A fibrous material, which can be an absorbent material, includes a plurality of natural fibers treated with a carboxylic acid-based odor control agent, which are able to withstand insults with an aqueous liquid without dissolving the odor control agent. The acid-based odor control agent is bound to the natural fibers by an organosilicone polymer binder. The binder is water-insoluble, and can form a highly gas permeable coating. The binder is also highly porous, so as to expose the odor control agent to ammonia and other odoriferous gases which it is intended to control.

This invention relates to natural fibers, desirably absorbent fibers such as cellulose fibers, which are treated with acidic odor control agent/binder systems. The treated fibers are useful in the absorbent cores of personal care absorbent articles, medical absorbent articles and the like.
For many personal care absorbent articles, medical absorbent articles, and the like, it is desirable to reduce, prevent, or eliminate odors during use. For diapers and other incontinence products, it is desirable to reduce or eliminate the odor of ammonia which is present in urine. For feminine hygiene products, it is desirable to reduce or eliminate the odors of trimethylamine and triethylamine. Other common odor-producing substances include isovaleric acid, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide.
Odor control agents include odor inhibitors, odor absorbers, odor adsorbers and other compounds which suppress odors. Odor inhibitors prevent the odor from forming. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,786 to Kraskin teaches the use of an aminopolycarboxylic acid compound for inhibiting the formation of ammonia from urea in urine. Odor absorbers and adsorbers remove odor after it is formed. Examples of odor control agents that remove odor by absorption or adsorption include activated carbon, silica, and cyclodextrin.
Acidic odor control agents based on carboxylic acids and their derivatives are used to neutralize or inhibit formation of odors from ammonia and other basic odor-forming compounds. Ammonia, released from aqueous ammonium hydroxide, is one of the primary odor-producing substances in urine. One of the drawbacks of acidic odor control agents is they are not inherently durable, i.e., they pass into solution after one or more insults with aqueous liquid, and may acidify the liquid. If some of the acidified aqueous liquid leaks from the absorbent article and passes to the wearer""s skin, the wearer may experience itching, rash, and/or other uncomfortable effects.
Previously, acidic odor control agents have been applied to absorbent articles in the form of powders, coatings, and the like, which can be easily dissolved away. There is a need or desire for absorbent articles having durable acidic odor control agents, which retain their odor control functions and do not pass into solution after one or more insults with aqueous liquid.
The term xe2x80x9ccellulose fibersxe2x80x9d refers to fibers from wood, paper, woody plants, and certain non-woody plants. Woody plants include, for example, deciduous and coniferous trees. Non-woody plants include, for instance, cotton, flax, esparto grass, milkweed, straw, jute hemp, and bagasse.
The term xe2x80x9cnatural fibersxe2x80x9d includes cellulose fibers, carbon fibers, and other fibers existing in nature, as well as modifications of such fibers (for instance, treated cellulose fibers, activated carbon fibers, and the like).
The term xe2x80x9caverage fiber lengthxe2x80x9d refers to a weighted average length of fibers determined using a Kajaani fiber analyzer Model No. FS-100 available from Kajaani Oy Electronics in Kajaani, Finland. Under the test procedure, a fiber sample is treated with a macerating liquid to ensure that no fiber bundles or shives are present. Each fiber sample is dispersed in hot water and diluted to about a 0.001% concentration. Individual test samples are drawn in approximately 50 to 500 ml portions from the dilute solution and tested using the standard Kajaani fiber analysis procedure. The weighted average fiber lengths may be expressed by the following equation:       ∑                  X        i             greater than       0        k          xe2x80x83                (                        X          i                *                  n          i                    )        /    n
where
k=maximum fiber length,
Xi=individual fiber length,
n1=number of fibers having length Xi
and
n=total number of fibers measured.
The term xe2x80x9ccarboxylic acid-based odor control agentxe2x80x9d includes odor control agents based on carboxylic acids and/or their partially neutralized salts. The term xe2x80x9cmulti-carboxylic acid-based odor control agentxe2x80x9d includes odor control agents based on dicarboxylic acids, tricarboxylic acids, polycarboxylic acids, etc., having two or more carboxylic acid groups, and/or their partially neutralized salts.
The term xe2x80x9cpolymeric polycarboxylic acidxe2x80x9d refers to a polymer having multiple carboxylic acid groups in its repeating units. Examples include polyacrylic acid polymers, polymaleic acid polymers, copolymers of acrylic acid, copolymers of maleric acid, and combinations thereof. Other examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,511, which is incorporated by reference.
The term xe2x80x9codor control systemxe2x80x9d refers collectively to individual odor control agents, and combinations (by chemical reaction and/or blending) of two or more odor control agents.
The term xe2x80x9cnonwoven fabric or webxe2x80x9d means a web having a structure of individual fibers or threads which are interlaid, but not in a regular or identifiable manner as in a knitted fabric. Nonwoven fabrics or webs have been formed from many processes such as, for example, meltblowing processes, spunbonding processes, air laying processes, and bonded carded web processes. The basis weight of nonwoven fabrics is usually expressed in ounces of material per square yard (osy) or grams per square meter (gsm) and the fiber diameters useful are usually expressed in microns. (Note that to convert from osy to gsm, multiply osy by 33.91.)
The term xe2x80x9cmicrofibersxe2x80x9d means small diameter fibers having an average diameter not greater than about 75 microns, for example, having an average diameter of from about 1 micron to about 50 microns, or more particularly, microfibers may have an average diameter of from about 1 micron to about 30 microns. Another frequently used expression of fiber diameter is denier, which is defined as grams per 9000 meters of a fiber. For a fiber having circular cross-section, denier may be calculated as fiber diameter in microns squared, multiplied by the density in grams/cc, multiplied by 0.00707. A lower denier indicates a finer fiber and a higher denier indicates a thicker or heavier fiber. For example, the diameter of a polypropylene fiber given as 15 microns may be converted to denier by squaring, multiplying the result by 0.89 g/cc and multiplying by 0.00707. Thus, a 15 micron polypropylene fiber has a denier of about 1.42 (152xc3x970.89xc3x970.00707=1.415). Outside the United States the unit of measurement is more commonly the xe2x80x9ctex,xe2x80x9d which is defined as the grams per kilometer of fiber. Tex may be calculated as denier/9.
The term xe2x80x9cspunbonded fibersxe2x80x9d refers to small diameter fibers which are formed by extruding molten thermoplastic material as filaments from a plurality of fine capillaries of a spinnerette having a circular or other configuration, with the diameter of the extruded filaments then being rapidly reduced as by, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,563 to Appel et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,618 to Dorschner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,817 to Matsuki et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,338,992 and 3,341,394 to Kinney, U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,763 to Hartmann, U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,538 to Petersen, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,615 to Dobo et al., each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Spunbond fibers are quenched and generally not tacky when they are deposited onto a collecting surface. Spunbond fibers are generally continuous and often have average diameters larger than about 7 microns, more particularly, between about 10 and 30 microns.
