A process for reduction clearing dyed or printed polyester textiles, which comprises adding, to an acidic dyeing liquor or a wash bath, an aftertreatment composition comprising as components

The present invention describes a process for reduction clearing dye or printed polyester textiles. It further relates to mixtures useful as aftertreatment compositions in the process of the invention, its preferred components and its preferred use form and quantity.
In vat dyeing, cellulosic textiles are customarily dyed by converting suitable dyes by reduction in a strongly alkaline medium into their soluble leuco form, which, after penetrating the fiber, is converted back into the insoluble dye by atmospheric oxidation. The reductant used is usually sodium dithionite, but the use of sulfinates is known too, from GB-3-829 177, for related printing applications. Mixtures of dithionite with sulfinates or sulfonates are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,459, U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,665 and U.S. Pat. No.3,798,172 as useful reductants for cellulose dyeing.
By contrast, polyester textiles are exclusively dyed in an acidic medium. The method employed is the high temperature exhaust process, the thermosol process or the superheated steam fixation process. In the first process, the textile is dyed in a dyebath in a pressure vessel at a pH of about 3-6 and a temperature of about 120-140xc2x0 C. This treatment causes the disperse dye to diffuse into the plasticized polyester fiber to form a molecular dispersion in the polymer matrix. The completion of the dyeing step is usually followed by a preclear with fresh water and finally by an alkaline reduction clear in a wash bath, for which purpose it is customary to use sodium dithionite and caustic soda in aqueous solution.
In the thermosol and superheated steam fixation processes, too, the preclear is followed by alkaline reduction clearing.
As in the high temperature exhaust process, in the thermosol and superheated steam fixation processes the aftertreatment used is predominantly an aqueous solution of caustic soda and sodium dithionite. The pH of the reduction clearing bath is therefore high, about 12-13. Wash baths which contain sodium hydroxymethanesulfinate (Rongalit(copyright)c, Superlite(copyright)c) optionally in mixtures with sodium hydroxymethanesulfonate or dithionite-formaldehyde condensates, and which in specific cases can also be rendered acidic by addition of strong organic or inorganic acids are described in JP-A-05 272 075-A, JP-A-02 300 391, JP-A-04 146 279, JP-A-01 028 090, JP-A-02 091 285, JP-A-57 006 188, JP-A-57 066 189, JP-A-60 162 889. However, these washing systems do not meet the high requirements demanded of aftertreatment compositions in respect of the achievement of high color fastnesses on polyester textiles.
Disadvantages of the traditional high temperature exhaust process are
high time, water and energy intensity through the pH change from acid to alkaline
high salt loadings in the dyehouse wastewater and dye residues which color the wastewater
high autoignition tendency of hydrosulfite in bulk, and
a relatively rapid exhaustion of the reductive wash bath through atmospheric oxidation.
The thermosol and the superheated steam fixation processes likewise have the disadvantage of insufficient air stability of the wash baths, so that accurate dosing of the reductant cannot be accomplished under plant conditions without analysis. As a consequence, it is not always possible to avoid incompletely destroyed dye residues staining the white ground.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified process for dyeing polyester textilesxe2x80x94without a costly interim rinse and a separate clearxe2x80x94to save time, water and energy. Furthermore, colorless, low-salt wastewaters shall result, and the aftertreatment compositions to be used in the dyeing liquor or in the wash bath shall be simple to handle, high yielding, simple to meter and possessed of an effective clearing action.
We have found that this object is achieved by a process for reduction clearing dyed or printed polyester textiles, which comprises adding, to the acidic dyeing liquor or the wash bath, an aftertreatment composition comprising as components
a) at least one compound of the formula (I)
xe2x80x83Am[(CR1R2)mSO2M]p,qxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I)
xe2x80x83where
A is NR33xe2x88x92q or OR42xe2x88x92p
R1, R2, R4 are each Hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl
R3 represents identical or different radicals selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C8-cycloalkyl opt. substituted by from one to three C1-C4-alkyl radicals
M is the equivalent of an ammonium, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal ion
m is 0 or 1
p is 1 or 2
q is 1, 2 or 3
subject to the provisos that at least one of R1, R2, R4 is C1-C6-alkyl when A is OR42xe2x88x92p and that, if m is 0:
p, q are each 2 and
the compound of he formula (I) is used together with sufficient acid acceptor to raise the pH of the dyeing liquor or of the wash bath by from 1 to 3 units,
b) optionally at least one compound of the formula (II)
A[(CR1R2)SO3M]p,qxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(II)
xe2x80x83where A, R1, R2, R3, R4, M, p and q are each as defined for the formula (I), although the specific choice of these variables does not have to be the same for the compounds of the formulae (I) and (II)
c) and optionally further additives.
When the process of the invention is to be carried out with mixtures comprising ammonium, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal dithionitesxe2x80x94where m in the formula (I) is 0, that isxe2x80x94the acid acceptors used are preferably ammonium, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal bicarbonate, carbonate, oxide, hydroxide, bisulfite, sulfite, hydrogenphosphate or phosphate, the use of the alkali metal and alkaline earth metal bicarbonates and carbonates being particularly preferred. Normally the sodium dithionite commercially available as xe2x80x9chydrosulfitexe2x80x9d will be used. This sodium dithionite generally has a technical grade purity of more than 80%. Its use in the reduction clearing process described herein is preferred for cost reasons. However, special requirements may justify the use of other alkali metal and also alkaline earth metal or ammonium dithionites or mixtures thereof.
Suitable ammonium dithionites are not only NH4⊕ but also, for example, NL4⊕ compounds, wherein the substituents L represent identical or different radicals selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-C6-alkyl in which nonadjacent CH and CH2 groups may be replaced by N on the one hand or NH or O on the other and CH3 groups by NH2 or OH. Examples thereof are the mono-, di-, tri- and tetraethanolammonium compounds, but also the corresponding salts of ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine and triethylenetetramine. It is also possible to use the salts of the condensation products of ammonia with diethylene glycol such as H2N(C2H4)O(C2H4)OH, HN[(C2H4)O(C2H4)(OH]2 or N[(C2H4)O(C2H4)OH]3.
Suitable acid acceptors in addition to the aforementioned substances also include their mixtures. The only important criterion is to ensure a buffering of the acidic dyeing liquor by about 1-3 pH units in order that the reduction of excess dye by the dithionite may be ensured.
Normally, the desired pH change is ensured by the use of dithionites and acid acceptor in a weight ratio within the range from 3:1 to 1:1, which is why this mixing ratio is indeed preferred.
Depending on the specific requirements, it can also be sensible to add salts of complexing agents such as, for example, nitrilo-triacetic acid (NTA, N(CH2COOH)3), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA, [CH2N(CH2COOH)2]2), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA, HOOCCH2N[(CH2)2N(CH2COOH)2]2), hydroxyethylethylenediamine triacetic acid (HEDTA, HO(CH2)2N(CH2COOH)(CH2)2N(CH2COOH2), propylenediaminetetraacetic acid (PDTA, (HOOCCH2)2N(CH2)3N(CH2COOH)2) or xcex2-alaninediacetic acid ((HOOCCH2)2N(CH2)2COOH) as a buffer. These are marketed under the brandname of Trilon(copyright), for example. It is also possible to use mixtures between these complexing agents alone or with other acid acceptors.
If, in addition, surfactants or dispersants are used in the aftertreatment, it is possible, if necessary, to sequester any interfering heavy metal ions or else reduce the water hardness by the use of such complexing agents.
Furthermore, the aftertreatment-composition based on dithionites and acid acceptors may also include sulfonates conforming to the formula (II). Compounds such as, for example, HOCH(CH3)SO3M to HOCH(C6H13)SO3M can be prepared, for example, by addition of bisulfite MHSO3, where M is preferably an alkali metal such as sodium, to acetaldehyde or enanthaldehyde, C6H13CHO. These sulfonates are also formed in the reaction of aldehydes with dithionites, in mixture with the corresponding sulfinates and depending on the reaction managememt and the molar ratios.
Reaction of hydroxyalkanesulfonates with ammonia in varying mixing ratios gives the amino-, imino- and nitrilo-sulfonates. Starting from the corresponding hydroxyalkanesulfonates, these are for example compounds HN(CH2SO3M)2, N(CH2SO3M)3, H2NCH(CH3)SO3M, HN(CH(CH3)SO3M)2, N(CH(CH3)SO3M)3 to H2NCH(C6H13)SO3M, HN(CH(C6H13)SO3M)2, and N(CH(C6H13)SO3M)3, partly also in mixture with the corresponding starting sulfonates. It is further possible to use H2NCH2SO2M.
The corresponding N-substituted amino- or aminoalkane-sulfonates can be obtained by reacting hydroxyalkanesulfonates with primary or secondary amines, for example. Preferred amines have C1-C20-alkyl radicals and also C3-C8-cycloalkyl radicals, which can opt. additionally be substituted by from one to three further C1-C4-alkyl radicals.
