The present invention has as an object to accomplish reliable data reproduction in a data reproducing apparatus in which servo operation easily becomes unstable in an unrecorded disc area, and provides a data storage medium whereby the highest address of the reproducible data area is obtained by the optical disc drive, and reproduction is possible using only a normal READ command, without providing a physical area in the volume space. Address information (181) for an integrity information area (111) allocated in the first overrun extent in the volume space is recorded to a lead-in area (101) reproducible by an optical disc drive. As a result, when a disc is inserted to a data reproducing apparatus, address information for the first integrity information in the volume space is recorded to the lead-in area, or the highest address of the reproducible data area is obtained by the data reproducing apparatus following the integrity information, preventing the optical disc drive from accessing an unrecorded disc area.

The present invention relates to a data storage medium to which files managed using a volume/file structure are recorded and reproduced, and in which the number of data recording operations to any same area is limited, and to a data recording and reproducing method and data recording and reproducing apparatus using this data storage medium. More particularly, the present invention relates to a data storage medium wherein start address information for integrity information indicative of a volume status is located outside the volume space, and to a data recording and reproducing method and a data recording and reproducing apparatus which use this data storage medium.
While media of various types have been used in recent years for recording digital data, CD-R discs in particular have quickly become commonly used as a low-cost recordable optical disc medium. The multi-session method is now well known as a technique for appending data to these CD-R discs; a data recording operation using this multi-session method is described next below with reference to the accompanying figures.
FIG. 15 shows the data structure of a CD-R disc to which files managed using the volume/file structure defined in the ISO 9660 standard are recorded using a multi-session method. In a multi-session recording method, files and volume/file structure for managing the files are recorded in session units. Each session has a lead-in area, an inner link area, a user data area, and a lead-out area. It is to be noted that only the first session does not have a lead-in area. In addition, an outer link area is formed between sessions.
When recording data by session unit, a file and volume/file structure for managing the file are first recorded to the user data area. The lead-out area is then recorded. This lead-out area is recorded to make data reproduction easier on a CD-ROM drive which is unable to detect a location in an unrecorded data area on a CD-R disc because it is unable to detect the wobble address recorded to the CD-R disc. Data indicative of the address for a next session or user data area is then recorded to the lead-in area. A run-in block and run-out block are additionally recorded at the beginning and end of each area when recording to the user data area, lead-in area, or lead-out area. The run-in and run-out blocks are also partially overwritten on disc, and these overwritten areas are referred to as link blocks. An inner link area comprising a run-out block, link block, and run-in block is thus formed between a lead-in area and user data area and between a user data area and lead-out area, and an outer link area having the same configuration is formed between a lead-out area and lead-in area.
FIG. 16 shows the directory structure used for managing files recorded to a CD-R disc in conjunction with the data structure shown in FIG. 15. The directory structure shown in FIG. 16 has a subdirectory (Dir-A) for managing a data file (File-a), a subdirectory (Dir-B) for managing a data file (File-b), and a subdirectory (Dir-C) for managing a data file (File-c) below the root directory. When data file (File-a), data file (File-b), and data file (File-c) are sequentially recorded during a first session, second session, and third session in accordance with this directory structure, the data structure described above with reference to FIG. 15 is formed on the CD-R disc.
FIG. 17 is a flow chart describing a recording operation for forming the data structure shown in FIG. 15 on a disc. The data recording operation performed each session is described next below according to the steps shown in this flow chart.
(Step S1701) When a CD-R disc is inserted into the disk recorder, the disk recorder accesses the lead-in area reserved at a specific location at the inside circumference of the disc, and attempts to read the TOC data from this lead-in area. This TOC data is a table of contents for the data recorded on the data storage medium. If the TOC data is reproduced from the lead-in area, a step (S1702) for retrieving the following session data is performed. However, if the data could not be reproduced because the lead-in area is unrecorded, the session data recording operation is performed according to the procedure beginning in step (S1703).
(Step S1702) If the TOC data is reproduced from the lead-in area, the disk recorder reads the start address of the following session contained in this TOC data, returns to step (S1701), and then tries to reproduce data from the lead-in area of the following session.
(Step S1703) When a lead-in area to which no data is recorded is detected, the file recorded as the session data and the volume/file structure for managing said file are generated as follow.
First, when data is not reproduced from the first lead-in area, the data file (File-a) to be recorded as the data for the first session, subdirectory (Dir-A) for managing data file (File-a), a directory file for managing the root directory, and volume/file structure, such as a primary volume descriptor and path table, for managing these files and the directory file, are generated according to the ISO 9660 standard.
If TOC data is reproduced from the first lead-in area, the volume/file structure and directory file are read using the user data area start address contained in the last read TOC data. For example, with a disc to which only a first session has been recorded, data is read from user data area 1502; with a disc that has been recorded from a first session to a second session, data is read from user data area 1505. The content of the volume/file structure is then updated by adding the file newly recorded to the read data and a directory file for managing said file. For example, data file (File-b) and the directory file (Dir-B) of the subdirectory for managing data file (File-b) are added to the data read from user data area 1502 on a disc to which only a first session has been recorded, and a new volume/file structure is then generated; data file (File-c) and the directory file (Dir-C) of the subdirectory for managing data file (File-c) are added to the data read from user data area 1505 on a disc to which a second session has also been recorded, and a new volume/file structure is then generated.
(Step S1704) When the volume/file structure to be recorded to a user data area is generated, a lead-in area and run-out block of predetermined recordingsize are skipped, and the recording data generated in step (S1703) to which a predefined link block/run-in block and link block/run-out block have been added therebefore and thereafter is continuously recorded.
(Step S1705) When data recording to the user data area is completed, recording data having a predefined link block/run-in block and link block/run-out block added before and after the data recorded to the lead-out area is generated. The resulting recording data is then recorded continuously from the link block following the run-out block recorded in step (S1704). When recording the first session, for example, this operation records lead-out area 1503 and the link block/run-in block and run-out block/link block located therebefore and thereafter. When recording a second session, this operation records lead-out area 1506 and the link block/run-in block and run-out block/link block located therebefore and thereafter.
(Step S1706) When data recording to the lead-out area is completed, the start address of the next session is calculated with consideration for the predetermined recordingsize of the outer link area. The calculated start address of the next session is then embedded in the TOC data recorded to the lead-in area together with the start address for the user data area recorded in step (S1704).
Recording data comprising predefined link block/run-in block and run-out block/link block units before and after the recording data for the lead-in area is then generated. The resulting recording data is then recorded continuously from a specific position at the inside circumference of the disk if the first session is being recorded, and from the link block following the run-out block recorded in step (S1705) if a second or third session is being recorded. As a result of this recording operation, the lead-in area 1501 at the most inside circumference and the run-out block/link block located immediately thereafter are recorded in the recording operation for a first session, for example. In a recording operation for a second session, the lead-in area 1504 and the link block/run-in block and run-out block/link block units positioned therebefore and thereafter are recorded, and the data recording operation ends.
The data recording operation described above forms a multi-session data structure such as shown in FIG. 15 on the disc. A logical sector number (LSN) is assigned to each sector in the data structure shown in FIG. 15 with the first sector in the user data area in the first session designated 0, and the logical sector number rising continuously at each successive sector. The volume space is defined as the area beginning from the sector at LSN 0.
The operation whereby a data file (File-a) is reproduced from the first session of a disk having a data structure as shown in FIG. 15 is described next below with reference to FIG. 15 and FIG. 17.
When a CD-R disc is inserted to a disc reader, the disc reader follows the procedure shown in steps (S1701) to (S1703) in the flow chart in FIG. 17 to read the latest volume/file structure 1520 from the user data area of the third session. If a CD-ROM drive is connected to a computer system, the host computer obtains the start address for the user data area of the third session to which the latest volume/file structure is recorded by executing a READ TOC command. Using this start address, it then calculates the LSN of the sector to which the latest volume/file structure is recorded, and reads this structure from the disc.
Next, when the latest volume/file structure 1520 is read, the structure is interpreted according to the ISO 9660 standard using the primary volume descriptor 1521, path table 1522, root directory 1523, and directory file (Dir-A) 1524 for managing data file (File-a) 1525. The recording position of the data file is then read from the directory record of the data file (File-a) 1525 contained in directory file (Dir-A) 1524.
The data file (File-a) 1525 recorded to the user data area of the first session is then reproduced based on said data file recording position.
(Technical Problem to be Solved by the Invention)
With a data storage medium recorded using a multi-session method as described above, TOC data recorded to a lead-in area outside the volume space must be read using a special command such as the above-noted READ TOC command in order to find an unrecorded area of the medium for recording a data file or file management information for managing the data file to the medium, or to find the latest file management information on the medium for reproducing a data file or file management information for managing a data file on the medium.
Furthermore, when the disc is removed from the drive, a large volume of data must be recorded every time to the lead-out area and lead-in area.
Furthermore, when a read-only disk drive without the ability to detect a disc location from an unrecorded area accesses an unrecorded area, the head is unstable because a servo signal cannot be detected, resulting possibly in contact with the disc and the disc thus being scratched. In order for a CD-ROM drive to access such an unrecorded disk area, it is therefore necessary to detect the unrecorded area using a special method such as detecting the presence or absence of a servo signal.
(Solution)
The present invention solves the above problems, and has as its object to provide a data storage medium enabling a data recording status to be determined using a volume/file structure, and preventing data read operations by a data reproduction device from an unrecorded disc area.
To achieve the above object, a data storage medium according to the present invention is a data storage medium in which a file managed using a volume/file structure is recorded and reproduced from one end of a data recording area, and in which a number of data recording operations to a same area is limited, and comprises a physical format information area in a part of a lead-in area for recording address information of an open integrity information area allocated in a first overrun extent.
Furthermore, a data recording method according to the present invention is a data recording method for accomplishing a data recording operation to a data storage medium in which a file managed using a volume/file structure is recorded and reproduced from one end of a data recording area, and in which a number of data recording operations to a same area is limited, comprising a step for recording, to a part of a lead-in area in a first closing process applied to the medium, physical format information for recording address information of an open integrity information area allocated in a first overrun extent.
Furthermore, data recording apparatus according to the present invention is a data recording apparatus for accomplishing a data recording operation to a data storage medium in which a file managed using a volume/file structure is recorded and reproduced from one end of a data recording area, and in which a number of data recording operations to a same area is limited, comprising a means for recording, to a part of a lead-in area in a first closing process applied to the medium, physical format information for recording address information of an open integrity information area allocated in a first overrun extent.
Furthermore, a data reproducing method according to the present invention is a data reproducing method for applying a data reproducing operation to a data storage medium in which a file managed using a volume/file structure is recorded and reproduced from one end of a data recording area, and in which a number of data recording operations to a same area is limited, comprising: a step for reproducing, from a lead-in area, physical format information recording address information for an open integrity information area allocated in a first overrun extent; a step for reproducing from an overrun extent a logical volume integrity descriptor in a close status and storing address information for a logical integrity information area in an open status; and a step for reproducing from an overrun extent a logical volume integrity descriptor in an open state and storing address information for a logical integrity information area in a close status.
Furthermore, a data reproducing apparatus according to the present invention is a data reproducing apparatus for applying a data reproducing operation to a data storage medium in which a file managed using a volume/file structure is recorded and reproduced from one end of a data recording area, and in which a number of data recording operations to a same area is limited, comprising: a means for reproducing, from a lead-in area, physical format information recording address information for an open integrity information area allocated in a first overrun extent; a means for reproducing from an overrun extent a logical volume integrity descriptor in a close status and storing address information for a logical integrity information area in an open state; and a means for reproducing from an overrun extent a logical volume integrity descriptor in an open status and storing address information for a logical integrity information area in a close status.