The term xe2x80x9cmeltblown fibersxe2x80x9d means fibers formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material through a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillaries as molten threads or filaments into converging high velocity heated gas (e.g., air) streams which attenuate the filaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameter, which may be to microfiber diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibers are carried by the high velocity gas stream and are deposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly dispersed meltblown fibers. Such a process is disclosed for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,241 to Butin et al. Meltblown fibers are microfibers which may be continuous or discontinuous, are generally smaller than 10 microns in diameter, and are generally self bonding when deposited onto a collecting surface.
The term xe2x80x9cpolymerxe2x80x9d includes, but is not limited to, homopolymers, copolymers, such as for example, block, graft, random and alternating copolymers, terpolymers, etc., and blends and modifications thereof. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term xe2x80x9cpolymerxe2x80x9d shall include all possible geometrical configurations of the material. These configurations include, but are not limited to isotactic, syndiotactic and atactic symmetries.
The term xe2x80x9cpersonal care absorbent productxe2x80x9d includes without limitation diapers, training pants, swim wear, absorbent underpants, baby wipes, adult incontinence products, and feminine hygiene products.
The term xe2x80x9cmedical absorbent productxe2x80x9d includes without limitation garments, underpads, bandages, absorbent drapes, and medical wipes.
The term xe2x80x9cabsorbent fibersxe2x80x9d refers to fibers capable of absorbing about 5 to less than 15 times their weight in an aqueous solution containing 0.9 weight percent sodium chloride. The term is intended to include cellulose fibers, but not superabsorbent materials.
xe2x80x9cSuperabsorbentxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csuperabsorbent materialxe2x80x9d refers to a water-swellable, water-insoluble organic or inorganic material capable, under the most favorable conditions, of absorbing at least about 15 times its weight and, more desirably, at least about 20 times its weight in an aqueous solution containing 0.9 weight percent sodium chloride. The superabsorbent materials can be natural, synthetic and modified natural polymers and materials. In addition, the superabsorbent materials can be inorganic materials, such as silica gels, or organic compounds such as cross-linked polymers.
The terms xe2x80x9csilicone polymer,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cpolyorganosiloxanexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpolysiloxanexe2x80x9d interchangeably refer to siloxane polymers based on a structure of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms with various organic radicals attached to the silicon:
The term xe2x80x9codor control systemxe2x80x9d refers collectively to individual odor control agents, and combinations (by chemical reaction and/or blending) of two or more odor control agents.
The present invention is directed to natural fibers including cellulose, activated carbon or the like, treated with a combination of odor control system and binder, where the odor control system includes a carboxylic acid odor control agent and the binder includes a polyorganosiloxane (i.e., silicone polymer). The inventors have found that silicone polymers serve as excellent binders between carboxylic odor control agents (and systems containing them) and the natural fibers. The silicone polymers have a unique ability to protect the acidic odor control agents from being dissolved or otherwise passed into solution by aqueous liquids, while at the same time permitting odoriferous gases such as ammonia to reach the odor control agents. Put another way, the silicone polymers are water insoluble, and at the same time are highly porous.
In one embodiment of the invention, the odor control system and silicone polymer are combined together, with the silicone polymer being in a molten form or dissolved or suspended in a solvent. The combination of odor control system and silicone polymer are applied to the natural fibers, desirably absorbent fibers such as cellulose, by spray coating, brushing, printing, dipping, extrusion, or the like.
In another embodiment of the invention, the odor control system is first applied to the natural fibers using spray coating, brushing, printing, dipping, extrusion, or the like. The silicone polymer is then applied to the natural fibers over the odor control agent using spray coating, brushing, printing, dipping, extrusion, or the like.
In one embodiment of the invention, the odor control system includes activated carbon fibers in addition to the carboxylic acid odor control agent. The silicone polymer, other natural fibers (e.g., cellulose fibers) and carbon fibers can be combined using any foregoing technique. The silicone polymer binds to the activated carbon fibers as well as to the cellulose or other natural fibers to form an integrated odor control/binder system.
In another embodiment of the invention, the odor control system includes a multi-carboxylic acid-modified chitin or chitosan complex odor control agent. The carboxyl sites facilitate absorption of ammonia and amine-based odors. The amino groups on the chitin or chitosan facilitate absorption of acid-based odor compounds, and suppress the enzymatic decomposition of urine and menses, thereby inhibiting odor generation. This odor control system can also be combined with activated carbon to provide additional control of amino, sulfuric and acidic odors.
In accordance with the invention, an odor control system including an acidic odor control agent is used in conjunction with a silicone polymer binder to provide a natural fiber material with the ability to control odors from aqueous ammonia and other basic odoriferous compounds, and to maintain the ability to control odor after one or more aqueous liquid insults.
The natural fiber material can be an absorbent material, made using cellulose fibers. The natural fiber material may also be another odor control agent, such as activated carbon, or a combination of cellulose and activated carbon fibers or particles. The treated natural fiber material can be used in a wide variety of personal care products and medical products, and in other applications.
The natural fibers may have high average fiber lengths, low average fiber lengths, or may be a combination of high and low average fiber length fibers. High average fiber length fibers generally have an average fiber length greater than about 1.5 mm, suitably about 1.5-6 mm, when measured using an optical fiber analyzer such as the Kajaani tester described above. Low average fiber length fibers generally have an average fiber length less than about 1.5 mm, suitably about 0.7-1.2 mm, when measured using an optical fiber analyzer such as the Kajaani tester. Cellulose fibers from any source, and/or activated carbon fibers, are suitable for use in the invention. Fibers from wood, paper and the like, are particularly suitable.
The odor control system includes at least one acidic odor control agent, desirably a carboxylic acid-based odor control agent. Suitable carboxylic acid odor control agents include without limitation hydroxycarboxylic acids such as citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, and the like. Other suitable carboxylic acid odor control agents include without limitation formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, pyruvic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, and combinations thereof.