If primary amines are used, the reaction with HOCH2SO3M yields the N-alkylated aminomethanesulfonates R3NHCH2SO3M, for example. The radicals R3 include not only linear C1-C20-alkyl chains such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, etc. up to eicosyl, but also branched C1-C20 radical such as, for example, the various methylbutyls, ethylbutyls, methylpentyls, ethylpentyls, methylhexyls, ethylhexyls, methylheptyls, ethylheptyls etc. This gives rise to sulfonates such as (H3C)NHCH2SO3M, (H5C2)NHCH2SO3M, (H7C3)NHCH2SO3M, (H9C4)NHCH2SO3M, (H11C5)NHCH2SO3M, (H13C6)NHCH2SO3M to (H41C20)NHCH2SO3M but also 1-, 2-, 3-methylbutylaminomethane sulfonate, 1-, 2-, 3-ethylbutylaminomethanesulfonate, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-methylpentylaminomethanesulfonate, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-ethylpentylaminomethanesulfonate, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-methylhexylaminomethanesulfonate, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-ethylhexylaminomethanesulfonate, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-methylheptylaminomethanesulfonate, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-ethylheptylaminomethanesulfonate etc. In the case of the opt. C1-C4-alkyl-substituted C3-C8-cycloalkyl radicals, the reaction yields, exemplified for the cyclohexyl, the following sulfonates:
Corresponding iminoalkanesulfonates can be prepared by replacing the amino hydrogen by a further alkanesulfonate group, for example. The amount of alkylamine and hydroxyalkanesulfonate for the synthesis must therefore also be selected accordingly, and the hydroxyalkanesulfonate reactant can also be a mixture of various hydroxyalkanesulfononates. In the case of amines symmetrically substituted by alkanesulfonate radicals, the reaction thus yields aminoalkanesulfonates such as (H3C)N(CH2SO3M)2, if the starting materials used are methylamine and hydroxymethanesulfonate in a molar ratio of 1:2. All the above-recited aminomethanesulfonates can also be converted into the corresponding iminomethanesulfonates in a similar manner. If secondary amines are used, the diversity of the compounds is determined not just, as previously indicated, by the possibility of using mixtures of various hydroxyalkanesulfonates, but additionally also by the possibility of the choice of different alkyl radicals R3 on the starting amine. However, because of the multiplicity of the various N,N-disubstituzed aminoalkane-sulfonates obtainable by reaction of R32NH with hydroxyalkane-sulfonates (or mixtures thereof), no further details will be given here.
It may further be noted that the reaction of ammonia or primary amines R3NH2 with various hydroxyalkanesulfonates also makes it possible to prepare xe2x80x9cmolecularly mixedxe2x80x9d nitriloalkane- or iminoalkane-sulfonates in a specific manner.
For two hydroxyalkanesulfonatesxe2x80x94hereinafter abbreviated to HOAlkSO3(1) and HOAlkSO3(2)xe2x80x94the number and type of the desired compounds may be illustrated by the schemes (a) and (b):
(a) NH3+HOAlkSO3(1)xe2x86x92H2NAlkSO3(1)+H2O H2NAlkSO3(1)+2HOAlkSO3(2)xe2x86x92N(AlkSO3(1)(AlkSO3(2))2+2H2O or NH3+HOAlkSO3(2)xe2x86x92H2NAlkSO3(2)+H2O H2NAlkSO3(2)+2HOAlkSO3(1)xe2x86x92N(AlkSO3(2))(AlkSO3(1))2+2H2O
(b) R3NH2+HOAlkSO3(1)+HOAlkSO3(2)xe2x86x92R3N(AlkSO3(1))(AlkSO3(2))+2H2O
Of course, such xe2x80x9cintramolecularly mixedxe2x80x9d sulfonates shall also be embraced by the invention.
Preference is given to using the sodium sulfonates and particularly preferably the compounds H2NCH2SO3Na, HN(CH2SO3Na)2, N(CH2SO3Na)3, HOCH(CH3)SO3Na, H2NCH(CH3)SO3Na, HN(CH(CH3)SO3Na)2, N(CH(CH3)SO3Na) and sodium salts of 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-ethylhexylamino-methanesulfonic acid and -ethanesulfonic acid.
The preferred molar ratio of dithionite to sulfonaze is within the range from 20:1 to 1:20, especially within the range from 10:1 to 1:10.
The hydroxy-, amino-, imino- and nitrilo-alkanesulfinates to be used according to the invention, for which m is 1 in the formula (I), are formally derivable from the above-recited sulfonates by replacing the SO3M group with an SO2M group. This produces, for example, compounds such as HOCH(CH3)SO2M to HOCH(C6H13)SO2M but also H2NCH2SO2M, HN(CH2SO2M)2, N(CH2SO2M)3, H2NCH(CH3)SO2M, HN(CH(CH3)SO2M)2, N(CH(CH3)SO2M)3 to H2NCH(C6H13)SO2M, HN(CH(C6H13)SO2M)2, N(CH(C6H13)SO2M)3. By replacing the amino hydrogen with one or, where possible, two radicals R3 it is possible to prepare the N-substituted sulfinates. As in the case of the abovementioned sulfonates, R3 preferably represents linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl radicals and also unsubstituted or C1-C4-alkyl-monosubstituted, -disubstituted or -trisubstituted C3-C8-cycloaliphatic radicals.
Exemplified for the aminomethanesulfinate, H2NCH2SO2M, this gives rise to the N-substituted compounds such as methyl-, ethyl- up to eicosyl-aminomethanesulfinate but also 1-, 2-, 3-methylbutyl-, 1-, 2-, 3-ethylbutyl-, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-methylpentyl-, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-ethylpentyl-, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-methylhexyl-, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-ethylhexyl-aminomethanesulfinate, etc. The cyclohexylamino-methanesulfinates with or without substitution on the cyclohexane ring, for example, can be derived similarly to the method recited in connection with the sulfonates.
Similarly to the iminoalkanesulfonates mentioned, twofold replacement of hydrogens in the primary amine R3NH2 by alkanesulfinate radicals will of course also yield corresponding iminoalkanesulfinates, and if the synthesis is carried out from the amine R3NH2 and a hydroxyalkanesulfinate or a mixture of sulfinates it is also possible to prepare an imino/aminoalkanesulfinate mixture, depending on the mixing ratio. The use of this mixture in the process of the invention is likewise possible. As regards the N,N-disubstituted aminoalkanesulfinates, they are subject, mutatis mutandis, to the comments made above in relation to the sulfonates.
If aftertreatment compositions based on sulfinates are used together with at least one sulfonate of the formula (II), a molar ratio of sulfinate to sulfonate within the range from 20:1 to 1:20, is preferred and a molar ratio within the range from 10:1 to 1:10 is particularly preferred. In addition, acid acceptors can be included here too.
Mixtures of alkanesulfinates with alkanesulfonates, for example in a molar ratio of 1:1, are easily obtainable by reacting the aldehydes R1xe2x80x94CHO or ketones R1xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94R2 with dithionites in a carbonyl compound/dithionite ratio of 2:1. For instance, reaction of sodium dithionite with acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, n-valeraldehyde, capronaldehyde or enanthaldehyde yields mixtures of sulfinates and sulfonates, which conform to the formulae HOCH(CH3)SO2M or HOCH(CH3)SO3M, HOCH(C2H5)SO2M or HOCH(C2H5)SO3M, HOCH(C3H7)SO2M or HOCH(C3H7)SO3M, HOCH(C4H9)SO2M or HOCH(C4H9)SO3M, HOCH(C5H11)SO2M or HOCH(C5H11)SO3M and HOCH(C6H13)SO2M or HOCH(C6H13)SO3M, where M is one equivalent of an ammonium, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal ion orxe2x80x94if sodium dithionite is usedxe2x80x94sodium, of course. The use of aldehydes having branched chains is also possible, so that the resulting sulfinates and sulfonates have C6 radicals R1 such as 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-methylpentyl and 1-, 2-ethylbutyl, C5 radicals such as 1-, 2-, 3-methylbutyl (isoamyl) and 1-ethylpropyl, and C4 radicals 1-, 2-methylpropyl (isobutyl).
Switching from aldehydes to ketones as reaction partners for dithionite, the choice is of symmetrical compounds starting with methyl methyl ketone, ie. acetone, through to hexyl hexyl ketone, (H13C6)CO(C6H13), and the larger group of the asymmetrical ketones starting with methyl ethyl ketone through to methyl hexyl ketone via ethyl propyl ketone to ethyl hexyl ketone etc. through to, finally, pentyl hexyl ketone. This gives rise to the corresponding sulfinates/sulfonates HOC(CH3)2SO2M/HOC(CH3)2SO3M to HOC(C6H13)2SO2M/HOC(C6H13)2SO3M and also the asymmetrically substituted compounds HOC(CH3)(C2H5)SO2M/HOC(CH3)(C2H5)SO3M to HOC(CH3)(C6H13)SO2M/HOC(CH3)(C6H13)SO3M, HOC(C2H5)(C3H7)SO2M/HOC(C2H5)(C3H7)SO3M to HOC(C2H5)(C6H13)SO2M/HOC(C2H5)(C6H13)SO2M etc. up to HOC(C5H11)(C6H13)SO2M/HOC(C5H11)(C6H13)SO3M. Here too it is of course possible, as with the abovementioned reactions of aldehydes, for the correspondingly branched aliphatic radicals to appear.
Reacting the unsubstituted or substituted hydroxymethanesulfinates and hydroxymethanesulfonates with ammonia will produce, depending on the ratio of the reactants, mono-, di- or trisubstituted amines of the general formulae H2NCR1R2SO2M or H2NCR1R2SO3M, HN(CR1R2SO2M)2 or HN(CR1R2SO3M)2 and N(CR1R2SO2M)3 or N(CR1R2SO3M)3. A mixture of hydroxymethanesulfinate, HOCH2SO2M, with hydroxymethanesulfonate, HOCH2SO3M, leads in the reaction with ammonia and depending on the sulfinate/sulfonate:ammonia ratio to the corresponding aminomethanesulfinate/sulfonate, iminomethanesulfinate/sulfonate, nitrilomethansulfinate/sulfonate mixtures H2NCH2SO2M/H2NCH2SO3M, HN(CH2SO2M)2/HN(CH2SO3M)2, or N(CH2SO2M)3/N(CH2SO3M)3. Use of symmetrically or asymmetrically substituted hydroxyalkylsulfinates/sulfonates as exemplified above produce, for example for the starting compounds HOC(CH3)2SO2M/HOC(CH3)2SO3M, the following compounds H2NC(CH3)2SO2M/H2NC(CH3)2SO3M, HN(C(CH3)2SO2M)2/HN(C(CH3)2SO3M2, N(C(CH3)2SO2M)3/N(C(CH3)2SO3M)3 or, for example for the starting compounds HOC(CH3)(C2H5)SO2M/HOC(CH3)(C2H5)SO3M, the compounds H2NC(CH3)(C2H5)SO2M/H2NC(CH3)(C2H5)SO3M, HN(C(CH3)(C2H5)SO2M)2/HN(C(CH3)(C2H5)SO3M)2 and N(C(CH3)(C2H5)SO2M)3/N(C(CH3)(C2H5)SO3M)2.