Information recorded medium, information recording/reproducing method, and information recording/reproducing device

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Efficient logging in a control system is provided. A temporary history record corresponding to a message transaction placed onto a message queue data structure is generated. A total processing time for the received message transaction is determined. The total processing time is compared with a previously determined peak processing time value. In response to determining that the total processing time exceeds the previously determined peak processing time value, the temporary history record corresponding to the received message transaction is stored in an event log.

The present invention relates generally to control systems, and more specifically to control systems that use event logs for diagnostic purposes.
Because of the possibility of power outages, many businesses, data centers and other entities use battery backup systems to ensure that electrical power will be available for critical items even if a utility outage occurs. One technology that has been developed to avoid power outages is the Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS). A UPS typically includes a battery providing reserve electrical power if a main source of electrical power fails. Thus, if utility power fails, electric services can continue as long as the UPS device provides sufficient battery power to supply the needed electricity.
A variety of different techniques have been used to improve reliability and/or capacity of UPS systems. The techniques include a serial redundant arrangement. A typical serial redundant arrangement involves, for example, first and second UPSs connected in a serial fashion wherein, in a first mode of operation, the first UPS is bypassed while the second UPS is serving the load and, in a second mode of operation, the second UPS is bypassed while the first UPS serves the load, such that the first and second UPSs may serve as standby backups for one another.
Typically, a serial redundant arrangement of UPS systems includes an embedded UPS controller configured to control UPS s. The UPS controller typically compiles all detected errors and other significant events in an event log. When the UPS system is serviced, for example, after some problem or failure, the event log can be examined to help determine the cause of the problem or failure. One standard form of event log is a "circular" event log. Once the event log is full, new events overwrite the oldest events in the log. This does not work well for events that trigger a cascade of error events. If there are enough follow-on events, the trigger event(s) could be discarded and unavailable for diagnoses. The likelihood of unavailable events of interest can be reduced by using event logs with greater capacity. However, embedded UPS controller's integrated-circuit real estate is limited so that it is not practical to use an event log that is large enough to store all possible events of interest. These utilities do not provide a flexible way to capture and retain events of greatest interest at appropriate granularity level.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Efficient logging of processing peaks in control systems

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus includes a control apparatus for an electric vehicle. The control apparatus outputs an instruction to reduce the first regenerative braking force according to the physical amount regarding the stroke of the brake pedal to the electric motor. The control apparatus also outputs an instruction to add a braking force corresponding to a third regenerative braking force, which is a regenerative braking force corresponding to an amount of the reduction in the first regenerative braking force, to the brake actuation braking force when the signal regarding the pressing of the brake pedal is input after the signal regarding the return of the pressed accelerator pedal is input.

As a conventional technique, PTL 1 discloses a control apparatus for an electric vehicle that employs a technique for suppressing pitching that otherwise would occur immediately after the vehicle is stopped by reducing a regenerative braking force just before the vehicle is stopped, when braking the vehicle based on a total braking force of the regenerative braking force generated when an accelerator pedal is returned after being pressed (hereinafter referred to as an accelerator de-actuation regenerative braking force) and a frictional braking force generated when a brake pedal is pressed.

Control apparatus for electric vehicle, control system for electric vehicle, and control method for electric vehicle


A technique for determining the impact of multiple users' actions is described. According to this technique, information specifying multiple users' actions is aggregated. This information includes linkages that indicate the initiators of the multiple users' actions. Then, the impacts of the multiple users' actions are determined based on the aggregated information. In particular, the impact of a given user's action includes a direct component performed by the given user and an indirect component performed by other users in a social graph in response to the given user's action, where the social graph includes relationships between the other users and the given user. For example, the multiple users' actions and the social graph may be associated with a website, and the determined impacts may allow traffic and/or revenue of the website to be increased.

1. Field
The described embodiments relate to techniques for tracking the virality of an individual's actions in a social graph. More specifically, the described embodiments relate to techniques for tracking the impact of an individual's actions on other individuals in a social graph associated with a website.
2. Related Art
Websites often determine a wide variety of user-action metrics to assess the interest of users in their content. For example, many websites determine: the number of users per day, the number of paid views, the number of clicks on advertising, etc.
While these user-action metrics provide information about user interest in the content, a significant portion of the user's interest is often missed by the user-action metrics. In particular, when a given user performs an action related to a website, there are often multiple subsequent actions that occur. Many of these actions are often performed by other individuals than the given user. Because these subsequent actions (which are sometimes referred to as 'downstream actions') are not tracked by existing user-action metrics, the interest of users in the content on websites is typically underestimated. These underestimates can: adversely affect decisions made based on the inaccurate estimates of user interest; result in incorrect assessments of the effective audience of the websites; and reduce the value of paid advertising on the websites.
Note that like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the drawings. Moreover, multiple instances of the same part are designated by a common prefix separated from an instance number by a dash.