The acidic odor control agent may be combined (i.e., mixed or reacted) with one or more compatible odor-control agents to provide enhanced odor control properties. For instance a hydroxy carboxylic odor control agent, or another multi-carboxylic acid odor control agent, may be combined with chitin or chitosan. This can be accomplished by blending a calculated amount of chitin and/or chitosan with a calculated amount of an aqueous solution of the multi-carboxylic acid odor control agent at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then drying the mixture in an oven at 50xc2x0 C. for eight hours. The acid concentration in the starting aqueous solution is desirably in the range of about 5-55% by weight. The degree of diacetylation in the chitosan should be determined before adding chitosan to the acid solution. The amount of chitosan added to the acid solution should be selected so that the molar equivalent ratio of free amino groups in the chitosan to free carboxyl groups in the multi-carboxylic acid is about 0.2-0.4. The resulting odor control system is useful in absorbing, neutralizing, and inhibiting formation of ammonia, trimethylamine, isovaleric acid, and similar odoriferous compounds. In this embodiment, the acid is suitably citric acid, malic acid or tartaric acid, and is desirably citric acid.
A multi-carboxylic acid odor control agent may also be combined with a metal-oxide, suitably zinc oxide, to adjust the pH of the odor control agent by partially converting the free acid groups to their metallic salts. Other suitable metal oxides include transition metals such as cadmium, zirconium, chromium, copper, and the like. This partial neutralization of the multi-carboxylic acid can render it more useful for treating layer materials which contact the human body. The resulting odor control system is useful in absorbing, neutralizing, and inhibiting formation of ammonia, trimethylamine, isovaleric acid, and similar odoriferous compounds. In this embodiment, the acid is suitably citric acid, malic acid or tartaric acid, and is desirably citric acid.
The acidic odor control agent may also be a chelating agent. Suitable chelating agents include without limitation aminopolycarboxylic acids, their alkali metal salts, and combinations thereof Suitable aminopolycarboxylic acids and alkali metal (preferably sodium) salts thereof, include without limitation ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), the alkali metal salts of EDTA (for instance, Na2 EDTA, Na3 EDTA, and Na4 EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid, the alkali metal (e.g., sodium) salts of cyclohexanediamine tetraacetic acid, diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), hydroxyethylenediamine triacetic acid (HEDTA), pentasodium diethylenetriamine pentaacetate, trisodium hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine triacetate, and combinations thereof. A particularly suitable aminopolycarboxylic acid is EDTA. Suitable chelating agents also include polyamino disuccinic acids and alkali metal salts of them, including acids and salts of ethylenediamine-N,Nxe2x80x2-disuccinic acid, diethylenetriamine-N,Nxe2x80x3-disuccinic acid, triethylenetetraamine-N,Nxe2x80x2xe2x80x3-disuccinic acid, 1,6-hexamethylenediamine N,N-disuccinic acid, tetraethylenepentaamine-N,Nxe2x80x3xe2x80x3-disuccinic acid, 2-hydroxypropylene-1,3-diamine-N,Nxe2x80x2-disuccinic acid, 1,2-propylenediamine-N,Nxe2x80x2-disuccinic acid, 1,3-propylenediamine-N,Nxe2x80x2-disuccinic acid, cis-cyclohexanediamine-N,Nxe2x80x2-disuccinic acid, trans-cyclohexanediamine-N,Nxe2x80x2-disuccinic acid, and ethylene-bis (oxyethylenenitrilo)-N,Nxe2x80x2-disuccinic acid. One suitable polyamino disuccinic acid is ethylenediamine-N,Nxe2x80x2-disuccinic acid. Chelating agents can act as odor inhibitors which prevent odor from occurring by interfering with reactions that produce odors, as well as odor absorbents which remove or minimize existing odor-producing compounds.
In another embodiment of the invention, activated carbon fibers can also be added to the odor control system. Activated carbon helps to prevent or reduce various odors such as triethylamine, trimethylamine, dimethyl disulfide, and isovaleric acid, but does not alone neutralize ammonia odor. By combining activated carbon fibers with the multicarboxylic-acid based odor control agents and combinations described above, an order control system can be devised which prevents and/or reduces a wide variety of odors. In this embodiment, the silicone polymer binder described below serves dual purposes of a) binding the acid-based odor control agents and combinations described above to the absorbent (e.g., cellulose) fibers, and b) binding the activated carbon to the acid-based odor control agents and combinations, and/or to the absorbent fibers.
The binder includes a polyorganosiloxane (i.e., a silicone polymer). As described above, a silicone polymer contains a repeating silicon-oxygen backbone and has organic groups xe2x80x9cRxe2x80x9d attached to a significant portion of the silicon atoms by silicon-carbon bonds. Suitable xe2x80x9cRxe2x80x9d groups include, without limitation, methyl, longer alkyl, fluoroalkyl, phenyl, vinyl and the like. Specific silicone polymers include, without limitation, poly(hexamethyldisiloxane), poly(octamethyltrisiloxane), poly(decamethyltetrasiloxane), poly(octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane), poly(octaphenylcyclotetrasiloxane), and combinations thereof. Silicone polymers may be in the form of homopolymers, random copolymers, block copolymers, and combinations thereof. Preferred silicone polymers vary with the method of application to the fibrous material. Silicone polymers having higher melting points are suitable for extrusion. Silicone polymers having lower melting points are suitable for application by spraying, dipping, and the like.
The amount of silicone polymer binder should be sufficient to effectively bind the odor control system to the fibrous material, but not so high as to unnecessarily inhibit the odor control performance. Generally, the silicone polymer should be present in an amount of about 5 to 200 parts by weight silicone polymer per 100 parts by weight of dry, water-free, solvent-free odor control system. Suitably, the silicone polymer should be present in an amount of about 10 to 100 parts by weight silicone polymer per 100 parts by weight dry odor control system, desirably in an amount of about 15 to 50 parts by weight silicone polymer per 100 parts by weight of dry odor control system. Exemplary silicone polymers which are particularly suitable as binding agents include Dow Corning(copyright) 84 Additive, Dow Corning(copyright) 36 emulsion, and Dow Corning(copyright) Q2-3195.
In one embodiment of the invention, the odor control system may also include a particulate inorganic material, such as a pigment and/or filler. Particulate materials such as titanium dioxide, clay, calcium carbonate and/or silica can be added at 0.01-5% by weight, desirably 0.1-1.0% by weight of the odor control system. In addition to providing pigment, these materials contribute to porosity of the silicone polymer binder. One suitable pigment is KEMIRA(copyright) UDR-P, available from Kemira Pigment Co. of Savannah, Ga.
The silicone polymer can be combined with the odor control system before the combination is applied to the natural fibers. A wide variety of blending techniques can be used to combine the ingredients, including without limitation melt blending, solution mixing, spray drying, fluidized bed coating, and the like. By way of example, an odor control agent including citric acid can be dissolved in water, suitably at a concentration of about 0.1-15% by weight citric acid. A calculated amount of zinc oxide can then be stirred into the acid solution to partially neutralize the free acid groups to their metallic salts, effecting a solution pH of about 4.5. Then, silicone polymer sold as Dow Corning(copyright) 84 Additive by the Dow Corning Corporation can be added to the citric acid/zinc oxide solution in an amount of about 0.1-0.75 parts by weight silicone polymer per part by weight dry citric acid/zinc oxide system. Then, the combined silicone polymer/odor control system can be applied to a natural fiber substrate, such as a fibrous cellulose web, using spray drying, fluidized bed coating, a rotating spray coating process, or another suitable technique. Additionally, titanium dioxide pigment may be added, for example, at up to about 0.75 parts by weight pigment per part by weight citric acid/zinc oxide system.