If desired, it is possible to use other mixtures of sulfinates optionally together with mixtures of sulfonates. Mixtures of sulfinates with sulfonates are also simple to prepare by means of incomplete reactions. The use of a mixture of HOCH(CH3)SO2M/HOCH(CH3)SO3M and use of a quantity of ammonia which is not sufficient to obtain corresponding nitrilo compounds will, after the reaction has ended, lead not only to the reaction product N(CH(CH3)SO2M)3/N(CH(CH3)SO3M)3 but also to the incompletely converted starting components HOCH(CH3)SO2M and HOCH(CH3)SO3M. In the same way, mutatis mutandis, it is also possible to set any ratio of, for example, amino or imino to nitrilosulfinates/sulfonates. More complex mixtures are obtainable by using mixed hydroxyalkylsulfinate/sulfonate starting components. For instance, the sulfinates HO(CH3)2SO2M and HOCH(CH3)SO2M can be obtained in mixture with the sulfonates HO(CH3)2SO3M and HOCH(CH3)SO3M by reaction of an acetone/acetaldehyde mixture with dithionite and, in accordance with the above, be reacted with a deficiency of ammonia to form the nitrilo products mixed with the starting components.
If the hydroxyalkanesulfinates, if desired mixed with the sulfonates, are reacted, not with ammonia, but with a primary or secondary amine R3NH2 or R23NH, the corresponding N-alkylated products are obtained opt. in mixture with their underlying hydroxyalkanesulfinates/sulfonates. However, in the case of the primary amines R3NH2, only N-alkylated iminoalkane- and in the case of the secondary amines R23NH only N-alkylated aminoalkanesulfinates/sulfonates are obtainable.
For dithionite-based aftertreatment compositions, various N-alkylated derivatives, differing in the radicals R3, were exemplified above in relation to the HOCH2SO3M parent species. Of course, all the hydroxysulfinates/sulfonates already mentioned, which are obtainable by reaction of aldehydes/ketones or their mixtures with dithionites, can be reacted with these amines to form the N-substituted amino- or imino-sulfinates/sulfonates. Therefore, of the multiplicity of possible sulfinates/sulfonates to be used according to the invention, only one hydroxyethanesulfinate/sulfonate mixture of the various reaction products from the reaction with, for example, 2-ethylhexilamine (R3=2-ethylhexyl) shall be derived by way of example without, however, limiting the invention.
Reacting the amine with the sulfinate and sulfonate in a molar ratio of 2:1:1, an equimolar mixture of 2-ethylhexylaminoethanesulfinate and 2-ethylhexylaminoethanesulfonate, (2-C2H5xe2x80x94C6H12)NHCH(CH3)SO2M and (2-C2H5xe2x80x94C6H12)NHCH(CH3)SO3M, is obtained. A reaction of the amine with the sulfinate/sulfonate in a molar ratio of 1:1:1 gives an equimolar mixture of 2-ethylhexyliminoethane-sulfinate and -sulfonate, (2-C2H5xe2x80x94C6H12)N(CH(CH3)SO2M)2 and (2-C2H5xe2x80x94C6H12)N(CH(CH3)SO3M)2. Mixtures of aminoethane-sulfinate and -sulfonate with the starting sulfinate/sulfonate are obtained when the molar proportion of the amine is made smaller still. All these mixtures are likewise usable in the process of the invention.
Preference is given to using the sodium salts, particularly preferably the sulfinates HOCH(CH3)SO2Na, H2NCH2SO2Na, HN(CH2SO2Na)2, N(CH2SO2Na)3, H2NCHCH3SO2Na, HN(CH(CH3)SO2Na)2, N(CH(CH3)SO2Na)3, sodium 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-ethylhexylaminomethanesulfinate and also sodium 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-ethylhexylaminoethanesulfinate, the latter compounds being preparable by reaction of 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- or 5-ethylhexylamine with the sodium hydroxymethanesulfinate or sodium hydroxyethanesulfinate in equimolar ratios. If desired, these compounds can be used in mixture with the sulfonates, HOCH(CH3)SO3Na, H2NCH2SO3Na, HN(CH2SO3Na)2, N(CH2SO3Na)3, H2Nxe2x80x94CH(CH3)SO3Na, HN(CH(CH3)SO3Na)2, N(CH(CH3)SO3Na)3, sodium 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-ethylhexylamino-methanesulfonate and -ethanesulfonate.
For the purposes of the invention, it is of course also possible, as exemplified above for the sulfonates in the schemes (a) and (b), to use xe2x80x9cmolecularly mixedxe2x80x9d sulfinates/sulfonates. Scheme (c) exemplifies the nature of the compounds obtainable by specific reaction of ammonia with a hydroxyalkanesulfinate and the corresponding sulfonatexe2x80x94hereinafter referred to as HOAlkSO2 and HOAlkSO3:
(c) NH3+HOAlkSO2xe2x86x92H2NAlkSO2+H2O H2NAlkSO2+2HOAlkSO3xe2x86x92N(AlkSO2)(AlkSO3)2+2H2O or NH3+HOAlkSO3xe2x86x92H2NAlkSO3+H2O H2NAlkSO3+2HOAlkSO2xe2x86x92N(AlkSO3)(AlkSO2)2+2H2O
It may additionally be noted that, of course, incomplete reaction or an excess of ammonia may mean that, as well as the products recited in scheme (c), residues of the starting or corresponding imino compounds are also be present. These considerations apply, mutatis mutandis, also to the use of primary amines instead of ammonia.
As well as the above-discussed components dithionite/acid acceptor or sulfinate opt. mixed with sulfonate, the aftertreatment compositions to be used in the process of the invention can include further additives. For instance, at least one hydroxyketone or an oligomer or polymer derived from a plurality of identical or different hydroxyketones can be added. The proportion of these compounds in the total mix is preferably 5-60% by weight.
These substances include, for example, acetoin ((H3C)CH(OH)CO(CH3)), hydroxyacetone, cyclic compounds such as
but also reductive acid,
and ascorbic acid.
Further possible additives according to the invention include as monosaccharides aldoses such as erythrose, threose, ribose, xylose, arabinose, glucose, mannose, galactose or ketoses such fructose or sorbose.
Oligo- or polymeric hydroxyketones for the purposes of the invention are preferably the corresponding oligo- or polysaccharides. Specific examples are the disaccharides sucrose, lactose, maltose, cellobiose or trisaccharides such as raffinose and maltotriose. It is also possible to use starches which, chemically, are polysaccharides predominantly based on the monomeric glucose unit, and their partial hydrolysis products. For example, hydrolysis of the starch constituents amylose and amylopectin ultimately gives maltose and glucose. For the use of the aftertreatment compositions in the process of the invention, therefore, the admixture of hydrolyzable oligo- and polysaccharides is effective for producing an additional acid-binding effect. The aftertreatment composition preferably includes hydroxyacetone, acetoin, glutaroin or adipoin, particularly preferably glucose, fructose or sucrose, alone or else mixed.
The aftertreatment composition may further include at least one dispersant or surfactant or mixtures thereof. Their proportion in the total mixture is preferably 2-50% by weight. These auxiliaries can be cationic, anionic, nonionic or zwitterionic compounds. Suitable dispersants for the inventionxe2x80x94without the sequence in the following list being construed as an allocation to one of these classesxe2x80x94are polycarboxylates and copolymers obtainable for example under the brand names of Sokalan(copyright) or Elvacite(copyright) or else xe2x80x9chyperdispersantsxe2x80x9d marketed under the name of Solsperse(copyright), also condensates based on aromatic or alkylaromatic sulfonates obtainable under the brand names of Tamol(copyright) and Nekal(copyright) and also Supragil(copyright) and Rhodacar(copyright).
Examples of surfactants to be used are:
alkoxylation products based on aliphatic or alkylaromatic hydroxy, amine and aminohydroxy compounds and commerically obtainable under the brand names of Synperonic(copyright) and Ukanil(copyright), Dehypon(copyright), Neopol(copyright)-Ethoxylate, Emulan(copyright), Lutensol(copyright), Plurafac(copyright) and Pluronic(copyright) or Elfapur(copyright),
polyalkylene glycols, known under the brand names of Pluriol(copyright) and Antarox(copyright),
aliphatic and alkylaromatic mono- and polysulfonates having the brand names Lutensit(copyright), Rhodacar(copyright), Rhodapon(copyright) and Teepol(copyright),
esters and amides, for example sulfosuccinic esters of the brand Elfanol(copyright),
partial phosphoric esters marketed under the names of Rhodafac(copyright) or else Marlophor(copyright),
fatty acid partial glycerides and also fatty acid alkanolamides, to be obtained under the brand names of Luwitor(copyright) and Marlamid(copyright), respectively,
and the surfactants available under the names of Plantaren(copyright) and Glucopon(copyright).
It is further particularly advantageous to use surfactants having betaine or sultaine groups, ie. surfactants which are inner salts of quaternary ammonium and carboxylate (betaine) or sulfonate (sultaine) ions, obtainable for example under the brand name of Mackam(copyright). It is also possible to use cationic surfactants based on quaternary ammonium compounds and amine oxides, available for example under the names of Alkaquat(copyright) and Rhodaquat(copyright) and also Mackalene(copyright), Mackernium(copyright), Mackpro(copyright) and Mackamine(copyright).
The aftertreatment composition may further include as additive at least one ammonium, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal sulfite, bisulfite (hydrogensulfite) or disulfite. Their proportion in the overall mixture is 5-30% by weight. It is advantageous to use the alkali metal salts, especially Na2SO3, NaHSO3 or Na2S2O5.
If necessary, corrosion inhibitors can be included as well. The amounts thereof vary of course with the nature of the inhibitor within the range from 1 ppm to 1% by weight, based on the total mixture.
