming electrodes of the plasma display panel according to the present invention . now , the second embodiment of the electrode forming method according to the present invention will be explained with reference to fig7 . the present embodiment describes a method for forming electrodes by an ink - jet process . the ink - jet process is a method performed by injecting a compressed electrode material , such as ink containing silver , binder , solvent , and dispersing agent , from nozzles , to form an electrode pattern . this is an economic method performed in a very simplified procedure and not causing waste of material . the ink - jet device used in the present embodiment includes a controller 700 , head 710 , ink reservoir 720 and nozzles 730 . in operation , if the controller 710 transmits a signal for controlling an injection position and injection amount of the ink to the head 720 , the head 710 injects the ink received in the ink reservoir 720 onto a substrate 750 of the plasma display panel through the nozzles 730 in response to the control signal , to form electrodes 760 . in this case , preferably , the control signal transmitted from the controller 710 is set up such that the electrode has a ratio of width to thickness in a range of 5 : 1 ˜ 50 : 1 and a width in a range of 50 ˜ 100 μm , similar to the above described first embodiment . finally , if the ink injected onto the substrate 750 is dried and fired , the formation of the electrodes 760 is completed . with the above described embodiment , the electrodes are formed by the ink - jet process to have a ratio of width to thickness in a range of 5 : 1 ˜ 50 : 1 , and thus , have a regular surface without the lifting of opposite ends of the electrode . fig8 is a plan view illustrating the electrode of the plasma display panel according to the second embodiment of the present invention . fig9 to 12 are sectional views illustrating the electrode of the plasma display panel according to the second embodiment of the present invention . now , the electrode of the plasma display panel according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to fig8 to 12 . the plasma display panel according to the present embodiment has a feature in that transparent electrodes , a black electrode , and a bus electrode are formed on an upper panel in sequence to constitute each sustain electrode pair , and the black electrode has a width greater than that of the bus electrode within a pad portion because it is difficult to coincide outer lines of the black electrode and bus electrode with each other during formation thereof . when the electrodes are formed by an offset process , the above described inconformity in electrode lines especially becomes worsen . in the plasma display panel according to the present invention , the upper panel has a feature in that sustain electrode pairs are formed on an upper glass plate 850 , and each sustain electrode pair includes a pair of transparent electrodes 860 , a black electrode 800 , and a bus electrode 810 . as shown in fig9 , the plasma display panel of the present invention has a feature in that the black electrode 800 is wider than the bus electrodes 810 by a predetermined distance m at each side of the bus electrode 810 . preferably , the predetermined distance m is in a range of 1 ˜ 100 μm . as described above , it is difficult to coincide outer lines of the black and bus electrodes in an offset process , and therefore , it is desirable that the width of the black electrode 800 located below the bus electrode 810 be greater than that of the bus electrode 810 to facilitate the conformity of electrode lines . in fig8 , a portion including the line a - a ′ indicates an effective display portion for displaying images , a portion including the line b - b ′ indicates a non - effective display portion , and a portion including the line c - c ′ indicates a pad portion connecting the panel to a circuit substrate of a module . here , the effective display portion and non - effective display portion create an electric discharge region . as can be seen from fig8 , a width of the electrode pattern gradually increases from the electric discharge region to the pad portion . it can be expected that the smaller the predetermined distance m , the more difficult it is to coincide the bus electrode 810 with the black electrode 800 , and the greater the predetermined distance m , the easier it is to coincide the bus electrode 810 with the black electrode 800 . however , an excessive increase in the predetermined distance m has the possibility of a short circuit in neighboring electrodes . accordingly , the predetermined distance m must be greater than at least 1 μm and smaller than 100 μm , to prevent a short circuit in neighboring electrodes . in the present embodiment , under the assumption that a distance between neighboring bus electrodes 810 is 200 μm , the predetermined distance m is determined to be a half of the maximum value 200 μm , i . e . 100 μm . of course , if the arrangement of electrodes is different , the predetermined distance m must be correspondingly changed . fig9 is a sectional view taken along the line a - a ′ of fig8 . as shown , in the effective display portion of the panel , the width of the black electrode 800 is greater than that of the bus electrodes 810 by the predetermined distance m at each side of the bus electrode 810 . also , fig1 and 11 are sectional views taken along the lines b - b ′ and c - c ′ of fig8 , respectively . as shown , even in the non - effective display portion and the pad portion of the panel , the width of the black electrode 800 is greater than that of the bus electrode 810 by the predetermined distance m at each side of the bus electrode 810 . also , fig9 illustrates the effective display portion and thus , the transparent electrodes 860 formed on the substrate 850 are shown , but fig1 illustrates the non - effective display portion and thus , no transparent electrodes are shown . also , referring to fig1 illustrating the pad portion , although the black electrode 800 and bus electrode 810 have widths greater than those of the effective display portion and non - effective display portion , the predetermined distance m is still maintained . the predetermined distance m is essential to accurately align the bus electrode on the black electrode because the bus electrode can fulfill its function when being formed on the black electrode . as shown in fig9 , in the effective display portion of the panel according to the above described embodiment , the black electrode 800 is connected to the transparent electrodes 860 on the substrate 850 . however , as shown in fig1 , the black electrode 800 may be divided so that the divided portions of the black electrode 800 are located on the respective transparent electrodes 860 to form sustain electrodes . in this case , preferably , a black matrix 870 is provided between neighboring sustain electrodes . the black matrix 870 is made of the same composition as that of the black electrode 860 , and serves to absorb an external light being introduced into the plasma display panel , thereby preventing the external light from being reflected from a surface of the panel . hereinafter , a third embodiment of the method for forming electrodes of the plasma display panel according to the present invention will be explained . the method is related to the above described second embodiment of the plasma display panel according to the present invention . first , black electrodes are formed on a substrate by an offset process using a first master mold . a process for forming the black electrode on the substrate using the first master mold will be explained as follows . the first master mold having first recesses is manufactured . the first recesses are used to form black electrodes , and therefore , preferably have the same width as that of desired black electrodes . next , a first electrode paste for forming the black electrodes is injected into the first recesses . then , a blanket is rolled on the first master mold such that the first electrode paste is transferred onto the blanket . subsequently , the blanket is rolled on the substrate , to transcribe the first electrode paste transferred thereon onto the substrate . finally , if the electrode paste is fired , the formation of the black electrodes is completed . the firing process may be performed after transcription of the bus electrodes that will be explained hereinafter . subsequently , bus electrodes are formed on the black electrodes by use of a second master mold . a process for forming the bus electrodes using the second master mold is basically the same as that of the black electrodes using the first master mold . however , second recesses formed in the second master mold must have a width smaller than that of the first recesses , and preferably , must have a width difference of 1 ˜ 100 μm at each side thereof . it will be clearly understood that a second electrode paste to be injected into the second recesses for forming the bus electrodes has a different composition from that of the first electrode paste . in a process for transcribing the above described bus electrodes , since the black electrode is wider than that of the bus electrodes by a predetermined distance at each side of the bus electrode , the bus electrodes can be easily aligned on the black electrodes when the blanket , on which the second electrode paste is bonded , is rolled . with the conformity of the black electrode and bus electrode , the efficiency of electric discharge can be increased . fig1 is a view illustrating an electrode pattern of a plasma display panel formed by a conventional electrode forming method . fig1 is a view illustrating an electrode pattern of a plasma display panel formed by an electrode forming method according to a third embodiment of the present invention . fig1 is a schematic view of the electrode pattern of the plasma display panel according to the third embodiment of the present invention . fig1 is a view comparing the electrode pattern of the plasma display panel according to the third embodiment of the present invention with the prior art . now , the electrode pattern of the plasma display panel according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to fig1 to 16 . the present embodiment has a feature in that an electrode pattern has a curved electrode line in a connecting portion . herein , the connecting portion is represented as the non - effective display portion in the above described second embodiment , and the electrode line of the connecting portion serves to connect an electrode line formed in the effective display portion to an electrode line formed in the pad portion . in the prior art as shown in fig1 , when an electrode line is applied to the panel in an offset process , an advance direction of the electrode line is suddenly bent in a connecting portion 1310 between an effective display portion 1300 and a pad portion 1320 . the present invention provides an embodiment to solve the irregularity of the electrode line . in fig1 illustrating the third embodiment of the present invention , an electrode line 1400 formed in an effective display portion defines an image display region . specifically , in the image display region , if so - called opposed discharge occurs between an address electrode and a scan electrode and so - called flat discharge occurs between the scan electrode and a sustain electrode , phosphors are excited by ultraviolet rays emitted from discharge cells to emit visible rays to the outside , thereby enabling the display of images . an electrode line 1420 formed in a pad portion is a region where electrodes of the panel are bonded to a flexible printed circuit board ( fpc ) of a module , and an electrode line thereof is wider than an electrode line 1400 of the effective display portion . an electrode line 1410 of a connecting portion is a region connecting the electrode line 1400 of the effective display portion to the electrode line 1420 of the pad portion , and a width of the electrode line thereof gradually increases toward the pad portion . in the present embodiment , as shown in fig1 , the electrode pattern is spaced apart from a conventional electrode pattern , which is shown by a dotted line , by a predetermined distance , and forms a curved line as shown by a solid line . specifically , the electrode pattern of the present embodiment is spaced apart from an imaginary straight line 1650 , which connects a distal end 1620 ′ of the electrode line formed in the effective display portion to a distal end 1600 ′ of the electrode line formed in the pad portion , by predetermined distances d 1 and d 2 . preferably , the predetermined distances d 1 and d 2 are in a range of 1 ˜ 50 μm . if the predetermined distances d 1 and d 2 are smaller than 1 μm , the electrode pattern has no difference from the conventional straight electrode pattern . also , if the predetermined distances d 1 and d 2 are greater than 50 μm , it may cause a short circuit in neighboring electrodes . fig1 schematically illustrates the above described electrode line pattern . as shown , the electrode pattern is configured in such a manner that the electrode line of the connecting portion , which connects the electrode line formed in the effective display portion with the electrode line formed in the pad portion , has a curved shape . a distance between the electrode line of the connecting portion and the above described imaginary straight line 1650 is larger at the outer periphery of the panel than at the center of the panel . accordingly , in the present invention , the electrode line of the connecting portion is formed evenly , and thus , there is no lifting of opposite ends of the electrode after completion of a firing process . this is efficient to prevent an increase in the resistance of electrodes , which is caused by the concentration of electric field occurring in a bent portion of the conventional electrode pattern . hereinafter , a fourth embodiment of the method for forming the electrodes of the plasma display panel according to the present invention will be explained . the method is related to not described another embodiment of the plasma display panel according to the present invention . first , a master mold to be used in an offset process is manufactured . the master mold is formed with recesses where an electrode paste for forming electrodes will be injected . preferably , the recesses are arranged along a curved path in a portion corresponding to the electrode line of the connecting portion that connects the electrode line formed in the effective display portion to the electrode line formed in the pad portion . in this case , the resulting curved electrode pattern is preferably spaced apart from the above described imaginary straight line , which connects the distal end of the electrode line formed in the effective display portion to the distal end of the electrode line formed in the pad portion , by a distance in a range of 1 ˜ 50 μm . after completing the formation of the recesses , the electrode paste is injected into the recesses . the electrode paste for forming the electrodes preferably contains silver , binder , solvent , dispersing agent , etc . thereafter , the electrode paste injected in the recesses of the master mold is finished in shape by means of a blade , to have the same shape as that of desired electrodes . then , the blanket is rolled on the master mold , to transfer the electrode paste injected in the recesses to the surface of the blanket . subsequently , the blanket , to which the electrode paste is bonded , is rolled on the substrate , to transfer the electrode paste onto the substrate . in this case , the electrode line of the connecting portion that connects the electrode line formed in the effective display portion to the electrode line formed in the pad portion forms a curved line . the curvature of the curved electrode line in the connecting portion , etc . is the same as the above description . with the above described method , the electrode pattern of the plasma display panel can be easily formed using an offset process , and this has the effect of simplifying an electrode forming process and reducing material costs . in the above described embodiments of the plasma display panel and method for forming the electrodes thereof , other constituent elements except for the electrodes and method for forming the same are the same as those of the prior art . 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 inventions . thus , it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents .
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an embodiment of the present invention is shown in fig3 as a combination solenoid check valve assembly 10 . the valve assembly 10 comprises a valve body housing 20 having an inlet 22 , an outlet 24 , an inlet passageway 26 , an outlet passageway 28 and a through port 30 ( also referred to as the valve seat ), providing a fluid passageway between the inlet passageway 26 and the outlet passageway 28 . the valve assembly 10 also comprises a piston 40 reciprocable within a bore 35 in the valve body housing 20 which includes a valve member 44 being adapted to sealingly mate with the valve seat 30 to open and close the valve 10 . the piston 40 is positioned such that the valve 10 opens by moving the valve member 44 of the piston 40 into the inlet passageway 26 and away from the outlet passageway 28 ( similar to the prior art valve of fig1 and opposite the prior art valve of fig2 ). the piston 40 also includes a bleed hole check valve 42 which allows fluid to bleed from the inlet passageway 26 to the portion of the bore 35 above the piston 40 which is also referred to herein as the chamber 36 above the piston 40 . an adapter plate 50 is attached to the open bore end of the housing 20 . the adapter plate 50 has a first and second conduit connecting the chamber 36 in the housing 20 and the valve outlet passageway 28 . the first conduit is formed by the combination of a first passageway 52 from chamber 36 above the piston 40 and a second passageway 54 which is fluidly connected to a passageway 38 in the housing 20 that leads to the outlet passageway 28 . the first passageway 52 and the second passageway 54 are fluidly connected and disconnected by a solenoid valve 60 . the second conduit is formed by the combination of the first passageway 52 and a third passageway 56 which is fluidly connected to the passageway 38 in the housing 20 that leads to the outlet passageway 28 . the first passageway 52 and the third passageway 56 are fluidly connected regardless of whether the solenoid is on or off as these passageways effectively bypass the control of the solenoid valve 60 . the second conduit includes a check valve 58 shown positioned at an end of the by - pass passageway 56 which allows fluid to flow from the outlet passageway 28 to the chamber 36 above the piston 40 , but prevents fluid flow in the opposite direction . the operation of the valve 10 is controlled by the solenoid valve 60 . when the solenoid valve 60 is energized , fluid is allowed to flow from chamber 36 above the piston 40 to the outlet passageway 28 ( low pressure ) side of the valve 10 . the pressure difference across the piston 40 ( low on top / high internally ) allows a spring 62 force to be overcome and the higher inlet pressure to push the piston 40 away from the seat 30 and open the valve 10 . the valve 10 remains in the open position as long as the solenoid 60 is energized . once the solenoid 60 is de - energized the pressure on top of the piston 40 in chamber 36 can no longer bleed to the outlet passageway 28 as the first conduit is blocked by the solenoid valve 60 and the second conduit is blocked by the check valve 58 . the bleed hole check valve 42 in the piston 40 opens and allows the pressure on top of the piston 40 in chamber 36 to equalize with the pressure in the internal portions of the piston 40 . once the pressure has equalized , the main valve spring 62 can now push the piston 40 closed shutting off the valve port 30 . once again a pressure difference is created between the inlet passageway 26 and the outlet passageway 28 , helping to hold it shut tightly . this operation of the valve is similar to the operation of the prior art valve 110 of fig1 . in the prior art valve 110 , if the outlet passageway 28 ′ is at a pressure higher than the inlet passageway 26 ′, the fluid pressure would simply lift the piston 40 ′ away from the valve port 30 ′. in the valve 10 as shown in fig3 , the check valve 58 and the second conduit formed by the combination of the first passageway 52 and the third passageway 56 ( which is fluidly connected to the passageway 38 in the housing 20 that leads to the outlet passageway 28 ) allow the valve 10 to automatically prevent fluid flow from the outlet passageway 28 to the inlet passageway 26 . the check valve 58 is oriented to allow high pressure fluid from the outlet passageway 28 to enter the chamber 36 above the piston 40 which forces the piston 40 to move into a valve closed position against the valve seat 30 . the high pressure in the chamber 36 above the piston 40 holds the piston 40 in a closed position . when the pressure in the chamber 36 is greater than the pressure in the inlet passageway 26 , the bleed hole check valve 42 prevents fluid flow from the chamber 36 to the inlet passageway 26 . with the design of the valve 10 , any high pressure build up on the outlet side of the valve 10 is utilized to hold the valve shut , versus letting it flow backwards through the valve 10 . the concept is the same as that used to hold the valve shut during normal operation ; utilize pressure to hold the valve shut . being able to utilize the high pressure on the outlet side of the valve eliminates the need for a separate check valve . the key to making this valve work is in two small pilot flow check valves 42 , 58 inside the valve 10 . these small pilot flow check valves comprise a metal orifice or seat , and a small ptfe ball . pressure or flow either pushes the ptfe ball out of the way and allows passage of the fluid or gas , or pushes it back against the seat , closing the passage . one of these passages ( formed by the combination of first passageway 52 , third passageway 56 and passageway 38 ) connects the chamber 36 on top of the piston 40 to the outlet passageway side 28 of the valve 10 . during normal operation the higher pressure on top of the piston 40 pushes the ptfe ball of check valve 58 against the seat , closing this passage . this prevents the valve 10 from leaking when in the closed position . if an abnormal high pressure is experienced on the outlet side 28 of the valve 10 , the same ptfe ball of check valve 58 is pushed off the seat allowing the pressure to be applied to the top of the piston 40 , thus holding it shut . the other ptfe pilot flow check valve 42 is installed in the small bleed hole in the top of the piston 40 . during normal operation this pilot flow check valve 42 allows passage from the internal portion of the piston 40 to the chamber 36 on top of the piston 40 to allow pressure equalization . when the valve experiences a high pressure on the outlet side and the first pilot flow check valve 58 opens , the check valve 42 in the top of the piston 40 closes to prevent leakage through to the inlet side 26 of the valve 10 . these two small pilot flow check valves 42 , 58 working in conjunction allow the main solenoid valve &# 39 ; s piston plug assembly to act as a check valve , stopping any flow backwards through the valve 10 . the combination of the solenoid valve and the check valve into a single valve 10 can save in manufacturing costs , inventories , additional welds for two components , etc . although the principles , embodiments and operation of the present invention have been described in detail herein , this is not to be construed as being limited to the particular illustrative forms disclosed . they will thus become apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the embodiments herein can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention .
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the present invention will be described by way of an embodiment shown in fig1 to 4 . fig1 shows the overall schematic arrangement of an exhaust gas measuring apparatus to which the present invention is applied , in which reference numeral 1 denotes an air purifier installed in , e . g ., the machine room of a building . a main body la of the air purifier 1 has an air inlet port 2 open to the atmosphere and an air outlet port 3 . a blower fan 4 and a cleaner 5 are disposed in the main body 1a . the blower fan 4 takes in air in the atmosphere from the air inlet port 2 and supplies it to the air outlet port 3 with a variable air blowing performance . the cleaner 5 removes impurities , e . g ., hc , co , and no x , contained in the intake air . the arrangement of the air purifier 1 will be described in detail with reference to fig2 . in fig2 a pipe 51 connected to an inlet port 2 is connected to a suction fan 4 . air in the atmosphere is drawn by the suction fan 4 . the downstream side of the suction fan 52 is connected to an electric heater 54 and a catalyst 55 through a u - shaped pipe 53 . the electric heater 54 heats the atmosphere drawn by the suction fan 52 to about 400 ° c . the catalyst 55 is an oxidizing catalyst for generating h 2 o and co 2 by complete combustion of hc and co . since the electric heater 54 also serves to activate the catalyst , it is placed on the upstream side of the catalyst 55 . the downstream side of the catalyst 55 is connected to a cooling unit 57 through an l - shaped pipe 56 . air is cooled by the cooling unit 57 . the downstream side of the cooling unit 57 is connected to an activated carbon adsorption layer 59 through a pipe 58 . no x is removed by the activated carbon adsorption layer 59 . the air outlet port 3 is connected to a main duct 7 ( corresponding to the main passage ) disposed on , e . g ., the ceiling of the first floor of the building , through a connecting duct 6 . the main duct 7 is connected to sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . provided in units of test benches ( to be described later ) installed on the floor of the first floor . air purified by the air purifier 1 is sent to the respective sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . through the main duct 7 . for example , one end portion of the main duct 7 is closed with a detachable blind cover 8 to allow extension of the main duct 7 . the air purifier 1 is provided with a controller 1b ( comprising a microcomputer and its peripheral circuits and corresponding to a flow rate controller ) for supplying purified air at an appropriate flow rate in accordance with the number of sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . in operation . more specifically , the controller 1b is connected to the blower fan 4 . the controller 1b is also connected to a sensor 7a for detecting a pressure p 1 in the main duct 7 and a sensor 7b for detecting an atmospheric pressure p 2 . the controller 1b has a function of controlling the rotation speed of the blower fan 4 in order to set a difference δp between the pressures p 1 and p 2 at a substantially constant value , so that a necessary supply gas volume can always be ensured . with this function , a necessary amount of diluting air is automatically adjusted in accordance with the number of sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . in operation and supplied to the main duct 7 . a plurality of test benches , e . g ., two sets of test benches a and b ( the first and second test benches ) are disposed on the floor surface of the first floor . the first and second test benches a and b employ the same structure . fig3 shows the structure around one of the test benches , e . g ., the test bench a . the structure around the test bench a will be described . reference numeral 9 denotes a chassis dynamometer for driving a test vehicle 10 ( corresponding to the automobile ) while the vehicle body stands still . the sampling unit 11 is installed near the chassis dynamometer 9 . the sampling unit 11 employs , e . g ., a cvs ( constant volume sampler ). the sampling unit 11 will be described . a main body 12 of the sampling unit 11 has an inlet port 13 for taking in diluting air and an outlet port 14 open to the atmosphere . the inlet port 13 is connected to a branch duct 15 ( corresponding to a branch passage ) branching from the main duct 7 for each sampling unit . air purified by the air purifier 1 can be taken in as the diluting air through the inlet port 13 . a passage 16 ( corresponding to the first passage portion ) is provided in the main body 12 so that the inlet port 13 and the outlet port 14 communicate with each other . a mixing unit 18 , and a cyclone 19 for removing dust are disposed in the passage 16 from the upstream side in this order . a turbo blower 20 ( corresponding to a suction unit ) for drawing air to the downstream side is disposed on the downstream side of the passage 16 . the turbo blower 20 draws diluting air from the inlet port 13 . a connecting pipe 23 ( corresponding to the second passage portion ) which is to be detachably connected to an exhaust pipe 21 ( through which exhaust gases from an engine 22 mounted on the test vehicle 10 are emitted into the atmosphere ) extends from the mixing unit 18 . thus , the exhaust gases emitted from the engine 22 are diluted by mixing with diluting air flowing through the passage 16 . a venturi unit 24 for setting an appropriate diluting rate is inserted at a passage portion between the turbo blower 20 and cyclone 19 on the down stream side of the cyclone 19 . more specifically , the venturi unit 24 has a venturi setting portion 25 arranged where the venturi unit 24 is set , and a plurality of types of venturis attachable on and detachable from the venturi setting portion 25 . the plurality of types of venturis are , e . g ., three types of venturis including a large venturi 26 , a medium venturi 27 , and a small venturi 28 that are classified in accordance with the specific flow rate performance . the turbo blower 20 has such a suction force that sufficiently maintains a critical flow regardless of which one of the venturis 26 to 28 is selected . when one of the venturis 26 to 28 is selected , a gas mixture ( a mixture of the exhaust gases and the diluting air ) flows through the passage 16 at a predetermined flow rate determined by the selected venturi . in other words , the necessary supply amount of diluting air is adjusted by setting a venturi selected from the large , medium , and small venturis 26 to 28 to the venturi setting portion 25 . hence , an appropriate diluting rate is selected by properly using the three types of venturis 26 to 28 in accordance with the exhaust gas test mode and the size ( test conditions ) of the engine 22 . a measuring system 40 for measuring the amount of diluted exhaust gases is provided on the upstream side of the venturi setting portion 25 which is maintained at a predetermined flow rate . the measuring system 40 is constituted by , e . g ., a sensor unit 41 , an arithmetic unit 42 , and a flow rate display unit 43 . the sensor unit 41 measures the temperature and pressure at the inlet port of the venturi . the arithmetic unit 42 calculates the amount of diluted exhaust gases in the standard state based on the information on the temperature and pressure , the flow rate coefficient of the venturi , and the time . the flow rate display unit 43 displays the calculation result . hence , a diluted exhaust gas amount necessary for obtaining the emission amount of exhaust gases can be obtained . furthermore , a collecting unit 30 is provided on the upstream side of the venturi setting portion 25 . in the collecting unit 30 , diluted exhaust gases ( a gas mixture of the exhaust gases and diluting air ) are collected from a sampling venturi 32 disposed on the upstream side of the venturi setting portion 25 at a predetermined flow rate with the suction force of a suction pump 31 disposed outside the passage , and is stored in a bag 33 . with this collecting structure , in the exhaust gas test mode , the diluted exhaust gases are stored in the bag 33 , so that information on the average concentration of the exhaust gas in the exhaust gases test mode can be obtained . a collecting unit 36 for the diluting air is interposed on the upstream side of the mixing unit 18 . in the collecting unit 36 , only the diluting air is collected with a suction pump 34 and stored in a bag 35 through a passage 38 . with this collecting unit 36 , in the exhaust gas test mode , the regulated materials ( impurities ), e . g ., hc , co , and no x , remaining in the purified air ( diluting air ) are stored . gases in the bags 33 and 35 are analyzed by an analyzer 37 ( constituting a measuring means together with the measuring system 40 ), so that the net exhaust gas concentration can be obtained . more specifically , the analyzer 37 has a function of obtaining the net exhaust gas concentration by subtracting the regulated materials ( impurities ), e . g ., hc , co , and no x , contained in the purified air collected in the bag 35 from the diluted exhaust gases collected in the bag 33 , and a function of obtaining the emission amount of exhaust gases by calculation of the net exhaust gas concentration and the prescribed diluted exhaust gas amount in the standard state . hence , the emission amount of exhaust gases emitted from the test vehicle 10 is obtained . as shown in fig1 a duct 44 ( corresponding to a passage for taking in air in the atmosphere ) extending to the machine room is connected to the outlet port of the branch duct 15 to communicate with it . the distal end portion of the duct 44 is connected to an atmosphere introducing unit 45 installed on , e . g ., the rooftop of the building and incorporating a filter . the duct 44 and the branch duct 15 are respectively provided with valve units , e . g ., motor - driven first and second valves 46 and 47 ( switching valve units ; corresponding to valve units ) for opening / closing the ducts 44 and 15 . the purified air from the air purifier 1 or air in the atmosphere is selectively supplied to the sampling unit 11 as diluting air through the first and second valves 46 and 47 , or purified air is supplied to the sampling unit 11 at a flow rate corresponding to the diluting rate . more specifically , the first and second valves 46 and 47 are connected to a controller 48 ( comprising , e . g ., a microcomputer and its peripheral equipment ) provided to each sampling unit 11 . an operating unit 49 provided to each controller 48 has various types of operation button portions , e . g ., a power button portion for turning on / off the sampling unit 11 , a button portion for setting an exhaust gas test mode which uses air in the atmosphere as the diluting air , a button portion for setting an exhaust gas test mode which uses purified air as the diluting air , and a venturi selection button portion ( not shown ) for inputting which venturi is used . the function of stopping the operation of the sampling unit 11 and driving the first and second valves 46 and 47 to fully close them when the power button portion is turned off . the function of driving the first and second valves 46 and 47 to fully open and fully close , respectively , when the button portion of an exhaust gas test mode which uses air in the atmosphere as the diluting air is turned on . the function of driving the first valve 46 to fully close and the second valve 47 to fully open , semi - open , or slightly open it in accordance with which one of the large , medium , and small venturis 26 to 28 is selected by the venturi selection button portion when the button portion of an exhaust gas test mode which uses purified air as the diluting air is turned on . the function of operating the sampling unit 11 in accordance with the exhaust gas test mode when the power button portion is turned on . with these functions , only by operating the operating unit 49 , purified air from the air purifier 1 or air in the atmosphere is used as the diluting air , or purified air at a predetermined flow rate corresponding to the selected one of the large , medium , and small venturis 26 to 28 is taken in from the air purifier 1 . the second test bench b also employs this structure . necessary purified air can be supplied to a plurality of sampling units , e . g ., two sampling units 11 and 11a in this case , with one air purifier 1 , which is a necessary minimum number . regarding information output upon operation of the operation buttons of the operating unit 49 , a signal output from the operation unit ( not shown ) of the sampling unit 11 or from an automatic measuring apparatus ( not shown ), which is of the same type as that output from the operating unit 49 , may be directly connected to the controller 48 . the air purifier 1 can purify and blow a maximum diluting air amount necessary for the plurality of sampling units . referring to fig1 suffix &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; is added to the reference numeral of each component around the second test bench b , so that the first and second test benches a and b can be discriminated from each other . the operation of the exhaust gas measuring apparatus having the above arrangement will be described . in this case , assume that the emission amount of exhaust gases of each of the test vehicles 10 and 10a in the exhaust gas test mode is to be measured by using both of the first and second test benches a and b and using purified air as the diluting air . as a preparation for this , for example , in the first test bench a , the connecting pipe 23 is connected to the exhaust pipe 21 of the test vehicle 10 placed on the chassis dynamometer 9 . an appropriate venturi , e . g ., the small venturi 28 , is selected from the three venturis 26 to 28 in accordance with the exhaust gas test mode and the size ( test conditions ) of the engine 22 of the test vehicle 10 , and is set in the venturi unit 24 , so that an appropriate diluting ratio ( the ratio of exhaust gas amount emitted from the test vehicle 10 to the amount of diluting air ) is obtained . in this selection , a consideration is made so that the water content in the exhaust gases will not be condensed and the measuring precision will not become low ( the exhaust gas measurement concentration will not become excessively low ). when the small venturi 28 is set , the necessary supply amount of diluting air for the sampling unit 11 is determined . similarly , in the second test bench b , a connecting pipe 23a is connected to an exhaust pipe 21a of a test vehicle 10a placed on a chassis dynamometer 9a , and an appropriate venturi is selected from three venturis 26 to 28 and set in the venturi portion of the sampling unit 11a , so that an appropriate diluting ratio ( the ratio of exhaust gas amount emitted from the test vehicle 10 to the amount of diluting air ) is obtained . subsequently , the operating units 49 and 49a provided in units of test benches are operated . this operation is done when the type of venturi selected with the venturi selection button is input , the button portion of the exhaust gas test mode which uses purified air as the diluting air is turned on , and the power button portion is turned on . in response to this operation , the purified air draft system is set , and the air purifier 1 and the respective sampling units 11 and 11a are operated . fig4 shows the control flow chart of this purified air draft system . how to obtain the emission amount of exhaust gases will be described by using this control flow chart . upon reception of information input from the operating unit 49 , the controller 48 of the sampling unit 11 checks whether the test is to be performed in accordance with whether the power button portion of the operating unit 49 is turned on , as shown in step s1 . since the power button portion of the operating unit 49 is on , the flow advances to step s2 in response to this on signal . in step s2 , whether the test requires purified air is checked in accordance with whether the button portion of the exhaust gas test mode which uses purified air as the diluting air is turned on . since the button portion of the exhaust gas test mode which uses purified air as the diluting air is on , it is determined from this on signal that highly precise exhaust gas measurement which uses purified air is to be performed , and the flow advances to step s3 . since an input indicating that the small venturi 28 is set to the venturi setting portion 25 has been made in the operating unit 49 , the controller 48 enters step s5 via steps s3 and s4 . in step s5 , the controller 48 drives the first valve 46 to a fully closed position and the second valve 47 to a slightly opened position so that a passage for the purified air is ensured and a supply amount of diluting air corresponding to the specific flow rate of the small venturi 28 is ensured . in this manner , the purified air draft system of the first test bench a is set . the purified air draft system of the second test bench b is also set in the same manner under the control of a controller 48a of the sampling unit 11a . when the sampling unit ( non - operating sampling unit ) is not used , i . e ., is stopped , both the first and second valves 46 and 47 ( 46a and 47a ) are fully closed by the off signal from the power button portion which is input through the controller 48 ( 48a ) ( step s8 ). by these control operations , a preparation for supplying only necessary amounts of diluting air to the sampling units 11 , 11a is done . thereafter , the air purifier 1 and the sampling units 11 and 11a are operated . upon operation of the air purifier 1 , air in the atmosphere is taken in by the blower fan 4 , and any impurities contained in this air are removed by the cleaner 5 , thereby purifying the air . this purified air is supplied from the connecting duct 6 to the respective branch ducts 15 and 15a through the main duct 7 . in the sampling unit 11 , the turbo blower 20 is activated to draw air in the passage 16 to be exhausted to the atmosphere . then , the flow velocity of the gas flowing through the small venturi 28 is maintained at a critical flow , and the gas in the passage 16 flows while it maintains a predetermined flow rate determined by the small venturi 28 . with the suction force generated at this time , the purified diluting air is taken in from the inlet port 13 and reaches the mixing unit 18 . at this time , on the chassis dynamometer 9 of the first test bench a , the test vehicle 10 is being driven in accordance with the exhaust gas test mode . the exhaust gases emitted from the test vehicle 10 reach the mixing unit 18 through the connecting pipe 23 , and are diluted as they are mixed with the diluting air flowing through the mixing unit 18 . when this diluted exhaust gases pass through the cyclone 19 , dust in the diluted exhaust gases is removed . the diluted exhaust gases pass through the small venturi 28 and are emitted to the atmosphere from the turbo blower 20 . the temperature and pressure of the diluted exhaust gases flowing at the predetermined flow rate are detected by the sensor unit 41 at the inlet side of the small venturi 28 . the arithmetic unit 42 performs a calculation based on the information on temperature and pressure , the flow rate coefficient of the venturi , and the time , to obtain the amount of diluted exhaust gases in the standard state . the flow rate display unit 43 displays the amount of diluted exhaust gases in this exhaust gas test mode . meanwhile , both the sampling suction pumps 31 and 34 are in operation . with the suction force of the suction pump 31 , the sampling venturi 32 draws the diluting air maintained at a critical flow . the diluted exhaust gases flowing in the passage 16 are collected through the sampling venturi 32 and a collection pipe 32a , and are stored in the bag 33 at a predetermined flow rate in the exhaust gas test mode . the diluting air before being mixed with the exhaust gases is collected by the suction force of the suction pump 34 , and is stored in the bag 35 in the exhaust gas test mode in the same manner . the analyzer 37 calculates the net exhaust gas concentration by subtracting the regulated materials ( impurities ), e . g ., hc , co , and no x , contained in the purified air collected in the bag 35 from the diluted exhaust gases collected in the bag 33 . the net exhaust gas concentration and the prescribed diluted exhaust gas amount in the standard state metered by the small venturi 28 are subjected to calculation by using the analyzer 37 , thereby obtaining the emission amount of exhaust gases emitted from the test vehicle 10 traveling in the exhaust gas test mode . this measurement is performed by the second test bench b as well in the same manner , thereby obtaining the emission amount of exhaust gases emitted from the test vehicle 10a . while the sampling units 11 and 11a are operating in this manner , the controller 1b of the air purifier 1 controls the rotation speed of the blower fan 4 by detecting the pressure p 1 in the main duct 7 and the atmospheric pressure p 2 and monitoring the pressure difference δ between them , so that necessary diluting air is supplied . when the two sampling units 11 and 11a operate , the blower fan 4 is controlled to increase its rotation speed so that a necessary amount of diluting air is always ensured . with this control , the exhaust gas test can be performed well in which one air purifier 1 is used and two sampling units 11 and 11a ( test benches a and b ) are used simultaneously . when one of the two test benches , e . g ., the test bench b , is stopped , the sampling unit 11a of the test bench b is stopped , and the first and second valves 46a and 47a are fully closed . simultaneously , the controller 1b of the air purifier 1 decreases the rotation speed of the blower fan 4 to suppress variations in pressure difference δp occurring upon closing of the branch duct 15a , thereby ensuring the diluting air amount which is necessary by only the sampling unit 11 . hence , even when one air purifier 1 and one sampling unit 11 ( test bench a ) are used , the exhaust gas test can be performed well . when an exhaust gas test is performed which does not require high precision , unlike in a case wherein purified air is used as the diluting air , and air in the atmosphere is directly used as the diluting air , the button portions of the exhaust gas test mode using air in the atmosphere as the diluting air , which are located on the operating units 49 and 49a of the test benches that are to perform this test , may be turned on , and the power button portion may be turned on . then , the first and second valves 46 and 47 of these test benches are respectively opened and closed ( step s9 of fig4 ), so that the ducts 44 are opened . upon this operation , the sampling units 11 and 11a take in air in the atmosphere as the diluting air from the atmosphere introducing unit 45 . in this manner , with the structure of supplying the purified air from the air purifier 1 to the sampling units 11 and 11a through the main duct 7 , purified diluting air can be appropriately supplied , by effectively using a small number of air purifiers 1 ( one in this case ), to the sampling units 11 and 11a that are larger in number than the air purifiers 1 . this means that even if a plurality of sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . are employed , the number of air purifiers can be a necessary minimum , leading to a rather low cost . also , spaces necessary for installing the air purifiers 1 can be small , leading to down sizing of the exhaust gas measuring apparatus . in addition , regarding the structure using the main duct 7 , if the blind cover 8 of the main duct 7 is removed and the main duct 7 is extended , as indicated by an alternate long and two dashes line in fig1 the number of test benches can be increased easily . in measurement of the emission amount of exhaust gases , the net exhaust gas concentration is calculated by subtracting the impurities in the diluting air from the collected exhaust gases . the diluted exhaust gas amount is measured , and the net exhaust gas concentration and the diluted exhaust gas amount are subjected to calculation to obtain the emission amount of exhaust gases . as a consequence , when purified diluting air is used , a highly precise emission amount of exhaust gases can be obtained . when the blowing flow rates of the sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . for the air purifier 1 are controlled by controlling the capacity ( rotation speed ) of the blower fan 4 that substantially stabilizes the pressure difference δp between the atmospheric pressure and the internal pressure of the main duct 7 , a necessary diluting air amount in accordance with the number of operating sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . can be obtained from the air purifier 1 with a simple control operation . if the branch ducts 15 , 15a , . . . are controlled by the second valves 47 , 47a , . . . that are opened and closed when the sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . are operative and non - operative , respectively , thereby introducing the diluting air to the operating sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . , then the branch ducts 15 , 15a , . . . can be reliably opened / closed in accordance with the operative / non - operative states of the sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . with a simple structure . if a structure that introduces air in the atmosphere to the sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . by using the ducts 44 and the first valves 46 , 46a , . . . is employed , exhaust gas measurement directly using air in the atmosphere as the diluting air , which complies with the conventional exhaust gas regulations , can also be performed . to collect the diluted exhaust gases , a structure is employed in which the diluting air is drawn with the turbo blower 20 , the diluting air is mixed with the exhaust gases from the engine , and a portion of the diluted exhaust gases is collected . therefore , a predetermined volume of diluted exhaust gas can be collected with a simple structure . in addition , if the venturi unit 24 capable of adjusting the diluting ratio of the exhaust gases is provided on the upstream side of the turbo blower 20 and the open degree of the second valve 47 is adjusted in accordance with the present diluting ratio when the sampling units 11 , 11a , . . . are in operation , the emission amount of exhaust gases can be measured for exhaust gases which are diluted with an appropriate diluting ratio . in the above embodiment , two sampling units 11 and 11a are connected to one air purifier 1 . however , the present invention is not limited to this , and more than two sampling units may be connected to one air purifier . also , even if two air purifiers are employed and sampling units larger in number than the air purifiers , i . e ., three or more sampling units , are connected to the two air purifiers through a main duct , the same effect as that of the embodiment described above can be obtained . additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art . therefore , the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details , and representative devices shown and described herein . accordingly , various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents .
| 6 |
please referring to fig1 , 3 a and 5 , the present invention is located under a desktop 101 and may be moved horizontally and vertically relative to the desktop 101 to a desired location for holding a keyboard ( not shown in the drawings ) at an operating position . the invention includes a mounting bracket 10 fastening to the desktop 101 , an upper arm 20 pivotally engaged with the mounting bracket 10 through a first axle a which runs through pivot holes 11 and 221 , a side arm 30 pivotally coupled on two sides of the mounting bracket 10 through a second axle b which runs through pivot holes 12 and 32 , and a holding bracket 40 pivotally engaged with the upper arm 20 through a third axle c through pivot holes 211 and 43 . the first axle a is coupled with an elastic restoring element 80 which provides a biased pressure upwards . the pivot holes 221 and 211 of the upper arm 20 are formed respectively on a front flap 21 and a rear flap 22 that are extended from the front end and the rear end of the upper arm 20 to couple with the first axle a and the third axle c . the front and rear flaps 21 and 22 aim at providing a selected interval between the upper arm 20 and the mounting bracket 10 and the holding bracket 40 to facilitate vertical adjustment and thread the cables of the keyboard . the desktop 101 has a lower side fastening to a track plate 90 . the mounting bracket 10 has a sliding track dock 70 fastened thereon . the sliding track dock 70 has two side flanges 71 each fastens to a sliding rail 72 which may move horizontally on the track plate 90 . the mounting bracket 10 further has a swivel zone 13 which holds a rotary disk 60 between the rotary zone 13 and the sliding track dock 70 . the first , second and third axles a , b and c are pivotally engaged at fixed locations to form a linkage movement . the side arm 30 has an outer diameter greater than the fourth axle d and the height of the adjusting hole 31 . inside the side arm 30 , there is a brake element 34 which has a brake side 341 facing the holding bracket 40 . the outer side of the holding bracket 40 forms a harness side 421 corresponding to and capable of in contact with the brake side 341 of the brake element 34 . in addition , the middle portion of the upper arm 20 has a transverse slot 23 relative to the vertical displacement . the transverse slot 23 is coupled with a fifth axle e which runs through pivot holes 33 formed on the side arm 30 and the upper arm 20 . the bottom of the two side arms 30 has a lower arm 50 . the fifth axle e aims at aiding the movement of the upper arm 20 and the side arm 30 to prevent them from skewing or tilting during movement . it also can increase friction force and overall strength of the product . referring to fig3 a and 3b , before proceeding vertical displacement adjustment , the sliding rail 72 on the two side flanges 71 of the sliding track 70 is coupled on the track plate 90 to move horizontally relative to the desktop 101 ( i . e . the entire keyboard may be moved outwards or inwards through the support bracket to user &# 39 ; s operating position ). when the horizontal movement and adjustment is finished , as shown in fig5 , a leftward or rightward swivel adjustment relative to the sliding track 70 may be made through the rotary disk 60 on the swivel zone 13 of the mounting bracket 10 . of course , the horizontal adjustment and swivel adjustment may also be done after the vertical adjustment is finished . the vertical adjustment procedures of the invention can be divided as follows : 1 . as shown in fig3 a and 3b , the side arm 30 is closed to the highest position of the desktop 101 . it is to be noted that the harness side 421 of the holding bracket 40 has its lower section forming a bucking relationship with the brake side 341 . referring to fig3 c and 3d , when a force is applied to move the holding bracket 40 upwards , the third axle c is pivotally engaged in a movable manner . thus when the holding bracket 40 is moved upwards , the holding bracket 40 takes the third axle c for the axle to move upwards and enable the harness side 421 of the holding bracket 40 to be separated from the brake side 341 to release the bucking condition . the corresponding friction force is absent in such a condition . 2 . because the friction force is absent , user can easily move the holding bracket 40 , through the third axle c to move the upper arm 20 , then use the first axle a and the second axle b as fulcrums to move vertically in an endless manner to the middle position . a harness hole 35 is set up on the side arm 30 corresponding to the holding bracket . when the holding bracket 40 moves upwards , the front side of the holding bracket 40 fits the harness hole 35 and withstands along the side arm 30 . users can press the holding bracket 40 and make the side arm 30 move downwards as shown in fig3 e and 3f ; or move to the bottom as shown in fig3 i and 3j . it is to be noted that the harness side 421 and the brake side 341 have the curvature of the same shape and the selected concave surface . thus in the vertical movement , the gap between the harness side 421 and the brake side 341 becomes smaller gradually . therefore , adjustment range is limited to prevent the harness side 421 from exceeding the adjustment range and resulting in ineffective positioning . 3 . after a desired vertical position has been adjusted to suit the user , the force on the holding bracket 40 may be released to move the holding bracket 40 downwards . the harness side 421 of the holding bracket 40 is in contact with the brake side 341 . the arched sides generate friction force to press each other and form an anchoring effect . this step is shown in fig3 g and 3h . when the position of the side arm 30 moves away from the middle portion of the desktop 101 , the harness side 421 of the holding bracket 40 has its middle portion bucking against the brake side 341 . referring to fig3 k and 3l , when the side arm 30 is moved away from the lowest position of the desktop 101 , the harness side 421 of the holding bracket 40 has its upper portion bucking against the brake side 341 to form a latching relationship . 4 . referring to fig6 , the holding bracket 40 includes a holding board 41 to fasten to a holding seat 102 . the holding seat 102 , in addition to holding a keyboard , may also hold other peripheral devices such as a mouse ( not shown in the drawing ). after having completed the horizontal , swivel and vertical adjustment , the holding seat 102 of the holding bracket 40 is substantially in parallel with the desktop 101 and becomes horizontal to hold the keyboard . thus it can be adjusted to a desired position to suit user &# 39 ; s sitting posture and hand position . during the operations set forth above , the side arm 30 and the holding bracket 40 have angular alterations relative to the desktop 101 . details of those angular alterations are depicted below . when the holding bracket 40 is lifted by forces and the harness side 421 is separated from the brake side 341 in a non - contact condition , if the gap between the harness side 421 and the brake side 341 is w 1 after separated when the side arm 30 is closest to the desktop 101 ( referring to 3 d ), and the gap is w 2 when the side arm 30 is moved downwards to a medium location from desktop 101 ( referring to fig3 f ), and the gap is w 3 when the side arm 30 is moved downwards to a lowest location from desktop 101 ( referring to fig3 j ), the relationship of the gaps is w 1 & gt ; w 1 & gt ; w 3 . through the bucking arched sides of the brake side 341 and the harness side 421 , the holding bracket 40 may form various inclined angles relative to the desktop 101 . in the following discussion , in order to facilitate explanation of the related positions , the lowering of the horizontal line of the desktop 101 is shown by an imaginative broken line , and the angles are the included angles relative to the desktop 101 , not the variations of included angle of the holding bracket 40 relative to the side arm 30 . first , refer to the variations of the gap between the holding bracket 40 and the side arm 30 discussed previously . referring to fig4 a , the holding bracket 40 may have a preset inclined angle θ 1 ( about 3 degrees ), the included angle of the side arm 30 relative to the desktop 101 is θ 7 . the angles θ 1 and θ 7 indicate that the side arm 30 is closed to the highest position of the desktop 101 as shown in fig3 a . when the holding bracket 40 is lifted to a position as shown in fig3 c , the angular variations are shown in fig4 b , with the inclined angle of the holding bracket 40 relative to the desktop 101 increased to θ 2 . in this condition , the position of the side arm 30 does not change , thus the angle relative to the desktop 101 is θ 8 = θ 7 . when the holding bracket 40 is moved vertically downwards to a middle position as shown in fig3 e , the included angle θ 9 between the side arm 30 and the desktop 101 increases as shown in fig4 c . as the force applied on the holding bracket 40 is not yet released , the angle θ 3 relative to the desktop 101 remains unchanged , i . e . θ 3 = θ 2 . when the force applied on the holding bracket 40 is released as shown in fig3 g , and the holding bracket 40 is anchored at the middle position , the included angle of the side arm 30 relative to desktop 101 remains unchanged as shown in fig4 d , i . e . θ 10 = θ 9 . but due the gap is eliminated , the included angle of the holding bracket 40 relative to the desktop 101 decreases slightly to become θ 4 which is smaller than θ 3 ( about 7 degrees ), but θ 4 is still greater than θ 1 . namely , the included angle of the holding bracket 40 relative to the desktop 101 is greater than the inclined angle . referring to fig3 i , when the holding bracket 40 is moved vertically to the lowest position without releasing the force , the included angle θ 11 between the side arm 30 and the desktop 101 is maximum as shown in fig4 e . due to the force on the holding bracket 40 is not yet released , its angle relative to the desktop 101 θ 5 remains unchanged , i . e . θ 5 = θ 3 = θ 2 . referring to fig3 k , when the force on the holding bracket 40 is released and the holding bracket 40 is moved to the lowest position , the relative included angle between side arm 30 and the desktop 101 remains unchanged as shown in fig4 f , i . e . θ 12 = θ 11 . but due to the gap has been eliminated , the included angle of the holding bracket 40 relative to the desktop 101 decreases , i . e . θ 5 & lt ; θ 6 ( about 9 degrees ). however , θ 6 is still greater than θ 4 and θ 1 . namely , the inclined angle of the holding bracket 40 relative to the desktop 101 has changed to the maximum . based on previous discussions , the angular relationship can be summed up as follows : the included angle relative to the desktop 101 is θ 1 when the holding bracket 40 is located at the highest position , θ 4 when the holding bracket 40 is located at the middle position , and θ 6 when the holding bracket 40 is located at the lowest position , and θ 6 & gt ; θ 4 & gt ; θ 1 . thus the inclined angle of holding bracket 40 increases as the operation position of the holding bracket 40 lowers . therefore it conforms to ergonomics and enables the forearms of users to form the same inclination ( relative to the vertical angle of human body ), thereby to get effective support and can prevent injury that might otherwise happen when operating at the same posture for a long period of time . in summary , compared with u . s . pat . no . 5 , 924 , 664 , the invention offers features and advantages as follows : 1 . the invention permits vertical adjustment after the frictional anchoring between the harness side 421 and the brake side 341 has been released . during adjustment , there is no limitation of friction forces , thus adjustment may be made with less effort , and no metal friction sound occurs , and noise may be prevented . 2 . in the invention , the anchor fulcrum is located between the holding bracket 40 and the side arm 30 , and the frictional force borne by the brake element 34 is merely the weight of the holding bracket 40 and the keyboard . it requires a smaller frictional force . thus the invention can achieve an effective anchoring at every position when doing the endless adjustment . by contrast , the stopping means in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 924 , 664 has to bear the weight of the side arm 30 , upper arm 20 , lower arm 50 , holding bracket 40 and keyboard . the moment of force is greater , and required frictional force also is greater , and damage is prone to occur . 3 . the angle of the holding bracket 40 relative to the desktop 101 is not constant . the inclined angle of the holding bracket 40 changes as the angle of the side arm 30 increases . thus it better conforms to ergonomics .
| 5 |
according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the present invention provides a synthesis method of ( s )- 2 - amino - 5 - methoxytetralin hydrochloride and compounds for the synthesis of ( s )- 2 - amino - 5 - methoxytetralin hydrochloride . the person skilled in the art will understand the present invention through the disclosure of the present invention and all modifications such as changes of reaction parameters and conditions encompassed within the spirit and scope of the disclosure of the present invention are included in the present invention . it is worth mentioning that any changes or substitution made by the skilled in the art which is obvious to the skilled in the art is are encompassed within the spirit and scope of the disclosure of the present invention and are included in the present invention . it will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished . it embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles . a process of making ( s )- 2 - amino - 5 - methoxytetralin hydrochloride according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention add 72 g ( 409 mmol ) of 5 - methoxy - 2 - tetralone , 62 g ( 512 mmol ) of r -(+)- a - phenylethylamine , 3 . 2 g of p - toluenesulfonic acid and 2500 ml of toluene into a 5 l reaction flask which is opened to manifold ; under the protection of nitrogen atmosphere , stir and heat until the reflux reaction is complete . then concentrate the reaction liquid under vacuum to obtain an oily liquid of compound i . the reaction is illustrated as follows : the oily liquid is analyzed by nmr spectroscopy and is determined to have a structural formula consistent to the compound i . add 125 g ( 409 mmol ) of compound i obtained from the above method and 1500 ml anhydrous ethanol into a 2 l four - necked flask ; stir until the temperature of the reacting mixture is decreased to reach − 20 ° c .˜− 10 ° c . ; and then start adding 24 g ( 631 mmol ) of sodium tetrahydridoborate slowly and allow reaction at − 20 ° c .˜− 10 ° c . until the reaction is complete . adjust ph to about 7 by 10 % hydrochloric acid . concentrate and drying the reactants and then add 400 ml of water and 100 ml ethyl acetate . while stirring , adjust ph to about 10 by 10 % sodium hydroxide solution and allow settling for stratification . then the water layer is extracted by 1000 ml of ethyl acetate . mixing the organic layer obtained from the above two extraction process . wash twice with 400 ml and 200 ml water respectively . dry by anhydrous na 2 so 4 . filter and concentrate to obtain 126 g of oily liquid , which is compound ii . the reaction is illustrated as follows : the oily liquid is analyzed by nmr spectroscopy and is determined to have a structural formula consistent to that of the compound ii . the results are shown as follows : 1 h - nmr ( cdcl 3 , δ ( ppm )): 2 . 02 ( 1h ), 2 . 12 - 2 . 18 ( 3h ), 2 . 28 ( 1h ), 2 . 32 - 2 . 42 ( 2h ), 2 . 95 - 3 . 02 ( 2h ), 3 . 38 - 3 . 42 ( 2h ), 3 . 74 ( 3h ), 4 . 50 - 4 . 52 ( 1h ), 6 . 53 - 6 . 61 ( 2h ), 6 . 98 - 7 . 03 ( 1h ), 7 . 25 ( 1h ), 7 . 32 - 7 . 44 ( 2h ), 7 . 69 - 7 . 71 ( 2h ). dilute 126 g of compound ii obtained from the above process with 200 ml ethyl acetate . then add 500 ml ethyl acetate - hcl solution . obtain a solid by precipitation . filter and vacuum drying to obtain 100 g of a generally white solid , which is compound ii salt . add 100 g ( 404 mmol ) of compound ii salt , 2300 ml anhydrous ethanol , 80 ml water and 18 g pd ( oh 2 )/ c into a 5 l four - necked flask . introduce nitrogen gas into the flask for 30 minutes . then , introduce h 2 while increasing temperature to 25 ° c .˜ 35 ° c . and allow reaction . after the reaction is complete , stop the supply of h 2 . filter to obtain a filtrate . concentrate and dry the filtrate . add 1000 ml ethyl acetate to the residue , reflux for 30 min , cooling and allow crystallization . filter , dry and vacuum drying to obtain 60 g of a generally white solid , which is ( s )- 2 - amino - 5 - methoxytetralin hydrochloride . based on the quantity of 5 - methoxy - 2 - tetralone , the overall yield is 68 . 7 %, the purity is greater than 99 % and the enantiomeric excess is 98 . 5 %. if this generally white solid is further refined once , the refining yield is 93 %, the overall yield is 63 . 9 %, the purity is greater than 99 . 5 % and the enantiomeric excess is 99 . 9 %. the reaction is illustrated as follows : the generally white solid is analyzed by nmr spectroscopy and is determined to have a structural formula consistent to that of the ( s )- 2 - amino - 5 - methoxytetralin hydrochloride . the results are shown as follows : 1 h - nmr ( d 2 o , δ ( ppm )): 1 . 75 - 1 . 80 ( 1h ), 2 . 14 - 2 . 17 ( 1h ), 2 . 52 - 2 . 63 ( 1h ), 2 . 75 - 2 . 87 ( 2h ), 3 . 06 - 3 . 13 ( 1h ). 3 . 45 - 3 . 56 ( 1h ), 3 . 75 ( 3h ), 6 . 74 - 6 . 83 ( 21 - 1 ), 7 . 12 - 7 . 17 ( 1h ). a process of making ( s )- 2 - amino - 5 - methoxytetralin hydrochloride according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention add 72 g ( 409 mmol ) of 5 - methoxy - 2 - tetralone , 62 g ( 512 mmol ) of r -(+)- a - phenylethylamine , 3 . 2 g of methanesulfonate and 3000 ml of ethyl acetate into a 5 l reaction flask which is opened to manifold ; under the protection of nitrogen atmosphere , stir and heat until the reflux reaction is complete . then concentrate the reaction liquid under vacuum to obtain an oily liquid of compound i . the reaction is illustrated as follows : the oily liquid is analyzed by nmr spectroscopy and is determined to have a structural formula consistent to the compound i . add 125 g ( 409 mmol ) of compound i obtained from the above process and 3000 ml tetrahydrofuran into a 2 l four - necked flask ; stir until the temperature of the reacting mixture is decreased to reach − 20 ° c .˜− 15 ° c . ; and then start adding 631 mmol potassium borohydride slowly and allow reaction at − 20 ° c .˜− 15 ° c . until the reaction is complete . adjust ph to about 7 by 10 % hydrochloric acid . concentrate and dry the reactants and then add 500 ml of water and 100 ml ethyl acetate . while stirring , adjust ph to about 10 by 10 % sodium hydroxide solution and allow settling . then the water layer is further extracted by 1500 ml ethyl acetate . mixing the organic layer obtained from the above two extraction process . wash twice with 500 ml and 300 ml water respectively . dry with anhydrous na 2 so 4 . filter and concentrate to obtain an oily liquid , which is compound ii . the reaction is illustrated as follows : the oily liquid is analyzed by nmr spectroscopy and is determined to have a structural formula consistent to that of the compound ii . dilute the compound ii obtained from the above process with 300 ml ethyl acetate . then add 500 ml ethyl ether - hcl solution . obtain a solid by precipitation . filter and vacuum drying to obtain a generally white solid , which is compound ii salt . add 100 g ( 404 mmol ) of compound ii salt , 2500 ml anhydrous ethanol , 100 ml water and 18 g pd / c into a 5 l four - necked flask . introduce nitrogen gas into the flask for 30 minutes . then , introduce h 2 while increasing temperature to 30 ° c .˜ 35 ° c . and allow reaction . after the reaction is complete , stop the supply of h 2 . filter to obtain a filtrate . concentrate and dry the filtrate . add 1500 ml ethyl acetate to the residue , reflux for 30 min , cool and allow crystallization . filter , dry and vacuum drying to obtain a generally white solid , which is ( s )- 2 - amino - 5 - methoxytetralin hydrochloride . based on the quantity of 5 - methoxy - 2 - tetralone , the overall yield is 69 . 3 %, the purity is greater than 99 % and the enantiomeric excess is 98 . 5 %. if this generally white solid is further refined once , the refining yield is 91 %, the overall yield is 62 . 5 %, the purity is greater than 99 . 5 % and the enantiomeric excess is 99 . 9 %. the reaction is illustrated as follows : the generally white solid is analyzed by nmr spectroscopy and is determined to have a structural formula consistent to that of the ( s )- 2 - amino - 5 - methoxytetralin hydrochloride . a process of making ( s )- 2 - amino - 5 - methoxytetralin hydrochloride according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention add 72 g ( 409 mmol ) of 5 - methoxy - 2 - tetralone , 62 g ( 512 mmol ) of r -(+)- a - phenylethylamine , 3 . 2 g isopropyl titanate and 2000 ml of xylene into a 5 l reaction flask which is opened to manifold ; under the protection of nitrogen atmosphere , stir and heat until the reflux reaction is complete . then concentrate the reaction liquid under vacuum to obtain an oily liquid of compound i . the reaction is illustrated as follows : the oily liquid is analyzed by nmr spectroscopy and is determined to have a structural formula consistent to the compound i . add 125 g ( 409 mmol ) of compound i obtained from the above process and 1000 ml anhydrous methanol into a 2 l four - necked flask ; stir until the temperature of the reacting mixture is decreased to reach − 15 ° c .˜− 10 ° c . ; and then start adding 631 mmol lithium borohydride slowly and allow reaction at − 15 ° c .˜− 10 ° c . until the reaction is complete . adjust ph to about 7 by 10 % hydrochloric acid . concentrate and dry the reactants and then add 350 ml of water and 150 ml ethyl acetate . while stirring , adjust ph to about 10 by 10 % sodium hydroxide solution and allow settling . then the water layer is further extracted by 1200 ml ethyl acetate . mixing the organic layer obtained from the above two extraction process . wash twice with 350 ml and 200 ml water respectively . dry with anhydrous na 2 so 4 . filter and concentrate to obtain an oily liquid , which is compound ii . the reaction is illustrated as follows : the oily liquid is analyzed by nmr spectroscopy and is determined to have a structural formula consistent to that of the compound ii . dilute the compound ii obtained from the above process with 300 ml ethyl acetate . then add 500 ml ethyl ether - hcl solution . obtain a solid by precipitation . filter and vacuum drying to obtain a generally white solid , which is compound ii salt . add 100 g ( 404 mmol ) of compound ii salt , 2000 ml anhydrous ethanol , 100 ml water and 18 g pd ( oh ) 2 / c into a 5 l four - necked flask . introduce nitrogen gas into the flask for 30 minutes . then , introduce h 2 while start increasing temperature to 25 ° c .˜ 30 ° c . and allow reaction . after the reaction is complete , stop the supply of h 2 . filter to obtain a filtrate . concentrate and dry the filtrate . add 1200 ml ethyl acetate to the residue , reflux for 30 min , cool and allow crystallization . filter , dry and vacuum drying to obtain a generally white solid , which is ( s )- 2 - amino - 5 - methoxytetralin hydrochloride . based on the quantity of 5 - methoxy - 2 - tetralone , the overall yield is 67 . 5 %, the purity is greater than 99 % and the enantiomeric excess is 98 . 5 %. if this generally white solid is further refined once by ethyl acetate , the refining yield is 93 . 6 %, the overall yield is 64 . 1 %, the purity is greater than 99 . 5 % and the enantiomeric excess is 99 . 9 %. the reaction is illustrated as follows : the generally white solid is analyzed by nmr spectroscopy and is determined to have a structural formula consistent to that of the ( s )- 2 - amino - 5 - methoxytetralin hydrochloride . one skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting . it will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished . it embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles . therefore , this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims .
| 2 |
referring to fig1 – 4 , a preferred embodiment of our exercise apparatus comprises a pair of outer rings 10 and 12 , preferably formed of tubular steel , aluminum or another rigid material . the rings 10 each have a number of tapped holes 14 , formed in regular intervals about their perimeter for securing inner rotatable rings in a manner which will be subsequently described . the two outer rings 10 and 12 are joined to one another by a pair of curved , tubular , connecting bars 16 and 18 . the ends of the bars are welded , or otherwise secured to spaced points on the perimeter of the outer rings 10 and 12 . a straight center bar 20 , which is preferably rectangular in cross - section , extends intermediate the two curved connecting bars 16 and 18 and also has its ends secured to the outer perimeter of the two rings 10 and 12 midway between the points of connection of the bars 16 and 18 . the connecting bar 20 may be solid or tubular . the bars 16 , 18 and 20 are connected to the rings 10 and 12 so that the rings , as well as their connecting bars , all lie in a common plane . the lengths of the bars 16 , 18 and 20 are preferably such that the centers of the two rings 10 and 12 are separated by approximately 10 – 15 inches , which represents a comfortable distance for gripping the exercise apparatus . a pair of inner rings 22 and 24 which have outer diameters slightly smaller than the inner diameters of the rings 10 and 12 , are secured within the outer rings by opposed pairs of retaining plates 28 , 30 , 32 and 34 . the retaining plates 28 , 30 , 32 and 34 have a number of screw holes 36 formed through their thickness . the retaining rings may be secured to the opposed faces of the outer rings 10 and 12 with screws 31 , to capture the inner rings 22 and 24 between them . inner rings 22 and 24 make a loose fit within the inner diameters of the outer rings 10 and 12 . each of the inner rings 22 and 24 has a cylindrical grip member 38 and 40 , preferably with a serrated surface , extending diametrically across the respective ring . a metal weight 42 is slidably supported on the straight connecting bar 20 . the fit is such that it may easily slide from one side to the other , as the bar is appropriately inclined . in fig1 , the weight 42 is shown at the end toward the right arm of the exerciser 50 and shown in phantom at a position adjacent to his left arm . in the embodiment of fig1 through 4 , weight supporting , rectangular cross - section extensions 52 and 54 , are fixed to the outer rings 10 and 12 respectively , at points diametrically opposed to the points where the center connecting bar 20 joins those rings . a plurality of weights may be supported on each extension 52 and 54 in the manner of a conventional barbell . fig1 and 3 illustrate crescent - shaped weights formed in accordance with the present invention . fig3 illustrates several conventional disc - shaped weights 60 secured on a bar end 52 and retained by a conventional spring clip 62 . another novel aspect of the present invention resides in the use of crescent - shaped weights 64 a , 64 b , and 64 c , rather than the conventional disc - shaped weights 60 . these crescent - shaped weights preferably have a thickness similar to the thickness of outer rings 10 and 12 and have central holes which allow them to be supported on the extensions 52 and 54 . they may be retained with conventional spring slips 62 . when equipped with the crescent - shaped weights , the exercise apparatus has a relatively flat profile and my be conveniently stored or packaged . the crescent - shaped weight 64 a has a concave surface with a diameter that approximates that of the outer ring so it slightly extends around the outer ring . the weights 64 b and 64 c have concave surfaces which allow them to closely nestle the convex surfaces of the larger weights . the crescent - shaped weights provide a number of advantages over conventional weightlifting bars which may be equipped with disc - shaped weights with central holes that fit over an extending bar such as the bar 52 in addition to the resulting compact configuration and ease of storage . disc - shaped weights tend to rotate during exercise resulting in forces that destabilize the conventional exercises that may be performed by the bar . the crescent - shaped weights lock into one another to prevent rotation . additionally , the crescent - shaped weights minimize the length of the exercise bar and thus lower force moments which tend to cause the bar to twist during use . finally , disc - shaped weights tend to make contact with the user &# 39 ; s elbows during many exercises , particularly trapezius pulls involving grabbing the center of the bar with both hands and lifting towards the chin . since the crescent - shaped bars do not extend out of the plane of the weightlifting apparatus , they do not create such interference . the embodiment of the invention illustrated in fig5 does not have the weight supporting extensions 52 and 54 which form part of the first embodiment of the invention . rather , the exercise apparatus simply consists of the rings and their rotatable handles and the associated connecting bars and the sliding weight . in alternative embodiments of the invention , an anti - friction bearing could be used to support the inner rings 22 and 24 within the outer rings 10 and 12 . this might be a ball bearing or a roller bearing . alternatively , the engaging surfaces of one of the elements could be coated with an anti - friction material . alternate physical arrangements also might be employed for securing the inner rings 22 and 24 within the outer rings 10 and 12 , as opposed to the retaining plates illustrated in the drawings . the use of connecting bars 16 , 18 and 20 which are preferably tubular , gives the weightlifting apparatus a rigidity without the weight of conventional barbells . in an alternative embodiment to the invention , the center bar 20 and its supporting sliding weight 42 could be omitted so as to only allow for symmetrical exercises . as illustrated in fig1 , by inclining the bar in one direction or another , asymmetrical forces would be imposed on the exerciser &# 39 ; s muscles while using the bar for otherwise conventional exercises .
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according to an embodiment of the present invention , a ftir biosensor device as illustrated in fig2 may be used . the device includes a sensor cartridge 1 which may be removable from the biosensor device . in the sensor cartridge , a sensor chamber including appropriately prepared magnetic beads is provided . the biosensor device further comprises a light source 4 , such as a laser diode or led , for generating a light beam which illuminates a binding surface 11 of the biosensor cartridge under an angle which fulfills the requirements for total internal reflection . the light reflected from the sensor surface 11 is detected by a detection means 5 , such as a photo - diode or a camera , e . g . a ccd . in order to increase the reaction speed of the magnetic beads , a magnetic actuation coil 3 is arranged below the cartridge 1 facing the sensor surface , to generate a magnetic field to pull the beads towards the sensor surface 11 . a further magnetic coil 2 may be arranged above the cartridge to pull the beads , which , after a predetermined time , do not establish a bonding with the binding areas on the sensor surface 11 , away from the sensor surface 11 . i . e ., in this so - called washing step , un - specified and un - bonded beads may be removed from the sensor surface 11 , in order to avoid any perturbation of the measurement caused by beads which accidentally are arranged close to the sensor surface 11 . the force required to pull the non - bonded beads away from the sensor surface in the washing step is very critical to tune . it is particularly difficult to find a balance between washing sufficient beads away from the sensor surface 11 while not breaking the fragile bindings between the sensor surface 11 and the bonded beads . the effect of a relatively small wash - current in a coil 2 may be observed and processed in real - time by analyzing the image observed by camera 5 . this may be done by connecting the output of the ccd camera 5 with a video interpreter 7 and controlling the actuation coils 2 , 3 using an actuation driver 6 in response to the output of video interpreter 7 . video interpreter 7 and actuation driver 6 may be implemented by a computer . when the current in coil 2 is increased , the washing of the beads , i . e ., pulling the non - bonded beads away from the sensor surface 11 , gradually takes place , which again may be simultaneously observed in real - time . the effect of the applied current may be observed even more precisely by observing the effect in both , the binding - areas , i . e . the binding spots a 1 , a 2 , and non - binding areas , such as areas b 1 , b 2 as shown in fig1 . with this embodiment of the present invention , the actuation force needed to reliably remove only non - bonded beads from the sensor surface 11 may be performed by real - time observing the sensor surface 11 and , based on this observation , controlling the actuation force , i . e . the magnetic force applied by actuation coil 2 . the above - described process to selectively control the actuation force acting on the beads in the sensor cartridge 1 may also be used to determine the quality of the chemical bindings of the beads on the binding spots on the sensor surface 11 . this may be done by increasing the wash - current in actuation coil 2 until also bonded beads disappear from the sensor surface 11 , thereby effectively breaking or stretching the bindings . the result of such a measurement may be used as a measure of the reliability of the assay . fig3 shows a schematic diagram of the magnetic field generated by actuation coil 2 as a function of the intensity observed in a ftir biosensor device . at low magnetic fields , the intensity increases slowly with an increasing magnetic field . this reflects the removal of the non - bonded beads from the sensor surface 11 . from a certain threshold indicated with h thres , also bonded beads are pulled away from the sensor surface 11 . accordingly , the reflected intensity observed in the ftir biosensor device increases until substantially all beads are removed from the sensor surface 11 . accordingly , from a certain magnetic field , the intensity remains substantially constant . such a measurement may be used to determine the magnetic field required to remove substantially all non - bonded beads as fast as possible from the sensor surface . i . e ., in order to reliably remove only non - bonded beads , the magnetic field of actuation coil 2 should be kept below h thres . the principle of the above - described embodiment of the present invention may be extended to various applications . for example , attracting beads to the sensor surface 11 using actuation coil 3 in order to facilitate the binding of the beads to the binding spots on the sensor surface 11 may be optimized by observing the beads on the sensor surface 11 and controlling the actuation in such a way that unspecific bindings and clusters are avoided . furthermore , by applying coil - currents alternately to both actuation coils 2 and 3 and , simultaneously , observing the position of the beads in the sensor chamber , the beads may be moved across the sensor chamber or sensor surface 11 in a predetermined way , in order to steer and mix a liquid in the sensor chamber . with the device and method of the present invention , an increased assay robustness may be achieved by reducing the effect of various assay tolerances , which is especially important for road - side drug testing . furthermore , the production tolerances when manufacturing biosensor devices and in particular sensor cartridges and thus the production price may be reduced . the present invention offers an optimal balance between hardware and software processing needed in a biosensor device , in particular a ftir biosensor device . while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description , such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and non - restrictive ; the invention is thus not limited to the disclosed embodiments . variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art and practicing the claimed invention , from a study of the drawings , the disclosure , and the appended claims . in the claims , the word “ comprising ” does not exclude other elements or steps , and the indefinite article “ a ” or “ an ” does not exclude a plurality . a single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims . the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures can not be used to advantage . any reference signs in the claims should not be considered as limiting the scope .