Alternatively, the silicone polymer can be combined with the odor control system after, or at the same time, that the odor control system is applied to the natural fiber substrate. A wide variety of techniques can be used to apply both the odor control system and the silicone polymer binder to the substrate, including without limitation melt extrusion, printing, dipping, coating, brushing, and the like. By way of example, an aqueous odor control agent containing a hydroxycarboxylic acid can be applied in powder form to a fluidized bed. A fibrous substrate, such as a collection of absorbent cellulose fibers, can be charged to the fluidized bed along with a suitable amount of chitosan for the odor control system. Simultaneously, a liquid silicone polymer sold as Dow Corning(copyright) 84 Additive by the Dow Corning Corporation can be sprayed through a nozzle located at the center of the fluidized bed. The silicone polymer and powdered odor control system (including chitosan and hydroxycarboxylic acid) will accordingly attach to the natural fiber substrate, and to each other. Where activated carbon is used as part of the odor control system, the carbon particles or fibers can also be coated with the silicone polymer binder using the fluidized bed.
A wide variety of fluidized bed coating systems can be adapted to coat absorbent cellulose fibers and/or activated carbon particles with a silicone polymer binder. For example, one can use a Wurster Fluid Bed Coater such as the Ascoat Unit Model 101 of Lasko Co. (Leominster, Mass.), the Magnacoater(copyright) by Fluid Air, Inc. (Aurora, Ill.), or the modified Wurster coater described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,015, issued Apr. 29, 1997 to Brinen et al., herein incorporated by reference. The coater is typically configured as a cylindrical or tapered vessel (larger diameter at the top than at the bottom) with air injection at the bottom through air jets or a distributor plate having multiple injection holes. Fibers and/or particles are fluidized in the gaseous flow. One or more spray nozzles inject the silicone polymer coating material initially provided as a liquid slurry, or foam at a point where a good contact with the moving fibers and/or particles can be achieved. The fibers and/or particles move upwards and descend behind a wall or barrier, from whence they can be guided to again enter the fluidized bed and be coated again, or can be removed and further processed. Elevated air temperature or the application of other forms of energy (microwaves, infrared radiation, electron beams, ultraviolet radiation, steam, and the like) causes drying or curing of the silicone polymer coating material on the fibers and/or particles. The fibers and/or particles can be recycled through the fluidized bed a plurality of times to provide the desired amount of the silicone polymer binder coating.
The original Wurster fluid bed coaters are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,241, issued Jul. 16, 1957 to D. E. Wurster; U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,824, issued May 14, 1963 to D. E. Wurster; U.S. Pat. No. 3,117,024, issued Jan. 7, 1964 to J. A. Lindlof et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,196,827, issued Jul. 27, 1965 to D. E. Wurster and J. A. Lindlof; U.S. Pat. No. 3,207,824, issued Sep. 21, 1965 to D. E. Wurster et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,241,520 issued Mar. 21, 1966 to D. E. Wurster and J. A. Lindlof; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,253,944, issued May 31, 1966 to D. E. Wurster; all of which are herein incorporated by reference. More recent examples of the use of Wurster coaters are given in U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,588, issued Nov. 18, 1986 to Nuwayser et al., herein incorporated by reference. A related device is the coater of H. Littman disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,168, xe2x80x9cCoating Apparatus Having Opposed Atomizing Nozzles in a Fluid Bed Column,xe2x80x9d issued Oct. 19, 1993, herein incorporated by reference.
Other coating methods need not rely on fiber and/or particle fluidization in a gas stream. Fibers and/or particles can be sprayed or treated with a coating material while being mechanically agitated by a shaker or other pulsating device, while falling from one container to another, while tumbling in a moving vessel or a vessel with rotating paddles such as a Forberg coater (Forberg A S, Larvik, Norway) which can be operated without applied vacuum to keep the coating material on the surface of the fibers and/or particles, or while resting in a bed, after which the fibers and/or particles are separated or broken up. In one embodiment, fibers and/or particles and a coating liquid or slurry are first combined and then separated into individually coated fibers and/or particles by centrifugal forces, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,140, issued Jun. 23, 1987 to Sparks et al., herein incorporated by reference. Systems for coating dry fibers and/or particles can also be adapted for coating according to the present invention.
The amount of odor control system needed for application to the natural fibers will vary depending on the type of odor control agents in the system, the amount and type of odor(s) being controlled, the amount and type of silicone polymer binder, and other factors. On a dry weight basis, the odor control system should generally constitute about 0.1-50% by weight of the natural fibers to which it is applied, suitably about 0.5-30% by weight, desirably about 2-15% by weight. The treated natural fibers may also be blended with untreated fibers in any desired amount.
The treated natural fibers thus formed (alone or in combination with untreated fibers) can be used in a wide variety of absorbent product applications including, in particular, personal care absorbent products. Personal care absorbent products include diapers, training pants, swim wear, absorbent underpants, baby wipes, adult incontinence products, feminine hygiene products, and the like. In absorbent products, the treated natural fibers (if absorbent) can be used in an absorbent core or other absorbent composite capable of absorbing aqueous liquids. An absorbent composite may include, for instance, treated cellulose fibers alone or in combination with untreated cellulose fibers and/or a superabsorbent material. The treated natural fibers can also be used in medical absorbent products, including without limitation garments, underpads, absorbent drapes, bandages, and medical wipes. Other uses include air filters, water filters, industrial wipes, poultry pads and bed pads.
By way of example, FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a disposable diaper according to one embodiment of this invention. Referring to FIG. 1, disposable diaper 10 includes outer cover 30, body-side liner 20, and absorbent core 25 between body-side liner 15 and outer cover 12. Body-side liner 20 and outer cover 30 are constructed of conventional non-absorbent materials. By xe2x80x9cnon-absorbentxe2x80x9d it is meant that these materials have an absorptive capacity of less than 5 grams of 0.9% aqueous sodium chloride solution per gram of material. INDA Standard Test Method IST 10.1 (95), xe2x80x9cStandard Test Method for Absorbency Time, Absorbency Capacity, and Wicking Time,xe2x80x9d published by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, Cary, N.C., provides the basis for a suitable test method to measure absorbency, and is incorporated by reference.