Preference is given to using an amount of from 5 ppm to 0.5% by weight, particularly preferably to a proportion of from 10 ppm to 0.1% by weight, again based on the total mixture. Suitable ingredients are substances from the following groups:
(a) reaction products of saturated or unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acids having from 3 to 30 carbon atoms and aliphatic oligoamines having from 2 to 8 nitrogen atoms, which can additionally bear hydroxyl groups, or dialkanolamines or derivatives of such reaction products,
(b) aliphatic sulfonium salts, which can be substituted by additional hydrophilic groups,
(c) aliphatic or aromatic monocarboxylic acids and/or dicarboxylic acids having from 3 to 16 carbon atoms or their water-soluble salts,
(d) triazoles or derivatives thereof,
(e) imidazoles or derivatives thereof,
(f) thiazoles or derivatives thereof,
(g) unsaturated aliphaic alcohols having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms,
(h) alkenylsuccinic acid, its water-soluble salts or derivatives of such alkenylsuccinic acids,
(j) polymaleic acids or their water-soluble salts,
(k) xcex1-olefin-maleic anhydride copolymers,
(l) sulfamidocarboxylic acids or their water-soluble salts and/or
(m) ammonium salts of sulfonic acids.
The substances of group (a) and their preparation are known for example from EP-A 034 726, DE-A 3 109 826, DE-A 3 109 827, EP-A 103 737 and German Patent Application 195 202 69.4.
Examples of compounds of group (b) and processes for their preparation are described in JP-B 1972/10202, DE-A 1 806 653 and DE-A 2 208 894.
Suitable inhibitors of group (c) include in particular aliphatic monocarboxylic acids having from 5 to 12 carbon atoms and/or their sodium and potassium salts and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms and also their mono- or disodium or mono- or dipotassium salts. This group further includes aromatic carboxylic acids such as benzoic acid, methylbenzoic acid, phthalic acid and terephthalic acid and also their sodium and potassium or else ammonium salts, based for example on piperazine or morpholine.
Suitable triazoles (d) are especially hydrocarbyltriazoles, especially benzotriazole and toluotriazole.
Suitable imidazoles (e) are in particular unsubstituted imidazole, alkyl- or aryl-substituted imidazoles such as 1-(C1- to C4-alkyl)imidazoles or 1-phenylimidazole, aminoalkylimidazoles, for example N-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole, and also quaternized imidazoles, for example N-vinylimidazole quaternized with dimethyl sulfate, the latter being described in German Patent Application 196 05 509 as nonferrous metal corrosion inhibitors.
Suitable thiazoles (f) are in particular hydrocarbylthiazoles, for example benzothiazole.
A typical representative of unsaturated alcohol (g) is propargyl alcohol.
The alkenylsuccinic acids (h) and their derivatives are in particular ammonium salts of alkenylsuccinic monoamides as described in DE-A 41 03 262. A particularly interesting alkenyl radical is polyisobutyl.
Suitable polymaleic acids (j) are described in EP-A 065 191, for example.
Typical xcex1-olefin-maleic acid copolymers (k) are present partly or wholly opened to the dicarboxylic acid structures and are usually derivatized with amines to form amides or imides. Suitable xcex1-olefins are in particular those having from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, for example isobutene, 1-octene or 1-dodecene.
Examples of sulfamidocarboxylic acids (1) are sulfonamides of anthranilic acid and also neutralization products of sulfamido-carboxylic acids with alkanolamines, dialkanolamines or trialkanolamines.
Suitable ammonium salts of sulfonic acids (m) include, for example, corresponding salts of 2-aminoethansulfonic acid (taurine).
Of course, the additives mentioned can be added not just alone but also in mixture, in which case the sum total of the proportions of the components in the aftertreatment composition has to add up to 100% by weight.
Furthermore, the aftertreatment composition can be used not only in dissolved but also in solid form, the solid form being preferred in the case of the dithionite-based aftertreatment composition.
It is customary to add from 0.1 g to 5.0 g of the aftertreatment composition, based on the solids content, per liter of the dyeing liquor or wash bath volume.
In the high temperature exhaust process, the textiles are dyed for example at 120-140xc2x0 C. in pressure vessels, which are only safe to open when back at atmospheric pressure, at temperatures below 100xc2x0 C. Otherwise, the reduction clearing of the polyester textiles proceeds at a satisfactory rate not only in the dyeing liquor but also in wash baths only at above about 50xc2x0 C. The preferred temperature range for the aftertreatment is therefore 50-100xc2x0 C.
The duration of the aftertreatment was 5-20 min in the recited illustrative embodiments, but different durations can also result under actual service conditions. These durations are influenced by parameters such as, for example, the temperature, the volume of the dyeing liquor or of the wash bath and, not unconnectedly, the efficiency of the mixing-in of the aftertreatment composition, but of course also by the nature of the colorant used.
The present invention further provides mixtures comprising at least one compound of the formula (Ia)
A[(CR1R2)SO2M]p,qxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Ia)
and a synergistically effective amount of at least one compound of the formula (II)
A[(CR1R2)SO3M]p,qxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(II)
where
A is NR33xe2x88x92q or OR42xe2x88x92p
R1, R2, R4 are each hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl
R3 represents identical or different radicals selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C8-cycloalkyl opt. substituted by from one to three C1-C4-alkyl radicals
M is the equivalent of an ammonium, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal ion
p is 1 or 2
q is 1, 2 or 3
subject to the proviso that at least one of R1, R2 and R4 is C1-C6-alkyl when A is OR42xe2x88x92p.
Examples of corresponding mixtures and sulfonates were mentioned above in the description of the process of the invention.
Here too it is of course again possible to use xe2x80x9cmolecularly mixedxe2x80x9d sulfinates/sulfonates.
The sulfinates and sulfonates are preferably used in a molar ratio within the range from 20:1 to 1:20, which means, mutatis mutandis, in relation to the xe2x80x9cmolecularly mixedxe2x80x9d compounds that the molar ratio of sulfinate to sulfonate groups is preferably within the range from 20:1 to 1:20. In both cases the ratio is especially within the range from 10:1 to 1:10.
Preference is further given to mixtures wherein component (Ia) is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of HOCH(CH3)SO2Na, H2NCH2SO2Na, HN(CH2SO2Na)2, N(CH2SO2Na)3, H2NCH(CH3)SO2Na, HN(CH(CH3)SO2Na)2, N(CH(CH3)SO2Na)3 and sodium salts of 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-ethylhexylamino-methansulfinic acid and -ethanesulfinic acid and component (II) is selected from the group HOCH(CH3)SO3Na, H2NCH2SO3Na, HN(CH2SO3Na)2, N(CH2SO3Na)3, H2NCH(CH3)SO3Na, HN(CH(CH3)SO3Na), N(CH(CH3)SO3Na)3 and sodium salts of 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-ethylhexylamino-methanesulfonic acid and -ethanesulfonic acid.
These mixtures can include as further additives at least one hydroxyketone or an oligomer or polymer derived from a plurality of identical or different hydroxyketones, for example in a proportion of 5-60% by weight of the total mixture,
at least one dispersant or surfactant or a mixture thereof, for example in a proportion of 2-50% by weight of the total mixture, and
at least one ammonium, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal sulfite, bisulfite or disulfite, for example in a proportion of 5-30% by weight of the total mixture.
The additives mentioned can of course be added alone or in mixture, in which case the weight proportions of the components in the aftertreatment composition again have to add up to 100%. Examples of additives to be used in each case and of substances whose use is preferred were described above and are likewise used in the claimed mixtures.
If necessary, the mixtures may include further components such as the abovementioned corrosion inhibitors, for example in amounts from 10xe2x88x924 to 1% by weight based on the total mixture of the aftertreatment composition.
The sulfinate mixtures of the invention are preferably used in the form of aqueous solutions for reduction clearing dyed or printed polyester textiles.
In addition, such mixtures, or else their aqueous solutions, can be used generally for cleaning polyester textiles. In this case, the noncolorant impurities would be decolorized by reduction.
Applications in resist printing are also possible, in which case the areas of the substrate which are not to be colored are treated with such mixtures or their solutions.
The dithionite-based aftertreatment composition is preferably used in solid form in the process of the invention. However, the use of aqueous solutions is also possible here.
When dispersants and/or surfactants are used in the liquid or dissolved state, this need not conflict with a solid formulation of the aftertreatment composition. Provided the remaining components are present in solid form, which will generally be the case with dithionites, acid acceptors, hydroxyketones and corrosion inhibitors, the binding capacity thereof will usually be sufficient to absorb a liquid or dissolved constituent, especially in the proportion of from 2 to 20% by weight of the total mixture claimed herein, to provide a granulable and/or free flowing product in most cases.