A plasmidless Lac mutant strain of Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 designated PV447 is provided which otherwise has substantially all of the characteristics of the parent stock.. B. megaterium PV447 has been deposited at the NRRL on June 19, 1987 and been given NRRL accession No. B-18233.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasmidless Lac.sup.- strain of Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 for use as a bacterial cloning host for recombinant plasmids.
B. megaterium has been the object of study in many laboratories both for its interesting biochemical reactions, and because it germinates synchronously and sporulates more efficiently than most other Bacillus species. Industrially, B. megaterium has been used to produce L-glutamate, pyruvate, cobalamin, single cell protein, and to modify steroids and antibiotics. Up until the present time, however, B. megaterium has not been used as a cloning host to any great extent, a function for which another member of the Bacillus species, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli have been widely used.
As a cloning host, E. coli has a number of shortcomings which are not common to B. megaterium. For example, E. coli do not secrete proteins in any great quantity and the outer membrane includes an endotoxin. A genetically engineered clone of E. coli must therefore be lysed to recover a protein of interest which is often then contaminated with endotoxins. B. megaterium, on the other hand, is an efficient secretor of protein and has no endotoxins in the cell wall, making it more suitable for mass production of pharmaceuticals. While "safe" strains of E. coli have been developed, "wild" E. coli is a human pathogen whereas B. megaterium like B. subtilis is not.
B. subtilis secretes proteins readily but has two different types of extracellular proteases which digest most protein expressed by the cell, greatly decreasing the yield of the protein of interest. Insofar as known, all protease negative mutants of B. subtilis are leaky while B. megaterium has only one extracellular protease and some strains are protease negative.
Even though B. megaterium has a number of advantages over E. coli and B. subtilis, it has a number of disadvantages which have stood in the way to its use as cloning host. Firstly, it is not as well characterized genetically and, secondly, it contains a large number of naturally-occurring plasmids which potentially might interfere with the expression or further genetic manipulation of any foreign plasmid DNA.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past few years, our laboratory has made considerable progress in understanding B. megaterium QM B1551 genetically. We have isolated and characterized a generalized transducing phage for this species, which has been used almost exclusively for mapping in QM B1551, and have mapped in detail several loci. (Vary, P. S., Garbe, J. C., Franzen, M. A. and Frampton, E. W. 1982. MP13, A generalized transducing bacteriophage for Bacillus megaterium. J. Bacteriol. 149:1112-1119; Garbe, J. C. and Vary, P. S. 1981. Bacteriophage MP13 transduction of Bacillus megaterium QM B1551, p. 83-87. In: Sporulation and Germination. H. S. Levinson, A. L. Sonenshein and D. J. Tripper (eds.), American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D. C.; Callahan, J. P., Crawford, I. P., Hess, G. F. and Vary, P. S. 1983. Cotransductional mapping of the trp-his region of Bacillus megaterium. J. Bacteriol. 154:1112-1116 and Garbe, J. C., Hess, G. F., Franzen, M. A. and Vary, P. S. 1984. Genetics of leucine biosynthesis in Bacillus megaterium. J. Bacteriol. 157:454-459.
In 1980 other laboratories reported protoplast transformation in B. megaterium 216 with a few naturally-occurring plasmids from Bacillus and Staphylococcus. (Brown, B. J. and Carlton, B. C. 1980. Plasmid mediated transformation in Bacillus megaterium. J. Bacteriol. 142:508-512 and Vorobjeva, I. P., Khmel, I. A. and Alfoldi, L. 1980. Transformation of Bacillus megaterium protoplasts by plasmid DNA. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 7:261-263). Thereafter, we began to analyze the resident plasmids in B. megaterium QM B1551, in which all of the genetic mapping had been done with MP13, and to extend the transformation studies to test the stability of foreign plasmids in QM B1551.
In 1984, we published an article (Kieselburg, M. K., Weickert, M. and Vary, P. S. Analysis of resident and transformant plasmids in Bacillus megaterium. Bio/Technology 2:254-259) reporting that the resident plasmids of QM B1551 had been analyzed and that several Bacillus cloning plasmids had been successfully transformed into QM B1551 by protoplast fusion. More particularly, we analyzed the plasmid array of B. megaterium QM B1551 by sucrose gradient centrifugation, agarose gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy measurements and found seven plasmid sizes ranging in molecular weight from 3.5 to 109.times.10.sup.6. The plasmids transformed by protoplast fusion were found to be stable and present in high copy number suggesting that B. megaterium QM B1551 might be a desirable cloning host.
Since the use of transposons greatly increases the genetic versatility of an organism, we continued our work with B. megaterium QM B1551 by testing whether a transposon could be introduced into QM B1551. In 1986, we reported that transposon Tn917, carried on plasmid pTV1, had been successfully introduced into QM B1551 and transposed efficiently and apparently without hot spots. (Bohall, N. A. and Vary, P. S. Transposition of Tn917 in Bacillus megaterium. J. Bacteriol. 167:716-718)
Because at least 11% of the cellular DNA of B. megaterium QM B1551 is present as plasmid DNA, for QM B1551 to have prospects for use industrially as a cloning host, it was necessary to cure QM B1551 of its plasmids as they are sufficiently numerous as to be likely to interfere with any foreign plasmids introduced into the cell. Having proved the stability, of foreign plasmids in B. megaterium QM B1551 and the use of transposon, our attention was now directed to the development of a plasmidless strain.
In earlier work, another laboratory isolated a plasmidless strain of B. megaterium 19213, designated VT1600 (ATCC 35985) (Von Tersch, M. A. and Carlton, B. C. 1984. Molecular cloning of structural and immunity genes for megacins A-216 and A-19213 in B. megaterium. J. Bacteriol. 160:854-859) but they did not test for expression of recombinant proteins, nor did they develop a Lac.sup.- strain. Almost all of the genetic techniques and methods in B. megaterium have been developed in QM B1551 and the use of Lac fusions greatly increases the genetic versatility of an organism. To use this technique with B. megaterium, it was essential that a Lac.sup.- strain be developed of a B. megaterium strain which is well mapped and which is otherwise suitable as a cloning host.
It view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plasmidless Lac.sup.- strain of B. megaterium QM B1551 in which Lac fusions can be done and in which, like the parent stock, foreign plasmids are stable and transposons can be introduced efficiently and randomly. It is another object to provide a plasmidless Lac.sup.- strain which retains the parent stock's neutral protease. Other objects and features of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter, the scope of the invention being indicated by the subjoined claims.

Plasmidless Lac strain of bacilus megaterium QM B1551


A method of forming a flexible pad and a sock comprising at least one flexible pad located on the underside of the sock is disclosed. The at least one flexible pad has a rear face attached to the sock, and an outwardly facing front face. A plurality of suckers are located on the at least one flexible pad section, and on the front face of the at least one flexible pad section, and each of the plurality of suckers form a concave shape. Each of the plurality of suckers are capable of creating a suction action when depressed from the rear face under pressure, and each of the plurality of suckers has a circular shaped side wall. An outer surface of the side wall is sloped inwards towards a central part of the sucker, and the base of the side wall is wider than the top portion.

Many sports such as racket sports including tennis, squash, table tennis and badminton and other types of sports such as golf, baseball, soccer, American football and basketball require a player to have good balance and grip which effects the outcome of shots and playing performance. Moreover, other sports which involve any amount of running such as runners, long jumpers, javelin throwers, sprinters and footballers require a user to have good grip during activities which sometimes require sudden changes in direction and/or speed.
It is therefore an object to provide a sock for sports users which has improved grip in their footwear during use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sock with improved ventilation thereby preventing a user's feet and lower legs from overheating and becoming saturated in sweat.


In a secondary battery including a separator, the improvement includes a coating layer that is disposed on the separator and that comprises a polyethyleneimine-attached carbonaceous material The secondary battery may include an adhesive buffer layer provided between the separator and the coating layer which imparts adhesion force between the separator and the coating layer. The carbonaceous material adsorbs lithium polysulfides (LiPS) in use to inhibit a shuttling reaction between the anode and the cathode, caused by the dissolution of lithium polysulfides in the electrolyte, and increases recyclability of the lithium polysulfides, resulting in improvement of life characteristics and rate characteristics of the secondary battery.