Body-side liner (topsheet) 20 is constructed from highly liquid pervious materials. Body-side liner 20 functions to allow liquid from the wearer to contact the absorbent material or superabsorbent material present in diaper 10. Body-side liner 20 can be made from materials including porous woven materials, porous nonwoven materials, films with apertures, open-celled foams, and batting.
Additionally, a surge layer (not shown) made from nonwoven fibers can be added between body-side liner 20 and absorbent core 25. The surge layer includes surge material having an operable level of density and basis weight to quickly collect and temporarily hold liquid surges, to transport the liquid from its initial entrance point and to substantially release the liquid to absorbent core 25 and the superabsorbent material in absorbent core 25.
One embodiment of diaper 10 includes a barrier tissue between body-side liner 20 and absorbent core 25. Alternatively, the barrier tissue may be between a surge layer and body-side liner 20 or between the surge layer and absorbent core 25. A barrier tissue is beneficial in keeping any loosened superabsorbent material from passing through body-side liner 20 and contacting the user. Barrier tissues are typically natural fiber materials such as any type of wood pulp. Barrier tissues can also be made from uncreped through air-dried (UCTAD) tissue material known in the art.
Outer cover material (backsheet) 30 should be breathable to water vapor. Outer cover 30 desirably includes a material that is substantially liquid impermeable, and can be elastic, stretchable or nonstretchable. The outer cover 30 can be a single layer of liquid impermeable material, but desirably includes a multi-layered laminate structure in which at least one of the layers is liquid impermeable. For instance, the outer cover 30 can include a liquid permeable outer layer and a liquid impermeable inner layer that are suitably joined together thermally, ultrasonically, by a laminate adhesive, or by any other suitable methods known in the art. Suitable laminate adhesives, which can be applied continuously or intermittently as beads, a spray, parallel swirls, or the like, can be obtained from Findley Adhesives, Inc., of Wauwatosa, Wis., U.S.A., or from National Starch and Chemical Company, Bridgewater, N.J., U.S.A. The liquid permeable outer layer can be any suitable material and desirably one that provides a generally cloth-like texture and/or mating fastening component qualities. One example of such a material is a 20 gsm (grams per square meter) spunbond polypropylene nonwoven web. The outer layer may also be made of those materials of which liquid permeable bodyside liner 15 is made. While it is not a necessity for the outer layer to be liquid permeable, it is desired that it provides a relatively cloth-like texture to the wearer.
The inner layer of the outer cover 30 can be both liquid and vapor impermeable, or can be liquid impermeable and vapor permeable. The inner layer is desirably manufactured from a thin plastic film, although other flexible liquid impermeable materials may also be used. The inner layer, or the liquid impermeable outer cover 30 when a single layer, prevents waste material from wetting articles, such as bedsheets and clothing, as well as the wearer and care giver. A suitable liquid impermeable film for use as a liquid impermeable inner layer, or a single layer liquid impermeable outer cover 30, is a 0.2 millimeter polyethylene film commercially available from Huntsman Packaging of Newport News, Va., U.S.A. If the outer cover 30 is a single layer of material, it can be embossed and/or matte finished to provide a more cloth-like appearance. As earlier mentioned, the liquid impermeable material can permit vapors to escape from the interior of the disposable absorbent article, while still preventing liquids from passing through the outer cover 30. A suitable xe2x80x9cbreathablexe2x80x9d material is composed of a microporous polymer film or a nonwoven fabric that has been coated or otherwise treated to impart a desired level of liquid impermeability. A suitable microporous film is a PMP-1 film material commercially available from Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc., Tokyo, Japan, or an XKO-8044 polyolefin film commercially available from 3M Company, Minneapolis, Minn.
Generally outer cover 30 will have a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of at least about 300 grams/m2-24 hours, preferably at least about 1000 grams/m2-24 hours, more preferably at least about 3000 grams/m2-24 hours, measured using INDA Test Method IST-70.4-99, herein incorporated by reference.
Attached to outer cover 30 are waist elastic members 36, fastening tapes 38 and leg elastic members 31. The leg elastics 31 include a carrier sheet 32, which can be a polyolefin film, and individual elastic strands 34. The waist elastic members 36 and the leg elastic members 31 can be formed of any suitable elastic material. As is well known to those skilled in the art, suitable elastic materials include sheets, strands or ribbons of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or thermoplastic elastomeric polymers. The elastic materials can be stretched and adhered to a substrate, adhered to a gathered substrate, or adhered to a substrate and then elasticized or shrunk, for example with the application of heat; such that elastic constrictive forces are imparted to the substrate. In one particular embodiment, for example, the leg elastic members 31 include a plurality of dry-spun coalesced multifilament spandex elastomeric threads sold under the trade name LYCRA(copyright) and available from E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., U.S.A.
The diaper of FIG. 1 is a general representation of one basic diaper embodiment. Various modifications can be made to the design and materials of diaper parts. The various layers of article 10 have dimensions which vary depending on the size, shape, and needs of the wearer.
Absorbent core 25 typically includes absorbent materials including natural fibers such as wood pulp fibers. The treated cellulose fibers of the invention may be used in place of untreated natural fibers, or may be combined with untreated natural fibers in any desired ratio. Absorbent core 25 can also include nonwoven fibers or webs. xe2x80x9cNonwovenxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cnonwoven webxe2x80x9d refer to materials and webs of material which are formed without the aid of a textile weaving or knitting process. Absorbent core 25 typically includes a matrix of hydrophilic fibers, such as a web of cellulosic fluff, mixed with particles of a superabsorbent material. In a particular embodiment, absorbent core 25 includes a matrix of cellulosic fluff, such as wood pulp fluff, and superabsorbent hydrogel-forming particles. The wood pulp fluff can be exchanged with synthetic, polymeric, meltblown fibers or with a combination of meltblown fibers and natural fibers. Examples of fiber materials used in absorbent core 25 include, without limitation, wood pulp fluff, cotton, wool, silk, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, nylon, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylonitrile, and polyvinyl chloride.
The superabsorbent material can be in the form of fibers, particles, filaments, or printed or coated onto the cellulose fiber matrix. Any conventional superabsorbent material can be used. The superabsorbent material can be substantially homogeneously mixed with the hydrophilic cellulose matrix or can be nonuniformly mixed. The cellulose and superabsorbent particles can also be selectively placed into desired regions of the absorbent core 25 to better contain and absorb body exudates. The concentration of the superabsorbent particles can also vary through the thickness of the absorbent core 25. Alternatively, absorbent core 25 can include a laminate of fibrous webs and superabsorbent material or other suitable means of maintaining a superabsorbent material in a localized area.