Reduction clearing of polyester textiles

Abstract: xe2x80x83where A is NR33xe2x88x92q or OR42xe2x88x92p; p,q means q when A is NR33xe2x88x92q, and p when A is OR42xe2x88x92p; R1, R2, R4 are each hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl; R3 represents identical or different radicals selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C8-cycloalkyl opt. substituted by from one to three C1-C4-alkyl radicals; M is the equivalent of an ammonium, alkali metal or a kaline earth metal ion; m is 0 or 1; p is 1 or 2; and q is 1, 2 or 3, subject to the provisos that at least one of R1, R2, R4 is C1-C6-alkyl when A is OR42xe2x88x92p and that, if m is 0: the compound of formula (I) is S2O4M2, and the compound of the formula (I) is used together with sufficient acid acceptor to raise the pH of the dyeing liquor or of the wash bath by from 1 to 3 units,

Abstract: xe2x80x83where A, R1, R2, R3, R4, M, p,q p and q are each as defined for the formula (I), although the specific choice of these variables does not have to be the same for the compounds of the formulae (I) and (II)

Abstract: c) and optionally further additives.


Radial fuses for protecting an electrical circuit include a nonconductive base provided with inverted flat faces sloped obliquely relative to one another that define a wider receiving area for installation of a fuse element. Restricted freedom of movement of the fuse element is accomplished, and greater fuse reliability is ensured.

The field of the invention relates generally to electrical fuses, and more specifically, to the construction and assembly of so-called radial fuses.
Electrical fuses are widely used overcurrent protection devices for electrical circuits. Typically, electrical fuses include a fusible link or fuse element assembly extending between conductive elements that may be connected to circuitry. When installed in an energized electrical circuit, current flows through the fusible link or fuse element assembly. The fusible link or fuse element assembly is designed to physically melt, disintegrate, or otherwise structurally fail when the current flowing through the fuse reaches a predetermined level, thereby opening the electrical circuit through the fuse and protecting associated electrical equipment and components from damage. Once the fusible link has opened the circuit, the fuse may be removed and replaced with another fuse to once again complete the circuit.
So-called radial fuses are known that include a nonconductive base and a pair of axial leads extending from the base for connection to a circuit board. Such radial fuses are used to protect power supplies, power adapters, and battery chargers for a variety of electronic devices. A fusible link extends across the base and is connected to respective ends of the axial leads via soldering techniques. Radial fuses are sometimes preferred for circuit board application because of their smaller size or footprint when installed to a circuit board.


A storage controller includes a first memory that stores a plurality of data blocks that include first and second noncontiguous data segments. A queue module stores data lengths and data start addresses of the first and second data segments. A read assembly module communicates with the first memory and the queue module, receives a request to read the first and second data segments from a host, reads the plurality of data blocks from the first memory, extracts the first and second data segments from the read plurality of data blocks based on the data lengths and data start addresses after the plurality of data blocks is read from the first memory, and transfers the first and second data segments contiguously to the host.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to storage device controllers, and more particularly, to streamlining data flow in storage device controllers.
2. Background
Conventional computer systems typically include several functional components. These components may include a central processing unit (CPU), main memory, input/output ("I/O") devices, and streaming storage devices (for example, tape drives) (referred to herein as "storage device"). In conventional systems, the main memory is coupled to the CPU via a system bus or a local memory bus. The main memory is used to provide the CPU access to data and/or program information that is stored in main memory at execution time. Typically, the main memory is composed of random access memory (RAM) circuits. A computer system with the CPU and main memory is often referred to as a host system.
The storage device is coupled to the host system via a controller that handles complex details of interfacing the storage devices to the host system. Communications between the host system and the controller is usually provided using one of a variety of standard I/O bus interfaces.
Typically, when data is read from a storage device, a host system sends a read command to the controller, which stores the read command into the buffer memory. Data is read from the device and stored in the buffer memory.
In storage devices, data is stored in blocks of varying sizes and non-contiguous segments. However, data, when sent to the host system must be contiguous. Therefore, data, after being read should be assembled efficiently, so that, to a host system it appears contiguous. Conventional systems do not perform this function efficiently.
Therefore, there is a need for a system to assemble data so that when it is sent to the host it is contiguous.