The concept of a lithium ion battery (LiB) was set in 1962. Right after that, a lithium ion battery (LiB) was suggested by M. S. Whittingham of Exxon Company, leading to the invention of Li—TiS2 batteries. However, commercialization of a battery system using lithium metal and Li—TiS2 as an anode and cathode, respectively, was failed. This is because the anode of lithium metal (LiM) has poor safety and air/water sensitive Li—TiS2 requires high production cost.
Then, the above-mentioned problem was solved by using graphite capable of reversible lithium intercalation/deintercalation and anodic oxide (developed by J. O. Bosenhard) as an anode and cathode, respectively. Therefore, the currently available LiB was successful in commercialization. In 1991, the first commercialized product of LiB was launched by Sony and Asahi Chemicals and brought a progressive chance for leading successful spread of the market of portable electronic instruments. Then, LiB has been used widely and explosively. Particularly, LiB has satisfied a need for electric energy directly related with continuous innovation of general electric devices, such as cellular phones, music players, speakers, drones, vehicles and microsensors. Many researchers and scientists have studied and investigated novel and advanced energy materials, chemistry and physics about the fixed/mobile energy storage systems satisfying an increasing need for energy.
Since the development of commercialized LiB technology reaches a saturated state recently so that gradual improvement of the electrochemical performance of LiB may be reported merely, research and development of a novel energy material having a different shape and composition is required essentially in order to meet the energy requirement. Therefore, secondary batteries having high energy density, such as lithium-sulfur batteries and lithium-air batteries including a LiM anode and a conversion based cathode, have been given many attentions as next-generation batteries.
The cathode based on sulfur and carbon theoretically has an energy density of about 2,600 Wh/kg and about 11,400 Wh/kg, respectively. Thus, it shows an energy density approximately 7 times higher than the energy density (about 360 Wh/kg, C/Co2O4) of LiB. One of the anode materials, LiM, has a high theoretical energy density of about 3,560 Wh/kg as well as a significantly low redox potential (−3.04V Vs. S.H.E.) and a density of 0.59 g/cm3. On the contrary, a graphite anode material has a theoretical energy density of about 372 mAh/g and a slightly high redox potential and density. Therefore, when a graphite anode is substituted with a lithium metal anode, the gravimetric energy density of the battery system improves significantly. When lithium-sulfur and lithium-air batteries are commercialized in the future, it is expected that such a LiM anode and conversion based cathode suggest a hopeful way in overcoming a need for high energy density.
Although such a lithium-sulfur battery using LiM as an anode has some advantages, there are problems in commercialization thereof. First, sulfur has a low electric/ionic-conductivity (5×10−30 Scm−1, room temperature) and the product thereof, Li2S, also is an insulator. In addition, sulfur has a volume increased by about 80% upon a completely discharged state. The final reaction product, Li2S, forms intermediate species called lithium polysulfides (LiPS, Li2Sn, 2<n<8). LiPS are dissolved into an organic electrolyte to cause the problems of loss of an active material and degradation of the electrodes. When LiPS is present in the electrolyte, it moves through the pores of a separator via concentration gradient and arrives at a lithium anode, thereby forming an internal shuttling pathways between the lithium anode and a sulfur cathode. Such a phenomenon is well known as LiPS shuttling. During shuttling, dissolved LiPS, particular LiPS having a high n value, is reduced on the lithium surface and thus passivates the anode surface, resulting in a rapid decrease in capacity, Coulombic efficiency, and the cycle life of the Li—S battery. Although, it is known that LiNO3 additive is effective for increasing LiM. However, it does not provide a perfect solution to protect highly reactive and electrochemically unstable lithium metal anode.
Another attempt is made by ensuring reversibility of electrodeposition of lithium during charging/discharging. Highly reactive and non-uniform electrodeposition of lithium causes problems, such as thermal runaway, decomposition of electrolyte and loss of lithium. Non-uniform electrodeposition of lithium ions that occurs during charging causes formation of Li dendrites that pierce through a separator. Such a short-circuit causes a thermal runaway, leading to a severe safety issue of catching a fire by ignition of the electrolyte. Another problem of LiM batteries includes side reactions of electrolyte and instability of Coulomb efficiency, which makes the battery system inefficient. Such instability occurs due to a continuous reaction among Li, active species, and electrolyte. Thus, solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) is continuously regenerated, and the electrodes are passivated during repeated charge/discharge cycles. Such an undesired side reactions pile up inactive species at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces in the battery system, resulting in deterioration of the performance of the battery. Therefore, it is necessary to form stable SEIs and to electrochemically and physically protect the lithium surface.
Although the initial researchers have tried to improve the performance of the battery via several means, such as mechanical ball milling of sulfur and carbon or surface coating using carbon, there was no significant effect. To solve the problem of limitation in electrochemical reaction caused by electroconductivity, it is required to reduce the particle size to a size of several tens of nanometers or less or to carry out surface treatment with a conductive materials. For this purpose, there have been suggested several physical methods (melt impregnation into nano-sized porous carbon nanostructure or metal oxide structure), mechanical method (high-energy ball milling), or the like.
In addition, there is a method of forming a coating layer on the surface of cathode particles to prevent dissolution of LiPS or adding a porous material capable of capturing dissolved LiPS. Typically, there have been suggested a method of coating the surface of a cathode structure containing sulfur particles with a conductive polymer, a method of coating the surface of a cathode structure with a lithium ion conductive metal oxide, a method of adding a porous metal oxide having a large specific surface area and large pores and capable of absorbing a large amount of LiPS to a cathode, a method of attaching a functional group capable of adsorbing LiPS to the surface of a carbon structure, or a method of surrounding sulfur particles by using graphene oxide or the like.
Further, a multi-functional separator using carbon and a metal oxide has been applied recently to solve the above-mentioned problem of a lithium-sulfur battery. The use of such a separator using the coating, known as a upper current collector, intercepts LiPS so that it reutilize the active species during charge/discharge cycles, thereby providing improved cycling performance. In addition, the self-discharge property and Coulomb efficiency of a lithium-sulfur batter are improved. However, coating on a separator causes an additional increase in weight of a battery, resulting in a decrease in amount of a cathode material. Thus, it is important to select an adequate coating technology and a proper coating material.

Polyethyleneimine-attached carbonaceous material and separator for lithium-sulfur battery coated with the same

Korea Institute of Science and Technology


The present invention provides a toner binder for electrophotography which comprises a polyester resin constituted of an alcohol component containing a polyoxyalkylene ether (A) of a bisphenol and an acid component, and the content of unreacted bisphenols in said polyester resin is 15 ppm or less.

A toner binder for electrophotography used for a heat fixing system, which is a fixing system of images commonly applied in copiers, printers and the like, is required to make a toner not fusing to a hot roller even at a high fixing temperature (anti-hot offset property), to be capable of fixing a toner even at a low fixing temperature (low temperature fixability), to have an appropriate impact strength to be used in the form of microparticles, and the like. In order to satisfy these basic required performances, it has been known to use a polyester resin having a constituent unit of an alcoholic compound derived from a bisphenol (for example, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,059).
In recent years, concerns on durability of copiers and printers using a heat fixing system have been increased. And it has come to be strongly desired to form a stable image even after repeatedly using copiers and the like over a long period of time.
However, when using a conventional toner binder or toner which comprises a polyester resin, there is a problem that long-term running ability is not sufficient.

Toner binder for electrophotography and toner for electrophotography


A fixing apparatus includes a first heat generating member that generates heat upon receiving power from a commercial power source, an electrical condenser that stores charge when charged by the commercial power source, and a second heat generating member that generates heat upon receiving power from the electrical condenser. A fixing member is heated by the first and second heat generating members and fixes an image onto a recording medium. A control device is provided to restrict the power supplied from commercial power source to the first heat generating member when the temperature of the fixing member starts increasing. The electrical condenser starts supplying power to the second heat generating member before the control device terminates restriction of the power.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing apparatus, an image forming system employing the fixing apparatus, and a method of controlling power sources to supply power to the fixing apparatus.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
It is known that a power stored in a secondary battery is supplied to an auxiliary heater of a fixing apparatus when sheets are successively fed, as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2000-98799. It is also known that a condenser supplies power to an auxiliary heat generating member included in a heat applying apparatus when a system starts up, as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2002-184554.
These conventional apparatuses generally employ a halogen heater as a heat-generating member, because of excellent efficiency of heating and starting up quickly.
A problem is an inrush current that is generated when a fixing apparatus or the like utilizes a halogen heater and power is supplied. That is, a large current flows because a resistance of a filament included in the halogen heater is small in an ambient temperature. Specifically, a current of from dozens to a hundred and dozens of Amperes flows through a circuit in a moment. This inrush current gives adverse affect to peripheral instruments because switching parts melt and a power source voltage temporary decreases. When a typical halogen heater having about 1200 w when a commercial power source of 100V is applied is used, both a filament temperature and a resistance increase, and the inrush current is accordingly settled. Thus, a steady current starts flowing.
In order to avoid such an inrush current and resolve a problem of delayed starting up, the above-mentioned inrush current is conventionally decreased by controlling a duty cycle from dozens of hundred mili seconds to one second (i.e., executing soft ON control) in order to restrict a power when a power source is turned on. However, this method takes a long time until temperature of the filament of the halogen heater increases to a prescribed level, and accordingly, heat applied to a fixing roller by generating a light by itself from the halogen heater delays. Even such a time period of from dozens of hundred mili to one second raises a significant problem when temperature is increased within ten seconds as expected by a user.
Further, in order to reduce the inrush current flowing from the commercial power source to the halogen heater, so called "soft control" is executed to restrict a power supplied from the commercial power source when temperature starts increasing so that a rated current of the commercial power source due to the inrush current is not exceeded. However, such soft control delays the halogen heater in starting up, and accordingly delays a fixing roller as a heating objective in increasing temperature. However, a fixing apparatus for copier use is expected nowadays to quickly start up and accordingly save power consumed during warming up as environment protection increasingly receives attention. Thus, a certain technology is demanded to decrease a rated power using soft control and quickly increase temperature of the fixing roller.

Method for supplying power, and fixing and image forming apparatuses


Acceptable memory allocation for a partition is determined during and with minimal impact on normal operation of the partitioned system. The approach includes: collecting, by a processor, statistics on a rate at which pages are transferred between uncompressed and compressed memory spaces of the partition's memory; adjusting size of the uncompressed memory space; and subsequent to the adjusting, continuing with collecting of the statistics, and referencing the resultant statistics in determining an acceptable memory allocation for the partition. In one implementation, the adjusting includes stepwise decreasing size of the uncompressed memory space by reallocating uncompressed memory space to compressed memory space, and repeating the collecting of statistics for a defined measurement period for each adjusted uncompressed memory space size until performance of the partition is negatively impacted by the reallocation of uncompressed memory space to compressed memory space.

With the high cost of memory in, for example, server computer systems, and with the ever-increasing number of processor cores which can be attached to that memory, determining how much memory is enough memory is a significant issue. The typical answer is to look at paging rates between main memory and external storage, and workload response times. If the paging rates between main memory and external storage are high, and response times are unacceptable, then the answer is often to purchase additional memory.
Increasingly though, server computer systems are partitioned with a plurality of logical partitions, such that a single central electronic complex and its main memory may support multiple instances of operating systems. For a given amount (or even for some maximum amount) of memory of the system, it becomes the system administrator's responsibility to determine how much of the physical memory should be assigned to each partition of the partitioned computer system. Similarly, as additional partitions are added, either still-more physical memory needs to be added, or existing partitions need to donate a portion of their memory to the new partitions. Therefore, a need exists for a tool for facilitating determining how much memory each partition requires, and for identifying when the partition requires that memory. Ideally, this determination would be made without unduly impacting performance of the computer system.

Adjusting memory allocation of a partition using compressed memory paging statistics


A method for providing a bit string on at least two electronic devices is provided. A sensor input is received by sensors in the electronic devices and recorded by the electronic devices. Data points are generated from the sensor input by each of the electronic devices. Each device samples its generated data points at a sampling frequency. A bit string is then generated by each device based on the sampled data points. The bit string of each device substantially matches one another, thereby allowing the electronic devices to share a secret, which may be used to allow secure communications between the at least two electronic devices.