Natural fibers treated with acidic odor control/binder systems


A 3D filter includes a first area having a plurality of even numbered and odd numbered alternating lines, each line having an equal height, the even numbered lines formed with a first polarization characteristic, a first dummy line formed outside of the first area and adjacent to a first line of the 3D filter, the first dummy line having a height greater than a height of a single line, the odd numbered lines formed with a second polarization characteristic, a second dummy line formed outside of the first area and adjacent to a last line of the 3D filter, the second dummy line having a height greater than the height of a single line, the first dummy line formed with a polarization characteristic opposite to a polarization characteristic of a first line in the first area, and the second dummy line formed with a polarization characteristic opposite to a polarization characteristic of a last line in the first area.

1. Field of the Invention
This document relates to a stereoscopic image display and an alignment method thereof.
2. Related Art
An image display device implements 3D images using a stereoscopic technique and an autostereoscopic technique.
The stereoscopic technique uses binocular parallax images which produce large stereoscopic effects, and may or may not have a corresponding set of lenses or eyeglasses for viewing by the user. In the type of system using eyeglasses, binocular parallax images are displayed on a direct view display panel or by a projector by changing polarization directions. Alternatively, using temporal division, polarization eyeglasses or liquid crystal shutter eyeglasses may be used to implement stereoscopic images. In the type of system not using eyeglasses, the stereoscopic images are implemented by dividing optical axes of binocular parallax images, where optical plates, such as parallax barriers, are provided at front and rear surfaces of a display panel.
To mass-produce the stereoscopic image display devices, it is necessary to efficiently align a display device and a 3D filter, which is disposed on the display device and divides light from the display device into light corresponding to left eye images and light corresponding to right eye images.
A method of aligning a parallax barrier with a display panel has been proposed in Korean Patent No. 10-0709728, where separate eyeglasses are not used. In this method, as shown in FIG. 1, two cameras CAM1 and CAM2 disposed at a predetermined distance from the display panel 1 and from the parallax barrier 2, take stereoscopic images displayed on the display panel 1. The display panel 1 and the parallax barrier 2 are repeatedly realigned while checking the division state of left eye images and right eye images until reaching a predetermined alignment reference state.
However, in a method of aligning a display panel with a 3D filter by a worker who views images displayed on the display panel based on luminosity, or in a method that determines whether or not stereoscopic images are divided over a predetermined reference value in a system using two cameras, power data and test pattern data must be provided to the display panel so as to display the images. Therefore, using such related art alignment techniques, it is difficult to numerically quantify the degree of alignment or misalignment, equipment cost is high, and productivity is low.
In a known method of aligning a display panel with a 3D filter in the eyeglass type stereoscopic image display device, a worker wears polarization eyeglasses, drives a display panel placed at a certain distance, determines an alignment degree between the display panel and the 3D filter through luminosity, and repeats the above-described operation until images displayed on the display panel are properly viewed. The assignee of the present application has proposed, in Korean Patent No. 10-0939214, a alignment system and method of stereoscopic image display devices which can automatically align the 3D filter with the display panel in the eyeglass type and solve the problems disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-0709728. In this method, alignment marks are formed in a display panel and a 3D filter, the alignment marks are checked by a vision system, and thereby the display panel and the 3D filter can be aligned with each other without driving the display panel. Also, an alignment state can be quantified by checking an alignment state of the alignment marks.
The 3D filter may have a known tolerance or variation. In this case, because an accumulated error increases as the distance increase from the alignment reference positions (alignment marks) during the alignment of the display panel with the 3D filter, an alignment error accumulates. As a result, up and down viewing angles in the stereoscopic image display device may be narrowed due to the tolerance or variation of the 3D filter.