System and method for concatenating data


An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that makes it possible to improve the image quality by selecting adequate paper feedings in a printer that performs printing. First, a test pattern is printed according to the interlace recording mode. The test pattern includes a plurality of color patches respectively printed using different correction values. The correction values for respective feed amounts are determined by investigating the printing results of this test pattern. Then, when an image is printed in this interlace recording mode, the sub-scan feed amount is corrected according to this correction value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for performing printing by recording ink dots on a recording medium while a print head is moving in the main scan direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ink jet printers which eject ink from a head and laser printers have become popular as output devices for computers. Especially in recent years, color printers using color inks have also been widely utilized.
Various types of printing media for ink jet printers have been commercially marketed. Since the coloring properties of inks differ in different printing media, there are considerable differences in the images obtained. The type of printing medium used also affects the precision of the sub-scan feed of the printing medium (hereafter referred to as the xe2x80x9cpaper feedxe2x80x9d). For example, the actual feed amount may vary considerably between printing media with easy-slip surfaces and printing media with surfaces that do not slip easily, even if the same feed operation is performed. Furthermore, the precision of the paper feed tends to vary considerably from printer to printer.
The degree of precision of the paper feed has a great effect on the image quality. However, in the case of printers that perform printing using a so-called interlace recording mode, the image quality degradation caused by paper feed error can be suppressed to some extent by appropriately setting the paper feed amount. Here, the term xe2x80x9cinterlace recording modexe2x80x9d refers to a printing method that is performed using a print head that has nozzles aligned in a row at a nozzle pitch that is twice the dot pitch in the sub-scan direction (i.e., the main scan line pitch) or greater. In cases where such a print head is used, gaps are generated between the main scan lines (raster lines) that are recorded by a single main scan pass. Furthermore, a number of main scan passes that is equal to the number of main scan lines contained in these gaps is further required in order to eliminate the gaps. It is known that various feed amounts can be used in the case of such an interlace recording mode. Conventionally, therefore, the effect of variation in the paper feed precision on the mage quality has be minimized by appropriately selecting the paper feed amount in the interlace recording mode.
For the reasons described above, the direct correction of paper feed error in printers using an interlace recording mode has not been seriously considered. However, as high image quality in printers has spread in recent years, there has been a demand for further improvement of image quality by the appropriate correction of paper feed error in printers that perform printing in an interlace recording mode. This demand has been increased not only against interlace recording mode printers but also against non-interlace recording mode printers.
An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for improving image quality by correcting the paper feed error in a printer.
In order to attain the above object, the present invention executes prescribed processing in printing using a printing apparatus for printing by recording ink dots on a printing medium while moving a printing head in a main scanning direction. This printing apparatus comprises: a printing head including a plurality of nozzles arranged in a sub-scanning direction substantially perpendicular to a main scanning direction; a main scan drive unit configured to move the printing head in the main scanning direction, a sub-scan drive unit configured to move the printing medium in the sub-scanning direction by a plurality of intermittent feedings, a head driving unit configured to eject ink droplets from the nozzles while the main scan of the printing head, and a control unit configured to control the main scan drive unit, the sub-scan drive unit and the head driving unit.
With such the printing apparatus, a test pattern is formed on a printing medium. The test pattern includes a plurality of color patches printed in a plurality of printing modes, respectively. The test pattern is formed for selecting a printing mode from among the plurality of printing modes which are different each other in a sub-scan feed amount and/or an adjustment value for a sub-scan feed amount. Dots are recorded in accordance with a printing mode selected based on printing result of the test pattern.
With such an embodiment, image quality is improved by selecting the paper feed properly. This technique is described in many kinds of embodiment underneath.
(1) Pattern Printing in Interlace Printing Mode:
One embodiment for attaining the above object is as follows. That is a method for correcting the amount of sub-scan feed of the printing medium in a printing device which uses a print head that has a plurality of nozzles aligned in a row in the sub-scan direction, which is approximately perpendicular to the main scan direction, at a nozzle pitch of k times (k is an integer of 2 or greater) the dot pitch in the sub-scan direction, and which records ink dots on the printing medium while causing the print head to move in the main scan direction. The method comprises the steps of (a) printing, in accordance with an interlace recording mode, a test pattern that includes a plurality of color patches respectively printed using different correction values, as a test pattern for the purpose of determining the correction value of the sub-scan feed amount of the printing medium; and (b) correcting the sub-scan feed amount according to a correction value set in accordance with the printing results of the test pattern when the printing of images is performed in the interlace recording mode.
In this method, a test pattern that includes a plurality of color patches that are respectively printed using different correction values is printed according to the interlace recording mode, and the sub-scan feed amount is corrected using a correction value in accordance with the printing results of this test pattern. Accordingly, the sub-scan feed error of the printer that performs printing in an interlace recording mode can be corrected, so that the image quality is improved.
The step (a) may comprise the steps of as follows. These are (i) selecting N nozzles (N is an integer of 2 or greater) for each color among the plurality of nozzles as used nozzles; (ii) performing (k xe2x88x921) scan sets each comprising a single main scan and a sub-scan feed by a first feed amount that is equal to the dot pitch in the sub-scanning direction, and then further performing a single main scan and a sub-scan feed by a second feed amount which is equal to {Nxc3x97kxe2x88x92(kxe2x88x921)} time the dot pitch; and (iii) printing the test pattern by repeatedly performing the step (ii).
In the test pattern that is printed by such a printing method, band-form areas of image deterioration called xe2x80x9cbandingxe2x80x9d tend to be generated as a result of sub-scan feed error. Accordingly, if the correction value is determined using such a test pattern, the sub-scan feed error can be corrected so that banding tends not to occur.
It is preferable that the plurality of color patches are gray patches that are reproduced by composite black.
Composite black is reproduced using inks of the three hues CMY. The sub-scan feed error can be corrected with the ink dot trajectory error also taken into account; as a result, the mage quality can be further improved.
The plurality of color patches may be monochromatic patches that are reproduced using one ink among inks of black, cyan and magenta. The plurality of color patches may also be color patches of a secondary color that is reproduced using two inks among inks of three colors of cyan, magenta and yellow.
If inks with color components for which improvement of the image quality is especially desired are selected as the inks used to reproduce the color patches, the effect of the correction of the sub-scan feed error in improving the image quality is conspicuous.
(2) Pattern Printing in Given Ink Duty:
One embodiment for attaining the above object is as follows. That is a method for correcting sub-scan feed amount of a printing medium in a printing device that prints by recording dots onto a printing medium while moving a print head in the main scanning direction. The method comprises the step of (a) printing a test pattern for deciding a correction value for the sub-scan feed amount of the printing medium. The test pattern includes a multiplicity of color patches each printed at a different correction value, and being printed with one type of ink at ink duty of less than 100%. The method also comprises the step of (b) during printing, correcting the sub-scan feed amount in accordance with a correction value set with reference to the printed result of the test pattern.
With this method, color patches are printed using one type of ink at an ink duty of less than 100%, so that color patches that make image degradation due to paper feed error readily apparent can be printed. As a result, printer sub-scan feed error can be corrected with an appropriate correction value, and quality improved thereby.
The ink duty may be varied depending on a type of the printing medium.
Typically, if ink duty is excessively large, the ink tends to bleed, whereas conversely if it is too low, there is a tendency for image degradation due to paper feed error to become less readily apparent. It is normal for the susceptibility to ink bleeding to vary with the type of printing medium (particularly its surface qualities). Thus, by varying the ink duty depending on the type of printing medium, it becomes possible to print test patterns suitable for printing media of various kinds.
The plurality of color patches may be gray patches reproduced by means of black ink. The ink duty of each of the gray patches may be a value in a range of about 70% to about 90%.
With this embodiment, it is possible to print the test pattern that is suitable for deciding the proper correction value of paper feed error.
The plurality of color patches may be arrayed in a row in the sub-scanning direction on a single sheet of printing medium.
This embodiment allows a large number of color patches to be printed on a single sheet of printing medium, printing medium can be saved.
The print head may comprise a color nozzle row wherein a plurality of color nozzle groups are arranged in predetermined order in the sub-scanning direction, and a black nozzle row arranged juxtaposed to the color nozzle row. In such arrangement, it is preferable that the plurality of color patches are printed using only some of a plurality of black nozzles included in the black nozzle row.
With this arrangement, gaps between color patches can be made relatively small, allowing a large number of color patches to be printed on a single sheet of printing medium.
Furthermore, the present invention may be realized in various aspects; such as a method and apparatus for correcting the sub-scan feed amount (paper feed amount), a controlling method and apparatus for controlling the sub-scan feed, a printing method and apparatus which give consideration to the correction of the sub-scan feed amount, a printing control apparatus and method which are used to control a printing apparatus with consideration given to the correction of the sub-scan feed amount, computer programs for realizing such methods and apparatus, recording media for recording such computer programs, and data signals realized in carrier waves including such computer programs.
(3) Pattern Printing with Selection of Feeding Amount:
In order to attain at least part of the above objects, in one embodiment of the invention, the present invention executes prescribed processing with a printing device which performs printing by recording ink dots on a printing medium while causing a print head to move in the main scan direction. This printing device comprises: a nozzle group for ejecting drops of ink, a main scan drive unit for performing main scan by moving the nozzle group and/or the printing medium, a sub-scan drive unit for performing sub-scanning by moving the nozzle group and/or the printing medium in a direction intersecting the main scanning direction, an input unit for receiving data input from the outside, and a control unit for controlling each the unit.
With such printing device, color patches are formed on the printing medium using a multiplicity of dot recording modes in which the sub-scanning conducted at intervals between the main scans differs in content. Then a dot recording mode is decided by means of selecting one color patch from among the test patches. With this arrangement, a dot recording mode that gives the printed result of the best quality can be selected on the basis of actual printed results.
In case that the printing modes involves recording a plurality of pixels on a single main scan line over a plurality of different main scans, it is preferable that the color patches are formed on the printing medium using the plurality of dot recording modes in which the number of main scans needed to record all pixels on a single main scan line is mutually equal, and in which the sub-scan feed content conducted at intervals between the main scans is mutually different. With this arrangement, a dot recording mode can be selected from among a plurality of dot recording modes in which the number of the main scans needed to record all pixels included in a single main scan line are mutually equal. The selection can be made based on the quality of printed results that differs because of the differences of orders of recording pixels of a single given main scan line or the differences of the combinations of nozzles used to record each pixel.
It is preferable that the plurality of dot recording modes employ different combinations of nozzles for recording a plurality of pixels that are contiguous in the sub-scanning direction. With this arrangement, dot recording mode can be selected from among a multiplicity of dot recording modes that give printed results of different quality.
In forming color patches, the color patches may be formed on the printing medium using the plurality of dot recording modes each of which involves repeated execution of the sub-scan by a single constant feed amount. The dot recording modes may mutually differ in the feed amounts. In such the case, it is preferable that the feed amounts in the plurality of dot recording modes of mutually different feed amounts are substantially equal. With this arrangement, printing speed does not vary significantly regardless of the dot recording mode selected.
In forming color patches, it is preferable that color patches are formed on the printing medium using the plurality of dot recording modes each involving repeated execution of a unit sub-scan. In this arrangement, the unit sub-scan may include sub-scans with a plurality of feed amounts, and the dot recording modes may differ in an order of execution of sub-scans with the plurality of feed amounts included in the unit sub-scan, and/or in the plurality of feed amounts. In such an arrangement, the plurality of dot recording modes for repeated execution of the unit sub-scan have substantially equal average values for feed amount of the sub-scans included in the unit sub-scan. With this arrangement, printing speed does not vary significantly regardless of the dot recording mode selected.
In forming color patches, it is preferable that the color patches may be formed by forming dots with magenta, cyan and yellow inks in each of the dot recording modes. With this arrangement, it is possible to produce test patches that readily reflect image quality of printed results in color printing.
The present invention may be implemented to practice in number of embodiments, such as the following.
(1) Method for deciding dot recording mode; printing method; printing control method.
(2) Printing device; printing control device.
(3) Method for producing printing device.
(4) Computer program for implementing the device or method.
(5) Storage medium having recorded a computer program for implementing the device or method.
(6) Data signal including a computer program for implementing the device or method, and embodied in a carrier wave.