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hereinafter , each embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings . next , an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings . fig1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a cellular phone of the present invention . this cellular phone 1 is configured of a data communication antenna 2 , a transmitter - receiver 3 , a communication control circuit 4 , a cpu ( central processing unit ) 5 , and a memory 6 . the data communication antenna 2 is used for data transmission and data reception . the transmitter - receiver 3 performs modulation and demodulation . the communication control circuit 4 controls communication . the cpu 5 controls display , operations by users , and the like . the memory 6 stores transmission and reception data and the like . furthermore , the cellular phone is configured of a display device 7 , a key circuit 8 , a gps antenna 9 , a gps signal processing circuit 10 , a camera portion 11 , and a camera lens 12 . the display device 7 displays a picture and the like on a lcd ( liquid crystal display ). the key circuit 8 performs input operations through dial - keys , switches , and the like . the gps antenna 9 receives signals from gps satellites . the gps signal processing circuit 10 performs the processing of gps signals . the camera portion 11 and the camera lens 12 take a picture of an object . the gps signal processing circuit 10 performs operations in accordance with either an autonomous - positioning system or a network assisted system ( hereinafter , abbreviated as a - gps system ). a system based on the autonomous - positioning system performs positioning by demodulating signals of the gps satellites received through the gps antenna , and thus acquiring navigation messages by itself outputted from the gsp satellites . on the other hand , a system based on the a - gps performs positioning by acquiring assist data , equivalent to the navigation messages , from a server on the network . the cpu 5 extracts a specific pattern such as a barcode from a picture taken by the camera portion 11 by use of some known analysis methods , and also extracts location information out of the pattern . fig2 a and 2b are examples of display including destination information . fig2 a shows an example in a magazine and fig2 b shows an example in a poster . as a destination information pattern , for example , one dimensional pattern as shown in fig2 a or a two dimensional pattern as shown in fig2 b can be used . of course , a character sequence such as , latitude and longitude , or an address can also be used . here , a destination information pattern is generated by coding information specifying a location , such as latitude and longitude , and an address , into one dimensional or two dimensional barcode . in fig2 a and 2b , examples in which latitude and longitude are coded into one dimensional or two dimensional barcode are shown , respectively . a user of the cellular phone 1 takes a picture of a one dimensional first destination information pattern ( 2 - 1 ) which is shown in fig2 a and is a barcode printed on a magazine , such as a restaurant guide and the like . alternatively the user can take a picture of a two dimensional second destination information pattern ( 2 - 2 ) which is shown in fig2 b and is printed on a poster , for instance . such a poster , which is often seen in railway stations and cities , is ordinarily introducing a travel plan and its resorts for tourists . fig3 a and 3b show the examples of taken pictures of fig2 a and 2b respectively . as shown by an information example 1 in fig3 a , one dimensional pattern carries a small amount of information including only a latitude and longitude , or an address . as shown by an information example 2 in fig3 b , by using two dimensional pattern , it is made possible to acquire additional information , such as a telephone number and a menu of a restaurant , and thus convenience of users will be further improved . next , operations in the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to fig1 to 4 . in step 4 - 1 in fig4 , a user of the cellular phone 1 takes a picture of a destination information pattern . to do so , the user starts up a camera portion 11 manipulating a key circuit 8 . following the start up of the camera portion , a cpu 5 displays a picture which can be acquired through a camera lens 12 on a display device 7 . the user confirms the destination information pattern ( 2 - 1 ) or ( 2 - 2 ) to be included in the picture frame on the display device 7 through the operation of the key circuit 8 and takes a picture of the destination information pattern . the cpu 5 stores the taken picture into the memory 6 . the cpu 5 determines : whether the destination information pattern exists within the picture frame or not ; whether the taken picture includes one of the destination information patterns which may already be stored in the memory 6 or not ( step 4 - 2 ). as a result of the determination , if a destination information pattern does not exists in the picture frame , the cpu 5 stores the taken picture into the memory 6 as an ordinary picture taken by the camera portion 11 ( step 4 - 7 ). after storing the picture , the taken picture is displayed on the display device 7 , and the processing of taking a picture by the camera portion 11 is terminated ( step 4 - 8 ). as a result of the determination , if a destination information pattern exists in the picture , the cpu 5 determines whether an extraction of information ( a latitude and longitude , or an address , and so forth ) which is necessary for setting the destination is successful or not ( step 4 - 3 ). as a result of the determination , if a destination information pattern cannot be obtained , the cpu 5 stores the picture into the memory 6 as an ordinary picture taken by the camera portion 11 ( step 4 - 7 ). after storing the picture , the taken picture is displayed on the display device 7 , and the processing of taking a picture by the camera portion 11 is terminated ( step 4 - 8 ). as a result of the determination in step 4 - 3 , if the extraction of information which is necessary for the destination setting is successful , destination information , such as a latitude and longitude , is extracted from a pattern coded into one dimensional or two dimensional barcode ( step 4 - 4 ). the extracted location information of latitude and longitude is set as a latitude and longitude of the destination of the navigation ( step 4 - 5 ). next , the positioning with gps ( a - gps ) is started . the action is followed by a subsequent initiation of navigation by displaying information on the route to a destination and the current location by means of the display device 7 ( step 4 - 6 ). with such a configuration , a specific pattern including destination information is taken by a camera incorporated in a cellular phone . by acquiring the information of destination from the picture taken , and setting a destination by use of the destination information , it is made possible to greatly reduce steps for setting a destination . a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig1 and fig5 to 7 . in the present embodiment , destination information is acquired from a server through a network by use of a destination information pattern . fig5 a and 5b show an operation flow of the second embodiment of the present invention . fig5 a shows a sequence of processes from a process of camera shooting till a process of requesting for destination information to a server . fig5 b shows a sequence of processes from a process of acquiring the destination information till a process of starting navigation . a user of the cellular phone 1 takes a picture of a first destination information pattern ( 2 - 1 ) which is printed on a magazine , such as a restaurant guide and the like as shown in fig2 a . alternatively the user can take a picture of a second destination information pattern ( 2 - 2 ) which is printed on a poster , for instance . such a poster , which is often seen in railway stations and cities , is ordinarily introducing a travel plan and its resorts for tourists . to do so , the user starts up a camera portion 11 manipulating a key circuit 8 . following the start up of the camera portion 11 , a cpu 5 displays a picture which can be acquired through a camera lens 12 on a display device 7 . the user confirms the first or second destination information pattern ( 2 - 1 ) or ( 2 - 2 ) to be included in the picture on the display device 7 through the operation of the key circuit 8 , and takes a picture of the destination information pattern ( step 5 - 1 a in fig5 a ). the cpu 5 stores the taken picture into the memory 6 . the cpu 5 determines : whether the destination information pattern exists within the picture frame or not ; whether the taken picture includes one of the destination information patterns which may already be stored in the memory 6 or not ( step 5 - 2 a ). as a result of the determination , if a destination information pattern does not exist in the picture frame , the cpu 5 stores the taken picture into the memory 6 as an ordinary picture taken by the camera portion 11 ( step 5 - 6 a ). after storing the picture , the taken picture is displayed on the display device 7 , and the processing of taking a picture in the camera portion 11 is terminated ( step 5 - 7 a ). as a result of the determination , if a destination information pattern exists in the picture , the cpu 5 determines whether an extraction of destination information is successful or not ( step 5 - 3 a ). if the extraction is successful , information on an identifier included in a destination information pattern is acquired . if the extraction is not successful , the picture , as an ordinary picture taken by the camera portion 11 , is stored in the memory 6 ( step 5 - 6 a ). after storing the picture , the picture is displayed on the display device 7 , and the processing of taking a picture by the camera portion 11 is terminated ( step 5 - 7 a ). information in this case , which differs from the one obtained in operations shown in fig4 , is not necessarily an exact latitude and longitude of the destination , but it can be an identifier such as a sequence of numerals and characters . as a result of determination by the cpu 5 , if information which is necessary for the destination setting is acquired , the destination information is requested from a server with the identifier added ( step 5 - 5 a ). fig6 is a diagram showing a network configuration of the embodiment . fig7 a and 7b are examples of a display list for selection of destinations . fig7 a shows a route selection and fig7 b shows the details of the selected route . in fig6 , a cellular phone 21 is to be connected to a route server 24 via a telecommunication base station 22 , or a public network or the internet 23 , and transmits data included in the destination information pattern . here , a communication method with the server via the network can be based on either a generic protocol , such as http ( hyper text transfer protocol ), or a special one . the route server 24 which has received the requirement of destination information sends back the route information to the cellular phone 21 depending on the identifier attached to a url inputted from the cellular phone 21 . the route information can be a package of either one sort of destination information or a plurality of sorts of destination information . for example , in the case of a pattern printed on the poster , which is advertising “ autumn kyoto tour — the first release , organized by east japan railway company ”, an identifier acquired from the pattern may be a sequence of characters , such as “ jre - atm - kyoto - 1st ”. the route server 24 having the identifier transmitted as a character sequence , that is , “ jre - atm - kyoto - 1st ”, determines it as “ autumn kyoto tour — the first release , organized by east japan railway company ”, and sends back the route information to the cellular phone 21 . with reference to fig5 b , in step 5 - 1 b of fig5 b , the cellular phone 21 , having a reply from the route server 24 , displays candidates of the route on the display device 7 ( step 5 - 2 b ). a user of the cellular phone 21 selects a desired item among the itemized content of the route selection which is shown in fig7 a . the selected item may further include items shown in fig7 b . thus , the user ultimately selects the destination ( step 5 - 3 b ). next , the user sets destination information ( latitude , longitude , and address ) ( step 5 - 4 b ). then , positioning by use of gps ( a - gps ) starts and navigation will follow ( step 5 - 5 b ). here , it is assumed that the destination information is acquired from the route server 24 or the information has already been included in the route information initially acquired . with such a cellular phone equipped with the navigation function , it is made possible for a user to enjoy efficiently a sightseeing tour , since the user can easily get to the sightseeing spot . the present invention helps service providers and who are to provide sightseeing tours , thereby attract many tourists inducing to their locations . while this invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that the subject matter encompassed by way of this invention is not to be limited to those specific embodiments . on the contrary , it is intended for the subject matter of the invention to include all alternative , modification and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the following claims .
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referring to fig1 there is shown at 10 the hip replacement system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention . the hip replacement system 10 includes a socket ( shown in detail in fig3 - 5 ), a ball member 12 , a stem 14 , and a lubricant ( shown in later drawings ). in fig1 it can be seen that the stem 14 is placed within the upper portion of a femur 16 of the leg . in particular , the stem 14 includes a metallic shell 18 extending downwardly into the interior 20 of the femur 16 . the metallic shell 18 can be suitably secured to the femur 16 by surgical nails , screws or by other means . the metallic shell 18 will provide a secure fit for the stem 14 within the femur 16 . a polymeric lining 20 will extend along the interior surface of the metallic shell 18 of the stem 14 . a metallic shaft 22 extends interior of the polymeric lining 20 and along the length of the shell 18 . the shaft 22 has a neck 24 extending outwardly of the femur 16 for securing to the ball member 12 . importantly , in the present invention , a channel 26 extends within the stem 14 between the metallic shaft 22 and the polymeric lining 20 . channel 26 will be filled with a suitable lubricant . the lubricant is introduced by way of inlet 28 . inlet 28 includes a catheter 30 that has a one - way valve 32 positioned thereon . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the inlet 28 is known as a “ portacath ” (™). the inlet 28 will extend through the femur 16 so as to have an opening on the leg . as such , as needed , the lubricant can be introduced through the one - way valve 32 , through the catheter 30 and into the channel 26 . in the present invention , the ball member 12 is positioned at the top of the neck 24 of the shaft 22 associated with the stem 14 . the ball 12 has a small opening 34 located at its upper end thereof . when installed into the socket , the opening 34 will allow the lubricant to pass into the space between the exterior surface 36 of the ball member 12 and the inner wall of the socket . the channel 26 will communicate through the stem 14 and the neck 24 with the opening 34 so as to allow the lubricant to pass into the space between the ball member and the socket . a seal 38 is positioned at the top of the shell 18 and around the shaft 22 . the seal 38 serves to retain the lubricant within the channel 26 and to prevent the lubricant from emerging outwardly of the shell 18 . the seal 38 facilitates the ability of the lubricant to migrate through the channels associated with the neck 24 of the shaft 22 . the seal 38 is positioned at the top open end of the femur 16 . in the present invention , it is important to note that the lubricant is compressed body fat . this compressed body fat can be obtained by suitable and conventional surgical techniques , such as liposuction . since it is the body fat of the same person that has the femur 16 , there will be absolute capability between the lubricant and the person having the hip replacement system 10 . there is no difficulty if the body fat should migrate from the area between the ball member 12 and the socket . since body fat is always available , more lubricant can be supplied , as required . as such , the present invention is able to utilize body fat as the lubricant instead of polymeric materials and / or hydrocarbon - based lubricant . additionally , by filling the channel 26 between the shaft 22 and the polymeric lining 20 of the stem 14 , the lubricant within the channel 26 will reduce the possibility of deterioration of the polymeric lining throughout continued use . [ 0046 ] fig2 shows a cross - sectional view of the stem 14 . in particular , it can be seen that the stem 14 has a metallic shell 18 , a polymeric lining 20 and an interior metallic shaft 22 . the channel 26 extends around the shaft 22 . in fig2 the channel 26 is filled with lubricant 40 . the catheter 30 is through the shell 18 and the lining 22 so as to communicate with the channel 26 . [ 0047 ] fig3 shows the human hip 42 having the acetabulum area 44 . the socket 46 is placed within the acetabulum area 44 . typically , the socket 46 is secured in its desired position through the use of surgical nails , screws or other means . the socket 46 will have a hemispherical cavity 48 formed therein and facing the exterior of the acetabulum area 44 . in fig3 it can be seen that the socket 46 has a shell 50 which is secured to the hip 42 . a polymeric lining 52 extends around the inner wall of the shell 50 . conventionally , in past procedures , the polymeric lining 52 would provide a smooth contact surface between the metallic ball member 12 and the socket 46 . however , it has been noted that , after continued use , the metallic ball member 12 will cause deterioration of the polymeric lining 52 to the detriment of the user . [ 0049 ] fig4 shows a detailed view of the socket 46 . as can be seen , the socket 46 has hemispherical cavity 48 formed therein . the polymeric lining 52 is positioned against the inner surface 56 of the metallic shell 50 . a sealing member 58 is affixed to the end 60 of the metallic shell 50 and over the end of the polymeric lining 52 . the sealing member 58 will be in the nature of an annular gasket which is properly positioned so as to retain the lubricant in the space between the exterior surface of the ball member 12 and the inner surface 62 of the polymeric lining 52 . [ 0050 ] fig5 shows how the ball member 12 is received within the hemispherical cavity 48 of the socket 46 . in particular , in fig5 it can be seen that the neck portion 24 of the shaft 22 has channel 26 extending therethrough . the channel 26 allows the lubricant 40 to flow toward the opening 34 on the ball member 12 . a channel 60 is formed in the ball member 12 so as to allow the lubricant 40 to properly flow from the channel 26 to the opening 34 . within the concept of the present invention , it is possible that a plurality of openings 34 can be formed on the exterior surface of the ball member 12 so as to allow the lubricant 40 to flow into the space 64 between the exterior surface 36 of the ball member 12 and the inner wall 62 of the lining 52 . the gasket 58 is illustrated as having its inner edge 66 juxtaposed against the exterior surface 34 of the ball member 12 . the gasket 58 serves to retain the lubricant 48 in the space 64 . in the configuration of the present invention , the lubricant 40 can be continually provided to the space 64 so as to assure a long life for the hip replacement 10 of the present invention . when friction starts to occur between the exterior surface 36 of the ball member 12 and the inner wall 62 of the lining 52 , additional lubricant can be introduced into the channel 26 by simply passing the lubricant through the inlet 28 and into the channel 26 of the stem 14 . by using body fat , the lubricant will be absolutely compatible with the human body . the foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof . various changes in the details of the illustrated construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention . the present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents .
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the invention is described in greater detail hereinafter with respect to the following examples given in an illustrative and non - limitative manner . a batch of 1 kg of uo 2 powder with a specific surface area of 2 m 2 / g is introduced into a rotary apparatus . 20 cm 3 of a 30 % hydrogen peroxide solution , representing 2 % by weight of the mass of uo 2 , are then atomized onto the powder . the atomization operation is carried out in a few minutes on the surface of the powder bed , so as to ensure a homogeneous dispersion of the liquid reagent droplets . the thus treated powder batch then undergoes drying for 1 hour in an oven at 60 ° c ., in order to ensure that the excess liquid water is eliminated and that the hydrated oxide surface layer is formed , whilst modifying the properties of the powder . the powder then undergoes cold compression at a pressure of 350 mpa , in order to form crude cylindrical pellets having a diameter of 10 mm and a height of 30 mm . their tensile strength is determined . it reaches 0 . 86 mm / cm 2 , which is more than double the value obtained with crude pellets prepared under identical conditions from an untreated oxide powder . moreover , it is found that the pellets have less faults and cracks on their edges . after fritting for 4 hours at 1700 ° c ., under a hydrogen atmosphere , the fritted pellets have a density equal to 98 % of the theoretical density of uranium dioxide , like fritted pellets obtained from untreated powder , so that the surface oxidohydration process maintains the quality of the pellets . similar results are obtained by the compression and fritting under the same conditions of 1 kg of uo 2 powder , exposed for 10 days in an oven to a temperature of approximately 80 ° c . and with an air atmosphere with an 80 % moisture content . these examples relate to the preparation of fritted uranium dioxide pellets by using as the starting powder , uranium dioxide powder which has undergone a surface oxidohydration treatment by means of aqueous solutions containing different hydrogen peroxide concentrations . in each example , use is made of a 1 kg uranium dioxide powder batch having a specific surface area of 2 m 2 g . 1 kg of this powder is introduced into a rotary mixer , in order to ensure its mixing and onto the mixed powder is atomized by means of a spray gun 40 cm 3 ( i . e . 4 % by weight of the uo 2 mass ) of a hydrogen peroxide solution having hydrogen peroxide concentrations varying as a function of the examples . after atomization , the treated powder batch undergoes drying in an oven at 60 ° c ., with the powder in the form of a thin bed having a thickness of approximately 1 cm . after drying for 2 hours , uo 3 , 2h 2 o surface layer is obtained and the excess water eliminated . it is also possible to carry out drying in a rotary tube at a substantially identical temperature for 30 minutes . the thus treated powder is then mixed with a small quantity of approximately 0 . 2 % by weight of finely pulverized solid lubricant , constituted by micronized zinc stearate and by cold compression under a pressure of 350 mpa , it is then converted into cylindrical pellets , having a diameter of 10 mm and a height of 13 mm . part of the thus obtained crude pellets undergoes destructive tensile strength tests by the &# 34 ; brazilian testing method &# 34 ;, whilst the other part of the pellet is fritted at 1700 ° c ., under a hydrogen atmosphere , for 4 hours . after fritting , the density and the &# 34 ; diabolo &# 34 ; effect of the pellets obtained are measured . they are then subject to grinding and after this treatment examination takes place of the material defects present on the cylindrical part or the edges , which makes it possible to evaluate the quality of the finished product . it is pointed out that the &# 34 ; brazilian test &# 34 ; consists of crushing , along two opposing generatrixes , cylindrical pellets in order to bring about the splintering thereof , which enables their compressive strength to be determined . their tensile strength is then determined by carrying out a conversion . the measurement of the &# 34 ; diabolo effect &# 34 ; has the effect of determining the divergence from the cylindrical geometry of the pellets . thus , during fritting , crude cylindrical pellets are deformed , which leads to a contraction of their median area , which then has a diameter φ2 less than the diameter φ1 of the two ends of the pellet . the diabolo effect is determined by the difference φ1 - φ2 . the results obtained with respect to the tensile strength and the diabolo effect are given in table 1 , which also shows , for information purposes , the results obtained on producing , under the same conditions , fritted uranium dioxide pellets from a powder which has not undergone an oxidohydration treatment by the hydrogen peroxide solution . it can be seen from this table that the tensile strength values of the crude pellets are considerably improved compared with those of pellets obtained from the untreated powder . it can also be seen that the diabolo effect is very low for pellets obtained from the powder treated in accordance with the invention . the apparent density of all the fritted pellets is high ( 98 % of the theoretical value ) and the average diameter of the fritted pellets is 8 . 25 mm . following grinding , a comparative examination of material deficiencies present on the fritted pellets obtained from the powders which have undergone a treatment according to the invention , reveals that the percentage of damage leading to discarding is zero . 5 % of the fritted pellets obtained have lesser damage phenomena ( 1 to 2 mm 2 ). in the case of fritted pellets obtained from powders which have not undergone the oxidation treatment , 15 % of the pellets suffer from damage between 1 and 4 mm 2 . thus , the treatment according to the invention makes it possible to significantly improve the stability of crude pellets and the final quality of the fritted pellets obtained . moreover , good results are obtained with solutions having a h 2 o 2 concentration as low as 8 % by volume . identical results were obtained by atomizing the same quantities of the same hydrogen peroxide solutions on uo 2 granules . for example , a powder batch undergoes compression at 100 mpa , giving tablets with a density of approximately 50 % of the theoretical value . by dry crushing , these tablets are brought into the form of granules with a size below 1 mm . these granules then undergo the oxidohydration treatment defined in the aforementioned examples . they are then converted into pellets under identical conditions . the oxidohydration treatment described in example 4 is applied to the same uo 2 powder . the latter is then mixed with thorium powder having a specific surface of 7 m 2 / g , in variable weight proportions . thus , e . g . two homogeneous mixtures are produced containing respectively 30 and 60 % of uo 2 . the mixtures , as well as the elementary constituents tho 2 and uo 2 treated are then converted into tablets , in the same way as described in example 4 . the tensile strength measured on these crude tablets has the values given in table 2 , which also gives the values obtained under identical conditions with crude , untreated uo 2 powder . as in example 4 , the pellets obtained from the crude pellets have better qualities when using treated uo 2 . a homogeneous mixture of uo 2 powder already described in example 1 , and 20 % by weight of puo 2 powder is converted by compression under 100 mpa and dry crushing into porous granules with a size at the most equal to 1 mm . these granules are mixed in a mixer , then receive a surface atomization of 4 cm 3 of 8 % hydrogen peroxide solution , which is absorbed in the porosity of the granules . after natural drying and the addition of 0 . 15 % by weight of finely micronized zinc stearate , these treated granules are converted into crude cylindrical tablets under a pressure of 400 mpa . the tensile strength of these tablets is then 1 . 5 mn . m - 2 , whereas it would be 0 . 6 mn . m - 2 without the oxidohydration treatment . following fritting , the samples obtained are of a better quality and are less deformed , whilst their edges are only slightly damaged . uo 2 - puo 2 tablets are prepared as in example 9 , but by using 30 cm 3 of 12 % hydrogen peroxide solution instead of 40 cm 3 of 8 % hydrogen peroxide solution . results obtained are identical to those of example 9 . a homogeneous uo 2 powder mixture already described in example 1 , and 8 % by weight of g 2 o 3 powder is converted by compression under 100 mpa and dry crushing into porous granules with a size of at the most 1 mm . these granules are placed in a mixer , where they are mixed and then receive a surface atomization of 30 cm 3 of 20 % hydrogen peroxide solution , which is absorbed in the porosity of the granules . after natural drying and adding 0 . 15 % by weight of finely micronized zinc stearate , these treated granules are converted into crude cylindrical tablets under a pressure of 400 mpa . the tensile strength of these tablets is then 0 . 9 mn . m - 2 , whereas it would be 0 . 33 mn . m - 2 in the absence of the oxidohydration treatment . after fritting , the samples obtained are of a better quality , are less deformed and their edges are less damaged . a homogeneous mixture of impoverished uo 2 powder containing 5 % by weight of puo 2 and 8 % by weight of eu 2 o 3 powder is converted by compression under 100 mpa and dry crushing into porous granules having a size of at the most 1 mm . these granules are mixed in a mixer and then receive a surface atomization of 30 cm 3 of 20 % hydrogen peroxide solution , which is absorbed in the porosity of the granules . after natural drying and the addition of 0 . 15 % by weight of finely micronized zinc stearate , these treated granules are converted into crude cylindrical tablets , under a pressure of 400 mpa . the tensile strength of these tablets then reaches 0 . 75 mn . m - 2 , whereas it would be 0 . 43 mn . m - 2 in the absence of the oxidohydration treatment . after fritting , the samples obtained are of better quality , are less deformed and their edges are less damaged . uo 2 - puo 2 - gd 2 o 3 tablets are prepared in the same way as in example 12 by replacing the eu 2 o 3 powder by gd 2 o 3 powder . the results obtained are identical to those of example 12 . table 1__________________________________________________________________________ atomizationexamples solution h . sub . 2 o . sub . 2 concen - crude pelletreference quantity tration tensile strength fritted pelletno . ( cm . sup . 3 / kg of uo . sub . 2 ) (%) ( mn m . sup .- 2 ) diabolo effect ( mm ) __________________________________________________________________________ 0 0 0 . 33 0 . 073 40 4 0 . 55 0 . 044 40 8 0 . 75 0 . 035 40 16 0 . 90 0 . 036 40 30 1 . 05 0 . 03__________________________________________________________________________ table 2__________________________________________________________________________tensile strength of the crude tablets ( mn . m . sup .- 2 ) type of powder pure uo . sub . 2 tho . sub . 2 + 60 % uo . sub . 2 tho . sub . 2 + 30 % uo . sub . 2 pure tho . sub . 2__________________________________________________________________________crude , untreated 0 . 33 0 . 50 0 . 75 1treated 0 . 75 0 . 85 0 . 95 1__________________________________________________________________________
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the chemical composition of the non - heat treated soft - nitrided steel part of the present invention has been determined in accordance with the following reasons . note that the unit “%” concerning each content of components intends to “ mass %”. carbon ( c ) is an effective element for yielding wear resistance to a non - heat treated soft - nitrided steel part . thus , it is required to be contained at least 0 . 35 % or more , preferably 0 . 40 % or more . however , more than 0 . 45 % of c content causes deterioration in fatigue strength . in addition , a crack can be occurred when a bending due to a distortion after soft - nitriding is corrected . therefore , the c content has been determined in the range of 0 . 35 to 0 . 45 %. silicon ( si ) is an effective element for deoxidation of steel and for enhancing fatigue strength . however , such effects cannot be obtained when its content is less than 0 . 05 %. on the other hand , more than 1 . 0 % of the content causes deterioration in bending properties . therefore , the si content has been determined in the range of 0 . 05 to 1 . 00 %. manganese ( mn ) is an effective element for deoxidization of steel and for enhancing hardenability as well as for improving soft - nitriding properties to enhance fatigue strength . however , such effects cannot be expected when its content is less than 0 . 3 %. on the other hand , more than 1 . 0 % of the content causes deterioration in bending properties , resulting in occurrence of a crack when a bending due to a distortion after soft - nitriding is corrected . therefore , the mn content has been determined in the range of 0 . 3 to 1 . 0 %. phosphorus ( p ) is an element existing as an impurity , which causes deterioration in bending properties . thus , it is desirable to limit p content as little as possible . therefore , the p content has been determined in 0 . 03 % or less in consideration of the difficulty of thorough refining . chromium ( cr ) is an element existing as an impurity , which is included in steel during refining process thereof . it is desirable to limit cr content as little as possible because cr creates a hard nitride through soft - nitriding to cause deterioration in bending properties . however , since 0 . 15 or less of the content has a negligible impact , the allowable upper limit of the cr content has been determined to 0 . 15 % in consideration of the difficulty of thorough refining . titanium ( ti ) is an effective element for yielding grain refining to enhance fatigue strength . however , such effects cannot be obtained when its content is less than 0 . 001 %. on the other hand , more than 0 . 03 % of the content causes deterioration in bending properties , resulting in occurrence of a crack when a bending due to a distortion after soft - nitriding is corrected . therefore , the ti content has been determined in the range of 0 . 001 to 0 . 03 %. vanadium ( v ) is an element which increases surface hardness after nitriding to cause deterioration in bending properties . thus , it is desirable to limit v content as little as possible . however , since v is mixed in steel as impurity , the allowable upper limit of the v content has been determined in 0 . 03 % in consideration of the difficulty of thorough refining . v of 0 . 03 % or less has a negligible impact on the above properties . nitrogen ( n ) is an effective element for improving fatigue strength and bending properties . however , such effects cannot be obtained by less than 0 . 010 % of the n content , while more than 0 . 020 % of the content results in saturation of such effects . therefore , the n content has been determined in the range of 0 . 010 to 0 . 020 %. aluminum ( al ) may be applied as deoxidizing agent for steel . however , in the steel of the present invention , it is not essential to add al because si and mn ( or additionally ca ) can contribute to achieve such deoxidation effect . particularly , large quantity of al makes increased oxide inclusion and thereby causes deterioration in bending properties of steel . therefore , the al content has been determined in 0 . 08 % or less . sulfur ( s ) may not be contained because s causes deterioration in hot workability and strength of steel . on the other hand , s may be positively contained to improve machinability . however , more than 0 . 10 % of the s content causes considerable deterioration in fatigue strength . therefore , the s content has been determined to be 0 . 10 % or less . in order to achieve a sufficient effect in machinability , it is desirable to include 0 . 005 % or more s . calcium ( ca ) may be omitted because it causes deterioration in fatigue strength and bending properties of steel . on the other hand , ca may be positively contained to improve machinability . however , more than 0 . 003 % of the content causes considerable deterioration in fatigue strength . therefore , the ca content has been determined to be 0 . 003 % or less . in order to achieve a sufficient effect in machinability , it is desirable to include 0 . 0003 % or more ca . 0 . 05 % or more of lead ( pb ) is contained to improve machinability of steel . however , more than 0 . 30 % of the content makes increased inclusion , and thereby causes deterioration in fatigue strength and bending properties . therefore , the pb content has been determined in the range of 0 . 05 to 0 . 30 %. by the regression analysis of the test results , as shown in after - mentioned examples , concerning wear test , fatigue test and bending test of the steels after non - heat treatment soft - nitriding , it was found that there is a significant difference depending on each content of c , mn and n , and the following formulas ( a ), ( b ) and ( c ) have been conclusively obtained . fig3 and 5 are diagrams showing relationships between wear amount and formula fn1 ( fig3 ), between fatigue strength and formula fn2 ( fig4 ), and between cracking stroke and the formula fn3 ( fig5 ) of the steel after non - heat treatment soft - nitriding . in each figure mark ◯ indicates data of the steels of the present invention , while mark δ indicates data of the comparative example . mark indicates data of jis - s48c steel subjected to soft - nitriding after normalizing . as apparent in fig3 in order to achieve the wear resistance equal to that of the jis - s48c steel subjected to soft - nitriding after normalizing , the steel prepared in the chemical composition according to the present invention is required to satisfy the following formula ( 1 ). as apparent in fig4 in order to achieve the fatigue properties equal to that of the jis - s48c steel subjected to soft - nitriding after normalizing , the steel prepared in the chemical composition according to the present invention is required to satisfy the following formula ( 2 ). as apparent in fig5 in order to achieve the bending properties equal to that of the jis - s48c steel subjected to soft - nitriding after normalizing , the steel prepared in the chemical composition according to the present invention is required to satisfy the following formula ( 3 ). further , the data on wear amount , fatigue strength , and bending properties by which fig3 , and 5 were determined have been investigated in relation to each content of c , mn and n . fig6 , and 8 are diagrams showing relationships between wear amount ( fig6 ), fatigue strength ( fig7 ) and bending properties ( fig8 ), and contents of c , mn and n , respectively . the n content is shown by straight lines which are determined by substituting 0 . 01 %, 0 . 015 % and 0 . 02 % of n contents respectively into the aforementioned formulas ( 1 ) to ( 3 ). in fig6 the mark or δ means that each property is inferior to that resulting from the s48c steel , while the mark ◯ means that each property is superior to that resulting from the s48c steel . the mark also means that values of at least one of the formulas fn1 , fn2 and fn3 is out of the range according to the present invention . the mark δ also means that all of the values of formulas fn1 , fn2 and fn3 are in the range according to the present , but at least one of the respective content of elements is out of the range according to the present invention . fig9 is a diagram showing the range of the present invention defined by the relationship between contents of c , mn and n , and formulas of fn1 , fn2 and fn3 . the straight lines in fig6 and 8 , which are determined by substituting 0 . 01 % and 0 . 02 % of n contents respectively into the formulas fn1 , fn2 and fn3 , are put together into fig9 . the shaded portion in fig9 shows the range according to the present invention . a manufacturing method of a non - heat treated soft - nitrided steel part of the present invention will be described hereafter . a raw material having the aforementioned composition ( a steel of the present invention ) is heated and forged into a workpiece having a desired shape . in this step , the heating temperature is desirable to be arranged as low as possible . however , since large press capacity is required for forging at low temperature , 1200 ° c . of heating temperature is normally selected as a general requirement , and the actual heating temperature may be determined in the range of 1100 to 1250 ° c . depending on an available press capacity . after forging , natural cooling ( air cooling ) is applied in view of manufacturing cost . otherwise , forced - air cooling may also be applied for shortening production time without any difficulty . after adjusting into the desired shape , the workpiece is subjected to soft - nitriding without any pre heat treatment , such as normalizing or quenching - and - tempering . the soft - nitriding is performed in the atmosphere , which is set in the range of 0 . 8 to 1 . 2 of the ratio of the rx gas ( trade mark ) to ammonia , at 570 to 600 ° c . for 60 to 120 minutes . after this step , the workpiece is directly oil - cooled . according to the aforementioned gas composition ratio of atmosphere , temperature and time , a suitable compound layer and a sufficient depth of diffusion layer for improving sticking resistance can be obtained . it should be understood that a suitable after treatment , such as bending correction , may be performed after the soft - nitriding . steels having chemical compositions shown in table 1 and table 2 were prepared with a 150 kg melting furnace . the number 1 to 15 steels in table 1 are examples of the present invention prepared in the range of chemical composition according to the present invention . the number 16 to 32 steels in table 2 are comparative examples in which the chemical composition or at least one of the values of formulas fn1 to fn3 is out of the range according to the present invention . the number 33 steel in table 2 is the conventional jis - s480 steel , which has heretofore been widely used for crankshafts . billets of the steels were heated up to 1250 ° c . and hot - forged in the temperature range of 1250 to 1100 ° c . into round bars of 50 mm in diameter , followed by air cooling . the number 33 steel was subjected to normalizing wherein the steel was maintained at 850 ° c . for 1 hour . a fatigue test piece and wear test piece shown in fig1 and fig2 were cut out of the round bars . the obtained test pieces were subjected to soft - nitriding where the test pieces were maintained in the atmosphere having 1 : 1 of the mixing ratio of the rx gas ( trade mark ) to ammonia , at 570 ° c . for 2 hours . then , the soft - nitrided test pieces were oil - cooled . as for fatigue properties , bending fatigue strength ( stressed at notched portion ) was determined using the “ ono - type rotating - bending fatigue tester ” at 3000 min − 1 of rotating speed . the stress at the bottom of the notch was measured as fatigue strength and determined by attaching a strain gauge onto the notch bottom . as for bending properties , a three - point bending test was carried out in which a crack gauge ( strain gauge ) was attached onto the notch bottom of the wear test piece , a supporting span being set in 50 mm . stress was applied on the other side of the crack gauge with 20 mm / min crosshead speed of the tester . then , the bending properties was estimated by cracking stroke that is the stroke of the crosshead when a crack was occurred in the test piece . the wear test was carried out using a pin - on - disk type wear tester . fig2 is a top plan view and longitudinal sectional view showing a disk - shaped test piece composed of the test steel . in the wear tester , a fluorine - contained rubber pin was pressed onto a flat surface of the disk - shaped test piece shown in fig2 and the test piece was rotated at 1000 min − 1 within an oil including an abrasive . after the test piece had been rotated for 100 hours , a hollowed amount was determined as the wear amount , using a surface roughness tester . the number 1 to 15 steels having the chemical composition in the range according to the present invention could achieve the wear resistance , fatigue strength , and bending properties ( cracking stroke ) equal or superior to those of the number 33 conventional jis - s48c steel , which was soft - nitrided after normalizing . in contrast , the number 16 comparative steel showed 216 μm wear amount , which is larger than that of the number 33 conventional steel , because the number 16 steel has low c content of 0 . 32 % and high fn1 value of 65 . 8 . the number 17 steel has high c content of 0 . 51 % and low fn2 value of 345 . 2 . thus , this steel has fatigue strength of 486 . 8 mpa lower than that of the number 33 conventional steel . the number 18 steel has high si content of 1 . 05 %, resulting in the cracking stroke of 1 . 5 mm . thus , this steel is inferior in the bending properties . the number 19 steel has high mn content of 1 . 08 % and low fn3 value of 5 . 7 , resulting in the cracking stroke of 2 . 0 mm . thus , this steel is inferior in the bending properties . the number 20 steel has high p content of 0 . 038 %, resulting in the cracking stroke of 1 . 8 mm . thus , this steel is inferior in the bending properties . the number 21 steel has high cr content of 0 . 18 %, resulting in the cracking stroke of 1 . 5 mm . thus , this steel is inferior in the bending properties . the number 22 steel has high ti content of 0 . 038 %, resulting in the cracking stroke of 1 . 3 mm . thus , this steel is inferior in the bending properties . the number 23 steel has high v content of 0 . 05 %, resulting in the cracking stroke of 0 . 9 mm . thus , this steel is inferior in the bending properties . the number 24 steel has high al content of 0 . 095 %, resulting in the cracking stroke of 1 . 1 mm . thus , this steel is inferior in the bending properties . the number 25 steel has low n content of 0 . 0082 % and low fn3 value of 6 . 4 , resulting in the cracking stroke of 1 . 7 mm . thus , this steel is inferior in the bending properties . the number 26 steel has high n content of 0 . 0227 % and high fn1 value of 64 . 3 . thus , this steel has larger wear amount of 207 μm than that of the number 33 conventional steel . the number 27 steel has high s content of 0 . 125 %, resulting in low fatigue strength of 482 . 3 mpa . the number 28 steel has high ca content of 0 . 0038 %, resulting in low fatigue strength of 468 . 2 mpa , and the cracking stroke of 1 . 6 mm . thus , this steel is inferior in the bending properties . the number 29 steel has high pb content of 0 . 32 %, resulting in low fatigue strength of 411 . 5 mpa , and the cracking stroke of 1 . 3 mm . thus , this steel is inferior in the bending properties . the number 30 steel has high fn1 value of 63 . 1 , resulting in large wear amount of 199 μm . the number 31 steel has low fn2 value of 342 . 9 , resulting in low fatigue strength of 483 . 5 mpa . the number 32 steel has low fn3 value of 5 . 1 , resulting in cracking stroke of 1 . 7 mm . thus , this steel is inferior in the bending properties . the soft - nitrided steel part of the present invention is characterized by defining respective contents of c , si , mn , p , cr , ti , v , n , al , pb , s and ca , and further by defining respective calculated values from each content of c , mn and n ( i . e ., values determined by the formulas fn1 to fn3 described above ). therefore , the steel part of the present invention has fatigue strength , bending properties and wear resistance , which are equal or superior to those of the jis - s48c steel soft - nitrided after normalizing , even if subjected to soft - nitriding without quenching - tempering or normalizing . these resulting parts can be used as crankshafts for automobiles , industrial machinery , construction machinery and the like . according to the present invention , soft - nitriding can be performed without any prior heat treatment . this invention can contribute to save manufacturing cost of such parts , and has significant industrial advantage .
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it is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments , or examples , for implementing different features of various embodiments . specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure . these are , of course , merely examples and are not intended to be limiting . in addition , the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and / or letters in the various examples . this repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed . fig1 depicts a schematic view of at least a portion of an embodiment of a network 100 architecture according to aspects of the present disclosure . a gateway network 110 permits communications between a plurality of different types of networks , such as one or more licensed wireless networks 120 , one or more wireline networks 130 , one or more uma networks 140 , and / or other networks . as employed herein , a network may refer to an entire network or to a network portion , a network application , and / or network apparatus . moreover , the uma network 140 is not limited within the scope of the present disclosure to uma - exclusive networks . for example , network 140 may be a uma network , a wlan network , a wi - fi network , and / or combinations thereof , including combination networks not directly supporting uma ( e . g ., supporting wlan , wi - fi and / or other protocols but not uma ). for the sake of simplicity , these networks may be referred to herein as uma networks . nonetheless , the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to embodiments in which network 140 supports uma , whether exclusively or in combination with other formats . examples of licensed wireless networks 120 include those supporting gsm , umts , and cdma , including 2g and / or 3g technologies , among others . the wireline network ( s ) 130 may be or include a public switched telephone network ( pstn ), among others supporting technologies based on tdm and / or other non - packet technology . uma network ( s ) 140 may be or include those conforming at least in part to the specifications developed by the uma participating companies (“ uma forum ”), 3gpp , and / or others . although not explicitly depicted in fig1 , one or more other packet - based networks ( e . g ., the internet ) may also interface gateway network 110 , such as those supporting voice over internet protocol ( voip ), as well as one or more other broadband networks , such as those supporting 802 . 11 ( e . g ., wifi ) and / or 802 . 16 ( e . g ., wimax ). one or more of the networks bridged by gateway network 110 may also support voice over various other protocols , such as atm . one or more of the networks connected by gateway network 110 , such as uma network 140 in the embodiment shown in fig1 , may be connected to gateway network 110 by one or more access networks 150 . in a general sense , such access networks 150 may perform various translation , conversion , transcoding and / or other processing , such as may facilitate communication between gateway network 110 and the various other networks connected thereby . gateway network 110 may include one or more media gateways 115 a - 115 c ( collectively referred to as media gateways 115 ) and / or other apparatus which may be singularly or collectively employed to bridge two or more of the wireline , wireless , uma and / or other networks . in one embodiment , gateway network 110 may include only one media gateway , such as one example in which the gateway network 110 is primarily a single media gateway and a number of interfaces to the various other networks . the one or more media gateways 115 deployed in ( or as ) the gateway network 110 may convert data from a format , protocol , and / or type required for one network into another format , protocol , and / or type required for another network . moreover , at least in some embodiments , this conversion may be performed on a per - session basis or a per - channel basis . each media gateway 115 a - 115 c may be configured to transfer audio , video , fax and / or t . 120 ( real - time multi - point communications ) data , among other data types , which the media gateways 115 may handle simultaneously , including embodiments in which one or more of the media gateways 115 is configured to send and receive both packet and non - packet data . in one embodiment , at least one of the media gateways 115 may be substantially similar to those described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 121 , 626 , entitled “ apparatus and methods for per - session switching for multiple wireline and wireless data types ,” filed on may 4 , 2005 . in embodiments employing more than one media gateway 115 in gateway network 110 , or those employing more than one gateway network 110 , one or more of the other networks may interface with more than one of the media gateways 115 or gateway networks 110 . for example , in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , wireline network 130 is directly connected to two of media gateways 115 b and 115 c of gateway network 110 ( e . g ., via one or more trunks , loops , carriers , and / or other copper , optical , or other transmission links ). similarly , where a network , such as uma network 140 , is configured to communicate with gateway network 110 via access network 150 , access network 150 may be directly connected to more than one of media gateways 115 . also , media gateways 115 deployed in gateway network 110 may collectively be connected in a completely meshed arrangement , although the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such embodiments . uma network 140 includes one or more access devices 145 configured to facilitate communication between user equipment ( ue ) 160 , such as a dual - mode mobile station ( ms ), and the corresponding access network 150 , among other networks . for example , the one or more access devices 145 may include one or more access points , routers , switches , and / or network controllers , and / or devices for performing similar functions thereof , including those described in the uma , wlan , wi - fi and / or other specifications developed by the uma technology participating companies (“ uma forum ”), 3gpp , and / or others . fig2 depicts a schematic view of an embodiment of the network architecture shown in fig1 according to aspects of the present disclosure . fig2 depicts a schematic representation of an embodiment of a gateway network that may be implemented as a core network 210 having ip transport capability . for example , core network 210 may include a number of media gateways 215 a - 215 c ( collectively referred to herein as media gateway 215 ) interconnected by ip transmission lines , such as by portions of the internet . alternatively , or additionally , loops , trunks and / or other physical data transmission media dedicated to the interconnection of the media gateways 215 may be employed . media gateways 215 may also be substantially similar to the media gateways 115 shown in fig1 . for example , one or more of media gateways 215 may be a wireless media gateway having aspects similar to those described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 121 , 626 , entitled “ apparatus and methods for per - session switching for multiple wireline and wireless data types ,” filed on may 4 , 2005 . intercommunication between the media gateways 215 may be implemented via nb - up and amr - over - nb . fig2 also demonstrates that the licensed wireless networks 120 shown in fig1 may include a radio access network ( ran ), such as a gsm - edge radio access network ( geran ) 220 a . geran standards are defined by 3gpp , which are hereby incorporated by reference . geran is a higher - speed time division multiple access ( tdma ) ran defined by the edge tdma standard . the original gsm tdma radio technology is based upon gmsk modulation , whereas edge uses eight - way phase shift keying ( 8psk ). edge can share spectrum and tdma timeslots with gsm . as also shown in fig2 , licensed wireless networks 120 shown in fig1 may be or include one or more networks 220 b operating under the gsm and / or umts standards , among others , and the wireline networks 130 shown in fig1 may be or include one or more pstn networks 230 . intercommunication between the licensed wireless network ( s ) 220 b and corresponding media gateway ( s ) 215 may be implemented via adaptive multi - rate ( amr ), whereas intercommunication between the pstn network ( s ) 230 and corresponding media gateway ( s ) 215 may be implemented via tdm , or otherwise corresponding to aspects of the particular type of network bridged by the core network 210 . fig2 also depicts ip access network 250 as an example of access networks 150 described above with regard to fig1 . intercommunication between ip access network ( s ) 250 and corresponding gateway ( s ) 215 may be implemented , for example , via amr over ip and / or uma - up . one or more of networks 220 a / 220 b may include one or more base transceiver stations ( btss ) 222 or radio network stations or towers , as well as one or more base station controllers ( bscs ) 224 or radio network controllers . the network architecture may also include one or more media gateway controllers ( mgcs ), such as the mgcs 270 shown in fig2 , and / or or similar components or functions which may be employed for various call control functions and may possibly be separated from the transport layer ( media gateways ). in one embodiment , one or more of the mgcs 270 may be one or more softswitches , including one or more wireless softswitches , and may interface and control one or more media gateways 215 a - 215 c . in one embodiment , one or more of the media gateways 115 , 215 and one or more mgcs 270 associated therewith may cooperate or otherwise collectively function in a manner similar to the function of a uma network controller ( unc ). for example , mgc 270 may perform uma up ( user plane ) cs ( circuit switched ) domain signaling protocol , such as uma discovery / registration , call processing , authentication , and handover , among other functions , and one or more of media gateways 115 , 215 may perform uma up cs bearer functions , such as amr over rtp using rfc 3267 framing , and interoperate with any other of the media gateway - supported interfaces ( e . g ., tdm , umts , iu / nb , and / or voip , among others ). rfc3267 is a real - time transport protocol ( rtp ) payload format used for adaptive multi - rate and adaptive multi - rate wideband ( amr - wb ) encoded speech signals . the payload format is designed to be able to interoperate with existing amr and amr - wb transport formats on non - ip networks . fig3 a depicts a schematic view of an embodiment of at least a portion of one embodiment of an architecture of a media gateway 315 , such as media gateway 115 shown in fig1 or media gateway 215 shown in fig2 . as shown in fig3 a , media gateway 315 may include a number of voice server modules 310 a - 310 c ( collectively referred to herein as voice server modules 310 ) interfaced with a tdm switch matrix module 320 and an atm , or other packet , switch matrix module 330 . tdm switch matrix module 320 receives tdm communications from one or more tdm networks via a number of tdm network interfaces ( ni ) 340 a - 340 c ( collectively referred to as tdm network interfaces 340 ), and also sends tdm communications to the one or more tdm networks via tdm nis 340 , whether such tdm communications originate from a tdm network or otherwise . packet switch matrix module 330 receives ip , atm and possibly other packet - based communications from one or more packet - oriented networks . for example , packet switch matrix module 330 may receive , for example , ethernet and / or packet over synchronous optical network ( sonet ) communications from one or more ip networks via a number of ip nis 350 a - 350 , and may also receive atm communications from one or more atm networks via a number of atm nis , such as atm ni 360 . fig3 b depicts a schematic view of an embodiment of a portion of media gateway 315 shown in fig3 a . as shown in fig3 b , one or more of the media gateways may include one or more voice server modules 310 a - 310 b each having one or more digital signal processor ( dsp ) modules 370 a - 370 d ( collectively referred to herein as dsps 370 ) or functions and one or more segmentation and reassembly ( sar ) modules 380 a - 380 d ( collectively referred to as sars 380 ) or functions . dsps 370 and sars 380 may be configured to communicate , process , and convert data to and from a common format / protocol ( e . g ., high - level data link control ( hdlc )). for example , dsps 370 may convert between communications between pulse code modulation ( pcm ) on the tdm switch matrix module 320 side and one or more formats / protocols carried by hdlc on the sar side . in the embodiment illustrated in fig3 b , hdlc is employed for amr / rfc3267 / rtp / tdm , although other embodiments are within the scope of the present disclosure . sars 380 may be configured to perform the segmentation , assembly and possibly other processing to transfer amr / rfc3267 / rtp / tdm hdlc communications on the dsp side and amr / rfc3267 / rtp / udp / ip / aal5 communications on the atm switch matrix module 330 side , although other embodiments are within the scope of the present disclosure . the following discussion pertains to at least one embodiment of a gateway , such as gateways 115 , 215 , and 315 shown in fig1 - 3b , for bridging various wireless , wireline and uma networks described above . however , one or more aspects described below may not pertain to every embodiment within the scope of the present disclosure . a voice server module ( vs or vsm ) as described above may include a vs - uma card which may be based on other vsm physical cards . one such vsm physical card may have a plurality of dsps or dsp cards , such as one embodiment including four dsp daughter cards of a first configuration and one dsp daughter card of a second configuration , where the first and second dsp daughter card configurations may differ primarily in their programming , if not also physically . for the sake of example , a dsp daughter card of the first configuration may provide amr over rtp with the rfc 3267 framing functions . the dsps of the vs - uma card may be configured to perform rfc 3267 framing for amr over rtp / ip media streams , at least in one embodiment . the vs - uma card may , for example , support up to 1536 uma terminations , e . g ., 48 uma channels per chip . uma - enabled media gateway 315 supports uma interfaces between uma access network and the core network performing the uma up ( user plane ) bearer functions . the uma interface may be a logical interface , such as a voip trunk interface over a gige nic ( network interface card ) associated with the uma voip profile . in one embodiment , no physical vs - uma resources are allocated when the uma interface is provisioned . the gateway may allocate vs - uma card resources when a call is attempted on the uma interface . vs - uma resource allocation may be on a per - uma - call basis . media gateway 315 may maintain the operational and / or administrative states of the uma interface . for example , media gateway 315 may set an operational state to “ enabled ” after the successful provision of a voip subgroup . an operational state (“ enabled ” or “ disabled ”) may be defined for uma interfaces . in some embodiments , however , there are no physical connections to be setup , such that the operational state of uma interfaces may always be “ enabled ” after the successful provisioning thereof . as another example , when a uma interface &# 39 ; s administrative state is locked , the media gateway may tear down or terminate all existing voip calls on the uma interface , and may reject any new voip calls on the uma interface . when a uma interface &# 39 ; s administrative state is shutdown , the media gateway may keep the existing calls on the uma interface , and may reject any new voip calls on the uma interface . for uma terminations , such as voip terminations on a uma interface , media gateway 315 may support extensible gateway control protocol ( egcp ) call control using egcp uma receive ( rx ), or local , and transmit ( tx ), or remote , descriptors . defining uma descriptors allows differentiation of the uma access voip call control from session initiation protocol ( sip ) access and bearer independent call control ( bicc ) cs2 voip call control , and can also add the flexibility to define new uma call control parameters , such as redundancy speech sample count , etc . the uma access voip call control through egcp may not use the ipbcp protocol , as in bicc - cs2 , or session description protocol ( sdp ), as in the sip access . the egcp uma descriptors may minimize potential impacts to other voip functions supported on the media gateway . uma user plane voip bearer setup may be made through a uma traffic channel assignment procedure . this procedure may be applicable to , for example , the mobile - originated call , the mobile - terminated call , and / or the handover from geran to uma . fig4 depicts an embodiment of a signaling exchange for a uma traffic channel assignment procedure between a media gateway controller ( mgc ), a media gateway ( mgw ) and a mobile station ( ms ). according the example shown in fig4 , the mgc requests the media gateway to allocate an ephemeral voip uma termination at the start of the uma traffic channel assignment procedure ( step 410 ). the egcp add command may include an egcp stream descriptor ( e . g ., audio ), a local control descriptor ( e . g ., stream mode , tapping , etc . ), an avdrx descriptor ( e . g ., echo , jitter buffer ), and a uma rx descriptor ( e . g ., codec type , codec acs mode , rtp payload type , packetization time , and / or redundancy count ). the media gateway replies to the mgc with an add response that includes , for example , its uma termination id associated with the uma termination and uma rx descriptor ( e . g ., ip address , rtp udp port , and other uma rx descriptor parameters ) ( step 412 ). the media gateway controller may also sends a urr activate channel request to the ms with , for example , the media gateway &# 39 ; s ip address , rtp udp port , and the rtp payload type ( step 414 ). the ms then begins to transmit an uplink rtp media stream ( step 416 ), and sends a urr activate channel ack response to the mgc ( step 418 ) with , for example , the ms rtp udp port and packetization time . subsequently , the mgc sends a modify command to the media gateway ( step 420 ) with , for example , uma tx descriptor parameters associated with the ms or transmission characteristics thereof , such as ms ip address , rtp udp port , packetization time , and / or payload type , among others . the media gateway may then send a modify response ( step 422 ) and a notify ( step 424 ) to indicate the bearer setup success , and begins to transmit a downlink rtp media stream ( step 426 ). when the mgc sends a urr activate channel complete message to the ms ( step 428 ), the uma traffic channel assignment procedure may be completed . fig5 depicts an embodiment of a signaling exchange of a uma traffic channel assignment failure procedure between an mgc , a media gateway and an ms . according the example shown in fig5 , the mgc requests the media gateway to allocate an ephemeral voip uma termination at the start of the uma traffic channel assignment procedure by transmitting an egcp add command to the mgw ( step 510 ). an egcp add command may include a egcp stream descriptor ( audio ), a local control descriptor ( e . g ., stream mode , tapping ), an avdrx descriptor ( e . g ., echo ), and a uma rx descriptor ( e . g ., codec type , codec acs mode , rtp payload type , packetization time , and / or redundancy count , among others ). the media gateway then sends an add response with , for example , its uma termination id and uma rx descriptor ( e . g ., the ip address , the rtp udp port , and / or other uma rx descriptor parameters ), among others to the mgc ( step 512 ). the mgc then sends a urr activate channel request to the ms with the media gateway &# 39 ; s ip address , rtp udp port , and / or rtp payload type ( step 514 ). in the event of channel assignment failure , the ms then sends a urr activate channel failure response to the mgc ( step 516 ) with , for example , the rr cause value , and the mgc sends a subtract command to the media gateway ( step 518 ). the media gateway then sends a subtract response to the mgc ( step 520 ). fig6 depicts an embodiment of a signaling exchange of a uma traffic channel release procedure between the mgc , the media gateway , and the ms . according to the example shown in fig6 , the mgc sends a subtract command with an egcp statistics descriptor ( empty values ) at the start of the uma traffic channel release procedure ( step 610 ). the mgc may append the statistics descriptor in order to receive the subtract response message with statistics . the media gateway then sends a subtract response with the collected statistics reported in the egcp statistics descriptor ( step 612 ). the media gateway preferably only sends the subtract response if the subtract command has the egcp statistics descriptor . the mgc may then send a urr release request to the ms with an rr cause value ( step 614 ), and the ms may send a urr release complete response ( step 616 ) to the mgc thereby concluding the uma bearer channel release procedure . returning again to fig4 , upon receiving an egcp - add command for a uma termination , the media gateway may expect and accept the following egcp descriptors from the mgc , among others : a local control descriptor , and avdrx descriptor , and a uma descriptor . the local control descriptor may define the stream mode , tapping , and the like . the avdrx descriptor may define echo control , network address translation ( nat ) learning , session description protocol ( sdp ) tunneling , and the like . for the uma application , echo control and jitter buffer fields may be used . the avdrx descriptor may also include a maximum jitter buffer , which maps to an h . 248 network package maximum jitter buffer , for example . the descriptor value may be specified in , for example , milliseconds . if the controlling mgc does not provide this value , the media gateway may use its internal - provisioned jitter buffer value in the voip trunk subgroup object . the media gateway may expect this value to be configured in the controlling mgc database . the uma descriptor may define all the requisite uma receive ( rx ) and transmit ( tx ) control parameters . the media gateway may define uma rx data and tx data components within the uma descriptor in the egcp interface . uma rx data defines local uma termination properties , while uma tx data defines remote uma termination properties . the uma rx and tx descriptors may be defined similarly or identically , possibly with one or more of the following parameters : codec , initial amr rate , ip address , rtp udp port , rtcp udp port , frame redundancy count , threshold window , bad quality threshold , good quality threshold , packetization time , rtp payload type . the initial amr rate may indicate an initial amr rate when a multi - rate amr codec is used . the values may map to an amr frame type . the ip address may indicate the rtp stream &# 39 ; s ip address ( e . g ., ipv4 ) in binary form . the rtp udp port and the rtcp udp port may indicate the rtp stream &# 39 ; s payload rtp udp port and the rtp stream &# 39 ; s rtcp udp port , respectively . for example , if the rtcp udp port is zero ( 0 ) then the rtcp is disabled . the frame redundancy count may have a value selected from a pre - defined frame redundancy count value range , such as values of ‘ 0 ’, ‘ 1 ’, ‘ 2 ’. the media gateway may accept all 3 values . in one embodiment , a frame redundancy count of ‘ 0 ’ indicates no frame redundancy , a frame redundancy count of ‘ 1 ’ indicates single frame redundancy , and a frame redundancy count of ‘ 2 ’ indicates double frame redundancy . the frame redundancy scheme may be defined in , for example , the rfc 3267 . the media gateway may expect this value to be configured in the controlling mgc database . the threshold window may comprise a time interval in , for example , seconds to measure the rtp stream quality . the minimum value may be 5 seconds or another suitable value , and the maximum value may be 60 seconds , for example . the media gateway may expect this value to be configured in the controlling mgc database . the bad quality threshold may comprise a percentage ( e . g ., 0 %- 99 %) of the quality loss . the media gateway may calculate this quality loss by measuring the packet loss , among other manners . when the quality loss is higher than this value , the media gateway may notify the mgc of the bad bearer quality . the mgc may then decide if handover to geran procedure needs to be performed . the media gateway may expect this value to be configured in the controlling mgc database . the good quality threshold may comprise a percentage ( e . g ., 0 %- 99 %) of the quality loss . the media gateway may calculate this quality loss by measuring the packet loss . after the media gateway sends a bad quality notification to the mgc , when the quality loss is lower than this value , the media gateway may notify the mgc of the good bearer quality . the mgc may decide if the handover to geran procedure needs to be cancelled . the good quality threshold value may be less than the bad quality threshold value . the media gateway may expect this value to be configured in the controlling mgc database . the packetization time may comprise a value that may map to a uma sample size information element ( 1 e ) value . the values ‘ 20 ms ’, ‘ 40 ms ’, ‘ 60 ms ’, and ‘ 80 ms ’ are examples which may be defined . the media gateway may expect this value to be configured in the controlling mgc database . if the controlling mgc does not provide this value or provides an invalid value , the media gateway may use its internal - provisioned packetization time in the voip trunk subgroup object . the rtp payload type may comprise a value that may map to a uma payload type information element ( ie ). the uma may use dynamic rtp payload type . a value between 96 and 127 , for example , may be expected and accepted by the media gateway . the media gateway may expect this value to be configured in the controlling mgc database . the media gateway preferably rejects the egcp request under specified scenarios , such as if the controlling mgc passed down unexpected values in the uma descriptor to the media gateway . for a uma termination using a fr - amr codec , the vad function ( e . g ., silence suppression , comfort noise ) may be enabled by default . this results in the amr sid being transmitted periodically , e . g ., every 160 ms , if the media gateway detects silence . upon receiving an egcp - subtract command for a uma termination , e . g ., as indicated at step 610 in fig6 , if the mgc appends an empty egcp - statistics descriptor , then the media gateway may report rtp statistics in the egcp - subtract response as depicted in step 612 . such rtp statistics may be defined according to the h . 248 network package ( nt ) and rtp package ( rtp ), and may include : duration , octets sent , octets received , packets sent , packets received , packet loss , jitter , delay , and / or other statistics . the duration value may comprise a duration , e . g ., in seconds , of the time the uma termination has been in the call . the octets sent and received may comprise respective values that specify the number of octets sent and received via the uma termination . in a similar manner , the packets sent and received values may comprise respective values that specify the number of packets sent and received via the uma termination . the packet loss may comprise the current rate of packet loss on an rtp stream expressed as a percentage value . the jitter value may comprise the current value ( e . g ., in milliseconds ) of the inter - arrival jitter on an rtp stream if rtcp is enabled . otherwise , zero ( 0 ) may be returned for the jitter value . the delay may comprise a current value of packet propagation delay expressed in rtp timestamp units ( e . g ., 125 μs ) if the rtcp is enabled . otherwise , the delay value may be set to zero ( 0 ). even without rtcp enabled , the media gateway may send a rtp stream quality alert to the mgc in order to assist the mgc in making handover decisions . fig7 depicts an embodiment of a signaling exchange of a media gateway quality alert procedure between a controlling mgc , a media gateway and an ms . according to the example shown in fig7 , the media gateway may monitor the uplink rtp media stream during the normal uma voice traffic . if the quality loss threshold is higher than the bad quality threshold , the media gateway may notify the mgc with a “ bad quality alert ” event ( step 710 a ). the mgc then sends a urr uplink quality indication message with a quality indication : “ undetermined problem ” ( step 712 a ) to the ms . this message may trigger the ms to start the handover procedure , e . g ., a handover to a licensed wireless network 120 shown in fig1 or a wireless network 220 a or 220 b shown in fig2 . if the quality loss threshold is lower than the good quality threshold , the media gateway may notify the mgc with a “ good quality alert ” event ( step 710 b ). the mgc then sends a urr uplink quality indication message with a quality indication : “ quality ok ” ( step 712 b ). this message may trigger the ms to cancel a handover procedure . in the event that the quality loss threshold is higher than the bad quality threshold , the ms may initiate a handover procedure , e . g ., in response to receipt of the urr uplink quality indication message with the quality indication “ undetermined problem ” shown in step 712 a . for example , the ms may subsequently send a urr handover required message to the mgc ( step 714 a ), and the mgc may start the handover procedure on the media gateway ( step 716 a ). if the media gateway grants the handover request , the mgc may send a urr handover command message to the ms ( step 718 a ). the media gateway may generate the bad quality alert notification , as indicated in step 710 a , if the rtp stream &# 39 ; s quality loss is higher than the bad quality threshold value specified in the uma rx descriptor in the egcp command . the media gateway may generate the good quality alert notification , as indicated in step 710 b , if the rtp stream quality loss is lower than the good quality threshold value specified in the uma rx descriptor in the egcp command , and the media gateway already sent the bad quality alert notification . for uma terminations , the media gateway may support per - call echo cancellation , possibly using the echo control parameters signaled by the mgc via the egcp call control interface . rfc 3267 defines the rtp payload format for amr and amr - wb codecs . when carrying fr - amr codec information in uma , one or more of the following rfc 3267 rtp framing parameters may be used by the media gateway : octet aligned , no frame crcs , no robust sorting , no frame interleaving , single channel per session , mode - change period , mode - change neighbor , and mode - set . the mode - change period may be set to , for example , ‘ 2 ’ to indicate the mode may change every 2 nd speech frame . with rfc 3267 , the rtp payload begins with a codec mode request ( cmr ) field , followed by a number of table of contents ( toc ) entries , and speech data representing one or more speech frame blocks . in octets aligned mode , the cmr and toc fields are padded to an octet . a frame type index ( ft ) and / or a frame quality indicator ( q ) may also be included . the cmr field may be used for rate adaptation to indicate a codec mode request sent to the speech encoder at the site of the receiver of the payload . for example , the value of the cmr field may be set to the ft index of the corresponding speech mode being requested . in one embodiment , the ft index may be 0 - 7 for fr - amr , and another value ( e . g ., 15 ) may indicate that no mode request is present . in another embodiment , however , the media gateway may not support amr rate adaptation , such as where only one rate is used . the ft index may be used to indicate either the amr or amr - wb speech coding mode or comfort noise ( sid ) mode of the corresponding frame carried in the payload . for example , in the case of amr speech , a value of ft = 7 may indicate that a frame carries amr 12 . 2k samples . the frame quality indicator q may be set to a specific value ( e . g ., zero ) to indicate that the corresponding frame is severely damaged , where q might otherwise retain a different set value ( e . g ., one ) to indicate a good frame . however , in one embodiment , the media gateway may always set the frame quality indicator q to the value corresponding to the “ good frame ” indication when generating the amr over rtp frames , ignore the frame quality indicator q ( whether they indicate bad or good frame quality ), and always decode the amr speech frame . the rfc 3267 payload format also supports forward error correction ( fec ), frame interleaving and / or other means which may , among other purposes , increase robustness against packet loss . however , frame interleaving is not used in the uma network , and in some embodiments the media gateway does not support the frame interleaving redundancy scheme . nonetheless , the media gateway may utilize a scheme of repetition of previously sent data , as required by the uma network and specified in rfc 3267 , to achieve the fec . this may be implemented by retransmission of previously transmitted frame - blocks together with the current frame - block ( s ). this may be performed through using a sliding window to group the speech frame - blocks to send in each payload . fig8 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a sliding window mechanism used to group the speech frame blocks for transmission and retransmission of frame blocks . here , f ( n − 2 ) . . . f ( n + 4 ) denotes a sequence of amr speech frame - blocks 810 a - 810 g and p ( n − 1 ) . . . p ( n + 4 ) denotes a sequence of payload packets 820 a - 820 f . according to the example shown in fig8 , each frame - block is retransmitted once ( single redundancy , n = 1 ) in the following rtp payload packet . for example , frame blocks 810 a - 810 b are included in the payload packet 820 a . frame block 810 b ( along with frame block 810 c ) are then included in the following payload packet 820 b . the use of this approach may not require signaling at the session setup . thus , the speech sender may choose to use this scheme without consulting the receiver . the media gateway dsp receiver may receive multiple copies or versions ( possibly encoded with different modes ) of a frame for a certain timestamp if no packet is lost . in one embodiment , however , only multiple same 12 . 2k amr rate or amr sid speech frames may be received in the same rtp payload . the media gateway may also support the decoding of the rtp payload that utilizes the sliding window fec scheme with zero , single and double ( n = 0 / 1 / 2 ) when receiving the uma rtp payload stream . the sender may be responsible for selecting an appropriate amount of redundancy based on feedback about the rtp stream quality . in one embodiment , the redundancy count may be pre - provisioned in the mgc database , and may be passed down through the egcp interface parameter frame redundancy count . the media gateway may also support the encoding of the rtp payload that utilizes the sliding window fec ( forward error correction ) scheme with zero , single and double ( n = 0 / 1 / 2 ) when sending the uma rtp payload stream . in order to enable downlink quality measurements in the ms , the uma specification requires the media gateway should send at least one rtp frame each 480 ms . in order to enable uplink quality measurements in the media gateway , the uma specification requires the ms to send at least one rtp frame each 480 ms . during active voice transmission , the media gateway may generate the rtp and amr speech frame per the packetization time specified in the egcp interface . in one embodiment , however , only one packetization time may be supported ( e . g ., 20 ms ), such the media gateway may generate the rtp and the amr 12 . 2k speech frame at a single , predetermined rate . if there is no active voice , the media gateway may generate the rtp and the amr sid at a lower predetermined rate , such as every 160 ms ( per fr - amr specification ). an ip differential services ( diffserv ) framework can utilize the ip header type of service ( tos ) bits to support different classes of services ( cos ). cos marking can ensure preferential treatment of voip traffic over other data traffic in an ip network . the media gateway may support the marking of dscp ( diff serv code point ) in the rtp / udp packet . the dscp value may be provisioned through the uma interface on the media gateway . the media gateway may support calls to and from one or more uma interfaces where , for example , the other call legs can be on tdm or uma interfaces supported by the media gateway . transcoding may be performed when , for example , it is required for the interworking between the two call legs , such as between a uma termination and a tdm or any other non - uma terminations in the same call context . thus , transcoding may even be necessary ( or desired ) for uma - to - uma calls . in one embodiment , however , uma - to - uma and nb / iuup - to - uma interworking ( e . g ., calls ) may occur without transcoding . in general , however , at least some embodiments of the media gateway support each of the following handover scenarios : tdm to tdm ; tdm to uma ; uma to tdm ; and uma to uma . the media gateway may also support the ctm ( cellular text modem ) capabilities on a uma termination . existing lawful intercept ( calea ) procedures may also be supported for uma terminations . for example , the intercepted stream may provide pcm samples , for example , after decoding the amr stream . the existing connections that involve uma terminations may be preserved upon a cm hard / soft switchover , an sm hard / soft switchover , an ai hard / soft switchover , a pm hard / soft switchover , and / or a vsm hard / soft switchover . mid - call codec negotiation may also be supported , but may not in other embodiments . in view of all of the above , it should be understood that the present disclosure introduces uma access that inter - works with geran tdm access , including where a media gateway provides handover support between geran access and uma access . the present disclosure also provides for uma access that alternatively or additionally inter - works with nbup over ip trunking features . the foregoing has outlined features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure . those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and / or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein . those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure , and that they may make various changes , substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure .
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the following general definitions are provided to better understand the invention : “ alkyl ” refers to a moiety and as a structural element of other groups , for example halo - substituted - alkyl and alkoxy , and may be straight - chained or branched . an optionally substituted alkyl , alkenyl or alkynyl as used herein may be optionally halogenated ( e . g ., cf 3 ), or may have one or more carbons that is substituted or replaced with a heteroatom , such as nr , o or s ( e . g ., — och 2 ch 2 o —, alkylthiols , thioalkoxy , alkylamines , etc ). “ aryl ” refers to a monocyclic or fused bicyclic aromatic ring containing carbon atoms . “ arylene ” means a divalent radical derived from an aryl group . for example , an aryl group may be phenyl , indenyl , indanyl , naphthyl , or 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 - tetrahydronaphthalenyl , which may be optionally substituted in the ortho , meta or para position . “ heteroaryl ” as used herein is as defined for aryl above , where one or more of the ring members is a heteroatom . examples of heteroaryls include but are not limited to pyridyl , pyrazinyl , indolyl , indazolyl , quinoxalinyl , quinolinyl , benzofuranyl , benzopyranyl , benzothiopyranyl , benzo [ 1 , 3 ] dioxole , imidazolyl , benzo - imidazolyl , pyrimidinyl , furanyl , oxazolyl , isoxazolyl , triazolyl , benzotriazolyl , tetrazolyl , pyrazolyl , thienyl , pyrrolyl , isoquinolinyl , purinyl , thiazolyl , tetrazinyl , benzothiazolyl , oxadiazolyl , benzoxadiazolyl , etc . a “ carbocyclic ring ” as used herein refers to a saturated or partially unsaturated , monocyclic , fused bicyclic or bridged polycyclic ring containing carbon atoms , which may optionally be substituted , for example , with ═ o . examples of carbocyclic rings include but are not limited to cyclopropyl , cyclobutyl , cyclopentyl , cyclohexyl , cyclopropylene , cyclohexanone , etc . a “ heterocyclic ring ” as used herein is as defined for a carbocyclic ring above , wherein one or more ring carbons is a heteroatom . for example , a heterocyclic ring may contain n , o , s , — n ═, — s —, — s ( o ), — s ( o ) 2 —, or — nr — wherein r may be hydrogen , c 1 - 4 alkyl or a protecting group . examples of heterocyclic rings include but are not limited to morpholino , pyrrolidinyl , pyrrolidinyl - 2 - one , piperazinyl , piperidinyl , piperidinylone , 1 , 4 - dioxa - 8 - aza - spiro [ 4 . 5 ] dec - 8 - yl , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 - tetrahydroquinolinyl , etc . heterocyclic rings as used herein may encompass bicyclic amines and bicyclic diamines . “ salts ” ( which , what is meant by “ or salts thereof ” or “ or a salt thereof ”), can be present alone or in mixture with free compound , e . g . the compound of the formula ( i ), and are preferably pharmaceutically acceptable salts . such salts of the compounds of formula ( i ) are formed , for example , as acid addition salts , preferably with organic or inorganic acids , from compounds of formula ( i ) with a basic nitrogen atom . suitable inorganic acids are , for example , halogen acids , such as hydrochloric acid , sulfuric acid , or phosphoric acid . suitable organic acids are , e . g ., carboxylic acids or sulfonic acids , such as fumaric acid or methansulfonic acid . for isolation or purification purposes it is also possible to use pharmaceutically unacceptable salts , for example picrates or perchlorates . for therapeutic use , only pharmaceutically acceptable salts or free compounds are employed ( where applicable in the form of pharmaceutical preparations ), and these are therefore preferred . in view of the close relationship between the novel compounds in free form and those in the form of their salts , including those salts that can be used as intermediates , for example in the purification or identification of the novel compounds , any reference to the free compounds hereinbefore and hereinafter is to be understood as referring also to the corresponding salts , as appropriate and expedient . the salts of compounds of formula ( i ) are preferably pharmaceutically acceptable salts ; suitable counter - ions forming pharmaceutically acceptable salts are known in the field . “ combination ” refers to either a fixed combination in one dosage unit form , or a non - fixed combination ( or kit of parts ) for the combined administration where a compound of the formula ( i ) and a combination partner ( e . g . another drug as explained below , also referred to as “ therapeutic agent ” or “ co - agent ”) may be administered independently at the same time or separately within time intervals , especially where these time intervals allow that the combination partners show a cooperative , e . g . synergistic effect . the term “ combined administration ” or the like as utilized herein are meant to encompass administration of the selected combination partner to a single subject in need thereof ( e . g . a patient ), and are intended to include treatment regimens in which the agents are not necessarily administered by the same route of administration or at the same time . the term “ fixed combination ” means that the active ingredients , e . g . a compound of formula ( i ) and a combination partner , are both administered to a patient simultaneously in the form of a single entity or dosage . the terms “ non - fixed combination ” or “ kit of parts ” mean that the active ingredients , e . g . a compound of formula ( i ) and a combination partner , are both administered to a patient as separate entities either simultaneously , concurrently or sequentially with no specific time limits , wherein such administration provides therapeutically effective levels of the two compounds in the body of the patient . the latter also applies to cocktail therapy , e . g . the administration of three or more active ingredients . “ treatment ” includes prophylactic ( preventive ) and therapeutic treatment as well as the delay of progression of a disease or disorder . the term “ prophylactic ” means the prevention of the onset or recurrence of diseases involving proliferative diseases . the term “ delay of progression ” as used herein means administration of the combination to patients being in a pre - stage or in an early phase of the proliferative disease to be treated , in which patients for example a pre - form of the corresponding disease is diagnosed or which patients are in a condition , e . g . during a medical treatment or a condition resulting from an accident , under which it is likely that a corresponding disease will develop . “ subject ” is intended to include animals . examples of subjects include mammals , e . g ., humans , dogs , cows , horses , pigs , sheep , goats , cats , mice , rabbits , rats , and transgenic non - human animals . in certain embodiments , the subject is a human , e . g ., a human suffering from , at risk of suffering from , or potentially capable of suffering from a brain tumor disease . particularly preferred , the subject is human . “ pharmaceutical preparation ” or “ pharmaceutical composition ” refer to a mixture or solution containing at least one therapeutic compound to be administered to a mammal , e . g ., a human in order to prevent , treat or control a particular disease or condition affecting the mammal . “ co - administer ”, “ co - administration ” or “ combined administration ” or the like are meant to encompass administration of the selected therapeutic agents to a single patient , and are intended to include treatment regimens in which the agents are not necessarily administered by the same route of administration or at the same time . “ pharmaceutically acceptable ” refers to those compounds , materials , compositions and / or dosage forms , which are , within the scope of sound medical judgment , suitable for contact with the tissues of mammals , especially humans , without excessive toxicity , irritation , allergic response and other problem complications commensurate with a reasonable benefit / risk ratio . “ therapeutically effective ” preferably relates to an amount that is therapeutically or in a broader sense also prophylactically effective against the progression of a proliferative disease . “ single pharmaceutical composition ” refers to a single carrier or vehicle formulated to deliver effective amounts of both therapeutic agents to a patient . the single vehicle is designed to deliver an effective amount of each of the agents , along with any pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or excipients . in some embodiments , the vehicle is a tablet , capsule , pill , or a patch . in other embodiments , the vehicle is a solution or a suspension . “ dose range ” refers to an upper and a lower limit of an acceptable variation of the amount of agent specified . typically , a dose of the agent in any amount within the specified range can be administered to patients undergoing treatment . the terms “ about ” or “ approximately ” usually means within 20 %, more preferably within 10 %, and most preferably still within 5 % of a given value or range . alternatively , especially in biological systems , the term “ about ” means within about a log ( i . e ., an order of magnitude ) preferably within a factor of two of a given value . the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical combination comprising ( a ) a compound of formula ( i ), as defined herein , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof ; and ( b ) at least one hsp90 inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . such combination may be for simultaneous , separate or sequential use for the treatment of a proliferative disease . ( a ) the geldanamycin derivative , tanespimycin ( 17 - allylamino - 17 - demethoxygeldanamycin )( also known as kos - 953 and 17 - aag ), which is available from sigma - aldrich co , llc ( st . louis , mo . ), and disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 261 , 989 , dated apr . 14 , 1981 , which is hereby incorporated into the present application by reference , and other geldanamycin - related compounds ; ( b ) radicicol , which is available from sigma - aldrich co , llc ( st . louis , mo . ); ( c ) 6 - chloro - 9 -( 4 - methoxy - 3 , 5 - dimethylpyridin - 2 - ylmethyl )- 9h - purin - 2 - amine methanesulfonate ( also known as cnf2024 )( conforma therapeutics corp . ); ( d ) ipi504 ; ( e ) snx5422 ; ( f ) 5 -( 2 , 4 - dihydroxy - 5 - isopropyl - phenyl )- 4 -( 4 - morpholin - 4 - ylmethyl - phenyl )- isoxazole - 3 - carboxylic acid ethylamide ( auy922 ), which is disclosed in structure and with the process for its manufacture in pct application no . wo04 / 072051 , published on aug . 26 , 2004 , which is hereby incorporated into the present application by reference ; and ( g ) ( r )- 2 - amino - 7 -[ 4 - fluoro - 2 -( 6 - methyoxy - pyridin - 2 - yl )- phenyl ]- 4 - methyl - 7 , 8 - dihydro - 6h - pyrido [ 4 , 3 - d ] pyrimidin - 5 - one ( hsp990 ), which is disclosed in structure and with the process for its manufacture in u . s . patent application publication no . 2007 - 0123546 , published on may 31 , 2007 , which is hereby incorporated into the present application by reference ; preferred hsp90 inhibitors for the present invention are 5 -( 2 , 4 - dihydroxy - 5 - isopropyl - phenyl )- 4 -( 4 - morpholin - 4 - ylmethyl - phenyl )- isoxazole - 3 - carboxylic acid ethylamide ( auy922 ) and ( r )- 2 - amino - 7 -[ 4 - fluoro - 2 -( 6 - methyoxy - pyridin - 2 - yl )- phenyl ]- 4 - methyl - 7 , 8 - dihydro - 6h - pyrido [ 4 , 3 - d ] pyrimidin - 5 - one ( hsp990 ) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof . comprised are likewise the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof , the corresponding racemates , diastereoisomers , enantiomers , tautomers , as well as the corresponding crystal modifications of above disclosed compounds where present , e . g . solvates , hydrates and polymorphs , which are disclosed therein . the compounds used as active ingredients in the combinations of the present invention can be prepared and administered as described in the cited documents , respectively . also within the scope of this invention is the combination of more than two separate active ingredients as set forth above , i . e ., a pharmaceutical combination within the scope of this invention could include three active ingredients or more . in one embodiment of the present invention , the pharmaceutical combination comprises the compound of formula ( i ) that is or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , and at least one hsp90 inhibitor selected from 5 -( 2 , 4 - dihydroxy - 5 - isopropyl - phenyl )- 4 -( 4 - morpholin - 4 - ylmethyl - phenyl )- isoxazole - 3 - carboxylic acid ethylamide ( auy922 ), ( r )- 2 - amino - 7 -[ 4 - fluoro - 2 -( 6 - methyoxy - pyridin - 2 - yl )- phenyl ]- 4 - methyl - 7 , 8 - dihydro - 6h - pyrido [ 4 , 3 - d ] pyrimidin - 5 - one ( hsp990 ), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof . in one embodiment of the present invention , the pharmaceutical combination comprises the compound of formula ( i ) that is 5 - chloro - n2 -( 2 - isopropoxy - 5 - methyl - 4 -( piperidin - 4 - yl ) phenyl )- n4 -[ 2 -( propane - 2 - sulfonyl )- phenyl ]- pyrimidine - 2 , 4 - diamine or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof , and at least one hsp90 inhibitor 5 -( 2 , 4 - dihydroxy - 5 - isopropyl - phenyl )- 4 -( 4 - morpholin - 4 - ylmethyl - phenyl )- isoxazole - 3 - carboxylic acid ethylamide ( auy922 ) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . in one embodiment of the present invention , the pharmaceutical combination comprises the compound of formula ( i ) that is 5 - chloro - n2 -( 2 - isopropoxy - 5 - methyl - 4 -( piperidin - 4 - yl ) phenyl )- n4 -[ 2 -( propane - 2 - sulfonyl )- phenyl ]- pyrimidine - 2 , 4 - diamine ( compound a ) having the following structure or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and the hsp inhibitor is 5 -( 2 , 4 - dihydroxy - 5 - isopropyl - phenyl )- 4 -( 4 - morpholin - 4 - ylmethyl - phenyl )- isoxazole - 3 - carboxylic acid ethylamide ( auy922 ). in a further embodiment , the compound of formula ( i ) is 5 - chloro - n2 -( 2 - isopropoxy - 5 - methyl - 4 -( piperidin - 4 - yl ) phenyl )- n4 -[ 2 -( propane - 2 - sulfonyl )- phenyl ]- pyrimidine - 2 , 4 - diamine ( compound a ) and the hsp inhibitor is 5 -( 2 , 4 - dihydroxy - 5 - isopropyl - phenyl )- 4 -( 4 - morpholin - 4 - ylmethyl - phenyl )- isoxazole - 3 - carboxylic acid ethylamide ( auy922 ). it has now been surprisingly found that the combination of a compound of formula ( i ), and at least one hsp90 inhibitor possess beneficial therapeutic properties , which render it particularly useful for the treatment of proliferative diseases , particularly cancer . in one aspect , the present invention provides a pharmaceutical combination comprising ( a ) a compound of formula ( i ), and ( b ) at least one hsp90 inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , for use in the treatment of a proliferative disease , particularly cancer . in one aspect , the present invention provides the use of a pharmaceutical combination comprising a compound of formula ( i ) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and at least one hsp90 inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of a proliferative disease . in one aspect , the present invention further relates to a method for treating a proliferative disease in a subject in need thereof , comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula ( i ) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , and at least one hsp90 inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . in accordance with the present invention , the compound of formula ( i ) and the hsp90 inhibitor may be administered either as a single pharmaceutical composition , as separate compositions , or sequentially . preferably , the present invention is useful for the treating a mammal , especially humans , suffering from a proliferative disease such as cancer . to demonstrate that the combination of a compound of formula ( i ) and at least one hsp90 inhibitor is particularly suitable for the effective treatment of proliferative diseases with good therapeutic margin and other advantages , clinical trials can be carried out in a manner known to the skilled person . suitable clinical studies are , e . g ., open label , dose escalation studies in patients with proliferative diseases . such studies prove in particular the synergism of the active ingredients of the combination of the invention . the beneficial effects can be determined directly through the results of these studies which are known as such to a person skilled in the art . such studies are , in particular , suitable to compare the effects of a monotherapy using the active ingredients and a combination of the invention . preferably , the dose of agent ( a ) is escalated until the maximum tolerated dosage is reached , and agent ( b ) is administered with a fixed dose . alternatively , the agent ( a ) is administered in a fixed dose and the dose of agent ( b ) is escalated . each patient receives doses of the agent ( a ) either daily or intermittent . the efficacy of the treatment can be determined in such studies , e . g ., after 12 , 18 or 24 weeks by evaluation of symptom scores every 6 weeks . the administration of a pharmaceutical combination of the invention results not only in a beneficial effect , e . g ., a synergistic therapeutic effect , e . g ., with regard to alleviating , delaying progression of or inhibiting the symptoms , but also in further surprising beneficial effects , e . g ., fewer side effects , an improved quality of life or a decreased morbidity , compared with a monotherapy applying only one of agents ( a ) or agents ( b ) used in the combination of the invention . a further benefit is that lower doses of the active ingredients of the combination of the invention can be used , e . g ., that the dosages need not only often be smaller but are also applied less frequently , which may diminish the incidence or severity of side effects . this is in accordance with the desires and requirements of the patients to be treated . it is one objective of this invention to provide a pharmaceutical composition comprising a quantity , which is jointly therapeutically effective at targeting or preventing proliferative diseases , of each combination partner agent ( a ) and ( b ) of the invention . in one aspect , the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of formula ( i ) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and at least one hsp90 inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . in one embodiment , such pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is for use in the treatment of a proliferative disease . in accordance with the present invention , agent ( a ) and agent ( b ) may be administered together in a single pharmaceutical composition , separately in one combined unit dosage form or in two separate unit dosage forms , or sequentially . the unit dosage form may also be a fixed combination . the pharmaceutical compositions for separate administration of agent ( a ) and agent ( b ) or for the administration in a fixed combination ( i . e ., a single galenical composition comprising at least two combination partners ( a ) and ( b )) according to the invention may be prepared in a manner known per se and are those suitable for enteral , such as oral or rectal , topical , and parenteral administration to subjects , including mammals ( warm - blooded animals ) such as humans , comprising a therapeutically effective amount of at least one pharmacologically active combination partner alone , e . g ., as indicated above , or in combination with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or diluents , especially suitable for enteral or parenteral application . suitable pharmaceutical compositions contain , e . g ., from about 0 . 1 % to about 99 . 9 %, preferably from about 1 % to about 60 %, of the active ingredient ( s ). pharmaceutical compositions for the combination therapy for enteral or parenteral administration are , e . g ., those in unit dosage forms , such as sugar - coated tablets , tablets , capsules or suppositories , ampoules , injectable solutions or injectable suspensions . topical administration is e . g . to the skin or the eye , e . g . in the form of lotions , gels , ointments or creams , or in a nasal or a suppository form . if not indicated otherwise , these are prepared in a manner known per se , e . g ., by means of conventional mixing , granulating , sugar - coating , dissolving or lyophilizing processes . it will be appreciated that the unit content of agent ( a ) or agent ( b ) contained in an individual dose of each dosage form need not in itself constitute an effective amount since the necessary effective amount can be reached by administration of a plurality of dosage units . pharmaceutical compositions may comprise one or more pharmaceutical acceptable carriers or diluents and may be manufactured in conventional manner by mixing one or both combination partners with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent . examples of pharmaceutically acceptable diluents include , but are not limited to , lactose , dextrose , mannitol , and / or glycerol , and / or lubricants and / or polyethylene glycol . examples of pharmaceutically acceptable binders include , but are not limited to , magnesium aluminum silicate , starches , such as corn , wheat or rice starch , gelatin , methylcellulose , sodium carboxymethylcellulose and / or polyvinylpyrrolidone , and , if desired , pharmaceutically acceptable disintegrators include , but are not limited to , starches , agar , alginic acid or a salt thereof , such as sodium alginate , and / or effervescent mixtures , or adsorbents , dyes , flavorings and sweeteners . it is also possible to use the compounds of the present invention in the form of parenterally administrable compositions or in the form of infusion solutions . the pharmaceutical compositions may be sterilized and / or may comprise excipients , for example preservatives , stabilizers , wetting compounds and / or emulsifiers , solubilisers , salts for regulating the osmotic pressure and / or buffers . in particular , a therapeutically effective amount of each of the combination partner of the combination of the invention may be administered simultaneously or sequentially and in any order , and the components may be administered separately or as a fixed combination . for example , the method of preventing or treating proliferative diseases according to the invention may comprise : ( i ) administration of the first agent ( a ) in free or pharmaceutically acceptable salt form ; and ( ii ) administration of an agent ( b ) in free or pharmaceutically acceptable salt form , simultaneously or sequentially in any order , in jointly therapeutically effective amounts , preferably in synergistically effective amounts , e . g ., in daily or intermittently dosages corresponding to the amounts described herein . the individual combination partners of the combination of the invention may be administered separately at different times during the course of therapy or concurrently in divided or single combination forms . furthermore , the term administering also encompasses the use of a pro - drug of a combination partner that convert in vivo to the combination partner as such . the instant invention is therefore to be understood as embracing all such regimens of simultaneous or alternating treatment and the term “ administering ” is to be interpreted accordingly . the effective dosage of each of combination partner agent ( a ) or agent ( b ) employed in the combination of the invention may vary depending on the particular compound or pharmaceutical composition employed , the mode of administration , the condition being treated , the severity of the condition being treated . thus , the dosage regimen of the combination of the invention is selected in accordance with a variety of factors including type , species , age , weight , sex and medical condition of the patient ; the severity of the condition to be treated ; the route of administration ; the renal and hepatic function of the patient ; and the particular compound employed . a physician , clinician or veterinarian of ordinary skill can readily determine and prescribe the effective amount of the drug required to prevent , counter or arrest the progress of the condition . optimal precision in achieving concentration of drug within the range that yields efficacy requires a regimen based on the kinetics of the drug &# 39 ; s availability to target sites . this involves a consideration of the distribution , equilibrium , and elimination of a drug . for purposes of the present invention , a therapeutically effective dose will generally be a total daily dose administered to a host in single or divided doses . the compound of formula ( i ) may be administered to a host in a daily dosage range of , for example , from about 0 . 05 to about 50 mg / kg body weight of the recipient , preferably about 0 . 1 - 25 mg / kg body weight of the recipient , more preferably from about 0 . 5 to 10 mg / kg body weight of the recipient . agent ( b ) may be administered to a host in a daily dosage range of , for example , from about 0 . 001 to 1000 mg / kg body weight of the recipient , preferably from 1 . 0 to 100 mg / kg body weight of the recipient , and most preferably from 1 . 0 to 50 mg / kg body weight of the recipient . dosage unit compositions may contain such amounts of submultiples thereof to make up the daily dose . a further benefit is that lower doses of the active ingredients of the combination of the invention can be used , e . g ., that the dosages need not only often be smaller but are also applied less frequently , or can be used in order to diminish the incidence of side effects . this is in accordance with the desires and requirements of the patients to be treated . the combination of the compound of formula ( i ) and an hsp90 inhibitor can be used alone or combined with at least one other pharmaceutically active compound for use in these pathologies . these active compounds can be combined in the same pharmaceutical preparation or in the form of combined preparations “ kit of parts ” in the sense that the combination partners can be dosed independently or by use of different fixed combinations with distinguished amounts of the combination partners , i . e ., simultaneously or at different time points . the parts of the kit of parts can then , e . g ., be administered simultaneously or chronologically staggered , that is at different time points and with equal or different time intervals for any part of the kit of parts . non - limiting examples of compounds which can be cited for use in combination with the combination of a compound of formula ( i ) and at least one hsp90 inhibitor are cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs , such as anastrozole , doxorubicin hydrochloride , flutamide , dexamethaxone , docetaxel , cisplatin , paclitaxel , etc . further , the combination of a pyrimidylaminobenzamide compound and an hsp90 inhibitor could be combined with other inhibitors of signal transduction or other oncogene - targeted drugs with the expectation that significant synergy would result . the combination of the present invention is particularly useful for the treatment of proliferative diseases . the term “ proliferative disease ” includes , but not restricted to , cancer , tumor , hyperplasia , restenosis , cardiac hypertrophy , immune disorder and inflammation . examples for a proliferative disease the can be treated with the combination of the present invention are for instance cancers , including , for example , sarcoma ; lung ; bronchus ; prostate ; breast ( including sporadic breast cancers and sufferers of cowden disease ); pancreas ; gastrointestinal cancer or gastric ; colon ; rectum ; colorectal adenoma ; thyroid ; liver ; intrahepatic bile duct ; hepatocellular ; adrenal gland ; stomach ; glioma ; glioblastoma ; endometrial ; kidney ; renal pelvis ; urinary bladder ; uterine corpus ; uterine cervix ; vagina ; ovary ; multiple myeloma ; esophagus ; a leukaemia ; acute myelogenous leukemia ; chronic myelogenous leukemia ; lymphocytic leukemia ; myeloid leukemia ; brain ; oral cavity and pharynx ; larynx ; small intestine ; non - hodgkin lymphoma ; melanoma ; villous colon adenoma ; a neoplasia ; a neoplasia of epithelial character ; lymphomas ; a mammary carcinoma ; basal cell carcinoma ; squamous cell carcinoma ; actinic keratosis ; a tumor of the neck or head ; polycythemia vera ; essential thrombocythemia ; myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia ; and walden stroem disease . further examples include , polycythemia vera , essential thrombocythemia , myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia , asthma , copd , ards , loffler &# 39 ; s syndrome , eosinophilic pneumonia , parasitic ( in particular metazoan ) infestation ( including tropical eosinophilia ), bronchopulmonary aspergillosis , polyarteritis nodosa ( including churg - strauss syndrome ), eosinophilic granuloma , eosinophil - related disorders affecting the airways occasioned by drug - reaction , psoriasis , contact dermatitis , atopic dermatitis , alopecia areata , erythema multiforme , dermatitis herpetiformis , scleroderma , vitiligo , hypersensitivity angiitis , urticaria , bullous pemphigoid , lupus erythematosus , pemphisus , epidermolysis bullosa acquisita , autoimmune haematogical disorders ( e . g . haemolytic anaemia , aplastic anaemia , pure red cell anaemia and idiopathic thrombocytopenia ), systemic lupus erythematosus , polychondritis , scleroderma , wegener granulomatosis , dermatomyositis , chronic active hepatitis , myasthenia gravis , steven - johnson syndrome , idiopathic sprue , autoimmune inflammatory bowel disease ( e . g . ulcerative colitis and crohn &# 39 ; s disease ), endocrine opthalmopathy , grave &# 39 ; s disease , sarcoidosis , alveolitis , chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis , multiple sclerosis , primary biliary cirrhosis , uveitis ( anterior and posterior ), interstitial lung fibrosis , psoriatic arthritis , glomerulonephritis , cardiovascular diseases , atherosclerosis , hypertension , deep venous thrombosis , stroke , myocardial infarction , unstable angina , thromboembolism , pulmonary embolism , thrombolytic diseases , acute arterial ischemia , peripheral thrombotic occlusions , and coronary artery disease , reperfusion injuries , retinopathy , such as diabetic retinopathy or hyperbaric oxygen - induced retinopathy , and conditions characterized by elevated intraocular pressure or secretion of ocular aqueous humor , such as glaucoma . in one embodiment , the proliferative disease treated by the combination of the present invention is a cancer that can be beneficially treated by the inhibition of hsp90 and / or alk including , for example , gastric , lung and bronchus ; prostate ; breast ; pancreas ; colon ; rectum ; thyroid ; liver and intrahepatic bile duct ; kidney and renal pelvis ; urinary bladder ; uterine corpus ; uterine cervix ; ovary ; multiple myeloma ; esophagus ; acute myelogenous leukemia ; chronic myelogenous leukemia ; lymphocytic leukemia ; myeloid leukemia ; brain ; oral cavity and pharynx ; larynx ; small intestine ; non - hodgkin lymphoma ; melanoma ; and villous colon adenoma . in one embodiment , the proliferative disease treated by the combination of the present invention is a cancer of the esophagus , gastrointestinal cancer or gastric . where a tumor , a tumor disease , sarcoma , a carcinoma or a cancer are mentioned , also metastasis in the original organ or tissue and / or in any other location are implied alternatively or in addition , whatever the location of the tumor and / or metastasis . the combination of the present invention is particularly useful for the treatment of proliferative diseases , particularly cancers and other malignancies , mediated by anaplastic lymphoma kinase ( alk ). proliferative diseases may include those showing overexpression or amplification of alk , including lymphoma , osteosarcoma , melanoma , or a tumor of breast , renal , prostate , colorectal , thyroid , ovarian , pancreatic , neuronal , lung ( non - small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer ), uterine or gastrointestinal tumor , cancer of the bowel ( colon and rectum ), stomach cancer , cancer of liver , melanoma , bladder tumor , and cancer of head and neck . hematological and neoplastic diseases , for example in anaplastic large - cell lymphoma ( alcl ) and non - hodgkin &# 39 ; s lymphomas ( nhl ), specifically in alk + nhl or alkomas in inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors ( imt ) and neuroblastomas . in one embodiment , the present invention relates to a method for treating a proliferative disorder comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula ( i ) and at least one hsp90 inhibitor selected from the geldanamycin derivative , tanespimycin ( 17 - allylamino - 17 - demethoxygeldanamycin ) ( also known as kos - 953 and 17 - aag ); radicicol ; 6 - chloro - 9 -( 4 - methoxy - 3 , 5 - dimethylpyridin - 2 - ylmethyl )- 9h - purin - 2 - amine methanesulfonate ( also known as cnf2024 ); ipi504 ; snx5422 ; 5 -( 2 , 4 - dihydroxy - 5 - isopropyl - phenyl )- 4 -( 4 - morpholin - 4 - ylmethyl - phenyl )- isoxazole - 3 - carboxylic acid ethylamide ( auy922 ); and ( r )- 2 - amino - 7 -[ 4 - fluoro - 2 -( 6 - methyoxy - pyridin - 2 - yl )- phenyl ]- 4 - methyl - 7 , 8 - dihydro - 6h - pyrido [ 4 , 3 - d ] pyrimidin - 5 - one ( hsp990 ) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . the present invention further relates to a kit comprising a compound of formula ( i ), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , and at least one hsp90 inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , and a package insert or other labeling including directions for treating a proliferative disease . the present invention further relates to a kit comprising a compound of formula ( i ), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , and a package insert or other labeling including directions for treating a proliferative disease by co - administering at least one hsp90 inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . antitumor effect of 5 -{ 2 , 4 - dihydroxy - 5 - isopropyl - phersys )- 4 -{ 4 - morpholin - 4 - ylmethyl - phenyl )˜ isoxazole - 3 - carboxylic acid ethylamide ( auy922 ) and 5 - chloro - n2 -( 2 - isopropoxy - 5 - methyl - 4 -( piperidin - 4 - yl ) phenyl )- n4 -[ 2 -( propane - 2 - sulfonyl )- phenyl ]- pyrimidine - 2 , 4 - diamine ( compound a ) in the human lung primary tumor xenograft model hlux1787 the subcutaneous human lung primary tumor xenograft model hlux1787 harbors an eml4 - alk variant 2 translocation and has high levels of phospho - cmet . the primary tumor sample hlux - 1787 is a human primary tumor xenograft that is obtained from oncology research at novartis institute for biomedical research at cambridge , mass . the xenograft model was established by direct subcutaneous ( sc ) implantation of minced surgical material into the subcutaneous area of nude adult female mice . the tumors were then serially passaged in mice to enable studies in this report . hlux - 1787 primary tumors were harvested and cut into 3 × 3 × 3 mm 3 size and implanted into nude mice . the tumors reached approximately 200 mm 3 at 24 - 27 days post implantation . on day 24 ( trp - 0318 ) or day 27 ( trp - 0335 ), tumors were measured and mice were randomized into treatment groups based on tumor volume . compound a was dissolved in 0 . 5 % mc / 0 . 5 % tween 80 . it is stable for at least one week at room temperature . the dosing volume was 10 ml / kg . auy922 ( mesylate salt ) was dissolved in 5 % dextrose in water ( d5w ), and prepared fresh before dosing . it was administered at 60 . 5 mg / kg ( equivalent to 50 mg / kg free base ), iv , twice a week ( 2qw ) or once a week ( qw ). the designs for study trp0318 and trp0335 are summarized in tables 1 - 1 and 1 - 2 . treatment dose was body weight adjusted . tumor dimensions and body weights were collected at the time of randomization and twice weekly thereafter for the study duration . the following data were provided after each day of data collection : incidence of mortality , individual and group average body weight , and individual and group average tumor volume . table 1 - 1 dose and schedule for study trp0318 number treatment dose schedule of mice d5w 5 ml / kg 2qw iv 4 0 . 5 % mc / 10 ml / kg qd po 0 . 5 % tween 80 compound a 10 mg / kg qd , po 4 auy922 50 mg / kg 2qw , iv 4 compound a 10 mg / kg qd , po 4 auy922 50 mg / kg 2qw , iv for study trp0318 , treatments were initiated on day 27 following tumor fragment implantation , when the average tumor volume was 240 mm 3 . treatments continued for 20 days . for study trp0335 , treatments were initiated on day 24 following tumor fragment implantation , when the average tumor volume was 240 mm 3 . treatments continued for 13 days . the % change in body weight was calculated as ( bw current − bw initial )/( bw initial )× 100 %. data is presented as percent body weight change from the day of treatment initiation . t = mean tumor volume of the drug - treated group on the final day of the study ; δt = mean tumor volume of the drug - treated group on the final day of the study — mean tumor volume of the drug - treated group on initial day of dosing ; t initial = mean tumor volume of the drug - treated group on initial day of dosing ; c = mean tumor volume of the control group on the final day of the study ; and δc = mean tumor volume of the control group on the final day of the study — mean tumor volume of the control group on initial day of dosing . tumor volume and percent body weight change were expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean ( sem ). plasma concentration of compound was expressed as mean ± standard deviation . delta tumor volume was used for statistical analysis . between group comparisons were carried out using the one way analysis of variance ( anova ) followed by a post hoc tukey test . for all statistical evaluations , the level of significance was set at p & lt ; 0 . 05 . significance compared to the vehicle control group is reported unless otherwise stated . the initial mean body weight and percentage of body weight change at termination are summarized in table 1 - 3 and shown in fig1 and 2 ( trp - 0318 ), and summarized in table 1 - 4 ( trp - 0335 ) and shown in fig3 and 4 . in trp - 0318 , compound a was well tolerated at 10 mg / kg , with percent body weight change as 3 . 5 %. the percent body weight change for the vehicle - treated group was 4 . 1 % and the auy922 50 mg / kg treated group was − 6 . 8 %. compound a at 10 mg / kg in combination of auy922 at 50 mg / kg twice a week resulted in − 5 . 2 % body weight losses . similarly , in trp - 0335 , compound a was well tolerated at 25 mg / kg with 3 . 0 % body weight change , compared to vehicle - treated group with 1 . 5 % body weight change , and auy922 50 mg / kg once a week and twice a week treated group exhibit 5 . 0 % and − 2 . 2 % body weight changes respectively . compound a at 25 mg / kg in combination with auy922 at 50 mg / kg once a week or auy922 at 50 mg / kg twice a week , were also tolerated well with mean body weight change at 1 . 1 % and − 0 . 1 % respectively . tumor growth and percent t / c are summarized in table 1 - 5 ( trp - 0318 ) and table 1 - 6 ( trp - 0335 ) and illustrated in fig1 and 2 ( trp - 0318 ) to fig3 and 4 ( trp - 0335 ). * p & lt ; 0 . 05 compared to vehicle by one way anova post hoc tukey test . * p & lt ; 0 . 05 compared to vehicle by one way anova post hoc tukey test . ** p & lt ; 0 . 001 compared to vehicle by one way anova post hoc tukey test . in trp - 0318 , compound a at 10 mg / kg produced statistically non - significant anti - tumor effects with t / c 50 . 9 %. auy922 at 50 mg / kg resulted in t / c 19 . 2 % ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 vs vehicle treated group ), compound a at 10 mg / kg in combination of auy922 at 50 mg / kg twice a week resulted in tumor stasis with t / t0 − 6 . 8 % ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 vs vehicle treated group ) ( see table 1 - 5 , fig1 ). in trp - 0335 , compound a at 25 mg / kg resulted in statistically non - significant effects with t / c 45 . 3 %. auy922 at 50 mg / kg once a week and twice a week resulted in t / c 19 . 3 % and 20 . 0 %, respectively ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 vs vehicle treated group ). compound a at 25 mg / kg in combination of auy922 at 50 mg / kg once a week resulted in t / c 16 . 0 % ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 vs vehicle treated group ); compound a at 25 mg / kg in combination of auy922 at 50 mg / kg twice a week resulted in tumor regression with t / t0 − 34 % ( p & lt ; 0 . 001 vs vehicle - treated group ) ( see table 1 - 6 , fig3 ). in the hlux1787 model , compound a at 10 mg / kg and 25 mg / kg yielded 50 . 9 % t / c and 45 . 3 % t / c respectively ; auy922 at 50 mg / kg ( free base ) twice weekly resulted in 20 % t / c ; combinations of compound a at 10 mg / kg or 25 mg / kg with auy922 at 50 mg / kg resulted in tumor stasis ( t / t0 : − 6 . 8 %) and tumor regression ( t / t0 : − 34 %) respectively . increased antitumor effect was observed in the hlux - 1787 model when compound a and the hsp90 inhibitor auy922 were combined . the combination of compound a with auy922 is more potent than either single agent in a lung cancer model which harbors eml4 - alk variant 2 translocation . antitumor effect of 5 -{ 2 , 4 - dihydroxy - 5 - isopropyl - phersys )- 4 -{ 4 - morpholin - 4 - ylmethyl - phenyl )˜ isoxazole - 3 - carboxylic acid ethylamide ( auy922 ) and 5 - chloro - n2 -( 2 - isopropoxy - 5 - methyl - 4 -( piperidin - 4 - yl ) phenyl )- n4 -[ 2 -( propane - 2 - sulfonyl )- phenyl ]- pyrimidine - 2 , 4 - diamine ( compound a ) in the human lung primary tumor xenograft model luf1656 the subcutaneous human lung primary tumor xenograft model luf1656 harbors an eml4 - alk variant 1 translocation and has high levels of egfr expression . egfr , cmet and other rtk signaling pathways are also likely to be activated in these models . tumor fragments from stock mice inoculated with selected primary human lung cancer ( luf1656 ) were harvested and used for inoculation into nu / nu mice . each mouse was inoculated subcutaneously at the right flank with one tumor fragment ( 3 × 3 × 3 mm 3 ) for tumor development . the treatments were started when mean tumor size reached approximately 140 mm 3 ( range 86 . 8 - 245 mm 3 ). the test articles administration and the animal numbers in each group are shown in the experiment design table 2 - 1 . the major endpoint was to see if the tumor growth can be delayed or tumor bearing mice can be cured . tumor size was measured twice weekly in two dimensions using a caliper , and the volume was expressed in mm 3 using the formula : v = 0 . 5a × b 2 where a and b are the long and short diameters of the tumor , respectively . the tumor size was then used for calculations of both t - c and t / c values . t - c was calculated with t as the time ( in days ) required for the mean tumor size of the treatment group to reach a predetermined size ( e . g ., 400 mm 3 ), and c was the time ( in days ) for the mean tumor size of the control group to reach the same size . percent treatment / control ( t / c ) values were calculated using the following formula : t = mean tumor volume of the drug - treated group on the final day of the study ; δt = mean tumor volume of the drug - treated group on the final day of the study — mean tumor volume of the drug - treated group on initial day of dosing ; t initiai = mean tumor volume of the drug - treated group on initial day of dosing ; c = mean tumor volume of the control group on the final day of the study ; and δc = mean tumor volume of the control group on the final day of the study — mean tumor volume of the control group on initial day of dosing . summary statistics , including mean and the standard error of the mean ( sem ), are provided for the tumor volume of each group at each time point . statistical analysis of difference in tumor volume among the groups was conducted using a one - way anova followed by multiple comparisons using tukey hsd . log transformation was performed for homogeneity of variances when necessary . all data were analyzed using spss ( statistical package for the social sciences or statistical product and service solutions ) 16 . 0 . p & lt ; 0 . 05 was considered to be statistically significant . the standard protocols used in pharmacology studies are not pre - powered to demonstrate statistically significant superiority of a combination over the respective single agent treatment . the statistical power is often limited by potent single agent response and / or model variability . the p - values for combination vs single agent treatments are , however , provided . the results of the body weight changes in the tumor bearing mice are shown in fig5 and fig6 . the tumor sizes of the different groups at different time points are shown in table 2 - 3 and table 2 - 4 . tumor sizes in the different treatment groups ( treatment phase , n = 8 ) * p & lt ; 0 . 05 , ** p & lt ; 0 . 01 , *** p & lt ; 0 . 001 , compared with the vehicle control . tumor sizes in the different treatment groups ( re - growth phase , n = 4 ) antitumor activity of compound a as a single agent and in the tumor growth curves of different groups are shown in fig7 and 8 . in this efficacy study , the therapeutic efficacy of compound a as a single agent and in combination with auy922 in the treatment of subcutaneous primary human lung cancer luf1656 xenograft model in nu / nu mice was evaluated . the results of tumor size in different groups at different time points after treatment are shown in the tables 2 - 3 and 2 - 4 and in fig7 and 8 . treatment with compound a as a single agent at 25 mg / kg ( po , qd × 22 days ) showed moderate antitumor activity ( t / c value = 35 . 1 % on day 21 after treatment ) ( p & gt ; 0 . 05 when compared to vehicle ). treatment with compound a as a single agent at 50 and 100 mg / kg ( po , qd × 22 days ) exhibited significant antitumor activity from day 11 to day 21 and day 7 to day 21 after treatment compared with vehicle control ( t / c value = 10 . 9 %, p & lt ; 0 . 01 , at day 21 after treatment of 50 mg / kg compound a treatment group ; and t / c value = 1 . 9 %, p & lt ; 0 . 001 , at day 21 after treatment of 100 mg / kg compound a treatment group ). treatment with auy922 as a single agent at 50 mg / kg ( iv , 2qw × 3 wks ) showed moderate antitumor activity ( t / c value = 38 . 7 % at day 21 after treatment when compared to vehicle ). treatment with 25 mg / kg compound a ( po , qd × 22 days ) plus 50 mg / kg auy922 ( iv , 2qw × 3 wks ) showed significant antitumor activity from day 7 to day 21 after treatment when compared to vehicle control ( t / c value = 11 . 4 %, p & lt ; 0 . 01 , at day 21 after treatment ). the antitumor activity of the combination treatment ( 25 mg / kg compound a + 50 mg / kg auy922 ) was better than that of each monotherapy . based on the body weight data as shown in fig5 and 6 , the test articles compound a at dose levels of 25 , 50 and 100 mg / kg , auy922 at 50 mg / kg and combination of 25 mg / kg compound a with 50 mg / kg auy922 were all tolerated by the primary human lung cancer luf1656 tumor - bearing mice in this study . in summary , the test article compound a at 50 and 100 mg / kg as single agent and 25 mg / kg compound a in combination with 50 mg / kg auy922 all demonstrated statistically significant antitumor activity against the primary human lung cancer luf1656 xenograft model . combination of compound a and auy922 produced increased anti - tumor activity compared to the corresponding monotherapies .
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referring to fig1 and 4 , the diverter valve , generally 10 , is shown in conjunction with a faucet , generally 12 , having a housing 14 with a cavity 15 . there are hot and cold water passages 16 and 17 in the housing 14 to supply hot and cold water to the cavity 15 such as by the cold water pipe 18 . a cartridge valve 23 is seated in the cavity 15 and retained therein by the mounting nut 25 over which is placed the bonnet 26 . valve 23 is of the ceramic disk type having a stationary disk with hot and cold water passages extending therethrough and a movable disk operable by the stem 28 . stem 28 is connected to a handle 31 such as by the screw 27 . water flows from the valve 23 through the outlet orifice 30 and into outlet passage 29 where it enters a second and non - coaxial junction passage 33 in the valve housing 14 . a valve sleeve 19 surrounds the valve body 14 and is sealed thereto by o - rings 20 and seals 21 and 22 . referring to fig2 - 5 , it is seen that junction passage 33 joins with a first outlet branch 35 and a second outlet branch 36 . the diverter valve 10 is placed in the cavity 33 and has a sleeve 38 sealably engaged in the first branch 35 by the o - ring 47 . the diverter valve 10 is held in position in housing 14 by the valve sleeve 19 and the projections 38a extending from sleeve 38 for retentive contact with an inwardly extending wall portion 19a . this retention is also aided by the frictional protrusions 28b on the sleeve 38 . a poppet type valve member 42 has opposing piston heads 43 and 45 with head 43 having a seal member 44 connected thereto such as by the cap 41 frictionally engaged over the enlarged head 39 . as shown specifically in fig3 the seal member 44 is in sealing engagement with a valve seat 55 in the sleeve 38 , adjacent the passage 40 . valve member 42 has a neck portion 48 which connects the opposing piston heads 43 and 45 . guide flanges 52 extend from the neck portion 48 to provide a guide surface for the neck portion 48 in the sleeve 38 . the sleeve 38 has a waist or reduced diameter portion 53 with opposing openings 32 and 46 which allows water to enter inside the sleeve 38 . a seal member 51 is connected to the piston head 45 by the connector cap 58 . it has a lip 59 for sealable engagement in the second outlet branch 36 . a tapering wall 56 extends between wall 54 and the second outlet branch 36 . fig5 shows the diverter valve in a spout open condition with water flowing from cartridge valve 23 . in this instance the spray nozzle 57 is attached to a spray outlet line 66 communicating with the second outlet branch 36 by the passage 65 as seen in fig4 . the spray nozzle 57 would be closed . water pressure builds in the cavity 33 , thus forcing the valve member 42 to move to the right as viewed in fig5 and thereby moves the seal member 44 away from the valve seat 55 and allows the flow of water to pass in the direction of the flow arrows . water flows around the piston seal 44 from the sleeve 38 , into a passage 60 in the valve body 14 and to the opposite side where , as seen in fig1 it flows through the aperture 62 and ultimately into the spout 64 extending from sleeve 19 . in the instance where the spray nozzle 57 would be in an open condition , water flows through the spray outlet line 66 . this condition would cause the valve member 42 to move to the left as viewed in fig3 thus closing the pathway , including passage 40 , through the sleeve 38 as the seal member 44 now sealably engages the valve seat 55 . however , water is free to flow around the outside of piston head 45 and seal 51 . this is effected by an inward deflection of the lip 59 as fluid flows from cavity 33 to passage 65 when the valve 10 is in a spray open condition . diverter valve 10 offers the advantage of an antisiphonage feature . this is effected by the seal 51 with lip 59 . back flow from spray nozzle 57 is prevented should it be left in dirty water and there is a loss of pressure in the water supply passages 16 and 17 . an important feature of the invention is the sealing effected by seal 51 and lip 59 engaging the branch line 36 and the additional sealing effected by the abutment of the piston head 45 with the seat 61 of the sleeve 38 . this serves as an additional closure . it will therefore be appreciated that a diverter 10 is provided wherein a complete shut off of water is effected to the spout while the spray nozzle function is taking place . this is effected by the movement of the piston head 43 and the seal member 44 against the valve seat 55 in response to the fluid pressure on the larger piston head 45 . in addition , there is an ease of assembly in that the valve member 42 is quickly assembled into the sleeve 38 and guide flanges 52 into the bore of the sleeve 38 . the valve seal member 44 is then passed over the enlarged head 39 and the cap 41 secured thereon . this then captures the valve member 42 in the sleeve 38 . similarly seal member 51 is passed over enlarged piston head 45 and cap 58 secured thereon . still another feature of the diverter valve 10 is the simplified construction . it is composed of three rather simple injection molded pieces 42 and 38 with two elastomer seals 44 and 51 , an o - ring 47 and caps 41 and 58 . yet another feature of the valve of this invention is the design of the diverter in that it is easily placed into a faucet housing either manually or by an automatic assembly . thus , the invention provides an improved diverter member . while a preferred embodiment has been described above , it should be readily appreciated to those skilled in the art , that a number of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . for example , while cap seal 51 has been shown as attached to valve member 42 by cap 58 it could be retained thereon by other fastening means such as a screw . seal member 44 could be retained in a similar manner . further , while a cup seal 51 has been described with a lip 59 in conjunction with piston head 45 , the seal 51 could have other geometric configurations . also , the specific materials mentioned are not the only materials which can be used . all such and other modifications within the spirit of the invention are meant to be in the scope thereof .
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the balance toy is depicted generally in fig1 of the drawings . balance toy 10 is shown in a perspective view having a rounded bottom 12 and a rounded top 14 . central axis a is shown passing through the center of balance toy 10 and is shown vertically oriented with respect to table top 16 . central axis a has located therearound multiple , moveable rings 18 the balance toy 10 is shown with circular level 22 , also called bubble level 22 . fig2 shows in more detail the arrangement of rings 18 around central axis a . rings 18 range from ring 18a through ring 18g , each ring showing a progressively narrower diameter from 18a through 18g . in fig2 rounded bottom 12 has centrally located second rounded bottom 20 located in line with central axis a . rings 18a through 18g are centrally located around axis a . each ring 18 is moveable axially about axis a independent of each other ring 18 . fig3 shows in more detail the bubble level 22 having an air bubble 24 therein and balance indicator 26 . bubble level 22 is preferrably a transparent , plastic container filled with water or some other liquid . in the level 22 shown in fig3 the container is circular and has a circle inscribed on the top thereof . this inscribed circle has been identified above as balance indicator 26 . a small portion of the container is left unfilled , thus forming the air bubble 24 . when the bubble level is perfectly level the air bubble 24 will position itself in the center of the level 22 . since bubble balance indicator 26 is a circle drawn around the exact center point of bubble level 22 , when balance toy 10 is perfectly balanced , the bubble 24 will be within the circle of balance indicator 26 . this will indicate that the balance toy 10 is precisely balanced . balancing the toy 10 such that the bubble 24 is within the balance indicator 26 is the object of the toy in this embodiment . it should be noted that balance indicator 26 need not be circular in shape . it could take on a variety of forms , each one designed to indicate that the air bubble 24 is directly over the central axis a . fig3 illustrates in more detail the ascending and reducing diameter of each ring 18 from the bottom most ring 18a to the top most ring 18g . in the fig1 through 3 generally , there is no indication of the position of the weighted area of each ring . however , in fig1 weight indicators 46 could be added to the rings 18 , ( shown here on only two rings ) indicating the location of each weight in each ring . this would help the user balance the toy since the location of each weight in each ring would be known . as a further variant , less than all of the rings 18 could have weight indicators 46 thereon , to give some assistance to the user in balancing the toy 10 , but also maintaining an element of the unknown with respect to the unmarked rings . fig4 shows in a partial section view the structure of rings 18a through 18g taken along line 4 -- 4 of fig3 . also , fig4 shows in detail the assembled balance toy 10 with its interior component parts . in fig4 it is seen that each ring 18 has opening 28 placed towards the outermost portion of the ring . in each opening 28 is placed a weight 30 . each ring 18 is arranged around rod 32 which provides the connection means for each ring and the means about which each ring is rotated around central axis a . to provide ready movement of one ring with respect to the other , each ring has therebetween washer 34 . it should be noted that in one embodiment , when assembled , the weights 30 are not visible to the user of the toy 10 . each ring 18 carries a weight 30 in one position only . thus , when each ring 18 is rotated with respect to the other rings the weights 30 may be distributed unevenly around central axis a . this causes balance toy 10 to become unstable and to tilt towards the direction of the greatest combination of weights 30 due to the rounded second bottom portion 20 . of course , when the toy 10 is out of balance the bubble 24 of circular level 22 will be outside of the balance indicator 26 , indicating that the toy 10 is out of balance . as the various rings 18 are manipulated with respect to each other and the weights 30 redistributed about central axis a , the bubble 24 will indicate a new reading on the balance indicator 26 . each ring 18 is arranged about rod 32 such that there is a close fit as shown in fig4 . inner portion 36 of each ring 18 lies snuggly against the cylindrical rod 32 . not only does this provide a close fit as mentioned above , it also prevents the rings 18 from turning independent of one another unless they are actually manipulated by the user . it should be noted that fig4 is shown with no weight 30 deposited in ring 18a . since ring 18a is shown integrally connected to rounded bottom 12 and second rounded bottom 20 , one design choice would feature the elimination of a weight in this area . this will reduce manufacturing costs and assembly costs of the balance toy 10 . however , if so desired , a greater degree of variability and unpredictability can be given to the toy 10 by adding a weight 30 and an opening 28 to ring 18a . likewise , ring 18g at the top of balance toy 10 is shown in fig4 without a corresponding weight 30 or opening 28 . again , by eliminating the opening 28 and weight 30 in this area , manufacture and assembly costs are minimized . however , if a greater degree of skill to balance the toy is desired , a weight 30 and opening 28 could be added to ring 18g to increase the difficulty in balancing the toy 10 . it should be appreciated from reviewing the cut - away section of fig4 that the fewer the number of weights , the easier it will be to balance the toy 10 by manipulating the rings 18 that contain the weights 30 . in the embodiment disclosed there are five weights in five of the seven rings 18 . the lower rings 18b and 18c are disposed a greater distance from central axis a . the movement of the rings 18b and 18c will produce a greater effect on the balancing of toy 10 than the manipulation of the rings 18e and 18f , since these rings are located a lesser distance from the central axis a . thus , a fine tuning effect is developed by the location of the weights 30 in a vertical orientation with respect to axis a . the greater the distance of the weight 30 located on the ring 18 from central axis a , the greater the effect in balancing the toy 10 from minor movements of those rings . the lesser the distance of the weight 30 from the central axis a the more minute the effect of the rotation of the ring 18 containing that weight 30 . the toy 10 can be fine tuned by generally locating the bubble 24 with respect to the balance indicator 26 and then attempting to move the bubble 24 into the balance indicator 26 by turning the upper rings of the toy . obviously , when the toy 10 is severely out of balance , such a condition will be apparent to the user without looking at the balance indicator 26 . in such a state the toy 10 will severly tilt to one side . it is when the toy 10 is slightly out of balance that the balance indicator 26 becomes important and the position of bubble 24 with respect to the balance indicator 26 is observed . as the toy 10 gets closer to being precisely balanced the user keeps track of the positions of the bubble 24 with respect to the balance indicator 26 . once the bubble 24 is located in the center of the balance indicator 26 , when the toy is at rest , the toy will be balanced . in balancing the toy 10 the rings are manipulated by rotating them with respect to one another . the toy is then held in a balanced position and released . the toy will wobble until it stablizes . when it stablizes it will either be out of balance or in balance . if it is out of balance the rings 18 are then manipulated again to attempt to balance the toy 10 . as can be appreciated , there are an infinite number of arrangements of the weighted rings 18 possible to balance toy 10 . fig5 shows an exploded view of the elements of balance toy 10 . in this view it is seen that rod 32 is placed into rod receiving portion 40 of ring 18a . over rod 32 is placed the first washer 34 which rests against rod receiving portion 40 of ring 18a . rod receiving portion 40 has an opening therein to securely and snugly receive rod 32 . rod 32 may be fixed within portion 40 by a glue or other sealant . rod receiving portion 40 has a flat face 42 against which washer 34 rests . ring 18b is then placed over rod 32 and washer 34 such that the outer end of ring 18b meets with the outer surface of ring 18a . weight 30 is placed in opening 28 in ring 18b , a second washer 34 is then placed over rod 32 and adjacent the top side of ring 18b . ring 18c is placed over rod 32 and adjacent the second washer 34 . weight 30 is placed in opening 28 of ring 18c and a third washer 34 is then placed over rod 32 and adjacent the top side of ring 18c . ring 18d is placed over rod 32 such that it is adjacent the top side of ring 18c and the third washer 34 . another weight 30 is placed in opening 28 of ring 18d and a fourth washer 34 is placed thereover . ring 18e is placed over rod 32 and adjacent the fourth washer and ring 18d . weight 30 is placed in opening 28 of ring 18e and a fifth washer 34 is placed over rod 32 and adjacent the top side of ring 18e . ring 18f is then placed over rod 32 and adjacent ring 18e and the fifth washer 34 . weight 30 is placed in opening 28 of ring 18f and a sixth washer 34 is placed over rod 32 and adjacent the top side of ring 18f . ring 18g is then secured on rod 32 , adjacent the top side of ring 18f and the sixth washer 34 . again , a glue or other sealant may be used to fix ring 18g to rod 32 . bubble level 22 is fixed in opening 38 of ring 18g such that central axis a passes through the exact center portion of the balance indicator 26 of bubble level 22 . bubble level 22 can be glued into opening 38 or opening 38 can be designed such that a friction fit between the bubble level 22 and the opening 38 is achieved . it should be noted that by placing the rings 18 on top of each other , weights 30 are effectively sealed in openings 28 and may not be dislodged . washers 34 facilitate the movement of the rings 18 independent of one another about cylindrical rod 32 . the invention is not limited to the particular details of assembly and structure as above disclosed . other modifications and applications may be contemplated and other objects and advantages may be realized without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention herein claimed . for example , the number of rings 18 may be increased or decreased depending on the degree of complexity desired in balancing the toy 10 . it should be realized that the greater the number of weighted rings 18 the more difficult it will be to balance the toy 10 . also , the distance of the weights 30 from the axis a on a particular ring 18 will determine the effect moving that ring with respect to the other rings will have on the overall balance of the toy . also , it would be possible to add multiple weights to a given ring 18 spaced unevenly thereon . by so doing it would complicate the balancing of the toy . further , the amount of weight in each ring , can be varied to increase the difficulty in balancing the toy . in addition , as indicated earlier , markings could be added to the outside of each ring to indicate the location of the weight 30 in the ring to help the user in remembering where one ring was with respect to the other rings prior to the next subsequent movement of the rings . also , different means for determining whether the toy is precisely level or balanced could be used other than the circular bubble level . similarly , different means could be used to cause the toy to tilt and wobble rather than the rounded bottom as disclosed herein . it is intended therefore that the subject matter in the above disclosure shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense .
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fig3 shows the phase diagram of co 2 in sea water as a function of the pressure and the temperature . the phase limit between hydrate and liquid co 2 applies for pure co 2 hydrate having the lattice type i and for sea water having a salt content of 35 % by weight . the critical co 2 point is at 7 . 4 mpa and 31 . 48 ° c . at higher temperatures and pressures , co 2 is transferred into the so - called supercritical phase . the special thing about this phase is that there are no abrupt transitions and energy barriers between the gaseous and liquid state ; it can no longer be discriminated between the gas and liquid phases . supercritical co 2 is different from liquid or gaseous co 2 . it consists of co 2 clusters that are interconnected only loosely . it exhibits very special attributes that are particularly favourable for producing natural gas from hydrates . supercritical co 2 reacts very willingly and fast with the methane hydrates since the methane hydrates are broken down both thermally and chemically . at temperatures above 31 . 48 ° c ., the methane hydrates are unstable and are thus melted by the supercritical co 2 . the thermal break down of the methane hydrate takes place at a much higher speed than the slow exchange of gas molecules , while the hydrate structure is being maintained . at the same time , the water cages are attacked by the chemical reaction with the co 2 clusters and broken down . because of the thermal and chemical energies that act simultaneously , the release of natural gas from methane hydrate with supercritical co 2 takes place faster than with liquid or gaseous co 2 or with warm water of the same temperature . the injected super critical co 2 fluid exhibits a low viscosity and a high mobility . therefore the heat can propagate fast in the subsoil by fast convection of the low - viscous supercritical co 2 in the pore space so that the methane hydrates are melted in a large area around the injection borehole . due to the flow properties of supercritical co 2 , the inventive release of natural gas from methane hydrate proceeds considerably more effectively than when warm water of the same temperature is used , since at the same temperature , supercritical co 2 has a markedly lower viscosity and higher propagation speed than warm water . an additional advantage of the method that has been proposed lies in the fact that no or only little co 2 hydrate is produced in the vicinity of the injection borehole on account of the local temperature increase , thus avoiding a clogging of the feed pipes and the pore space . in the method that has been proposed , furthermore the pore space and the remaining formation water are saturated with co 2 so that the reverse reaction , i . e . the formation of methane hydrate from the natural gas that has been released , is avoided . using the method that has been proposed , natural gas production rates can be achieved that are attractive economically . in this way , further methods for breaking down the methane hydrates , such as the injection of warm water , lowering the pressure , or adding chemical substances , can be dispensed with . the supercritical co 2 remains in the subsoil . it will cool down slowly over the course of time and finally convert into co 2 hydrate . according to the invention , the methane hydrate is initially melted and decomposed , the co 2 hydrate is formed at a later point in time , after the production of natural gas has been terminated partially or completely and the heat has left the reservoir by conduction . the method can be realised in different variants . for example it is possible to introduce the supercritical co 2 into the deposit using a separate injection borehole . for this purpose , the borehole has to be insulated thermally , such as by using thermally insulated pipes , to minimise the heat loss between the drilling platform and the deposit . the methane gas that has been released can be extracted via a separate borehole . it is also possible to carry out the co 2 injection and the natural gas extraction by one and the same borehole . furthermore , also horizontal drilling can be carried out or hydro fracturing methods can be used to increase the permeability of the hydrate - containing sediment layers .
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fig1 shows a d . c . power supply unit which comprises a rectifier 10 having an input i / p for connection to an alternating current mains supply of 230 volts . the output of the rectifier is coupled via supply lines 11 and 12 to a circuit 13 which is to be powered therefrom . the circuit 13 has a capacitor c1 connected in parallel with its input , but this capacitance is of small value and inadequate to protect the circuit from substantial voltage fluctuations due to transients . a transient protection circuit is formed by a series arrangement of a diode d1 and a capacitor c2 connected in series between the lines 11 and 12 . a resistor r2 is connected in parallel with the capacitor c2 and a resistor r1 is connected in series with one of the input lines to the rectifier 10 . it will be seen that the diode d1 is forward biased when the mains is connected so that an initial charging current is fed therethrough to the capacitor c2 , whereupon the diode becomes non - conductive . accordingly , c2 does not constitute a permanent load on the supply lines and is indirectly connected thereto . when capacitor c2 is charged and under normal voltage supply conditions , the effective capacitive load across the supply line is small , constituted only by c1 . however , when a transient occurs , diode d1 conducts and the capacitor c2 is connected in circuit . the resistor r1 and the capacitor c2 effectively form a filter for transient voltages in that a significant transient voltage drop occurs across r1 due to the absorption of the transient energy by c2 , and the voltage between supply lines 11 whereby 12 is not significantly affected . the transient energy stored in the capacitor c2 is thereafter discharged via the resistor r2 . referring now to fig2 the circuit of fig1 now incorporates a circuit to be protected which is constituted by a switch mode power converter for providing a stepped up voltage . the converter includes an inductor l connected in series with a diode d2 in the positive voltage supply line 11 from the output of the rectifier 10 . the junction of the inductor l and the diode d2 is connected to the collector electrode of an npn switching transistor t1 , the emitter electrode of which is connected to the negative supply line 12 . the base electrode of the transistor is connected to a cyclical switching voltage source ( not shown ) which causes a repetitive switching of the transistor on and off to induce a step - up voltage greater than the mains voltage in a known manner . the stepped up voltage is fed via output o / p to a load 14 , for example , a d . c . to a . c . power converter and a fluorescent tube . in fig2 the diode d1 is arranged to bridge the series arrangement of the inductor l and the diode d2 to the capacitor c1 , which was already present in the circuit and which now also constitutes the capacitor of the transient protection circuit . when a transient occurs on the mains , the transient voltage across the inductor l is limited due to a diversion of transient current via diode d1 to the capacitor and do to the voltage drop across resistor r1 and the inductor is not saturated . fig3 incorporates a further refinement into the circuit of fig2 . in this circuit , the source - drain path of an insulated gate field effect transistor ( igfet ) t2 is connected in the supply line 11 . the gate electrode of the transistor t2 is connected to a suitable bias voltage ( not shown ) and the transistor is arranged to be turned off in response to a transient . this refinement is the subject of copending u . s . patent application ser . no . 449 , 633 entitled excess voltage protection circuit , which was filed the same day as the present application , the whole contents of which are hereby imparted incorporated by reference . the circuit of fig4 shows a complete circuit , based on fig3 and forming a fluorescent lamp drive circuit such as may be employed for compact integrated lamp units to replace incandescent bulbs in commercial and domestic premises . across the mains input there is connected a voltage clamp and rectifier circuit 16 . the voltage clamp is formed by a series arrangement of a resistor rd and a voltage dependent resistor vdr . vdr may be connected in parallel with the output of the rectifier circuit r as shown in solid lines , or alternatively may be connected in parallel with the input of the rectifier circuit r as shown by dotted lines . the choice depends upon the relative prices of suitable protection components and the integration process . a partly smoothed voltage is developed across the resistor vdr and this voltage feeds the rectifier and filter circuit the output of which is connected to the supply lines 11 and 12 so as to ultimately power a load 18 , containing a fluorescent tube , via the voltage step up circuit . in this arrangement all voltages , except for the drain voltage of t2 , are limited relative to the voltage occurring across the vdr clamp . the delay introduced by the clamp 16 and by t2 , d1 and c1 provides a longer delay between the occurrence of a transient and its appearance at the output than the turn of the transistor t2 . the operating conditions for the voltage clamp can be improved when this clamp is arranged behind the rectifier bridge ( less degradation ), which enables , for example , the voltage requirements imposed on the ic to be less stringent . this arrangement is also intended to fall within the scope of this invention . however , a drawback to this arrangement is that the rectifier bridge must now be capable of handling the transient current . it should be appreciated that in applications such as cheap and small electronic ballasts the available storage capacity is small , for example , smaller than 10 micro - farads and tens of milli - henries for a saturating current isat of less than one ampere . the time necessary for turning off the series transistor t2 is dependent upon the value of the capacitor c1 required for sustaining the power supply around the zero crossing of the mains sine wave . the voltage output of the series transistor t2 increases only slowly because the inductor l is effectively by - passed by the diode d1 , so that enough time is available to turn off the series transistor t2 before the voltage can reach an excessive value . accordingly , dissipation in the series transistor is limited . fig5 shows the side view of a fluorescent lamp unit comprising a base 19 having a bayonet connector 20 for removable connection of the lamp in a socket such as is employed for incandescent bulbs . the base unit contains the circuitry such as described in relation to fig1 to 4 a fluorescent tube 21 forms a load for the circuit , which tube is contained within a housing 22 .
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the novel method is denoted as a whole in fig1 by the reference numeral 10 . healthcare provider 100 treats a patient and sends an 837 transaction set to third party administrator ( tpa ) 110 . tpa 110 adjudicates the claim and returns an 835 transaction set to provider bank 120 . however , provider bank 120 has middleware application 130 intercept the 835 transaction set which decodes the eob information and passes on the eft payment data and an authentication code that links the payment to the eob which has already been extracted . the eob information is passed to a third party image server 140 which renders the eob text into an image formatted to the dimensions of a check image presented through virtually all online banking portals . online banking web server 150 accesses the eft payment information from provider bank 120 and presents the eft information at banking portal 160 via an ssl connection . however , online banking web server 150 also has path information to the eob image on third party image server 140 . a separate ssl connection is made from the banking portal 160 to the eob image residing the third party image server 150 . it should be noted that in an alternative embodiment of the invention provider bank 120 may alternatively choose to decode the eob from the 835 transaction set and present the rendered image of the eob from their own web server 150 or related network . it is not necessary that a third party image server 140 be deployed if provider bank 120 chooses to accept and maintain phi data . the rendering the eob image may use any one of a number of bitmapped formats including but not limited to , jpg , gif , tif , pcx , bmp , and png . the eob image may also be rendered in formats capable of maintaining vector paths and / or fonts such as adobe portable document format ( otherwise known as pdf files ). finally , the limitation of eob image should not be necessarily construed to graphic formats . the eob image could comprise an array of plain , rich , or html text arranged to fit into the placeholder normally reserved for viewing a posted hardcopy check that has been digitized . online banking web server 150 may be any html compliant server such as those commercially available including , but not limited to , ibm websphere , microsoft internet information server , and apache . the authentication code that links the eob and payment is used as a layer of abstraction between the third party image server 140 eob record and the eft payment record presented by online banking web server 150 . a simple primary key linking table would serve to link the two records together but may not necessarily be secure , particularly if the primary key was an incrementally generated simple integer . various forms of authentication including unique guid keys , multi - factor authentication and the like may be used to securely link the eob and the payment data between disparate network connections . an anticipated deployment of the current technology would include offering a provider bank to healthcare providers for accepting incoming 835 transaction sets from tpas 110 . provider bank 120 may be different from an operating bank used by healthcare provider 100 for paying vendors , performing payroll and the like . alternatively , it may be a separate , special account within the same financial institution they already use . to accept eft payments over an ach network provider bank 120 would share the routing and account number for healthcare provider with hundreds of tpas 110 for making 835 transaction set credits . provider bank 120 would have a substantial competitive advantage over other banks used by healthcare providers that do not have the capability of displaying eob images in association with eft payments . once provider bank 120 integrates the eob imaging into their banking portal 160 , little else need be done . another advantage of the present system is that obtaining electronic access to eob information by healthcare provider 100 occurs through single banking portal 160 with a single login . healthcare provider 100 does not want to use proprietary online eob portals from potentially hundreds of tpas 110 that adjudicate claims for various insurance carriers . yet another advantage of the present invention is that the eob and payment information is tied together using the infrastructure that already exists for banking portals 160 . by imaging the eob string data into an image format compatible with a secure html page , provider bank 120 incurs nominal costs for implementing the system , tpa 110 enjoys a reduced number of customer service calls and healthcare provider 100 enjoys faster , easier and more intuitive administration of claims and payments . fig2 shows a transaction set 210 containing eob and payment data together . the transaction set is then decoded and eob image 220 is generated and viewable through banking portal 160 so that healthcare provider 100 can reconcile claims with payments and potentially invoice patients for amounts not covered by their insurance carrier as determined by tpa 110 . fig3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein paper or electronic statements 320 have eob image data imprinted 310 onto them . this permits healthcare provider 100 to easily reconcile claims versus payments on a periodic basis ( usually monthly ). ach network : is an electronic network for financial transactions . the acronym ach stands for automated clearing house . ach processes large volumes of credit and debit transactions in batches . rules governing ach network operations are established by nacha and the federal reserve . ach operator : is an entity that acts as a central facility for the clearing , delivery and settlement of electronic money transfers through an ach network or among participating depository financial institutions . authentication code : is a secure code that links the eob with the payment information across disparate computers and / or networks . for example , requiring the provider bank to supply a copy of an authentication code transmitted to the canonical or trusted point of contact for that identity before the eob image file is transmitted to the designated endpoint . authorization : is permission obtained by the originator from a receiver to initiate entries through the ach network to the receiver &# 39 ; s account . computer display device : is a computer screen capable of displaying images and text . the computer display device may be a desktop display , laptop display , tablet display or portable device such as a smart phone . electronic data interchange ( edi ): is the exchange of computer - processable data in a standardized format between two enterprises . edi 835 : is a specification for the edi healthcare claim payment / advice transaction set which can be used to make a payment , send an explanation of benefits ( eob ), send an explanation of payments ( eop ) remittance advice , or make a payment and send an eop remittance advice only from a health insurer to a healthcare provider either directly or via a financial institution . electronic funds transfer ( eft ): is the electronic debit or credit of money from one account to another , either within a single financial institution or across multiple institutions , through computer - based systems . health insurance portability and accountability act of 1996 ( hippa , title ii ): known as the administrative simplification ( as ) provisions , requires the establishment of national standards for electronic healthcare transactions and national identifiers for providers , health insurance plans , and employers . nacha ( association ): is a non - profit association and private sector rulemaking body that supports the ach network integrity by managing its development , administration and governance . nacha develops and enforces the nacha operating rules . nacha ( operating rules ): are the body of work defining the requirements for all eft transactions processed through the ach network . financial institutions , originators , ach operators , and third - party vendors using the ach network agree to be bound to the rules . participating depository financial institution : is a financial institution that is authorized by applicable legal requirements to accept deposits , has been assigned a routing number by accuity , and has agreed to be bound to the nacha operating rules . eob image file : is an image file capable of being viewed by a computer display device . the image file may be bitmapped such as a pcx , tif , gif , jpg or png format . it may also contain vector or font data that is non - bitmapped which is supported by formats such as encapsulated postscript , pdf ( portable document format by adobe ) or the like . provider bank : is the financial institution that receives payment for services rendered by the service provider ( e . g ., a physicians group , automobile repair facility or the like ). routing / transit number : is a nine digit bank code , used in the united states , which appears on the bottom of negotiable instruments such as checks identifying the financial institution on which it was drawn . third - party image server : is a computer software server , generally coupled to a local and / or wide area network that receives , stores and transmits image files to authorized and authenticated computers and / or users . the server may be a single computer , a virtualized machine or multiple machines networked together such as a database server and file server operating together to store and fetch files responsive to t - sql queries . the advantages set forth above , and those made apparent from the foregoing description , are efficiently attained . since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention , it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense .
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a reliable electrical fuse is provided which offers low programming current , improved programming yield , and reduced programming damage . the benefits are realized through the engineering of local heat conduction , local electrical current density , and power distribution from the material selection and design of the fuse structure . embodiments herein provide the fuse structure design and material selection and the method of making and programming the fuse . the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures . fig5 a illustrates a top view of an efuse 502 according to one embodiment of the present invention . fig5 b illustrates a cross - sectional view of the efuse 502 of fig5 a taken along the plane 5 b - 5 b of fig5 a , according to one embodiment of the present invention . the efuse 502 has a semiconductor layer 514 and a silicide layer 510 . in one example , semiconductor layer 514 is a poly - silicon layer . in another example , semiconductor layer 514 is a crystalline silicon layer . in another example ( not shown ) semiconductor layer 514 is a silicon - on - insulator ( soi ) layer . it should be understood that , although semiconductor layer 514 will be described as silicon hereafter in the description , semiconductor layer 514 can also be other semiconductor materials such as iii - v or ii - vi semiconductors . in addition , semiconductor layer 514 can be n - type doped or p - type doped or un - doped . in the example embodiment , silicide layer 510 is formed with nickel silicide although it should be understood that other similar metal silicides may be used to form silicide layer 510 . the efuse 502 has an anode contact 506 and a cathode contact 504 . anode contact 506 and cathode contact 504 are electrically interconnected by the silicide in fuse link 508 . silicide layer 510 in fuse link 508 extends outwards , underneath and beyond anode contact 506 and underneath and beyond cathode contact 504 . cathode contact 504 is larger than anode contact 506 . both cathode contact 504 and anode contact 506 are optimally sized to prevent cathode damage during programming . for example , anode contact 506 may be 50 - 100 nm wide and cathode contact 504 may be 100 - 150 nm wide on a 40 - 60 nm wide fuse link 508 of efuse 502 . a large cathode contact 504 lowers the current density as well as lowers the resistance of the contact and thus provides some protection for efuse 502 from being damaged during programming a small anode contact 506 increases the overall fuse resistance and thus helps reduce the required current for programming efuse 502 . the efuse 502 includes a silicon germanium ( sige ) region 512 embedded within semiconductor layer 514 under fuse link 508 . sige region 512 is positioned under silicide region 510 , in between cathode contact 504 and anode contact 506 . sige region 512 has a much lower thermal conductivity , i . e ., ˜ 0 . 1 vs 1 . 5 ( w / cm .° c .) of that of silicon and therefore keeps heat concentrated at fuse link 508 such that programming occurs at this desired location away from cathode contact 504 . thus , sige region 512 protects cathode contact 504 from being damaged during programming and therefore helps improve reliability of efuse 502 . the generally linear shape of efuse 502 , which is narrower and has much smaller area under the anode and cathode contacts 506 and 504 and less total mass than the prior art efuse . thus , during programming , less heat is absorbed by cathode contact 504 and anode contact 506 , away from fuse link 508 , as compared to the prior art efuse . because less heat is absorbed away from the fuse link 508 and more heat is trapped in the desired location for programming above sige of the present invention , less current is required to program efuse 502 . support circuitry for delivering large current is more costly , more complex to implement , and requires more silicon space as compared to circuitry for delivering the smaller current of the present invention . thus , linear shaped efuse 502 is more optimized and cost effective as compared to the prior art efuse with or without corner rounding . the efuse 502 can also be manufactured more precisely than the known design efuse illustrated in fig1 a and 4a . linear efuse 502 according to one embodiment of the present invention does not have any corners and is therefore not subject to the same variability as is known to prior art efuse . efuse 502 is programmed by applying a voltage potential across fuse link 508 , from cathode contact 504 to anode contact 506 . a low programming current is used in applying the voltage potential . for a typical example , the programming current is 3 - 5 ma . the current ( voltage potential ) is applied for a short period of time . for example , the current is maintained for 1 - 10 micro - seconds . this results in silicide electromigrating away from silicide region 510 in fuse link 508 , towards anode contact 506 . this creates a gap in silicide region 510 such that the resistance of efuse 502 is changed to very high . fig6 a illustrates a top view of an efuse 602 according to another embodiment of the present invention . fig6 b illustrates a cross - sectional view of efuse 602 taken along the plane 6 b - 6 b of fig6 a , according to another embodiment of the present invention . the efuse 602 has a semiconductor layer 614 and a silicide layer 610 . the efuse 602 includes a silicon germanium ( sige ) region 612 embedded within semiconductor layer 614 of fuse link 608 to promote fuse programming at this location as described in the embodiment of fig5 a and 5 b . sige region 612 is positioned under silicide region 610 , in between cathode contacts 604 a and 604 b and anode contacts 606 a and 606 b . the efuse 602 has two cathode contacts 604 a and 604 b and two anode contacts 606 a and 606 b . fuse link 608 electrically interconnects anode contacts 606 a and 606 b and cathode contacts 604 a and 604 b . silicide layer 610 of fuse link 608 extends outwards , beyond anode contacts 606 a and 606 b and beyond cathode contacts 604 a and 604 b . cathode contacts 604 a and 604 b are larger than anode contacts 606 a and 606 b . cathode contacts 604 a and 604 b and anode contacts 606 a and 606 b are optimally sized to help prevent cathode damage during programming . for example , anode contact 606 may be 50 - 100 nm wide and cathode contact 604 may be 100 - 150 nm wide on a 40 - 60 nm wide fuse link 608 of efuse 602 . in another example , anode contact 606 may be 50 % wider than the fuse link 608 and cathode contact 604 may be 150 % wider than fuse link 608 . having two cathode contacts 604 a and 604 b and two anode contacts 606 a and 606 b significantly reduces defectivity level from the redundant contacts and thus improves the programming yield . in addition , the presence of second anode contact 606 b and second cathode contacts 604 b helps alleviate strain on first anode contact 606 a and first cathode contact 604 a by reducing electrical current density and temperature at first anode contact 606 a and first cathode contact 604 a and therefore , helps prevent programming damages that may become reliability hazards . as a result of the added protection measures for over - programming damage to the efuse described in fig5 a - 5b and 6 a - 6 b , programming can be conducted at slightly higher current level , and thus also improves the programming yield resulting from otherwise too little current . in other words , the sensitivity of fuse programming to process variations is reduced . fig7 a - 7f illustrate the stages in manufacture of the efuse of fig6 a and 6b , according to one embodiment of the present invention . in fig7 a , shallow trench isolation ( sti ) defines three silicon regions , efuse region 702 , pfet region 704 , and nfet region 706 by dividing a nitride layer 710 on a silicon substrate 712 . shallow trenches 708 a - d are created using reactive ion etching . trenches 708 a - d are then filled with dielectric filing to form sti . in fig7 b , silicon germanium ( sige ) regions 714 a - b are defined in efuse region 702 and in pfet region 704 by creating recesses in silicon substrate 712 using reactive ion etching . in fig7 c , sige 716 a is grown in sige regions 714 a of efuse region 702 simultaneously as sige 716 b is grown in sige region 714 b of pfet region 704 in a standard cmos technology , and is therefore cost free . sige is epitaxially grown and un - doped . the ge content can vary from a few percentage points to ˜ 40 - 50 %. the sige is used in pfet region for performance gain due to the improved hole mobility from the compressive stress . in fig7 d , nitride layer 710 is removed . cmos pfet 718 a in pfet region 704 and cmos nfet 718 b in nfet region 706 are then completed according to standard cmos manufacturing flows . in fig7 e , silicide 720 a is formed in efuse region 702 , above sige 716 a . simultaneously , silicide 720 b - c is formed at cmos fet 718 a of pfet region 704 and at cmos fet 718 b of nfet region 706 . in fig7 f , standard middle - of - the - line ( mol ) process forms anode and cathode contacts in efuse region 702 , pfet region 704 , and nfet region 706 . anode contacts 722 a - b and cathode contacts 724 a - b are formed in efuse region 702 , at silicide 720 a . source and drain contacts 726 and 728 are likewise formed in pfet region 704 , at silicide 720 b , and source and drain contacts 730 and 732 are likewise formed in nfet region 706 , at silicide 720 c . fig8 - 10 illustrate an epi silicon growth stage , following the step of fig7 d , in the manufacture of the efuse of fig6 a and 6b , according to other embodiments of the present invention . silicide can then be formed on silicon instead of the sige as in the embodiment in fig7 e . forming silicide directly on sige may result in higher defect density . including a layer of silicon between the silicide and the sige helps reduce the defect density . in fig8 , un - doped silicon 802 is formed in efuse region 804 , above silicon region and sige 806 by epitaxial growth . nitride 814 a and nitride 814 b block cmos fet 812 a of pfet region 808 and cmos fet 812 b of nfet region 810 from growing this silicon layer . in fig9 , p + doped silicon 902 is formed in efuse region 904 , above silicon region and sige 906 from the same epi process to grow the raised source / drain 916 at cmos oft 912 a of pfet region 908 . nitride 914 blocks cmos nfet 912 b of nfet region 910 from growing the p + doped silicon . in fig1 , n + doped silicon 1002 is formed in efuse region 1004 , above silicon region and sige 1006 from the same epi process to grow the raised source / drain 1016 at cmos nfet 1012 b of nfet region 1010 . nitride 1014 blocks cmos pfet 1012 a of pfet region 1008 from growing the n + doped silicon . the description above has been presented for illustration purposes only . it is not intended to be an exhaustive description of the possible embodiments . one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that other combinations and embodiments are possible .