Stereoscopic image display and alignment method thereof


An electronic device includes a first member, and a second member which includes segments. At least one of the first member and the second member is movable relative to the other of the first member and the second member among a plurality of distinct positions as a result of differing voltage states of the segments.

Diffractive light devices (DLDs) are microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices which may currently be used, for example, for spatial light modulation in high resolution displays for devices such as front or rear projection devices, laptop and notebook computers, personal digital assistant (PDA) devices, wireless phones, etc., or for wavelength management in optical communication systems. A DLD typically requires a dedicated voltage supply for each desired color. These voltage supples consume significant space and add cost to the DLD. Further, if each voltage is generated within the DLD device itself, it may be subject to undesirable noise and other variations due to processing of the supply voltage and temperature shifts. If each supply voltage is generated externally, the DLD device must provide pins such that external voltage sources may be connected. Additionally, color perception problems may result if one of the voltages shifts with respect to the others.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Disclosed are a method and system of magnetotelluric synchronous detection and real-time inversion. The system includes a detection and inversion host (M) with wireless networking function and N2-1 detection and inversion extensions (Si) with wireless communication functions. The distance between each two detection and inversion extensions (Si) is D, i=1, 2, . . . , N2-1, and N is an odd number. The detection and inversion host is configured for collecting magnetic field signals and electric field signals at measurement points, wireless networking and cooperation, synchronous detection and real-time inversion control of the detection and inversion extensions (Si) in detection area. The detection and inversion extensions (Si) are configured for synchronous collection of electric field signals at measurement points and real-time inversion of detection data at measurement points under cooperative control of the detection and inversion host.

The magnetotelluric (MT) is a geophysical exploration method for studying the electrical structure of underground geological bodies by monitoring the electrically induced electric and magnetic fields on the surface by using the natural alternating electromagnetic waves vertically incident at high altitude as the excitation source. As the magnetotelluric sounding has the advantages of no artificial source, less manual requirements, low operation cost, no shielding from the high resistance layer, sensitive to the low resistance layer, deep exploration, strong resolution ability and narrow equivalence range, it has been paid more attention and developed rapidly since it was proposed. Especially in recent years, with continuous updating of detection instruments and the use of electronic devices, some of complex and cumbersome detection equipment and operational problems have been solved and the magnetotelluric sounding is developed rapidly.
As a comprehensive geophysical exploration method, the magnetotelluric sounding has been successfully applied in survey of mineral resources and oil and gas resources, especially in places where real monitoring data is difficult to obtain by seismic exploration, such as earth's surface or shallow layer covered by thick rock (such as igneous rocks, thick sandstone, limestone and conglomerate). The magnetotelluric sounding can obtain better monitoring results than the other geophysical exploration methods. In the study of the geological structure of the crust and upper mantle, the magnetotelluric sounding can reach the exploration depth of 100˜200 km. In the geodynamic program, it is crucial to study the internal temperature of the crust and upper mantle. Due to the geothermal measurement in mainland is limited by drilling, the temperature field characteristics are studied by using the resistivity parameters of the deep crust as the rock in the deep crust and upper mantle has semiconductor characteristics and its conductivity is exponentially related to the temperature. In the earthquake prediction, the resistivity of the source area will change greatly before the earthquake, and the phase angle between the impedance and the resistivity of deep formation will change significantly. According to the experimental results from the dilatancy theory, the resistivity of the source area before a great earthquake may be changed by about half. Therefore, the magnetotelluric sounding can be used to monitor the change in resistivity in the deep formation, so as to achieve the earthquake prediction. In groundwater search and shallow tectonic exploration, the detection depth is generally within 10 km, so the high frequency magnetotelluric sounding may be well suited. Herein, the magnetotelluric field source used is mainly the high frequency electromagnetic field transmitted by the electromagnetic wave along the resonant cavity between the earth and the atmosphere excited by the lightning effect near the equator.
To sum up, due to the advantages of the magnetotelluric sounding, it has been developed rapidly in recent years and is widely used in geophysical exploration operations. With further development and perfection of the magnetotelluric sounding, it has been developed comprehensively in the aspects of equipment acquiring signal, data processing, inversion interpretation and in-situ real-time inversion, which intends to infer more accurately the structure of underground geological bodies.
Currently, the technology of magnetotelluric sounding equipment in synchronous detection and real-time inversion has not been widely applied to actual detection work in domestic and overseas regions. Generally, only one equipment is used in the detection operation, and the detection of the measuring points is carried out individually. The detection lasts for a long period for a large detection area or a long measuring line. Even if the same equipment is used for online work, high equipment prices and complex online operations impedes synchronous detection. In terms of data inversion, it is operated through in-situ data acquisition and indoor data inversion. For a large number of monitoring data, it requires a long inversion time and in-situ monitor may not be guided.

Method and system of magnetotelluric synchronous detection and real-time inversion

Hunan University of Science and Technology


A process to produce multi-chamber packaging which comprises a tube pipe, a tube head connected to the tube pipe and a partition housed in the tube pipe comprises changing a mandrel with a partition, applying the tube pipe to the mandrel changed with the partition and bonding a tube head to the partition and the partition to the tube pipe.

A process is known in which a pre-finished tube pipe is connected with an also pre-finished tube head. Subsequently, a partition structured in folded form, which is resilient in its lengthwise and crosswise direction, is pushed into the tube pipe. Optionally, the partition, i.e. one of its crosswise sides, is connected with the tube head by gluing, while the other crosswise side is combined with the closure seam of the tube. Because of the inherent spring forces, which act in the crosswise and lengthwise direction, the partition presses against the inside of the tube pipe with its lengthwise sides, and, unless gluing on the inside of the tube head is provided, against the closure seam and the tube head.
In this process, the partition is installed in the interior of a pre-finished tube, a method of procedure which is difficult to automate.
Another process is characterized in that a pre-finished head is provided with a partition--this is done by mechanical means which connect the partition with the head--whereupon the partition, with the head, is introduced into a tube pipe to such an extent that the head can be connected with the tube pipe in known manner--bonding of tube head and tube pipe along the external circumference of the head.
In this process, as compared with the first process mentioned, introduction of the partition into the tube element is simplified, but this occurs at the expense of the prior unification of partition and head, which represents an addition process step, relative to the number of process steps of the first process mentioned, which again is difficult to automate.
The disadvantage of the known processes is that using these processes, pre-finished tube components are brought together, in other words they are fundamentally assembly processes, which are kept within narrow limits of process economics, for example yield of tubes per time unit, by complex automated process steps, particularly if the assembly processes additionally comprise connection processes involving gluing or melting.