The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
Mobile electronic communication devices have evolved beyond simple telephones and are now highly complex multifunctional devices with capabilities rivaling, and in some cases surpassing, those of desktop or laptop computers. In addition to voice communications, many mobile communication devices are capable of capturing images, text messaging, e-mail communications, interne access, social networking, and running full-featured application software. A full range of mobile applications are available from online application stores that can be downloaded onto mobile communication devices. These applications can be games and/or services that provide additional capabilities, such as online banking, stock trading, payments, and other financial activities. Furthermore, mobile communication devices can store confidential or private information such as access codes, passwords, account numbers, e-mail addresses, personal communications, phone numbers, and financial information.
When sensitive and/or private information is transmitted between devices over a public network, such as the Internet, the information is typically encrypted to prevent others from stealing the information. Oftentimes, encryption keys are used to encrypt and/or decrypt the information. In some cases, the communicating devices can share a common encryption key, which is used to encrypt and decrypt the information transmitted between the devices. In other circumstances, a key can be used to protect a device from receiving information from malicious sources. Here, when a device receives information from another device or user, an identification key stored on the receiving device can be used to authenticate the other device or user to ensure that the received information is from an authorized and safe source. For example, the received information can include a key, which is compared to the stored key to determine that the source is safe when the keys match.
In either or both of these cases, the encryption or identification key must be known to the communicating devices and therefore, the key must be initially transmitted from one device to another device. Because a secure communication channel is usually not established between electronic communication devices, a risk of the key being stolen exists when the key is transmitted from one device to another device.
To remedy this problem, some devices are capable of generating a key based on sensor data collected by a sensor in the device when the device is subjected to a physical or environmental stimulus, e.g., a shaking motion. Theoretically when more than one device is subjected to the same environmental stimulus and the sensors collecting the sensor data are of the same type, the keys generated by the devices should be identical. Nonetheless, this is seldom the case because sensors calibrated differently and/or provided by different manufacturers generally do not collect identical sensor data. Accordingly, the keys generated by the devices can be significantly different from each other and therefore unsuitable for secure communications between the devices.

Methods and systems for establishing secure communications


An imaging device and an electronic apparatus including an imaging device are provided. The imaging device includes a substrate and a first pixel including a first region of a first photoelectric conversion element, a first region of a second photoelectric conversion element, wherein the first and second photoelectric conversion elements are formed in the substrate, and a first vertical transistor connected to the first region of the first photoelectric conversion element. A second pixel includes a second region of the first photoelectric conversion element, a second region of the second photoelectric conversion element, and a second vertical transistor connected to the second region of the first photoelectric conversion element. The imaging device also includes a first floating diffusion. The first floating diffusion stores charges from the first and second regions of the first photoelectric conversion element in the first and second pixels. The imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion film disposed above the substrate.

Such a solid-state imaging element of a vertical spectral type is proposed to be capable of generating a plurality of color signals from one pixel region by laminating a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions (photodiodes (PDs), etc.) in a depth direction of a substrate.
The solid-state imaging element of the vertical spectral type has merits, for example, that a fake color is not easily generated because de-mosaic processing is not necessary and light utilization efficiency is higher than that of a solid-state imaging element in related art that generates a color signal of one of R, G, and B from one pixel region.
Hitherto, there is a technology for sharing a floating diffusion (FD) for realizing fine processing of a pixel with a plurality of pixels in the solid-state imaging element, and a configuration for sharing the FD with a plurality of pixels is proposed also to the solid-state imaging element of the vertical spectral type (for example, see PTL 1).
FIG. 1 shows an example of a configuration of the solid-state imaging element of the vertical spectral type sharing the FD with a plurality of pixels.
A solid-state imaging element 10 is a rear-surface irradiation type that light is incident from a rear-surface side (lower side in the diagram). A photoelectric conversion film (G) 12-1, which performs photoelectric conversion according to a wavelength of a G component of incident light, is formed in a pixel 1 of the solid-state imaging element 10 on the outside of a rear-surface of a Si substrate 11. A PD (B) 13-1 that performs photoelectric conversion according to a wavelength of a B component of the incident light and a PD (R) 14-1 that performs photoelectric conversion according to a wavelength of an R component of the incident light are laminated in order from the rear-surface side thereof in the Si substrate 11.
A vertical transistor (Tr) 16-1 is connected to the PD (B) 13-1. A planar Tr 17-1 is formed on a front-surface side (top side in the diagram) of the PD (R) 14-1.
Similarly, in a pixel 2, a photoelectric conversion film (G) 12-2 is formed on the outside of the rear surface of the Si substrate 11. A PD (B) 13-2 and a PD (R) 14-2 are laminated in order from the rear-surface side thereof in the Si substrate 11.
A vertical Tr 16-2 is connected to the PD 13-2. A planar Tr 17-2 is formed on a front-surface side of the PD (R) 14-2.
Further, an FD 15 is formed between the pixels. For example, an FD 15-2 is formed between the pixels 1 and 2.
In the pixel 1 of the solid-state imaging element 10, charges photoelectrically converted by the PD (B) 13-1 are transmitted and stored in the FD 15-2 via the vertical Tr 16-1, as shown by a solid arrow. Further charges photoelectrically converted by the PD (R) 14-1 are transmitted and stored in the FD 15-1 via the planar Tr 17-1.
Moreover, in the pixel 2, charges photoelectrically converted by the PD 13-2 (B) are transmitted and stored in an FD 15-3 via the vertical Tr 16-2. Further, charges photoelectrically converted by the PD (R) 14-2 are transmitted and stored in the FD 15-2 via the planar Tr 17-2.
That is, in the solid-state imaging element 10, the PD (B) 13-1 and the PD (R) 14-2 which are formed in different depths of the Si substrate 11 in the adjacent pixels 1 and 2 and have different wavelengths of light for photoelectric conversion, respectively, are configured to share the FD 15-2.

Solid-state imaging element and electronic device


The present invention has a structure capable of detecting the scattered-type penetrator having oxides each with the size of several μm sparsely and widely dispersed. Specifically, the structure includes a wave transmission unit 6 for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to the welded surface of the welded portion 2 in a pipe axial direction of the pipe 1 such that the beam width of a transmission beam 8 is brought into a range from 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm, and a wave reception unit 7 for receiving at least a portion of the reflection wave (reception beam 9) at the welded surface. The wave transmission unit 6 and the wave reception unit 7 include transmission/reception units formed of different groups of transducer elements on at least one or more array probes 5 arranged in the circumferential direction of the pipe.

In a welded steel pipe, the quality of a welded portion is very important, and on-line flaw testing of the welded portion is ordinarily carried out by angle beam testing in a manufacturing process. In the technique, an ultrasonic wave is obliquely incident on an inspection surface of the sample to detect the flaw on the inner/outer surfaces of the sample, and the flaw inside the sample based on the reflected wave from the flaw. Ordinarily, a reflection technique method using an ultrasonic beam of 5 MHz having a refraction angle of 45° is applied to, for example, a electric resistance welded pipe, and flaws of the order of millimeters, for example, incomplete penetrations, burn through, and cracks due to inclusion, and the like are detected.
In contrast, recently, since very severe quality is required to the welded steel pipe, it is required to detect flaws smaller than conventional ones. For example, it is required to detect cold joint flaws and minute penetrators in a electric resistance welded pipe and to detect blow holes and the like in a laser welded pipe, and these flaws have a very small size of several tens to several hundreds of micron meters. Further, as a position of occurrence of flaws, they may occur in any location from an inside surface to an outside surface along a welding line. The incident point of the ultrasonic beam may be different from the return point depending on the flaw position. Since flaws are not detected often by ultrasonic flaw detection technique used practically up to now due to influence of them, a technique capable of detecting flaw more accurately is required.
The following conventional techniques are disclosed as techniques of detecting the minute flaw in the welded steel pipe.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 60-205356 improves a penetrator detection capability in an angle beam testing by using a point focus type probe having a frequency of 8 MHz or higher.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-183446 improves a detection capability by forming a focus beam by an array probe so that blow holes can be detected by scanning from the inside surface to the outside surface of a welded portion by a sector scan.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 61-111461 detects cold joint flaws, which are mixed as a group of minute FeO of several micron meters or less, by causing an ultrasonic wave to be incident on a welded portion from the outside surface of a pipe at incident angle from 0° or more to 20° or less while setting the frequency of the ultrasonic wave from 25 MHz or more to 500 MHz or less.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-35729 detects blow holes of 0.1 mm or more using a plurality of point focus type probes, which have a frequency of from 20 MHz to 80 MHz and are disposed such that a focus position has a pitch of 3 mm or less from just above a seam.
It is noted that the description will refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 4-274756 and the document titled "Ultrasonic flaw detection series (II) Ultrasonic flaw detection method for welded steel pipe", edited by Iron and Steel Institute of Japan, pp. 28-31, 1988.
However, the problems described below still remain even in the techniques disclosed above.
First, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 60-205356 has a problem in that many channels are necessary to detect the flaws in entire area in the depth direction of a welded portion (wall thickness direction of the steel pipe) without omitting them because the beam width of the focused ultrasonic wave is narrow and thus an equipment cost become expensive and further in that when a pipe size is changed, a position adjustment and the like are troublesome. Further, when a flaw is not a blow hole shape and is a plane shape as that in a penetrator and a cold joint as well as a flaw is located in a wall thickness inside portion, it is difficult to detect the flaw because the reflection wave travels in a direction different from the incident direction.
Further, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-183446, since only one array probe is necessary as well as the setting can be electronically carried out when a size is changed, it can overcome the former problem shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application publication No. 60-205356. However, the latter problem is still remains unsolved.
Further, when a flaw shape is a plane shape as described above, since an upset is applied to a seam portion, in, for example, a electric resistance welded pipe, a flaw has a very narrow width of 100 μm or less when viewed from just above the seam. Accordingly, the reflection wave from the flaw is actually very weak even in the techniques of Patent Documents 3 and 4, and thus it is often difficult to detect the flaw. Further, since an area of about 1 to 2 mm in the vicinity of a surface echo is made to a dead zone owing to reverberation of the surface echo, a problem arises in that when a flaw is located in the vicinity of an outside surface, it cannot be detected.
As described above, a technique for detecting the minute flaws of about several hundreds of micron meters or less, which occur in a welded portion of a welded steel pipe in a pipe-axial direction, nondestructively, accurately, stably, and online, is not established except a C-scan technique for detecting it off-line by a sample cut out from the welded portion.