A separation device for a backlight source is provided. The separation device includes a machine table, at least one separation platform, where each separation platform is located above the machine table and secured at a fixed position relative to the machine table and is configured to support a display module and secure a backlight source of the display module thereon; a plurality of guide columns arranged perpendicular to the machine table, at least one adsorption mechanism arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the at least one separation platform, where each adsorption mechanism is arranged at a side of the corresponding separation platform away from the machine table and configured to adsorb a display screen of the display module on the corresponding separation platform, and a driving unit configured to drive each adsorption mechanism to move in the lengthwise direction of the plurality of guide columns.

During the manufacture of a display device, for a display module desired to be maintained, it is required to separate a backlight source from a display screen.
A separation device for a backlight source in related technology mainly includes a separation platform onto which the backlight source of the display module is secured, and a suction cap configured to adsorb the display screen of the display module. During the separation, the display module is placed onto the separation platform in such a manner that the backlight source is secured onto the separation platform with the display screen away from the separation platform. At this time, the display module is heated by a heating device inside the separation platform, and the display screen is adsorbed via the suction cup held by an operator. The suction cup may be moved by the operator, so as to separate the display screen from the backlight source.
As mentioned above, the display screen is separated from the backlight source manually, and during the separation, it is difficult to control a force for moving the suction cup as well as a movement angle. As a result, the display screen may be damaged locally due to an uneven force applied thereto, and a display effect of the display screen may be adversely affected. In addition, it is inconvenient to perform the separation manually.

BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A still video image is placed within a frame or plaque and an associated audio stimulus is stored on a recording and playback unit. The recording and playback unit is self-contained and affixed to the frame to allow for instant and repeated playback of the audio stimulus when desired. Both the video image and the audio stimulus can be varied according to a user's desire. The portability of the frame and the recording and playback unit allow a user to record any audio event at the location and time that it occurs.

With the advent of technology there are many devices currently on the market for recording and playing back an audio and visual scene of a certain event. For example, home video recording machines provide the user with an opportunity to permanently record events that may otherwise exist only in still picture form or within someone's memory. To view the audio and visual recordings from these machines, one must replay the recording on a monitor. This method for viewing recorded scenes requires a certain amount of setup time, not to mention expensive video components, to begin viewing. These recorded scenes are thus not easily portable and are not always readily available for viewing. Often it is desirable to have continuous and instant viewing of certain memorable scenes. This is of course why particular pictures that may be especially pleasing or historic are often placed within a picture frame and mounted on a wall or placed on a shelf for long-term display. In this manner visual gratification is both instantaneous and continuous. In addition, still pictures placed within a frame provide a degree of transportability, or portability, not available with other means of recorded images. However, displaying such a picture along with an accompanying audio enhancement can be more desirable and effective at stimulating the memorable aspects of a picture without sacrificing the picture's portability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,246 issued to Jeng, et al. discloses a sound illustrated book containing various audio sounds corresponding to the printed matter found on the pages of the book. Photosensitive elements determine which page of the book is opened for viewing in order to select the particular sound portion associated with the page. Another patent which discloses a sound illustrated book is U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,092 issued to Cummings. In Cummings, a book is described having a self-contained power source and voice chips which are activated by depressing a mark on a given page. The audio unit produces synthesized sound corresponding to the words or pictures on the page. Both of these devices disclose audio enhanced books employing separate and distinct methods for selecting and playing the correct audio signal associated with a given portion of the book.
Still another talking or sound-illustrated book is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,881 issued to Brefka, et al. In Brefka, logical circuitry is used in conjunction with an infrared detecting means to generate start and stop signals corresponding to the turning of pages. These start and stop signals are then used to access audio information pertaining to a particular page of the book that may be open. A cassette recorder is used for playing the prerecorded information corresponding to an open page.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,029 issued to Kelley discloses an audio still camera system incorporating a specialized camera capable of recording both a photographic image and an associated audio signal. The camera uses a specialized photographic film having an integral acoustic recording medium. The sound recorded on the medium is that created during the time period in which the picture was taken. Playback of the audio portion of the photograph is accomplished by insertion of the photograph into either the camera itself or into a separate playback means.
In the disclosure of the now withdrawn U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,327 issued to Tarlow, et al., there is shown a digital recording and playback module system. Specifically, Tarlow shows a recording center used to permanently record an audio message onto a playback module containing a digital memory. The playback module can then be attached to one of several items including a picture to provide an audio component. The device disclosed in Tarlow requires the use of a cumbersome and relatively complex recording center and does not provide a method for creating a self-contained, audio-enhanced picture that is reusable. Furthermore, the invention described in Tarlow mandates that the recording take place at the time and location of the purchase. This requires that a live audible event be staged at the recording center, which eliminates any spontaneity associated with the recording, or that a prerecorded message be played, which leads to signal degradation.
Even in light of the attempts made in the prior art to combine the recording aspects of video and audio, there is no unitary device which provides a portable and reusable method for recording and playing an audio passage, or other sound segment associated with a still picture. Accordingly, there is a need for a self-powered talking picture frame or plaque containing an integral audio recording and playback device for use in enhancing a still video image.


A connection system is provided of the type wherein a plug connector must be accurately guided to mate with a receptable connector, which minimizes the space coupled by guiding apparatus and which enables the guiding apparatus to electrically ground portions of the two connectors. The plug connector (12, FIG. 4) includes an insulative body (40) with small holes that hold signal contacts (24), the body also having larger holes (42) that hold guide pins (30) that project rearwardly further than the signal contacts to guide the connectors so they properly mate. The receptable connector (14, FIG. 5) has larger socket contacts (60) with through holes therein, which initially receive rearward guide parts (56) of the guide pins to provide the guiding function, and which then receive greater diameter contacting parts (58) of the guide pins which make good electrical contact with the socket contacts. Each guide pin has a forward contacting end (82, FIG. 4) which has resilient fingers to project through a plated hole (84) of a printed circuit board, the forward end having a taper that retains the guide pin in the circuit board.