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we have found surprisingly that oxycodone and dihydrocodeinone derivatives of general formula ( i ) are irreversible inhibitors in a dose - dependent manner of specific binding of ( 3 h ) naloxone at isotope concentrations of 1 nm and they have a lower affinity to the ( 3 h ) naloxone binding sites as compared with the corresponding morphine derivatives . we ascertained however that at isotope concentrations of 10 nm preincubation with these dihydrocodeinone derivatives blocks the specific binding of ( 3 h ) naloxone irreversibly and completely , as well seen from saturation isotherms of ( 3 h ) naloxone ( preincubation of the membranes with these dihydrocodeinone derivatives followed by washing ). it essential that this involves the binding site of low affinity ( μ 2 ) which is responsible for respiratory depression . in our pharmacological tests based on the above we searched the reply whether the derivatives of general formula ( i ) would be exempt from respiratory depression actions which are presumably mediated by the μ 2 receptor . starting from the fact that toxicity of morphine is attributed to respiratory paralysis , we conducted toxicity tests of the above compounds and morphine on rats to get indirect information on the nature of - the respiratory depressant activity . from the classical opiate spectrum we investigated along with the analgetic effect the sedative action as well . we verified that the codeinone derivatives of general formula ( i ) significantly inhibit the lethal respiratory depression caused by morphine ( e . g . on rats ), when increasing the ld 50 value measured on morphine controls in the average to its twofold . on the basis of the tables shown in the experimental examples we also can state that a part of the compounds stimulated in small dose ranges tile frequency of respiration and some even the amplitude , administered i . v . and s . c . for example the oxycodone - semicarbazone and - oxime when used in small doses considerably increase the respiration number and in some tests they reduced the depressant effect of morphine . in all experiments we reversed respiration with naloxone to prove that the depression was mediated by an opiate receptor . when administering together the morphine effect was slightly inhibited in a 100 μg / kg dose . oxycodone hydrazone increases both the volume and the frequency of respiration in an 50 μg / kg dose . when administered after morphine a partial reversal takes place . while somewhat depressing respiration oxycodone - phenyl - hydrazone partially antagonizes the effect of morphine . it has to be mentioned that amongst the referred &# 34 ; mother compounds &# 34 ; dihydrocodeinone and oxycodone cause respiratory depression in 50 - 2500 μg / kg and 10 - 2500 μ / kg s . c . doses . both compounds unambiguously potentiate the respiratory depression effect of morphine . the above experiments suggest that the codeinone derivatives of general formula ( i ) according to our invention block selectively the opioid binding sites of the brain which are mediating respiratory depression and thus they can be used both in human and in veterinary preparations in all cases where such blocking is necessary . thus the codeinone derivatives of general formula ( i ) can be used as active ingredients in analgetic preparations without the appearance of lethal respiratory depression after longer treatment or higher doses . the derivatives of general formula ( i ) also can be used preferably in combinations according to our invention . thus it is specifically important to our view that when administered together with morphine the respiratory depression can be decreased and the lethal effect can be avoided . thus it is possible to administer morphine in prolonged and higher doses in cases where the patient needs it without the occurrence of lethal respiratory paralysis . in preparations where morphine and the codeinones of general formula ( i ) are applied together the mass proportion or morphine : codeinone derivative amounts to 1 : 2 - 3 . instead of morphine biologically equipotent amounts of other opiates of the agonist type or opioid compounds can be used in these combination preparations . such compounds are e . g . morphinanes , benzomorphanes , opioid peptides or other pentacyclic compounds with morphine activity . in addition to the above active ingredients the compositions according to our invention contain inert , pharmaceutically acceptable additive compounds . a further subject of our invention consists in a method to selectively block opioid binding sites of the brain which are responsible for depression of respiration by way of administering to the patient in need of such treatment a composition containing a codeinone derivative of general formula ( i ) or its salt preferably in a 3 × 2 , 5 - 5 mg daily dose . it is preferable to use the product in the form of i . m ., i . v ., or epidural injections it is however possible to use other dosage forms as well . a further subject of our invention is a process for the preparation of a biologically active composition containing codeinone derivatives of general formula ( i ) by reacting a ketone of the general formula ( ii ) with a hydrazine derivative of the formula ( iii ) by admixing kodeinone derivatives of the general formula ( i )--[ alone or applied together with 1 : 2 - 3 mass ratio of morphine or some other opiate or opioid compound of the agonist type ]-- with additive or auxiliary compounds usually applied in pharmaceutical production for human or veterinary purposes so as to formulate compositions capable to block the opioid binding sites responsible for respiratory depression , preferably analgesics . according to our invention the codeinone derivative of general formula ( i ) can be present in tile form of its salt formed with mineral or organic acids preferably phosphoric acid , hydrochloric acid . according to our invention it is possible to use the compounds in the form of their cis and / or trans isomers . we have thus stated -- as compared with the molecules protected in our hungarian patent no . 199 . 901 -- that according to our invention it is only possible to use a distinct , limited part of the 6 - substituted derivatives protected there . it is not possible to use the big group of morphinane derivatives . thus the selective binding exposed according to our invention represents a property , the recognition of which constitutes the essential basis of our invention and on the basis of this new point of view the selection of outstandingly useful compounds out of the bigger range of others . according to our knowledge the oximes falling under general formula ( i ) have never been described as pharmaceuticals at all . compositions containing the following active ingredients are prepared with usual additive material and methods : table______________________________________ tablet or im . or iv . epidur . compound capsule sc . inj . inj . inj . ______________________________________i . 1 . oxycodone - oxime 5 2 1 0 , 5phosphatei . 2 . oxycodone - oxime 2 0 , 5 0 , 1 0 , 1 . hcl + 5 , 0 5 , 0 5 , 0 1 , 0morphine . hcli . 3 . oxycodone - semi - 2 , 5 1 0 , 5 0 , 1carbazone - bi - tartaratei . 4 . oxycodone - phenyl - 2 , 5 1 0 , 5 0 , 1hydrazone . hcli . 5 . oxycodone - 2 , 5 1 0 , 5 0 , 1hydrazone . hbri . 6 . oxycodone - semi - 2 , 5 1 0 , 5 0 , 1carbazone . hcl 5 , 0 5 , 0 5 , 0 1 , 0 + morphine . hcli . 7 . oxycodone - phenyl 2 , 5 1 0 , 6 0 , 1hydrazone . hcl 5 , 0 5 , 0 5 , 0 1 , 0 + morphine . hcli . 8 . oxycodone - 2 , 5 1 0 , 5 0 , 1hydrazone . hcl 5 , 0 5 , 0 5 , 0 1 , 0 + morphine . hcli . 9 . dihydrocodeinone - 10 , 0 5 , 0 2 , 0 1 , 0oxime phosphatei . 10 . dihydrocodeinone - 5 2 , 5 1 0 , 1oxime . hcl 5 , 0 5 , 0 5 , 0 1 , 0 + morphine . hcl______________________________________ the dose of the active ingredient is given in relation to the base , the size is mg / formulated unit ( tablet , ampoule ). ______________________________________salt of the active ingredient 5 , 0 mg ( calculated as base ) lactose 60 . 0 mgstarch 30 . 0 mgmagnesium stearate 1 , 0 mgtalc 3 , 0 mg______________________________________ membrane preparation : a crude membrane fraction from rat brain ( pvg / c strain ) was prepared [ mol . pharm . 11 ( 1975 ) 340 - 351 ] and the protein content was defined [ anal . biochem . 72 ( 1976 ) 248 - 254 ). the membrane suspension ( 200 - 400 μg protein ) was incubated with the specific radioligand for 1 hour on ice . incubations were terminated by rapid filtration under vacuo followed by washing with ice - cold tris - hcl buffer ( 50 mm , ph 7 , 4 ). radioactivity was measured in a toluene - based scintillation mixture on a lkb minibeta liquid scintillation spectrophotometer . nonspecific binding was defined in the presence of 10 μm unlabeled naloxone . all assays were performed in triplicate and repeated several times . k i values were determined from equilibrium experiments and calculated with the tshang - prusov equation . the data were evaluated using the ligand program [ anal . biol . chem . 107 ( 1980 ) 220 - 239 ] ( data shown on table iii / 1 ). after preincubation a thorough washing was performed . [ life sci . 32 ( 1983 ) 2777 - 2784 ]. control values are represented by the specific binding of ( 3 h ) naloxone to membranes preincubated with a buffer and treated in the same way . heterologous displacement experiments were used to evaluate the affinity of the investigated compounds for ( 3 h ) naloxone binding sites . results are shown in table 11 / 2 . table ii / 1______________________________________affinity constants ( k . sub . i nm ) of different opioid ligands incompetition assays hydra - phenyl - semi zone hydrazone carbazone oxime salt______________________________________oxymorphone 2 20 4 2 sulfatedihydro - 6 5 3 2 sulfatemorphinoneoxycodone 800 1150 588 32 hcldihydro - -- 323 -- 52 hclcodeinone______________________________________ membranes were incubated with (. sup . 3 h ) naloxone ( 1nm ) and with increasin concentrations of the ligands . the oxime derivatives exhibit the highest affinity for ( 3 h ) naloxone binding sites . the codeinone and dihydrocodeinone derivatives have substantially higher k i values , table ii / 2______________________________________affinity constants of oxycodone and dihydrocodeinonederivativesexample compound . hcl k . sub . i ( nm ) ______________________________________iv . 2 . oxycodone 127iv . 3 . oxycodone - oxime 32iv . 5 . oxycodone - semicarbazone 588iv . 8 . oxycodone - phenylhydrazone 1150 dihydrocodeinone 476iv . 1 . dihydrocodeinone - oxime 53 dihydrocodeinone - phenyl - 323 hydrazone______________________________________ the membranes were preincubated with (. sup . 3 h ) naloxone ( 1 nm ) and with increasing concentrations of tested compounds and the specific binding of the remaining (. sup . 3 h ) naloxone was measured after several washings . the data given represent the average of 2 - 4 data observed . the codeinone derivatives were measured in 10 μm preincubation concentrations . evaluation : table v . shows that the compounds of general formula ( i ) are week , irreversible inhibitors of specific binding of ( 3 h ) naloxone at 1 nm concentration , especially on high activity receptors . at higher concentrations the situation is reversed and they inhibit mainly the low affinity receptors . as it is seen in figure vi . the remaining ( 3 h ) naloxone specific binding is significantly decreased at 10 nm isotope concentration as a result of preincubation with dihydro - codeinone - derivatives , while this decrease is rather small if preincubation takes place with dihydro - morphinone derivatives . it was already shown previously [ life sci . 40 ( 1980 ) 1579 - 1588 , j . pharm . exp . ther . 214 ( 1980 ) 455 - 462 ] that preincubation with hydrazone derivatives of oxymorphone and naloxone irreversibly inhibits the high affinity ( 3h ) naloxone component , whereby the low affinity component remains unchanged . as seen on table ii / 1 ., the oxycodone and dihydro - oxycodone derivatives show a lower affinity to the ( 3 h ) naoxone binding sites as compared with the correspondent morphine derivatives , if the isotope concentration is low . these ligands however strongly inhibit at higher ( 10 nm ) concentrations the ( 3 h ) naloxone specific binding . this is why we studied the effect of preincubation with these derivatives on saturation isotherms of ( 3 h ) naloxone . figure vii . shows the scatchard transformations of the saturation binding isotherms of ( 3 h ) naloxone specific binding after pretreatment with dihydrocodeinone derivatives and with buffer only as a control , from the scatchard analysis the result is clearly seen , that after preincubation and intensive washings the low affinity receptor - effect almost completely disappears . it is characteristic for the compounds that their greater part shows a substantial and some a light agonist ( analgetic or sedative ) effect ( tables no . 1 , 2 , 3 ). comparison on the basis of data obtained in 4 tests on rats and mice ( ed 50 mg / kg ): table iii / 1______________________________________ algolyt . writhing test ( rat ) hot plate tail flick test 100 % acti - compound ( rat ) ( rat ) ( mice ) vity______________________________________oxycodone - oxime 1 , 8 1 , 0 0 , 11 10 , 0 *. phosphateoxycodone - semi - 0 , 58 0 , 35 0 , 15 5 , 0 * carbazone . bi - tartarateoxycodone - phenyl - 0 , 8 1 , 2 1 , 2 10 , 0 * hydrazone . hcloxycodon - 0 , 46 0 , 65 0 , 35 10 , 0 * hydrazone . hbroxycodone - thio - 8 , 5 4 , 5 -- 100 , 0semicarbazone . hcldihydrocodei - 0 , 38 0 , 35 -- 10 , 0 * none - semicar - bazone . hcldihydrocodei - 2 , 4 2 , 3 -- 10 , 1 ** none phenyl - hydrazone . hcldihydrocodei - 4 , 2 3 , 7 0 , 38 25 , 0 * none - oxime . phosphatedihydrocodeinone 1 , 7 0 , 6 -- 5 , 0thio . sub .-- semicar - bazone . hclmorphine 3 , 6 1 , 8 0 , 45 15 , 0oxycodone 0 . 92 0 , 68 0 , 45 2 , 2dihydrocodei - 2 , 2 0 , 98 0 , 9 4 , 9none______________________________________ * catalepsy ** convulsion eur . j . of pharm . ( 1982 ) 239 - 241 ; arzn . forschung 38 ( 1938 ) 552 . the strongest analgetic on the hot plate test is the dihydrocodeinone - semicarbazone ( ed 50 : 0 . 38 mg / kg hot plate , tail flick ). on the algolytic test the oxycodone - oxime , - semicarbazone , - phenylhydrazone and - hydrazone are capable to total assuage of pain -- though amidst the symptoms of slight cathatony -- practically in the order of magnitude of morphine or the mother compounds ( oxycodone , dihydrocodeinone ). table iii / 2______________________________________sedative ( narcosis potentiating effect ( ed . sub . 500 % mg / kg ) s . c . on ratsname ed . sub . 500 % mg / kg * ______________________________________oxycodone - hydrazone . hbr 0 , 45oxycodone oxime . phosphate 0 , 5oxycodone - semicarbazone . hcl 1 , 5oxycodone - phenylhydrazone . hcl 1 , 5dihydrocodeinone - phenylhydrazone . hcl 3 , 5dihydrocodeinone - semicarbazone 1 , 0 . bitartaratemorphine 1 , 75dihydrocodeinone 1 , 9oxycodone 1 , 2______________________________________ * ed . sub . 500 % = dose increasing narcosis to five times the control . the doses of the active ingredients are always given in relation to the base . all investigated compounds potentiate the activity of inactine strongly . the duration of narcosis is most effectively prolongated by oxycodone - hydrazone and - oxime respectively . table iii / 3______________________________________ &# 34 ; jumping test &# 34 ; on mice number % relation treatment naloxone of jumps of 7 xmg / kg 50 mg / kg / mouse jumpingname ip . ip . ( average ) animals______________________________________morphine 100 + 34 , 5 100oxycodone - 2 + 2 , 7 70oxime . pbos - 5 + 2 , 5 50phateoxycodone - 1 + 1 , 5 50hydrazone . hbr______________________________________ the dose of the active ingredient is given related to the base . table iii / 3 . shows the results of an informative physical dependency study on the jumping test on mice . the mice were treated for three days with a total of 7 times i . p . with a high dose of the compounds to be tested and after the final injection the symptoms off withdrawal are generated by administration of a morphine antagonist , i . e . a constraint for jumping is provoked . morphine - equivalent quantities were administered from the test compounds . in the case of morphine the dose which effects dependence with certainty amounts to 7 × 100 mg / kg . within this group on administration of 50 mg / kg off naloxone the average jumping rate amounted to 34 , 5 ( total jumping number / jumping animals ) and 100 % off the investigated animals did jump . oxycodone - semicarbazone - oxime and - hydrazone respectively when administered in equi - analgetic doses did not result but in a very low , almost negligible number of jumping reactions while 50 - 70 % were participating . the capacity of dependence of these compounds is thus unusually low . morphine and the test substances were administered together , s . c , to rats . as seen from table iii / 4 . almost twice as much is needed from morphine to develop the same mortality meaning that toxicity of morphine is decreased to almost its half as a result of the activity of effective test substances ( oxycodone - oxime , - semicarbazone , - phenylhydra - zone , - hydrazone and dihydrocodeinone - oxime ). dihydrocodeinone - semicarbazone and - phenyl - hydrazone are less active . oxycodone and dihydrocodeinone potentiate toxicity of morphine (!). table iii / 4______________________________________change of morphine toxicity in the presence of testsubstances ( on rats ) combin - morphine nation dose ld . sub . 50 g ld . sub . 50 / mg / kg mg / kg morphinename s . c . s . c . ld . sub . 50______________________________________oxycodone - oxime . phos - 15 620 2 , 2phateoxycodone - semicarba - 50 580 2 , 0zone . bitartarateoxycodone hydrazone . hbr 10 650 2 , 3dihydrocodeinone - phenyl - 50 500 1 , 7hydrazone . hcldihydrocodeinone oxime . 25 750 2 , 6 . phosphateoxycodone 10 160 0 , 57dihydrocodeinone 10 150 0 , 53morphine -- 280 1 , 0______________________________________ the doses of the active substances are given in relation to the base . investigation was carried out on conscious rabbits of both sexes and of 3 - 4 kg weight by way of a marey - drum . frequency and amplitude of respiration were quantitatively evaluated . morphine decreased both frequency and volume of respiration in 2 , 5 - 5 mg / kg doses . some results are shown in table iii / 5 . table iii / 5______________________________________effects on respiration on conscious rabbits respiration volume respira - dose μg / mg frequency / tioncompound s . c . min . effect______________________________________morphine . hcl 2500 - 5000 ∥ ∥ depression i . v ., s . c . dihydrocodeinone 10 - 5500 | | depression . hcl i . v ., s . c . oxycodone . hcl 10 - 2500 | | depression i . v ., s . c . oxycodone - semicarba - 100 - 500 + ∥ | morphine - zone . hcl morphine * inhibitionoxycodone - hydra - 50 | | slightzone . hcl 50 ( administe - reversion red after morphine * oxycodone - 100 - 5000 0 0 no changephenylhydra - 1000 | | slight stym . zone . hcl______________________________________ * morphine dose in combinations amounts to 5 mg / kg . the method as described above in example iii . 5 was used on conscious rabbits of 2 , 5 - 3 kg weight . registration was continued for 3 - 4 hours . the samples were injected under the skin of the neck and the respiration parameters were registered at intervals of 1 . 0 minutes . type a test : determination of the dose - effect diagram of the substances (&# 34 ; low dose region &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; high dose region &# 34 ;) between 0 . 01 to 2 . 5 mg / kg alone and after selection of particular dose values investigation off morphine prevention . type b test : sequence of application was the following : 5 mg / kg morphine were administered ( causing with certainty respiratory depression ) and after 10 - 20 minutes it was investigated whether the depression could be reversed . type c test : administration of 5 mg / kg of morphine and the investigated substance together to clarify whether the substance is capable to reduce the effect of morphine . table iii / 6______________________________________oxycodone oxime ( ox ) ox dose pretr . morphine pretr . mg / kg period mg / kg period resp . changes . c . min . s . c . min . fr / min ampl . ______________________________________0 . 005 30 -- -- + 30 + 300 . 1 30 -- -- + 47 + 400 . 025 30 -- -- + 28 00 . 5 10 -- -- - 50 - 50naloxone0 . 25 10 -- -- + 50 + 50 -- -- 0 . 5 30 - 15 0 -- -- 1 . 0 30 - 20 0 -- -- 2 . 5 30 - 39 - 20 -- -- 5 . 0 30 - 47 - 80 120 - 66 - 80a . 0 . 1 10 -- -- + 57 + 20 + 5 30 + 71 0 40 - 29 - 40______________________________________ pret = duration of pretreatment table iii / 7______________________________________oxycodone semicarbazone ( os ) os dose pretr . morphine pretr . mg / kg period mg / kg period resp . changes . c . min . s . c . min . fr / min ampl . ______________________________________0 . 01 10 -- -- + 48 0 30 -- -- + 51 + 200 . 025 30 -- -- + 51 + 200 . 05 10 -- -- + 50 + 750 . 025 10 -- -- + 48 + 20 20 5 20 + 24 - 16 30 30 + 13 - 200 . 50 10 -- -- + 36 0 30 20 20 + 10 0______________________________________ table iii / 8______________________________________oxycodone phenylhydrazone ( op ) op dose pretr . morphine pretr . mg / kg period mg / kg period resp . changes . c . min . s . c . min . fr / min ampl . ______________________________________a . 0 . 1 10 -- -- + 33 + 200 . 5 10 -- -- + 16 0 5 10 - 17 - 20 60 0 0b .-- -- 5 10 - 40 - 401 . 0 20 - 16 + 15 30 - 6 + 20c . 0 . 25 5 20 + 44 + 20 30 + 92 + 300 . 25 10 10 + 23 + 200 . 25 20 30 - 8 0______________________________________ table iii / 9______________________________________oxycodone hydrazone ( oh ) oh dose pretr . morphine pretr . mg / kg period mg / kg period resp . changes . c . min . s . c . min . fr / min ampl . ______________________________________a . 0 . 25 20 -- + 150 + 20 30 -- + 127 + 20 5 10 - 36 - 30c . 0 . 25 5 20 + 30 + 10______________________________________ table iii / 10______________________________________dihydrocodeinone - phenylhydrazone ( dp ) dp dose pretr . morphine pretr . mg / kg period mg / kg period resp . changes . c . min . s . c . min . fr / min ampl . ______________________________________a . 0 . 01 10 &# 39 ; -- -- + 85 0 20 &# 39 ; -- -- + 96 00 . 025 10 &# 39 ; -- -- + 114 0 20 &# 39 ; -- -- + 114 00 . 05 10 &# 39 ; -- -- + 132 0c . 0 . 25 together 5 10 &# 39 ; + 39 0 20 &# 39 ; + 19 0 30 &# 39 ; - 3 0 50 &# 39 ; - 4 0______________________________________ the table shows that doses of 0 . 01 to 0 . 05 mg / kg considerably increase the frequency without influence on the amplitude of respiration . doses of 0 . 25 mg / kg where administered together with morphine retard depression to some degree . 1 , 5 g of hydroxylamine - chlorohydrate are reacted in 70 ml of water with 3 , 0 g of dihydrocodeinone base for 3 hours and then adjusted to ph = 9 - 10 . the oxime precipitates as crystals , which are filtered , washed with water and crystallized from propanol . the product amounts to 2 , 5 g . m . p . : 265 °- 266 ° c . the product of example iv . 1 . is crystallized from aqueous ethanol . m . p . : 194 ° c . 5 ml of 100 % hydrazone hydrate are heated with 2 , 0 g of 14 - oh - dihydrocodeinone in 10 ml of dimethyl - formamide for two hours and then poured into water . the crystalline product which precipitates is isoiated and chromathographized on silicagel ( chloroform - methanol 9 : 1 , v / v ). the pure fractions obtained by tlc eluating with the eluent chloroform : methanol : cc . ammonium hydroxide mixture 90 : 10 : 5 are crystallized from methanol . m . p . : 192 °- 194 ° c . using the method of example iv . 3 . 1 , 8 g 14 - oh - codeinone - hydrazone are obtained from 2 , 0 g of 14 - oh - codeinone . the crude product contains two components as shown by tlc using the eluant chloroform : methanol : cc . ammonium hydroxide 90 : 10 : 5 . the main component can be obtained in pure state by way of preparative thin - layer chromatography . crystallized from ethanol m . p . : 212 °- 215 ° c . according to the method described in example iv . 4 . 3 , 2 g of the crude product are obtained from 3 , 0 g of 14 - oh - dihydrocodeinone , which is the mixture of syn and anti isomers ( cis : trans = 1 : 1 ). by way of crystallization ( chloroform - ethanol ) the pure trans semicarbazone is obtained . m . p . : 236 °- 238 ° c . starting from 1 , 55 g of 14 - oh - dihydrocodeinone 1 , 7 g of 14 - oh - dihydrocodeinone - phenylhydrazone are obtained with the process given in example iv , 3 . m . p . after recrystallization : 174 °- 176 ° c . pure cis isomer .
| 2 |
the impact tool shown in fig1 is a light chisel driving pneumatic tool provided with a piston grip at its rear end . the tool comprises a housing 10 , a reciprocating working member 11 and a reaction support member 12 . the tool housing 10 comprises three main parts , namely a rear section 13 , an intermediate section 14 and a front section 15 . the rear section 13 is formed in one piece with a pistol grip 16 by which the tool is supported by the operator . the pistol grip 16 includes a pressure air supply passage 17 , a throttle valve ( not shown ) operated by a trigger 18 and a nipple 19 for connection of a pressure air supply conduit . the intermediate housing section 14 is threaded onto rear section 13 , and a transverse wall 21 is clamped between the forward end of the rear section 13 and an inner shoulder 22 on the intermediate section . the front section 15 is received in the forward end of the intermediate section 14 and is locked thereto by a lock ring 23 . the front section 15 is provided with an axially extending bore 24 for guidingly supporting working member 11 . the front section 15 also comprises a pair of forwardly directed air outlet passages 26 . at its forward extremity , the working member 11 is provided with a chisel bit 27 . the latter is positively locked thereto by means of a transverse split pin 28 . at its rear end , the working member 11 carries an activation head 29 . the latter is secured to the working member 11 by a transverse lock pin 31 . a compression spring 32 is inserted between the activation head 29 and the front section 15 of the housing 10 so as to apply a rearwardly directed biasing force on the working member 11 . the lock pin 31 extends in opposite directions laterally beyond the head 29 to engage two longitudinally extending grooves 33 , 34 in the intermediate section 14 of the housing 10 , thereby preventing the working member 11 from rotating relative to the housing 10 . in the illustrated tool , the reaction support member 12 is reciprocably guided relative to the housing 10 . the reaction support member 12 comprises a reaction head 35 , a high inertia balancing weight 36 , and a hollow stem 37 rigidly interconnecting the reaction head 35 and the balancing weight 36 . preferably , the balancing weight 36 is made of lead in order to obtain a high as possible inertia . the stem 37 is longitudinally guided in a central opening 38 of the transverse wall 21 and forms an axial air passage 39 . a guide pin 40 is rigidly secured relative to the balancing weight 36 and extends rearwardly therefrom to be guidingly received in a central bore 41 of a conical support element 42 . the latter is located at the bottom of the rear housing section 13 and forms a reaction support for a compression spring 43 the opposite end of which takes support against the rear end of the balancing weight 36 . the reaction support member 12 is displaceably guided relative to the housing 10 by its hollow stem 37 cooperating with the central opening 38 of the transverse wall 21 and by its guide pin 40 cooperating with the central bore 41 of the support element 42 . this means that the balancing weight 36 is kept out of any contact with the inside wall of the housing section 13 . instead , there is left an annular space 44 between the balancing weight 36 and section 13 for communicating pressure air from passage 17 in the handle 16 to the forward end of weight 36 . the activation head 29 of the working member 11 is formed with a flat rear end surface 46 for axially supporting an elastic seal element 47 . ( see fig2 - 4 ). the latter has a flat back surface which is kept in continuous contact with surface 46 of the activation head 29 just by the action of pressure air . the seal element 47 is formed with an annular rearwardly extending valve collar 48 for sealing cooperation with the reaction head 35 of the reaction support member 12 , as described below . between the activation head 29 , the reaction head 35 of the reaction support member 12 and the seal element 47 there is formed a working chamber 49 . in order to give the latter a suitable volume and to match the shape of the seal element 47 , the reaction head 35 is provided with an annular depression 51 which is coaxial with the seal element 47 and defined by an inwardly facing , peripheral wall 52 . the latter diverge by a small angle toward the seal element 47 and has a minimum diameter slightly exceeding the nominal outer diameter of the valve collar 48 . in its central part , the reaction head 35 is provided with an axial opening 53 communicating with the longitudinal passage 39 of stem 37 , and , via a couple of lateral openings 54 in stem 37 , the working chamber 49 is able to communicate with the annular space 44 and the air supply passage 17 . in order to control the pressure air supply to the working chamber 49 , there is provided a feed valve operating within the longitudinal passage 39 of the stem 37 to control the air flow through the lateral openings 54 . the feed valve comprises a cylindrical element 55 sealingly guided in passage 39 and coupled to the working member 11 by means of a rod 56 extending through passage 39 . rod 56 is of a considerably less diameter than passage 39 and is secured relative to the working member 11 by the transverse lock pin 31 . the operation order of the shown chisel driving tool will hereinafter be described with reference to the drawings . as a pressure air conduit is connected to nipple 19 and trigger 18 is pulled , pressure air enters the rear end of section 13 of the housing 10 via air supply passage 17 . the pressure air passes the annular space 44 between the balancing weight 36 and the housing section 13 and reaches the lateral openings 54 of stem 37 . under the assumption that the impact mechanism from the start occupies its rest position as illustrated in fig1 i . e . the working member 11 and the reaction support member 12 occupy their closest positions under the action of springs 32 and 43 , a full operation cycle will be described . in this position , the feed valve element 55 does not at all restrict the openings 54 which means that pressure air unrestrictedly enters and follows passage 39 and reaches the working chamber 49 through opening 53 in reaction head 35 . as best seen in fig2 and 3 , as the working chamber 49 is pressurized , the valve collar 48 of the elastic seal element 47 is urged outwardly into sealing contact with the peripheral wall 52 of the reaction head 35 . the pressure within the working chamber 49 now increases rapidly and a driving force upon activation head 29 is obtained and a work stroke of the working member 11 is commenced . due to the pressure in the working chamber 49 , the working member 11 is moved forwards against the action of spring 32 , and since the pressure acts upon the reaction head 35 as well , the reaction support member 12 starts to move backwards against the action of spring 43 . since the mass of the working member 11 is much less than that of the reaction support member 12 ( which includes weight 36 ), the acceleration of the working member 11 is much higher . during the separation movement of the working member 11 and the reaction support member 12 , the valve collar 48 of the seal element 47 maintains its sealing contact with the peripheral wall 52 , and as the latter is conically diverging , the valve collar 48 is expanded successively by the air pressure to a diameter exceeding its normal outer diameter ( see fig3 ). when the working and reaction support members 11 and 12 , respectively , have reached the positions illustrated in fig3 the sealing contact between the valve collar 48 and the peripheral wall 52 cannot be maintained any longer , and a sudden pressure drop occurs as the pressure air is able to rush out through the large area gap formed between the parting members . in order to prevent pressure air from just rushing through the working chamber 49 during this venting sequence of the working cycle , the feed valve 55 has already cut off the air supply path by covering the openings 54 . in this way , the feed valve is able to effectively reduce the air consumption of the tool . in the position shown in fig4 the sealing contact between valve collar 48 and the peripheral wall 52 is broken , the pressure air supply to the working chamber 49 is cut off by valve 55 and the valve collar 48 of the seal element 47 has reassumed its nominal diameter . in this position , the work stroke is over and the working member 11 and the reaction support member 12 start moving towards each other under the action of springs 32 and 43 . when the working member 11 and the reaction support member 12 come close together , the pressure within the working chamber 49 rapidly increases . this is due partly to compression of the air being left between the two parts and partly to the fact that feed valve 55 is reopened allowing pressure air to enter the working chamber 49 . when the pressure drop across the rim of the valve collar 48 reaches a certain magnitude , the valve collar 48 is expanded to reassume its sealing contact with the peripheral wall 52 of the reaction head 35 . a full working cycle is thereby completed . the exhaust air leaving the working chamber 49 during operation of the mechanism is collected in the intermediate section 14 of the housing 10 and leaves the tool via the outlet openings 26 in the front housing section 15 . the characteristic feature of the reciprocating mechanism according to the invention is the feed valve being employed in the pressure air supply passage so as to obtain a reduction of the air consumption in relation to previous devices without affecting the output power of the device . during tests , we have observed a reduction of as much as 30 % of the pressure air consumption when utilizing a reciprocating mechanism according to the invention instead of a prior art device . it is to be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the shown and described example . for instance , a mechanism designed in accordance with the invention is not limited to vibration damped embodiments including reciprocating support members . neither is the invention limited to the seal element design of the disclosed embodiment .
| 1 |
in the inventive method ( nf - gaffel method ) according to aspect ( 1 ) of the invention , the polymer starting material consists of one or several polymers , preferably thermoplastic polymers , alternatively preferably crosslinked polymers , very particularly preferably of a copolymer of the group of polymethyl methacrylate ( pmma / crosslinker ), polystyrene ( ps / crosslinker ), polyvinyl chloride ( pvc / crosslinker ), polylactide ( pl / crosslinker ), polyethylene ( pe / crosslinker ), polypropylene ( pp / crosslinker ), polycarbonate ( pc / crosslinker ) and cellophane / crosslinker . the plasticiser is preferably selected from the group of ketones ( such as acetone ) and other polar aprotic solvents and short chain alkanes such as butane , pentane , hexane and cyclohexane , for example ; however , acetone is particularly preferred . here , the mass ratio of the polymer starting material to the plasticiser is preferably in a range from 10 : 0 . 5 to 1 : 3 , particularly preferably in a range from 10 : 2 to 1 : 1 . preferably , the swelling time is in a range from 0 . 1 s to 100 h , particularly preferably in a range from 1 s to 1 h . the starting material preferably contains from 0 . 01 to 10 mol % of plasticiser . the crosslinker is preferably divinylbenzene ( dvb ), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate ( egdma ) or methylene bisacrylamide ( mbaa ). the preset temperature in step ( a ) and / or ( b ), independently of one another , is preferably in a range from 0 to 100 ° c . and is particularly preferably in step ( a ) in a range from 15 to 30 ° c . and independently thereof in step ( b ) in a range from 30 to 70 ° c . it is further preferred that the swelling in step ( a ) results in a dense packing of polymer latices preferably having a mean particle size in the micrometre and nanometre ranges . it is also preferred that step ( a ) is carried out in an extruder . in another preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention , the foaming agent in step ( b ) is selected from co 2 and other foaming agents which are completely miscible with the plasticiser under high pressure , in particular short chain alkanes such as methane , ethane and propane . the gel is preferably contacted with the foaming agent under a pressure of 10 to 300 bar , particularly preferably from 50 to 200 bar . in another preferred embodiment the pressure lowering in step ( c ) takes place within a time ranging from 0 . 1 s to 60 s in which the polymer material cools and solidifies . the obtained micro - or nanoporous polymer material preferably has a density from 0 . 5 % to 50 % of the density of the polymer starting material and / or a mean pore size from 0 . 01 to 10 μm . the nf - gaffel method according to the invention could already successfully be carried out in a batch process for copolymers such as pmma / crosslinker , ps / crosslinker and pvc / crosslinker . the preparation of a coherent polymer gel is important for a successful production of nanoporous polymer materials . preferably , the method according to the invention is carried out as a batch method and not as a continuous method . preferably , the parameters of pressure and temperature are selected to be above the binary miscibility gap of the plasticiser and particularly preferably thermostatting is carried out for a sufficient time ( depending on the sample thickness or the sample volume ) so that after expansion foams with pore diameters in the lower micrometre or nanometre range will always be obtained . especially desired properties such as , for example , low densities , small pores , open -/ closed - pored foam structures , etc . may be obtained by varying the following parameters which can be classified into three production processes : 1 . production of the polymers : in the production of the polymers , the following parameters are particularly preferably important for the final product : crosslinker , modifier and copolymer and the concentrations thereof the type of radical starter and the quantity used temperature and duration of the polymerisation reaction homogenisation during polymerisation after treatment of the polymer ( purification , extrusion , annealing , etc .) 2 . production of the polymer gels : in the production of the polymer gels , the following parameters are particularly preferably important for the final product : plasticisers and the ratio between the solid polymer and the plasticiser the duration of exposure of the plasticiser in the polymer gel the saturated polymer gel or defined plasticiser concentrations 3 . production of the polymer foams : here , the following parameters are particularly preferably important : the type of foaming agent pressure , temperature , time expansion speed preferably , the following parameters are required for the exact composition of the polymer gels . the mass fraction of the radical starter used refers to the total mass of the sample . the mass fraction of the plasticiser in a plasticiser / polymer mixture is defined as follows : for an exact composition of the polymer , the concentrations of all additives such as , for example , the crosslinker and the modifier are given on a molar basis as follows : the molar ratio of a crosslinker in a crosslinker / monomer mixture is given by the molar ratio of additional additives such as , for example , a modifier in an additive / monomer crosslinker mixture is given by : the polymer gel is preferably obtained in time - economic steps depending on the processing form . thus , for thin films of the order of 1 μm preferably a direct contacting with the plasticiser is expedient . preferably , bulk materials require either polymer latex powders which are compacted and then soaked with the plasticiser or polymer granulates which are obtained by various methods such as milling or freeze drying . preferred are polymer starting materials with one dimension , length , width or height , on the order of micrometres to obtain a fast swelling . after the provision of the required polymer gels the desired foam can be produced by the method ( nf - gaffel ) according to the invention . both a batch process and a continuous method are suitable for a large - scale implementation of the foaming process . a batch process is particularly preferred for steps b ) and / or c ). 1 . the production of the foams in a batch process can be carried out in accordance with examples 1 to 5 . preferably , this requires matching the scale of the pressure - proof equipment to the desired foam quantity and maintaining the above - mentioned parameters such as pressure , temperature and residence time of the polymer gel in the foaming agent atmosphere , for example . possible pressure - proof equipment is preferably autoclaves which resist the required process parameters and are already used in industrial processes . hence , the polymer gels can preferably be contacted with the compressed foaming agent in a closed container and expanded to a solid nanofoam after a sufficient thermostatting . 2 . the production of the foams in a continuous process could be realised in an extruder , for example . since the polymer gels are easily formable already at room temperature , they can be continuously processed in an extruder without supplying heat energy and foamed by adding the foaming agent by the process of the invention ( nf - gaffel ). in this process , energy is introduced into the system preferably in the form of shearing which provides for a steady increase of the polymer gel surface . here , the formation of the homogeneous mixture of foaming agent and plasticiser in the polymer gel is preferably accelerated and therefore reduces the time of contact between foaming agent and polymer gel . preferably , large - scale extruders allow adjusting the required parameters of pressure and temperature easily provided that the extruder is sufficiently gasproof . the time of contact between the foaming agent and the polymer gel can preferably be varied by the extrusion canal length and the screw speed . preferably , the polymer gel filled with foaming agent can be expanded at the extruder end to form a solid nanofoam by opening a valve . preferably , a pressure gradient resulting in a slow expansion ( t exp ≈ 20 s ) is advantageous here ( see example 2 . 4 ). the invention will be further elucidated by the following , non - restrictive examples . a pmma gel was prepared by adding acetone to a sample of a conventional acrylic glass and subsequently foamed with co 2 . the expansion time t exp from the initial pressure p = 250 bar to the normal pressure of 1 bar was approx . 1 second . the mass ratio of pmma to acetone in the polymer gel was 1 : 3 ( λ acetone = 0 . 75 ). the gel was contacted with co 2 in a high - pressure cell at p = 250 bar , t = 55 ° c . and t = 15 min and subsequently expanded . fig1 shows the foam structure at two different magnifications . a pmma consisting of the monomer methyl methacrylate ( mma ) and the crosslinker n , n ′- methylene bisacrylamide ( mbaa ) was polymerised using the radical starter azobisisobutyronitrile ( aibn ) at t = 95 ° c . and a period of 2 h . example 1 . 2 illustrates the different impacts of two different crosslinker concentrations on the obtained foam structure . a polymer saturated with acetone was prepared and contacted with co 2 and foamed as in example 1 at p = 250 bar , t = 55 ° c . and t = 15 min . this example demonstrates the successful application of the nf - gaffel method using a pmma sample with a precisely known composition . the left - hand portion of fig2 shows the effect on the resulting foam structure at a crosslinker content of v = 0 . 2 mol % and the right - hand portion of fig2 shows a distinctly smaller foam structure due to the effect of v = 0 . 7 of crosslinker . the gel / foam composition was : σ aibn = 0 . 004 , λ acetone = saturated , v mbaa = 0 . 20 mol % ( left )/ 0 . 70 mol % ( right ). a pmma consisting of the monomer methyl methacrylate ( mma ) and the crosslinker n , n ′- methylene bisacrylamide ( mbaa ) was polymerised using the radical starter azobisisobutyronitrile ( aibn ) at t = 95 ° c . and a period of 2 h as in example 1 . 2 . example 1 . 3 illustrates the effect of the foaming temperature on the foam structure . for this purpose the pmma gel was produced as in example 2 and contacted with co 2 and foamed at p = 250 bar , t = 15 min . the co 2 contacting temperature and thus also the expansion temperature was varied . the left - hand portion of fig3 shows the resulting foam structure at t = 35 ° c ., in the middle portion the temperature was t = 55 ° c . and in the right - hand portion the temperature was t = 75 ° c . the gel / foam composition was : σ aibn = 0 . 004 , λ acetone = saturated , v mbaa 0 . 70 mol %. a pmma consisting of the monomer methyl methacrylate ( mma ) and the crosslinker n , n ′- methylene bisacrylamide ( mbaa ) was polymerised using the radical starter azobisisobutyronitrile ( aibn ) at t = 95 ° c . and a period of 2 h as in examples 2 and 3 . example 4 illustrates the effect of the residence time of the gels in the co 2 atmosphere on the foam structure . for this purpose the pmma gel was produced as in example 2 and foamed at p = 250 bar . the crosslinker concentration was v = 0 . 7 mol % and the foaming temperature was t = 55 ° c . in all experiments . fig4 shows the results of three foaming experiments varying in the time the gel was subjected to the co 2 atmosphere . the left foam was obtained after a saturation time of t = 5 min , the middle foam after t = 15 min and the right after t = 60 min . the gel / foam composition was : σ aibn = 0 . 004 , λ acetone = saturated , v mbaa 0 . 70 mol %. a pmma consisting of the monomer methyl methacrylate ( mma ), the crosslinker n , n ′- methylene bisacrylamide ( mbaa ) and the modifier 2 - ethylhexylthioglycolate ( ehtg ) was polymerised using the radical starter azobisisobutyronitrile ( aibn ) at t = 95 ° c . and a period of 2 h . example 5 illustrates the effect of the modifier on the foam structure of two polymers at different crosslinker concentrations . for this purpose the polymers were saturated with acetone and contacted with co 2 and foamed as in the above examples at p = 250 bar , t = 55 ° c . and t = 15 min . the modifier concentration of ρ = 0 . 50 mol % was the same in both foams . the left - hand portion of fig5 shows the effect on the resulting foam structure at a crosslinker content of v = 0 . 7 mol % and the right - hand portion of fig5 shows the effect at v = 1 . 20 mol % of crosslinker . the modifier ( ehtg ) has an enormous influence on the properties of the foam pores . monodisperse closed - cell foams having pore sizes in the lower micrometre range ( left ) and foams with regions of different pore diameters ( right ) can be produced easily . this allows to produce foams with regions having different properties . the gel / foam composition was : σ aibn = 0 . 004 , λ acetone = saturated , v mbaa = 0 . 70 mol % ( left )/ 1 . 20 mol % ( right ), ρ ehtg = 0 . 50 mol %. production of ps nanofoams with different pore sizes by the nf - gaffel method a ps consisting of the monomer styrene and the crosslinker divinylbenzene ( dvb ) was polymerised using the radical starter azobisisobutyronitrile ( aibn ) at t = 90 ° c . and a period of 2 h . a ps gel was prepared from ps and the same weight of acetone ( λ acetone = 0 . 50 ) and contacted with co 2 in a high - pressure cell at p = 250 bar , t = 55 ° c . and t = 15 min and subsequently expanded . fig6 shows the foam structure of two samples containing different crosslinker concentrations . the left sample has a crosslinker concentration of v = 0 . 5 mol % and the right sample has a crosslinker concentration of v = 1 mol %. the gel / foam composition was : σ aibn = 0 . 004 , λ acetone = saturated , v dvb = 0 . 5 mol % ( left )/ 1 . 00 mol % ( right ). ps gels were produced as in example 2 . 1 and contacted with co 2 at p = 250 bar , t = 55 ° c . and t = 15 min and subsequently expanded . the crosslinker concentration ( dvb ) was v = 1 mol %. three foaming experiments were conducted at different temperatures . the foam in the left - hand portion of fig7 was obtained at a temperature of t = 35 ° c ., the foam in the middle portion at t = 65 ° c . and foam in the right - hand portion at t = 75 ° c . the gel / foam composition was : σ aibn = 0 . 004 , λ acetone = 0 . 50 , v dvb 1 . 00 mol %. ps gels were produced as in example 2 . 1 and subsequently contacted with different co 2 pressures and foamed at t = 65 ° c . after t = 15 min . the crosslinker concentration ( dvb ) was v = 1 mol %. in fig8 the left foam resulted from a co 2 pressure of p = 250 bar , whereas the right foam was obtained at a co 2 pressure of p = 150 bar . in both experiments the parameters are chosen such that they are above the binary miscibility gap between co 2 and acetone . the gel / foam composition was : σ aibn = 0 . 004 , λ acetone = 0 . 50 , v dvb 1 . 00 mol %. ps gels were produced as in example 2 . 1 and contacted with co 2 at p = 250 bar , t = 60 ° c . and t = 15 min and subsequently expanded . the crosslinker concentration ( dvb ) was v = 2 mol %. the decisive difference to all previous foaming experiments was the duration of the expansion process from 250 to 1 bar . fig9 shows the foam obtained with a foaming time of t exp ≈ 20 s . the gel / foam composition was : σ aibn = 0 . 004 , λ acetone = 0 . 50 , v dvb 2 . 00 mol %. polyvinyl chloride ( pvc ) nanofoams ; production of a pvc nanofoam by the nf - gaffel method a saturated pvc gel was prepared by adding acetone to a sample of a conventional pvc polymer and subsequently foamed with co 2 . the gel was contacted with co 2 in a high - pressure cell at p = 250 bar , t = 70 ° c . and t = 10 min and subsequently expanded . fig1 shows the foam structure at two different magnifications . polyethylene ( pe ) nanofoams ; production of a pe nanofoam by the nf - gaffel method a saturated pe gel was prepared by adding cyclohexane to a sample of a conventional pe polymer at 60 ° c . and subsequently foamed with co 2 . the gel was contacted with co 2 in a high - pressure cell at p = 250 bar , t = 70 ° c . and t = 15 min and subsequently expanded . fig1 shows the foam structure at two different magnifications . ten grams of crosslinked polystyrene particles ( mean diameter ≈ 1 mm , 1 mol % of dvb as crosslinker ) is contacted with 20 g of acetone in a sealed vessel for 180 minutes at room temperature and under normal pressure . due to the different refractive indexes of the polymer and the polymer gel , swelling could be followed visually to determine when the polystyrene particles were completely converted into the polymer gel . the polystyrene gel particles were dimensionally stable and had a spherical shape but were — contrary to the starting polymer — deformable by slight mechanical impact . then , the swollen polystyrene particles were subjected to a co 2 atmosphere at 200 bar and 70 ° c . for 90 minutes . a pressure relief resulted in nanoporous polystyrene particles with a mean diameter of 2 mm and a density & lt ; 0 . 30 g / cm 3 and a mean nanopore diameter & lt ; 500 nm ( see fig1 ). in order to image the structure of the produced nanoporous materials , first a fresh fracture edge was created . subsequently , the sample was fixed on the sample plate with the fracture edge facing upward . in order to dissipate the charge generated during measurement , conductive silver lacquer was used for fixation . prior to imaging , the sample was coated with gold in order to avoid local charging effects . for this purpose the k950x coating system with the k350 sputter attachment from emitech was used . in all cases gold sputtering was performed under an argon pressure of approx . 10 − 2 mbar , always applying a current of 30 ma for 30 seconds . the layer thickness of the gold layer coated in this way was approximately between 5 and 15 nm . the electron photomicrographs were taken with a device of the supra 40 vp type from zeiss . acceleration voltages up to 30 kv and a maximum resolution of 1 . 3 nm are possible with this device . micrographs were recorded with the inlens detector at an acceleration voltage of 5 kv . in order to determine the mean pore diameter and the mean web thickness of the nano - and microporous foams , a micrograph taken with the described scanning electron microscope was chosen and at least 300 pores or webs were measured with the datinf measure computer program to ensure a sufficiently good statistics . since each scanning electron micrograph contains only a limited number of pores and webs , several scanning electron micrographs are used for the determination of the mean pore and web diameters . here it should be ensured that the magnification is chosen such that the error in the length determination is kept as small as possible . an example is shown in the annex in fig1 . the features of the invention disclosed in the present description , in the drawings as well as in the claims both individually and in any combination may be essential to the realization of the various embodiments of the invention .
| 2 |
the compounds of the present invention may also be represented by ethylidene - substituted cyclohexanols of formula ii and vinyl - substituted cyclohexanols of formula iii in the following : the compounds of the present invention may be further represented by cyclohexanols of formula iv in the following : wherein one of r 1 and r 2 represents hydrogen with the other representing a c 1 - c 6 linear , branched or cyclic alkyl group ; and one of the dashed lines represents a carbon - carbon single bond with the other representing a carbon - carbon double bond . the cyclohexanol compounds of formula ii , iii and iv may be further represented by formula v and formula vi in the following : wherein one of r 1 and r 2 are defined as above . the novel cyclohexanols of the present invention are illustrated , for example , by following examples . the compounds of the present invention were prepared with 3 - vinyl - 7 - oxa - bicyclo [ 4 . 1 . 0 ] heptane according to the following reaction scheme , the details of which are specified in the examples . materials and catalysts were purchased from aldrich chemical company unless noted otherwise . those with skill in the art will recognize that some of the compounds of the present invention have a number of chiral centers , thereby providing numerous isomers of the claimed compounds . it is intended herein that the compounds described herein include isomeric mixtures of such compounds , as well as those isomers that may be separated using techniques known to those having skill in the art . suitable techniques include chromatography such as high performance liquid chromatography , referred to as hplc , particularly silica gel chromatograph , and gas chromatography trapping known as gc trapping . yet , commercial versions of such products are mostly offered as mixtures . the compounds of the present invention , for example , possess strong and complex sweet , spicy , woody and vanilla notes . the use of the compounds of the present invention is widely applicable in current perfumery products , including the preparation of perfumes and colognes , the perfuming of personal care products such as soaps , shower gels , and hair care products , fabric care products as well as air fresheners and cosmetic preparations . these compounds can also be used to perfume cleaning agents , such as , but not limited to detergents , dishwashing materials , scrubbing compositions , window cleaners and the like . in these preparations , the compounds of the present invention can be used alone or in combination with other perfuming compositions , solvents , adjuvants and the like . the nature and variety of the other ingredients that can also be employed are known to those with skill in the art . many types of fragrances can be employed in the present invention , the only limitation being the compatibility with the other components being employed . suitable fragrances include but are not limited to fruits such as almond , apple , cherry , grape , pear , pineapple , orange , strawberry , raspberry ; musk ; and flower scents such as lavender - like , rose - like , iris - like , carnation - like . other pleasant scents include herbal and woodland scents derived from pine , spruce and other forest smells . fragrances may also be derived from various oils , such as essential oils , or from plant materials such as peppermint , spearmint and the like . a list of suitable fragrances is provided in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 534 , 891 , the contents of which are incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety . another source of suitable fragrances is found in perfumes , cosmetics and soaps , second edition , edited by w . a . poucher , 1959 . among the fragrances provided in this treatise are acacia , cassie , chypre , cyclamen , fern , gardenia , hawthorn , heliotrope , honeysuckle , hyacinth , jasmine , lilac , lily , magnolia , mimosa , narcissus , freshly - cut hay , orange blossom , orchid , reseda , sweet pea , trefle , tuberose , vanilla , violet , wallflower , and the like . the term “ improving ” in the phrase “ improving , enhancing or modifying a fragrance formulation ” is understood to mean raising the fragrance formulation to a more desirable character . the term “ enhancing ” is understood to mean making the fragrance formulation greater in effectiveness or providing the fragrance formulation with an improved character . the term “ modifying ” is understood to mean providing the fragrance formulation with a change in character . the terms “ fragrance formulation ”, “ fragrance composition ”, and “ perfume composition ” are understood to mean the same and refer to a formulation that is intended for providing a fragrance character to a perfume , a cologne , toilet water , a personal product , a fabric care product , and the like . the fragrance formulation of the present invention is a composition comprising a compound of the present invention . olfactory acceptable amount is understood to mean the amount of a compound in a perfume composition . the compound will contribute its particular olfactory characteristics , but the olfactory effect of the perfume composition will be the sum of the effects of each of the perfumes or fragrance ingredients . thus the compounds of the invention can be used to alter the aroma characteristics of a perfume composition , or by modifying the olfactory reaction contributed by another ingredient in the composition . the amount will vary depending on many factors including other ingredients , their relative amounts and the effect that is desired . the amount of the compounds of the present invention employed in a fragrance formulation varies from about 0 . 005 to about 70 weight percent , preferably from 0 . 005 to about 50 weight percent , more preferably from about 0 . 5 to about 25 weight percent , and even more preferably from about 1 to about 10 weight percent . those with skill in the art will be able to employ the desired amount to provide desired fragrance effect and intensity . in addition to the compounds of the present invention , other materials can also be used in conjunction with the fragrance formulation . well known materials such as surfactants , emulsifiers , polymers to encapsulate the fragrance can also be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention . in addition , the compounds of the present invention are also surprisingly found to provide superior ingredient performance and possess unexpected advantages in malodor counteracting applications such as body perspiration , environmental odor such as mold and mildew , bathroom , and etc . the compounds of the present invention substantially eliminate the perception of malodors and / or prevent the formation of such malodors , thus , can be utilized with a vast number of functional products . examples of the functional products are provided herein to illustrate the various aspects of the present invention . however , they do not intend to limit the scope of the present invention . the functional products may include , for example , a conventional room freshener ( or deodorant ) composition such as room freshener sprays , an aerosol or other spray , fragrance diffusers , a wick or other liquid system , or a solid , for instance candles or a wax base as in pomanders and plastics , powders as in sachets or dry sprays or gels , as in solid gel sticks , clothes deodorants as applied by washing machine applications such as in detergents , powders , liquids , whiteners or fabric softeners , fabric refreshers , linen sprays , closet blocks , closet aerosol sprays , or clothes storage areas or in dry cleaning to overcome residual solvent notes on clothes , bathroom accessories such as paper towels , bathroom tissues , sanitary napkins , towellets , disposable wash cloths , disposable diapers , and diaper pail deodorants , cleansers such as disinfectants and toilet bowl cleaners , cosmetic products such as antiperspirant and deodorants , general body deodorants in the form of powders , aerosols , liquids or solid , or hair care products such as hair sprays , conditioners , rinses , hair colors and dyes , permanent waves , depilatories , hair straighteners , hair groom applications such as pomade , creams and lotions , medicated hair care products containing such ingredients as selenium sulphide , coal tar or salicylates , or shampoos , or foot care products such as foot powders , liquids or colognes , after shaves and body lotions , or soaps and synthetic detergents such as bars , liquids , foams or powders , odor control such as during manufacturing processes , such as in the textile finishing industry and the printing industry ( inks and paper ), effluent control such as in processes involved in pulping , stock yard and meat processings , sewage treatment , garbage bags , or garbage disposal , or in product odor control as in textile finished goods , rubber finished goods or car fresheners , agricultural and pet care products such as dog and hen house effluents and domestic animal and pet care products such as deodorants , shampoo or cleaning agents , or animal litter material and in large scale closed air systems such as auditoria , and subways and transport systems . thus , it will be seen that the composition of the invention is usually one in which the malodor counteractant is present together with a carrier by means of which or from which the malodor counteractant can be introduced into air space wherein the malodor is present , or a substrate on which the malodor has deposited . for example , the carrier can be an aerosol propellant such as a chlorofluoro - methane , or a solid such as a wax , plastics material , rubber , inert powder or gel . in a wick - type air freshener , the carrier is a substantially odorless liquid of low volatility . in several applications , a composition of the invention contains a surface active agent or a disinfectant , while in others , the malodor counteractant is present on a fibrous substrate . in many compositions of the invention there is also present a fragrance component which imparts a fragrance to the composition . the fragrances stated above can all be employed . malodor counteracting effective amount is understood to mean the amount of the inventive malodor counteractant employed in an air space or a substrate such as a functional product that is organoleptically effective to abate a given malodor while reducing the combined intensity of the odor level , wherein the given malodor is present in air space or has deposited on a substrate . the exact amount of malodor counteractant agent employed may vary depending upon the type of malodor counteractant , the type of the carrier employed , and the level of malodor counteractancy desired . in general , the amount of malodor counteractant agent present is the ordinary dosage required to obtain the desired result . such dosage is known to the skilled practitioner in the art . in a preferred embodiment , when used in conjunction with malodorous solid or liquid functional products , e . g ., soap and detergent , the compounds of the present invention may be present in an amount ranging from about 0 . 005 to about 50 weight percent , preferably from about 0 . 01 to about 20 weight percent , more preferably from about 0 . 05 to about 10 weight percent and even more preferably from about 0 . 1 to about 5 weight percent . when used in an air space that is in conjunction with malodorous gaseous functional products , the compounds of the present invention may be present in an amount ranging from about 0 . 2 mg to about 2 g per cubic meter of air , more preferably from about 0 . 4 mg to about 0 . 8 g per cubic meter of air , more preferably from about 2 mg to about 0 . 4 g per cubic meter of air and even more preferably from about 4 mg to about 0 . 2 g per cubic meter of air . the following are provided as specific embodiments of the present invention . other modifications of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art . such modifications are understood to be within the scope of this invention . the chemical materials used in the preparation of the compounds of the present invention are commercially available from aldrich chemical company . as used herein all percentages are weight percent unless otherwise noted , ppm is understood to stand for parts per million , mol is understood to be mole , mmol is understood to be millimole , l is understood to be liter , ml is understood to be milliliter , kg is understood to be kilogram and g be gram , psi is understood to be pound - force per square inch , and mmhg is understood to be millimeters ( mm ) of mercury ( hg ). iff as used in the examples is understood to mean international flavors & amp ; fragrances inc ., new york , n . y ., usa . a 5 - l , 4 - neck round bottom flask was fitted with a temperature probe , a glass stir shaft , a water condenser and an addition funnel propanol ( ch3ch2ch2oh ) ( 1 . 4 kg ) and amberlyst ® 15 ( 15 g ) were charged into the flask and brought to reflux . 3 - vinyl - 7 - oxa - bicyclo [ 4 . 1 . 0 ] heptane ( 476 g , 3 . 8 mol ) was fed in over 1 hour . the reaction was aged for additional 6 hours and then cooled to room temperature . the reaction mixture was decanted to provide a mixture of 2 - propoxy - 4 - vinyl - cyclohexanol ( structure 29 ) and 2 - propoxy - 5 - vinyl - cyclohexanol ( structure 30 ) ( 1 : 1 ) ( 699 g ). 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 400 mhz ): 5 . 78 - 5 . 90 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 94 - 5 . 15 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 06 - 3 . 79 ( m , 4h ), 2 . 46 - 2 . 58 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 34 - 2 . 45 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 80 - 2 . 05 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 42 - 1 . 72 ( m , 6h ), 0 . 93 ( t , j = 7 . 4 hz , 3h ) the isomeric mixture structure 29 and 30 was described as having sweet , spicy and vanilla notes . preparation of ( e )- 4 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol ( structure 17 ), ( z )- 4 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol ( structure 18 ), ( e )- 5 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol ( structure 19 ) and ( z )- 5 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol ( structure 20 ) the mixture of 2 - propoxy - 4 - vinyl - cyclohexanol ( structure 29 ) and 2 - propoxy - 5 - vinyl - cyclohexanol ( structure 30 ) ( 699 g ) ( prepared as above in example i ) and rhcl 3 ( 2 . 0 g , 9 . 6 mmol ) were combined in a fresh 5 - l , 4 - neck round bottom flask fitted with a temperature probe , a glass stir shaft and a dean - stark trap . the reaction mixture was heated to reflux . about 600 ml propanol was removed via the dean - stark trap during the reaction . the reaction mixture was aged at reflux for additional 5 hours . gas chromatography ( gc ) analysis was used to monitor the completion of the reaction . the reaction mixture was then cooled . further distillation at a vapor temperature of 123 ° c . with a pressure of 2 mmhg provided the mixture of ( e )- 4 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol ( structure 17 ), ( z )- 4 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol ( structure 18 ), ( e )- 5 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol ( structure 19 ) and ( z )- 5 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol ( structure 20 ) ( structure 17 : structure 18 : structure 19 : structure 20 = about 0 . 74 : 0 . 83 : 0 . 95 : 1 . 0 ) ( 575 g , 79 % yield ). the mixture of ( e )- 4 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol ( structure 17 ), ( z )- 4 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol ( structure 18 ), ( e )- 5 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol ( structure 19 ) and ( z )- 5 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol has the following nmr spectral characteristics : 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 500 mhz ): 5 . 14 - 5 . 34 ppm ( m , 1h ), 1 . 66 - 3 . 68 ppm ( m , 10h ), 1 . 52 - 1 . 66 ppm ( m , 5h ), 1 . 09 - 1 . 34 ppm ( m , 1h ), 0 . 88 - 1 . 02 ppm ( m , 3h ) the isomeric mixture structure 17 , 18 , 19 and 20 was described as having particularly desirable , strong and complex sweet , spicy , woody and vanilla notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl3 , 500 mhz ): 5 . 22 - 5 . 30 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 57 - 3 . 64 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 51 - 3 . 57 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 30 - 3 . 40 ppm ( m , 2h ), 2 . 92 - 3 . 03 ppm ( m , 1h ), 2 . 67 ppm ( br , 1h ), 2 . 47 - 2 . 64 ppm ( m , 2h ), 2 . 02 - 2 . 10 ppm ( m , 1h ), 1 . 86 - 1 . 94 ppm ( m , 1h ), 1 . 66 - 1 . 78 ppm ( m , 1h ), 1 . 56 - 1 . 66 ppm ( m , 5h ), 1 . 19 - 1 . 29 ( m , 1h ), 0 . 94 ( t , 3h , j = 7 . 41 hz ) ( e )- 4 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol was described as having spicy , clove - leaf , floral and medicinal notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 500 mhz ): 5 . 25 - 5 . 32 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 62 - 3 . 70 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 50 - 3 . 62 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 31 - 3 . 43 ppm ( m , 1h ), 2 . 95 - 3 . 03 ppm ( m , 2h ), 2 . 66 ppm ( br , 1h ), 2 . 13 - 2 . 20 ppm ( m , 1h ), 1 . 98 - 2 . 08 ppm ( m , 2h ), 1 . 55 - 1 . 66 ppm ( m , 6h ), 1 . 23 - 1 . 34 ppm ( m , 1h ), 0 . 96 ppm ( t , 3h , j = 7 . 41 hz ) 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 500 mhz ): 5 . 23 - 5 . 30 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 56 - 3 . 64 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 41 - 3 . 47 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 33 - 3 . 39 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 13 - 3 . 20 ppm ( m , 1h ), 2 . 58 ppm ( br , 1h ), 2 . 48 - 2 . 60 ppm ( m , 2h ), 2 . 02 - 2 . 10 ppm ( m , 2h ), 1 . 67 - 1 . 78 ppm ( m , 1h ), 1 . 55 - 1 . 67 ppm ( m , 5h ), 1 . 11 - 1 . 21 ppm ( m , 1h ), 0 . 94 ppm ( t , 3h , j = 7 . 41 hz ) ( e )- 5 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol was described as having balsamic , sweet , spicy and vanilla notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 500 mhz ): 5 . 25 - 5 . 36 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 57 - 3 . 64 ppm ( m , 1h ), 3 . 32 - 3 . 43 ppm ( m , 2h ), 3 . 13 - 3 . 20 ppm ( m , 1h ), 2 . 86 - 2 . 93 ppm ( m , 1h ), 2 . 66 ppm ( br , 1h ), 2 . 17 - 2 . 23 ppm ( m , 1h ), 1 . 96 - 2 . 10 ppm ( m , 2h ), 1 . 76 - 1 . 84 ppm ( m , 1h ), 1 . 56 - 1 . 67 ( m , 5h ), 1 . 13 - 1 . 24 ppm ( m , 1h ), 0 . 94 ppm ( t , 3h , j = 7 . 41 hz ) ( z )- 5 - ethylidene - 2 - propoxy - cyclohexanol was described as having spicy , clove - leaf , medicinal and slight cooling herbal notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 400 mhz ): 5 . 15 - 5 . 43 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 32 - 3 . 62 ( m , 4h ), 1 . 94 - 3 . 14 ( m , 6h ), 1 . 67 - 1 . 94 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 48 - 1 . 67 ( m , 3h ), 1 . 08 - 1 . 37 ( m , 1h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 was described as having balsamic , sweet , spicy , fruity , fresh and minty notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 400 mhz ): 5 . 16 - 5 . 38 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 32 - 3 . 85 ( m , 3h ), 2 . 12 - 3 . 25 ( m , 4h ), 1 . 84 - 2 . 11 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 64 - 1 . 84 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 48 - 1 . 64 ( m , 3h ), 1 . 04 - 1 . 34 ( m , 4h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 5 , 6 , 7 and 8 was described as having strong and complex sweet , spicy , fruity , woody , clove - leaf , floral , green , smoky and leathery notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 400 mhz ): 5 . 18 - 5 . 33 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 65 - 3 . 85 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 96 - 3 . 57 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 87 - 2 . 95 ( m , 5h ), 1 . 63 - 1 . 87 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 50 - 1 . 63 ( m , 3h ), 1 . 07 - 1 . 36 ( m , 7h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 21 , 22 , 23 and 24 was described as having sweet , spicy , woody and vanilla notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 500 mhz ): 5 . 73 - 5 . 92 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 94 - 5 . 14 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 67 - 3 . 83 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 38 ( s , 3h ), 3 . 01 - 3 . 29 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 37 - 2 . 60 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 79 - 2 . 03 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 44 - 1 . 68 ( m , 4h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 25 and 26 was described as having fruity , vanilla and green notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 500 mhz ): 5 . 74 - 5 . 96 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 95 - 5 . 17 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 07 - 3 . 77 ( m , 4h ), 2 . 47 - 2 . 57 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 18 - 2 . 45 ( br , 1h ), 1 . 78 - 2 . 06 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 42 - 1 . 72 ( m , 4h ), 1 . 20 ( t , j = 6 . 9 hz , 3h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 27 and 28 was described as having spicy and vanilla notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 400 mhz ): 5 . 68 - 5 . 95 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 89 - 5 . 16 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 16 - 3 . 83 ( m , 3h ), 2 . 70 - 2 . 86 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 41 - 2 . 61 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 73 - 1 . 98 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 43 - 1 . 73 ( m , 4h ), 1 . 10 - 1 . 22 ( m , 6h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 35 and 36 was described as having a spicy note . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 400 mhz ): 5 . 68 - 5 . 95 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 91 - 5 . 14 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 04 - 3 . 80 ( m , 4h ), 2 . 41 - 2 . 66 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 79 - 2 . 05 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 44 - 1 . 73 ( m , 6h ), 1 . 31 - 1 . 44 ( m , 2h ), 0 . 92 ( t , j = 7 . 3 hz , 3h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 37 and 38 was described as having sweet and spicy notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 400 mhz ): 5 . 72 - 5 . 98 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 86 - 5 . 14 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 56 - 3 . 83 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 06 - 3 . 40 ( m , 3h ), 2 . 41 - 2 . 63 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 74 - 2 . 00 ( m , 3h ), 1 . 44 - 1 . 73 ( m , 4h ), 0 . 85 - 0 . 95 ( m , 6h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 39 and 40 was described as having onion - and garlic - like notes . additional hydrogenated cyclohexanols were prepared via the hydrogenation of the corresponding cyclohexanols prepared in the above . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 500 mhz ): 3 . 57 - 3 . 74 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 38 ( s , 3h ), 3 . 02 - 3 . 21 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 32 ( br , s , 1h ), 1 . 74 - 1 . 89 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 59 - 1 . 68 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 39 - 1 . 55 ( m , 4h ), 1 . 26 - 1 . 35 ( m , 2h ), 0 . 87 - 0 . 92 ( m , 3h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 41 and 42 was described as having spicy and vanilla but phenolic notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 500 mhz ): 2 . 96 - 3 . 78 ( m , 4h ), 2 . 50 ( br , s , 1h ), 1 . 96 - 2 . 13 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 57 - 1 . 88 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 36 - 1 . 57 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 08 - 1 . 36 ( m , 6h ), 0 . 77 - 1 . 04 ( m , 4h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 43 and 44 was described as having earthy , woody and green but phenolic notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 400 mhz ): 2 . 91 - 3 . 92 ( m , 5h ), 1 . 06 - 2 . 16 ( m , 11h ), 0 . 72 - 1 . 03 ( m , 6h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 45 and 46 was described as having spicy and vanilla but phenolic notes . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 400 mhz ): 2 . 58 - 3 . 76 ( m , 5h ), 1 . 00 - 2 . 14 ( m , 10h ), 0 . 77 - 1 . 00 ( m , 9h ) the isomeric mixture of structure 47 and 48 was described as having spicy and woody notes with bacon character . accordingly , the novel cyclohexanols represented by formula i - vi possess unexpected superior and desirable effect when compared to their corresponding hydrogenated compounds . the sweat , mold / mildew , bathroom and smoke malodor models were prepared based on applicants &# 39 ; proprietary formulations for assessing the effectiveness of various malodor counteractants . two aluminum dishes were placed in an 8 oz glass jar . a malodor material was pipetted into one aluminum dish , and a compound of the present invention diluted in a solvent ( 1 %) or a solvent alone control was pipetted into the other aluminum dish . the jar was then capped and the samples were allowed to equilibrate for one hour before the testing . test samples were presented in a blind and random order to 15 - 18 internal panelists ( consisting of men / women with an age range of 25 to 55 ). however , different odor samples were arranged in an alternative order ( for example , sweat , mold / mildew , sweat , mold / mildew , and etc .). the panelists were instructed to take the steps of i ) sniff jars containing only the malodor materials for familiarization prior to the testing ; ii ) uncap a jar ; iii ) place their noses at a distance of about 3 - 4 inches above the opening ; iv ) take short sniffs for 3 seconds ; and v ) enter a rating of overall intensity and malodor intensity on a handheld computer . the overall and malodor intensity was rated using the labeled magnitude scale ( lms ) [ green , et al ., chemical senses , 21 ( 3 ), june 1996 , 323 - 334 ]. percent malodor reduction (“% mor ”) represents the perceived reduction in mean malodor intensity of the sample containing the malodor in the presence of a malodor counteractant relative to the negative control ( malodor alone ). the mean ranks of the malodor coverage for the above test were as follows : compounds of the present invention were demonstrated effective in counteracting various types of malodors .