Ultrasonic flaw detection apparatus and ultrasonic flaw detection method for pipe


A device for the dual-face irradiation of a product is disclosed. The disclosure lies in the fact that a scanning of the electron beam is done during the pulse so as to prevent a scanning along the axis of the scanning chamber and that the divergent scanning beam is deflected by electromagnets so as to obtain a parallel beam. The device can be applied to devices for the ionization of food products.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns devices enabling the irradiation of both faces of a product by means of an accelerator of charged particles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A known way to obtain better long-term preservation of food products is to subject them to ionizing radiation. To this effect, the food products are moved in front of a source of radiation, the particles of which strike said food products on one side. A treatment, such as this, of only one face of the products is not enough when these products are in the form of packets of varying thicknesses. A double-sided treatment may be achieved by two successive passages of the packets after they are turned over. This kind of turning over is not possible when the products are loose or in liquid form. Hence, in this case, two radiation sources are used, placed on either side of the device on which the products are flow past, so as to simultaneously irradiate both faces of the products.
For double-sided or dual-face irradiation, there is a description by the applicant, in the French patent application No. 23906392, of a device for the dual-face irradiation of a target with two opposite faces. This irradiation device comprises a charged particle accelerator, for example electrons, associated with a microwave frequency generator so as to give high frequency pulses of charged particles. The beam of charged particles is applied to a horn-shaped scanning chamber where it is subjected, at its entry, to a variable magnetic field, to obtain a deflection of the beam by an angle on either side of the axis of symmetry of the horn. An aperture is made in the wide part of the horn. On one side of the axis of symmetry, this aperture covers half of the aperture of the horn, and is provided with two windows transparent to the beam. The product to be irradiated is moved between these windows. Beyond this aperture, the beam is subjected to a continuous magnetic field which makes the beam turn back by 180.degree. when it scans the other half of the horn with respect to the aperture. By this arrangement, the beam irradiates one of the faces of the product when it scans that part of the horn which includes the aperture, and the other faces when it scans the other part following the return of the beam.
The device described in the above-mentioned patent has the following drawbacks. It occupies a great deal of space heightwise, for the accelerator producing the electrons and the scanning and magnetic deflection devices are superimposed heightwise.
A second drawback is that it does not enable any monitoring of the energy of the flux of the electrons given by the accelerator, and the result thereof is a lack of uniformity of the ionizing treatment.
A third drawback is that the flux of electrons striking the upper face of the product to be ionized is divergent and that, consequently, a major part of the available energy is not used.
A fourth drawback is that the ionizing intensity of the part of the product which is in the vicinity of the axis cannot be monitored.
An aim of the present invention, therefore, is the making of a device for the dual-face irradiation of a product which does not have the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Device for the irradiation of a product on both faces


An infinitely variable four mode hydro-mechanical transmission has a planetary system including three planetary gear sets, four clutches and a reverse brake. A first hydrostatic unit is geared to the second row ring of the planetary system. A second hydrostatic unit is geared to the planet carrier via a first clutch in Modes One and Four. The second hydrostatic unit is geared to the second row sun of the planetary system via a second clutch in Modes Two and Three. A third clutch connects the planet carrier to the output in Modes One and Two. A fourth clutch connects the second planetary row sun gear to the output in Modes Three and Four. A reverse brake is attached to the third planetary row. When the reverse brake is engaged and both the third and fourth clutches are disengaged the third row sun and thus the transmission output is driven in reverse.