Plug and receptacle connectors must often be mated in a blind space, such as where a plug-in module has a plug connector at its rear. When the module is inserted rearwardly into a deep slot in a frame, the plug connector at the rear of the module must mate with a receptacle connector on the frame at the rear of the slot thereof. The most common practice is to provide a separate guide plate with rearwardly-projecting pins that assure accurate alignment of the connectors as they approach each other. However, the guide plate takes up additional room around the plug connector and constitutes an added expense. It may be noted that connectors commonly used include an insulative body with small holes for holding ordinary signal contacts and larger holes for holding coaxial contacts. A connection system which provided guide pins for accurately aligning a pair of connectors as they approached one another to mate, which avoided the need for extra space around the connectors to accommodate such guide pins, which used such guide pins to connect the ground planes of the circuitry coupled to the two connectors, and which enabled such guiding function to be easily added to existing connector designs, would be of considerable value.

Guide pin apparatus for module connector


Embodiments of the invention include techniques for storing and managing repositories of electronic presentation documents. Presentation storage repositories may be implemented in various storage systems including individual computer servers, distributed storage networks, cloud-based storage systems, and the like. Presentation search interfaces may support various searching and customization capabilities. Search interface and search engine components may be implemented to receive search requests from client devices, retrieve electronic presentation data from one or more storage repositories, and generate customized search results based on the retrieved electronic presentation data. Search and presentation capabilities may include storing user-specific selections of presentation cover slides, and then retrieving and/or generating user-specific thumbnails for search results interfaces. Additionally, presentation access and usage statistics may be tracked and stored within the storage repository and may be incorporated into the customized searching and presentation capabilities.

The present disclosure relates to computer systems and software, and more particularly to techniques for storing and managing repositories of electronic presentation documents, as well techniques for providing customized search and presentation capabilities on such repositories.
Maintaining and providing access to large storage repositories of documents may require complex combinations of storage system hardware and software. Implementing such systems may involve addressing many technical challenges and usability issues. For example, document storage repositories may be implemented using one or more different computing architectures and/or storage systems, including standalone and single-server computing systems, distributed computing and storage systems, cloud-based systems, etc. Moreover, a document repository may receive and store documents from multiple different sources, including documents of different types and different various of documents associated with different users. Additionally, such systems may implement different levels of user access and various different authentication techniques may be provided via one or more end-user applications.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Electronic presentation repository and interface


A heat extraction and cooling system which can be attached to the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer for exchanging heat through an enclosure which houses a ducted fan. The apparatus includes a dual section rotary blade system that is driving by a conventional direct current motor. The apparatus also includes a heat conducting base that is placed in thermal engagement with the CPU. Attached to the base is a uniquely configured heat dissipating member which includes a plurality of upstanding heat dispensing fins, a generally conically shaped shroud and is provided with a plurality of apertures for drawing the flow of cooling air through the shroud and past the fins of the heat dissipating member. The dual section rotary blade system pulls air inwardly through the apertured shroud, past the heat dissipating fins and into the hub portion of the rotary blade system. The heat air is then forced into the interior of the uniquely configured, hollow blades which are attached to the hub portion. Each of the blades is provided with a leading edge portion and trailing edge portion having a plurality of small apertures formed therein. As the blades rotate, a negative pressure is formed proximate the trailing edge of each blade and the heated gases are expelled through the small apertures. This provides a jet thrust action to the rotating assembly and causes the heated gases expelled from the hollow blades to expand rapidly thereby producing an additional cooling effect.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cooling systems. More particularly, the invention concerns an apparatus for cooling a heat producing member such as a computer chip or the like.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
During operation integrated circuit devices, such as computers generate significant amounts of heat. In order to maintain optimal performance this heat must be continuously removed. If the heat is not continuously and efficiently removed, the device may over heat resulting in reduction of operating performance and possible catastrophic damage. In order to avoid over heating, thermal management devices must be used. Prior art thermal management devices typically comprise heat sinks, thermal interface materials, fans, chassis ventilation, and combinations thereof.
As computer technology advances toward faster speeds and higher performance, thermal management becomes increasingly important. Maintaining the proper thermal environment in the computer system is key to reliable, long-term system operation. Typically, thermal management devices such as heat sinks induce improved heat dissipation through the heat dissipating surface areas coupled with strategically directed air flow from a fan disposed proximate the heat dissipating surface area.
The conventional prior art heat sink is formed of a material such as aluminum that readily conducts heat. The heat sink is usually placed on top of and in contact with the integrated circuit device. Through this contact, heat generated by the integrated circuit is conducted into the heat sink and away from the integrated circuit. Typically the heat sink includes a plurality of cooling fins which function to increase the surface area of the heat sink and thus maximize the transfer of heat from the heat sink device into the surrounding air. In this manner the heat sink draws heat away from the integrated circuit and transfers the heat into the surrounding air. A heat sink and fan combination can deliver better thermal performance than a heat sink alone. Accordingly, in order to enhance the cooling capacity of the heat sink, an electrically powered fan is often mounted on the top of the heat sink. Exemplary of this type of heat sink device is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5, 794,685 issued to Dean. Another prior art patent that discloses the use of a fan to carry heat away from the central processing unit is U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,014 issued to Lin. Still another heat sink device having radial heat and air flow paths is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,794, 685 issued to Dean.
The present invention is directed to a novel heat sink device that provides a uniquely configured heat dissipating member that functions to efficiently transfer into the surrounding air heat generated by the integrated circuit device. Cooperating with the heat dissipating member is a novel multi-bladed fan assembly that is so constructed and arranged as to draw air past the heat dissipating member and into the interior of the specially configured blades of the fan assembly of the apparatus.
As will be better appreciated from the discussion that follows, the novel cooling apparatus of the present invention cools the heat producing member in several ways. First, the heat from the heat producing member, such as the computer chip, is radiated from the multiplicity of fins of the heat dissipating member outwardly toward a generally truncated, conically-shaped, apertured shroud that surrounds the heat dissipating member. Second, intake air is drawn through the multiplicity of apertures formed in the shroud by a novel rotary fan blade assembly. Air drawn through the shroud flows past the novel heat dissipating member to cool the member by convection and is then directed into the hollow hub of the rotary fan assembly. Connected to the hollow hub are sixteen uniquely configured hollow fan blades, each of which has an apertured trailing edge. The heated gases emerging from the small apertures provided in the trailing edge of each blade create a jet thrust action to the rotating assembly and expand rapidly to produce an additional cooling effect. The heated air radiated from the heat dissipating member is further cooled as it is drawn past the shroud by the fan blades and then around and about the exterior of each of the hollow blades. The heated air passes completely around the exterior, surface of each and every blade from the root of the blade to the extreme tip. This produces a temperature drop not only within the hollow blade, but around the blade and the hub assembly as well.

Apparatus for cooling a heat producing member


Described herein are compositions comprising a first aptamer, second aptamer and a target that are capable of forming a ternary complex, and wherein the first aptamer and the second aptamer comprise C-5 pyrimidine modification schemes that are different, and methods of making and using such compositions.

Protein diagnostics have a wide array of clinical application and are useful in determining proteomic signatures or disease-specific biomarkers. These diagnostics typically require pairs of analyte-specific reagents for capture and detection of the desired target (e.g., protein). Antibodies have been widely used as diagnostic reagents; however they can be difficult to procure in adequate quality and quantity, and allow only limited multiplexing when testing multiple targets. Further, they are limited in arrays for multiplexed or high-content proteomic applications due to their inherent cross-reactivity and non-universal assay conditions.
In contrast to antibodies, nucleic acid-based ligands have several advantages over antibodies including low molecular weight, thermal and desiccation stability, reversible renaturation, ease of manufacturing, and lower cost. However, only few examples of analytes bound by two different aptamers exist to date. As one example, separate DNA aptamers to the fibrinogen-recognition and heparin-binding exosites of thrombin have been described, and both of these aptamers, TBA1 (15-mer) and TBA2 (29-mer), consist of G-quartet motifs that bind to discrete electropositive surfaces on thrombin. Sandwich assays with TBA1 and TBA2 have been developed for potential thrombin monitoring, including aptamer microarrays and fluorescence sensing platforms. Another example is integrin αvβ3, for which RNA aptamers to αv or β3 subunits have been generated via successive selections with αvβ3 or αIIbβ3. Aptamer pairs to TATA binding protein (TBP), prion protein (PrP), and VEGF-165 have also been reported. The limited number of aptamer pairs for detecting protein targets is likely the result of the propensity of aptamers to bind to predominantly cationic epitopes which drives the best ligands to common surfaces. Thus, special selection methods have generally been required to force the selection toward non-overlapping epitopes.
Therefore, there continues to be a need for alternative composition and methods for improved, cost-effective and efficient ways to detect target proteins. The present disclosure meets such needs by providing novel combinations of slow off-rate aptamer (SOMAmer) reagent pairs for protein detection that comprise deoxyuridine residues modified at their 5-position, which both expands the range of protein targets and improves the binding properties compared to conventional aptamers.