| 2 |
fig1 shows a sensor substrate 20 comprising a number of individual sensor bases 21 arrayed in a regular pattern , the bases 21 being defined by scribing the regular pattern onto a contiguously formed single manufacturing piece suitable for handling by automated production equipment . after manufacturing processes are completed , the sensor bases 21 may be separated into a number of individual sensors . each of the sensor bases 21 has integrated thereon in planar arrangement a single sensor device 22 comprising a plurality of conductive paths 25 deposited in patterns terminating in electrical contacting pads 23 , the conductive paths 25 originating in sensor elements 30 , sensor elements 30 being comprised of individual layers 24 , 26 , and 28 ( best seen in fig2 a and 2b ). the sensor elements 30 are designed to perform either reference or measuring tasks and are preferably disposed in banks or rows of linearly disposed sensor elements with the sensor elements 30 being a reference function sensor element 30r being on one side or row and the sensor elements 30 being a detecting or measuring function sensor element 30m for the analyte on the other side or row . in a commercial application , the sensor elements 30 may be used advantageously within a chemical analyzer , in combination with a flow channel member 31 ( see fig1 a ) having grooves 33 positioned over the reference function sensor elements 30r and measuring function sensor elements 30m and joined together at one end of each groove , thereby defining liquid flow channels ( not shown ). the upper surface of the sensor membrane layer 26 is thusly in fluid and electrolytic contact with biological sample liquids supplied through the grooves 33 . the amount of analyte in a sample fluid may be determined by using the sensor devices in pairs , with one sensor device being exposed to a reference solution containing a known amount of analyte , and the other being exposed to a sample solution containing an unknown amount of analyte . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 284 , 568 , assigned to the assignee of the present invention , is illustrative of such a device . using well known calibration techniques , an assay may be performed in a comparative or differential method of measurement to determine the levels of an analyte in sample fluids . as best seen in fig2 a , each sensor element 30 comprises a first dielectric layer 24 and a second dielectric layer 28 formed thereon in contact with a conductive electrode path 25 , the layers 24 and 28 having patterns of openings therein , the openings in the patterns aligned to form a &# 34 ; well - like &# 34 ; cavity , generally indicated by the letter &# 34 ; d &# 34 ;. as seen in fig2 b , a sensor membrane 26 may then be applied within the cavity d formed by openings in the layers 24 and 28 and is positioned in contact with the electrode path 25 . the process for making such a device , preferably using conventional thick film screen printing techniques and suitable drying means , is well known in the art , for example , as described in u . s . pat no . 4 , 454 , 007 , assigned to the assignee of the present invention . by way of example , one first deposits the conductor layer 25 , typically using a conventional silver conductor paste , for instance series qs175 , available from e . i . du pont de nemours & amp ; co ., wilmington , del ., then the first dielectric layer 24 , typically a conventional ceramic dielectric paste , for instance series qs482 , the second dielectric layer 28 also for instance series qs482 , and finally the sensor membrane layer 26 . the purpose of the dielectric layers 24 and 28 is to establish a cavity d of sufficient depth , generally between 20 and 40 microns , to accommodate the minimum required thickness of sensor membrane layer 26 ( see fig2 a and 2b ). optionally , an interfacial layer generally composed of a conductive metal and conductive metal - salt compounds may be disposed between the conductor layer 25 and the sensor membrane layer 26 to stabilize the conductor / membrane interface . a variety of ion selective membrane compositions may be used for the membrane layer 26 , generally comprising an ionophore for an ion of interest , a compound capable of dissolving the ionophore and a supporting matrix comprised of one or more binder materials . the matrix can be any material which is capable of forming a film of sufficient permeability to produce , in combination with the ionophore and solvent , analyte ion mobility across the film . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 401 , 377 contains information about the various chemical constituents and applicable production processes useful in production of ise sensors having an ion - sensitive member in direct contact with an electrical conductor and is generally indicative of the state - of - the art . useful ionophores include ion carriers such as hemispherands , crown ethers , monensin and esters thereof ( e . g . methyl - monensin ), and others known in the art . ionophores also include ion - exchangers , such as polymeric ion - exchange materials , and water insoluble salts . the choice of ionophore will depend on the nature of the ions to be determined , e . g . valinomycin for potassium , methyl - monensin for sodium , tri - n - dodectyl - methylammonium for chloride , etc . the ionophore is dissolved by one or more organic solvents thereby providing sodium ion mobility . if a hydrophobic binder is used as the supporting matrix , the solvent must be compatible with the binder . the solvent is sometimes identified in the art as a carrier solvent . useful solvents include phthalates , sebacates , aromatic and aliphatic ethers , phosphates , mixed aromatic aliphatic phosphonates , adipates , nitrated ethers or esters or mixtures thereof , and others known in the art . the polymeric matrix materials were chosen from a variety of substances selected from the group consisting of polyvinylchloride , copolymers of polyvinylchloride , polyurethanes , methacrylate polymers , acrylic polymers , and polymers compatible with polyvinylchloride , and mixtures thereof , with polyvinylchloride being generally preferred . useful membranes including hydrophobic binder materials , an ionophore , and solvating solvents are prepared using known film - coating or casting or screen printing techniques . materials including synthetic and natural polymeric materials , such as poly ( vinyl chloride ), carboxylated poly ( vinyl chloride ), poly ( styrene - co - styrene sulfonic acid ), poly ( vinyl chloride - co - styrene sulfonic acid ), poly ( vinyl chloride - co - styrene carboxylic acid ) and the like may be used to advantage . high molecular weight poly ( vinyl chloride ) has been successfully used in the practice of this invention . useful plasticizers include 2 - ethyl hexyl adipate and / or dioctyl sebacate . one problem encountered with the use of such polymeric materials occurs as a consequence of their optical characteristics . in particular , the optical transmissivity of such polymeric materials generally falls within a range of values that are essentially transparent to the illuminating systems used in commercial optical inspection systems . a related problem occurs whenever the optical reflectivity of the membrane falls within a range of values that are essentially equivalent to that of the underlying dielectric layers and / or of the substrate material thereby causing a vision system to be unable to reliably differentiate between the membrane and dielectric layers . the problem of inadequate contrast between layers can be addressed through the use of optical inspection systems designed to detect fluorescence in combination with membranes modified to fluoresce differentially from the underlying layers . the preferred class of fluorophores for this application is the class of coumarins . these appear not to interfere with the accuracy of the sensors , compared to fluorophores from the rhodamine or fluorescein classes . within the coumarin class , certain members have been discovered to have superior fluorescent efficiency that would not be anticipated from their structural similarities or from the spectral or fluorescence data provided by the vendor &# 39 ; s specifications for these products . the preferred fluorophores of the present invention are selected from the class of 7 - amino - coumarin derivatives generally having the structure shown below : ## str1 ## wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , and r 4 are hydrogen , alkyl or alkylene groups , and r 5 , and r 6 are a hydrogen , alkyl , alkylene , haloalkyl , aryl or aromatic , halo , carboxyalkyl , oxo - alkyl , or cyano substituent . a preferred fluorophore , coumarin 6 ( 3 -( 2 &# 39 ;- benzothiazolyl )- 7 - n , n - diethylaminocoumarin ), has been discovered to have superior fluorescence in the membranes without degrading the utility of ise sensors produced therewith . the structure of coumarin 6 is shown below : ## str2 ## another preferred coumarin is coumarin 314 ( 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 3h , 6h , 10h - tetrahydro - 9 - carbethoxy ( 1 ) benzopyrano ( 9 , 9a , 1 )- gh ) quinolizin - 10 - one ) having structure shown below : ## str3 ## the sensor design , the substrate and the polymeric paste used to prepare the undried membranes were prepared according to the process described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 522 , 978 assigned to the assignee of the present invention and hereby incorporated by reference . rhodamine 6g , fluorescein , methylene chloride , isophorone , carboxylated polyvinyl chloride , silica , trdodecylmethylammonium chloride , and glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane can be obtained commercially from the aldrich chemical co . ( milwaukee , wis .). the coumarins were obtained commercially from acros organics ( new jersey ). the sodium ionophore ( fluka iii ), valinomycin , dioctyl adipate , and potassium tetra ( chlorophenyl ) borate , can be obtained from fluka chemika - biochemika ( ronkonkoma , n . y .). the performance of the completed sensor assemblies was tested using standard operating protocols on a dimension ® ar clinical chemical system obtained from dade chemistry systems ( newark , del .). ultraviolet spectra were obtained using an hp model 8452a diode array spectrophotometer , available from hewlett packard co , ( palo alto , calif .). electrolyte testing was done by installing the integrated sensor arrays on a dimension ® system that was equipped with pumps , calibrants , sensor cartridges and appropriate software obtained from dade chemistry systems inc ., newark , del . the testing was done by first calibrating the cartridges with two levels of each electrolyte , and then running a panel of test samples consisting of two levels of aqueous buffered electrolytes , and three samples of serum based control products . the calibrators and verifiers were obtained from dade chemistry systems , inc ., and the control products are ciba - corning co .&# 39 ; s commercial multiqual ® reagents . medfield , me . the aqueous buffered samples are dade &# 39 ; s commercially available &# 34 ; verifier 1 &# 34 ; ( v1 ) and &# 34 ; verifier 2 ( v2 ). the control products had multilevel concentrations of 1 , 2 , and 3 , respectively ( mq1 , mq2 , and mq3 ). the verifier concentrations were determined by comparison to standards based upon gravimetrically determined quantities of pure sodium and potassium salts . the control product concentration assignments were determined by comparison to multiple lots of sensors made without fluorophores . the pastes used to prepare the ion selective membranes before incorporation of an ionophore were made by mixing the ingredients listed in table 1 below : table 1______________________________________ paste weight compositionsingredient sodium potassium chloride______________________________________fluka na iii 0 . 9 % n / a n / avalinomycin n / a 0 . 9 % n / acpvc * 8 . 4 % 8 . 4 % 8 . 6 % dioctyl adipate 17 . 0 % 17 . 0 % n / asio . sub . 2 5 . 1 % 5 . 1 % 11 . 3 % silane ** 3 . 0 % 3 . 0 % 2 . 9 % dichloromethane 3 . 9 % 3 . 9 % n / aisophorone 61 . 6 % 61 . 6 % 62 . 1 % tdmac *** n / a n / a 15 . 0 % borate **** n / a 0 . 005 % n / a______________________________________ * caboxylated polyvinyl chloride ** glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane *** tridodecylmethylamonium chloride **** potassium tetra ( chlorophenyl ) borate fluorophores were added to the finished paste compositions of example 1a to give a concentration of fluorophore equal to 250 μg / g . after removal of the solvents ( isophorone and dichloromethane ), the concentration was ≈ 710 μg / g in the sodium sensor membrane . the fluorophores shown in table 2 were then evaluated . table 2______________________________________example fluorophore fluorophore solvent______________________________________1b . 1 rhodamine 6g methanol1b . 2 fluorescein methanol1b . 3 coumarin 6 isophorone______________________________________ sensors were prepared using sodium , potassium and chloride paste that contained 250 μg / ml of rhodamine 6g , according to example 1b , table 2 . the results are shown in table 3 below : table 3__________________________________________________________________________performance of sensors with rhodamine fluorophore slope v1 v2 mq1 mq2 mq3 ( mv / decade ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) __________________________________________________________________________na ( found ) & lt ; 50 n / a n / a n / a n / a n / ak ( found ) 57 . 58 2 . 03 6 . 04 2 . 75 4 . 31 6 . 73cl ( found ) - 48 . 17 94 . 8 129 . 08 81 . 75 104 . 71 126 . 87na ( assigned ) n / a 120 . 0 160 . 0 125 . 31 154 . 72 184 . 72k ( assigned ) n / a 2 . 0 6 . 0 2 . 74 4 . 25 6 . 62cl ( assigned ) n / a 95 . 0 128 . 0 82 . 51 105 . 06 126 . 66__________________________________________________________________________ the performance of the sodium sensor was unsatisfactory for the rhodamine containing composition , in spite of the low concentration of the fluorophore compared to the ionophore . because of the sensitivity of the sensor membrane to its constituents , it was expected that some level of rhodamine would interfere with the performance of the sodium sensor , it is surprising that the low level tested in this example would interfere as demonstrated . the calibration slope was less than 50 mv / decade , compared to a typical response of 57 - 60 mv / decade when no fluorophore is added . also , the potassium response was slightly elevated by at least one standard deviation for the mq2 and mq3 results compared to the values assigned with fluorophore free sensors . sensors were prepared using sodium , potassium and chloride paste that contained 250 μg / ml of fluorescein added as a fluorophore , in a similar manner as in example 1b . these sensors were subjected to the same test panel as in example 2a using the same verifiers and control products . the results are shown in table 4 below : table 4__________________________________________________________________________performance of sensors with added fluorescein fluorophore slope v1 v2 mq1 mq2 mq3 ( mv / decade ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) __________________________________________________________________________na ( found ) 57 . 79 120 . 92 161 . 12 130 . 16 160 . 70 191 . 41k ( found ) 58 . 88 2 . 07 6 . 02 2 . 75 4 . 27 6 . 65cl ( found ) - 48 . 61 95 . 92 129 . 62 82 . 07 104 . 57 126 . 39na ( assigned ) n / a 120 . 0 160 . 0 125 . 31 154 . 72 184 . 72k ( assigned ) n / a 2 . 0 6 . 0 2 . 74 4 . 25 6 . 62cl ( assigned ) n / a 95 . 0 128 . 0 82 . 51 105 . 06 126 . 66__________________________________________________________________________ in all cases , the sensors with added fluorescein gave calibration slopes that were comparable to what is obtained with sensors having no fluorophore . the sodium sensor gave inaccurate results with the control products mq1 , mq2 , and mq3 . the results were elevated by 5 - 7 mv / l compared to the values assigned with sensors having no fluorophore . sensors were prepared using chloride , potassium , and sodium pastes that contained 250 μg / ml of coumarin 6 , in the same manner as in example 1b . 3 . these were subjected to a test panel of the same verifiers and control products previously employed . the results are shown in table 5 below : table 5__________________________________________________________________________performance of sensors with added coumarin 6 fluorophore slope v1 v2 mq1 mq2 mq3 ( mv / decade ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) ( mm / l ) __________________________________________________________________________na ( found ) 59 . 7 120 . 4 158 . 8 123 . 8 147 . 3 172 . 4k ( found ) 59 . 4 2 . 04 5 . 94 2 . 36 4 . 12 6 . 31cl ( found ) - 48 . 7 94 . 6 128 . 7 80 . 8 102 . 0 126 . 5na ( assigned ) n / a 120 . 0 160 . 0 123 147 172 . 5k ( assigned ) n / a 2 . 0 6 . 0 2 . 35 4 . 1 6 . 28cl ( assigned ) n / a 95 . 0 128 . 0 80 . 1 102 126 . 8__________________________________________________________________________ all of the sensors gave accurate results with both the verifiers and control products . the calibration slopes were also satisfactory . samples of fluorophore containing membranes were prepared for spectral studies . these were made using the formulation for sodium paste described in example 1b , with two changes ; the silane coupling agent and the fluka iii ionophore were omitted . the concentration of fluorophore in the paste was 250 μg / ml . the paste samples 3a . 1 and 3a . 2 were dispensed into the preformed wells of ceramic substrates . using the apparatus described hereinafter , the undried membranes were illuminated and viewed with a video imaging device attached to optical elements . the images were digitized to give pixel responses having 256 gray scale levels . the digitized pixel values , indicative of the amount of fluorescence response from the selected fluorophores , are shown as a function of lateral position across the membrane in fig3 . starting from the left edge of the graph , the first section of the curves show a low background pixel response of the ceramic dielectric where no fluorescent membrane paste was applied . the left hand vertical dotted line indicates the boundary edge of the area covered with paste . continuing across the graph , representing the sensor , the pixel scale response rises steeply to a maximum level , reaches a plateau in the area of the maximum membrane thickness , and then drops to the background response level , at the right side of the membrane . the response from background lighting in areas not covered with paste gave pixel response values of about 45 units . this was subtracted from the values seen in the wet membrane , to give the results shown in fig3 . the response with example 3a . 1 , using the preferred coumarin 6 surprisingly was about 4 × stronger than with the other example , 3a . 2 . fig4 is an enlarged and somewhat simplified view of a single sensor element 30 and , taken with the cross - section shown in fig5 illustrate a typical pattern alignment obtained for a single sensor element made using the polymeric matrix composition of table 1 having dispersed therein an ion exchange ionophore of at least 0 . 001 % and less than about 2 % by weight of at least one of the preferred coumarin fluorophores selected from the group of 7 - amino - coumarin derivatives as more fully described herein . it is important for proper functioning of the sensor element 30 that the sensor membrane layer 26 be aligned with and overlap the dielectric layers 24 and 28 to form an annular ring 32 region of overlap that exceeds predetermined minimum dimensions . at the same time , the sensor membrane 26 must be in electrical contact with the underlying conductive path layer 25 . in the instance that the device 21 is sized approximately 1 inch by 2 inch , the annular ring 32 region is approximately an oval having dimensions 0 . 050 by 0 . 200 inches , while overlap dimensions indicated as &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; ideally fall into a range , for example from 0 . 001 to 0 . 020 inches . the minimum dimensions of overlap that are formed by annular ring 32 region are determined as those overlap dimensions required to provide adequate operating stability . inadequate overlap increases the possibility for test fluids contained in the fluid channel 34 to diffuse underneath sensor membrane layer 26 and to establish erroneous electrical connections directly with the conductor layer 22 . fig6 and 8 illustrate several of the various defects that may occur from positional inaccuracy of imprinted features . misregistration of pattern features that may occur from misalignment of the sensor paste layers include a pinhole formed in the sensor membrane layer 26 indicated by the letter &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; in fig7 incomplete coverage of the sensor membrane layer 26 , indicated by the letter &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; in fig6 due to misregistration and incomplete coverage of the sensor membrane layer 26 , indicated by the letter &# 34 ; e &# 34 ; due to incomplete application of the sensor membrane in fig8 . preferred machine vision systems used in practicing this invention are generally comprised of a host computer and special - purpose processing hardware having software implemented applications to make it perform the required digital image processing operations . such systems are available from vendors like omron electronics ( schaumburg , ill . ), allen bradley ( milwaukee , wis . ), and ppt vision ( minneapolis , minn .). the principles involved are well known , for example as explained in &# 34 ; digital image processing &# 34 ;, gregory a . baxes , john wiley & amp ; sons , inc ., new york . in particular , image differencing techniques are employed to determine small variations between two images that may appear essentially the same by unaided observation . using this technique , two images may be compared , pixel by pixel , so that the image portions that are identical will subtract to zero ( 0 ). portions of the images that are different , however , will yield a signal other than zero ( 0 ). conventional image enhancement and analysis techniques may then be applied to determine object shape measurements that characterize the appearance of an image according to pixel distance around the circumference of the image , pixel area of the interior of the image , pixel distances of the major and minor axes of image , count of number of holes that exist in the interior of an image , total pixel area of the holes , and the like . a comparison of these pixel values with predefined maximum and minimal acceptable absolute values is used to judge the quality of the membrane sensor layers . these techniques are well known in the art . a feature of the present invention is use of dual radiation means to illuminate the sensor to : ( 1 ) determine the locations of semi - finished sensor elements using radiation energy outside the fluorophore excitation band ; and ( 2 ) determine the locations of the corresponding as - deposited sensor membrane paste using radiation energy capable of exciting the fluorophores included in the sensor membrane 26 . this allows a comparison between a semi - finished sensor element 30 ( like that shown in fig2 a ) before the uppermost sensor membrane 26 is applied and a finished sensor element 30 ( like that shown in fig2 b ) after the uppermost sensor membrane 26 is applied . this comparison is accomplished by utilizing a first illumination means having radiation selected so that the sensor membrane 30 remains essentially transparent to the image acquiring means in combination with a second illumination means having radiation selected so that the sensor membrane 30 becomes essentially visible to the image acquiring means . appropriate filters to select the radiation without detracting from the images of the sensor membrane 30 are included . means for acquisition , enhancement and analysis of the images of the sensor element 30 surface image ( not shown ) comprise a frame - grabber and a microprocessor , and interface means to permit variable programming of the system &# 39 ; s microprocessor - based computer for desired membrane application and inspection tasks through a user - interactive or computer - controlled system of menus . the system is preferably combined with a conventional material handling system typical of piece - parts manufacturing which transports and presents the sensor elements 30 to the machine vision system . these mechanisms , their installation and use are known to those skilled in the art . fig9 a shows such an exemplary sensor production system employing machine vision for performing the inspection of sensor substrates 21 enabled by the sensor membrane compositions of the present invention , the substrates 21 being mounted on a conventional , computer controlled &# 34 ; x - y - z &# 34 ; positioning table 29 . a radiation source 13 , preferably model d - 7918 obtained from scholly fiberoptik gmbh ( west germany ), is adapted to provide a radiation pattern l1 having wavelengths generally in a range from 300 to 700 nm . a first filter 14 , for example model 51302 produced by oriel instruments ( stratford , conn .) having bandpass characteristics such that only radiation having wavelengths greater than about 500 nm is passed is positioned proximate to the radiation source 13 to intercept and filter radiation pattern l1 so as to illuminate the semi - finished substrate 21 , in particular , the conductor layer 25 , and the two dielectric layers 24 and 28 . this filtered radiation pattern l1 is distributed from ringlight 12 , for instance model 10 - 1602 - 03 produced by ram optical inspection ( huntington beach , calif .) to illuminate the sensor substrate 21 at an angle from about 20 to 40 degrees relative to the optical axis defined by a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 21 . a shuttle device 9 is adapted to replace the first filter 14 with a second filter 15 , for example model 57530 produced by oriel , the second filter 15 having narrow bandpass filter characteristics such that only radiation having wavelengths preferably centered between about 400 and 500 nm to provide illumination selected to excite the coumarin fluorophores contained in the sensor membrane 26 . the filtered radiation l1 is emitted from ringlight 12 to illuminate the sensor substrate 21 at an angle from about 20 to 40 degrees relative to the optical axis . a radiation emission filter 17 , for example model 51302 produced by oriel having bandpass filter characteristics selected such that only radiation having those wavelengths greater than the representative excitation wavelengths of coumarin fluorophores , preferably between about 400 and 800 nm , is positioned before the image acquiring means 18 to intercept the radiation emitted by an excited fluorophore . thus , only that radiation having wavelengths emitted by the tagging fluorophore within the sensor membrane 26 are incident upon image acquiring means 18 when the second filter 15 is in use . image acquiring means 18 preferably comprises a high resolution , solid state , mos ( metal oxide semiconductor ) type with asynchronous frame reset capability , for instance model xc77 produced by sony corporation ( toko , japan ) equipped with appropriate optical elements . this capability allows the image acquiring means 18 to capture the image of a sensor element 30 with spatial resolution of approximately 0 . 0003 inches per pixel . a changeover for other sizes / shapes of sensor elements 30 may be accommodated by simply adjusting the vertical positions of the image acquiring means 18 and different optical element 11 . in an alternate embodiment , shown in fig9 b , a second illuminating source 16 , for example model 50 - 3500 - 00 produced by ram optical inspection is employed to provide a beam of radiation generally in a wavelength range from 550 to 650 nm through a beamsplitter 15 , for instance model 0102020 produced by esco products ( oak ridge , n . j .) positioned in the optical axis with the split portion of the beam captured by image acquiring means 18 and the reflected portion being normally incident upon the substrate . if used in combination with the preferred arrangement shown in fig9 a , this alternate arrangement allows the optimum combination of angularly incident and normally incident radiation upon the substrate from either of the two sources 13 and 16 to provide the highest degree of image contrast and capture , depending upon the surface roughness and optical adsorption / reflection characteristics of the sensor substrate 21 and layers 24 , 25 , 26 , and 28 . the arrangement and management of the electronic circuitry of the image acquiring means 18 and the frame - grabber 19 are widely known and the routines of comparing the various images are also well - known . fig1 is a flowchart of a process for determining the target area on semi - finished sensor substrates 21 for sensor membrane layer 26 application , for detecting application flaws within the sensor membrane layer 26 and misregistration of the applied sensor membrane layer 26 . the process is further adapted to provide correction information to computer 22 . in this process , information regarding the desired positioning of the sensor membrane is determined by illuminating the semi - finished substrate 21 like shown in fig2 a in which only the conductor layer 25 and first and second dielectric layers 24 and 28 have been printed onto the sensor substrate 21 with radiation that has been filtered through bandpass filter 14 , indicated by step 102 . the image acquiring means 18 thus acquires an image of the top surface of the semi - finished sensor element so that the location may be determined of each of the cavities d ( fig2 a ) defined by the dielectric layers 24 and 28 where a sensor membrane 26 is to be applied ( fig2 b ), as shown in boxes 102 and 104 . after the computer 22 determines the precise location of the cavity d , a membrane paste application operation is initiated and the membrane application means ( not shown ) applies a predetermined amount and pattern of sensor membrane paste within the cavity d as depicted in box 106 . conventional alignment techniques are employed to control the application means to apply the membrane paste in proper alignment on the sensor element 21 so that each cavity d is in communication with no more than one of the conductive elements 25 , the membrane 26 being portioned and disposed within said openings so that communication is established between said membrane portion 26 and the conductive elements 25 . application of the membrane composition takes place using dispensing techniques , with equipment available from vendors such as asymtek ( carlsbad , calif . ), otto engineering ( carpentersville , ill .) and camalot systems ( haverhill , me .). in the subsequent membrane inspection mode , a sensor element 21 to be inspected is illuminated using radiation in the excitation region of the fluorophore so that the image capture system acquires an image of the sensor membrane 26 as applied to the sensor element 30 and depicted in box 108 . the computer 22 and frame - grabber 19 utilized in this invention provides capability for analysis of the digital images in box 110 . consequently , the computer 22 is able to analyze the image of the sensor membrane 26 with respect to the previously generated image in box 102 of the cavity d as depicted in box 112 to determine the degree of coincident alignment by making a conventional flaw and dimension analysis between the two images arising from errors in the application of the sensor membrane 26 as depicted in box 114 . subsequent conventional alignment techniques are employed to control the application of the membrane paste in proper alignment on the sensor element 30 as depicted in box 116 . applicants have thus discovered that , notwithstanding the performance sensitivity of the ise sensor membrane to its chemical constituents , certain fluorophores have been found that may be advantageously added to the composition of the sensor membrane 26 without interfering with the performance of chloride , potassium , or sodium sensors . there are two primary requirements for the fluorophore which must be met in such a fluorophore design : first , it must not interfere with the analytical performance of the sensor by causing greater than one percent deviation of the performance of the incorporating membrane ; and , second , it must be sufficiently fluorescent within the membrane to provide distinguishable optical contrast relative to the background portion of the sensor under ambient lighting . the first requirement of the fluorophore is that it cause less than one percent deviation of the amount of measured analyte relative to the analyte concentration determined with compositions having no fluorophore therein . there is general understanding of the compositional requirements of a usable sensor membrane ; however , the effects of changes in composition and specific concentrations or chemical structures for the components is not well understood . since ise sensors are known to be highly sensitive to the composition of the surface layer of the membrane , it is not obvious or understood why some fluorophores will interfere and others will not , especially at the relatively low concentration of fluorophore used in the examples herein . the fluorophore is at a concentration of 0 . 025 % in the paste , whereas the specific ionophore for sodium and potassium is ≈ 1 % so that the ionophore is approximately 40 × higher in concentration than is the fluorophore . the presence of an ionic species in the membrane of ise sensors is expected to have an adverse effect on the performance of the sensor . however , it is surprising that at a concentration of less than 2 . 5 % of the active ion - carrier , there is a detectable degradation of performance . even at this low concentration , the rhodamine and fluorescein examples hereinabove show unexpected , and un - acceptable interference in the sodium sensor . these results are contrary to those expected from the prior art . in the prior art , some ionic species are expected to improve performance . for example , in the case of fluorescein , a lipophilic anion , the expected effect is an improvement in specificity , based upon theory described by lindner , erno , et al . in &# 34 ; response of site - controlled , plasticized membrane electrodes .&# 34 ;, analytical chemistry , 60 ( 1988 ): 295 - 301 . even at this low concentration , the rhodamine and fluorescein examples hereinbelow show unexpected , and un - acceptable interference in the sodium sensor . while the amino coumarins carry no charge in the native state , side reactions could occur between them and other components of the sensor membrane that would yield ionic products that would interfere with sensor performance . it is not obvious that the amino coumarins are sufficiently chemically inert to be free of such side reactions . secondly , a sufficiently high concentration of fluorophore is required within the membrane since the membrane must capture a sufficient amount of the excitation light source to emit an amount of light to permit accurate discrimination between its fluorescence and the background image due to reflected illumination from stray ambient light sources . unfortunately , the fluorescence of fluorophores is known to be sensitive to self - quenching at the concentration levels required to meet these conditions . self - quenching is a general term within the art that describes the phenomenon of decreasing fluorescence quantum yield seen as fluorophore concentrations are increased . the processes responsible for this self - quenching are understood in principle , but again , not well enough to accurately anticipate the usefulness of specific compositions . another difficulty faced in selection of the fluorophore is that in addition to self - quenching , non - specific chemical processes take place during bonding between the fluorophore and the silane coupling agent used to provide covalent linkage of the membrane to the dielectric of the sensor coupling agent . these non - specific chemical processes generally act to reduce the yield of fluorescence an unpredictable amount . surprisingly , certain fluorophores have been successfully incorporated into the sensor membrane 26 as shown in the preceding examples . compounds from the coumarin class of fluorophores have proven effective in rendering a detectable fluorescent emission from the normally transparent sensor pastes as described hereinafter without causing greater than one percent interference with the electrochemical response of the membrane . the dyes used in the examples are all strongly fluorescent when measured at low concentrations in common solvents . for example , the quantum yields for fluorescence for the two coumarins described above are 85 % for coumarin 6 , and 77 % for coumarin 314 , ( eastman laser products dataservice publication jj - 169 , 1977 , kodak optical products , eastman kodak company , rochester , n . y .) rhodamine and fluorescein compositions were expected to be useful in a ise sensor , based on the fluorescence obtainable therewith at a low concentration ; however , experimental tests described above unexpectedly determined that they caused greater than one percent errors in the analytical performance of the sensors at these low concentrations . it is within the scope of the present invention to employ other sensor membrane compositions to enhance visualization of various constituents of ion selective electrodes . for instance , by using two different fluorophores in two membrane layers applied successively in a lower and upper relationship , an optical comparison of the relative alignment and integrity of the two layers can be made using essentially the same image acquisition and analysis techniques described herein . alternatively , by using a fluorophore in the lower layer , and using a light absorbing agent capable of substantially blocking the incident radiation in the upper layer , the relative alignment and integrity of the two layers may be determined using the image acquisition and analysis techniques described herein . the agent , for example an inert phthalocyanine pigment , must also cause less than one percent deviation upon the performance of the membrane layer . it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are illustrative of the principles of the invention and that other modifications may be employed which are still within the scope of the invention . accordingly , the present invention is not limited to those embodiments precisely shown and described in the specification .
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referring to fig1 the invention is shown , for purposes of example , as applied to a hydrogen anode for zinc , manganese , cadmium and similar metal recovery cells , through it is to be understood that such use is illustrative only . the catalyzer carbon cloth or paper or similar substrate constituting an electrode sheet is shown at 1 in fig1 carrying a mixture of &# 34 ; teflon &# 34 ; ( polytetrafluoroethylene ), pt and / or pd particles , such as of the type described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 331 , 520 , or some other suitable catalyzer porous electrode structure . such an electrocatalytic carbon cloth or the like is described in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 248 , 682 ; 4 , 293 , 396 ; and 4 , 647 , 359 . on its side facing the cell electrolyte e ( on the right in fig1 ), the electrode sheet 1 is shown to bear a gas - confining coating , for example the afore - mentioned aqueous polymeric hydrogel layer or membrane 3 applied as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 614 , 575 . the membrane , again by way of example only , may be of the type described in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 331 , 783 ; 4 , 337 , 327 ; 4 , 379 , 874 to v . a . stoy ( more particularly , for instance , the gel of examples 1 or 2 of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 614 , 575 ). other gas - confining coatings are also suitable for the purpose of attaining gas economy and / or ready gas recirculation . for example , a coating comprising a mixture of carbon and teflon ( polytrafluoroethylene ). sintered onto the catalyzed cloth restricts gas percolation significantly . for some electrochemical processes , such as those involving air electrodes , or other inexpensive active waste gases , the gas - confining coating may be omitted entirely . in accordance with the invention , in one preferred form , the full opposite side of the catalyzed substrate ( the left side in fig1 ) is conductively attached ( e . g . glued ) to a structurally supporting full sheet current collector , such as a lead sheet or block 5 or an alloy of lead , silver and calcium , for example , by a conductive adhesive layer 7 as of an epoxy resin containing silver particles , such as the type &# 34 ; eccobond &# 34 ; 83c manufactured by emerson - cuming . other suitable graphite , silver - plated graphite or gold - plated graphite particles or the like may also be employed . it is especially advantageous to use a graphite - epoxy adhesive in conjunction with a carbon cloth of thickness between 1 . 0 mm and 3 . 0 mm wherein a uniform mixture of catalytic carbon or noble metal catalyzed carbon and a hydrophobic binder is adhered to one surface of the carbon cloth and is found partially within its pores , and is bonded to the yarns thereof , leaving the other surface catalyst - free for firm bonding to the graphite epoxy adhesive . in accordance with the invention , hydrogen gas for this anode is supplied at one or more longitudinally spaced transverse grooves g occupying a very minor portion of the surface or area of the current collector 5 . as is more particularly shown in fig2 a thin hydrogen access or inlet groove g is provided near the bottom , extending transversely across the sheet and connected to an inlet passage i in one side edge of the sheet . similarly , the upper portion of the collector sheet 5 is shown provided with a thin exit groove g &# 39 ; connected to an outlet hole 0 in the upper side edge of the sheet . the dimensions of the full sheet are arbitrary except that its thickness must be sufficient to accommodate the gas access means , e . g . on the order of 0 . 3 cm to receive the passaged i and o and the grooves g , g &# 39 ;. the total cross section area of the groove ( s ), g , g &# 39 ;, etc . is a minor portion of the area of the sheet 5 , and is , typically , kept between 0 . 1 and 1 . 0 percent thereof . by way of example , retrofit dimensions ( where the gas diffusion assembly replaces the existing conventional lead alloy anode ) may be 60 cm × 100 cm × 0 . 65 cm . inlet and outlet tubes t i and t o may feed and bleed the hydrogen , respectively , to the access or inlet groove g and from the exit groove g &# 39 ;. the full sheet component 5 can be inserted in the cell tank where it is immersed in a typical electrolyte solution e , such as that referred to above , with the solution level above the upper groove g &# 39 ;, as indicated at l . thus , the hydrogen gas is fed at t i to one edge of the current collector 5 ( left in fig1 ) and enters into the somewhat larger diameter or cross - section channel or groove g extending transversely across the collector sheet . it has been discovered that this plenum - free limited aperture or groove feed provides , surprisingly , facile and entirely adequate and economical gas diffusion into the juxtaposed electrocatalytic cloth sheet 1 , with the gas diffusely and rapidly spreading longitudinally and transversely over the whole surface thereof and fully utilizing the electrocatalytic properties thereof throughout the whole sheet 1 as it receives the electrolyte e on its opposite surface through the gas - confining coating such as the hydrogel membrane coating 3 , if used , as explained in said u . s . pat . no . 4 , 614 , 575 . as stated , the electrode assembly of this invention , is to be immersed in an electrolyte solution e in a tank so as to cover at l the hydrogen - bearing grooves as well as the electrocatalytically active portions of the carbon cloth 1 or the like . one face of the electrocatalytically active cloth or the like ( shown as the left - hand face in fig1 ) contacts substantially the entire surface of the face of the full current collector sheet 5 except for the small open areas at which the this grooves g , g &# 39 ; open at the surface of the collector sheet into the cloth . the other face of the cloth 1 ( right - hand side ) is in contact over its entire area with the electrolyte solution e . in this assembly , the hydrogen ( or other gas ) is thus carried by the carbon cloth . optimum mechanical support of the cloth by the full current collector sheet is thus attained with minimal electronic contact resistance . in such assembly construction , moreover , it has been advantageous to select cloths having a thickness in excess of one millimeter and preferably less than three millimeters to cause gas flow without introducing an extensive electric resistance under current densities exceeding ten amperes per square foot . while the above referred to conductive adhesive is a preferred means of electrically and mechanically connecting the electrocatalytic cloth to the full sheet current collector , other means , such as more of the mechanical means is shown in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 248 , 682 can in some instances be used for the same purpose . in fig2 the electrocatalytic cloth or other sheet 1 is shown provided , also , with non - catalyzed margin portions 1 &# 39 ; which are also conductively adhered to the corresponding opposite portions of the current collector 5 as by a conductive epoxy adhesive , for example , and with the right - hand surfaces of the electrode margins 1 &# 39 ; also covered by the hydrogel 3 , when employed , thereby providing gas - sealing at the edges of the assembly . the following examples describe a particular full current collector sheet / cloth / membrane assembly and its use in zinc electrowinning with a hydrogen anode . it is noted that a lead alloy is a suitable , preferred current collector in sulfuric acid / metal sulfate electrolytes from which metals including zinc , copper , manganese and others are recovered , because such alloys are passivated by the electrolyte . a hydrogen anode assembly was constructed on a pb / ca / ag alloy full sheet , 74 cm × 12 cm × 0 . 65 cm , according to fig1 . a 2 mm thick carbon cloth , identified by the maker as textron 213 , was catalyzed in accordance with u . s . pat . no . 4 , 293 , 396 and was glued to one face of the full sheet by means of a layer of conducting graphite / epoxy glue , of lesser thinness than that of the cloth , identified by the maker as mavidon c - 41 ; and the structure was coated with a polymeric gel membrane also of thinness of the order of the carbon cloth , as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 614 , 575 . the assembly was immersed in a tank containing an electrolyte comprised of 150 g / l sulfuric acid and 70 g / l zinc as zinc sulfate with a cathode blank spaced 2 . 54 cm from the surface of the anode . the electrolyte temperature was 40 ° c . and hydrogen gas was passed through the catalyzed carbon cloth at a rate approximately two fold in excess of that required to maintain the desired current density of 430 a / m 2 . a hydrogen inlet pressure of 105 mm hg and an outlet pressure of 40 mm hg were maintained throughout the eight hours of zinc plating . electrowinning produced a uniform dense zinc sheet strippable from the cathode blank at a current efficiency of approximately 88 %. the average anode - to - cathode voltage for the duration of the plating was 1 . 334 volts . when the assembly of example 1 was run with the hydrogen outlet pressure varied from 0 to 50 mm hg , the anode to cathode voltage responded in the following manner : ______________________________________h . sub . 2 outlet pressure current density anode - cathode voltage______________________________________none 430 a / m . sup . 2 1 . 606 volts28 mm hg 430 a / m . sup . 2 1 . 368 volts37 mm hg 430 a / m . sup . 2 1 . 355 volts50 mm hg 430 a / m . sup . 2 1 . 268 volts______________________________________ an anode was constructed on a pb / ca / ag alloy full sheet according to fig1 . the dimensions of the electrode were 75 cm in height and 15 cm in width . a 1 mm thick catalyzed carbon cloth , as for example stackpole fiber co . knitted carbon cloth , was glued to one face of the lead sheet with a conducting silver / epoxy glue and the structure was coated with the polymeric gel membrane identified in example 1 . the assembly was tested in a similar manner to that of example 1 . electrowinning produced a uniform , dense zinc sheet strippable from the cathode blank at a current efficiency of 86 . 7 %. the average anode - to - cathode voltage for the duration of the plating was 1 . 214 volts . while the full sheet assemblies have been described and illustrated in the above examples , using carbon cloth as the electronic conducting gas - carrying substrate , other such gas porous substrates including certain carbon mats and papers are also suitable substrates for the electrocatalytic gas carrier . in the operation of a cell under a d . c . current with , for example , the full sheet hydrogen anode assembly of this invention , it suffices to supply hydrogen to the inlet without providing a hydrogen outlet , because the anode reaction sucks hydrogen gas into the system by converting the gas to the electrolyte soluble hydrogen ion , producing acid . this suction phenomenon is actually visible by providing an exit groove as well as an excess of hydrogen . the exit evolution rate of hydrogen prior to passing the current is sharply reduced when under current , and can be stopped entirely by increasing the current . in practice , a hydrogen outlet is often desirable as it provides the means to supply an excess of hydrogen over that amount required for the current . the hydrogen can then be pressurized at will to prevent ( or at least minimize ) flooding of the electrocatalytic cloth or the like thereby to attain the improvement in voltage , as shown in example 2 . here , the exit groove g &# 39 ; serves to remove the unused excess hydrogen , preferably for recycling , and the pressure is readily controllable at the exit . a similar consideration holds for oxygen ( air ) cathodes using the full sheet assembly . a typical full sheet oxygen cathode is useful in the cathodic production of hydrogen peroxide in sodium hydroxide solution , for example . because of the lower diffusivity of oxygen ( vs . that of hydrogen ), the oxygen pressure needs to be adjusted to the current to be drawn to insure uniform oxygen distribution across the surface of a carbon - catalyzed cloth or the like . ( noble metal catalyst must be avoided here as they decompose the peroxide .) when air is the source of oxygen this adjustment becomes even more critical due to the diluting effect of the nitrogen . here , it is desirable to shorten the path of the air , or less so of oxygen , in the full sheet assembly . for example , by utilizing full sheets of greater width than height , the appropriate relative dimensions are readily determined experimentally at different current densities and with different width - to - height electrode assemblies . yet another way to control the length of the gas ( e . g . air ) path is to provide more than one gas access on the same sheet , their number being readily determined by experimentation with any given geometric full sheet configuration . as before stated , another cathodic application is in the production of chlorine and caustic comprising an ion - exchange membrane , wherein the cathode is the electrode assembly above - described , with oxygen or air ( preferably co 2 - free ) employed . yet another use of the full sheet / cloth assembly involves a bi - polar plate , such as , for example , a nickel plate in an alkaline metal oxygen ( air ) battery . here , the cathodic face of the nickel plate full sheet is in contact with the electrocatalytic cloth and oxygen ( air ) is fed thereto . the other face is in contact with the &# 34 ; anodic &# 34 ; metal , e . g . lithium , aluminum , etc . other varieties and uses of the assembly of this invention will occur to those skilled in the art as well as alternate modes of effecting the full sheet contact including other varieties of conducting glues , silver epoxy adhesion points spaced sufficiently closely to permit liquid and / or open plastic screen pressure to insure substantially full sheet / cloth contact ; such being considered within the scope of the appended claims .
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this invention is the merging of artificial intelligence of established process control technology and aquatic systems design to provide closed , recirculating water filtration systems to the aquaculture / aquarium industries . closed , recirculating aquaculture filtration systems are a collection of subsystems that provide complete ecological life support for aquatic organisms , eliminating deliberate replacement of water yet maintaining acceptable water quality . implied in this definition is the complete removal of biologically generated soluble and suspended pollutants and conservation of water resources . the definition does not extend to water lost to evaporation . it is assumed that evaporated water is free of environmental pollutants and its replacement will not result in substantial resource depletion . the invention relates to machine / computer control of the processes that optimize the growth and reproduction of aquatic organisms in &# 34 ; closed - loop &# 34 ; biological filtration systems . the invention works by continually monitoring of physical factors affecting physiological requirements of the cultured organisms and continually adjusting necessary to meet these requirements ; some factors ( e . g ., dissolved oxygen , ph , metabolites and salinity ) will be held within critical limits while others ( e . g ., temperature and light cycle ) may be changed to alter growth characteristics and / or periodicity of reproduction . a closed , recirculating aquaculture system is a collection of tank ( s ), plumbing , filtration devices , and pumps ( fig1 and 2 ). the culture tanks may be of any size , shape and material appropriate to the species in culture . plumbing may be of any size , shape and material compatible with the overall tank design . the filters used in aquaculture systems generally fall into five types and may be used in any combination appropriate to the species in culture . the filter types are : ( 1 ) particulate removal - screens , settling basins , media filled traps and to some extent , physical / chemical adsorption devices ( foam fractionators and activated carbon ); ( 2 ) physical adsorption - foam fractionators ( i . e ., protein skimmers ) of all designs ; ( 3 ) chemical adsorption - activated carbon , zeolites and other synthetic media and membranes used to trap molecules based on size or electrical charge ; ( 4 ) biological - media beds that support bacteria for oxidizing organic wastes and reducing the end product ( s ) to carbon dioxide and elemental nitrogen . in addition , denitrification ( the conversion of nitrate into nitrogen gas ) can occur in biological filter beds under anaerobic conditions ; and ( 5 ) irradiation / oxidation -- a group of devices producing ultraviolet light ( uv ), ozone or both . pumps may be any of a number of devices used to move water through the system at a rate compatible with the overall tank design and animals . included in this category are water pumps , air blowers and compressors . a natural dichotomy between mechanical , pump - driven systems and airlift - driven systems occurs in the design of filtration . airlift - driven systems operate at very low head pressure but with flow volumes equal to pump - driven systems that operate with high head pressure . there are a number of compelling reasons ( e . g ., economy , simplicity and durability ) to use airlifts in aquaculture systems . however , aquaculture filtration systems are typically pump - driven . filters designed for high pressure pumping are readily available and entirely adaptable to the requirements of this invention but they are not easily adapted to airlift - driven systems . therefore , filters described as part of this embodiment are low pressure designs developed for airlift - driven systems but they are appropriate for pump - driven applications . all systems and subsystems are integrated by an intelligent control system composed of sensors , communication devices , computer hardware , software interface and expert system . these control systems : ( 1 ) acquire real - time data directly from production systems , ( 2 ) transform the inputs mathematically into process models , ( 3 ) interface these models with expert systems that assume the role of a human expert , and ( 4 ) apply decisions of the expert system to control critical processes . therefore , the development of automated aquaculture systems should be driven by the expansion of intensive aquaculture systems and the increased availability of affordable process control hardware and software . success in designing a pragmatic and affordable automated control system will be widely applicable because it will greatly enhance water management , reduce costs associated with manual monitoring and reduce significantly the chance of catastrophic system failures . the modem commercial aquaculture facility has become a sophisticated network of interrelated processes and subprocesses that require the transfer of raw materials ( e . g ., oxygen , heat , feeds and water ) into a high - quality final product ( edible high protein flesh ) at a rapid rate . these processes are comparable to the physical processes managed by manufacturing industries . they require many simple ( step - wise ) and complex ( side - loop ) processes to be integrated spatially and temporally in order to maximize product and minimize failures . automation of intensive aquaculture systems will allow us companies to : ( 1 ) compete with world commodity markets by locating production closer to markets , ( 2 ) improve environmental control , ( 3 ) reduce catastrophic losses , ( 4 ) avoid problems with environmental regulations on effluents , ( 5 ) reduce management and labor cots significantly , and ( 6 ) improve product quality and consistency . the application of process control technology and the concurrent need for aquaculture - specific expert systems ( a computer program that supplies answers or solutions based on available information , by attempting to duplicate the human thought process ) is central to continued intensification of the aquaculture industry . in addition , the invention includes a machine vision subsystem that is a process by which organisms may be modeled for the purposes of detection , surveillance , measurement and quality assessment in a machine vision system . the machine vision subsystem is the application of an adaptive - neuro fuzzy inference system ( anfis ) to the problems of singulation ( identifying an individual in a frame ) and segmentation ( separating an object from the background ) and intelligent continuous monitoring in an aquacultural or agricultural system . in an automated aquaculture system , the machine vision subsystem may be used to incorporate animal data into the control parameters for the system . this animal data may include size , growth rates , activity level , activity classification ( e . g ., mating behavior , egg laying and molting ). animal data can be used as an environmental indicator ( e . g ., water quality alarms ) or as a control variable ( e . g ., mating behavior causes an increase in feeding frequency ) for an automated system . the machine vision subsystem is the necessary missing link between the theoretical use of machine vision in aquaculture and the ability for the application of machine vision technology in any production facility . production facilities where organisms are products or producers ( agriculture , aquaculture , and biotechnology ) will benefit the most since this invention makes possible the use of machine vision for scenes and target objects which are irregular and complex . the machine vision subsystem consists of a process ( algorithm ) whereby features ( whether they are part of the a priori knowledge of target object morphology for the purposes of object recognition and classification , the results of a continuous activity monitor , or the test for animal or product marketability ) are grouped with a cooperative effort of supervised learning ( neural networks ) and a fuzzy inference system ( fis ). the supervised learning may take place in batches , with the end product being a fis which will operate ( make decisions ) without the continued application of machine learning ; or , the learning may take place on line whereby the neural network will continue to modify the fis within predetermined parameters , and thus improve performance and the discernment capabilities of the system via unsupervised learning . this invention , a computer automated closed , recirculating aquaculture filtration system ( cacrafs ), is recognized as utilitarian to the industry and necessary to the environment . it was previously unattainable because artificial intelligence capable of the complex &# 34 ; decision making &# 34 ; to control biological filtration was lacking . biological filtration of aquaculture water is essential to the health and survival of aquatic animals . automated control of the denitrification subprocess was developed and patented in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 482 , 630 , incorporated herein by reference . the final piece is contributed by the machine vision subsystem . the serial arrangement of filters ( fig1 ) is ordered such that effluent water is contracted in the following plug - flow order : ( 1 ) mechanical or particulate filtration ( e . g ., submerged bed , upflow sand or bed filter , fluidized sand filter , semipermeable membrane , flushing filter and trickling filter ); ( 2 ) physical adsorption or foam fractionation ( e . g ., protein skimmers ); ( 3 ) chemical ( e . g ., activated charcoal , zeolite or any chelating or sequestering compound ); ( 4 ) biological ( e . g ., aerobic or anaerobic bacterial beds that function as heterotrophic or chemoauxotrophic bacterial assemblages ); and ( 5 ) sterilization ( e . g ., ultraviolet light , ozone , chlorine or other chemical oxidants ). the sequence is appropriate for all forms of aquaculture filtration components as listed above . a typical arrangement of the system is shown in fig2 b in which the prefilter tank 22 ( including the particulate filter , foam fractionator and activated carbon ) have dimensions of 4 &# 39 ; w × 8 &# 39 ; l × 4 &# 39 ; h . the culture tank 10 has dimensions of 12 &# 39 ; w × 20 &# 39 ; l × 4 &# 39 ; h . the airlift casing 55 is 24 &# 34 ; in diameter × 13 &# 39 ; h and the biofilter 60 is 8 &# 39 ; w × 18 &# 39 ; l × 3 &# 39 ; h . the head tank 52 is 2 &# 39 ; w × 4 &# 39 ; l × 2 &# 39 ; h . also shown in fig2 b are two ultraviolet light sterilizers 80 . filtration efficiency is managed by a distributed control system , dcs ( using artificial intelligence ) so that water quality is maintained at acceptable standards for any aquatic species in culture . the five filter types are automated in the following manner : ( 1 ) the efficiency of mechanical or particulate filtration can be improved by monitoring differential pressure across the filter , water flow through the filter , oxidation - reduction potential , dissolved oxygen and filter bed expansion volume and by then controlling water flow rate or residence time , backwashing frequency and duration ; ( 2 ) the efficiency of physical adsorption can be improved by monitoring water flow through the filter , total gas pressure in the effluent , gas injection and bubble height and by then controlling water flow rate or residence time , cycle time , gas source ( e . g ., blower air , compressed gas or ozone ) and gas injection rate ; ( 3 ) the efficiency of chemical filtration can be improved by monitoring water flow through the filter and differential pressure across the filter and by then controlling water flow rate or residence time ; ( 4 ) the efficiency of biological filtration ( e . g ., aerobic or anaerobic ) can be improved by monitoring water flow through the filter , differential pressure across the filter , dissolved oxygen , ph , oxidation - reduction potential , carbon dioxide and water level changes depending on the type of biological filter used ( e . g ., submerged , upflow , fluidized , trickling or flushing ) and by then controlling water flow rate or residence time , dissolved oxygen injection , buffer injection , backwashing frequency and duration ; and ( 5 ) the efficiency of sterilization can be improved by monitoring water flow through the filter , light intensity and wavelength ( ultraviolet ) and oxidation - reduction potential ( ozone and chemical oxidants ) and by then controlling water flow rate or residence time and chemical injection ( ozone and chemical oxidants ). airlift pump design and operation are improved by : ( a ) the design of the airlift injector . air bubble size configuration influences airlift efficiency . the diffuser orifice is a modified tear drop shape beginning as a slit at the top to produce smaller (& lt ; 1 - 10 mm id . ), slower rising bubbles then expanding to a circular base to produce larger bubbles ( 10 - 30 mm id .) ( fig4 ); ( b ) the air - water slurry exiting the top of the airlift pipe is deflected away from the top of the pipe by a cone - shaped structure . the cone - shaped structure deflects water away from the top of the airlift so that it does not fall straight down and impede water flow . in fig1 there is depicted a system which includes a raceway ( culture tank ) 10 . the culture tank 10 may have a configuration as depicted in fig2 which includes a trough 12 and angled floor 14 . in fig1 effluent from culture tank 10 enters a prefilter system 22 that includes particulate filter 20 , foam fractionator 30 and carbon filter 40 . the culture tank 10 is connected to the prefilter system by a conduit which is depicted by arrowed lines 16 . the particulate filter 20 serves to filter larger debris from the culture tank . effluent from particulate filter 20 flows into foam fractionator 30 where foam is removed . the foam fractionator 30 may be of the configuration depicted in fig5 . effluent from the foam fractionator 30 then enters carbon filter 40 for additional prefiltration . effluent from the carbon filter 40 then flows through a conduit depicted by arrowed line 42 to an airlift 50 . the airlift is depicted in greater detail in fig5 as well as fig4 which shows the design of the opening that releases air into the airlift . the airlift 50 is composed of a airlift tank 54 and a vertical pipe 55 which dimensions may vary depending on the size of the system . at the base of the pipe for airlift 55 , air injector 53 introduces air which rises and thereby draws water up the airlift , thereby providing pumping action and circulation . water from airlift 50 enters head tank 52 and then pours into aerobic biofilter 60 . the aerobic biofilter 60 may contain gravel , which serves to support microorganisms which serve to perform the aerobic biofiltration . effluent from aerobic biofilter 60 then flows into uv light source 80 via conduit 62 . the uv light source 80 irradiates the water to thereby kill microorganisms and pathogens that may be found in the water . effluent from the uv light source 80 is returned to the culture tank 10 via conduit 82 . intermittently , effluent from the aerobic biofilter 60 is sent to anaerobic biofilter 70 via conduit 64 . the anaerobic biofilter 70 may be of a design as depicted in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 482 , 630 . effluent from the anaerobic biofilter is then pumped via mechanical pump 72 through conduit 74 into particulate filter 20 . the anaerobic biofilter 70 serves to remove nitrates from the system . the foam fractionator 30 ( protein skimmer ) has louvered slots 31 positioned on the contact chamber 32 several centimeters below the water level of the vessel holding ( fig5 ). the louvered slots are directed inward so that water entering the contact chamber 32 is deflected to form a circular pattern as it travels downward to the exit . this design : ( 1 ) increases water residence time for more efficient organic removal ; ( 2 ) allows small air bubbles to coalesce into larger bubbles that can rise faster against the countercurrent of water , and ( 3 ) concentrates the bubble mass in the center of the cylinder so that it does not escape through the louvers . the design of the submerged biological filter bed ( fig6 ) differs from typical submerged beds in several key characteristics : ( 1 ) the bed 61 is elevated so that it is just submerged at the surface ; and ( 2 ) incoming ( untreated ) water is injected below the bed and rises through it ( fig6 ). this configuration : ( a ) reduces compaction of the bed and subsequent reduction of flow ; ( b ) forces organic laden water to contact the dark side of the bed thus limiting the growth of heterotrophs , and ( c ) causes the bottom of the bed to contact oxygen rich water thus preventing the development of anaerobic regions deep in the bed . the design of the automated upflow bead filter 90 ( fig7 ) is also unique in that in situ sensors monitor the bacterial metabolism in the bed 92 and are used to control the environmental parameters , residence time , and backwash schedule . the embodiment shown in fig7 includes a propeller 94 driven by a propeller motor 96 . a valve 98 controls influent . and separate conduits are provided for the addition of oxygen 100 and buffer 102 . another valve 110 controls effluent . in situ sensors monitor dissolved oxygen 112 , differential pressure 114 , water flow 116 , ph 118 , and oxidation - reduction potential 120 in the bed 92 and at the bottom of the filter 90 . a drain 122 is also provided . the configuration optimizes the upflow bead filter &# 39 ; s ability to serve a dual action of particle filtration and nitrification filter . the culture tank where the cultured organisms lives is self - cleaning . the floor of the tank 14 is modified so that it slopes ( e . g ., 2 inches / ft .) to the middle where a ( e . g ., 4 - inch ) trough 12 is located . the tank outlet is located at one end of the trough and collected wastes are removed to the particle filter . the concentration of waste in the trough and collected wastes are removed to the particle filter . the concentration of waste in the trough is also facilitated through the use of bubble screens ( aeration injectors ) located directly above the drain . as a result , most of the wastes are flushed from the tank , requiring no labor . an integrated process control system is utilized for the distributed control of the aquaculture production and filtration subsystems . the distributed control system ( dcs ) is composed of multiple sensors / transducers that convert environmental conditions into electrical signals , communication multiplexers that convert the sensor &# 39 ; s electrical signals into digital code , computer hardware that can receive the transmitted signals from and to the multiplexers , computer hardware that interfaces to the human user and computer software configured to provide a graphical interface for representing floor plans , trending incoming data and trending historical data . in addition , high level integration of the control loops is managed by artificial intelligence computer programs ( e . g ., rule - based expert system , neural nets , fuzzy - logic - based expert systems , and neural fuzzy systems ). training set parameters include dissolved oxygen levels , salinity and conductivity , water level , pumping rates , pump effort , flow rates , temperature , heating and / or cooling effort , buffer addition based on ph , oxidation / reduction potential , seawater or water addition based on water level and salinity . the dcs is used in conjunction with appropriate mathematical models ( e . g ., on / off , pid , statistical models or expert systems ) for environmental monitoring and control in all culture and filter tanks ( fig1 ): ( a ) temperature monitoring and control ; ( b ) ph monitoring and control ; ( c ) salinity monitoring and control ; ( d ) oxidation / reduction potential ( orp ) monitoring and control ; ( e ) dissolved carbon dioxide monitoring and control ; ( f ) total dissolved gases monitoring and control ; and ( g ) dissolved oxygen monitoring and control . the dcs is used in conjunction with appropriate mathematical models ( e . g ., on / off , pid , statistical models or expert systems ) to manage all filtration devices ( fig1 ). sensor inputs ( e . g ., pressure , level , orp and dissolved oxygen ) are used to monitor the function of the filtration systems ( e . g ., particle , carbon , and biological ). based on the mathematical control models , outputs control various functions such as water flow or residence time , backwashing and filter maintenance schedules . all flow rates within and between filter components are monitored and controlled by the dcs . changes in flow rates within and between filter components are performed by programmed machine intelligence and the dcs following evaluation of the water quality data , e . g ., ph , dissolved oxygen , temperature , salinity ( sea water systems only ), orp and turbidity . the dcs is used for water level monitoring and control in all culture and filtration tanks used by the cacrafs . accurate control of water levels is necessary for flow rate stabilization in airlift - driven systems . the dcs produces automated reports of critical systems functions and alarms ( local and remote ) when system parameters are out of setpoint . alarms are both visual ( strobe and message center ) and audible ( bell ). the dcs includes feed management capabilities with automated feeders as outputs and inputs from the machine vision subsystem and internal timers . the dcs controls the photoperiod in all culture areas and is used to alter life cycles . the systems can turn lights on / off as well as control the level of lighting with rheostats . fig1 is a model for the function of a closed aquaculture system as shown in fig1 or fig9 . the boxes are state variables , the spigots are transfer coefficients and the circles are effects . the model subsystem at the top is animal biomass 300 . the state variable is grams of biomass 302 . the effects are grams growth 304 , growth in grams 306 , number 308 , weight in grams 310 , kilos per cubic meter 312 , tank volume i 314 and value $ 316 . the second model subsystem is cumulatives 340 . the state variables are total feed kg 342 , cumulative tan ( total ammonia nitrogen ) 344 and biomass in grams 346 . the effects are feed in kg 348 , feed cost 350 , daily tan gm 352 , wasted feed 362 , tan biomass 354 , nitrification 356 , tnn biomass 358 and nitrification biomass 360 . the third model subsystem is total ammonia nitrogen 370 . state variables include biomass gm 372 , total ammonia nitrogen 374 , bead filter 376 and sand filter 378 . effects are nitrogen content 380 , feed rate 382 , nitrogen feed gm day 384 , assimilation rate 386 , wasted feed 388 , nh 3 mg i 390 , nh 3 concentration gm i 392 , tank volume i 394 , main flow rate 396 , tan to bead filter 398 , bead filter nitrification 400 , tan to sand filter 402 , sand filter nitrification 404 and tan return 406 . the fourth model subsystem is denitrification 420 . state variables are tnn ( total nitrate nitrogen ) 422 and bioreactor 424 . effects are nitrification 426 , bead filter nitrification 428 , sand filter nitrification 430 , no 3 concentration mg i 432 , no 3 concentration gm i 434 , tank volume i 436 , tnn to bioreactor 438 , denitrification 440 , bioreactor efficiency 442 , columns 444 , bioreactor volume 446 , bioreactor flow 448 , residence time 450 and tnn return 452 . grams -- growth = graph ( time ) ( 0 . 00 , 0 . 25 ), ( 7 . 50 , 0 . 26 ), ( 15 . 0 , 0 . 26 ), ( 22 . 5 , 0 . 278 ), ( 30 . 0 , 0 . 312 ), ( 37 . 5 , 0 . 407 ), ( 45 . 0 , 0 . 54 ), ( 52 . 5 , 0 . 915 ), ( 60 . 0 , 1 . 11 ), ( 67 . 5 , 1 . 18 ), ( 75 . 0 , 1 . 20 ), ( 82 . 5 , 1 . 20 ), ( 90 . 0 , 1 . 20 ), ( 97 . 5 , 1 . 20 ), ( 105 , 1 . 20 ), ( 113 , 1 . 20 ), ( 120 , 1 . 20 ), ( 128 , 1 . 20 ), ( 135 , 1 . 20 ), ( 143 , 1 . 20 ), ( 150 , 1 . 20 ) t -- a -- n ( t )= t -- a -- n -- ( t - dt )+( wasted -- feed + tan -- return - tan -- to -- bf )* dt the application of an adaptive neurofuzzy inference system ( anfis ) is used for the purpose of object classification in order to develop an object recognition model for a machine vision system . automated image quality assessment using image quality factors ( overall brightness , kurtosis features of the curve describing contrast ), expert knowledge ( an estimate of animal size , an estimate of thresholding values necessary to segment an animal ), a model of the image quality as it relates to the ability of the machine vision system to accurately measure objects , and a model of image quality as it relates to the certainty of measurement are developed using anfis . texture based image modeling uses an adaptation of the markov random fields methods . image modeling based on markov random fields is well known . the present invention uses an adaptation of this method involving the addition of motion information and the use of a predictive fuzzy model of image information to determine the likelihood of a neighborhood of pixels being the target object . a part of the present invention is the application of anfis for the purpose of system state classification for the purposes of developing a system state recognition model for an automated aquaculture system . rapid object modeling : using the input of the traditional image analysis tools such as global lab image ( fig1 ), the use of anfis under the batch learning mode allows for the rapid development of a fis that models the target object ( fig1 and 17 ). the unique step taken here to rapidly model an object is the use of &# 34 ; natural &# 34 ; groupings from the world of fuzzy logic . another aspect of the invention is the use of machine learning ( batch or unsupervised ) to monitor the condition of organisms in an automated aquaculture system . this includes organism condition assessment , in which the condition of the organism may be ( 1 ) defined using a pre - existing knowledge base and / or ( 2 ) deduced based on the anfis process of combining target object feature analysis with other parameter data ( such as water quality , temperature , light level ) in an automated aquaculture system . continuous organism activity monitoring in which the activity level of the animals , based on gross movement and shape recognition is incorporated into the automated aquaculture system is also used . a diagram of the adoptive - network - based - fuzzy inference driven machine vision classification system for aquaculture ( anfis ) is shown in fig1 . the inputs to the &# 34 ; anfis &# 34 ; 240 include &# 34 ; a priori knowledge of target object morphology &# 34 ; 242 and &# 34 ; traditional image analysis of segmentation features &# 34 ; 244 . the input / output loop in fig1 is &# 34 ; natural groupings and operator supervision of intelligent fis development using batch or continuous learning methods &# 34 ; 246 and the outputs are &# 34 ; anfis continues with unsupervised learning &# 34 ; 248 and &# 34 ; fis alone &# 34 ; 250 . an aspect of the invention , therefore , may be described as the use of the results of machine vision as sensor input ( i . e ., control variable ) in an automated aquaculture system . key elements in the economical use of this type of water circulation are : ( 1 ) submergence ( fig3 ) or the relationship ( expressed as a percent ) between the depth air is injected to the height water is raised ( lifted ); ( 2 ) the volume of injected air , fig3 ; ( 3 ) the design of the injector , 1 ; ( 4 ) diameter of the airlift ; and ( 5 ) the design of the lifted water discharge orifice do , and head tank . the most efficient airlifts deliver water through an open vertical pipe at the water &# 39 ; s surface . efficiency declines as the top of the pipe is raised above the surface . theoretically , a submergence below 80 % results in very restricted water flow volumes . pipe diameter influences the height of lift and smaller pipe diameters are more efficient at lower ( below 80 %) submergences . air bubble size configuration influences airlift efficiency . small bubbles rise slower and lift water at a slower rate than large bubbles . uniform bubble size moves less water than mixed bubble sizes . two types of injection are commonly used . one type injects air through a collar outside the airlift pipe and the other injects air through a pipe installed inside the airlift pipe . the first design avoids restricting water flow by limiting friction and optimizing the volume in the pipe . the novel airlift pump included in this invention has several unique design characteristics . first , the diffuser orifice 53 is a modified tear drop shape ( fig4 ) beginning as a slit at the top to produce smaller (& lt ; 1 - 10 mm dia . ), slower rising bubbles then expanding to a circular base to produce larger bubbles ( 10 - 30 mm dia .) ( fig4 ). this produces mixed bubble sizes and broadens the range of control for automation . three diffuser orifices are cut into smaller diameter pipe ( 1 / 2 - 2 &# 34 ;). the numbers of orifices increase with pipe circumference to the maximum number that can be evenly spaced leaving enough material between the greatest horizontal diameter of the orifices to firmly connect the lower end of the diff - user . second , for ease of access to the diffuser , all airlifts used in this invention are engineered with larger lift tubes 55 so an air pipe with the diffuser attached can be installed in the center of the lift tube . third , the air - water slurry exiting the top of the airlift pipe is deflected away from the top of the pipe by a cone - shaped structure . if the top of the airlift were at the surface of water in a tank the cone would reduce lift efficiency . however , water must be raised some amount (˜ 10 - 20 cm ) to provide head pressure for circulation through filters . therefore , the airlift must empty into a head tank . several centimeters of the top must extend above the bottom of the head tank so that water does not try to flow back down the airlift before it exits the head tank . thus , the cone - shaped structure deflects water away from the top of the airlift so that it does not fall straight down and impede water flow . the airlift and head tank can be installed anywhere in the loop . in the interest of safety , it should be down stream from the filter that plugs the easiest ( i . e ., particle filters ; fig1 ). water circulation through the system is a closed loop through the culture tank ( s ) and individual filters , e . g ., fig1 . the portion of the total flow that moves through each subsequent component is adjusted using by - pass loops between components and allows control of the efficiency of filtration , the deployment of expendables and the rate of water circulation (˜ 50 - 200 gpm ). the degree of filtration efficiency must maintain water quality at an acceptable level and may be adjusted by variable - rate recirculating loops within each component , e . g ., the foam fractionator . all of flow rates within and between components are monitored and controlled by the distributed control system ( dcs ). particulate removal may be accomplished by screens , settling basins , media filled traps and to some extent , physical / chemical adsorption devices ( e . g ., foam fractionators and activated carbon ). with the exception of canister type particle traps , most solids removers can be directly plumbed into an airlift driven water circuit . the most practical designs for airlifts have large surface areas , moving screens and / or sediment traps . the cross sectional design ( fig2 a and 2b ) of the culture tank can be such that solid wastes are massed in the flow of water circulation and carried to a solids trap 20 . this effect is dependent upon a tank design that is longer than wide and configured with the water inlet at one end and the outlet at the other . air diffused into the culture tank along the longitudinal axis creates circulation cells at right angles to the longitudinal flow of water and flushes solids particles from the bottom and sides to the center . solids then migrate with the water flow from the inlet end of the tank to the outlet where they are picked up in the outlet stream and carried to the solids separator 20 . solids separators should be installed immediately downstream from the culture tank . the inlet to the separator should empty at the height of the water level in the culture tank so that the culture tank water level stays constant . alternatively , a low head pressure upflow bead filter ( fig7 ) or sand filter can be used to separate particles . these latter two systems require backwashing with the loss of a fraction of system water . foam fractionators of all designs can be included but their position should be fixed . they should be positioned immediately after the particulate filter . the primary design constraint is that water flows down the fractionator column against a countercurrent of air bubbles . dissolved and suspended organics adhere to the bubbles and are carried up a drying tube above the water level . it is transferred from the bubbles to the sides of the drying tube and carried up to a reservoir by the air stream that produced the bubbles . the foam fractionator designed for the system described in the specific embodiments ( fig5 ) consists of a cylindrical ( contact ) chamber 32 standing on end and plumbed to an airlift near its bottom . the bottom of the cylinder is closed and the top is fitted with a shallow cone 34 pointed upward . the cone location is adjustable in the cylinder and its base is set at cylinder water level . void volume decreases toward the top of the cone condensing foam as it is produced and floats upward . the peak of the cone opens into a section of tubing 36 that further condenses or &# 34 ; drys &# 34 ; the foam that is carried by the stream of escaping air to a foam collector . in this embodiment the top of the drying tube is fitted with a venturi 44 that assists escaping air to carry the foam to a reservoir outside the system . untreated water enters the foam fractionator contact chamber through louvered slots 31 positioned several centimeters below the water level of the vessel holding the fractionator ( fig5 ). the water is drawn in by an airlift 55 plumbed to the bottom of the contact chamber and the flow rate is adjusted to optimize the formation of foam in the condensing cone . the louver fins are directed inward so that water entering the contact chamber travels in a circular pattern . this design : ( 1 ) increases water residence time for more efficient organic removal ; ( 2 ) allows small air bubbles to coalesce into to larger bubbles that can rise faster against the countercurrent of water , and ( 3 ) concentrates the bubble mass in the center of the cylinder so that it does not escape through the louvers . the rate at which water can be stripped of dissolved and particulate organics is dependent upon a water velocity through the contact chamber that allows air bubbles carrying the organics to rise . therefore , the diameter of contact chamber is an important factor because as it increases , the distance traveled in each complete circle increases and the volume of water that can be stripped increases . activated carbon , zeolites , synthetic media and selectively permeable membranes are used to trap molecules based on size or electrical charge . filter designs for these media all produce a water flow directed across the media . a typical embodiment for this invention is a vessel fitted with a false bottom and screen such that water enters the vessel below the false bottom and flows upward through the screen and media . the screen must be of a mesh size that retains the media but passes the largest particles that escape the particulate filter . designs that hold media in a vertical configuration against the water flow in a high pressure , pump - driven system tend to become compacted and require more labor to operate . media beds support bacteria for ( 1 ) oxidizing organic wastes to nh 4 and co 2 , and ( 2 ) reducing the end product ( s ) to elemental nitrogen , n 2 . oxidizing beds probably have the greatest variety of designs , media types and operating efficiencies of all the filters and conditioning devices used in aquaculture . the most common type is the submerged filter ( e . g ., under gravel or sand ). wet - dry filters pump water over plastic balls , synthetic and natural fiber mats and other surfaces that are exposed to the air . fluidized beds use fine grained particles ( e . g ., sand or plastic beads ) that are kept in suspension by the flow of water injected beneath them . all types have been adapted to function at head pressures produced by airlifts . the design used in this embodiment of the invention is a modified submerged bed . however , the design of the bed differs from typical submerged beds in several key characteristics . first the bed is elevated so that it is just submerged at the surface 64 and incoming ( untreated ) water is injected below the bed 61 and rises through it ( fig6 ). this configuration : ( 1 ) reduces compaction of the bed and subsequent reduction of flow ; ( w ) forces organic laden water to contact the dark side of the bed thus limiting the growth of heterotrophs ; and ( 3 ) causes the bottom of the bed to contact oxygen rich water thus preventing the development of anaerobic regions in the bed . second , this elevated configuration allows the area under the bed to be cleaned by extending a siphon through a manway 66 . this saves down time and man hours normally spent dismantling the filter bed . in situ monitoring of filter bed function is accomplished with dissolved oxygen and ph probes above and below the bed and four oxidation - reduction probes spaced evenly over the filter bed surface area and inserted halfway into the depth of the filter bed . these inputs will be used to control water flow through the filter bed and injection of air or oxygen and buffer into the filter tank . this will optimize filter bed chemoauxotophic bacterial metabolism . an alternative nitrifying biofilter is the upflow plastic bead filter ( fig7 ) that functions as a physical filter as well as a biological filter . this filter can perform both functions quite well when operated optimally in contrast to submerged filters that are adversely affected by particulate accumulation ( e . g ., channelization and biofloc mineralization ). an upflow bead filter can accumulate particulates and nitrify when backwashed appropriately . however , optimizing these upflow bead filters requires an expertise that is often lacking in the personnel operating them . for this reason , automation of their function is essential . the operation of the upflow bead filter can be optimized by monitoring bacterial metabolism in the bed using in situ sensors ( e . g . dissolved oxygen 112 , oxidation - reduction potential 120 , ph 118 and flow rate 116 ) and measuring the pressure drop across the bed due to particulate accumulation with pressure sensors 114 . this embodiment has two oxidation - reduction sensors 120 to be placed below and above the bed as well as two more being placed within the bed at 180 ° intervals around the circular bed 92 . in addition , two ph sensors 118 are placed in the opposite 180 ° configuration . these four sensors are placed in the middle of the bed height . in addition , one dissolved oxygen probe 112 is placed above and one below the bed . the differential pressure transducer 14 is connected to the filter influent 130 and effluent 132 piping . the inputs from the sensors is used to automate the water flow rate or residence time , backwash frequency , backwash duration and to inject oxygen and buffer into the bead filter to optimize the growth and metabolism of the chemoauxotrophic bacteria and inhibit the heterotrophic bacteria residing on the beads . if backwashing is too frequent or severe , the chemoauxotrophs will not be able to maintain their position on the beds and they will be removed from the filter at backwashing . if the backwashing is not frequent enough , the heterotrophic bacteria will overgrow the chemoauxotrophs and the filter will actual produce ammonia and other waste products instead of removing them . it is this fine balance that requires automation . another example of automated biological filtration is an automated denitrifying bioreactor described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 482 , 630 . this filter makes it possible to remove the nitrogen from the water completely . it is essential to the design of a truly closed aquaculture system and is included as a component of the automated , closed recirculating aquaculture system as described herein . this group of devices produce ozone , ultraviolet light ( uv ) or both for the purpose of sterilization . ozone is highly corrosive . it is most safely used by injecting it into the water processing loop at a point where dissolved organics are most concentrated to facilitate its reduction . ozone delivery systems can be used in closed aquaculture systems without modification . the efficiency of and responsible use of ultraviolet ( uv ) light requires a design that insures that all water passing through the contactor pass over a specified section of the bulb and within a specified distance from the bulb at the specified section , i . e ., a lethal contact zone . less contact could result in the formation of uv resistant strains of bacteria . economical uv contactor designs for pump - driven systems can not pass enough volume to be effective on airlift driven systems . at head pressures of 15 - 30 centimeters 1 properly configured uv bulb is needed for each 60 liters of water circulated per minute . therefore , uv contractors for airlift systems were designed with ( 1 ) larger inlet and outlets ; ( 2 ) more bulbs , and ( 3 ) air purge vents . installation of the uv contactors in line between the last filter and the culture tank and below the water level of each minimizes flow restrictions imposed by low head pressures . the distributed control subsystem is composed of the following elements . an industrial process control system was designed and installed on the above described tank system . the original design was based on a microcomputer supervisory control and data acquisition system ( scada ), linking 386 / 486 series personal computers ( pc ) with standard industrial control signal multiplexers and software . currently , the system has become a subprocess in a more comprehensive distributed control system ( dcs ) that serves three separate aquaculture facilities . every component ( hardware and software ) was bought off - the - shelf so that no circuits were constructed and no computer code was written . the software used is an intuitive graphical interface product for windows ™ operating environment , dmacs ™ for windows ™ by intellution . the program can run on any 386 / 486 pc and includes net dde , allowing transfer of data between windows ™ programs . inputs and outputs can be displayed as floor plans , graphs , charts or spreadsheets in real - time and all data can be archived to the hard disk or other media . control functions include : set point control , pid ( proportional / integral / derivative ) control , batch control , statistical process control and custom control blocks . additional modules allow networking across typical microcomputer networks and remote operation from a dial - in phone line . the computer hardware was a 486 ibm clone pc with 16 mb ( megabyte ) ram ( random access memory ), 250 mb hard - disk , 1 mb video card and a svga monitor . a best systems ( model 660 ) uninterruptable power supply ( ups ) protected the computer from power surges and would power the computer and monitor for 35 min . during a power outage . the computer software and hardware was interfaced to an unintelligent signal multiplexer network ( dutec model iop - ad + and iop - de ) composed of 16 analog and 16 digital inputs / outputs ( i / o ) channels . each channel required its own signal conditioning module that could accept any voltage or current signal ( i . e ., 4 - 20 ma , 0 - 1 v or 0 - 100 mv ). many different types of i / o were connected to the multiplexer . the raceway control system included monitoring and control of temperature ( i . e ., chiller and heaters ), ph , salinity ( conductivity ), dissolved oxygen , water flow rate between tank and filter and water level . in addition , photoperiod control ( i . e ., relay for overhead lights ) and an automatic belt feeder were installed . the raceway multiplexer was one of four such multiplexers connected to the control system . the raceway system was represented on the control system &# 39 ; s video monitor as a top view and all major functions ( i . e ., photoperiod , ultraviolet sterilizer state , water level , ph buffer injection and protein skimmer state ) were animated for easy visual determination by the technical staff . digital displays similar to meter displays were created for temperature , dissolved oxygen , ph , salinity and water flow rate ; all inputs and most outputs were archived to a historical data base on the computer hard disk . ( a ) an embodiment of the invention as described herein utilizes two black and white security cameras 140 ( burhel ), a standard rs170 video output or two digital cameras consisting of a 1 &# 34 ;× 1 &# 34 ; digital circuit board on which a video camera is mounted and the fixed focus lens they utilize ( fig1 b ). the output of these cameras is a standard rs170 , although with fewer lines of resolution than the other cameras . the housing for these cameras will consist of a small plastic dome housing ( 4 inches in diameter ) fixed and sealed ( via a silicone greased o - ring ) to a plexi backing . ( b ) each camera is contained in a glass housing comprising a 6 &# 34 ;× 16 &# 34 ;× 20 &# 34 ; open - top , rectanguloid shape similar to a small aquarium 142 ( fig1 a ). each housing is topped with a plexiglass lid 144 . the lid has two openings , one for the cords 146 ( power in , video out ), the other for the forced air entry . forced air is an integral part of the housing . it allows the electronic equipment to operate successfully in a seawater environment . the use of forced air for this purpose is believed to be a novel aspect of the invention . ( c ) the camera housing is mounted on each tank by an aluminum bar 148 ( fig1 c ) referred to as the &# 34 ; camera mount &# 34 ;. the main arms of the camera mount consist of solid bar aluminum , and the cross pieces are manufactured from aluminum angle iron . solid aluminum bar was used for three reasons : ( 1 ) to maintain a rigid lever arm , ( 2 ) aluminum will not corrode dangerously with contact with sea water , and ( 3 ) the weight of the solid bar helps to compensate for the buoyancy of the housing in salt water . the angle of the mount is adjusted by four bolts which are in contact with the underside of the tanks lids . ( d ) an additional weight , in the form of a plastic and epoxy coated boat anchor 149 , is used to compensate for the buoyant force of the housing . compensating for buoyancy and thus reducing the effect of wave action is a necessary part of coping with submerged or partially submerged cameras . the image digitization and processing system is illustrated in fig1 . the squid or other animals in the tank 160 are visualized by two cameras 140 , which are connected via rs232 cable and connectors to a data translation &# 34 ; frame grabbing &# 34 ; board ( model # dt3851 ) 162 . this board is responsible for image digitization and some low level frame processing . the advantages of this board are that the on - board memory may be programmed and operations such as frame subtraction , may take place on the board itself , thus speeding the overall frame processing time . the data translation board is mounted in the machine vision computer 164 , which also contains an intel 486 / 120 mhz motherboard and 16 mb of ram . the computer produces an image analysis 166 , which is subject to the machine intelligence anfis process 167 , combining target object feature analysis with other parameter data , and processed through dynamic data exchange ( dde ) connections and netdde 168 to link the various software packages and report 169 the vision system results to control . for the development of the systems described herein standard , consumer level versions of the following software were used ( fig1 ): ( a ) global lab image 182 : for image feature extraction , image enhancement , data collection and the beginning stages of the inventors &# 39 ; statistical recognition model . ( b ) matlab 196 & amp ; matlab &# 39 ; s fuzzy logic tool box 200 : for producing a working fuzzy model as well as the first attempts at using anfis , and the beginnings of the dynamic data exchange ( dde ) connections the inventors used to link the various software packages to produce a working model of their system . ( c ) microsoft excel : for dde linkage as well as data storage and manipulation in the beginning stages of the work . for the development of the final system , the inventors used the following software libraries and programs : ( d ) glide 184 : the developer &# 39 ; s library containing the source code and all the related functions of the consumer version of global lab image . ( e ) matlab 196 : the consumer version of this product contains resources to port matlab script files to c compilable units . ( f ) borland c ++ compiler v . 4 . 0 186 : the inventors made limited use of this compiler and development platform in order to port the matlab generated c units to dynamically linked libraries ( dll &# 39 ; s ) that could be used by the object - oriented application generated using the delphi application development program . ( g ) borland delphi 190 : delphi is an object - oriented , pascal - based development platform . using it allowed the generation of a unique application 188 using the programming libraries listed above and the user interface provided by delphi . delphi also includes a powerful library of dde , net dde and object linking and embedding ( ole ) objects ( or functions ). these were essential to the final development of the machine vision system which is linked across the computer network with the overall control system which uses fixdmacs software . the final system generated using the developer &# 39 ; s version of the described software , as shown in fig1 includes the following : the imaging system ( video camera and capture board ) 180 connects to the image processing global lab 182 software that produces image analysis 194 , which feeds into matlab 196 using the neural networks toolbox 198 or the fuzzy logic toolbox 200 to produce the intelligent vision system model 202 . alternatively the image processing global lab 182 connects with the glide development library 184 , and further utilizing the borland c ++ libraries to dll &# 39 ; s 186 , and using the delphi application development software 188 unique programming objects are authored 188 to result in continuous monitoring 192 . a 14 , 500 liter ( 3 , 756 us gal .) system used to culture a sensitive marine species sepioteuthis lessoniana ( squid ) was fully automated and connected to an automated denitrifying bioreactor . airlift technology was developed in 3 other system designs the largest of which consists of 2 culture tanks , 2 particle filters , 2 foam fractionators , 2 carbon filters , 1 biological filter and 2 uv sterilizers . the total volume of the system including plumbing and prefilter tanks totals 53 , 150 liters ( 16 , 360 gal .). all systems supported the squid ( sepioteuthis lessoniana ) through its life cycle . the automated system maintained squid through 6 generations . airlift - driven systems are in operation with all filtration and water conditioning devices for low - head pressure application ( designed , built , tested and proven ). one embodiment ( a nursery system ) has supported sepioteuthis lessoniana ( squid species ) from incubation to late juvenile stage and another ( grow - out ) system supported it to the end of its life cycle , including the production of fertile eggs . the system maintained adequate water quality ( fig8 a to 8d ) as six generations of squid were grown in the system . another embodiment has sepia officinalis ( cuttlefish species ) nearing sexual maturity in its inaugural culture run . in addition to the squid and cuttlefish production systems described above , this invention is applicable to the culture of marine fish and fingerlings . a 5 , 600 liter ( 1 , 480 us gal .) culture system used to culture specific - pathogen - free ( spf ) marine shrimp was fully automated and connected to the required filtration ( fig9 ). the system is composed of 2 - 1 , 900 l shrimp culture trays 210 , a 1 . 5 hp centrifugal pump 212 , a 1 m 3 computer automated upflow bead filter 214 ( fig7 ), a 2 . 7 m 3 submerged oyster shell biofilter 216 ( fig6 ), a protein skimmer / foam fractionator 218 ( fig5 ), a 0 . 05 m 3 activated carbon filter 220 , 2 ultraviolet sterilizers 222 , ozone generator 224 and a denitrifying bioreactor 226 . also included in the system is a water recovery tank 228 . the system has been constructed and operated for 2 years . the system has supported shrimp ( penaeus vannamei and penaeus setiferus ) densities as high as 5 , 000 m 2 for postlarvae and 50 m 2 for adult shrimp & gt ; 15 g . adult shrimp as large as 20 g have been grown in the system and water quality has been acceptable even during system start - ups ( fig1 a - fig1 c ). the water passes from the culture trays through the bead filter , protein skimmer , carbon filter , the submerged biofilter , uv sterilizers and back to culture trays . a side - loop is taken from the trays , passes through the denitrifying bioreactor and returns to the submerged biofilter . this type of system would be equally applicable to the culture of marine flatfish ( e . g . flounder or fluke ), other crustaceans ( e . g . crabs , crayfish or lobsters ) and bivalve mollusks ( e . g . clams , scallops and oysters ).
| 2 |
referring to fig1 the hole opener having an interchangeable sleeve reamer , generally designated 1 , comprises a top shaft member 10 , an interchangeable sleeve member 20 and a bottom sub member 30 . as particularly shown in fig1 and 2 , the top shaft member 10 comprises a externally threaded lower end 11 , a distal second end 12 , an elongated cylindrical body 13 and at least two external keyway half - slots 14 disposed longitudinally along a portion of the outer surface 15 of the elongated cylindrical body 13 , each external keyway half - slot 14 having a lower end 16 proximal to lower end 11 . preferably , three external keyway half - slots 14 are spaced 120 ° apart about the outer circumference of the elongated cylindrical body 13 as shown in fig2 . in a preferred embodiment , each external keyway half - slot 14 is about one quarter inch ( ¼ ″) in depth and about five inches ( 5 . 0 ″) in length . however , it is to be understood that other dimensions of the keyway half - slots 14 are contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention . interchangeable sleeve member 20 comprises an upper end 21 , a lower end 22 , a body 23 and at least two internal keyway half - slots 24 as particularly shown in fig1 and 3 . the internal keyway half - slots 24 are configured with the same dimensions as the corresponding external keyway half - slots 14 . each internal keyway half - slot 24 is disposed from the lower end 22 and longitudinally along a portion the internal surface 25 of body 23 . preferably , three internal keyway half - slots 24 are spaced 120 ° apart about the inner circumference of the body 23 as shown in fig3 . in a preferred embodiment , each internal keyway half - slot 24 is about one quarter inch ( ¼ ″) in depth and about five inches ( 5 . 0 ″) in length . however , it is to be understood that other dimensions of the internal keyway half - slots 24 are contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention , provided that each internal keyway half - slot 24 is configured with the same dimensions as the dimensions of a corresponding external keyway slot 14 . the bottom sub member 30 comprises an internally threaded first end 31 , an elongated cylindrical body 33 and a distal second end 32 as particularly shown in fig1 . internally threaded first end 31 is configured to engage the externally threaded first end 11 of top shaft member 10 . in this manner , top shaft member 10 and bottom sub member 30 can be removably secured to one another by threadingly engaging first ends 11 and 31 . in assembling the hole opener 1 of the present invention , the upper end 21 of the interchangeable sleeve member 20 is slidingly introduced over the lower end 11 of the top shaft member 10 and upwardly onto the elongated cylindrical body 13 such that the lower end 22 of the interchangeable sleeve member is parallel with the lower ends 16 of the external keyway half - slots 14 . the interchangeable sleeve member is rotated about the top shaft until each external keyway half - slot 14 is aligned with a corresponding internal keyway half - slot 24 , thereby forming at least two ( 2 ) keyway slots 44 , as shown in fig4 . in the preferred embodiment , each keyway slot 44 is about one - half inch ( ½ ″) in width and about five inches ( 5 ″) in length . however , it is to be understood that other dimensions of the keyway slots 44 are contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention . in order to prevent the interchangeable sleeve member from freely rotating about the axis of the top shaft 10 , a key member 40 is inserted into each keyway slot 44 . each key member 40 comprises a first end 41 and a second end 42 and is dimensioned to have the same length and a slightly larger width than the keyway slot 44 . thus , in the preferred embodiment , each key member 40 is about five inches ( 5 . 0 ″) in length and slightly more than one - half inch ( ½ ″) in width . with this configuration , once second end 42 of the key member is introduced into the keyway slot 40 , the first end 41 is tapped such that the entire length of the key member is snugly secured within the keyway slot 44 . first end 41 can be provided with a tab or notch to facilitate removal of the key member from the keyway slot . the keyway slot / key member arrangement enables the user to quickly and easily replace the interchangeable sleeve member 20 with another interchangeable sleeve member . suitable interchangeable sleeve members include , for example , a split bit reamer for dirt , soft and hard rock , a wing cutter for dirt and soft rock , and a fly cutter for dirt and soft rock . in this manner , the versatility of the hole opener with an interchangeable sleeve reamer provides numerous possibilities for utilizing the hole opener with other downhole devices . once the interchangeable sleeve member 20 is placed over the top shaft 10 , the bottom sub member 30 is removably secured to the top shaft 10 by the threaded engagement of lower end 11 and first end 31 . the bottom sub member 10 also can be interchanged other sub tools when different work in the hole is required . suitable interchangeable bottom sub members include , for example , a solid sub to keep fluid passage stopped at the back of the reamer , a pulling eye sub which hooks up to a swivel to pull product ( sewer line , optic cable ) through the hole , a barrel reamer which swabs out the hole , and like sub members . referring again to fig1 the top shaft member 10 is provided with a plurality of fluid holes 17 and interchangeable sleeve member 20 is provided with a plurality of fluid holes 27 . preferably the top shaft member 10 and interchangeable sleeve member 20 each have three fluid holes spaced 120 ° apart and which can be aligned along with the keyway half - slots . thus , all such constructed interchangeable sleeve members can be interchangeable . these fluid holes 17 and 27 are for the passage of fluid such that cuttings and other solids can be removed from the hole . referring now to fig5 an alternative embodiment for removably mounting the interchangeable sleeve member 120 over the top shaft member 110 . in this embodiment , rather than the use of the keyway slot / key member arrangement to prevent the interchangeable sleeve member from rotating about the axis of the top shaft member , the top shaft member is provided with a plurality of apertures 114 , preferably six apertures , about its circumference . the interchangeable sleeve member 120 is provided with a plurality of apertures 124 , preferably six apertures , dimensioned with the same diameter as apertures 114 . a rod or bolt member 140 is provided having a slightly larger diameter than the apertures 114 and 124 . when the apertures 124 are aligned with the apertures 124 , a bolt member 140 is tapped into and through aperture 114 and into aperture 124 . although this arrangement is meant to be an alternative means for removably mounting the interchangeable sleeve member to the top shaft member , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other arrangements can be utilized to enable the interchangeable sleeve member to be removably mounted over the top shaft member and that such other arrangements are considered to be within the scope of the present invention . while particular embodiments of the invention have been described , it will be understood , of course , that the invention is not limited thereto , and that many obvious modifications and variations can be made , and that such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims .
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the present invention provides soluble or dispersible nano graphene platelet ( ngp ) materials that are also highly conducting . the electrical conductivity of ngps in the present context was measured after the ngps were formed into a thin film approximately 100 nm in thickness . in one preferred embodiment , the ngp material is produced by ( a ) preparing a pristine ngp material from a graphitic material ; and ( b ) subjecting the pristine ngp material to an oxidation treatment so that an oxygen content of between 5 % and 25 % by weight inclusive may be imparted to the ngp . the oxygen atoms presumably exist in functional groups such as carboxylic and hydroxyl groups . preferably , the ngp material has an oxygen content no less than 5 % by weight . a particularly useful oxygen content range is from approximately 10 % to 20 % by weight inclusive . the pristine ngp material is preferably produced by a process comprising a procedure selected from : ( a ) intercalating the graphitic material with a non - oxidizing agent , followed by a thermal or chemical exfoliation treatment in a non - oxidizing environment ; ( b ) subjecting the graphitic material to a supercritical fluid environment for inter - graphene layer penetration and exfoliation ; or ( c ) dispersing the graphitic material in a powder form to an aqueous solution containing a surfactant or dispersing agent to obtain a suspension and subjecting said suspension to direct ultrasonication . any one of these three procedures will lead to the production of pristine or un - oxidized ngps . preferred modes of practicing these three procedures are discussed in more detail as follows : in procedure ( a ), a particularly preferred step comprises ( i ) intercalating the graphitic material with a non - oxidizing agent , selected from an alkali metal ( e . g ., potassium , sodium , lithium , or cesium ), alkaline metal , or an alloy , mixture , or eutectic of an alkali or alkaline earth metal ; and ( ii ) a chemical exfoliation treatment ( e . g ., by immersing k - intercalated graphite in ethanol solution ). in addition to alkali metals ( e . g . li , na , k , rb , cs ) and alkaline earth metals ( e . g . mg , ca , sr , ba ), elements such as eu , yb , ti , and halogen ( cl , f , i , etc .) can be used to intercalate the starting graphitic material . intercalation of these elements can be carried out by several different routes . first , these elements can be intercalated electrochemically using a non - aqueous solvent . second , an alkali plus naphthalene or benzophenone can be used with a suitable non - aqueous solvent ( e . g ., tetrahydrofuran ). third , any of the aforementioned metals can be intercalated by dissolving in a liquid ammonia solution to create solvated ions . fourth , lithium can be intercalated by using n - butyl lithium in a hydrocarbon solvent ( e . g ., hexane ). fifth , element , such as k , or an eutectic of k , can be heated above its melting or eutectic point , enabling the melt to intercalate into inter - graphene spaces . six , the graphitic material can be exposed to a halogen element or halogen compound sealed in a vessel or a two - chamber vessel ( one chamber containing the graphitic material in a fine powder form and the other containing the halogen ). the first five approaches were mentioned in mack , et al . [ 51 , 52 ]. for instance , natural flake graphite can be heated to 200 ° c . in an evacuated container in the presence of potassium to form a first stage intercalation compound . by immersing this intercalation compound in ethanol , graphite is exfoliated with resulting graphene sheets dispersed in ethanol . lithium can be intercalated at higher temperatures and / or pressures . intercalation using the alkaline earth ( ca , ba , sr ) or lanthanide metals ( eu , yb , sm , tm ) also requires high temperatures and long reaction times . any solvent that contains water can be used for exfoliation , including organic solvents that have not been thoroughly dried . this includes water , alcohols , or other hydroxylic solvents ( including carboxylic acids ), or any combination thereof . although mack , et al . [ 51 , 52 ] prepared ngps using the alkali metal intercalation approach , they did not teach about modifying ngps for solubility , nor did they measure the electrical conductivity of ngps . procedure ( b ) involves delaminating a graphitic material with a supercritical fluid or , analogous to a prior art approach , with a coating agent solubilized in a supercritical fluid . it is known that , if a substance is heated above its critical temperature ( tc ) and pressurized above its critical pressure ( pc ), it becomes a supercritical fluid . supercritical fluids are known to provide favorable means to achieve solvating properties , which have both gas and liquid characteristics without actually changing a chemical structure . by proper control of pressure and temperature , a significant range of physicochemical properties ( density , diffusivity , dielectric constants , viscosity , and surface free energy ) can be accessed without passing through a phase boundary , e . g ., changing from gas to liquid form . as an example , carbon dioxide may exist as a supercritical fluid having properties of both a liquid and a gas when above its critical temperature (& gt ; 31 ° c .) and critical pressure (& gt ; 7 . 4 mpa ). carbon dioxide under supercritical conditions exhibits both a gaseous property , being able to penetrate through many materials and a liquid property , being able to dissolve materials into their components . although carbon dioxide is a preferred medium , the supercritical fluid may be selected from other suitable species , such as water , hydrogen peroxide , ozone , water oxidation , methane , ethane , ethylene , or a mixture thereof . a conventional approach is herein discussed first , which can be used to prepare non - oxidized ngps . this will be followed by a discussion on an innovative method developed in our research laboratory . the pristine ngps prepared will then be subjected to a controlled oxidation treatment to produce dispersible or soluble ngps that remain highly conductive . as suggested by gulari , et al . [ 77 ], one may choose to use a coating agent that can be solubilized in the supercritical fluid to diffuse between the graphite layers . the purpose of this coating agent , according to gulari , et al . [ 77 ], was to allow the coating agent to expand or swell the interstitial spaces between graphene layers ( to assist in intercalation and exfoliation ) and , after de - pressurization , the coating agent will precipitate out to surround and isolate the exfoliated graphene platelets . this coating agent ( e . g ., a polymer ) will eventually become a part ( the matrix ) of a composite material . generally , the coating agent may include a polymer , oligomer , monomer , or oil . in one embodiment , the coating agent is poly -( dimethyl siloxane ) (“ pdms ”) having a weight average molecular weight of preferably between about 30 , 000 and 200 , 000 g / mole . other suitable coating agents include poly -( tetrafluoroethylene - co - hexafluoropropylene ), poly -( perfluoro - propylene oxide ), poly -( diethyl - siloxane ), poly -( dimethylsilicone ), poly -( phenylmethylsilicone ), perfluoroalkylpolyethers , chlorotrifluoroethylene , and bromotrifluoroethylene . the graphitic material particles and the coating agent are preferably placed in a compartment of a high pressure vessel isolatable from the atmosphere . in this embodiment , the graphite particles comprise about 23 to 83 weight percent and the coating agent comprises about 77 to 17 weight percent of material placed in the vessel . the weight ratio of graphite particles to coating agent is preferably at least about 1 : 10 . then , the compartment is sealed off from the atmosphere . the compartment may be isolated by any conventional means . this is followed by introducing high - pressure carbon dioxide into the compartment with co 2 being pressurized in the vessel to preferably above approximately 1 , 070 to 10 , 000 psig ( 7 . 4 mpa to 69 mpa ). then , the vessel is heated to a temperature preferably above about 40 ° c ., and preferably above 70 ° c . these conditions define a supercritical condition of carbon dioxide whereby the coating agent is solubilized in the supercritical carbon dioxide . pressurizing and heating the graphitic particles with the supercritical fluid may be accomplished by any conventional means . for instance , the vessel may be heated by a heating jacket or electrical heating tape disposed around the vessel . with the coating agent being solubilized in the supercritical fluid , the coating agent diffuses into inter - graphene spaces to possibly expand or swell these spaces . the step of diffusing the coating agent between the graphene layers includes maintaining diffusion for between about 10 minutes to 24 hours ( preferably 3 hours ) at supercritical conditions to produce tentatively intercalated graphite . the procedure further comprises catastrophically depressurizing the tentatively intercalated graphite to precipitate the coating agent from the supercritical fluid . during catastrophic depressurization , the supercritical fluid expands and exfoliates the graphite layers while the coating agent precipitates from the supercritical fluid to cover the layers . the depressurization step comprises immediately depressurizing the vessel down to a considerably lower pressure , preferably ambient pressure . this may be accomplished in a time period of between about 5 and 30 seconds , and preferably 15 seconds . this is accomplished by depressurizing the pressure vessel at a rate of between about 0 . 1 and 5 . 0 milliliters per second , and preferably 3 . 0 milliliters per second . the pressure decrease may be accomplished by opening the compartment to the atmosphere . as immediate depressurization occurs , the graphite layers are delaminated apart from one another other . presumably , the low viscosity and high diffusivity of the supercritical fluid allows the coating agent solubilized therein to become disposed or intercalated between the graphene layers in the graphitic material under supercritical conditions , thereby increasing the interlayer spacing . upon depressurization , the supercritical fluid disposed in the interstitial spaces force the layers to exfoliate or delaminate from each other , and the coating agent previously solubilized in the supercritical fluid precipitates therefrom to deposit on the delaminated layers , preventing reformation of the van der waals forces between graphene layers . that is , the coating agent precipitates from the supercritical fluid and attaches to the graphene layers . although this conventional route is useful in terms of producing pristine ngps that are covered with a coating agent , one has to remove this coating agent unless the coating agent is desired for an intended application ( e . g ., for the preparation of a polymer matrix composite with the coating agent being the monomer or polymer for this matrix ). after an extensive study , we have surprisingly observed that : ( 1 ) supercritical fluids containing no coating agent are at least as effective as those containing a coating agent for intercalating and exfoliating natural graphite . there is no major difference in the supercritical fluid temperature , pressure , time , and de - pressurization conditions between the two species ( one with and the other without a coating agent ); ( 2 ) supercritical fluids , with or without a coating agent therein , are effective in intercalating and exfoliating a wide variety of graphitic materials , including ( in addition to natural graphite ) artificial graphite ( e . g ., highly oriented pyrolytic graphite , hopg ), graphite oxide , graphite fluoride , graphite fiber , carbon fiber , carbon nano - fiber , carbon nano - tube , mesophase carbon micro - bead ( mcmb ), graphitized soft carbon , and hard carbon . previous studies on supercritical fluid delamination of graphite have been essentially limited to chemically pre - intercalated natural graphite [ ref . 76 ] and natural flake graphite [ ref . 77 ]. ( 3 ) with proper conditions for supercritical fluid intercalation and exfoliation via de - pressurization , one could readily obtain ultra - thin ngps with a thickness less than 1 nm . with other less favorable conditions ( e . g ., a slower de - pressurization rate ), somewhat thicker ngps were obtained . however , these thicker ngps could be subjected to another cycle of supercritical fluid intercalation and exfoliation , preferably in the same pressure chamber , to yield much thinner ngps . by repeating the process one or two times we could readily obtain substantially single - layer ngps . another alternative procedure for exfoliating a graphitic material to produce pristine ngps comprises ( a ) dispersing graphitic material particles in a liquid medium containing therein a surfactant or dispersing agent to obtain a suspension or slurry ; and ( b ) exposing the suspension or slurry to ultrasonic waves ( a process commonly referred to as ultrasonication ) at an energy level for a sufficient length of time to produce the separated nano - scaled platelets . preferably , the ultrasonication step is conducted at a temperature lower than 100 ° c . the energy level is typically greater than 80 watts . the liquid medium may comprise water , organic solvent , alcohol , a monomer , an oligomer , or a resin . the graphitic material could be natural graphite , synthetic graphite , highly oriented pyrolytic graphite , graphite oxide , graphite fiber , graphite nano - fiber , mcmb , soft carbon , hard carbon , or a combination thereof . it may be noted that ultrasonication has been used to successfully separate graphite flakes after thermal exfoliation of chemically intercalated graphite . examples are given in sakawaki , et al . (“ foliated fine graphite particles and method for preparing same ,” u . s . pat . no . 5 , 330 , 680 , jul . 19 , 1994 ) and chen , et al . (“ preparation and characterization of graphite nanosheets from ultrasonic powdering technique ,” carbon , vol . 42 , 2004 , 753 - 759 ). however , there has been no report on the utilization of ultrasonic waves in directly exfoliating graphite or graphite oxide ( with or without intercalation ) and , concurrently , separating exfoliated particles into isolated or separated graphite flakes or platelets with a thickness less than 100 nm . this direct graphite exfoliation procedure was discussed in detail in one of our earlier inventions [ ref . 75 ]. in one preferred embodiment of the present invention , the second step of the process involves subjecting the pristine ngps to a controlled oxidation treatment . as opposed to the original chemical intercalation / oxidation treatment required in the prior art preparation of graphite oxide nano platelets that involves heavy and essentially un - controlled oxidation of natural graphite , the present oxidation procedure for pristine ngps has the following advantages : ( 1 ) oxidation can be executed in a well - controlled manner ; ( 2 ) the degree of oxidation can be relatively low ( in such a manner that oxidation can be limited to the edge of ngps , with the graphene plane surface remaining substantially oxygen - free , if so desired ); ( 3 ) the oxidation procedure can proceed at a high rate since the original graphitic material has been split into smaller particles and , hence , the oxidizing agent does not have to travel through inter - particle regions ; and ( 4 ) due to the well - split and separated nature of ngps , they can be subjected to gaseous phase oxidation , as opposed to liquid phase oxidation that requires a post - oxidation cleaning or purification procedure , which is typically very tedious and generates a great amount of waste water . in one procedure , pristine ngps may be dispersed in an acid ( e . g ., sulfuric acid , nitric acid , carboxylic acid , acetic acid , formic acid , etc .) and / or an oxidizing agent ( e . g ., kmno 4 , sodium or potassium chlorate , and hydrogen peroxide , h 2 o 2 ) at a temperature for a desired period of time . more environmentally benign acids or oxidizers , such as carboxylic acid , acetic acid , formic acid , and hydrogen peroxide , are preferred . the carboxylic acid may be selected from the group consisting of aromatic carboxylic acid , aliphatic or cyclo - aliphatic carboxylic acid , straight chain or branched chain carboxylic acid , saturated and unsaturated mono - carboxylic acids , di - carboxylic acids and poly - carboxylic acids that have 1 - 10 carbon atoms , alkyl esters thereof , and combinations thereof . alternatively and preferably , the oxidation treatment comprises subjecting the pristine ngps to an oxidizing agent in a vaporous or gaseous state . this oxidizing agent is preferably selected from ozone , sulfonic ( so 3 ) vapor , an oxygen - containing gas , hydrogen peroxide vapor , nitric acid vapor , or a combination thereof . further preferably , the treatment comprises subjecting the pristine ngp material to an oxidizing agent in a hydrogen - containing environment . hydrogen seems to provide useful functional groups , such as carboxyl and hydroxyl . although oxidation treatment can be conducted by immersing ngps in a liquid acid and / or oxidizer environment , such a procedure requires a subsequent water - rinsing and purification step ( such a rinsing procedure is not as tedious as required in the case of conventional sulfuric acid - intercalation graphite , nevertheless ). hence , a gaseous treatment requiring no post - treatment rinsing is preferred . a primary goal of the oxidation treatment is to impart solubility or dispersibility to the pristine ngps without a significant compromise in electrical conductivity . after an extensive and in - depth study we have discovered that dispersible and conductive ngps can be achieved by producing pristine ngps first and then imparting to pristine ngps an oxygen content up to 25 % by weight , preferably below 20 % by weight , further preferably between 5 % and 20 % by weight . the oxygen content can be determined using chemical elemental analysis and / or x - ray photoelectron spectroscopy ( xps ). it has been hitherto commonly believed by those skilled in the art that chemical processibility and electrical conductivity of graphite materials are mutually exclusive . quite opposite to this common wisdom , we have herein proven that , within a reasonable range of oxygen contents in ngps and their associated window of processing conditions , these two features can be achieved at the same time . the good solubility or dispersibility enables the production of ngp - based products , such as graphene paper , film , and nanocomposite structures , that have desirable physical properties . the oxygen content , along with some hydrogen , also enables us to impart a wide variety of functional groups to the ngps . the laminar graphite materials used in the prior art processes for the production of the gic , go , and subsequently made exfoliated graphite , flexible graphite sheets , and graphene platelets were , in most cases , natural graphite . however , the present invention is not limited to natural graphite . the starting material may be selected from the group consisting of natural graphite , artificial graphite ( e . g ., highly oriented pyrolytic graphite , hopg ), graphite oxide , graphite fluoride , graphite fiber , carbon fiber , carbon nano - fiber , carbon nano - tube , mesophase carbon micro - bead ( mcmb ) or carbonaceous micro - sphere ( cms ), soft carbon , hard carbon , and combinations thereof . all of these materials contain graphite crystallites that are composed of layers of graphene planes stacked or bonded together via van der waals forces . in natural graphite , multiple stacks of graphene planes , with the graphene plane orientation varying from stack to stack , are clustered together . in carbon fibers , the graphene planes are usually oriented along a preferred direction . generally speaking , soft carbons are carbonaceous materials obtained from carbonization of liquid - state , aromatic molecules . their aromatic ring or graphene structures are more or less parallel to one another , enabling further graphitization . hard carbons are carbonaceous materials obtained from aromatic solid materials ( e . g ., polymers , such as phenolic resin and polyfurfuryl alcohol ). their graphene structures are relatively randomly oriented and , hence , further graphitization is difficult to achieve even at a temperature higher than 2 , 500 ° c . but , graphene sheets do exist in these carbons . in the second set of approaches , the dispersible and conductive ngp material may be produced by ( a ) preparing a graphite intercalation compound ( gic ) or graphite oxide ( go ) from a laminar graphite material ; ( b ) exposing the gic or go to a first temperature for a first period of time to obtain exfoliated graphite ( mostly graphite oxide ); and ( c ) exposing the exfoliated graphite to a second temperature in a protective atmosphere for a second period of time ( a step called de - oxygenation ) to obtain the desired dispersible nano graphene platelet with an oxygen content between 5 % and 25 % by weight . in most of the prior art methods for making separated nano graphene platelets , the process begins with intercalating lamellar graphite flake particles with an expandable intercalation agent ( also known as an intercalant or intercalate ) to form a graphite intercalation compound ( gic ), typically using a chemical oxidation or an electrochemical ( or electrolytic ) method . the gic is characterized as having intercalant species , such as sulfuric acid and nitric acid , residing in interlayer spaces , also referred to as interstitial galleries or interstices . in traditional gics , the intercalant species may form a complete or partial layer in an interlayer space or gallery . if there always exists one graphene layer between two intercalant layers , the resulting graphite is referred to as a stage - 1 gic . if n graphene layers exist between two intercalant layers , we have a stage - n gic . it may be noted that intercalation of graphite ( e . g ., if intercalated by potassium melt ) does not necessarily lead to oxidation of graphite . however , if the intercalant contains an acid ( e . g ., sulfuric acid , nitric acid , carboxylic acid , etc .) and / or an oxidizing agent ( e . g ., kmno 4 , sodium or potassium chlorate , and hydrogen peroxide , h 2 o 2 ), the resulting gic is essentially a graphite oxide ( go ) material . this is true of essentially all of the known prior art chemical processes for the preparation of go nano platelets . this intercalation or oxidation step is followed by rapidly exposing the gic or go material to a high temperature , typically between 800 and 1 , 100 ° c ., to exfoliate the graphite material , forming vermicular graphite structures known as graphite worms . it is important to understand that these graphite worms or their constituent graphite flakes are actually graphite oxide , not graphene . they typically contain more than 30 % by weight of oxygen , existing as oxygen - containing functional groups like carboxyl or hydroxyl on both the basal plane surfaces and edges of graphene layers . exfoliation is believed to be caused by the interlayer volatile gases , created by the thermal decomposition , phase transition , or chemical reaction of the intercalant , which induce high gas pressures inside the interstices that push apart neighboring layers . in some methods , the exfoliation product is graphite worms that contain more or less interconnected graphite oxide flakes or functional group - decorated graphene sheets that are still more or less clustered or tied together . in order to further separate these interconnected graphite oxide flakes , the exfoliation product may then be subjected to air milling , air jet milling , ball milling , or ultrasonication before or after the second heat treatment . in one preferred embodiment of the present invention , a dispersible ngp - producing process begins with the preparation of a gic or go material , followed by heating the gic or go material to obtain exfoliated graphite . these two steps are similar to the above - described two steps — intercalation / oxidation of graphite and exfoliation of gic / go . although exfoliation temperature is typically between 800 and 1 , 100 ° c . for the gic or go prepared from natural graphite , we have found that the gic or go prepared from meso - phase carbon micro - beads ( mcmb ) can be effectively exfoliated at a temperature as low as 200 ° c . however , in all cases , higher exfoliation temperatures are preferred and exfoliation is preferably conducted in a protective atmosphere ( e . g ., containing an inert gas , hydrogen , and / or nitrogen ). it is of significance to note that , in the prior art , for all purposes ( e . g ., to produce graphite worms , flexible graphite , graphite oxide flakes , or separated graphene oxide sheets ), exfoliation of the gic / go was prescribed to occur at a relatively high temperature for a very short period of time , typically shorter than 2 minutes , more typically shorter than 1 minute , and often shorter than 30 seconds . in the prior art , expansion or exfoliation of graphite oxide was normally completed within this short period of time and , hence , continued heating of the freshly exfoliated graphite was believed to be unnecessary and undesirable ( for fear of thermally degrading the exfoliation product or perhaps for the purpose of saving energy ). contrary to this conventional wisdom , we have surprisingly observed that a further exposure of the exfoliated graphite product to a high temperature ( typically higher than the exfoliation temperature ), but in a protective atmosphere , could de - oxygenate or reduce the graphite oxide platelets to a range of very unique and useful oxygen contents . within this range , exfoliated graphite oxide platelets become highly electrically conducting and yet remain soluble or dispersible in water and many other organic solvents . in the prior art , dispersibility and conductivity are generally believed to be non - coexisting . this good solubility or dispersibility enables the production of ngp - based products , such as graphene paper , film , and nanocomposite structures , that have desirable physical properties . no subsequent chemical reduction of the platelets is required . although partial de - oxygenation of the exfoliated graphite oxide flakes was suggested by others [ e . g ., 67 , 68 ] as a means of reducing the product to recover electrical properties of nano graphene after the product is made ( e . g ., after graphene oxide thin film or paper is produced ), the prior art tasks [ 67 , 68 ] were based on chemical solution - based go exfoliation , not thermal exfoliation . however , once the de - oxygenation treatment in a vacuum was done , the graphene platelets were no longer soluble or dispersible . the prior art has not taught about the approach of continuing heating or re - heating the thermally exfoliated go products in a protective atmosphere to obtain dispersible yet conductive ngps . furthermore , the prior art has not suggested that this continual heating or re - heating could be preferably conducted immediately after , or concurrently with the exfoliation step to save energy and time . in the presently invented process , further preferably , these two operations ( thermal exfoliation and de - oxygenation ) are conducted using the same reactor . it has been hitherto commonly believed by those skilled in the art that chemical processibility and electrical conductivity of graphite materials are mutually exclusive . quite opposite to this common wisdom , we have herein proven that , within a reasonable range of oxygen contents in go nano platelets and their associated window of processing conditions , these two features can be achieved at the same time . the presently invented processes typically resulted in a dispersible nano graphene platelet material , when formed into a thin film with a thickness no greater than 100 nm , exhibits an electrical conductivity of at least 10 s / cm , often higher than 100 s / cm , and , in many cases , higher than 1 , 000 s / cm . the resulting ngp material typically has a specific surface area of from approximately 300 m 2 / g to 2 , 600 m 2 / g and , in many cases , comprises single - layer graphene sheets . the process may further comprise a step of contacting the nano graphene platelet material , during and / or after oxidation , with a reactant such that a functional group is added to a surface or edge of the nano graphene platelet material . theses functional groups may contain alkyl or aryl silane , alkyl or aralkyl group , hydroxyl group , carboxyl group , amine group , sulfonate group (— so 3 h ), aldehydic group , quinoidal , fluorocarbon , or a combination thereof . the following examples serve to provide the best modes of practice for the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention . examples 1 - 4 provide first set of samples , based on the preparation of graphite oxide ( go ) and then de - oxygenation of go nano platelets . subsequent examples provide samples that are produced first with the preparation of pristine ngps , followed by partial oxidation of pristine ngps . continuous graphite fiber yarns ( magnamite from hercules ) were cut into segments of 5 mm long and then ball - milled for 24 hours . approximately 20 grams of these milled fibers were immersed in a mixture of 2 l of formic acid and 0 . 1 l of hydrogen peroxide at 45 ° c . for 48 hours . following the chemical oxidation intercalation treatment , the resulting intercalated fibers were washed with water and dried . the resulting product is a formic acid - intercalated graphite fiber material containing graphite oxide crystallites . subsequently , approximately ½ of the intercalated or oxidized fiber sample was transferred to a furnace pre - set at a temperature of 600 ° c . for 30 seconds . the compound was found to induce extremely rapid and high expansions of graphite crystallites . the as - exfoliated graphite fiber is designated as sample - 1a . approximately half of sample 1 - a material was subjected to de - oxygenation at 1 , 100 ° c . for 20 minutes in a nitrogen atmosphere to obtain sample - 1b . a small amount of both materials was mixed with an aqueous ethanol solution to form two separate suspensions , which were subjected to further separation of exfoliated flakes using a cowles shearing device . both graphite oxide platelets ( sample 1 - a ) and reduced go platelets ( essentially ngps ) were found to be soluble and well - dispersed in this aqueous solution . the resulting suspensions were dip - coated to form thin films with a thickness of approximately 100 nm on glass slide surfaces . the thickness of individual platelets was found to range from two graphene sheets to approximately 25 graphene sheets ( average of 14 sheets or approximately 4 . 7 nm ) based on sem and tem observations . the length of these ngps was typically in the range of 10 - 60 μm and width in the range of 0 . 5 - 2 μm . a four - point probe method was used to measure the electrical - conductivity of the thin films on the glass substrate . it was found that the conductivity of the film prepared from sample 1 - a ( as - exfoliated go platelets ) was approximately 1 . 3 × 10 − 3 s / cm while that of sample 1 - b was 2 . 8 s / cm . mcmb 2528 microbeads were supplied by alumina trading , which is the u . s . distributor for the supplier , osaka gas chemical company of japan . this material has a density of about 2 . 24 g / cm 3 ; a particle size maximum for at least 95 % by weight of the particles of 37 microns ; median size of about 22 . 5 microns and an inter - planar distance of about 0 . 336 nm . mcmb 2528 ( 10 grams ) were intercalated with an acid solution ( sulfuric acid , nitric acid , and potassium permanganate at a ratio of 4 : 1 : 0 . 05 ) for 24 hours . upon completion of the reaction , the mixture was poured into deionized water and filtered . the intercalated mcmbs were repeatedly washed in a 5 % solution of hcl to remove most of the sulphate ions . the sample was then washed repeatedly with deionized water until the ph of the filtrate was neutral . the slurry was spray - dried and stored in a vacuum oven at 60 ° c . for 24 hours . the dried powder sample was placed in a quartz tube and inserted into a horizontal tube furnace pre - set at a desired temperature , 600 ° c . for 30 seconds to obtain sample 2 - a . approximately one half of the exfoliated mcmb sample was subjected to de - oxygenation treatment at 1 , 250 ° c . for 15 minutes in an argon environment to obtain sample 2 - b . a small quantity of each sample was mixed with water and ultrasonicated at a 60 w power for 10 minutes to obtain a suspension . again , thin films were prepared from each suspension by dip coating and the electrical conductivity of the films was measured . the conductivity of the film prepared from sample 2 - a ( as - exfoliated oxidized mcmb platelets ) was found to be approximately 1 . 8 × 10 − 2 s / cm and that of sample 2 - b after de - oxygenation was 67 s / cm . both types of platelets were well - dispersed in water . graphite oxide was prepared by oxidation of graphite flakes with sulfuric acid , sodium nitrate , and potassium permanganate at a ratio of 4 : 1 : 0 . 05 at 30 ° c . for 24 hours , according to the method of hummers [ u . s . pat . no . 2 , 798 , 878 , jul . 9 , 1957 ]. upon completion of the reaction , the mixture was poured into deionized water and filtered . the sample was then washed with 5 % hcl solution to remove most of the sulfate ions and residual salt and then repeatedly rinsed with deionized water until the ph of the filtrate was approximately 7 . the intent was to remove all sulfuric and nitric acid residue out of graphite interstices . the slurry was spray - dried and stored in a vacuum oven at 60 ° c . for 24 hours . the interlayer spacing of the resulting laminar graphite oxide was determined by the debey - scherrer x - ray technique to be approximately 0 . 73 nm ( 7 . 3 å ), indicating that graphite has been converted into graphite oxide . the dried , intercalated ( oxidized ) compound was divided into two batches , both for exfoliation at 800 ° c . for 1 minute by placing the sample in a quartz tube that was inserted into a horizontal tube furnace pre - set at 800 ° c . for sample 3 - a , exfoliation was followed by de - oxygenation at 1 , 000 ° c . for various periods of time , from 1 minute to 120 minutes . for sample 3 - b , the de - oxygenation temperature was 1 , 100 ° c ., from 1 minute to 80 minutes . the de - oxygenation atmosphere was approximately 95 % nitrogen and 5 % hydrogen . two series of thin films were prepared from these two samples for the purpose of measuring the electrical conductivity of the go nano platelets or ngps as a function of the de - oxygenation time and the resulting oxygen content . the oxygen content , based on the elemental analysis , was for those oxygen atoms in functional groups attached to the plane surfaces and edges of the platelets . the exfoliated and de - oxygenated products , after various periods of de - oxygenation , were each mixed with water and then subjected to a mechanical shearing treatment using a cowles rotating - blade shearing machine for 20 minutes . the resulting platelets were found to have an average thickness of 6 . 3 nm . spin coating was used to prepare thin films for conductivity measurement . go or graphene platelets at selected de - oxygenation time intervals were also analyzed for their oxygen contents using x - ray photoelectron spectroscopy ( xps ) available at the center for multifunctional nonmaterial at wright state university , dayton , ohio . shown in fig1 is a summary of the electrical conductivity data of the films made from go nano platelets after various periods of de - oxygenation time at 1 , 000 ° c . and 1 , 100 ° c ., respectively . the conductivity of the film varies from 5 . 0 × 10 − 3 s / cm of as - foliated go to 180 s / cm after 40 minutes of de - oxygenation , and to 4 . 1 × 10 2 s / cm after 80 minutes , the latter representing a five order - of - magnitude improvement in electrical conductivity . the go or de - oxygenated go platelets were found to be soluble or dispersible in water up to an oxygen content of 5 . 6 % by weight ( after 50 minutes at 1 , 100 ° c ., giving rise to an electrical conductivity of 360 s / cm ). this conductivity value is a very impressive result , comparable to the best achievable conductivity with strong or heavy chemical reduction and / or vacuum de - oxygenation treatments after the films were made ( yet those graphene platelets of the thin films prepared in the prior art became non - dispersible ) [ refs . 47 , 67 , 68 ]. the two curves and the observations made on the solution dispersibility of the corresponding suspensions appear to indicate that the conductivity increases rapidly with the degree of de - oxygenation while the go platelets remain soluble over a range of treatment time durations at a given de - oxygenation temperature ; e . g ., up to 50 minutes at 1 , 100 ° c . once the conductivity value reaches a plateau , the platelets begin to lose their solubility or dispersibility in water and other polar solvents , such as ethanol and acetone . fortunately , this plateau value is already very high , typically in the range of 100 - 1 , 000 s / cm . the electrical conductivity data were plotted as a function of the corresponding oxygen content data for two de - oxygenation temperatures , as shown in fig2 . it is clear that , regardless of the de - oxygenation temperature , it is the final oxygen content that governs the conductivity of go or reduced go platelets ; the lower the oxygen content , the higher the conductivity is . when the oxygen content is below 5 % by weight , the reduced go tends to become insoluble or non - dispersible in water . surprisingly , and fortunately , within the oxygen content range of 5 %- 20 %, the nano platelet film exhibits a conductivity value greater than 1 s / cm . if the oxygen content is below 15 %, the conductivity is greater than 10 s / cm . the conductivity of the ngp film is greater than 100 s / cm if the oxygen content is below 10 %. the samples of example 4 , including sample 4 - a and 4 - b , were prepared in a similar manner as described in example 3 , but the exfoliation was conducted at 1 , 000 ° c . for 45 seconds , followed by de - oxygenation at 1 , 200 ° c . and 1 , 350 ° c ., respectively , for various periods of time . shown in fig3 is a summary of the electrical conductivity data of the films made from go nano platelets after various periods of de - oxygenation time . these data further confirm the trend observed earlier that the electrical conductivity of nano graphene or graphene oxide films increases with increasing de - oxygenation time ( or decreasing oxygen content ). high conductivity can be attained with shorter periods of time if the de - oxygenation temperature is sufficiently high . in order to determine if a lower oxygen content would adversely affect the functionalization capability of graphene platelets and how functionalization would impact the electrical conductivity of these platelets , we carried out additional work on selected samples , described below : with the de - oxygenation atmosphere containing some hydrogen , we presumed that the edges of graphene or graphene oxide platelets contained a significant amount of activated c — h bonds . we chose to sulfonate the two samples that had been de - oxygenated for 10 minutes and 45 minutes , respectively , at 1 , 200 ° c . the sample with a 10 - min de - oxygenation treatment ( sample 4 - a - 10 ) was highly soluble in water , but that with a 45 - minute treatment ( sample 4 - a - 45 ) has poor or limited solubility in water . sulfonation was conducted by subjecting the two samples to the vapor phase of a fuming sulfuric acid ( oleum ) containing 20 % so 3 for one hour . the results were very surprising . after the sulfonation treatment , sample 4 - a - 10 remained highly soluble in water and sample 4 - a - 45 , originally having limited solubility , became soluble in water . most surprisingly , the electrical conductivity of their respective films remained essentially un - changed , 12 s / cm and 695 s / cm , respectively . this important observation suggests that further functionalization of de - oxygenated graphene platelets provides another tool of varying solubility of the graphene platelets , as prepared by the presently invented de - oxygenation process , without adversely affecting their conductivity . sulfonation is but one of many approaches to the functionalization of de - oxygenated go platelets . presumably , both the functional groups attached to basal plane atoms and those at the edges of basal planes ( or graphene planes ) tend to decrease the electrical conductivity of a graphene or graphene oxide platelet . the surface functional groups are in the way of electron conduction paths and , hence , are much more influential on the electron transport . these groups represent defects that could significantly reduce the mean free path of electrons moving on a basal plane . the functional groups at the graphene edge , although altering the quantum wave functions of electrons at the edge , would have less significant effect on the overall conductivity . however , the presence of different functional groups could have significantly different effects on solubility or dispersibility of a graphene or graphene oxide platelet in a solvent and the interfacial bonding between a platelet and a matrix material in a nanocomposite . this implies that we now have a tool of adjusting the solubility or dispersibility of ngps in a solvent without significantly varying the electrical conductivity . preparation of pristine ngps from natural flake graphite and graphite fibers using direct ultrasonication five grams of graphite flakes , ground to approximately 20 μm or less in sizes , were dispersed in 1 , 000 ml of deionized water ( containing 0 . 1 % by weight of a dispersing agent , zonyl ® fso from dupont ) to obtain a suspension . an ultrasonic energy level of 75 w ( branson s450 ultrasonicator ) was used for exfoliation , separation , and size reduction for a period of 1 hour . this procedure was repeated several times , each time with five grams of starting graphite powder , to produce a sufficient quantity of pristine ngps , which are hereinafter referred to as sample 5 - p - u ( p stands for pristine and u stands for ultrasonic ). the same procedure was repeated for graphite fibers to obtain sample 5 gf - p - u . the graphite fibers used were the same as those in example 1 . preparation of pristine ngps from natural graphite flakes and mcmbs using potassium intercalation natural graphite was obtained from huadong graphite co ., qingdao , china . the first stage intercalation compound , kc 8 , was synthesized by adding a stoichiometric amount of potassium , 81 . 4 mg ( 0 . 0021 moles ) to 200 mg ( 0 . 0167 moles ) of graphite particles in a pyrex tube capped with a stopcock . all transfers were carried out in a helium filled dry box . the reactant filled tube was evacuated , sealed and heated for 16 hours at 200 ° c . the compound formed was bright gold in color . the obtained gic was poured into a mixture of ethanol and distilled water ( 50 : 50 by volume ). the material turns from gold to black as the graphite got exfoliated and bubbling was observed , suggesting that hydrogen was produced . the resulting solution was basic due to the formation of potassium ethoxide . the dispersion of nano graphene sheets in aqueous ethanol solution was then allowed to settle . the solvent was decanted and the product washed several times with ethanol until a neutral ph was obtained . this pristine ngp material is referred to as sample 6 - p - k ( k stands for potassium intercalation ). another batch of samples was prepared from mcmbs following the same procedures . this pristine ngp material is referred to as sample 6mc - p - k . a natural graphite sample ( approximately 5 grams ) was placed in a 100 milliliter high - pressure vessel . the vessel was equipped with security clamps and rings that enable isolation of the vessel interior from the atmosphere . the vessel was in fluid communication with high - pressure carbon dioxide by way of piping means and limited by valves . a heating jacket was disposed around the vessel to achieve and maintain the critical temperature of carbon dioxide . high - pressure carbon dioxide was introduced into the vessel and maintained at approximately 1 , 100 psig ( 7 . 58 mpa ). subsequently , the vessel was heated to about 70 ° c . at which the supercritical conditions of carbon dioxide were achieved and maintained for about 3 hours , allowing carbon dioxide to diffuse into inter - graphene spaces . then , the vessel was immediately depressurized “ catastrophically ’ at a rate of about 3 milliliters per second . this was accomplished by opening a connected blow - off valve of the vessel . as a result , delaminated or exfoliated graphene layers were formed , which were identified as sample 7 - p - sc - a . this sample was found to contain pristine ngps with an average thickness just under 10 nm . approximately two - thirds of sample 7 - p - sc - a was removed from the pressure vessel . the remaining ngps were subjected to another cycle of supercritical co 2 intercalation and de - pressurization treatments ( i . e ., the above procedures were repeated ), yielding much thinner ngps with an average thickness of 2 . 1 nm ( identified as sample 7 - p - sc - b ). the specific surface area , as measured by the bet method , was approximately 430 m 2 / g . tem and afm examinations indicated that there were many single - layer graphene sheets in this sample . sample 7 - p - sc - c was prepared under essentially identical supercritical co 2 conditions , with the exception that a small amount of surfactant ( approximately 0 . 05 grams of zonyl ® fso ) was mixed with 5 grams of natural graphite before the mixture was sealed in the pressure vessel . the resulting ngps have a surprisingly low average thickness , 3 . 1 nm . after the pressurization and de - pressurization procedures were repeated for one cycle , the resulting ngps have an average thickness less than 1 nm , indicating that a majority of the ngps are single - layer or double - layer sheets . the specific surface area of this sample after a repeated cycle was approximately 900 m 2 / g . it may be noted that a sample of single - layer graphene sheets should exhibit a specific surface area of & gt ; 2 , 670 m 2 / g . it is clear that the presence of a surfactant or dispersing agent promotes separation of graphene layers , perhaps by preventing the reformation of van der waals forces between graphene sheets once separated . the oxidation treatment of the samples prepared in examples 5 - 7 was carried out in two different ways : one in a liquid state and the other in a vapor / gas state . as one example for vapor phase oxidation , so 3 vapor was generated by adding and heating 10 g of fuming sulfuric acid into a reactor the so 3 vapor was passed through a column in which 10 g of pristine ngps was packed for the oxidation treatment for various durations of time , from 5 minutes to one hour . upon completion of the oxidation , the column containing oxidized ngps was slightly heated at about 60 ° c . for about 15 minutes to remove excessive amount of so 3 condensed on the surface of the ngps , and the separated so 3 was recovered and absorbed into the sulfuric acid in the reactor . so 3 - treated ngps were washed with water and filtered . another example for vapor / gas phase oxidation entails simply exposing ngps to a heated oxygen or oxygen - containing gas environment ( e . g ., oxygen gas with a small amount of water , 1 % by weight ). a suitable temperature range is 250 - 500 ° c . for 10 to 120 minutes . it may be noted that graphite oxidation was generally believed to occur only at a temperature higher than 350 ° c . however , much to our surprise , oxidation of graphene could occur at as low as 200 ° c . this perhaps is due to the nano - scaled nature of ngps . liquid state oxidation of pristine ngps can be carried out by simply immersing ngps in a solution containing an acid and / or oxidizer . more benign acids , such as acetic acid and formic acid , are preferred although it takes a longer period of time to complete an oxidation procedure as compared with sulfuric or nitric acid . more benign oxidizers , such as h 2 o 2 , are preferred over other strong oxidizers , such as potassium permanganate . it was more difficult to wash and remove a salt like potassium permanganate from treated ngps . oxidation conditions of a wide range of pristine ngps are summarized in table 1 . there are two significant observations that can be made from table 1 : ( 1 ) typically , ngps become soluble in polar solvents , such as water and alcohol , when the oxygen content exceeds 5 % by weight ; and ( 2 ) some of the ngps , after partial oxidation , actually become soluble in non - polar solvents , such as nmp and toluene , which is an un - expected result . this is surprising since a higher oxygen content means the presence of more polar groups , such as carboxyl and hydroxyl , that make the ngps more polar . pristine and partially oxidized ngps from selected samples ( 6mc - p - k , 7 - p - sc - a , 7 - p - sc - b , and 7 - p - sc - c ) were made into thin films ( approximately 100 nm thick ) for electrical conductivity measurements . the results are summarized in fig4 , along with the conductivity data of those ngps or go prepared from de - oxygenating heavily oxidized go platelets . it is clear that the electrical conductivity of ngps or go nano platelets decreases with increasing oxygen content , regardless of the preparation routes . for those samples prepared from oxidation of pristine ngps , the conductivity is normally greater than 1 s / cm if the oxygen content is less than 25 % by weight , similar to the case of partially de - oxygenated gn platelets . however , the electrical conductivity of those prepared by partially oxidizing pristine ngps is almost always greater than that of those prepared by partially de - oxygenating go nano platelets with a comparable oxygen content . this is another highly surprising result of the present study . we speculated that those heavily oxidized go platelets were highly defected , likely with their graphene plane populated with oxygen - containing chemical groups . even after partial de - oxygenation , these original chemical group sites remain as structural defects . by contrast , oxidation of pristine ngps might begin with the graphene edges and chemical groups began to attach to the graphene surface only after the edges were fully oxidized . the partially oxidized ngps prepared according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be further functionalized by carrying out an additional step of contacting the partially oxidized ngps with a reactant such that a functional group is added to a surface or edge of the nano graphene platelet . the functional group may be selected from , as examples , alkyl or aryl silane , alkyl or aralkyl group , hydroxyl group , amine group , fluorocarbon , or a combination thereof . as an example , two separate batches of sample 6 - p - k were subjected to oxidation treatments to obtain sample 6 - p - k - 4 . 6 ( oxygen content of 4 . 6 % by weight ) and sample 6 - p - k - 24 . 5 ( oxygen content of 24 . 5 % by weight ). they were then allowed to undergo various functionalization treatments , briefly described as follows : the ngps , after a partial oxidation treatment , will have a reactive graphene surface ( rgs ) or reactive graphene edge ( rge ). they were prescribed to undergo the following reactions : ( a ) rgs / rge + ch 2 ═ chcox ( at 1 , 000 ° c . )→ graphene - r ′ coh ( where x =— oh , — cl , — nh 2 , or — h ); e . g ., rgs / rge + ch 2 ═ chcooh → g - r ′ co — oh ( where g = graphene ); ( d ) rgs / rge + ch 2 ═ ch — ch 2 x → g - r ′ ch 2 x ( where x =— oh , - halogen , or — nh 2 ); in the above - listed reactions , r ′ is a hydrocarbon radical ( alkyl , cycloalkyl , etc ). the results of electrical conductivity measurements of the ngp films and observations on solubility of ngps in solvents are summarized in table 2 . these data further confirm that chemical functionalization treatments can be used to vary the solubility or dispersibility of ngps without significantly compromising electrical conductivity . partial oxidation of pristine ngps can lead to the attachment of some functional groups on a surface or at an edge of a graphene plane , including carboxylic acid and hydroxyl groups . a large number of derivatives can be prepared from carboxylic acid alone . for instance , alcohols or amines can be easily linked to acid to provide stable esters or amides . if the alcohol or amine is part of a di - or poly - functional molecule , then linkage through the o — or nh — leaves the other functional group ( s ) as pendant group ( s ). for instance , we can have r — oh or r — nh 2 , where r = alkyl , aralkyl , aryl , fluoroethanol , polymer , and sir 13 . examples include c 1 — sir 13 , ho — r — oh ( r = alkyl , aralkyl , or ch 2 o —), h 2 n — r — n 2 h ( r = alkyl , aralkyl ), x — r — y ( r = alkyl , etc . ; x ═ oh or nh 2 ; y ═ sh , cn , c ═ o , cho , alkene , alkyne , aromatic , or heterocycles ). as an example , sample 6 - p - k - 24 . 5 was treated to undergo the following reactions : r — cooh + im - co - im → r — co - im + him + co 2 ( im = imidazolide ) and him = imidazole ), which was followed by r — co - im + r ′ oh ( in naoet )→ r — co — or ′+ him , and , separately for another specimen , by r — co - im + r ′ nh 2 → r — co — nhr ′+ him . in summary , the presently invented ngp compositions and related processes are superior to many prior art pristine graphene or graphite oxide nano platelets and their processes in several aspects : 1 ) prior art processes based on graphite intercalation / oxidation and high - temperature exfoliation did not allow for a good control over the oxygen content of the resulting go or ngp platelets . 2 ) in another commonly used prior art approach , the graphite oxide dispersed in an aqueous solution was reduced with hydrazine , in the presence of a polymer , such as poly ( sodium 4 - styrenesulfonate ). this process led to the formation of a stable aqueous dispersion of polymer - coated graphene platelets . in some applications of ngps , however , a polymer coating may be undesirable . furthermore , the reducing agent , hydrazine , is a toxic substance . 3 ) another prior art method of producing less hydrophilic go platelets involved using an isocyanate treatment . however , unless stabilized by selected polymers , the chemically modified graphene sheets obtained through this method tended to precipitate as irreversible agglomerates due to their hydrophobic nature . the resulting agglomerates became insoluble in water and organic solvents . by contrast , the presently invented process provides a simple and convenient approach to the preparation of soluble or dispersible nano graphene that is also highly conducting . 4 ) conventional processes of preparing go nano sheets that included chemical exfoliation typically were extremely tedious . such a long process is not amenable to the mass production of conductive nano graphene platelets . in these prior art processes , by subjecting the go films to a high temperature treatment in a vacuum , one could obtain nano platelets with thin film electrical conductivity as high as 550 s / cm . however , once such a high temperature treatment was done , the go nano sheets were no longer dispersible in water . 5 ) the presently invented processes are capable of producing ngps with no or little impurity . the process can obviate the need for washing and rinsing the platelets ( which was required in the prior art solution approach to the exfoliation of go and / or subsequent chemical reduction ). 6 ) the presently invented processes allow for the ngps to be readily or easily functionalized . this is particularly useful if ngps are used as a filler in a composite material . solubility or dispersibility of ngps in a solvent allows mixing of these ngps with a polymer that is also soluble in the same solvent . 7 ) the presently invented processes enable us to have separate control over dispersibility and conductivity , which were considered mutually exclusive in the prior art .
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referring now to the drawings , wherein like numerals designate like elements throughout the various views , fig1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a rear - screen video display system 1 according to the present invention . the system comprises a screen unit 10 , a base unit 20 and a connecting means which , in this embodiment , comprises legs 30 , which rigidly maintain the base unit 20 and the screen unit 10 in a spaced relationship , whereby a &# 34 ; free space &# 34 ; 40 between the base 20 and screen unit 10 is created . the base 20 is typically rectangular - like in shape , having front 21 , rear 22 , sides 23 , 24 and top 25 surfaces . an lcd or other projector 26 , shown in dashed lines , may be housed within the base 20 . the base contains a two mirror system , although , in the preferred embodiment , only a single mirror 12 is used to receive from the projector 26 ( which is shown here in a position suitable for use with a three - mirror system ) an incident beam which is reflected onto screen 5 . in a 3 - mirror system , beam 27 ( see fig2 ) from the projector 26 is directed to a first mirror 28 which reflects the image to a second mirror 29 which further reflects and optionally magnifies the image out of opening 70 in the base unit 20 , through air space 40 , to a third mirror 12 , shown in dash lines in fig1 which is located in screen unit 10 . the mirror 12 may optionally further magnify the image reflected to screen 5 for viewing . in an alternate embodiment , the screen unit 10 may be built as a modular component , to aid in the portability of the video display system to facilitate component replacement and for packaging convenience of the overall apparatus . in such an alternate embodiment , the screen unit 10 is separable from legs 30 , which may also be removable from the base unit 20 . the screen 5 may be covered with a light control film to reduce the effects of ambient light . alternatively , a light tunnel 100 ( see fig4 ) may be used . the light tunnel may extend the full distance between the base unit 20 and the screen unit as shown in dashed lines 101 in fig4 or may simply extend a part of that distance ( see 100 of fig4 ). alternatively , the light tunnel can , for instance , be incorporated into , for instance , the pillar 50 in the second embodiment ( see fig6 ). in such case , the position of the pillar 50 would need to be altered . fig6 - 10 depict a second embodiment of a rear screen video display system according to the present invention . in this embodiment , the connecting means is a pillar 50 , rather than the legs 30 shown in the first embodiment . in this embodiment , an optional location of the projector 26 is shown to be outside of the base unit and in a compartment 110 on pillar 50 . the projector 26 may optionally also sit on top of the base unit 20 . in the preferred single mirror configuration , a single mirror 12 , housed in the screen unit 10 is used . in this configuration , the projector 26 would be located , for instance , in the front region of the base unit 200 , as shown in fig6 but at an angle . an incident beam from the projector 26 would then strike and reflect off mirror 12 in the screen unit 10 towards the screens . fig1 - 15 depict a third embodiment of a rear screen video display system . in this embodiment , the front of the screen unit 10 extends downwardly to contact the base unit 20 . the rear portion of the screen unit 10 is supported on a pillar . the extending front is depicted as having slots or apertures for aesthetic purposes and to reduce the weight of the overall system . fig1 - 20 depict a fourth embodiment of a rear screen video display system . in this embodiment , the rigid connection means is a v - shaped support structure 60 for the screen unit 10 . in this embodiment , aperture 70 in the base unit 20 , permits light directly from a projector 26 or reflecting off a mirror and travelling through air space 71 to enter the screen unit 10 and reflect off mirror 12 toward the screen 5 . in a fifth embodiment of the invention , as shown in fig2 - 24 , the screen unit 210 may be constructed in a manner somewhat similar to the portable rear screen television cabinet described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 243 , 885 . specifically , the screen unit 210 comprises a front rectangular structure 202 , having a front panel 203 , with a large rectangular screen 205 . the front rectangular structure comprises a front panel 203 , top plank 206 and two side planks 207 , 208 . the rear portion 209 , as demonstrated herein , expands to accommodate a large mirror 12 , which , in conjunction with mirrors 28 and 29 of the base unit and the projector 26 ( see fig2 ), brings the projected image to the rear screen 205 . the base unit 20 and any pillars 50 or legs 30 may also be collapsible and portable . the screen unit 210 may be set up in its operational layout in the following manner . pins 214 , which secure base panels 215 , 216 are withdrawn , and the panels 215 , 216 are swung outward and downward using hinges 217 , as shown in fig2 . at this juncture , top mirror panel 218 , described in more detail later , is removed . right and left side panels 219 , 220 are then swung into operational position using hinges 230 . the side panels 219 , 220 are formed generally each of a rectangular section 221 , 222 and a triangular section 223 , 224 , constructed as a single piece section . the rectangular rear panel 216 is hinged to the base panel 215 via a hinging mechanism 217 ( see fig2 ). the hingeable rear panel 216 may be swung upwards so that pegs 231 in the rear panel 216 fit in corresponding holes 232 on the rear edges 233 of the side panels 219 , 220 . other fastening systems may , of course , be used properly to secure the panels . an aperture 70 is cut out of bottom panel 215 , permitting a light beam from a projector 26 or mirror to enter screen unit 10 . leg housing 80 ( see fig2 - 24 ), or other securing means may be adapted to side panels 219 , 220 to accommodate the legs 30 of the device so that the screen unit 210 is properly positioned above the base unit 20 . in the modular alternate embodiments and in this fifth embodiment , the screen unit 210 may actually be removed from the legs 30 or the pillar 50 . the legs 30 or the pillar 50 are also removable from the base unit 10 . in this embodiment , the screen unit 10 , folds into a small profile . the base unit 20 , as explained , may also be foldable , collapsible and portable . in one embodiment of the invention , the legs 30 , are removed from the base unit 20 and are stored within the screen unit 10 in order more easily to transport the unit 1 . ( see fig2 ). a mirror system 12 , 28 and 29 , may comprise three front surface mirrors ( see fig2 ). mirror 12 is in the screen unit and mirrors 28 , 29 are in the base unit . this mirror system facilitates projection from the projector onto the rear screen 5 . the mirrors 28 and 29 may be placed in the base unit 20 , as shown . in the preferred embodiment , an odd numbered set of mirrors ( and preferably one ) is used to reverse the orientation of the projected image to facilitate correct viewing on the rear screen 5 . one or more mirrors may be curved to enlarge the reflected image thereby to decrease the distance between mirrors which permits use of a smaller cabinet . preferably , in a three - mirror system , the three mirrors 12 , 28 , and 29 ( see fig2 ) are oriented as follows : a first mirror 28 is positioned to reflect the incident image 90 ° from the initial orientation . thus , the mirror 28 is angled 45 ° with respect to the angle of the initial projection beam 27 . the reflected beam 36 passes to a second mirror 29 which is angled preferably 40 ° with respect to the vertical and is tilted upwards . angles smaller than 40 ° are possible : any distortion could be corrected by building optical correction into the curvature of the mirrors . the beam 36 from the first mirror 28 is reflected ( beam 37 ) off the second mirror 29 , through free space 40 to a third mirror 12 in the screen unit 10 . the third mirror 12 is diagonally oriented with respect to both the base unit 20 of the device 1 , as well as the front panel face of the device 1 . the third mirror 12 is also angled 40 ° with respect to the vertical , although other angles are possible . the beam 38 , is reflected off this third mirror 12 and proceeds to the rear screen 5 for viewing . although the sizes of the mirrors 12 , 28 and 29 may vary depending on , for example , the size of the screen , the size of the overall assembly , the distance between the mirrors and the screen and beam divergence ( due to the nature of the projection lens of the projector 26 ), subsequent mirrors are always larger than the previous ones . the mirrors may be secured to any planar structures , using standard means and those structures can , in turn , be secured to the overall device by any standard means . the overall assembly may be easily folded and disassembled in order to fit into a compact unit . to achieve this , the following steps may be taken : the top panel mirror 218 having the largest mirror 12 , is removed or swung away on hinges . the rear panel 216 should be detached from the rear edges 233 of the side panels 219 , 220 and the side panels 219 , 220 should be swung inward into the front 202 of the device 1 . the top mirror panel 218 may now be secured . the base panel 215 , as well as the rear panel 216 are then folded in and secured by pins 214 . a recessed handle 239 or any other means may be adapted to the cabinet to facilitate transportation . according to another aspect of the invention , the external appearance of the rear screen video display cabinet can be changed by removing panel surfaces on the visible planar surfaces of the cabinet in case such surfaces become damaged , worn or if the owner simply desires a different aesthetic appearance for the system . for instance , fig2 shows cover strips 206a , and 207a which are adhered to top plank 206 and side plank 207 by known means and which may be removed from the top plank 206 and side plank 207 . this feature can be implemented on each of the embodiments disclosed herein for all exposed planar surfaces of the cabinets as well as the following sixth embodiment . fig2 - 36 depict the assembly of a sixth embodiment of a rear screen video display system according to the invention . fig2 shows the system 1 , in a prone perspective position ready to be assembled . in the pre - assembled condition , the system may be readily shippable via mail , u . p . s ., or other carrier . the system comprises a front rectangular structure 202 comprising a front panel 203 ( see fig3 ) having a screen 205 and left , right and base panels 219 , 220 and 215 . the front structures 202 may be made from various types of material , including sheet metal , wood , plastic , etc ., and has , for instance , a large number of apertures , as shown in fig3 . the structure 202 further comprises top plank 206 and two side planks 207 and 208 . to prepare the system for operations , the left and right and base panels 219 , 220 , 215 are &# 34 ; unfolded &# 34 ; or swing open , and fastened into position and placed upright , as shown in fig2 . the pivoting and locking mechanisms for the panels 219 , 220 , 215 are well - known conventional mechanisms . while preferably , the base , right and left panels are pivotally attached to the front panel , they may be attached to the front panel by other appropriate means -- e . g ., pins receivable in respective holes in the back surface of the front panel . the next step in assembling the system is to prepare for the insertion of the projector box assembly 300 ( see fig3 ) into the system . the projector box assembly 300 comprises front plank 303 , pivotable left , right and top planks 307 , 308 , 306 and half - wedges 304 , 311 attached to the bottom of the left and right planks 307 , 308 . the left and right planks 307 , 308 should be folded or swung into position so that they are perpendicular to the front plank 303 , as shown in fig3 . the assembly 300 should then be secured into position into the system by aligning the half - wedges 304 , 311 on the base panel 215 with complementary conforming slots 313 and 331 and pushing the assembly 300 in , thereby permitting the half - wedges 304 , 311 to be slid into slots 313 , 331 , as shown in fig3 . the next step involves preparation of the projector stand assembly 400 ( see fig3 ), which comprises a rear plank 401 , base plank 416 having wedges 404 , 411 , projector mounting plate 432 and a cord slot 433 . rear plank 401 should be &# 34 ; folded &# 34 ; or pivoted upward to be perpendicular to the base plank 416 as seen in fig3 and fastened by well - known conventional mechanisms . a projector 26 is now ready to be mounted into position onto the mounting plate 432 after cords of the projector are placed into the slot 433 and pulled under the base plank 416 ( between half - wedges 404 , 411 ) towards the front of the system as shown in fig3 . the projector stand assembly 400 of the system is now ready to be positioned into the system 1 with rear plank 401 facing the back of the system 1 , by sliding the half - wedges 404 and 411 , which are complementary to the half - wedges 304 , 311 of the box assembly 300 , into slots 304 , 311 ( see fig6 ). top plank 306 is then lowered to close the projector box assembly 300 . the projector box assembly 300 and stand assembly 400 provide for easy and rapid removal of projector 26 . thereby , if desired , projector 26 can be used for front projection . the next step is to connect mirror panel 318 , containing mirror 312 to the rear edge of left and right panels by mirror brackets ( not shown ). the power cord and audio / video cables are now ready for connections and the system is operational . when this embodiment of the invention is operational , a beam emanating from the projector 26 , travels through air space 71 ( see fig3 ), reflects off mirror 312 and strikes screen 205 , creating an image thereon . as therefore seen in fig3 , this embodiment therefore also has an &# 34 ; exposed beam path ,&# 34 ; similar to the first - fifth embodiments . the beam path may not be readily visible to viewers in front of the system but may be visible from the side . however , a &# 34 ; glow &# 34 ; from the &# 34 ; exposed &# 34 ; nature of the beam may be visible to viewers in front of the system . also similar to the first - fifth embodiments , various external planar surfaces of the system may be removed and replaced for repair , or simply to provide a different aesthetic appearance . for instance , frame 450 ( see fig3 ) is easily replaceable . while the preferred embodiments of the invention have been depicted in detail , various modifications and adaptations may be made thereto , without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention , as delineated in the appended claims .
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in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments , reference is made to the accompanying drawings , which form a part hereof , and within which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments by which the invention may be practiced . it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention . the first non - peptidic , substrate - mimetic inhibitor of akt was developed through systematic rigidification and replacement of the remaining amino acid residues . the substrate - mimetic inhibitor design was based on the truncated gsk3β substrate sequence , grprttsf , utilizing a recently published x - ray crystal structure of activated akt ternary complex with gsk3β and an atp analogue . the rational design approach was focused on reducing the entropy cost of the extended binding conformation , accessing a large unoccupied hydrophobic pocket adjacent to the c - terminus , and eliminating nonessential amino acid residues . this approach identified inhibitor 1 with in vitro akt inhibition of ic 50 = 14 μm , seen in fig1 and 2 . peptidomimetic inhibitors were generated directly from the minimal substrate sequence by systematic replacement of the non - critical amino acids and tested for in vitro inhibition of akt using a fluorescence polarization assay system , shown in fig3 . evaluating of the contribution of amino acids residues on gsk3 , through scanning serine substitutions with several other l - amino acids , produced weakly binding peptidic inhibitors 1 - 7 , see fig3 . replacement of the reactive serine with a valine residue ( a non - nucleophilic surrogate ) in peptide 4 provided a starting point in the inhibitor design . a benzyl ( bn ), a small hydrophobic group , was included at the c - terminus to complement the unoccupied hydrophobic pocket afforded inhibitor 8 a 2 - fold increase in potency ( ic 50 of 239 μm ). the internal - tt - residues , which make few interactions with the protein surface , were then replaced with - aa -, resulting in a two - fold decrease in activity , however , substitution with a conformationally restricted scaffold , p - amino benzoic acid ( abz ), afforded inhibitor 10 with a 10 - fold increase in activity ( ic 50 of 28 μm ). docking studies suggest that the abz spacer reproduces the hydrophobic interactions of the native discrete dipeptide β - strand , while reducing the entropy cost of the extended binding conformation of the unbound inhibitor . a screen of hydrophobic groups appended to the c - terminus ( 11 - 17 ) demonstrated similar activity to c - terminal benzyl derivative 10 , which along with reported x - ray structures , suggest the hydrophobic pocket is extensive , see compounds 11 , 13 - 14 in fig3 . as expected these hydrophilic peptidic inhibitors showed no cellular activity . previous alanine scanning had demonstrated a strict requirement for conservation of both arginines in the n - terminal grpr amino sequence . the presence of polar n - terminal grpr residues would also likely hinder cell penetration and useful in vivo activity . the dependence of n - terminal hydrophilic contacts was reexamined using an alanine scan shown in fig3 , see compounds 18 - 20 . the results indicate only one arginine residue was necessary to maintain activity , as 18 and 19 possess similar potency to 10 . the n - terminal - grp - tripeptide sequence was truncated from the inhibitors . this produced a set of inhibitors with only 3 amino acids and with the optimal hydrophobic substituents coupled to the c - terminus of acr - abz - v — f — oh , see compounds 21 - 25 in fig3 . these truncated inhibitors are significantly more hydrophobic than peptidomimetics 1 - 20 , but retain almost identical inhibition potency . further truncation of the n - terminal acylated amine , shown in compound 26 , resulted in an almost two - fold loss of activity when compared to compound 24 , highlighting the importance of hydrophobic interactions and the interaction of the carbonyl or amide proton with an adjacent residue , illustrated in fig4 . modifications to the n - terminal hydrophilic residues concentrated on increasing the rigidity and hydrophobicity of the inhibitors ; decreasing the length and rotational freedom of the essential guanidinium functionality to project it directly into an acidic pocket of akt . different length linkers were explored , with 0 , 1 , 2 , and 3 atoms , seen in fig5 , separated from the aromatic spacer to afford inhibitors that showed comparable or better affinity than compound 24 containing the entire arg residue . inhibitors with 0 - 2 atom linkers , 32a - c respectively , were synthesized by the guanidinylation of commercially available amino benzoic acids followed by solid phase coupling , cleavage , and c - terminal coupling . inhibitor 31 , possessing a three atom linker , was synthesized through reductive amination of methyl 4 - aminobenzoate with hydrocinnamaldehyde , and subsequent saponification and deprotection to afford compound 29 . guanidinylation of compound 29 , proceeded by solid phase coupling , cleavage , and c - terminal coupling to give compound 31 . inhibitor 32a provides the best affinity in this series with an ic 50 of 77 μm , compared to 500 μm and 120 μm for compounds 32b and 32c , respectively . this suggests that a one atom linker is sufficient to reach the hydrophilic pocket . additional n - terminal modifications focused on scaffolds with a functionalizable handle to access a hydrophobic pocket previously occupied by one of the thr residues of the gsk3β peptide . compounds 36a - c were synthesized , shown in fig6 , to probe both interactions . two derivatives were synthesized by coupling 27 and methyl 4 - aminobenzoate to afford 33 which was then alkylated with the corresponding bromide to provide 35a - b . reductive amination of methyl 4 - aminobenzoate with 3 - phenyl - propionaldehyde followed by coupling with 27 via an in situ acid chloride formation , afforded 35c . saponification of 35a - c followed by solid phase coupling , cleavage , and c - terminal coupling afforded inhibitors 36a - c . a significant increase in activity was observed with the incorporation of amide functionality and a large hydrophobic group to benzyl derivative 36a , with an ic 50 of 14 μm . this is significantly higher than the unacylated analog 26 . docking studies of compound 36a suggest that the benzyl substituent projects into a large pocket within the active site of akt , previously occupied by residues of the gsk3 peptide ( fig7 ). the t - butyl derivative , compound 36b , was slightly less potent with an ic 50 of 58 μm . inhibitor 36c was synthesized with similar hydrophobic character as 36a , but lacking the hydrogen bonding potential . its affinity is comparable to inhibitors 36a , pictured in fig8 , and 36b , suggesting that hydrophobic contacts in the thr pocket are integral to promoting increased affinity . in compound 36a , the dipeptide sequence adjacent to the phosphorylated serine / threonine residue was replaced by a 4 - aminobenzoic acid ( abz ) spacer , seen in fig8 . the contacts within this region are mainly hydrophobic , so hydrophobic substituent substitutions were explored from the central phenyl spacer , seen in fig9 . a phenyl substituent was incorporated at r 2 producing compound 40 , with a slight increase in activity compared to previously reported inhibitor 2 . docking studies suggested that the phenyl substituent is able to access the thr pocket previously exploited in the design of inhibitor 36a . truncation of the n - terminus of the inhibitors ( compounds 42 - 44 ) resulted in a modest decrease in affinity , but a desirable decrease in molecular weight and peptidic character of the inhibitors . the study of the central portion of the inhibitor solidified the importance of the projection of substituents into the thr binding pocket . flexible ligand docking ( gold ) of lead peptidomimetics identified several potential replacements for the val - phe - bn c - terminal sequence , which remove two of the three remaining amino acids . a simple cyclic constraints such as quinazolines 50a - b project appended hydrophobic groups into adjacent hydrophobic pockets while maintaining the n - terminal and central inhibitor / akt interactions , shown in fig1 . inhibitor 50a has similar affinity ( ic 50 = 112 μm ) to the corresponding inhibitor 44 containing the val - phe dipeptide , but contains two fewer stereocenters . inhibitor 56ba was designed using gold to incorporate important binding elements from the previous studies , as seen in fig1 and 12 . the guanidine group is directly projected into the arg pocket via an ethylenediamine scaffold that extends the correct distance between the aromatic spacer and the arginine binding pocket of akt . the thr pocket can be accessed by direct projection of substituents from abz , shown here as a simple phenyl substituent . finally , the 4 - aminoaniline provides a c - terminal rigid scaffold to project various hydrophobic substituents into the pockets of akt , with 56ba possessing two benzyl substituents , seen in fig1 . this small molecule substrate - mimetic of akt has an ic 50 of 84 μm , which is comparable or better than our previous peptidomimetic inhibitors , however is significantly more rigid and impervious to proteases . this non - peptidic scaffold was then explored , using different binding groups , beginning with the c - terminal hydrophobic interactions in series 56aa - 56bi , seen in fig1 and 14 . the two pockets are extensive and able to accommodate large hydrophobic substituents ( 56bd , 56bf , 56bh ). inhibitor 56bi , with a 4 - cyanobenzyl functional group , is the most potent inhibitor in this series , having an ic 50 of 19 μm . substituents were added directly off abz to explore the role of contacts within the thr pocket , producing inhibitors 56aa and 57aa - fa , depicted in fig1 and 15 . inhibitor 56aa , which lacks the phenyl substituent and the ability to make contacts within this region , is slightly less potent than the biphenyl derivative , suggesting optimization at this position could lead to increased potency . the addition of h - bond donors and acceptors here did not lead to increased affinity ( 57aa and 57ba ), however , larger hydrophobic groups , such as 2 - naphthyl , led to a two - fold increase in affinity with inhibitor 57fa having an ic 50 of 44 μm . the previous series of non - peptidic substrate - mimetic inhibitors provided valuable information concerning the nature of the three binding pockets within the active site of akt . to further optimize our inhibitors , the best substituents at the two positions were combined in an effort to increase potency ( 56cg and 56ci ). inhibitor 56ci , which incorporates the best c - terminal functionality , 4 - cyanobenzyl , and the best central element , 2 - naphthyl , is the most potent non - peptidic inhibitor of this scaffold series with an ic 50 of 17 μm , a slight improvement from phenyl derivative 56bi . to increase the stability and rigidity of 56cg and 56ci , the amide analogs 64a - b were synthesized , which also led to a further increase in potency ( ic 50 &# 39 ; s = 17 μm and 12 μm , respectively ), seen in fig1 . the initial non - peptidic substrate - mimetic design was successful and optimization of the scaffold provided inhibitors 64a - b that are comparable to inhibitor 36a . optimization focused on increasing rigidity by adding a ring constraint through an indole - aryl scaffold 71a - b , see fig1 . the indole derivative 71a is comparable to 56aa as both lack access to the thr pocket and possesses c - terminal benzyl substituents , seen in fig1 and 19 . the inclusion of an indole rinscaffold provided a slight decrease in affinity in 71a . consistent with the previous scaffold , the addition of the c - terminal 4 - cyanobenzyl substituent in 71b provided a four - fold increase in affinity from 126 μm to 32 μm . peptidomimetics 37 - 44 were synthesized via solid phase peptide synthesis , using suzuki couplings employing various boronic acids and aryl bromides . intermediates display hydrophobic substituents from the aromatic spacer ( abz ). the simple quinazoline scaffolds derived from commercially available starting materials . the synthesis of the quinazolines cores 45a - b was accomplished by the cyclization of 4 - nitroanthranilic acid by the reaction with sodium isocyanate or cyclization employing a carbon dioxide atmosphere with catalytic dbu ( 1 , 8 - diazabicyclo [ 5 . 4 . 0 ] undec - 7 - ene ) from 4 - and 5 - nitro precursors respectively fig1 . alkylation was followed by reduction of the nitro group followed by coupling with 4 - nitrobenzoyl chloride via anilide formation to provide 48a - b . reduction to the aniline , coupling with acarg ( pmc )- oh , and deprotection of the guanidine protecting group afforded 50a - b . a convergent synthesis using methyl - 4 - amino - 2 - bromobenzoate or methyl - 4 - aminobenzoate and 4 - nitroaniline created non - peptidic inhibitors 56aa - ci , as seen in fig1 . suzuki coupling of the bromoaniline with the corresponding boronic acid , employing pdcl 2 ( dppf ) as a catalyst , created compounds 51a followed by reductive amination utilizing n - boc - aminoacetaldehyde produced compounds 52a - c . a series of deprotections followed by guanidinylation of the resulting amine afforded the n - terminal portions of the inhibitor 53a - c . the c - terminal hydrophobic portion of the molecule was synthesized via alkylation of 4 - nitroaniline with the corresponding bromide and subsequent reduction of the nitro group utilizing tin ( ii ) chloride , producing compounds 55a - i . coupling of compounds 53a - c and 55a - i followed by boc deprotection under acidic conditions produced inhibitors 56aa - ci . inhibitors 64a - b were derived from a similar synthesis , but in place of the reductive amination step , 48c was reacted with boc - gly - oh to provide the amide intermediate compound 62 which was manipulated in a similar manner to provide inhibitors 64a - b , seen in fig1 . the synthesis of inhibitors 57aa - fa was designed to employ a late stage suzuki coupling to provide faster access to a number of derivatives at the r 1 position , while keeping r2 as a benzyl substituent , see fig1 . commercially available methyl - 4 - amino - 3 - bromobenzoate was saponified under basic conditions followed by amide bond formation with compound 55a to provide compound 59a . this intermediate was then reacted with different boronic acid derivatives pdcl 2 ( dppf ) as a catalyst to provide 60aa - fa . a series of functional group transformations provided inhibitors 57aa - fa . the indole scaffold was readily derived from commercially available 4 - iodoaniline and boc - gly - oh , which were reacted to form iodo - amide compound 65 , seen in fig1 . sonagashira cross - coupling of compound 65 and ethynyl - trimethyl - silane ( tms - acetylene ) followed by removal of the silyl protecting group afforded terminal alkyne compound 66 . a consecutive sonagashira cross - coupling with 2 - iodo - 4 - nitroaniline followed by cycloisomerization employing catalytic copper ( ii ) acetate 41 afforded indole scaffold compound 68 . reduction of the nitro to the amine followed by alkylation with the corresponding bromide provided compound 70a - b . a series of functional group transformations , similar to the reactions depicted in fig1 and 13 , provided inhibitors 71a - b . in the preceding specification , all documents , acts , or information disclosed does not constitute an admission that the document , act , or information of any combination thereof was publicly available , known to the public , part of the general knowledge in the art , or was known to be relevant to solve any problem at the time of priority . the disclosures of all publications cited above are expressly incorporated herein by reference , each in its entirety , to the same extent as if each were incorporated by reference individually . while there has been described and illustrated specific embodiments herein , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications are possible without deviating from the broad spirit and principle of the present invention . it is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described , and all statements of the scope of the invention which , as a matter of language , might be said to fall therebetween .