The present invention relates to a hydro-mechanical transmission having both mechanical and hydrostatic power branches and in particular to such a transmission for use in an agricultural tractor.
The general problem in transferring power from engines to the ground, whether in agricultural tractors or road vehicles, is that different ratios are needed between the engine and wheels or tracks to match various operating conditions. Traditionally this has been done with discrete gear ratios. These ratios can be selected manually, as in conventional manual transmissions, or with operator controlled powershift transmissions. The ratios can also be controlled by the transmission as in automatic transmissions commonly found in automobiles. However, there are a limited number of discrete ratios available and the available ratios are not always optimum.
Accordingly, stepless or infinitely variable transmissions are desirable. Such transmissions are commonly embodied in hydrostatic drives, such as those found in self-propelled agricultural combines and lawn tractors. Another solution is electric drive as is used in railway locomotives and in some earth moving equipment. Both solutions have cost and efficiency disadvantages.
Another solution is the hydro-mechanical transmission. Hydro-mechanical transmissions are transmissions that combine a mechanical transmission with a hydrostatic unit. Although mechanical transmissions are generally more efficient and reliable than pure hydrostatic transmissions, they have the disadvantage of not being infinitely variable, as are the more expensive hydrostatic transmissions. Likewise, the hydrostatic transmissions have a major disadvantage in that they are less efficient than mechanical transmissions. Hydrostatic transmissions also generally require larger components, such as larger pumps and motors, as the transmission increases in capacity. The general advantage of hydro-mechanical transmissions over hydrostatic drives is that part of the power is transmitted mechanically, resulting in better efficiency than pure hydrostatic drives.
In order to satisfy space limitations, reduce cost, increase efficiency and provide an infinitely variable speed, hydro-mechanical transmissions have been developed that combine the best features of both transmissions. Hydro-mechanical transmissions are typically of a split power input type, where a hydrostatic unit and a mechanical transmission are driven in parallel by the vehicle engine. The hydrostatic output power is combined in the mechanical transmission with the split mechanical power input from the engine to produce hydro-mechanical output power in multiple power ranges. In each range, varying the stroke of the hydrostatic unit can infinitely vary the speed and torque.
However, previous attempts at using hydro-mechanical transmissions in agricultural tractors have had some disadvantages. Some hydrostatic transmissions require that the vehicle be at a standstill to shift between low and high range. Others have a high degree of complexity, while still others have the mode shift point in the field working range and the transmission efficiency at the shift point will be lower than the efficiency between mode shifts. Many hydro-mechanical transmissions also require additional gear sets to provide a reverse range.
In the known art there are basically three types of hydro-mechanical cycles. The first is the input coupled or torque split type. This type has one hydrostatic unit coupled or geared to the input of the transmission. The hydrostatic unit is generally a variable displacement unit. The other hydrostatic unit is coupled or geared to the torque splitting planetary. This unit is often a fixed displacement unit. The second is the output coupled or speed split. In this type of arrangement one hydrostatic unit is coupled to the output of the transmission and the other unit is coupled or geared to the torque splitting planetary. In practice both units are generally variable displacement units. The third is the four shaft or compound type. In this type neither hydrostatic unit is coupled to the transmission input or output. Instead both units are coupled or geared to the torque splitting planetary. There may be one or more than one planetary gear set involved.
Most hydro-mechanical transmissions use only one type of hydro-mechanical cycle. Of these, the most commonly used type is the input coupled or torque split type. These transmissions differ in the number of modes and in the arrangement of gears, but the hydro-mechanical cycle is the same. It has been known to utilize all three cycles in a single transmission. Known transmissions of this type have three modes of which the first is output coupled, the second is compound and the third is the non-regenerative part of the input coupled cycle. The advantage of this type of transmission is that both mode shifts are synchronous, zero torque shifts. The major disadvantage of such transmissions is that for a given power level the hydrostatic units are larger than in multiple mode input coupled transmissions.
Accordingly, there is a clear need in the art for a hydro-mechanical transmission that is compact and is capable of infinitely variable operation within its speed range without a significant drop in efficiency in the working ranges.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hydro-mechanical transmission that is uniquely designed for optimal operation in an agricultural tractor.
It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide a transmission having a physical package similar to existing mechanical transmissions in length, enabling it to be readily integrated into existing tractor designs with minimal modification to the tractor. Many prior hydro-mechanical transmissions do not integrate a reverse gear set into the combining mechanical transmission but instead have a separate gear set before or after the combining mechanical transmission for shifting between forward and reverse directions. Such a design takes more space and may require the vehicle be brought to a stop before shifting between forward and reverse.
The four mode hydro-mechanical transmission disclosed herein has a planetary system including three planetary gear sets together with four clutches and a reverse brake to provide an infinitely adjustable speed change without an additional direction change gear set. A first hydrostatic unit is geared to the second row ring of the torque splitting planetary. A second hydrostatic unit is geared to the planet carrier via a first clutch and a gear pair in Modes One and Four. The second hydrostatic unit is geared to the second row sun of the torque splitting planetary via second clutch and a second pair of gears in Modes Two and Three. A third clutch connects the planet carrier to the output in Modes One and Two. A fourth clutch connects the second planetary row sun gear to the output in Modes Three and Four. Additionally, there is a reverse brake attached to the third planetary row. This planetary row has six planets, three of which mesh with the third row sun, but not the ring, and three of which mesh with the ring but not the sun. Each planet which meshes with the sun gear also meshes with one of the planets which meshes with the ring gear. Accordingly, when the reverse brake is engaged and both the third and fourth clutches are disengaged the third row sun and thus the transmission output is driven in reverse.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention together with the advantages thereof over the known art which will become apparent from the detailed specification which follows are attained by a hydro-mechanical transmission comprising: an input shaft adapted to be connected to a rotational power source; an output shaft adapted to be connected to a load; a hydrostatic transmission including: a first hydrostatic element; a second hydrostatic element in fluid communication with the first hydrostatic element; a mechanical transmission having a planetary gear system including: a first clutch, a second clutch, a third clutch and a fourth clutch; a first element coupled to the input shaft and driven thereby; a second element in driving engagement with the first hydrostatic element; a third element selectively coupled to the second hydrostatic element by the first clutch; a fourth element selectively coupled to the second hydrostatic element by the second clutch, the fourth element drivingly coupled to the second element; a fifth element coupled to the output, the fifth element being selectively coupled to the third element by the third clutch, and selectively coupled to the fourth element by the fourth clutch; and, a sixth element selectively coupled to ground by a reverse brake wherein the fifth element and the output shaft are driven in reverse.
Other objects of the invention are attained by a hydro-mechanical transmission comprising: an input shaft adapted to be connected to a rotational power source; an output shaft adapted to be connected to a load; a hydrostatic transmission having first and second hydrostatic elements in fluid communication with one another; a mechanical transmission having a planetary system with three planetary gear sets, the mechanical transmission having a plurality of input elements with one input element coupled to the input shaft and continuously driven thereby and the other input elements selectively coupled to the second hydrostatic element by two clutches, the mechanical transmission combining power from the plurality of input elements into a single hydro-mechanical power output connected to the output shaft by two clutches; and, a reverse brake selectively coupled to a planetary gear set of the mechanical transmission; whereby the transmission has four forward speed modes and two reverse speed modes for infinitely variable speed adjustment between a full speed reverse and a full speed forward.
Still other objects of the invention are attained by a hydro-mechanical transmission comprising: an input shaft adapted to be connected to a rotational power source; an output shaft adapted to be connected to a load; a planetary gear system having a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, and a third planetary gear set, each planetary gear set comprising a sun gear and a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear of the first planetary gear set being integrally formed with a planet gear of the second planetary gear set so as to rotate together, the planet gears of each planetary gear set being mounted on a common planet carrier, the second and third planetary gear sets each further comprising a ring gear; the input shaft drivingly connected to the sun gear of the first planetary gear set; the planet carrier selectively connected to the output by a third clutch; the sun gear of the second planetary gear set being selectively connected to the output by a fourth clutch; a second hydrostatic element selectively geared to the planet carrier via a first clutch and a gear pair, and selectively geared to the sun gear of the second planetary gear set via a second clutch and a second gear pair; a first hydrostatic element geared to the ring gear of the second planetary gear set, the first hydrostatic element being in fluid communication with the second hydrostatic element, the first and second hydrostatic elements being capable of selective variable displacement such that increasing the displacement of the first hydrostatic unit reduces the displacement and increases the speed of the second hydrostatic unit and vice versa; and, a reverse brake selectively connected to the ring gear of the third planetary gear set; wherein the first and third clutches are engaged, the displacement of the first hydrostatic element is increased to a maximum and the displacement of the second hydrostatic element is decreased to zero for a first output mode, the first clutch is disengaged, the second clutch is engaged, the displacement of the second hydrostatic element is increased in an opposite direction to that of mode one and the displacement of the first hydrostatic element is decreased until all parts of the planetary gear system are rotating at the same speed for a second output mode, the third clutch is disengaged, the fourth clutch is engaged and the displacement of the first hydrostatic element is increased to a maximum and the displacement of the second hydrostatic element is decreased to zero for a third output mode, the second clutch is disengaged, the first clutch is engaged, the displacement of the second hydrostatic element is increased to a maximum in a direction opposite to that of the third mode and the displacement of the first hydrostatic element is decreased to zero for a fourth output mode, and the reverse brake is selectively engaged in the first and second output modes to obtain reverse.
Still further objects of the invention are attained by an agricultural tractor comprising: an engine; drive wheels; a hydro-mechanical transmission driven by the engine and drivingly coupled to the drive wheels, the hydro-mechanical transmission comprising: an input shaft adapted to be connected to the engine; an output shaft adapted to be connected to the drive wheels; a hydrostatic transmission including: a first hydrostatic element, a second hydrostatic element in fluid communication with the first hydrostatic element; a mechanical transmission having a planetary gear system including: a first clutch, a second clutch, a third clutch and a fourth clutch; a first element coupled to the input shaft and driven thereby; a second element in driving engagement with the first hydrostatic element; a third element selectively coupled to the second hydrostatic element by the first clutch; a fourth element selectively coupled to the second hydrostatic element by the second clutch, the fourth element drivingly coupled to the second element; a fifth element coupled to the output, the fifth element being selectively coupled to the third element by the third clutch, and selectively coupled to the fourth element by the first clutch; and, a sixth element selectively coupled to ground by a reverse brake wherein the fifth element and the output shaft are driven in reverse; whereby the transmission has four forward speed modes and two reverse speed modes for infinitely variable speed adjustment between a full speed reverse and a full speed forward.
To acquaint persons skilled in the art most closely related to the present invention, one preferred embodiment of the invention that illustrates the best mode now contemplated for putting the invention into practice is described herein by and with reference to, the annexed drawings that form a part of the specification. The exemplary embodiment is described in detail without attempting to show all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied. As such, the embodiment shown and described herein is illustrative, and as will become apparent to those skilled in the art, can be modified in numerous ways within the spirit and scope of the inventionxe2x80x94the invention being measured by the appended claims and not by the details of the specification.


A copolyester having an inherent viscosity of equal to or greater than about 0.3 formed from about 20 to about 60 mole percent based on the amount of aromatic dicarboxylic acid of one or more of isophthalic dicarboxylic acid or an alkyl diester thereof, about 40 to about 80 mole percent based on the amount of aromatic dicarboxylic acid of one or more of terephthalic acid or 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid or an alkyl diester thereof, about 10 to about 60 mole based on the total amount of dicarboxylic acids of one or more aliphatic dicarboxylic acids or an alkyl diester, about 0.1 to about 5 mole percent based on the moles of total dicarboxylic acid of one or more alkali or alkaline earth metal salts of 5-sulfoisophthalic dicarboxylic acid or an alkyl diester thereof, about 90 to 100 mole percent based on the total amount of glycols of one or more aliphatic glycols, and 0 to about 10 mole percent based on the total amount of glycols of one or more of di(ethylene glycol) and tri(ethylene glycol). The copolyesters are useful to form films and coatings.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to solvent soluble, biodegradable polyesters, method of production, and use thereof. These products are useful as biodegradable shaped articles and as biodegradable coatings.
2. Description of the Related Art
The inadequate treatment of municipal solid waste which is being put in landfills and the increasing addition of nondegradable materials, including plastics, to municipal solid waste streams are combining to drastically reduce the number of landfills available and to increase the costs of municipal solid waste disposal. While recycling of reusable components of the waste stream is desirable in many instances, the costs of recycling and the infrastructure required to recycle materials is sometimes prohibitive. In addition, there are some products which do not easily fit into the framework of recycling. The composting of non-recyclable solid waste is a recognized and growing method to reduce solid waste volume for landfilling and/or making a useful product from the waste to improve the fertility of fields and gardens. One of the limitations to marketing such compost is the visible contamination by undegraded plastic, such as film or fiber fragments.
It is desired to provide components which are useful in disposable products and which are degraded into less contaminating forms under the conditions typically existing in waste composting processes.
Polyesters have been considered for biodegradable articles and enduses in the past. Biodegradable polyesters can be described as belonging to three general classes; aliphatic polyesters, aliphatic-aromatic polyesters, and sulfonated aliphatic-aromatic polyesters. Aliphatic polyesters are polyesters derived solely from aliphatic dicarboxylic acids. Aliphatic-aromatic polyesters are polyesters derived from a mixture of aliphatic dicarboxylic acids and aromatic dicarboxylic acids. Sulfonated aliphatic-aromatic polyesters are polyesters derived from a mixture of aliphatic dicarboxylic acids and aromatic dicarboxylic acids and, in addition, incorporate a sulfonated monomer, such as the salts of 5-sulfoisophthalic acid. Many of these prior materials do not provide desired biodegradability and/or solubility in common solvents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,262, teaches water-dispersible polyester resins. The water-dispersibility of the polyester resins is due, at least in part, to the incorporation of moieties of an alkali metal-sulfo group and to the very low molecular weights of the polymers, e.g., between 300 and 3,000. The low molecular weight polyester resins would tend to give brittle, low toughness films and coatings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,519, teach aqueous dispersions of polyester resins which contain 0.5 to 10 mole percent of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid having a metal sulfonate group. Many of the polyesters of this patent incorporate neopentyl glycol. Example A-1, contained within Table 2 of the patent, incorporates 16.7 mole percent of isophthalic acid within the aromatic dicarboxylic acid component. This example was found to be crystalline, based on the reported melting point of 116xc2x0 C., and is not expected to be soluble in polar solvent. Such solubility is often desired, e.g., to allow solvent casting of coatings and films.
Miller, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,442, teaches a subbing layer composed of an aqueous dispersion of certain copolyester resins which incorporate 0.1 to 10 mole percent aromatic sulfonated compounds. The patent exemplifies copolyester resins which incorporate 10 mole percent, (based on the total of dicarboxylic acids), of the sodium salt of 5-sulfoisophthalic acid in combination with 56.7 mole percent, (based on the total of diols), di(ethylene glycol). Such polyesters that are soluble in water are often undesired because they do not have the desired dimensional stability in the presence of water.
The above-mentioned polyesters of the art often suffer from poor solubility in polar solvent systems, low molecular weights, which could lead to brittle films, or high moisture sensitivity, which could lead to dimensional instability under varying moisture conditions. The present invention overcomes these shortcoming and provides solvent soluble, film forming copolyesters which have improved moisture insensitivity.
The present invention provides a copolyester having an inherent viscosity of equal to or greater than about 0.3 dL/g comprising:
(a) about 20 to about 60 mole percent based on the moles of aromatic dicarboxylic acid or ester, of one or more of isophthalic dicarboxylic acid or an alkyl diester thereof,
(b) about 40 to about 80 mole percent based on the moles of aromatic dicarboxylic acid or ester, of one or more of terephthalic acid, an alkyl diester thereof, 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, or an alkyl diester thereof,
(c) about 10 to about 60 mole percent based on the moles of dicarboxylic acid or ester, of one or more aliphatic dicarboxylic acids or an alkyl diester thereof,
(d) about 0.1 to about 5 mole percent based on the moles of total dicarboxylic acid or ester, of one or more alkali or alkaline earth metal salts of 5-sulfoisophthalic dicarboxylic acid or an alkyl diester thereof,
(e) about 90 to 100 mole percent based on the moles of glycols, of one or more aliphatic glycols, and
(f) 0 to about 10 mole percent based on the total amount of glycols of one or more of di(ethylene glycol) and tri(ethylene glycol).
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent form the detailed description that follows.
One aspect of the present invention provides solvent soluble, biodegradable sulfonated aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters with IV equal to or greater than about 0.30 dL/g, such as above about 0.4 or above about 0.5 dL/g. The IV should preferably be sufficient to give non-brittle films, but not so high as to give undesired high solution viscosities.
The sulfonated aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters are preferably comprised of (A), (B) (C), (D), and (E):
(A) about 89.9 to about 35, preferably about 88 to about 46, more preferably about 84.5 to about 47, mole percent (based on the total moles of dicarboxylic acid) of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid component comprised of (i) and (ii):
(i) about 20 to about 60, preferably about 25 to about 50, more preferably about 30 to about 40, mole percent, (based on the total moles of aromatic dicarboxylic acid), of isophthalic dicarboxylic acid or a lower alkyl (C1-C6) diester derived therefrom, such as dimethylisophthalate, diethylisophthalate, and the like and
(ii) about 80 to about 40, preferably about 78 to about 50, more preferably about 75 to about 60 mole percent, (based on the total moles of aromatic dicarboxylic acid), of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid selected from terephthalic acid and 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, and lower dialkyl (C1-C6) esters derived therefrom, such as dimethylterephthalate, diethylterephthalate, dimethyl-2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylate, diethyl-2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylate, and the like;
(B) about 10 to about 60, preferably about 12 to about 50, more preferably about 15 to about 50 mole percent (based on the total moles of dicarboxylic acid) of a linear aliphatic dicarboxylic acid component comprised of one or more aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, which generally has from 2 to 36 carbon atoms, such as oxalic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, azelaic acid, dimer acid, or mixtures therefrom, and lower dialkyl diesters derived therefrom, such as dimethyl oxalate, dimethyl succinate, diethyl succinate, dimethyl glutarate, diethyl glutaratate, dimethyl azealate, and the like;
(C) about 0.1 to about 5, preferably about 0.1 to about 4, more preferably about 0.5 to about 3 mole percent (based on the total amount of dicarboxylic acid) of a sulfonate component comprised of one or more alkali or alkaline earth metal salts of 5-sulfoisophthalic acid and lower (C1-C6) alkyl diesters derived therefrom, such as alkali or alkaline metal salts of dimethyl-5-sulfoisophthalate, alkali or alkaline earth salts of diethyl-5-sulfoisophthalate, and the like;
(D) 100 to about 90, preferably 100 to about 92, more preferably 100 to about 95 mole percent (based on total glycol) of an aliphatic glycol component comprised of a linear aliphatic glycol, preferably having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, such as ethylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, and mixtures thereof; and
(E) 0 to about 10, preferably 0 to about 7.5, more preferably 0 to about 5 mole percent (based on total glycol) of a glycol component selected from di(ethylene glycol) and tri(ethylene glycol).
The polymer contains one or more alkali or alkaline earth metal salts of 5-sulfoisophthalic acid or an alkyl diester thereof. The amount of sulfo groups in the polymer should be about 0.1 to 5 mole percent. The alkali metal ion is, for example, sodium, potassium, or lithium. Alkaline earth metals such as magnesium are also useful. It has been found that as little as 0.1 mole percent of the sulfo group contributes significantly to the degradability characteristics of the resultant films or coatings.
The polyesters of the present invention are generally not soluble in water. This allows the materials of the present invention to advantageously have greater dimensional stability in the presence of moisture. This is contrasted to the sulfo-containing copolyesters of the art which incorporate higher levels (e.g., greater than 5 mole percent) of sulfo groups.
To give the desired physical properties, the sulfonated aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters of the present invention should have IV equal to or greater than 0.30. Sulfonated aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters which have IV less than 0.30 will tend to be brittle.
Minor amounts (e.g. 0 to about 2 mole percent) of polyfunctional branching agents, such as trimellitic acid or penterythritol residues, may be incorporated to modify the polymer melt or solution rheology, film processing, or the like, if desired.
The polyesters of the present invention may be prepared by any desired polycondensation techniques. For example, the various monomeric components can be charged to a polymerization vessel along with polymerization catalysts, for example, manganese and antimony catalyst, and subjected to polycondensation conditions to produce a linear polyester in which the units are randomly distributed along the molecular chain. It will be understood that it is useful, however, to first react two or more of the monomeric components to a prepolymer stage, followed by addition of the remaining components, which may be polymeric, and completion of the polymerization.
The sulfonated, aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters have been surprisingly found to be both biodegradable and solvent soluble in common, non-halogenated, polar solvents. Such solubility advantageously allows for the solvent casting of coating and films from the instant copolyester. Examples of the non-halogenated, polar solvents include tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl acetamide, dimethyl formamide, N-methylpyrollidone, dimethylsulfoxide, and the like. Tetrahydrofuran is a preferred solvent for solvent casting. The copolyesters have been found to be readily soluble in said solvents and the resulting polymer solutions have been found to provide clear films.
The copolyesters of the present invention can be used with additives known within the art. Such additives include thermal stabilizers, for example, phenolic antioxidants, secondary thermal stabilizers, for example, thioethers and phosphites, UV absorbers, for example benzophenone- and benzotriazole-derivatives, UV stabilizers, for example, hindered amine light stabilizers, (HALS), and the like. The additives may further include plasticizers, processing aides, lubricants, and the like. In addition, the compositions of the present invention may be filled with, for example, wood flour, gypsum, wollastonite, chalk, kaolin, cellulose, starch, calcium carbonate, and the like. The compositions of the present invention may also find use as a component of a polymer blend with other polymers, such as cellulose ethers, thermoplastic starch and the like.
As a further aspect of the present invention, the copolyesters have been found to be useful within a wide variety of shaped biodegradable articles. The copolyesters may be solution or melt processed to form coatings, films, and the like. Coatings may be produced, e.g., by coating a substrate with polymer solutions of the copolyesters followed by drying, by coextruding the copolyesters with other materials, or by melt coating a preformed substrate with the polyesters. The copolyesters will find utility in any process incorporating polyester known within the art. Coatings derived from the copolyesters will find utility as barriers to moisture, oxygen, carbon dioxide and the like. The coatings derived from the copolyesters will also be useful as adhesives. Films of the copolyesters may be produced by any known art method, including, for example, solution or melt casting.
The following examples illustrate, but do no limit the invention.