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fig1 depicts a block diagram of the primary embodiment of the claimed invention . according to fig1 , device 101 , 103 , 105 interaction is governed by four phases of operation starting with discovery ( online ) 121 , description 131 , control 141 and discovery ( offline ) 151 . with the igrs and concurrent igrs - upnp device , discovery ( online ) 121 begins with alive notification 123 in which the device notifies other devices on the network that the device is active . after alive notification , the description phase 131 is entered where pipe setup 133 is followed by igrs device description 135 and igrs service description 137 . after the description phase 131 is complete , control phase 141 begins with session setup 143 , action control 145 , session termination 147 and pipe disconnection 19 . discovery ( offline ) 151 concludes with offline notification 153 . according to one embodiment of the claimed invention , the concurrent igrs - upnp devices is a control point and controls the actions of igrs devices in the network through action control 145 . fig1 additionally depicts a block diagram of the primary embodiment of the claimed invention as applied to upnp and concurrent igrs - upnp devices . with upnp capable devices , device 101 , 103 , 105 interaction is similarly governed by four phases of operation starting with discovery ( online ) 121 , description 131 , control 141 and discovery ( offline ) 151 . with the upnp and concurrent igrs - upnp devices , discovery ( online ) 121 begins with alive notification 122 in which the device notifies other devices on the network that the device is active . after alive notification , the description phase 131 is entered where upnp device description 134 is followed by upnp service description 136 . after the description phase 131 is complete , control phase 141 begins with action control 144 . discovery ( offline ) 151 concludes with offline notification 154 . according to one embodiment of the claimed invention , the concurrent igrs - upnp devices is a control point and controls the actions of upnp devices in the network through action control 144 . according to another embodiment of the claimed invention , the concurrent igrs - upnp devices acts as a control point and controls the actions of igrs devices and upnp devices in the network through action control 145 and action control 144 respectively . fig2 depicts a block diagram of the architecture of the primary embodiment of the claimed invention as applied to igrs , upnp and concurrent igrs - upnp devices . fig2 architecture summary 201 details port layer 210 with first port 211 connected to mini - server 214 and second port 221 connected to multicast listener 224 . application ( or api ) layer 220 including mini - server 214 and multicast listener 224 also includes http sender 228 . under application layer 220 is the profile handler session layer 230 where upnp profile handler 231 and igrs profile handler 233 support mini - server 214 , multicast listener 224 and http sender 228 . below profile handler session layer 230 is device handler session layer 240 . device handler session layer 240 includes advertisement handler 242 , event handler 244 , description handler 246 , discovery handler 247 and igrs pipe / session manager 248 . transport layer 250 includes core library 252 which handles protocols such as http , xml , ssdp , gena , soap , wsdl and security . architecture summary 201 also depicts abstract layer 260 and hardware platform layer 270 . fig3 depicts a schematic diagram of electronic devices in operation according to the claimed invention . device community 301 includes wireless igrs display 303 , wireless upnp audio content device 307 , upnp display 309 , wired and wireless gateway 312 connected to concurrent igrs - upnp media player 315 , control point 318 and pc 321 with igrs and upnp software installed to allow for joint igrs and upnp control capabilities . fig4 depicts a flow diagram 400 of concurrent igrs - upnp device operation according to the claimed invention . in online step 401 , according to one embodiment of the claimed invention , the concurrent igrs - upnp device discovers other online devices in a network having igrs devices and upnp devices ; according to another embodiment of the claimed invention , the concurrent igrs - upnp device notifies some or all of the online devices in the network that the concurrent igrs - upnp device is going online . according to one embodiment of the claimed invention , the online step 401 includes composing interoperable messages that contains a portion of content compatible only with the igrs protocol , a portion of content compatible only with the upnp protocol , and a portion of content compatible with both the igrs and the upnp protocols such that the whole message is interoperable among the network of igrs device and upnp device . the concurrent igrs - upnp device may then either broadcast or transmit such message to other devices in the network . according to an embodiment of the claimed invention , the concurrent igrs - upnp device takes initiative to broadcast interoperable messages for discovering other devices in the network . according to another embodiment of the claimed invention , the concurrent igrs - upnp device composes and broadcasts interoperable messages for notifying other devices in the network about going online . in describing step 402 , the concurrent igrs - upnp device describes those online devices that were found in discovering step 401 . in controlling step 403 , the concurrent igrs - upnp device controls some or all of the online devices . according to an embodiment of the claimed invention , the concurrent igrs - upnp device composes and transmits the interoperable messages as described above in a one - to - one manner in the controlling step 403 . in notifying step 404 , the concurrent igrs - upnp device notify some or all of the online devices in the network that the concurrent igrs - upnp device is going offline . according to an embodiment of the claimed invention , the concurrent igrs - upnp device composes and broadcasts the interoperable messages as described above in the notifying step 404 . the above disclosure is related to the detailed technical contents and inventive features thereof . people skilled in this field may proceed with a variety of modifications and replacements based on the disclosures and suggestions of the invention as described without departing from the characteristics thereof . nevertheless , although such modifications and replacements are not fully disclosed in the above descriptions , they have substantially been covered in the following claims as appended .
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in the following , the functions of the component groups contained in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention , as illustrated in fig1 to 3 , will be described in more detail . the significance of the symbols provided with reference signs in fig1 to 3 can be taken from the accompanying list of reference signs . in fig1 , the basic structure of an led illumination module 100 is schematically illustrated in longitudinal section . it has an arrangement of luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn , connected in series , fed with a . c . current , which are applied to a circuit board 102 as so called led dice in a “ chip - on - board ” ( cob ) technology . however , the invention can just as well be employed for the control of other configurations of leds and in particular an individual led . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention , the heat conducting ceramic circuit board 102 of the led illumination module 100 has a direct mains current supply , consisting of a mains part 104 and a connection cable , plug and / or socket 108 for connection to an a . c . current mains led out of the mains part 104 to the side . the luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn are accommodated , for protection from mechanical damage , in a transparent housing 106 having a highly transparent polymer mass 110 serving as optically active lens surface . for attaining a bundled homogeneous light distribution in the region of the main emission directions of the individual luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn , the led illumination module 100 in accordance with the invention further has so - called fresnel lenses in the form of a lens plate which is positioned centrally above each luminescent diode d 1 , . . . , dn within the transparent housing , and adhesively fixed at the side . in order to avoid the occurrence of air bubbles on the side of the circuit board 102 on which the luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn are applied , upon casting of the highly transparent polymeric mass 110 within the transparent housing 106 , holes are provided in the circuit board 102 . in the production of the led illumination module 100 the individual unhoused led diodes d 1 , . . . , dn are , within the framework of an injection molding process or another suitable molding process directly injected around with the highly transparent polymer mass 110 . thereby , the polymer mass 110 is of a thermally good conducting material , which acts in an electrically insulating manner . since white light cannot be generated with the aid of individual luminescent diodes there is provided in accordance with the invention the addition of a color conversion medium into the polymer mass 110 in the region of the main emission direction above the position of the monochromatic photon radiation of the luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn emitting in the spectral range of the color blue . due to the space saving arrangement of the employed components and the employment of the above - mentioned efficient cob production process , the structural height of the overall arrangement of the led illumination module 100 in accordance with the invention is not more than for example 1 . 0 cm . in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the basic invention , the individual luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn are dimmable , whereby for dimming the brightness of the photon radiation emitted from them a control via radio or infrared signals or via a microcontroller connected to a bus is conceivable . for ensuring a direct mains current supply of the circuit board 102 , the mains part 104 can in accordance with the invention be operated in a voltage input range from 100v to 277v . thereby it can also be provided that the mains part 104 can be operated with a . c . voltage and also with d . c . voltage and along with the operation of individual leds can be employed for operation with serial connected and also for operation with parallel connected luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn . the inner sides of the transparent housing 106 ( with the exception of the light emitting regions ) are , in accordance with the invention , of a thermally good conducting material that on the outside , used for heat discharge , is covered with an electrically non - conducting material . thereby , the transparent housing 106 can be contacted with the aid of a plug , socket and / or connection cable 108 led out of the housing to the side . in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the basic invention it is provided that around each individual luminescent diode d 1 , . . . , dn , formed as led die , a parabolic or funnel - shaped reflector of a reflector plate of a thermally good conducting highly reflecting material , which reflector plate is electrically insulated on the underside , is placed on the circuit board 102 from above . each individual reflector thereby is of a plastic with mirrored inner side . the rear side of the circuit board 102 is , in accordance with the invention , coupled to a cooling body , which serves for transferring the discharge heat arising upon operation of the led illumination module 100 to the housing 106 or to a holder ( not shown ). with reference to fig2 a and 2 b , two variants of a regulation circuit in accordance with the invention will now be explained . via a rectifier full - bridge circuit v 1 , the positive and / or mains half - waves of the a . c . current i netz delivered from a current supply mains are rectified . at the storage capacitor c 1 , connected with the earth node , at the output of the rectifier full bridge v 1 there is thus applied a smoothed and rectified intermediate circuit voltage u c1 varying with the mains voltage unetz . after the application of a suitably dimensioned control voltage u g to the gate of a first semiconductor power switch m 1 , for example realized as a self - blocking n - channel mos field effect transistor , this first electronically controllable switching stage is electrically conducting , so that a drain current begins to flow , which as a consequence of the storage choke l 1 acting as an energy store , continuously increases and flows as diode current i d through the luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn . the rise of this diode current i d upon charging of the storage choke l 1 is detected by a first low - voltage shunt measurement resistance r 5 , which at the same time is arranged in the load circuit of the first power switch m 1 and in the control circuit of the second power switch q 1 and is connected with the earth node . along with the two power switches m 1 and q 1 , in accordance with the invention , a time - dependent control for switching over between the charging and discharging processes occurring in the storage choke l 1 may be provided . this shunt measurement resistance r 5 may thereby preferably be constituted as a potentiometer for dimming the light intensity i v [ mcd ] ( i . e . the brightness ), proportional to the diode current i d [ ma ], of the photon radiation emitted from the luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn . now , as soon as the base - emitter voltage u be of a second electronically controllable switching stage q 1 , formed e . g . as a bipolar npn transistor , reaches in certain switching threshold , the semiconductor power switch q 1 becomes electrically conducting , so that a collector current i c begins to flow and the gate voltage u g of the first electronically controllable switching stage m 1 temporally sinks to a “ low ” level , through which the switching stage m 1 is in turn blocked for a short time . this has the consequence that the diode current i d built up via the storage choke l 1 is diverted through a free - running diode df and a second low - voltage shunt measurement resistance r 4 , connected in series to the free - running diode , in the branch parallel to the series connection of the luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn and the inductive reactance x l1 . with the aid of this relatively simple circuitry measure a danger to the first semiconductor power transistor m 1 due to the induction voltage u l1 dropped at the inductive reactance x l1 upon switching off of the drain current i d ( upon blocking of the m 1 ), which can amount to a multiple of the operating voltage , is avoided . the voltage u r4 dropping at the low - resistance shunt measurement resistor r 4 thereby serves for the detection of the decay of the diode current i d through the luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn , in the free - running current path , which is bonded to a minimum value by means of the switching threshold of the second electronically controllable switching stage q 1 . after feedback of the diode current i d flowing through the luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn , tapped at the second measurement resistor r 4 , to the control input of the first switching stage m 1 via a signal transfer member u 1 for galvanic decoupling ( potential separation ) of the voltage u r4 dropping at the second measurement resistance r 4 and the gate voltage u g of the first switching stage m 1 , this transferred , decaying diode current i d acts as a “ new ” gate current i g . this has the consequence that the gate voltage u g of the first electronically controllable switching stage m 1 remains at the level value “ low ” and thus the switching stage m 1 remains blocked for so long until the current flow through the signal transfer member u 1 has fallen below a certain threshold . after the switching stage m 1 has begun again to conduct , the above described procedure is continued in a periodically recurring sequence . with the process in accordance with the invention , thus both the charging and also the discharging current i l1 of the inductive reactance x l1 flow as diode current i d through the arrangement of the serially connected luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn of the led illumination module 100 in accordance with the invention , so that there is provided a triangular current swinging periodically around a middle value . the signal transfer member u 1 employed in the feedback branch of the current i d flowing through the luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn , tapped off at the second measurement resistance r 4 , to the control input of the first switching stage m 1 , which member is employed for galvanic decoupling ( potential separation ) of the voltage u r4 dropping at the second measurement resistance r 4 and the control voltage u g of the first switching stage m 1 , may thereby be formed preferably as opto - coupler diode ( c . f . fig2 a ) or as level offset stage ( c . f . fig2 b ). a zener diode z 1 here serves as voltage limiter for stabilization of the control voltage u g of the first electronically controllable semiconductor power transistor m 1 which can be tapped off at the output terminals of the opto - coupler diode or level offset stage u 1 . in the realization of the second variant of the regulation circuit 200 b in accordance with the invention , with level or potential offset stage u 1 , there are needed , additionally to the components necessary for the first variant 200 a with opto - coupler diode , two transistor stages t 1 and t 2 and a voltage divider which is formed by means of the two resistances r 6 and r 7 . in fig3 the temporal development of the diode current i d flowing through the luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn is illustrated . there is involved , as illustrated , a triangular a . c . current periodically oscillating around a middle value , the frequency of which a . c . current is determined by the switching thresholds of the control voltages u g and u be needed for control of the two power transistors m 1 and q 1 , the size of the inductance of the choke coil l 1 connected upstream of the luminescent diodes d 1 , . . . , dn , and the instantaneous value of the intermediate circuit voltage u c1 dropping at the storage capacitor c 1 . for the example sketched out in fig3 , these parameters are so dimensioned that the resulting diode current i d preferably has a frequency of less than 100 khz . the d . c . current offset , forming the middle value of the obtained diode current i d , can be set by means of suitable dimensioning of the two shunt measurement resistances r 4 , r 5 , in order to adapt the current source to the led concerned . in this way an economical adaptation of the diode current i d to differing leds is made possible without additional circuitry measures . in contrast to conventional capacitive mains parts in accordance with the state of the art , the solution in accordance with the invention is substantially more space saving . beyond this , also application specific integrated circuits ( asics ), having a comparatively small space requirement , are conceivable . plurality of luminescent diodes d1 , . . . , dn connected in series , fed via a current supply mains with a . c . current i netz , which are applied to a circuit board as led dice in a “ chip - on - board ” ( cob ) mains part for ensuring a direct mains current supply of the the luminescent diodes d1 , . . . , dn mounted thereon as led current mains , led out to the side from the supply part 104 led light strip system 100 , connected in series , applied to a circuit board 102 as led dice , fed with a . c . current i netz via a led light strip system 100 , connected in series , applied to a circuit board 102 as led dice , fed with a . c . current i netz via a ( potential separation ) is realized as a level offset or potential offset stage . temporal development of the current i d , flowing through a d1 , . . . , dn of such an led light strip system , after carrying out mains voltage u netz ) at the output of the rectifier full bridge v1 system , connected in series , applied to a circuit board as led connection of the high power luminescent diodes d1 , . . . , dn and the inductive reactance x l1 in the load circuit , for avoiding a the induction voltage u l1 , which can amount to a multiple of upon switching off of the drain current ( i d ) ( in the case of a connected in series to the free - running diode df - for detecting the decay of diode current i d in the free - running current path , power luminescent diodes d1 , . . . , dn and the storage choke , the diodes d1 , . . . , dn and the storage choke l 1 during a discharge process occurring in the storage choke l 1 , the decay being limited to a minimum value with the aid of the first switching detecting the increase of diode current i d flowing through the high power luminescent diodes d1 , . . . , dn , which increase is power luminescent diodes d1 , . . . , dn , which at the same time is arranged in the load circuit of the first power switch m1 and the control circuit of the second power switch q1 , and is also first resistance of a voltage divider consisting of r6 and r7 for for the level or potential offset stage provided as signal transfer signal transfer member in the feedback branch of the current i d control voltage u g of the first switching stage m1 , realized as half - waves of the a . c . current i netz delivered from a current inductive reactance of a coil l1 , as ballast choke for filtering of diodes d1 , . . . , dn , for extending the current flow duration of voltage u z1 at the output terminals 3 and 4 of the opto - coupler
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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 . fig1 is a schematic showing components and interconnections of a radiation test system according to one preferred embodiment of this invention . as shown in fig1 a radiation controller 106 is placed inside a control room 102 of a radiation test field . the radiation controller 106 records the flow of radiation particles and the test results of a test component ( the test component can be a sdram , a flash rom , a cpld or a watch - dog timer , for example ). the radiation controller 106 also controls the generation of radiation particles by an accelerator ( not shown ) so that the test component is irradiated with cyclically varying radiation . the test component ( not shown ) is plugged into the socket on a replaceable daughter board 108 . the daughter board 108 has connecting pins that can be reset to produce the test signals required by the test component . the daughter board 108 is also capable of testing two functionally identical test components ( not shown ) at the same time . during testing , only the test component ( not shown ) and the daughter board 108 are subjected to irradiation . a motherboard 110 is coupled to the radiation controller 106 . the daughter board 108 and the motherboard 110 are electrically connected . a power supplier 112 provides necessary power ( a 5v or a 3 . 3v ) to the motherboard 110 and the test component ( not shown ). a computer 114 is connected to the motherboard 110 through a j - tag transmission cable connector . through an ethernet transmission cable , the computer 116 may hook up with another computer 114 . the radiation controller 106 transmits irradiation signals ( radiation beam on / off signals ) to the motherboard 110 to inform the motherboard 110 about the radiation status . should current overload occurs while the test component ( not shown ) is undergoing a testing , the motherboard 110 will transmit a veto signal to the radiation controller 106 informing the controller 106 to terminate the radiation count . as soon as all test equipment is ready , the radiation controller 106 and the motherboard 110 communicate with each other through an rs - 232 interface . to begin the testing , an init command is issued from the radiation controller 106 inside the control room 102 to the motherboard 110 . on receiving the initiation signal , the motherboard 110 transmits a group of test data to the computer 114 after each irradiation cycle ( each cycle includes a radiation - off and a radiation - on ). after the completion of several tens of irradiation cycles , the testing operation is temporarily suspended by the motherboard 110 and the test data is stored inside the computer 114 . thereafter , the irradiation strength , angle or radiation type is changed before the testing operation is continued . the computer 114 uses triggered testing programs to drive the motherboard 110 so that the test component is activated , status of the test component is monitored and the resulting test data is recorded . during the testing operation , the computer 116 also receives test data from the computer 114 through an ethernet transmission cable so that radiation test status of the test component ( not shown ) is monitored . should the computer 116 discover any abnormality of the test component ( not shown ), the computer 116 may signal to the computer 114 so that the radiation testing is immediately halted . fig2 is a block diagram showing a motherboard system for the radiation test system according to this invention . as shown in fig2 the motherboard 200 includes a jtag connector 202 , a digital signal processor 204 , a data bus 206 , a data buffer 208 , a data bus 212 , a decoder & amp ; universal asynchronous transceiver circuit 214 , a power protection circuit & amp ; data latch 216 , a data bus 218 , an address & amp ; control buffer 220 , an address & amp ; control signal bus 222 , an address & amp ; control signal bus 224 , a rs - 232 interface , an address & amp ; control buffer 226 , a control buffer 228 , an address & amp ; control signal bus 230 , a bus 232 and another bus 234 . the jtag connector 202 on the motherboard 200 is a j - tag transmission cable connector . the digital data processor 204 is connected to the jtag connector 202 and the jtag connector 202 is in turn connected to a near - end computer 114 ( refer to fig1 ). the digital signal processor 204 is driven by a test program submitted by the near - end computer 114 . the digital signal processor 204 not only provides a test pattern to the data bus 206 , but also reads test data from the data bus 206 and transmits the data back to the computer 114 ( refer to fig1 ). the data buffer 208 isolates the data bus 206 and the data bus 212 between the digital signal processor 204 from the daughter board 210 . hence , normal operation of the digital signal processor 204 is safeguarded against the effect of any current overload in the test component ( not shown ). the data buffer 208 also provides data to the data bus 218 . signals sent to the data bus 218 drives the digital signal processor , the decoder & amp ; universal asynchronous transceiver circuit 214 and the power protection circuit & amp ; data latch 216 . the address & amp ; control buffer 220 isolates the address & amp ; control signal bus 222 and the address & amp ; control signal bus 224 between the digital signal processor 204 and the daughter board 210 . similarly , this is to safeguard the digital signal processor 204 against any effect due to current overload in the test component ( not shown ). the decoder & amp ; universal asynchronous transceiver circuit 214 decodes signals on the data bus 218 so that signals necessary for controlling the test component ( not shown ) is produced . through the rs - 232 interface , instructions and test results shuttle between the transceiver circuit 214 and a radiation controller ( not shown ). furthermore , radiation test signals ( radiation on / off ) and veto signals also shuttle between the transceiver circuit 214 and the radiation controller via signal lines ( not shown ). the decoder & amp ; universal asynchronous transceiver circuit 214 may also include an asynchronous transceiver control circuit ( not shown ). the asynchronous transceiver control circuit ( not shown ) may further include random generator modules , serial - to - parallel receiving modules , parallel - to - serial receiving modules , receiving and transmitting status and output modules , odd - even generator & amp ; detection modules and interface control module ( all the modules not shown ). signals or data are transmitted according to their respective functions of the modules . the power protection circuit & amp ; data latch 216 is coupled to the decoder & amp ; universal asynchronous transceiver circuit 214 for providing power to the testing component ( not shown ). should current overload occur in the test component , the power protection & amp ; data latch 216 will cut off power to the test component and send a current overload signal to the digital signal processor 204 via the data buses 218 and 206 . in the meantime , data signals sent from the digital signal processor 204 is arrested serving as subsequent set - reset signals , power - triggering signals and veto signals for the power protection circuit & amp ; data latch 216 . hence , the power protection circuit & amp ; data latch 216 can be set or reset so that power is supplied to the test component again . the address & amp ; control buffer 226 provides signals from the digital signal processor 204 to the decoder & amp ; universal asynchronous transceiver circuit 214 via the address and control signal bus 230 . the control buffer 228 receives decoded control signals from the decoder & amp ; universal asynchronous transceiver circuit 214 and retransmits the signals to the daughter board 210 . the control buffer 228 isolates the buses 232 and 234 between the decoder & amp ; universal asynchronous transceiver circuit 214 and the daughter board 210 . hence , normal operation of the decoder & amp ; universal asynchronous transceiver circuit 214 is safeguarded against the effect of any current overload in the test component ( not shown ). in conclusion , one major advantage of using the general - purpose testing board to test different components is that independent design of the testing board is not required . by changing the testing steps , local on - site pre - simulation can be conducted . hence , time required to set up an actual testing field is greatly reduced . ultimately , an easy to maintain and operate radiation test system capable of on - line monitoring of test component is produced . 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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in the following a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to a de - icing system for the windshield of a motor vehicle . however , it is to be understood that the present invention can also be used for the de - icing of window panes of other vehicles as for example trains or aircrafts . with reference to fig1 the de - icing system according to the invention comprises a reservoir 1 serving for receiving the de - icing liquid . depending on the type of the vehicle and the space available below the hood the reservoir 1 has different sizes and shapes . the de - icing liquid is preferably a mixture of water and an alcohol , for example isopropanol . the fraction of the alcohol is preferably 50 %. for use in extremely cold regions also mixtures with a significantly higher fraction of alcohol can be used in order to avoid a freezing of the de - icing liquid . by means of a pump 10 the de - icing liquid is pumped from the reservoir 1 in the direction of the arrow ( cf . fig1 ). the pump 10 can be arranged inside or outside the reservoir 1 without any influence on the construction according to the invention . the pump 10 can be a unit as it is known from the prior art for screen washer systems of motor vehicles . via a pipe section 20 the de - icing liquid reaches a t - piece - like branching 21 followed each by two non - return valves 22 , 23 . the non - return valves 22 , 23 are arranged such that the de - icing liquid flows during operation of the pump 10 through the non - return valve 22 in the direction of the small horizontal arrow to the heating element 30 . the upward directed branch of the pipe is blocked by the non - return valve 23 , so that the complete de - icing liquid delivered by the pump 10 is guided to the heating element 30 . when unused de - icing liquid runs back from the nebulizers 50 ( see below ) the non - return valve 23 opens so that the column of de - icing liquid above can flow back into the reservoir 1 . the heating element 30 ( cf . detailed representation in fig3 ) serves for the fast heating of the amount of de - icing liquid required for a de - icing process . this amount will vary depending on the size of the pane to be de - iced ; typically volumes are in the range of approximately 100 ml . this is the amount of de - icing liquid necessary for a single “ shot ” of the system ( time period approximately 3 seconds ). preferably , two heating units 33 are arranged in a chamber 32 of the heating element 30 separated by an intermediate wall 31 . the heating units 33 are preferably ptc ( positive temperature coefficient ) thermistors . conceivable is also the use of other heating elements as for example normal resistive wires or the like . the ptc thermistors , however , show due to the increase of the electric resistance with increasing temperatures an advantageous self regulating effect , which avoids an overloading of the battery of the vehicle . typical power consumptions are between 800 and 1000 w . the heat capacity of the ptc - thermistors is comparatively low so that the supplied electric power is without time delay directly released as heat . when a de - icing process is started , for example by the single operation of an electric switch in the interior of the vehicle , the heat element 30 starts to heat the cold liquid arranged in the chamber 32 . in order to bring the liquid as fast as possible to the predetermined temperature , the non - return valve 22 is arranged for a thermal isolation at the inlet 34 and a further valve 40 is arranged at the outlet 35 ( cf . fig1 ). this valve 40 is designed such that it can resist the pressure of the liquid arising during heating in the heating element 30 , i . e . it blocks at first the pipe to the nebulizers . typical pressures arising during heating are in the range of 1 to 2 bar , preferably the pressure is 1 . 8 bar . only if additional liquid enters due to the delivery pressure ( approximately 2 to 4 bar ) of the started pump 10 the heating element 30 . the pressure further increases there and the valve 40 is opened so that the de - icing liquid can reach the nebulizers 50 . simultaneously , the heating is turned off . this pressure - dependent opening of the valve 40 can for example be achieved by subjecting a sealing flap in the valve 40 to the force of an elastic spring . by the preferred lateral direction of flow into the heating element 30 indicated in fig2 with arrows and the vertical outlet direction it is assured that only the heated liquid reaches the nebulizers 50 . a mixing with the additionally cold liquid streaming in is thus avoided . the pump 10 is turned off when the chamber 32 is exclusively filled with cold de - icing liquid . the complete separation of the liquid heated in the heating element 30 from the remaining de - icing liquid allows to reach within a very short time ( approximately 30 to 60 seconds ) temperatures between 50 ° c . and 100 ° c . preferably , the temperature at which the pump 10 is started , is 65 ° c . for controlling either an additional temperature sensor can either be provided in the heating element ( not shown ) providing a start signal for the pump 10 when the predetermined temperature is reached or the pump is activated by a timer adjusted on the basis of experimental values for the heating time ( for example 45 seconds ). in both cases an additional operation of the switch in the interior of the vehicle is not necessary . the required logic for the operation of the de - icing system according to the invention is extremely simple and can therefore be cost efficiently realized . neither any electromagnetic switching valves nor sophisticated security circuits are necessary in order to avoid a complete discharging of the battery . the reason is that the described heating element 30 is due to its design according to the invention capable to very fast heat the required liquid for de - icing immediately prior to each application so that a constant operation is not necessary . by means of the further pipe system 25 which is only schematically indicated in fig1 the heated liquid reaches during operation of the pump 10 one or more nebulizers 50 . as schematically shown in fig2 these nebulizers 50 create a cloud of droplets over the window pane 60 to be de - iced where the thermal energy stored in the de - icing liquid de - ices during precipitation abruptly large areas of the window pane 60 . in contrast to known nozzles of a washing system from the prior art it is not a more or less focused jet which is directed to the window pane 60 but a wetting with dispersed hot droplets occurs under the influence of gravity . thus , the effect on a large area is substantially obtained by the nebulizers 50 and not by a subsequent operation of the screen wipers . the nebulizers 50 are designed so that the created droplets are on the one hand sufficiently big to precipitate directly on the window pane 60 and that they are on the other hand sufficiently dispersed to achieve a continuous de - icing of the window pane 60 . in the described preferred embodiment this is achieved with droplets having a diameter between 0 . 5 mm and 1 mm . thus , a single “ shot ” of approximately 100 ml de - icing liquid is able at the above mentioned temperature of the de - icing liquid of preferably 65 ° c . to abruptly de - ice almost the complete windscreen . the outgoing speed of the droplets from the nebulizers 50 is preferably approximately 27 m / s . although the nebulizers 50 are shown in fig2 to be mounted to the upper edge of the window pane 60 , also other ways of installation are possible . for example , the cloud created by the nebulizers 50 can also be directed from the front or the side onto the window pane 60 . the described de - icing system can be either mounted during the production of the vehicle or it can be later backfitted . elements of an already existing washing system can also be used for the backfitted de - icing system . only the heating element 30 and the nebulizers 50 as well as corresponding additions to the pipe system must be added or correspondingly modified . also the necessary control lines in the interior of the vehicle are restricted to a minimum , since only a single switch is necessary for operating the de - icing system according to the invention . preferably plastic materials are used as materials for the de - icing system according to the invention , since they can be cost - efficiently manufactured and have a low weight . only the heating element is due to the high temperatures and pressures preferably made out of a metal , for example aluminum which is coated with a plastic .
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turning now to the drawings wherein like numbers refer to like structures , and particularly to fig1 , there is disclosed , schematically , an engine 10 in a test cell 12 having an exhaust gas manifold 14 with an inlet 16 and an outlet 17 . the outlet 17 is in close , fluid communication with the testing apparatus 18 , which include an exhaust gas conduit to keep the exhaust gas outlet in fluid communication with a computer 20 , and a dynamometer 21 controlled by the computer and cooperatively engageable with the crank shaft of the engine , to motor the engine at any engine speed , measured in rpm , desired . the engine has a coolant system 23 , in fluid communication with the engine through conduit 27 . a temperature sensor 29 is in electronic communication 31 with the computer internally , and not shown , but easily understood by those skilled in the art , the engine has at least on cylinder bore with a piston reciprocally movable therein , circumferentially positioned on the piston is at least one expandable piston ring . the piston is attached to the crank by a connecting rod as is customary in internal engine design , and is moveable within the bore when the crankshaft is rotated . turning to fig2 , there is disclosed a schematic representation of one method 24 to determine the oil consumption of an internal combustion engine . specifically , step 26 is fueling the engine to operate it for a predetermined period of time and to predetermined operating conditions such that the engine reaches whole boundary condition . to that end , the engine fluids may be measured for temperature to determine whether they have reached a predetermined level . for example , the oil and / or coolant temperature may be measured until is abut 80 ° c . for a predetermined period of time , which may be about 5 - 6 minutes of engine fueling operation . in another embodiment , or in addition to the preceding , whole boundary conditions are determined using ambient temperature ; a pressure of cac , and exhaust gas pressure are at predetermined levels for a predetermined period of time . once it is determined that the engine has reached a whole boundary condition , step 28 is ceasing fueling and begin motoring the engine on a dynamometer for a predetermined period of time at a predetermine range of engine speeds . generally , the dynamometer turns the engine crank at some range of speeds , or at various steady speeds for predetermined periods of time in order to mimic driving conditions that may be expected to occur during service life of the engine in a vehicle . in some applications , it may be desirable to motor the engine with a dynamometer at a range of about 1800 rpm to about 2500 rpm . in other situations , it may be preferable to run the engine for a predetermined period of time at various engine speeds , for example , 1800 rpm , 2200 rpm and 2500 rpm . as the engine is being motored , the exhaust gas outlet is monitored at step 30 for hydrocarbon content . normally , after the engine has no fuel added to it , on would expect that no or minimal hydrocarbons could be detected at the exhaust outlet . it is assumed that any hydrocarbons that are detected at the exhaust outlet during engine motoring is the result of oil “ blowing by ” the rings on the pistons during reciprocation within the bore . the hydrocarbons are detected and quantified in a computer at step 32 to determine the oil consumption that may be expected by the engine during normal engine operation . generally , the engine oil consumption may be expressed as a mathematical relation and may be linear , logarithmic or any other mathematical means to express the loss of mass . when considered as a logarithmic trend over time it may be expressed according to the equation ( 1 ): hc is hydrocarbon ppm is parts per million t is time in seconds lnt is logarithm over time . equation ( 1 ) may be used to calculate mass flow rate of hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas at a given time , according to equation ( 2 ): generally such dynamometer testing apparatus &# 39 ; are calibrated prior to testing of an engine to determine operating conditions , it has been determined that if the calibrator is propane , equation ( 2 ) is multiplied by 3 . to demonstrate one such determination of engine oil consumption , and not to limit the description given , if it assumed hc_ratio = 1 . 8 , and assuming an hc ratio similar to that of diesel fuel , mw_c = 12 . 011 mw_h = 1 . 00794 mw_hc = 13 . 8 mw_exh = 29 ( average molecular wait of non - humid atmosphere ), and substituting the above constant rate equation 2 , yields using the above equation , the accuracy can be verified by inputting time values in sec and comparing them to the data . the mass flow rate of hc at a given time is not a reliable tool to measure the oil consumption during motoring over a period of time , as oil consumption is seen to be time dependent . however , hc_mfr ( t ) can be integrated with respect to time to gain an oil mass that was consumed over the integration interval . the integration interval was chosen to be 24 hr . or 86400 sec . in order to make a comparison with the drain and weigh data . it was reported using the drain and weight data , that in a 24 hr . period 778 . 1 g of oil were consumed . note that it is necessary to divide by 3600 as the logarithmic model was obtained using a seconds as a time stamp . the result is very close to the data from the drain and weigh especially if a g / hr . rate is calculated . fig3 is a graph showing the hc emissions during motoring of a heavy duty diesel engine . the data can be seen to have a logarithmic trend and shows 8 hours of 1 hz hc emissions data during motoring conditions . the x axis is time in seconds , and the y axis is hydrocarbons in parts per million . it can be seen that when the engine reaches whole boundary conditions and the dynamometer is motoring the engine , the level of hydrocarbons measured 34 is relatively level at about 40 ppm over the time measured , with an anatomy of data at 36 , which is one data point out of sync with the other data points that form the line 34 and is dismissible as such . thus , it can be seen that by motoring the engine , using the calculations as set forth about , the oil consumption may be determined for the engine prior to placing it in service . the words used in the specification are words of description , and not words of limitation . many variations and modifications are possible without departing form the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims
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while the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below , it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts . the specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention , and do not delimit the scope of the invention . referring to fig1 an electromagnetic signal pickup device in use during an offshore drilling operation is schematically illustrated and generally designated 10 . a semi - submergible platform 12 is centered over a submerged oil and gas formation 14 located below sea floor 16 . a subsea conduit 18 extends from deck 20 of platform 12 to a wellhead installation 22 including blowout preventers 24 . platform 12 has a derrick 26 and a hoisting apparatus 28 for raising and lowering drill string 30 , including drill bit 32 and electromagnetic signal repeaters 34 , 36 . in a typical drilling operation , drill bit 32 is rotated by drill string 30 , such that drill bit 32 penetrates through the various earth strata , forming wellbore 38 . measurement of parameters such as bit weight , torque , wear and bearing conditions of drill bit 32 may be obtained by sensors 40 located in the vicinity of drill bit 32 . additionally , parameters such as pressure and temperature as well as a variety of other environmental and formation information may be obtained by sensors 40 . the signal generated by sensors 40 may typically be in the form of pulse width data , or the like , which must be converted to digital data before electromagnetic transmission in the present system . the signal generated by sensors 40 is passed into an electronics package 42 including an analog to digital converter which converts the analog signal to a digital code utilizing &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; for information transmission . electronics package 42 may also include electronic devices such as an on / off control , a modulator , a microprocessor , memory and amplifiers . electronics package 42 is powered by a battery pack which may include a plurality of nickel cadmium or lithium batteries which are configured to provide proper operating voltage and current . once the electronics package 42 establishes the frequency , power and phase output of the information , electronics package 42 feeds the information to transmitter 44 . transmitter 44 may be a direct connect type transmitter that utilizes an output voltage applied between a two electrical terminals that are electrically isolated from one another to generate electromagnetic wave fronts 46 . electromagnetic wave fronts 46 radiate into the earth carrying the information obtained by sensors 40 . alternatively , transmitter 44 may include a magnetically permeable annular core , a plurality of primary electrical conductor windings and a plurality of secondary electrical conductor windings which are wrapped around the annular core . collectively , the annular core , the primary windings and the secondary windings serve to approximate an electrical transformer which generates electromagnetic wave fronts 46 . the information obtained by sensors 40 is then carried uphole in the form of electromagnetic wave fronts 46 which travel through the earth . electromagnetic wave fronts 46 are picked up by a receiver 48 of repeater 34 located uphole from transmitter 44 . receiver 48 of repeater 34 is spaced along drill string 30 to receive the electromagnetic wave fronts 46 while electromagnetic wave fronts 46 remain strong enough to be readily detected . receiver 48 may electrically approximates a large transformer having a magnetically permeable magnetic core , a plurality of primary electrical conductor windings wrapped therearound and a plurality of secondary electrical conductor windings also wrapped therearound . as electromagnetic wave fronts 46 reach receiver 48 , a current is induced in receiver 48 that carries the information originally obtained by sensors 40 . the current is fed to an electronics package 50 that may include a variety of electronic devices for cleaning up and amplifying the signal to reconstruct the original waveform , compensating for losses and distortion occurring during the transmission of electromagnetic wave fronts 46 through the earth . electronics package 50 is coupled to a transmitter 52 that radiates electromagnetic wave fronts 54 into the earth in the manner described with reference to transmitter 44 and electromagnetic wave fronts 46 . electromagnetic wave fronts 54 travel through the earth and are eventually picked up by a receiver 56 of repeater 36 . repeater 36 includes receiver 56 , electronics package 58 , and transmitter 60 each of which operate in a manner as described with reference to repeater 34 , receiver 48 , electronics package 50 , and transmitter 52 . thus , after electromagnetic wave fronts 54 are received by receiver 56 and processed by electronics package 58 , the information is passed to transmitter 60 that radiates electromagnetic wave fronts 62 into the earth . electromagnetic wave fronts 62 travel through the earth and are received by electromagnetic pickup device 64 located on sea floor 16 . electromagnetic pickup device 64 may detect either the electrical field ( e - field ) component of electromagnetic wave front 62 , the magnetic field ( h - field ) component of electromagnetic wave fronts 62 or both using e - field probes 66 and an h - field probe 68 or both . electromagnetic pickup device 64 serves as a transducer transforming electromagnetic wave front 62 into an electric signal . the electric signal may be sent to the surface on one or more wirelines 70 that are attached to buoy 72 and onto platform 12 via wireline 74 for further processing . upon reaching platform 12 , the information originally obtained by sensors 40 is further processed making any necessary calculations and error corrections such that the information may be displayed in a usable format . even though fig1 depicts two repeaters 34 , 36 , it should be noted by one skilled in the art that the number of repeaters located within drill string 30 will be determined by the depth of wellbore 38 and the characteristics of the earth &# 39 ; s strata adjacent to wellbore 38 in that electromagnetic waves suffer from attenuation with increasing distance from their source at a rate that is dependent upon the composition characteristics of the transmission medium . for example , repeaters 34 , 36 may be positioned between 3 , 000 and 5 , 000 feet apart . thus , if wellbore 38 is 15 , 000 feet deep , between two and four repeaters such as repeaters 34 , 36 would be desirable . alternatively , it should be noted that repeaters 34 , 36 may not be necessary in a shallow well where electromagnetic wave fronts 46 from transmitter 44 remain strong enough to be readily detected by electromagnetic pickup device 64 . even though fig1 depicts electromagnetic pickup device 64 in an offshore environment , it should be understood by one skilled in the art that electromagnetic pickup device 64 is equally well - suited for operation in an onshore environment . in fact , in an onshore environment , electromagnetic pickup device 64 would be placed directly on the land surface without the need for buoy 72 . additionally , while fig1 has been described with reference to transmitting information uphole during a measurement while drilling operation , it should be understood by one skilled in the art that electromagnetic pickup device 64 may be used throughout the life of wellbore 38 , for example , during logging , testing , completing and producing the well . further , even though fig1 has been described with reference to one way communication from the vicinity of drill bit 32 to platform 12 , it should be understood by one skilled in the art that the principles of the present invention are applicable to two way communication . for example , a surface installation may be used to request downhole pressure , temperature , or flow rate information from formation 14 by sending electromagnetic wave fronts downhole which may be amplified as described above with reference to repeaters 34 , 36 . sensors , such as sensors 40 , located near formation 14 receive this request and obtain the appropriate information which would then be returned to the surface via electromagnetic wave fronts which may again be amplified as described above with reference to repeaters 34 , 36 and would be picked up by electromagnetic pickup device 46 . fig2 is a perspective representation of an electromagnetic pickup device 46 of the present invention . electromagnetic pickup device 64 includes a plurality of e - field probes 66 and an h - field probe 68 . e - field probes 66 may be constructed from a conductive rod or tubing including metals such as steel , copper or a copper clad . e - field probes 66 each have an end 76 that inserted through sea floor 16 to extend into the earth such that electromagnetic wave fronts , such as electromagnetic wave fronts 62 of fig1 may be received by e - field probes 66 without crossing the boundary between the sea and sea floor 16 . e - field probe 66 pickup the e - field component of electromagnetic wave fronts 62 . h - field probe 68 of electromagnetic pickup device 64 has an end 78 that is inserted through sea floor 16 into the earth such that electromagnetic wave fronts 62 are received by h - field probe 68 before electromagnetic wave fronts 62 cross through the boundary of sea floor 16 and the sea . h - field probe 68 includes one or more magnetometers for detecting the h - field component of electromagnetic wave fronts 62 . the information carried in the h - field component is obtained by h - field probe 68 and transmitted to the surface in h - field wireline cable 80 . also , electromagnetic pickup device 64 may include a safety lanyard 82 that may be connected to , for example , h - field probe 68 . electromagnetic pickup device 64 includes an insulated ring 84 that attaches e - field probes 66 to h - field probe 68 . insulated ring 84 includes an electrically conductive ring 86 and a dielectric ring 88 . the electrically conductive ring 86 is attached to e - field probes 66 to provide an electrically conductive path between e - field probes 66 and an e - field wireline cable 90 . e - field wireline cable 90 transmits the current created in e - field probes 66 by electromagnetic wave fronts 62 from electromagnetic pickup device 64 to the surface . the dielectric ring 88 creates an non - conductive region between conductive ring 86 and h - field probe 68 . electromagnetic pickup device 64 may include an insulated cradle 92 that is disposed between e - field probes 66 and h - field probe 68 . insulated cradle 92 provides structural support to e - field probes 66 to prevent relative translational or rotational motion between e - field probes 66 and h - field probe 68 . insulated cradle 92 may be attached to h - field probe 68 using an insulated ring 94 which may include a dielectric ring 96 . in operation , electromagnetic pickup device 64 may be lowered from platform 12 , dropped from a boat using safety lanyard 82 or using a remote operated vehicle ( rov ). as the electromagnetic pickup device 64 falls through the sea , electromagnetic pickup device 64 becomes correctly oriented with end 78 of h - field probe 68 and ends 76 of e - field probes 66 pointing toward sea floor 16 . this orientation is achieved by having the center of gravity of electromagnetic pickup device 64 near end 78 of h - field probe 68 . a computer located on platform 12 may be used to determine which component of electromagnetic wave fronts 62 is stronger to select whether the e - field component , the h - field component or both will be further processed to interpret the information carried therein . once electromagnetic pickup device 64 reaches sea floor 16 , end 78 of h - field probe 68 and ends 76 of e - field probes 66 penetrate sea floor 16 . e - field probes 66 and h - field probe 68 are now positioned to receive electromagnetic wave fronts such as electromagnetic wave front 62 . electromagnetic pickup device 64 may pick up the e - field component of electromagnetic wave fronts 62 using e - field probes 66 or the h - field component of electromagnetic wave fronts 62 using h - field probe 68 . alternatively , electromagnetic pickup device 64 may pickup the e - field component and the h - field component of electromagnetic wave fronts 62 using , respectively , e - field probes 66 and h - field probe 68 . a computer located on platform 12 may be used to determine which component of electromagnetic wave fronts 62 is stronger to select whether the e - field component , the h - field component or both will be further processed to interpret the information carried therein . fig3 is a perspective representation of another embodiment of an electromagnetic pickup device that is generally designated 100 . electromagnetic pickup device 100 includes a plurality of e - field probes 66 each having an end 76 . electromagnetic pickup device 100 also includes a weighted probe 102 that has an end 104 . e - field probes 66 may be attached to weighted probe 102 by an insulated ring 84 having a conductive ring 86 and a dielectric ring 88 . the conductive ring 86 is used to transmit the current created in e - field probes 66 by an electromagnetic wave front such as electromagnetic wave front 62 to e - field wireline cable 90 . the current is transmitted to the surface from conductive ring 86 via e - field wireline cable 90 . electromagnetic pickup device 100 may include a frame member 106 that provides structural support between weighted probe 102 and e - field probes 66 to prevent relative translational and rotational motion therebetween . frame member 106 may be attached to weighted probe 102 using an insulated ring 94 which may include a dielectric ring 96 . in operation , electromagnetic pickup device 100 may be lowered from platform 12 or lowered from a boat using safety lanyard 82 . as electromagnetic pickup device 100 travels through the sea , electromagnetic pickup device 100 becomes correctly oriented due to the low center of gravity of weighted probe 102 near end 104 . upon reaching sea floor 16 , ends 76 of e - field probes 66 penetrate therethrough such that electromagnetic wave fronts 62 may be received by e - field probes 66 before passing through the boundary created between the sea and sea floor 16 . electromagnetic pickup device 100 may then receive the e - field component of electromagnetic wave fronts 62 in e - field probes 66 . additionally , electromagnetic pickup device 100 may be used as a downlink to transmit electromagnetic waves carrying information from the surface downhole . wireline cable 108 is used to transmit a current to weighted probe 102 , which , in this embodiment , is made from a conductive material . electromagnetic waves carrying information are then radiated into the earth by weighted probe 102 to operate downhole equipment or to prompt sensors 40 to obtain information which will be transmitted uphole and picked up by electromagnetic pickup device 100 . while this invention has been described with a reference to illustrative embodiments , this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense . various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments as well as other embodiments of the invention , will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description . it is , therefore , intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments .
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as best shown in fig1 and 2 , the loudspeaker system of the invention is adapted to be installed in the front passenger compartment of an automobile 1 having a front seat 2 , a steering wheel and column 3 , a rearwardly extending dashboard 4 , a forward firewall 5 , and in this instance a floor 6 having a transmission tunnel 7 . the invention contemplates utilization of a sound transmitting amplifier of the usual well - known type , not shown , and a speaker system including an elongated forwardly facing annular speaker enclosure 8 and a sound reflector 9 . referring primarily to fig1 and 6 , enclosure 8 is in the form of a bucket having a conical side wall 10 and an integral circular inner end closure wall 11 . the enlarged outer or forward open end of enclosure 8 forms a flange 12 to which is secured an annular ring 13 , as by bolts 14 . a loudspeaker 15 of any suitable well - known type is coaxially disposed within enclosure 8 , faces forwardly through the open end thereof and is secured to ring 13 as by bolts 16 . enclosure 8 is preferably formed from polyethylene or other similar plastic material and may comprise a bucket of the type available at many retail stores . such buckets are thin - walled , 1 / 16 - 1 / 32 inch thickness being desirable . the thin plastic bucket walls 10 and 11 are slightly flexible and form a large resonating surface area to the rear of speaker 15 . it is contemplated that enclosure 8 preferably be installed centrally of the vehicle , such as by resting on transmission tunnel portion 7 of floor 6 . the enclosure is contemplated as being held in place by tightly confining its ends between the front face of seat 2 and the exposed lower corner 18 of dashboard 4 . this is accomplished by placing enclosure 8 on floor 6 when seat 2 is in its rearward position , and then adjusting the seat forwardly until the enclosure sealingly engages corner 18 . by securing the entire speaker assembly in this fashion , the entire assembly may be easily removed and the speaker played even when the assembly is outside the vehicle , assuming a sufficiently long wire connection to the amplifier . in accordance with one aspect of the invention , sound radiated forwardly by loudspeaker 15 and past the seal at corner 18 is reflected rearwardly and to the sides . for this purpose , a hard surfaced sound reflector panel 9 is positioned forwardly from the front terminus of enclosure 8 , and is spaced therefrom . as shown in fig1 reflector panel 9 is secured to tunnel 7 and fire wall 5 as by brackets 19 and is located directly in the path of the sound emanating from speaker 15 . referring to fig3 - 5 , relector panel 9 comprises a generally upright planular base 20 having top and bottom flanges 21 and which merges into a rearwardly extending generally vertical central rib 22 . the base and rib together form a pair of sound reflective surfaces 23 which curve gradually from transverse to the speaker axis to parallel thereto . surfaces 23 cause the forwardly moving sound waves to disperse and be reflected rearwardly and to the sides of the passanger compartment and also , to a certain extent , upwardly into the dash cavity forwardly of the seal at corner 18 . the result is a generally non - directional sound having clear , well dispersed high and low frequency distribution . it has been found that no additional speakers are necessary in the front of the compartment . in some instances , it may be desirable to enhance the sound from the rear speakers , not shown , with the sound from front speaker 15 , especially for those passengers seated in the back . for this purpose , and as shown in fig7 enclosure 8 , instead of being essentially hollow , is relatively solid and is provided with a tortuous channel 24 which extends from speaker 15 and rearwardly to a port 25 disposed at the rear of the assembly and below seat 2 for discharge of sound to the rear beneath the seat . in another embodiment shown in fig8 the entire speaker enclosure 8 is mounted beneath dashboard 4 and is spaced rearwardly from sound reflective panel 9 . in yet another embodiment , shown in fig9 the speaker 15 is disposed midway between the ends of enclosure wall 10 . in all embodiments , the speaker enclosure firmly engages the dash so that a substantial portion of the sound reaches panel 9 for reflection in the desired manner . the concepts of the invention provide a unique improvement in the distribution of sound in the passenger compartment of a vehicle . it is relatively inexpensive to manufacture , and installation costs should be at a minimum because door and kick panels are not involved . various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention .
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turning first to fig1 , there is shown an exercise staff 10 according to the present invention . as shown , the staff 10 is composed of two half staff elements 12 , 12 ′. a female threaded end cap 14 at the end of one staff 12 receives the male threaded end cap 16 of the other half staff 12 ′ to form a completed staff 10 . fig2 a is an exploded view of half staff 12 although both halves are symmetrical and , except for the end caps , are interchangeable . a handle tube 18 has a guide tube 20 which includes , on the exterior an l - shaped tracking groove 22 . the guide tube 20 attaches to the inner end of the handle tube 18 and is adapted to telescope into an intermediate tube 24 which has , at the inner end , the female threaded end cap 14 . an optional ballast tube 26 can telescope into the outer end of the handle tube 18 . in preferred embodiments , the ballast tube 26 can add additional weight to the half staff 12 in amounts ranging from ½ pound 5 pounds to in one - half pound increments . with weights in both half staffs 12 , 12 ′, the weight of the exercise staff can be increased from one pound to ten pounds in the preferred embodiments . in alternative embodiments , greater weights could be added by utilizing different materials for the ballast . fig2 b is a cutaway view of a portion of the intermediate tube 24 , showing a portion of the inserted guide tube 20 . a tensioning spring 28 is mounted in the interior of the intermediate tube 24 and , through a tension link 30 , is connected to the guide tube 20 . while a spring is used in the preferred embodiment , other tensioning materials can be utilized including neoprene , rubber or other elastomers . a handle pin 32 can anchor the tension link 30 to the guide tube 20 and the tensioning spring 28 can be anchored to the intermediate tube 24 with an anchor pin 34 that captures either one end of the tensioning spring 28 or an intermediate link ( not shown ) which connects to the opposite end of the tensioning spring 28 . a tracking pin 36 in the intermediate tube 24 engages the tracking groove 22 of the guide tube 20 . when the parts are fully assembled , the tracking pin 36 in the l portion of the tracking groove 22 permits limited rotation of the tubes relative to each other about the central axis . the tensioning spring 28 provides sufficient rotational bias so that the tracking pin 36 remains in the circumferentially oriented portion of the tracking groove 22 . rotation of the handle tube 18 relative to the intermediate tube 24 is only permitted in one direction by the tracking groove 22 . when the tracking pin 36 reaches the axially oriented portion of the tracking groove 22 , the handle tube 18 and the intermediate tube 24 are free for translational motion in the axial direction against the resistance of the tensioning spring 28 . when the handle tube 18 and the intermediate tube 24 are fully collapsed together , they will rotate relative to each other and the tracking pin 36 will again be in the circumferential portion of the tracking groove 22 . fig2 c shows the half staff 12 in that normal , resting state . fig3 a is a cutaway view of the staff 10 in a closed configuration with the various component parts shown in place . as shown , the parts in half staff 12 ′ use the same reference numbers as their counterparts in the half staff 12 but with the prime symbol . thus spring 28 of half staff 12 has a counterpart spring 28 ′ in half staff 12 ′. similarly in fig3 b , the staff 10 is shown in the expanded configuration . the present invention solves the problems of poor joint mobility , poor flexibility , coordination and tightness , notably at the shoulder ( glenuhumeral ), hips , lumbar and thoracic spine levels . additionally , it solves the problem of assessing one &# 39 ; s poor posture issues without having to necessarily see a health care practitioner ( although not a diagnostic tool ), which is still advised for diagnosis and treatment . using invention specific progressive simple drills , the user improves glenohumeral joint mobility ( shoulder ), which also recruits other joints in the body , to effectively increase range of motion , flexibility , muscle tone as well as identify , correct and assess muscular imbalances . it also provides an easy way to correctly warm up and prepare muscles and joints for any workout , or simply relieve stiffness in the joints . the extendable staff can be separated into halves and used as 2 pieces as well as one solid longer piece . for less flexible users , the extension affords the ability to perform the movements . shoulder tightness is connected to hip tightness , which is linked to low back pain , which then diminishes overall movement ability , something from which the majority of the population suffers and doesn &# 39 ; t treat effectively . when the halves are connected to form the full length ( 4 ft .) staff , movements can be performed with it , as qualified personal trainers or therapists may use a dowel or stick . this provides limited uses for those who do not have the proper flexibility or joint mobility . with the quick release at the center of each half staff , the spring loaded mechanism allows the user to stretch the staff to accommodate the user &# 39 ; s current ability , until the user can perform the movement without the need for the extension ( much like having training wheels on a bicycle ). overhead squats , shoulder brachiation techniques , wrist , elbow , shoulder and hip mobility drills can be performed . on any given day , a person can feel “ stiff ” ( after traveling , sitting at a desk too long , sore from a previous training session or any other limiting factor ) and the staff can be adjusted to the user &# 39 ; s current condition , effectively improving it within a few movements . separated into its component halves , it can be used like indian clubs , where one can use one arm or both , therefore one or both half staffs can be used for isolateral / unilateral work versus bilateral work . with the ballast ( additional weights ) weights inserted , one can increase the load to perform resistance training exercises , just as with a bar bell , based on one &# 39 ; s ability . the full staff can also be utilized for various martial arts drills , notably kali , eskrima and other martial arts of the type popularized in motion pictures such as hanna , the bourne series , the book of eli , among others , as well as in staff fighting or stick fighting , the staff of the present invention can also be used for corrective assessment drills ( spinal alignment , proper squatting , core stability and more ). the staff has a quick release mechanism that keeps it as a 4 ft unit with the halves connected and may have either a knurled or other textured grip so it can be quickly coupled or separated without having to twist more than a half turn . the same principle is used at the end of the 2 connected half staffs where the extensibility occurs , except that instead of separating , there is a spring that allows each half to extend and return to its original configuration , much as a rubber band would . as one piece , coil springs inside connect the outer end portions to the to the main / center portion which allows the staff to extend a few inches in each direction providing the user who lacks the necessary flexibility to essentially stretch the staff so that the user can perform a particular exercise requiring motion , be it an overhead squat or a brachiation drill ( combining the benefits of a rubber tubing with a broomstick ). as the users flexibility improves over time , the halves can be reconfigured to be a rigid full staff to continue the same drills but at greater flexibility and increased difficulty levels . as one piece the full staff can be used for multiple martial arts drills as well as many corrective drills , such as postural assessments or movement screening ( deep squat , overhead extension squat , in line lunge ). also , by inserting ballast weights inside the free end of the half staff ( by removing the end cap ), the user benefits from added resistance which increases the difficulty level of all drills for better strength development , just as a fitness body bar , essentially used as a bar bell with the weight already inside the bar . with the halves separated , not only does it make it easier to carry for travel but it readily fits into a gym bag , thus there has been shown and described an novel exercise staff which is suitable for tor physical training , martial arts training or any other suitable activity . modifications and variations will occur to those skilled in the art and the scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto .
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the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings . fig1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a recording medium according to the invention . in fig1 , the recording medium ( 1 ) is typically comprised of a volume structure ( 2 ) indicating the logical structure of the whole recording medium and a logical volume space ( 3 ) which is a data recording space under the management of the volume structure ( 2 ). the logical volume space ( 3 ) is an area for recording the data as a file principally , having a route directory root ( 4 ) and a sub - directory dir ( 5 ) under the route directory root ( 4 ). it is common that the file is recorded under the sub - directory dir ( 5 ), or directly under the root directory root ( 4 ). the recording medium ( 1 ) may be typically an optical disk such as a dvd ( digital versatile disc ), a magneto - optical disk such as an mo , or a magnetic disk such as a hdd ( hard disc drive ). the volume structure ( 2 ), the logical volume space ( 3 ), the root directory root ( 4 ), the sub - directory dir ( 5 ), and the file management method can be made using the conventional technique of the file system in accordance with the iso / iec13346 standards , and therefore the illustration and explanation are omitted . hence , various kinds of specific files and the data structure of the file will be described below . first of all , the n ( n is an integer greater than and equal to one ) pieces of data ( 7 ) such as dynamic image data , still picture data or voice data are recorded in one data file ( 6 ) collectively . this is a commonly employed method to facilitate the file management . with this method , in the case where the data recording time information dt_rec_tm ( 8 ) is recorded at the top of the data ( 7 ), like the technique as described in jp - a - 2000 - 113641 specification , the effect of the invention becomes remarkable . for the purpose of being consistent between the case where the data recording time information dt_rec_tm ( 8 ) is recorded and the case where it is not recorded , a systematic management information file ( 9 ) may be employed . therefore , the data recording time information dt_rec_tm ( 8 ) is not a requisite item to carry out the invention , but may be dealt with optionally . the detailed data structure of the data recording time information dt_rec_tm ( 8 ) will be described later . in the following , the data structure of the management information file ( 9 ) which is a feature of the present invention will be mainly described below . the management information file ( 9 ) records the information for managing the data ( 7 ) collectively , and comprises the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) and the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ). the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) manages collectively the items common to all the n pieces of data , and comprises the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) which is a feature of the invention . the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) indicates the standard time of an area where the data is recorded , and may be represented in terms of a time difference between the standard time of the area and the universal time ( greenwich mean time ) which is indicated by a positive or negative value ( e . g ., two byes ) in a unit of minute , for example . the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) may hold , in addition to the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ), an identifier to indicate a data management method for use with the management information file ( 9 ), the version information , the pointer information to the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) as will be described later , and the size information of the management information file ( 9 ), but because they are not related directly to the gist of the invention , the illustration and explanation are omitted . the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) manages the data ( 7 ) individually , and comprises the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) and the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ) which are a feature of the invention . herein , there are two cases where the data ( 7 ) and the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) are managed in a relation of one - to - one correspondence , or where one data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) is provided for a data group of plural pieces of data ( 7 ), like the technique as described in jp - a - 2000 - 134565 specification . hence , the number ( m ) of data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) is an integer from one to the number ( n ) of data ( 7 ) both inclusive . in the same figure , # i ( i is an integer ) denotes an i - th element , and is employed similarly in other figures . the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) may hold , in addition to the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) and the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ), the number of data ( 7 ) managed by the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ), the pointer information or data size information to have access to individual data , the data reproduction time length information , the text information representing a title associated with the data , and the data attribute information such as an encoding method , the resolution and the sampling frequency when the data ( 7 ) is the image or voice , but because they are not related directly to the gist of the invention , the illustration and explanation are omitted . the data recording time information dt_rec_tm ( 8 ) and rec_tm ( 13 ) represents the time when the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) and the corresponding data ( 7 ) are recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ), on the basis of the standard time indicated by the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ), which can be expressed , for example , in terms of a total of 40 bits (= 5 bytes ) including a year ( 14 bits ), a month ( 4 bits ), a day ( 5 bits ), an hour ( 5 bits ), a minute ( 6 bits ), and a second ( 6 bits ). in the case where one data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) is provided for a data group of plural pieces of data ( 7 ), like the technique as described in jp - a - 2000 - 134565 specification , the first data recording time information f_rec_tm ( e . g ., five bytes ) and the last data recording time information l_rec_tm ( e . g ., five bytes ) within the data group are stored ( e . g ., a total of 10 byes ) as the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ). the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ) will be described below with reference to fig2 and 3 . fig2 is an operation diagram wherein the time zone information rec_tm_zone ( 15 ) at the time of recording the data is set as the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ). when the data ( 7 ) is recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ), the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) set in the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) is acquired , and the same value is set in the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ) as the time zone information rec_tm_zone ( 15 ) at the time of recording the data . thereafter , when the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) within the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) is changed , the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) in the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) is only changed , and the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ) and the data recording time information dt_rec_tm ( 8 ) in the data file ( 6 ) are not changed . thereby , there is no need of reading all the data file ( 6 ) of large size , correcting the data recording time dt_rec_tm ( 8 ) for time difference , and rewriting all the data , resulting in the faster processing . further , since the data recording time information dt_rec_tm ( 8 ) to which ( the value of tm_zone ( 12 )− the value of tm_zone_sub ( 14 )) is added must be coincident with the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ), there is no inconsistency between the information of the data file ( 6 ) and the information of the management information file ( 9 ). after changing the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ), the local standard time at the time of recording the data is recorded in the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ), whereby the data recording time information rec_tm ( 8 ) after correcting for time difference to which ( the value of tm_zone_sub ( 14 ) the value of tm_zone ( 12 )) is added can reproduce the local time at the time of recording . fig3 is an operation diagram wherein the time zone differential information tm_zone_dif ( 16 ) at the time of recording the data is set as the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ). the time zone differential information tm_zone_dif ( 16 ) is a differential value ( i . e ., the value of rec_tm_zone ( 15 ) the value of tm_zone ( 12 )) between the time zone information rec_tm_zone ( 15 ) at the time of recording the data and the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) set in the total management information vmgi ( 10 ). unlike the operation of fig2 , when the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) within the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) is changed , the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) with in the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) and the time zone differential information tm_zone_dif ( 16 ) are changed simultaneously . thereby , there is no need of reading all the data file ( 6 ) of large size , correcting the data recording time dt_rec_tm ( 8 ) for time difference and rewriting all the data in the same way as previously described , resulting in the faster processing . further , the data recording time information dt_rec_tm ( 8 ) to which the value of tm_zone_sub ( 14 ) is added must be coincident with the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ), whereby there is no inconsistency in the information between the data file ( 6 ) and the management information file ( 9 ). also , after changing the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ), if the value of tm_zone_zub ( 14 ) is subtracted from the data recording time information rec_tm ( 8 ) after correcting for time difference , the local time at the time of recording the data can be reproduced . this method has a feature that the time zone differential information tm_zone_dif ( 16 ) may remain zero until the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) is changed . fig4 shows a variation of the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ). in the same figure , the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) carries the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) and the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ) as described previously , as well as a time zone auxiliary information flag tm_zone_sub_flag ( 17 ). this flag functions to indicate whether or not the value stored in the data area is effective as the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ), when the already reserved data area is used as an area for storing the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ). then , the value is defined as zero when the data area ( e . g ., two bytes ) is in a reserved state . and the most significant bit of the data area is assigned to the time zone auxiliary information flag tm_zone_sub_flag ( 17 ), and the remaining fifteen bits are assigned to the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ). in this way , only if the time zone auxiliary information flag tm_zone_sub_flag ( 17 ) is 1 , the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ) can be selectively employed to correct for time difference . fig5 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a recorder according to the invention . the recorder ( 18 ) is one example of the device having a function of recording newly the data and the management information on the recording medium . first of all , the data file ( 6 ) is written onto the recording medium ( 1 ) by data writing means ( 200 ). along with this , the time zone information ( 12 ) at the time of recording is specified by time zone information tm_zone specifying means ( 19 ), and the value is set in the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) by total management information vmgi setting means ( 20 ), and written into the management information file ( 9 ) of the recording medium ( 1 ). also , after the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) is specified by data recording time information rec_tm specifying means ( 21 ), and the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ) is specified by time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub specifying means ( 22 ), a value is set in the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) by data management information vob_gi setting means ( 23 ) and written into the management information file ( 9 ) of the recording medium ( 1 ). herein , the time zone information tm_zone specifying means ( 19 ) may be implemented by providing the recorder 18 with a switch or a menu screen for selecting one of plural pieces of time zone information ( e . g ., 2 bytes ), for example . the data recording time information rec_tm specifying means ( 21 ) can be implemented by generating the rec_tm value ( e . g ., 5 bytes ), employing a timer ( clock ) progressing in a unit of second , for example . the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub specifying means ( 22 ) can be implemented by using the output from the time zone information tm_zone specifying means ( 19 ) with the method of fig2 , or the outputting zero with the method of fig3 . the configuration of means ( 200 ) ( 20 ) ( 23 ) for writing the information on the recording medium ( 1 ) will be described later . fig6 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of another recorder ( 24 ) according to the invention . it is supposed that the recorder ( 24 ) carries ( caches ) the management information already recorded , and is illustrative of the device having a function of changing the time zone information in the management information on the basis of the method as shown in fig3 . a section for enabling the data writing means ( 200 ) to write the data file ( 6 ) on the recording medium ( 1 ) has the same configuration as shown in fig5 . employing means ( 25 ) for specifying the new time zone information tm_zone_ 1 and the time zone information tm_zone changing means ( 26 ), the old time zone information tm_zone_ 0 carried in the total management information vmgi setting means ( 28 ) is read and changed to the new time zone information tm_zone_ 1 , which is then written into the management information file ( 9 ) of the recording medium ( 1 ). along with this , a differential value delta_tm_zone ( i . e ., tm_zone_ 1 − tm_zone_ 0 ) between the time zone information tm_zone before and after change is calculated by differential value calculating means ( 27 ), and entered into the data recording time information rec_tm changing means ( 29 - 1 to 29 - m ) and the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub changing means ( 30 - 1 to 30 - m ). herein , an integer value m signifies the number of data management information vob_gi . in the data recording time information rec_tm changing means ( 29 - 1 to 29 - m ), the old data recording time information rec_tm_ 0 carried in the data management information vob_gi setting means ( 31 - 1 to 31 - m ) is read , and the old data recording time information rec_tm_ 0 plus the differential value delta_tm_zone is reset as the new data recording time information rec_tm_ 1 in the data management information vob_gi . also , in the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub changing means ( 30 - 1 to 30 - m ), the old time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub_ 0 is read , and the old time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub_ 0 plus the differential value delta_tm_zone is reset as the new time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub_ 1 in the data management information vob_gi . thereafter , the data management information vob_gi setting means ( 31 ) writes the data management information vob_gi ( 11 - 1 to 11 - m ) into the management information file ( 9 ) of the recording medium ( 1 ). herein , the new time zone information tm_zone_ 1 specifying means ( 25 ) may be implemented by providing the recorder ( 24 ) with a switch or a menu screen for selecting one of plural pieces of time zone information ( e . g ., 2 bytes ), for example . the configuration of the means ( 200 )( 28 )( 31 - 1 to 31 - m ) for writing the information into the recording medium ( 1 ) will be described later . also , it is apparent that the calculation of the differential value delta_tm_zone may be effective by defining tm_zone_ 0 − tm_zone_ 1 , and exchanging addition and subtraction while reversing the signs in the expression . the same applies in the other drawings . fig7 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of another recorder ( 201 ) according to the invention . it is supposed that the recorder ( 201 ) carries ( caches ) the management information already recorded , and is illustrative of the device having a function of changing the time zone information in the management information on the basis of the method as shown in fig2 . a section for enabling the data writing means ( 200 ) to write the data file ( 6 ) on the recording medium ( 1 ) has the same configuration as shown in fig5 . employing means ( 25 ) for specifying the new time zone information tm_zone_ 1 and the time zone information tm_zone changing means ( 26 ), the old time zone information tm_zone_ 0 carried in the total management information vmgi setting means ( 28 ) is read and changed to the new time zone information tm_zone_ 1 , which is then written into the management information file ( 9 ) of the recording medium ( 1 ). along with this , a differential value delta_tm_zone ( i . e ., tm_zone_ 1 − tm_zone_ 0 ) between the time zone information tm_zone before and after change is calculated by differential value calculating means ( 27 ), and entered into the data recording time information rec_tm changing means ( 29 - 1 to 29 - m ). herein , an integer value m signifies the number of data management information vob_gi . in the data recording time information rec_tm changing means ( 29 - 1 to 29 - m ), the old data recording time information rec_tm_ 0 carried in the data management information vob_gi setting means ( 31 - 1 to 31 - m ) is read , and the old data recording time information rec_tm_ 0 plus the differential value delta_tm_zone is reset as the new data recording time information rec_tm_ 1 in the data management information vob_gi . thereafter , the data management information vob_gi setting means ( 31 ) writes the data management information vob_gi ( 11 - 1 to 11 - m ) into the management information file ( 9 ) of the recording medium ( 1 ). herein , the new time zone information tm_zone_ 1 specifying means ( 25 ) may be implemented by providing the recorder ( 24 ) with a switch or a menu screen for selecting one of plural pieces of time zone information ( e . g ., 2 bytes ), for example . the configuration of the means ( 200 )( 28 )( 31 - 1 to 31 - m ) for writing the information into the recording medium ( 1 ) will be described later . fig8 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of another recorder ( 32 ) according to the invention . the recorder ( 32 ) is illustrative of the device having a function of specifying the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) when recording the data in an area with a time difference from the time zone without changing the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) stored in the management information already recorded . a section for enabling the data writing means ( 200 ) to write the data file ( 6 ) on the recording medium ( 1 ) has the same configuration as shown in fig5 . along with this , there are provided means ( 33 ) for specifying the time zone information cur_tm_zone in recording the data ( hereinafter referred to as at current time ), means ( 34 ) for reading the time zone information tm_zone from the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) of the management information file ( 9 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ), and means ( 35 ) for specifying the current time cur_tm . based on a result of output , the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) is specified by the data recording time information rec_tm specifying means ( 36 ), and set to the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) by data management information vob_gi setting means ( 37 ) and written into the management information file ( 9 ) of the recording medium ( 1 ). herein , the current time zone information cur_tm_zone specifying means ( 33 ) may be implemented by providing the recorder ( 32 ) with a switch or a menu screen for selecting one of plural pieces of time zone information ( e . g ., 2 bytes ), for example . the current time cur_tm specifying means ( 35 ) can be implemented by generating the cur_tm value ( e . g ., 5 bytes ), employing a timer ( clock ) progressing in a unit of second , for example . the data recording time information rec_tm specifying means ( 36 ) makes an arithmetic operation of ( rec_tm value = cur_tm value + tm_zone value − cur_tm_zone value ), and can be implemented by typical addition / subtraction means . the configuration of means ( 200 )( 37 ) for writing the information into the recording medium ( 1 ) or means ( 34 ) for reading the information from the recording medium ( 1 ) will be described later . the operation of the recorder ( 32 ) as shown in fig8 will be described below by way of example . for example , in a situation where the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) in the recording medium ( 1 ) indicates the japanese standard time ( universal time + nine hours ), it is supposed that the user is moved to taiwan with a time difference of one hour with respect to japan . then , the current time zone information cur_tm_zone is set to taiwan standard time ( universal time + eight hours ). if the data is recorded at three in the afternoon ( i . e ., the current time cur_tm = 15 ), the data recording time information rec_tm is calculated as rec_tm value = cur_tm value + tm_zone value − cur_tm_zone value = 15 + 9 − 8 = 16 in accordance with the previous expression , and recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ). thereby , even if the user records the data at the local current time , the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) consistent with the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) can be written on the recording medium ( 1 ). fig9 illustrates one example of the operation of a selection menu screen ( 38 ) in a reproducing device according to the invention . the selection menu screen ( 38 ) indicates a menu screen displayed on a display terminal dedicated to the reproducing device , or a monitor for the television or personal computer ( hereinafter referred to as the pc ). a selection cursor ( 43 ) is moved in accordance with the user &# 39 ; s entry to select a title to be reproduced from among a plurality of titles ( 39 ), so that a reproduction instruction can be issued to the reproducing device . herein , the display of a title can be made using a typical method of recording the text information representing the title in the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ), and reading and displaying it . therefore , the illustration and explanation are omitted . the features of the invention will be described below . in fig9 , the title ( 39 ) and the data recording time are displayed on the selection menu screen ( 38 ), wherein it is desirable that the display of data content is more imaginable to the user . then , the data recording time is preferably the local time ( 40 ) when the user records the data , and naturally contains a time difference depending on the area for photographing . if the information as shown in fig2 or 3 is set as the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ), employing the management information file ( 9 ) as shown in fig1 , the data recording time ( 40 ) in the actual location can be reproduced , as previously described . a change button ( 41 ) is displayed on the screen or equipped in the reproducing device , as required , to switch the data recording time information ( 13 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) and the local time ( 40 ) to be displayed . a photographing place ( 42 ) can be easily displayed by specifying it on the basis of a difference ( i . e ., differential time ) between the data recording time information ( 13 ) and the local time ( 40 ), if a table of correspondence between the differential time and the place is prepared in a solid - state memory . also , a representative city name ( 44 ) which is a basis of the differential time may be displayed by specifying it from the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ). fig1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a reproducing device ( 45 ) according to the invention . the reproducing device ( 45 ) has a function of specifying and displaying the local time ( 40 ) as shown in fig9 , using the management information based on the method as shown in fig2 . first of all , the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) is read from the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) in the management information file ( 9 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) by the time zone information tm_zone reading means ( 48 ), and input into the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm specifying means ( 51 - 1 to 51 - m ). on the other hand , the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 - 1 to 13 - m ) is read from the data management information vob_gi ( 11 - 1 to 1 ′- m ) in the management information file ( 9 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) by the data recording time information rec_tm reading means ( 49 - 1 to 49 - m ), and the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 - 1 to 14 - m ) is read by the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub reading means ( 50 - 1 to 50 - m ), and input into the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm specifying means ( 51 - 1 to 51 - m ). in the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm specifying means ( 51 - 1 to 51 - m ), an arithmetic operation of ( mod_rec_tm value rec_tm value + tm_zone_sub value − tm_zone value ) is made to obtain the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm . in the display means ( 52 ), the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm is displayed as the local time ( 40 ), and the selection cursor ( 43 ) is displayed and the selected result is acquired in the selecting means ( 53 ). based on its selected result , the data file ( 6 ) is selectively read from the recording medium ( 1 ) by the data reading means ( 46 ), and reproduced and output as the image or voice by the reproducing means ( 47 ). the configuration of reading means ( 46 )( 48 )( 49 - 1 to 49 - m ) ( 50 - 1 to 50 - m ) of the information from the recording medium ( 1 ) and the reproducing means ( 47 ) will be described later . fig1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a reproducing device ( 202 ) according to the invention . the reproducing device ( 202 ) has a function of specifying and displaying the local time ( 40 ) as shown in fig9 , using the management information based on the method as shown in fig3 . first of all , the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 - 1 to 13 - m ) is read from the data management information vob_gi ( 11 - 1 to 11 - m ) in the management information file ( 9 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) by the data recording time information rec_tm reading means ( 49 - 1 to 49 - m ), and the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 - 1 to 14 - m ) is read by the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub reading means ( 50 - 1 to 50 - m ), and input into the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm specifying means ( 51 - 1 to 51 - m ). in the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm specifying means ( 51 - 1 to 51 - m ), an arithmetic operation of ( mod_rec_tm value = rec_tm value + tm_zone_sub value ) is made to obtain the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm . in the display means ( 52 ), the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm is displayed as the local time ( 40 ), and the selection cursor ( 43 ) is displayed and the selected result is acquired in the selecting means ( 53 ). based on its selected result , the data file ( 6 ) is selectively read from the recording medium ( 1 ) by the data reading means ( 46 ), and reproduced and output as the image or voice by the reproducing means ( 47 ). the configuration of reading means ( 46 )( 48 )( 49 - 1 to 49 - m ) ( 50 - 1 to 50 - m ) of the information from the recording medium ( 1 ) and the reproducing means ( 47 ) will be described later . fig1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a reproducing device ( 54 ) according to the invention . the reproducing device ( 54 ) has a function of displaying the data recording information rec_tm ( 13 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) by modifying the differential time using the current time zone information cur_tm_zone set within the device . first of all , the current time zone information cur_tm_zone is specified by the current time zone information cur_tm_zone specifying means ( 55 ), and input into the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm specifying means ( 51 - 1 to 51 - m ), as will be described later . herein , the current time zone information cur_tm_zone specifying means ( 55 ) may be implemented by providing the reproducing device ( 54 ) with a switch or a menu screen for selecting one of plural pieces of time zone information ( e . g ., 2 bytes ), for example . on the other hand , the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) is read from the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) in the management information file ( 9 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) by the time zone information tm_zone reading means ( 56 ), and input into the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm specifying means ( 57 - 1 to 57 - m ), as will be described later . also , the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 - 1 to 13 - m ) is read from the data management information vob_gi ( 11 - 1 to 11 - m ) in the management information file ( 9 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) by the data recording time information rec_tm reading means ( 49 - 1 to 49 - m ), and input into the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm specifying means ( 57 - 1 to 57 - m ). in the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm specifying means ( 57 - 1 to 57 - m ), an arithmetic operation of ( mod_rec_tm value = rec_tm value + cur_tm_zone_sub value − tm_zone value ) is made to obtain the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm . in the display means ( 52 ), the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm is displayed as the local time ( 40 ), and the selection cursor ( 43 ) is displayed and the selected result is acquired in the selecting means ( 53 ). based on its selected result , the data file ( 6 ) is selectively read from the recording medium ( 1 ) by the data reading means ( 46 ), and reproduced and output as the image or voice by the reproducing means ( 47 ). the configuration of reading means ( 46 )( 56 )( 49 - 1 to 49 - m ) of the information from the recording medium ( 1 ) and the reproducing means ( 47 ) will be described later . fig1 and 14 are a block diagram and a perspective view showing an embodiment of a recorder / reproducing device according to the invention , respectively . the recorder / reproducing device may be configured to be a special - purpose hardware , or control a general - purpose hardware for the personal computer in accordance with a control procedure ( hereinafter referred to as a program ) as will be described later . in any case , a control section ( 58 ) operates on the basis of a memory ( 66 ) storing the program . the memory ( 66 ) storing the program may use the same recording medium as a memory ( 67 ) storing the management information as will be described later , or they may be differently configured such that the memory ( 66 ) may be a recording medium which is unsuitable for frequently rewriting the data such as a read only memory ( rom ) or a flash memory , and the memory ( 67 ) may be a recording medium which is suitable for frequently rewriting the data such as a dram ( dynamic random access memory ) or an sram ( static random access memory ). the content ( program ) of the memory ( 66 ) storing the program may be preinstalled by the device manufacturer before shipment of the device , or read from another recording medium ( computer readable recording medium ) storing the program before operation of the device , as shown in fig1 . the recorder / reproducing device as shown in fig1 first accepts an operation instruction from the user on an operation section ( 59 ), and the control section ( 58 ) controls the operation of each section as will be described later . at the time of recording , a signal of image or voice is input from an input section ( 60 ), and encoded in accordance with the mpeg by an encoder ( 59 ). the encoded data such as the dynamic image , still picture or voice is input via a track buffer ( 62 ) into a drive ( 63 ), and recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ). then , the management information as shown in fig1 to 4 is also recorded under the control of the control section ( 58 ). the management information is difficult to record at the same time while the encoded data is recorded in real time . hence , the management information may be once recorded in the memory ( 67 ) storing the management information , and recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) after the end of recording the encoded data . at the time of reproduction , after the management information is once read from the recording medium ( 1 ) into the memory ( 67 ) by the drive ( 63 ), the encoded data is read on the basis of its information and input into the track buffer ( 62 ). the encoded data from the track buffer ( 62 ) is decoded by a decoder ( 64 ), and output from an output section ( 65 ). each section as shown in the same figure can be easily realized by the well - known technique . the detailed illustration and explanation of operation are omitted . fig1 illustrates one example in which the recorder / reproducing device is constituted using a computer . in fig1 , the recorder / reproducing device comprises a computer main unit ( 70 ), a monitor ( 68 ) for displaying the image , a speaker ( 69 ) for outputting the voice , a mouse ( 71 ) and a keyboard ( 72 ) for inputting an operation instruction from the user , and a drive ( 73 ) for recording or reproducing the data onto or from the recording medium ( 1 ). the recording medium ( 1 ) stores a program for controlling the computer ( 70 ), and a reading operation ( install ) of reading the program into the memory ( 66 ) within the computer via the drive ( 73 ) may be performed , before operating the recorder / reproducing device . the computer readable recording medium ( 1 ) may be a rewritable recording medium such as dvd - ram , mo , or a floppy disk to record the program on the same medium as the data such as the image or voice , or may be a reproduction dedicated disk such as cd - rom or dvd - rom . the recorder , the reproducing device , and the selection menu screen as previously described and shown in fig5 to 12 may be replaced in configuration with the recorder / reproducing device as shown in fig1 and 14 . also , the writing means ( 200 )( 20 )( 23 )( 28 )( 31 - 1 to 31 - m )( 37 ) for writing the information into the recording medium ( 1 ) or the reading means ( 34 )( 46 )( 48 ) ( 49 - 1 to 49 - m ) ( 50 - 1 to 50 - m )( 56 ) for reading the information from the recording medium ( 1 ) correspond to the drive ( 63 )( 73 ) as shown in fig1 and 14 , and the reproducing means ( 47 ) corresponds to the decoder ( 64 ) as shown in fig1 . the recording method and the reproducing method of the invention will be described below in connection with the operation ( i . e ., the content of program ) of the control section ( 58 ) as shown in fig1 . the name and structure of the management information are the same as those shown in fig1 . fig1 shows a method for embodying the operation of the recorder as shown in fig5 with a program as one example of the recording method for use with the invention . in fig1 , the recording operation is started at step ( 74 ). then the data such as the image or voice is recorded on the recording medium at step ( 75 ), as previously described and shown in fig1 . subsequently , the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) is specified at step ( 76 ). then , the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) is set in the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) at step ( 77 ). the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) is recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) at step ( 78 ). on the other hand , the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) is specified at step ( 79 ), and set in the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) at step ( 80 ). also , the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ) is specified at step ( 81 ), and is set in the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) at step ( 82 ). lastly , the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) is recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) at step ( 83 ). then the recording is ended at step ( 84 ). herein , the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) at step ( 76 ) can be specified by selecting one of plural pieces of time zone information ( e . g ., two - byte value ) and storing it in the memory , for example . the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) at step ( 79 ) can be specified by generating the rec_tm value ( e . g ., five - byte value ) with a timer ( clock ) which can progress in a unit of second , for example . the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 ) at step ( 81 ) can be specified by outputting the value of the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) directly with the method as shown in fig2 , or outputting zero with the method as shown in fig3 . fig1 shows a method for embodying the operation of the recorder as shown in fig6 with a program as one example of the recording method for use with the invention . in fig1 , the recording operation is started at step ( 85 ). then the data such as the image or voice is recorded on the recording medium at step ( 86 ), as previously described and shown in fig1 . subsequently , the new time zone information tm_zone_ 1 is specified at step ( 87 ). then , the value ( tm_zone_ 0 ) of the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) already set in the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) is changed to the new value ( tm_zone_ 1 ) which is then reset in the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) at step ( 88 ). along with this , the differential value delta_tm_zone ( i . e ., tm_zone_ 1 − tm_zone_ 0 ) between the time zone information tm_zone before and after change is calculated at step ( 89 ). a variable i is prepared , and initialized to 1 at step ( 90 ). then , the loop process is entered . at step ( 91 ), the value rec_tm_ 1 which is the value rec_tm_ 0 of the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) already set in the i - th data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) plus the differential value delta_tm_zone is calculated , and reset in the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ). at step ( 92 ), the value tm_zone_sub_ 1 which is the value tm_zone_sub_ 0 of the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 - i ) already set in the i - th data management information vob_gi ( 11 - i ) plus the differential value delta_tm_zone is calculated , and reset in the data management information vob_gi ( 11 - i ). at step ( 93 ), it is determined whether or not all the data management information vob_gi ( 11 - i ) is processed . if all processed , the operation proceeds to step ( 95 ), or otherwise , the value of the variable i is incremented by 1 at step ( 94 ), and the operation transfers to step ( 91 ). lastly , the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) is recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) at step ( 95 ). the recording is ended at step ( 96 ). herein , the new time zone information tm_zone_ 1 at step ( 87 ) can be specified by selecting one of plural pieces of time zone information ( e . g ., two - byte value ) and storing it in the memory , for example . fig1 shows a method for embodying the operation of the recorder as shown in fig7 with a program as one example of the recording method for use with the invention . in fig1 , the recording operation is started at step ( 85 ). then the data such as the image or voice is recorded on the recording medium at step ( 86 ), as previously described and shown in fig1 . subsequently , the new time zone information tm_zone_ 1 is specified at step ( 87 ). then , the value ( tm_zone_ 0 ) of the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) already set in the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) is changed to the new value ( tm_zone_ 1 ) which is then reset in the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) at step ( 88 ). along with this , the differential value delta_tm_zone ( i . e ., tm_zone_ 1 − tm_zone_ 0 ) between the time zone information tm_zone before and after change is calculated at step ( 89 ). a variable i is prepared , and initialized to 1 at step ( 90 ). then , the loop process is entered . at step ( 91 ), the value rec_tm_ 1 which is the value rec_tm_ 0 of the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 - i ) already set in the i - th data management information vob_gi ( 11 - i ) plus the differential value delta_tm_zone is calculated , and reset in the data management information vob_gi ( 11 - i ). at step ( 93 ), it is determined whether or not all the data management information vob_gi ( 11 - i ) is processed . if all processed , the operation proceeds to step ( 95 ), or otherwise , the value of the variable i is incremented by 1 at step ( 94 ), and operation transfers to step ( 91 ). lastly , the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) is recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) at step ( 95 ). the recording is ended at step ( 96 ). herein , the new time zone information tm_zone_ 1 at step ( 87 ) can be specified by selecting one of plural pieces of time zone information ( e . g ., two - byte value ) and storing it in the memory , for example . fig1 shows a method for embodying the operation of the recorder as shown in fig8 with a program as one example of the recording method for use with the invention . in fig1 , the recording operation is started at step ( 97 ). then the data such as the image or voice is recorded on the recording medium at step ( 98 ), as previously described and shown in fig1 . subsequently , the current time zone information cur_tm_zone is specified at step ( 99 ). then , the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) is read from the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) at step ( 100 ). at step ( 101 ), the current time cur_tm is specified . at step ( 102 ), the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) is specified from the current time cur_tm , the current time zone information cur_tm_zone , and the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ). at step ( 103 ), the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) is set in the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ). at step ( 104 ), the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) is recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ). the recording operation is ended at step ( 105 ). herein , at step ( 99 ), the current time zone information cur_tm_zone can be specified by selecting one of plural pieces of time zone information ( e . g ., two - byte value ) and storing it in the memory , for example . at step ( 101 ), the current time information rec_tm can be specified by generating the cur_tm value ( e . g ., five - byte value ) with a timer ( clock ) which can progress in a unit of second , for example . at step ( 102 ), the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 ) can be specified by making an arithmetic operation of ( rec_tm value = cur_tm value + tm_zone value − cur_tm_zone value ). fig1 shows a method for embodying the operation of the reproducing device as shown in fig1 with a program as one example of the reproducing method for use with the invention . in fig1 , the reproducing operation is started at step ( 106 ). then , the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) is read from the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) at step ( 107 ). a variable i is prepared , and initialized to 1 at step ( 108 ). then , the loop process is entered . at step ( 109 ), the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 - i ) is read from the i - th data management information vob_gi ( 11 - i ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ). at step ( 110 ), the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 - i ) is read from the i - th data management information vob_gi ( 11 - i ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ). subsequently , at step ( 111 ), an arithmetic operation of ( mod_rec_tm value = rec_tm value + tm_zone_sub value − tm_zone value ) is performed , using the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ), the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 - i ) and the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone = sub ( 14 - i ) to specify the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm and display it in a format as shown in fig9 . at step ( 112 ), it is determined whether or not all the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) are processed . if all processed , the operation proceeds to step ( 114 ), or otherwise , the value of the variable i is incremented by 1 at step ( 113 ), and the operation transfers to step ( 109 ). at step ( 114 ), the data recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) is selected using the displayed result . at step ( 115 ), the data recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) is read and reproduced using the selected result . the reproducing operation is ended at step ( 116 ). fig2 shows a method for embodying the operation of the reproducing device as shown in fig1 with a program as one example of the reproducing method for use with the invention . in fig2 , the reproducing operation is started at step ( 106 ). then , a variable i is prepared , and initialized to 1 at step ( 108 ). then , the loop process is entered . at step ( 109 ), the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 - i ) is read from the i - th data management information vob_gi ( 11 - i ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ). at step ( 110 ), the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone_sub ( 14 - i ) is read from the i - th data management information vob_gi ( 11 - i ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ). subsequently , at step ( 111 ), an arithmetic operation of ( mod_rec_tm value = rec_tm value + tm_zone_sub value ) is performed , using the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 - i ) and the time zone auxiliary information tm_zone = sub ( 14 - i ) to specify the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm and display it in a format as shown in fig9 . at step ( 112 ), it is determined whether or not all the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) are processed . if all processed , the operation proceeds to step ( 114 ), or otherwise , the value of the variable i is incremented by 1 at step ( 113 ), and the operation transfers to step ( 109 ). at step ( 114 ), the data recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) is selected using the displayed result . at step ( 115 ), the data recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) is read and reproduced using the selected result . the reproducing operation is ended at step ( 116 ) fig2 shows a method for embodying the operation of the reproducing device as shown in fig1 with a program as one example of the reproducing method for use with the invention . in fig2 , the reproducing operation is started at step ( 117 ). then , the current time zone information cur_tm_zone is specified at step ( 118 ). then , the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ) is read from the total management information vmgi ( 10 ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) at step ( 119 ). a variable i is prepared , and initialized to 1 at step ( 120 ). then , the loop process is entered . at step ( 121 ), the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 - i ) is read from the i - th data management information vob_gi ( 11 - i ) recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ). subsequently , at step ( 122 ), an arithmetic operation of ( mod_rec_tm value = rec_tm value + cur_tm_zone value − tm_zone value ) is performed , using the current time zone information cur_tm_zone , the time zone information tm_zone ( 12 ), and the data recording time information rec_tm ( 13 - i ) to specify the correction data recording time information mod_rec_tm and display it in a format as shown in fig9 . at step ( 123 ), it is determined whether or not all the data management information vob_gi ( 11 ) are processed . if all processed , the operation proceeds to step ( 125 ), or otherwise , the value of the variable i is incremented by 1 at step ( 124 ), and the operation transfers to step ( 121 ). at step ( 125 ), the data recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) is selected using the displayed result . at step ( 126 ), the data recorded on the recording medium ( 1 ) is read and reproduced using the selected result . the reproducing operation is ended at step ( 127 ).
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because circuits employing transducers such as cathode ray tubes in general are well known , the present description will be directed in particular to elements forming part of , or cooperating more directly with , the present invention . elements not specifically shown or described may take various forms well known to those skilled in the art . the light output from , for example , a cathode - ray tube , for a given signal input , is controlled by three parameters : ( 1 ) gamma , the index of the power law relating light output ( or cathode current , to which light output is normally proportional ) to driving voltage ; ( 3 ) gain , the effective sensitivity of the device . under normal conditions gamma for a given cathode - ray tube does not vary but bias and gain may do so . a sine wave signal with a fixed d . c . component added is applied to the tube and the resulting cathode current or light output is detected . the non - linearity of the tube characteristic causes the detected signal to contain harmonic components as well as a fundamental frequency component . the amplitude of the fundamental component of the output will vary with both bias and gain changes ; however if the correct harmonic is chosen , the harmonic component of the output will vary only when the gain changes . many cathode - ray tubes have power law transfer characteristics close to square or cube law . it is shown here that for a square law tube the second harmonic is independent of bias whilst for a cube law the third harmonic has this property . where a is the constant amplitude of the test sine wave of angular frequency w , and b is a constant pedestal added to it . where i c is the cathode current proportional to l ( the light output ), k is the gain factor , and v b is the bias voltage . both k and v b are subject to variation . substitute for v in ( 2 ) from ( 1 ) which can be re - arranged as ## equ1 ## the second harmonic component of the output cathode current i c is ## equ2 ## which is independent of v b . the fundamental component of the output cathode current i c is secondly , considering a cathode - ray tube having a cube law characteristic : let the signal be as before with the parameters defined as before . substituting for v in ( 3 ) from ( 1 ) which re - arranges as ## equ3 ## the third harmonic component of the output cathode current i c is ## equ4 ## which again is independent of v b . the fundamental component of the output cathode current i c , which is ## equ5 ## depends both on k and v b . a gain change is therefore detected as a change in the harmonic component of the output and can be corrected by a suitable gain control element . any departure of the fundamental component of the output from its expected value can now only be due to a bias error which can be corrected by a suitable bias control element . when the tube law departs from a true square or cube relationship a modification is needed . under these conditions the harmonic component of the output is no longer independent of bias ; however it varies with bias only at a slow rate . by causing the circuit about to be described to repeat the cycle of operation as many times as necessary a steady state is reached . because the departure of the tubes from exact integer power laws is normally small , say 1 . 8 to 2 . 2 for a square law and 2 . 7 to 3 . 3 for cube , the iterative procedure described above is fast and the settling time of the device is therefore short . referring now to the accompanying drawing , a cathode - ray tube ( crt ) 10 has provision for selecting a picture signal input 12 or a test signal input 14 by means of a switch 16 . the test signal input 14 is a sine - wave signal with a fixed d . c . ( pedestal ) component . when the test input 14 is selected , it is fed to the crt 10 by way of a digitally controlled gain element 18 . the bias of the crt 10 is controlled by a bias control unit 20 which varies the cathode voltage . the cathode voltage is applied to the crt through a current sensing resistor 22 . the potential developed across the resistor 22 by passage of the cathode current is applied to a current sensing circuit 24 . the output from the current sensing circuit 24 is fed to a fundamental frequency filter 26 and to a harmonic filter 28 tuned to the harmonic of the fundamental frequency corresponding to the power of the transfer characteristic of the crt . the outputs of both filters 26 , 28 are fed to respective rectifiers 30 , 32 . the outputs from the rectifiers 30 , 32 are selected by section 34b of a ganged fundamental / harmonic selector switch 34 for feeding to an analogue to digital converter 36 , thence to one input of a subtractor 38 . the second input to the subtractor 38 is selected by section 34a of the fundamental / harmonic selector switch 34 , and is a bias reference source 40 when the selector switch 34 has selected the fundamental filter 26 , and a gain reference source 42 when the selector switch 34 has selected the harmonic filter 28 . the bias reference source 40 and the gain reference source 42 have digital outputs set to give the desired crt operating condition . the subtractor 38 has two outputs , the first to a sign detector 44 and the second to a zero detector 46 . the output from the sign detector 44 controls the direction of counting of two up / down counters 48 , 50 which operate in the fundamental and harmonic modes respectively . the counters 48 , 50 count pulses from a clock 54 , the particular counter 48 , 50 being selected by a section 34c of the selector switch 34 . the output 52 of the counter 48 is fed to a digital to analogue converter 55 , the analogue output of which is applied to the bias control unit 20 . the output 56 of the counter 50 is applied to the gain element 18 to control the gain . when the test signal input 14 is selected by the switch 16 , a test signal in the form of a low frequency sine wave superimposed on a pedestal is applied to the crt . when the switch 34 is in the harmonic filter position the sign output from the subtractor 38 causes the selected up - down counter 50 to be driven in such a direction as to make the output of the subtractor 38 zero by varying the gain of the gain element 18 . the rate of the correction is determined by the frequency of the clock 54 , which frequency is low enough to allow the system to settle at each increment of the counter 50 . when the output of the subtractor 38 is zero , the switch 34 is changed to the fundamental filter position , so as to drive the counter 48 , vary the bias via 55 and 20 and so make the output of the subtractor 38 again zero . where an exact integer power law applied , the output of the crt 10 will now have been reset to its predetermined level , but where it is only approximately an integer power law it will be necessary to repeat the sequence until stability is achieved . while the above description has been made with reference to a crt , it is equally applicable to any other transducer whose output is an approximation to an integral power of the input signal . the output of the transducer may be measured by means other than a current sensor such as described above , for example where the transducer is a light source the output may be measured by a photocell . the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a presently preferred embodiment thereof ; but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention .
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the over - all reaction to give the thioethers can be described by the reaction formula ## str1 ## wherein x is either bromide (- br ) or hydroxy (- oh ); and wherein r is an alkyl group of 1 to about 20 carbon atoms , an aryl group of 6 to about 12 carbon atoms , a cycloalkyl group of 5 to about 12 carbon atoms , or substituted derivatives of these groups such as carboxyalkyl , carboxyaryl , or carboxycycloalkyl . the mercaptans which are suitable for use herein may be prepared by several known methods , such as those described in noller &# 39 ; s ( ed .) chemistry of organic compounds , 3rd , w . d . saunders company , 1966 , chapter 15 , pp . 300 - 304 . for purposes of this invention , the mercaptan may contain a variety of organic substituents bound to the sulfur atom . essentially any substituent which is inert to the condensation of the mercaptan with glycolic acid or bromoacetic acid may be present . for instance , alkyl , aryl , and cycloalkyl mercaptans and their substituted derivatives are suitable . representative suitable mercaptans include alkyl mercaptans such as methyl , ethyl or propyl mercaptan , and the like ; aryl mercaptans such as phenyl mercaptan , benzyl mercaptan , tolyl mercaptans and the like ; cycloalkyl mercaptans such as cyclohexyl mercaptan , 3 - methyl cyclopentyl mercaptan , 4 - chlorocyclooctyl mercaptan , and the like ; carboxyalkyl mercaptans such as mercaptoacetic acid , mercaptopropionic acid , and the like ; carboxyaryl mercaptans such as 4 - mercaptobenzoic acid , and the like ; and carboxycycloalkyl mercaptans such as 2 - mercaptocyclohexane carboxylic acid , and the like . preferred mercaptans include the lower alkyl mercaptans such as methyl , ethyl , propyl , and n - octyl mercaptan ; and phenyl mercaptan . bromoacetic acid and glycolic acid are suitable for use in the process of this invention . glycolic acid is commercially available or can be prepared by the carbonylation of formaldehyde as described , for instance , by u . s . pat . no . 3 , 911 , 003 , granted oct . 7 , 1975 , to s . suzuki . bromoacetic acid is available from the reaction of glycolic acid and hydrogen bromide . the process of this invention is carried out in an aqueous medium using conventional batch or continuous equipment over a wide range of temperature and pressure conditions . suitable temperatures range from about 90 ° c . to about 220 ° c ., preferably from about 100 ° c . to about 180 ° c . suitable pressures range from about 0 . 5 atmosphere to about 100 atmospheres ; usually the reaction is carried out under autogenous pressure . the process is carried out in the presence of hydrogen bromide . a catalytic amount of hydrogen bromide , that is from about 1 to about 80 weight percent , preferably from about 5 to about 50 weight percent , is required . thus , a solution of hydrogen bromide gas in water may be used as both the catalyst and the reaction medium . accordingly , in practice , the concentration of hydrogen bromide ranges from about 1 to about 70 weight percent . the concentration of reactants can also vary greatly . an equimolar amount of the mercaptan and hydroxyacid is acceptable . however , it is preferable to use a molar excess of the mercaptan . suitable molar ratios of mercaptan to acid range from about 0 . 5 to about 10 , preferably from about 1 to about 5 . in a preferred embodiment , the process is carried out in continuous fashion using an acid - resistant reaction vessel , for instance a hastelloy alloy or titanium vessel . the reactants are passed into the reactor in contact with aqueous hydrogen bromide . the product stream is withdrawn and unreacted material is recycled . the product can be purified by conventional methods such as distillation or extraction . the following examples further illustrate this invention and are not intended to limit its scope . a 300 - ml capacity , stainless - steel reactor with a glass liner was charged with glycolic acid 0 . 1 mol , 48 % aqueous hbr 10 ml ( containing hbr 0 . 09 mol and h 2 o 0 . 4 mol ), and thiophenol 0 . 15 mol . the reactor was sealed and heated at 150 ° c . for 2 hours while the reaction mixture was magnetically stirred . the product was extracted with ether , the ether extract was evaporated to dryness , and the residue was methylated in a refluxing methanol with a catalytic amount of sulfuric acid . analysis of the esterified mixture by gas chromatogram ( ffap column ) showed 84 % conversion of the glycolic acid with 99 % selectivity to thiophenoxyacetic acid . the same reactor used in example 1 was charged with glycolic acid 0 . 1 mol , 48 % aqueous hbr 10 ml ( containing hbr 0 . 09 mol and h 2 o 0 . 4 mol ), and ethanethiol 0 . 30 mol , and the mixture was reacted at 150 ° c . for 2 hours . the product mixture was evaporated , and the residue was analyzed as before to show 46 % conversion of the glycolic acid to ethylthioacetic acid with better than 90 % selectivity . the same reactor used in example 1 was charged with glycolic acid 0 . 1 mol , 48 % aqueous hbr 10 ml ( containing hbr 0 . 09 mol and h 2 o 0 . 4 mol ), and n - octanethiol 0 . 15 mol , and the mixture was reacted at 150 ° c . for 4 hours . the product was evaporated , and the residue was analyzed as before to show 38 % conversion of the glycolic acid to n - octylthioacetic acid with 6 % selectivity and to thiodiglycolic acid with 90 % selectivity . the same reactor used in example 1 was charged with glycolic acid 0 . 10 mol , aqueous hbr 10 ml ( containing hbr 0 . 09 mol and h 2 o 0 . 4 mol ), and mercaptoacetic acid 0 . 13 mol , and the mixture was reacted at 150 ° c . for 2 hours . the product mixture was evaporated , and the residue was analyzed as before to show over 99 % conversion of glycolic acid to thiodiglycolic acid with better than 95 % selectivity . replacement of the glycolic acid in the above example with an equal molar amount of bromoacetic acid gave essentially the same result .
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fig1 is a flow diagram depicting the capture and display of high - resolution images of a vehicle through the internet , where the images have the same background . the image files can be automatically uploaded to a server , after capture , and are retained on the server . select images and select portions of the high - resolution images can be viewed on the internet , so as not to require excessive bandwidth for viewing , or image downloading from the server to the viewer &# 39 ; s computer . fsi viewer ( neptunelabs gmbh ) provides this type of capture and image display over the internet . portions of particular images can be selectively zoomed to display them , so that the entirety of all portions of all images is not streamed at the same instant . other programs to accomplish these ends may also be used . referring to fig9 , an arm 100 is shown arcing above a vehicle 10 , where arm 100 has an imaging device 102 positioned to capture images of the uppermost surface of the vehicle . device 102 can slide along arm 100 to also capture images of the sides of vehicle 10 , or device 102 can be fixed to only capture the uppermost vehicle surface , and a separate imaging device ( device 33 in fig2 and 3 ) can capture the sides of vehicle 10 . device 102 can also be fixed elsewhere ( such as to a beam joining carriers 20 and 30 ) to allow viewing the uppermost part of vehicle 10 . the use of device 102 in this manner allows one to generate a simulated three - dimensional view of the vehicle 10 , which can be rotated through at least one axis during viewing to show different portions of the exterior surface of the vehicle . it is possible to view the images directly from the imaging device or from the server , or by downloading the images to a viewer &# 39 ; s computer . for wide access for many viewers to the images , the arrangement in fig1 is preferred . referring to fig2 to 4 , a vehicle 10 is centered between a background display carrier 20 and a carrier 30 . carrier 30 includes an imaging device 33 and lighting 34 . lighting 34 can be strobe lighting coordinated to be on when each image is captured by device 33 , or other lighting . the capture of images can be timed or otherwise controlled to create a series of images showing the entire surface . another method of controlling image capture is using a digital compass or a travel sensor associated with the carrier 20 or 30 , and thereby controlling image capture as the carriers 20 and 30 move a predetermined amount . both carriers 20 and 30 consist of several separate sections 21 g and 31 a - 31 e respectively ). having multiple sections makes carriers 20 and 30 more convenient to transport or store , following breaking them down into the sections . more or fewer sections for carriers 20 and 30 , or no sections , are also feasible . each of the sections 21 a - 21 g are equipped with two pairs of wheels 22 , on an axle 24 , and each of the sections 31 a - 31 e are equipped with two pairs of wheels 32 , on an axle 34 . the carriers 20 and 30 are arced as shown , and the wheels 22 and 32 would normally be in fixed position with respect to the vertical axis , so that carriers 20 and 30 follow the path their arc &# 39 ; s define as they revolve around vehicle 10 on wheels 22 and 32 . however , it is possible for the aspect of wheels 22 and 32 to be adjustable so that carriers 20 and 30 can follow different arced paths . arms 36 and 38 link the ends of carriers 20 and 30 , so that they revolve together . arms 36 and 38 should provide enough clearance to permit vehicle 10 to move in and out from its position between carriers 20 and 30 . carriers 20 and 30 could also be linked with other arrangements , including one beam which is affixed to the ceiling , or carriers 20 and 30 could be separately powered , provided their movement is coordinated . in fig3 and 3a a screen 37 is shown partially in place over the vehicle 10 side of carrier 20 . when screen 37 is fully lowered , it displays a desirable background for the vehicle 10 when its images are captured by imaging device 33 . the background on the screen 37 can be any type , including a green screen . fig5 is a plan view of a carrier 50 having a first set of wheels 52 and a second set of wheels 54 . at least one of the sets of wheels 52 or 54 can be rotated with respect to the vertical axis ( as shown for wheels 52 in fig6 ) to allow the carrier 50 to move on a variety of arced paths . carrier 50 optionally has the same features as carrier 20 , such as multiple sections and a screen over one side displaying a background . carrier 50 can be used with a dolly 70 shown in fig7 . in fig7 , dolly 70 has three wheels , 72 , 74 and 76 , a tripod docking station 78 ( where an adjustable imaging device docking station can be attached to the tripod ). wheels 74 and 76 can be rotated to the other side of support 75 by rotating plates 74 a and 76 a through ½ turn , so that dolly 70 can follow an arc in either direction . fig7 shows a computer docking station 81 for a computer , and a motor 85 or other drive unit . batteries 87 are shown as well . computer 81 a can upload images from device 33 or 102 , automatically or under operator control , from where the images can be viewed or transferred to a server . it also shows a seat 89 for an operator , and foot pegs 91 . fig8 shows a telescoping tripod 93 , to which an imaging device can be affixed . the imaging device can be attached with a movable mount , so it can shoot at a variety of angles . motor 85 can drive the wheel 72 in either direction to cause revolution of the dolly 70 about the vehicle ( vehicle 10 in fig2 to 4 ) in either direction . dolly 70 can be linked to carrier 50 , or carrier 50 can be independent and have its own motor and movement control . in the case where dolly 70 and carrier 50 have their own motors , their relative positions to each other and to the vehicle being imaged could be maintained using electronic beams and receptors on dolly 70 and carrier 50 , which control the motors to maintain the beams and receptors in alignment . one could also use other methods of movement control i . e ., a digital compass 23 a or a travel sensor . motor 85 or other motors on carrier 50 or dolly 70 can be electric , gas or diesel , and the dolly 70 can include a position to carry the energy source for motor 85 , including a photovoltaic cell or batteries 87 . fig9 shows an arm 100 for carrying an imaging device which can capture the upper surfaces of vehicle 10 . the imaging device 102 can slide up and down along arm 100 and also be locked into position along the sliding arc . arm 100 would be attached to dolly 70 or the carriers 20 or 30 . it should be understood that the terms and expressions used herein are exemplary only and not limiting , and that the scope of the invention is defined only in the claims which follow , and includes all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims .
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hereinafter , preferred devices constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . the delay locked loop constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention generally includes a phase comparator , a shift register , and a noise determining circuit . the noise determining circuit generally includes an lpf controlling circuit and low pass filters . referring to fig3 the illustrated delay locked loop comprises a delay locked loop including a first clock buffer 300 receiving an external clock bar clkb for producing a falling clock signal fclkt 2 activated at a falling edge of the clock . it also includes a second clock buffer 310 receiving an external clock clk for producing a rising clock signal rclkt 2 which is activated at a rising edge of the clock . the loop also includes a clock divider 320 for producing a pulse at every other eight clocks of the rising clock signal rclkt 2 , and a phase comparator 330 for comparing a reference signal ref from the clock divider 320 with a feedback signal feedback from a delay modeling circuit 390 . the loop further includes a shift controller 340 receiving the output of the phase comparator 330 and the output signals of first and second low pass filters 420 and 430 to produce a right shift signal sr and / or a left shift signal sl to shift a shift register 350 . the shift register 350 controls a delay amount by shifting an output signal in response to the right shift signal sr and / or the left shift signal sl from the shift controller 340 . the loop also includes a first delay line 360 which is responsive to the output signal of the shift register 350 for adjusting the delay amount of the output signal of the clock divider 320 , a second delay line 370 responsive to the output signal of the shift register 350 for adjusting the delay amount of the rising clock signal rclkt 2 , and a third delay line 380 responsive to the output signal of the shift register 350 for adjusting the delay amount of the falling clock signal fclkt 2 . the delay modeling circuit 390 compensates a time difference between the external clock clk and an internal clock by using a delay adjusted feedback delay signal feedback_dly 1 received from the first delay line 360 . the loop also includes a delay locked loop signal driving circuit 400 for driving internal circuitry with the outputs of the second and third delay lines 370 and 380 , and a low pass filter controlling circuit 410 for receiving a delay locked loop locking signal dll_lockz , a self - refresh signal sref , a power - up signal pwrup , a delay locked loop reset signal dll_reset , and a delay locked loop disable signal dis_dll from the shift controller 240 to activate the low pass filters . the first low pass filter 420 receives a low pass filter activating signal lpf_en from the low pass filter controlling circuit 410 and first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 ( which are outputs of the phase comparator 330 ) to count the number of result values outputted from the phase comparator 330 ( see fig4 b ). the second low pass filter 430 receives the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en from the low pass filter controlling circuit 410 as well as second and fourth phase comparison signals pc 1 and pc 3 ( which are outputs of the phase comparator 330 ) to count the number of the result values outputted from the phase comparator 330 ( see fig4 b ). one of the input signals of the low pass filter controlling circuit 410 is a delay locked loop locking signal dll_lockz . the delay locked loop locking signal dll_lockz becomes logic high before a delay locked loop clock is locked and transits to logic low at clock locking . therefore , before clock locking , the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en is logic low and does not operate the first and second low pass filters 420 and 430 . and after clock locking , the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en transits to logic high to operate the first and second low pass filters 420 and 430 . referring to fig4 a , the shift controller 340 includes a first input circuit 440 receiving the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 , the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en , and the output ( shift_r ) of the first low pass filter 420 . a second input circuit 450 receives the second and fourth phase comparison signals pc 1 and pc 3 , the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en , and the output ( shift_l ) of the second low pass filter 430 . an output circuit 460 receives the outputs of the first and second input circuits 440 and 450 and the comparison pulse signal cmp_pulse to output the right shift signal sr , the left shift signal sl and the delay locked loop locking signal dll_lockz . more particularly , the first input circuit 440 includes a nand gate 441 receiving the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 , a first nor gate 442 receiving the output of the nand gate 441 and the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en , a first inverter 443 receiving the output of the nor gate 442 , a second inverter 444 receiving the output of the first inverter 443 , a second nor gate 445 receiving the output of the second inverter 444 and the output of the first low pass filter 420 , and a third inverter 446 receiving the output of the second nor gate 445 . the second input circuit 450 includes a nand gate 451 receiving the second and fourth phase comparison signals pc 1 and pc 3 , a first nor gate 452 receiving the output of the nand gate 451 and the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en , a first inverter 453 receiving the output of the first nor gate 452 , a second inverter 454 receiving the output of the first inverter 453 , a second nor gate 455 receiving the output of the second inverter 454 and the output of the second low pass filter 430 , and a third inverter 456 receiving the output of the second nor gate 455 . the output circuit 460 includes a first nand gate 461 receiving the output of the first input circuit 440 and the comparison pulse signal cmp_pulse , a first inverter 462 receiving the output of the first nand gate 461 to output the right shift signal sr , a second nand gate 463 receiving the output of the second input circuit 450 and the comparison pulse signal cmp_pulse , a second inverter 464 receiving the output of the second nand gate 463 to output the left shift signal sl , a nor gate 465 receiving the outputs of the first and second inverters 462 and 464 , and a third inverter 466 receiving the output of the nor gate 465 to output the delay locked loop locking signal dll_lockz . in operation , when the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en is logic low before locking , the shift controller 340 receives the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 from the first nor gate 442 of the first input circuit 440 and the second and fourth phase comparison signals pc 1 and pc 3 from the first nor gate 452 of the second input circuit 450 to output the left and right shift signals sl and sr to shift the shift register 350 . on the contrary , when the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en is logic high , the shift controller 340 blocks the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 via the first nor gate 442 of the first input circuit 440 and the second and fourth phase comparison signals pc 1 and pc 3 via the first nor gate 452 of the second input circuit 450 but receives a first shift signal shift_r via the second nor gate 445 of the first input circuit 440 and a second shift signal shift_l via the second nor gate 455 of the second input circuit 450 . the first and second shift signals shift_r and shift_l activate the right and left shift signals sr and sl , respectively , to control the shift register 350 . referring to fig5 the illustrated low pass filter controlling circuit 410 includes an initializing circuit 500 and an activating circuit 510 . the initializing circuit 500 receives as inputs the self - refresh signal sref , the power - up signal pwrup , the delay locked loop disable signal dis_dll and the delay locked loop reset signal dll_reset to notify that the delay locked loop operates . the activating circuit 510 receives as inputs the delay locked loop locking signal dll_lockz and the output of the initializing circuit 500 to output the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en . more particularly , the initializing circuit 500 includes : ( a ) a first inverter 501 receiving the power - up signal pwrup , ( b ) a nor gate 502 receiving the self - refresh signal sref and the output of the first inverter 501 , ( c ) a second inverter 503 receiving the delay locked loop disable signal dis_dll , ( d ) a delaying circuit 504 receiving the delay locked loop reset signal dll_reset , ( e ) a nand gate 505 receiving the output of the nor gate 502 , the output of the second inverter 503 and the output of the delaying circuit 504 , and ( f ) an inverting circuit 506 for inverting the output of the nand gate 505 . the activating circuit 510 includes a first inverter 511 receiving the delay locked loop locking signal dll_lockz , a nand gate 512 receiving the output of the initializing circuit 500 and the output of the first inverter 511 , and a second inverter 513 receiving the output of the nand gate 512 to output the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en . in operation , when the operation of the delay locked loop is indicated ( i . e ., when the self - refresh signal sref is logic low ( i . e ., escaped from self - refresh mode ), the power - up signal pwrup is logic high , and the delay locked loop disable signal dis_dll is logic low ), the inputs of the nand gate 505 of the initializing circuit 500 all become logic high so that the output of the nand gate 505 becomes logic low . accordingly , the output of the nand gate 505 is inverted to logic high by the inverting circuit 506 . when the delay locked loop locking signal dll_lockz transits to logic low thereby indicating that locking of the delay locked loop has occurred , the inputs of the nand gate 512 all become logic high so that the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en is activated to logic high via the inverter 513 . referring to fig6 a , the illustrated first low pass filter 420 includes an input circuit 600 receiving the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 and the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en . it also includes a controlling circuit 610 receiving a control pulse signal hit from the phase comparator 330 and the output of the input circuit 600 to control shift of a counter 620 . the counter 620 receives the output of the input circuit 600 to count the number of repetitions of logic values of the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 under control of the output of the controlling circuit 610 . the low pass filter 420 also includes a latch output circuit 630 for latching the output of the counter 620 to output the first shift signal shift_r . more particularly , the input circuit 600 includes a nand gate 601 receiving the first and third phase comparison signal pc 0 and pc 2 and the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en , and an inverter 602 receiving the output of the nand gate 601 . the controlling circuit 610 includes : ( a ) an inverting circuit 611 for inverting the control pulse signal hit , ( b ) a nand gate 612 receiving the inverted control pulse signal hit and the output of the input circuit 600 , and ( c ) an inverter 613 receiving the output of the nand gate 612 . the counter 620 includes an inverter 627 inverts the output of the controlling circuit 610 . the first stage 621 is controlled by the output of the controlling circuit 610 and receives a feedback output of the sixth stage 626 and the output of the input circuit 600 . the second stage 622 is controlled by the output of the controlling circuit 610 and receives the output of the first stage 621 . the third stage 623 is controlled by the output of the controlling circuit 610 and receives the output of the second stage 622 . the fourth stage 624 is controlled by the output of the controlling circuit 610 and receives the output of the third stage 623 . the fifth stage 625 is controlled by the output of the controlling circuit 610 and receives the output of the fourth stage 624 . the sixth stage 626 is controlled by the output of the controlling circuit 610 and receives the output of the fifth stage 625 . more particularly , the first stage 621 includes a transfer gate 10 constructed by a nmos transistor having a gate coupled to the output of the controlling circuit 610 and a pmos transistor having a gate coupled to the output of the inverter 627 to transfer the feedback output of the sixth stage 626 . the first stage 621 also includes a nand gate 11 receiving the output of the input circuit 600 and the output of the transfer gate 10 , a first inverter 12 receiving the output of the nand gate 11 having an output coupled to the output of the transfer gate 10 to latch , and a second inverter 13 receiving the output of the nand gate 11 . the second stage 622 includes a transfer gate 20 constructed by a pmos transistor having a gate coupled to the output of the controlling circuit 610 and a nmos transistor having a gate coupled to the output of the inverter 627 to transfer the output of the first stage 621 . the second stage 622 also includes a first inverter 21 receiving the output of the transfer gate 20 , a second inverter 22 receiving the output of the first inverter 21 and having an output coupled to the output of the transfer gate 20 to latch , and a third inverter 23 receiving the output of the first inverter 21 . the fifth stage 625 includes a first inverter 628 receiving the output of the input circuit 600 , and a transfer gate 30 constructed by a nmos transistor having a gate coupled to the output of the controlling circuit 610 and a pmos transistor having a gate coupled to the output of the inverter 627 to transfer the output of the fourth stage 624 . the fifth stage 625 also includes a nand gate 31 receiving the output of the first inverter 628 and the output of the transfer gate 31 , a second inverter 32 receiving the output of the nand gate 31 and having an output coupled to the output of the transfer gate 30 to latch , and a third inverter 33 receiving the output of the nand gate 31 . the first stage 621 and the third stage 623 are identical to each other in their structure . the second , fourth and sixth stages 622 , 624 and 626 are identical to each other in their structure . the latch output circuit 630 includes a transfer gate 40 constructed by a pmos transistor having a gate coupled to the output of the inverter 627 and a nmos transistor having a gate coupled to the output of the controlling circuit 610 to transfer the output of the fourth stage 624 . the latch output circuit 630 also includes a nand gate 41 receiving the output of the input circuit 600 and the output of the transfer gate 40 , a first inverter 42 receiving the output of the nand gate 41 and having an output coupled to the output of the transfer gate 40 to latch , and a second inverter 43 receiving the output of the nand gate 41 to output a first shift signal shift_r . the structure of the second low pass filter 430 is identical to that of the first low pass filter 420 shown in fig6 a except that it receives the second and fourth phase comparison signals pc 1 and pc 3 instead of the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 and it outputs the shift_l signal instead of the shift_r signal . in operation of the first and second low pass filters 420 and 430 , when the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en is logic low , the output of the nand gate 601 of the input circuit 600 is logic high so that the input circuit 600 does not receive the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 at the inputs of the nand gate 601 . in particular , the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 do not matter ( i . e ., “ a don &# 39 ; t care ”) to the nand gate 601 because the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en is logic low . on the contrary , when the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en is logic high , the output of the input circuit 600 depends upon the states of the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 . when the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en is logic low , the first and second low pass filters 420 and 430 do not operate . the control pulse signal hit is a pulse generated at every other predetermined number of clocks . it is a comparison pulse signal cmp_pulse that determines the timing when the first to fourth phase comparison signals pc 0 to pc 3 are generated at the phase comparator 330 . if the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 from the phase comparator 330 are not both in the logic high level three times sequentially ( i . e ., during three sequential hit pulses ), the first low pass filter 420 resets the counter 620 and then maintains the first shift signal shift_r at a logic low . when the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 from the phase comparator 330 are both at the logic high level three times sequentially , the first low pass filter 420 makes the first shift signal shift_r logic high , and then resets the counter 620 to recount . [ 0053 ] fig6 b illustrates a truth table for certain elements in fig6 a showing a sequence two hit pulses . in the example of fig6 b , one of the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 enters a logic low state at the second hit pulse . if the high state of the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 are not repeated three times sequentially , the output node of the input circuit 600 has a logic low value so that the latch circuits of the first , third and fifth stages 10 , 30 are initialized again . in particular , the first through sixth stages 621 , 622 , 623 , 624 , 625 , 626 of the counter 620 return to their initial states in the second sequence of fig6 b and the state of the first shift signal shift_r remains low . in effect , the low pass filter has determined that the first request to generate a shift_r signal ( shown in fig6 b as the first sequence where both pc 0 and pc 2 are high ) was generated by noise . accordingly , the counter 620 is reset to again start counting . [ 0054 ] fig6 c illustrates a truth table for certain elements of fig6 a for a series of three hit pulses wherein pc 0 and pc 2 indicate that the shift right request is not attributed to noise . in the example of fig6 c and 6d , when the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 are both logic high , the transfer gates of the second , fourth and sixth stages 622 , 624 and 626 of the counter 620 of the first low pass filter 420 are turned on to conduct . if the all high state is repeated three times sequentially , the first shift signal shift_r outputs a logic high . in particular , the first and third phase comparison signals pc 0 and pc 2 are logic high throughout the first , second , and third sequences . in contrast to fig6 b , the first through sixth stages 621 , 622 , 623 , 624 , 625 , 626 of the counter 620 do not return to their initial states at the second sequence . as a result , the first shift signal shift_r is a logic high because the first low pass filter 420 determined that the output of the phase comparator 330 was not caused by noise . referring to fig7 b , the timing diagram shows that the low pass filter activating signal lpf_en transits to logic high after the delay locked loop locking signal dll_lockz falls to logic low when the delay locked loop locking signal is locked . before the delay locked loop is locked , the shift controller 340 relays the output of the phase comparator 330 to the shift register 350 . on the other hand , after the delay locked loop is locked , the first and second low pass filters 420 and 430 receive the output of the phase comparator 330 so that the first and second shift signals shift_r and shift_l output logic high and the shift controller 340 receives these logic high shift signals only when the phase comparator 330 outputs information for shift of the shift register 350 three times sequentially . that is , the first and second low pass filters 420 and 430 determine that the output of the phase comparator 330 is originated from noise when the phase comparator 330 outputs the same result less than three times sequentially . when such a noise determination is made , the low pass filters 420 , 430 operate to ensure there is no shift of the shift register 350 . as described above , the delay locked loop of improves the ac parameter tac ( dq edge to clk edge skew ) by constructing the delay locked loop such that it is less sensitive to noise by using the delay locked loop low pass filters . although certain methods and apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention have been described herein , the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto . on the contrary , this patent covers all embodiments of the teachings of the invention fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents .
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with reference to fig1 , there is shown a ballast water treatment apparatus or device 102 according to the present invention . the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 includes a tank housing 104 as illustrated . the housing 104 includes an inlet port 106 having a gallon metered device as shown . the housing 104 further includes a discharge port 108 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the housing member 104 is further provided with a discharge hose 110 mounted thereon by use of hook brackets 112 . during use of the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 as described in further detail below , the discharge hose 110 is connected to the discharge port 108 . with continuing reference to fig1 , there is further shown transport wheels 114 integrally arranged with the housing member 104 to thereby provide mobility during use of the apparatus on a ship &# 39 ; s deck . as also shown in fig1 , the housing member 104 is provided with a filter apparatus which is discussed in further detail in connection with fig2 - 5 . with reference now to fig2 , there is shown the filter apparatus 116 including a filter bag 118 , support rods 120 , and a support frame 122 . the support frame 122 is positioned on a first platform 124 as illustrated . the first platform 124 divides the interior housing 124 into an upper filter chamber 125 and a lower treatment chamber . according to this embodiment of the present invention , there is also provided a second platform 126 positioned below the first platform 124 and above the bottom 128 of the housing 104 . the first platform 124 fluidly isolates the upper filter chamber from the lower chambers . the first platform 124 includes a first flow aperture 130 which allows filtered water to pass from the upper chamber into a first lower flow channel formed between the first platform member 124 and the second platform member 126 . as further illustrated in fig2 , the second platform member 126 includes a flow aperture 132 allowing fluid flow from the first treatment channel into the second treatment channel formed between the second platform 126 and the tank bottom 128 . as further indicated by the arrows in fig2 representing the direction of flow of ballast water through the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 , the filtered water exits the housing 104 through a third flow aperture 134 . as illustrated , water flow is through the aperture 134 in the tank bottom 128 and then through the discharge port 108 . as discussed above in conjunction with fig1 , during use of the device 102 , the discharge hose 110 is connected to the discharge elbow 108 to direct filtered and treated water over the side of the ship as further discussed in detail below . as further illustrated in fig2 , each of the lower flow chambers includes at least one ultraviolet ( uv ) lamp 136 which is secured to either side of the housing 104 by uv lamp sockets 138 . each of the individual uv lamps 136 is provided with an electrical feedback connection 140 that connects into an electrical control box 132 as illustrated . the electrical control box 132 further includes an electrical power supply 134 that provides power to the uv lamps 136 . electrical power is provided to the control box 132 by an electrical connection 146 that connects to the ship &# 39 ; s power supply . during use of the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 , the control box 142 includes an hour meter to monitor and record uv bulb usage time . fig2 illustrates one uv lamp in each of the lower treatment chambers . it would be readily understood by those of skill in the art , however , that a greater number of uv bulbs may be situated within these treatment chambers to provide additional electromagnetic uv energy into the chamber . thus during the operation of the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 , after the ballast water has passed through the filter bag 118 , it is directed by gravity flow into the lower uv treatment chambers wherein electrical energy is applied to the uv bulbs and uv energy is directed in all directions into the flowing filtered water . the uv energy is selected to be of sufficient power so that any micro - organisms or other biological organisms passing through the filter - bag 118 will be deactivated by the application of the uv energy . as used herein , “ deactivation ” means rendering any harmful or undesired biological organisms inactive in a manner that either kills the organisms , renders them unable to reproduce , or otherwise prevents them from causing harm to the open water environment into which the ballast water is discharged . the uv lamps utilized in one specific embodiment preferably number 8 in each chamber and are preferably 2000 watts ( 2 kw ) with an operating voltage of 1 , 454 volts ac running at 1 . 35 amps . thus in this embodiment of the present invention , uv radiation is principally employed to deactivate any biological organisms contained within the ballast water . as further illustrated in fig2 , the ballast treatment apparatus 102 may be provided with two inlet ports 106 each having a respective gallon meter . in this alternate embodiment of the present invention , two supply hoses may be utilized from the ship &# 39 ; s fire hydrant system to double the input flow into the apparatus 102 thereby decreasing the time required to filter and treat the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water according to the various methods of the present invention discussed below in further detail . with reference now to fig3 , there is shown a perspective top view of the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 according to the present invention . fig3 also shows a top view of the filter apparatus 116 including filter bag 118 and support rods 120 . as further shown in fig3 , the filter bag 118 is folded upwardly within the filter bag itself so that the bottom of the filter bag is situated some distance below the top edge of the filter bag 118 . as further shown , the bottom of the filter bag 118 is provided with a change - filter indicator strip 148 . in this manner , during use of the device when particulate matter is filtered from ballast water , the material forming the filter bag 118 will eventually collect an external layer of filtered particulate matter . as this layer of filtered particulate matter increases in thickness , the change - filter indicator strip 148 will eventually become fully covered by such filtered particulate matter . when this occurs , this is an indication that the filter bag 118 should be changed . fig4 illustrates the process for changing the filter bag 118 . as illustrated in fig4 , one or two crew members may grasp the support rods 120 and lift the filter bag 116 from the housing member 104 . as further shown in fig4 , when filter bag 118 is removed from the housing member 104 , the support frame 122 remains within the housing 104 . the preferred shape of the support frame 122 is the a - frame style indicated in fig4 . in this manner , the support frame 122 provides the necessary elevation so that the end of the filtered bag and the change - filter indicator strip 148 , fig3 , is situated at a desired height within the housing 104 so that it is substantially always submerged under ballast water during the filtration process to provide an accurate indication of the amount of particulate matter filtered during the filter operation . as further illustrated in fig4 , the top edge of the housing member 104 is provided with support rod notches 150 that are located to position support rods 120 in a desired parallel fashion as indicated in fig3 . the support rod notches 150 also secure the rods during use of the device . fig5 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of the filter frame support structure 122 and filter bag 118 . as illustrated , as the filter bag 118 is loaded into the apparatus , the support frame 122 provides a structure that positions the indicator strip 148 at a desired location above the first platform 124 shown , for example , in fig4 . in this manner , not only does the indicator strip 148 result in being positioned in a desired height above the first platform 124 , the surface area of the filter bag is thereby increased thus giving increased flow - through and filtering effect during the filtering operation . with reference next to fig6 and 7 , there is shown an alternate embodiment of the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 according to the present invention . in the embodiment illustrated in fig6 , the upper chamber is substantially similar to that discussed in connection with fig1 - 5 . as illustrated , this embodiment of the apparatus 102 includes the filter apparatus 116 , and the housing member 104 having an inlet port 106 and discharge port 108 . this embodiment of the present invention also includes a first platform 124 and a second platform 126 . this embodiment also similarly includes the first flow aperture 130 provided in the first platform 124 and a second flow aperture 132 formed in the second platform 126 . as illustrated , the first flow aperture 130 is rectangular in shape while the second flow aperture 132 in this embodiment is circular to conform to an inlet pipe 152 shown in fig7 . as illustrated in fig6 and 7 , this embodiment of the present invention includes a treatment tank 154 . the treatment tank 154 includes the uv lamps 136 . depending on the application of the energy required , anywhere between one and eight uv lamps extending the entire length of the treatment tank 154 are preferably desired . the tank 154 is further provided with discharge piping 156 . as illustrated in fig6 , the discharge piping 156 is fluidly connected to the discharge port 108 . the discharge piping 156 includes a trap portion 158 which is situated above the highest water level attainable within the tank 154 . in this manner during non - use , water will be maintained within a pipe segment 160 to thereby prevent undesired back - flow . the treatment tank 154 is similarly provided with an electrical power supply 144 and an electrical feedback connection 140 . in this specific embodiment of the apparatus as illustrated in fig7 , the treatment tank 154 is further provided with heat sensors 162 . the electrical feedback connection 144 and electrical power supply 144 are similarly connected to a control box 142 as illustrated in fig2 . in this embodiment , the heat sensors 162 are similarly connected to the control box 142 . the heat sensors detect the temperature of the filtered water as it passes through the treatment tank 154 . in one preferred embodiment , once the uv bulbs 136 reach a desired temperature , they will heat the water and thereby deactivate any biological organisms contained within the ballast water as it passes through the tank 154 . in this embodiment , both uv radiation and heat are employed as indicated to deactivate any biological organisms contained within the ballast water . to prevent premature discharge of filtered water from the treatment tank 154 through the discharge port 108 , this embodiment of the present invention is provided with a solenoid - activated valve 164 which is similarly electrically connected to the control box 142 . in this manner , the valve 164 is not opened until the water temperature within the tank 154 reaches a pre - determined processing temperature . in one preferred embodiment , the required bulb temperature for water treatment is 125 ° f . in this embodiment low pressure uv lamps are employed to achieve the desired temperature . in another preferred embodiment of this aspect of the present invention , high pressure uv lamps are utilized to achieved a water temperature of 400 ° f . thus during use of the apparatus illustrated in fig6 and 7 , discharge flow is not permitted until the temperature in tank 154 reaches a predetermined desired temperature set to effectively kill or otherwise deactivate any biological microorganisms contained within the ballast water . as with the embodiment of the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 discussed in connection with fig1 - 4 , the uv lamps utilized in the embodiment shown in fig6 and 7 are preferably 2000 watts ( 2 kw ) with an operating voltage of 1 , 454 ac running at 1 . 35 amps . in one specific implementation , six uv lamps of this particular rating are preferred . referring now to fig8 , there is shown a schematic cross - sectional side view of a typical ship &# 39 ; s ballast tank and first main deck . as represented schematically , the main deck includes a fire hydrant outlet 166 as indicated . during the process of loading sea water into the ship for ballast , the sea chest and sea valve 168 are open to allow sea water to enter the ballast tanks 170 . to allow sea water into the ballast tank , ballast tank valve 172 is typically provided to control the flow of sea water into the ballast tank . a strainer is provided to remove any large particulate matter from the sea water as it enters the ballast tank 170 from the sea chest through the sea valve 168 and into the ballast tank 170 through the ballast tank valve 172 . as indicated in fig8 , the sea water mechanical system also typically includes a fire hydrant system main valve 174 . during use of the apparatus of the present invention , the sea valve 168 is closed while the ballast tank valve 172 is opened . a pump 176 is activated to pump sea water from the ballast tank 170 up through pump 176 and through the connecting piping 178 to feed the fire hydrant outlets 166 with sufficient pressure . thus in this manner , the apparatus of the present invention may advantageously utilize the ballast water mechanical systems and the fire hydrant system of a ship to direct ballast water from the ballast tanks of a ship through the fire hydrant system to the fire hydrant outlets 166 on board the ship and then into the apparatus of the present invention . with reference now to fig9 , there is shown a typical container ship 180 docked in port alongside a dock 182 . according to one aspect of the present invention , the ballast treatment apparatus 102 is mounted on a dock - side service vehicle 184 . in accordance with one method of the present invention , the dock - side service vehicle 184 is positioned adjacent to the docked ship , in this case the container ship 180 . fire hoses 186 are then connected to the ship &# 39 ; s fire hydrant outlets and directed overboard from the ship &# 39 ; s deck to be secured to the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 contained on or secured to a suitable work space area provided preferably on the back of the dock - side service vehicle 184 . the fire hoses 186 are then connected to the inlet ports 106 of the apparatus 102 and filtration and treatment of the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water proceeds as described above . the dock - side service vehicle 184 contains a discharge pipe 188 which directs the filtered and treated water back into the harbor or port . the inventors of the present invention have designed and contemplated many implementations of the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 for use in combination with the dock - side service vehicle 184 . as indicated , the preferred embodiment of the dockside vehicle 184 is a modified , small tank truck that has a filter apparatus contained therein and the uv lamps positioned within the truck - mounted tank or tanks . thus in this manner , the truck - mounted tanks are completely self - contained and include a suitable number of inlet ports 106 designed to readily quick connect to the ends of fire hoses provided from the ship &# 39 ; s fire hydrants . with continuing reference to fig9 , the inventors hereof have specifically provided a method of treating discharged ballast water from the ship 180 using the dock - side service vehicle 184 . this method includes the steps of providing a ballast water treatment apparatus on the dock - side service vehicle 184 , positioning the service vehicle 184 adjacent the ship 180 , and directing ballast water from a ballast tank of the ship 180 into the ballast water treatment apparatus on the dock - side service vehicle 184 to thereby treat the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water before discharging the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water into an open water environment . in this method , the respective ship &# 39 ; s ballast water may be directed from the ballast tank through the ship &# 39 ; s fire hydrant system and into the ballast water treatment apparatus on the dock - side service vehicle 184 . the method may include the further step of connecting at least one fire hose 186 between a fire hydrant outlet on the deck of the ship 180 and an inlet port provided on the ballast water treatment apparatus on the dockside service vehicle 184 . the inventors hereof have further provided a method of deriving financial revenue for services provided for treating discharged ballast water from the ship 180 using the dock - side service vehicle 184 . this method includes the steps of ( 1 ) positioning the dockside service vehicle 184 adjacent the ship 180 , ( 2 ) directing ballast water from a ballast tank of a ship 180 into a ballast water treatment apparatus maintained on the dock - side service vehicle 184 to thereby treat the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water before discharging the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water into an open environment , ( 3 ) determining an amount of time required to treat the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water , and ( 4 ) calculating a water treatment service fee based on the amount of time required to treat the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water . there is also provided another method of deriving financial revenue for services provided for treating discharged ballast water from a ship using the dock - side service vehicle 184 . this method includes the steps of ( 1 ) positioning the dock - side service vehicle 184 adjacent ship 180 , ( 2 ) directing ballast water from a ballast tank of the ship into a ballast water treatment apparatus maintained on the dock - side service vehicle 184 to thereby treat the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water before discharging the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water into an open environment , ( 3 ) determining a total volume of treated ballast water processed from the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water tanks , and ( 4 ) calculating a water treatment service fee based on the total volume of treated ballast water . referring next to fig1 , there is shown the deck plan of the typical container ship 180 and the location of the fire hydrant outlets 166 . fig1 shows the ballast tank areas 170 relative to the cargo areas represented by reference numeral 190 . the typical cargo container ship 180 will carry a known amount of sea water for ballast . thus if it is desired to completely treat and filter the ballast water in accordance with the methods of the present invention , the number of available fire hydrant outlets 166 may be determined along with flow rates thereof and the known flow rates of the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 to completely filter the entire ship &# 39 ; s ballast water within a predetermined maximum amount of time . as represented diagrammatically in fig1 , a number of ballast water treatment apparatus 102 are distributed around the ship &# 39 ; s main deck or second deck adjacent fire hydrant outlets 166 . the ship &# 39 ; s fire hydrant as indicated in fig8 typically includes one outlet . according to one aspect of the present invention , ships with one outlet fire hydrants many be equipped with a y - adaptor to thereby provide two outlets . both of these outlets may be employed to direct ballast water into the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 . alternatively one outlet may be employed with the apparatus 102 while the other is reserved for use in case it is needed in a fire emergency . thus according to one preferred method of this invention , two hoses may be connected to each of the fire hydrants 166 and directed to adjacent ballast water treatment devices 102 as interconnected by the ship &# 39 ; s fire hoses 186 . as represented in fig1 , the series connected arrangement of fire hydrants 166 feeding two adjacent ballast water treatment apparatus 102 will utilize the full flow - through rate of the fire hydrant system of the ship to filter and treat the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water according to this aspect of the present invention in a minimum amount of time . fig1 next illustrates a perspective pictorial representation of this multi - hydrant and multi - apparatus method . turning now to fig1 , there is shown a perspective view of a typical tanker 202 situates dockside in a port - of - call . as indicated in fig1 , the main deck of the tanker 202 includes a number of fire hydrant outlets 166 . in accordance with another aspect of the present invention , there is provided an in - port service vessel 204 which is out - fitted with a ballast water treatment apparatus 102 according to the present invention . thus in accordance with alternate methods of the present invention , the in - port service vessel 204 may be employed to pull alongside a docked ship and provide ballast water filtration and treatment services . for example , as illustrated in fig1 , a tanker 202 may be required by local , state , national , or international regulations to have the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water treated before its ballast water is discharged into the port or harbor . thus in accordance with this method of the present invention , the ship &# 39 ; s fire hoses 186 are connected to the main deck &# 39 ; s fire hydrants 166 and directed to the in - port service vessel 204 as represented in fig1 . the in - port service vessel 204 may be a barge type vessel or tug boat type vessel utilized to provide the water filtering and treating service to a ship . according to alternate methods of this embodiment , neither the ship nor the service vessel 204 need necessarily be dockside . the ship may be anchored in port or alternatively , even serviced in this manner in open waters or on the high seas before entering port . thus in continuing reference to fig1 , the inventors hereof have provided a method of treating discharged ballast water from a ship using the in - port service vessel 204 . this method includes the steps of ( 1 ) providing a ballast water treatment apparatus 102 on board the service vessel , ( 2 ) positioning the service vessel adjacent the ship 202 requiring ballast water treatment , ( 3 ) and directing ballast water from a ballast tank of the ship 202 into the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 on board the service vessel 204 to thereby treat the respective ship &# 39 ; s ballast water before discharging the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water . in this method , the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water is directed from the ballast tank through the ship &# 39 ; s fire hydrant system and into the ballast water treatment apparatus on board the service vessel 204 . the method may include the further step of connecting at least one fire hose 186 between the fire hydrant outlet 166 on the deck of the ship 202 and an inlet port provided on the ballast water treatment apparatus on board the service vessel . accordingly , there is also provided a method of deriving financial revenue for services provided for treating discharged ballast water from a ship using the in - port service vessel 204 . this method includes the steps of positioning the service vessel 204 adjacent the ship 202 requiring ballast water treatment ; directing ballast water from a ballast tank of the ship 202 into a ballast water treatment apparatus maintained on board the service vessel 204 to thereby treat the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water before discharging the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water into the environment ; determining an amount of time required to treat the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water ; and calculating a water treatment service fee based on the amount of time required to treat the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water . there is further provided another method of deriving financial revenue for services provided for treating discharged ballast water from the ship 202 using the in - port service vessel 204 . this method includes the steps of positioning the service vessel 204 adjacent the ship 202 requiring ballast water treatment ; directing ballast water from a ballast tank of the ship 202 into a ballast water treatment apparatus maintained on board the service vessel 204 to thereby treat the respective ship &# 39 ; s ballast water before discharging the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water into the environment ; determining a total volume of treated ballast water processed from the respective ship &# 39 ; s ballast water tanks ; and calculating a water treatment service fee based on the total volume of treated ballast water . referring next to fig1 , there is shown a perspective view of a typical cruise ship 194 in port dockside for loading or unloading passengers , cargo , and supplies . as discussed in connection with fig9 , 10 , and 11 , the cruise ship 184 may be similarly serviced by the dock - side service vehicle 184 or alternatively carry on - board a desired number of ballast water treatment apparatus 102 for on - ship deck hands to filter and treat the ship &# 39 ; s ballast water according to the methods discussed above . in addition thereto , cruise ship 194 may have its ballast water treated by the in - port service vessel 204 discussed above . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of the tanker illustrated in fig1 illustrating the ballast tank area 170 relative to cargo space 190 . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of an intermediate class great lakes bulk vessel showing the ballast tank area 170 relative to cargo space 190 . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of a panamax size oil bulk ore carrier representing the ballast tank area 170 relative to cargo space 190 . in each of these three different types of ships , typically the weight of the cargo loaded on or off the ship is approximately made equal to the weight of ballast water used to counter - balance the ship in accordance with known methods for loading and unloading ships . in these types of ships , ordinarily , a relatively larger volume of ballast water is discharged during loading as compared to the typical container ship illustrated , for example , in fig9 . nonetheless , the apparatus 102 and methods of the present invention utilizing either the dock - side service vehicle 184 or the in - port service vessel 204 may be readily scaled up to meet the volume of ballast water typically discharged by these types of ships . with reference now to fig1 , there is shown an alternate embodiment of the ballast water treatment apparatus of the present invention . a ballast water filtration apparatus 210 is shown in fig1 . the ballast water filtration device 210 similarly includes a filter bag 118 and support rods 120 . in this embodiment , the support rods 120 are provided with members to hook over the side of the ship as illustrated in fig1 . in use , a fire hose 186 is connected to the fire hydrant on the ship &# 39 ; s deck and the open end of the fire hose 186 is simply placed in the filter bag 118 as illustrated . thus in this embodiment of the present invention , there is provided a very simply and economically cost effective filtration apparatus and method . fig1 shows a half - face housing member for the ballast water filter apparatus 210 illustrated in fig1 . the half - face housing member 212 illustrated in fig1 may be employed in conjunction with the ballast water filter apparatus 210 shown in fig1 to provide a directed outlet flow as indicated in fig1 . the half - faced housing is similarly provided with the discharge port 108 to direct the water downwardly into the harbor . the discharge port 108 may similarly have adapted thereto the discharge hose 110 illustrated in fig1 to thereby further direct the filtered ballast water into the open water environment of the harbor or port . with reference next to fig2 and 21 , there is shown a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 according to the present invention . fig2 in particular is an exploded view of the ballast water treatment apparatus 102 illustrated in fig2 including break - away sections to show interior elements of principal components of the apparatus 102 . in this embodiment shown in fig2 and 21 , the apparatus 102 includes a filtration unit 214 , a uv containment vessel or compartment 218 , and an electrical compartment 220 . as illustrated , the filtration unit 214 includes a cap member having view ports 216 . when in use , the cap member prevents ballast water from splashing out of the apparatus 102 while the view ports 216 provide viewing access to the interior of the filtration unit 214 during filtration operations . as further illustrated in fig2 , the filtration unit 214 includes the inlet port and associated piping 106 which may be implemented with a gallon meter at the t - junction shown . to further increase the intake flow , the filtration unit 214 may be outfitted with two inlet ports and associated piping 106 , one such situated as illustrated and the other similarly installed on the reverse - side or back - side of the unit 214 as shown . the uv compartment 218 includes the uv lamps 136 which in this embodiment are positioned within the uv compartment 218 by use of a pair of uv bulb mounting brackets 222 . as shown in fig2 , the uv compartment 218 includes uv sensors 221 which are employed to detect the uv output of the bulbs 136 . as shown , the apparatus 102 illustrated in fig2 and 21 includes the control box 142 that is implemented to similarly control operations of the apparatus as discussed above in connection with the embodiment of the apparatus 102 illustrated in fig1 - 5 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 and 21 , the electrical compartment may include additional components to provide further operations and functions to the apparatus 102 . in operation , a fire hose connected to the ship &# 39 ; s fire hydrant at one end is connected at its other end to the inlet piping 106 . ballast water then travels from the lower right area of the filtration unit 214 as illustrated to the upper left thereof to then be directed and discharged into the filter apparatus 116 . the ballast water then drains through the filter 116 to thereby remove particulate matter as small as 1 micron . the filtered ballast water then exits the filtration unit 214 through the first flow aperture 130 and is directed into the uv compartment 218 for uv treatment . as the uv compartment 218 fills with filtered ballast water at one end , filtered water is then directed to the other end thereof toward the discharge port 108 . as the filtered water flows along in the uv compartment 218 toward the discharge port 108 , the uv lamps are activated to treat the filtered water so that any micro - organisms , viruses , or bacteria that may have remained in the ballast water after the filtration step are thereby deactivated by uv treatment . the general direction of flow is indicated by the wide arrows shown in fig2 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 and 21 , the uv lamps 136 are situated substantially perpendicular to the flow of ballast water . in one particular preferred embodiment of the uv compartment 218 , the uv lamps 136 utilized therein are 3000 kw lamps operating at 220 vac and 30 amps . in one such preferred embodiment , six uv lamps 136 are employed . while in other embodiments , the number of uv lamps 136 may vary depending on the desired flow rate , type of ballast water , and desired deactivation or “ kill ” effectiveness . fig2 is a detailed partial plan view of a uv lamp assembly utilized in conjunction with the ballast water treatment apparatus shown in fig2 and 21 . fig2 illustrates build - up of uv - irradiated biological material on the lamp assembly . fig2 is a view similar to fig2 showing a tube wiper system and actuator assembly 226 cleaning the build - up of uv - irradiated biological material on the lamp assembly according to another aspect of the present invention . fig2 is a view similar to fig2 showing the lamp assembly in a fully cleaned or wiped condition after full activation of the tube wiper system 226 . fig2 is a detailed isolated elevation view of a wiper or face plate 228 employed in the tube wiper system 226 illustrated in fig2 - 24 . as illustrated in fig2 - 24 , each uv lamp 136 is enclosed in a transparent sleeve 224 . when the filtered ballast water is treated in the uv compartment , deactivated particulate matter may build up on the transparent sleeves 224 . as this build - up of particulate matter increases in thickness , the effect of the uv lamps will be diminished . thus the uv sensors 221 are employed to detect the uv output of each associated bulb . once the uv lamp output decreases below a certain set threshold , the cleaning actuator 226 is activated to wipe clean the transparent lamp sleeves 224 . this wiping effect is achieved by use of a rubber wiper washer 230 , fig2 , which snuggly fits around the sleeve 224 as illustrated . after activation , the sleeve is wiped clean and the uv effectiveness is returned to a maximum . the control box 142 and electrical compartment 220 , fig2 and 22 , are implemented with operational features that control sleeve cleaning or wiping in a desired manner . while this invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments and aspects thereof , it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to those precise embodiments . rather , in view of the present disclosure which describes the current best mode for practicing the invention , many modifications and variations would present themselves to those of skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention . the scope of the invention is , therefore , indicated by the following claims rather than by the foregoing description . all changes , modifications , and variations coming within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be considered within their scope .
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