Process for the production of a multi-chamber packaging tube


A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a memory cell array having a multiplicity of data lines and a multiplicity of local amplifiers, each of the local amplifiers being associated with a data line. An amplifier group includes at least two amplifiers selected from the multiplicity of local amplifiers. Each amplifier has at least a pair of selection transistors for selecting a particular amplifier from the amplifier group. The selection transistors have a common gate, an unshared intrinsic diffusion region, and a shared intrinsic diffusion region, the shared intrinsic diffusion region being shared with an adjacent selection transistor from an adjacent amplifier.

This invention relates to a semiconductor memory.
This application claims the benefit of the Oct. 12, 2001 priority date of German application 101 50 498.5-53.
Note: signal and line designations xe2x80x9cbar_xyxe2x80x9d in the description and in the claims correspond to the signal designations xe2x80x9cxyxe2x80x9d with a horizontal line above them in the drawings.
Semiconductor memory apparatuses are known which comprise a multiplicity of memory cell arrays. Each memory cell array has an associated multiplicity of local sense amplifiers which receive, assess and amplify the data which are read from the memory cell array. The sense amplifiers are arranged in a sense amplifier row above or below the memory cell array. Each sense amplifier comprises, in addition to the actual amplifier device, a pair of selection transistors which allow one sense amplifier from a plurality of adjacent sense amplifiers to be selected to pass its information to a differential data transmission line. This allows, by way of example, a block of 32 sense amplifiers to be constructed which use 32 selection lines CSL (column select line) to forward their respective information to a common differential pair of data transmission lines LDQ, bar_LDQ. In this context, the respective signal A, B, C . . . is output to the line LDQ, and the inverse of the respective signal bar_A, bar_B, bar_C . . . is output to the line bar_LDQ.
FIG. 4 shows a basic sketch of selection transistors 1 for sense amplifiers based on the prior art. The two respective selection transistors 1 for a sense amplifier are respectively formed from two diffusion regions 2 and a common gate 3.
One selection transistor 1 for each sense amplifier is connected for signaling purposes to the data transmission line LDQ, and the other selection transistor 1 for each sense amplifier is connected for signaling purposes to the data transmission line bar_LDQ. The sense amplifier row containing selection transistors 1 is wider than the memory cell array itself, however, the result of which is that the available surface area on the semiconductor apparatus cannot be utilized in optimum fashion.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor memory apparatus which allows better use of the available resources.
This object is achieved by a semiconductor memory apparatus having the features specified in claim 1. Preferred embodiments are covered by the dependent claims.
The invention provides a semiconductor memory apparatus or memory chip or memory module, comprising:
at least one memory cell array having a multiplicity of data lines or bit lines,
a multiplicity of local amplifiers or local sense amplifiers for amplifying signals or data transmitted to and/or from the memory cell array, where the multiplicity of local amplifiers can be connected for signaling purposes to the multiplicity of data lines,
each amplifier has precisely one uniquely associated data line, and at least two amplifiers and the associated data lines respectively form a group;
where each amplifier comprises at least two selection transistors for selecting an amplifier from a group of amplifiers,
where the at least two selection transistors for an amplifier respectively comprise two intrinsic diffusion regions and a common control electrode or gate, and
where adjacent selection transistors for adjacent amplifiers use a diffusion region jointly.
The fact that adjacent amplifiers use a respective diffusion region jointly means that the surface area needed for arranging the amplifiers can advantageously be reduced. This allows a more compact design for the semiconductor memory apparatus. In addition, the unique association between each data line and each amplifier allows an increased reading and writing speed to be achieved. Such amplifiers are also referred to as xe2x80x9cdedicated amplifiersxe2x80x9d.
Preferably, the local amplifiers comprise sense amplifiers, xe2x80x9cdedicated sense amplifiersxe2x80x9d, for amplifying data which are read from the memory cell array.
In one preferred embodiment, the semiconductor memory apparatus comprises at least one pair of data transmission lines, where each data transmission line in a pair of data transmission lines can respectively be connected for signaling purposes to all the amplifiers in a group. This allows the number of data transmission lines needed to be advantageously reduced.
Preferably, the selection transistors using a common diffusion region use a connecting line for the respective data transmission line jointly. This allows the available surface area to be utilized even more advantageously, since only approximately half the number of connecting lines are now needed as compared with the conventional case.
In addition, preferably, one data transmission line in a pair of data transmission lines is used to transmit the respective signal to be transmitted, and the other data transmission line in the pair of data transmission lines is used to transmit the inverse of the respective signal to be transmitted.
In one preferred embodiment, the semiconductor memory device also comprises a multiplex device for sequentially transmitting data from the data lines in a group. This allows error-free transmission of the data from and to the semiconductor memory apparatus to be reliably ensured. Preferably, the multiplex device comprises a multiplicity of selection lines, with each data line having an associated selection line.
Preferably, 32 amplifiers and the associated data lines form a group.
With further preference, at least one memory cell array comprises 1024 data lines.
Preferably, the semiconductor memory apparatus comprises 64 memory cell arrays.
In one preferred embodiment, the semiconductor memory apparatus comprises an address allocation device for allocating internal addresses to external addresses in a memory cell array. This allows an internal addressing order which is altered in the memory cell array to be adjusted or scrambled such that it does not appear externally.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become obvious from a detailed description of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:


A system for controlling a marine vessel's existing horn to automatically sound navigational signals as set forth in Coast Guard Navigation Rules, International and Inland for Sound and Light Signals for boats 12 meters 39 feet and larger, Rules 34 through 37. The system provides a user-interface with a selection of predetermined horn/light signals that can be repeated once or continuously via lights and/or sound, with a preview of the selected signal. The system permits a helmsman and other crew members to attend to other duties without constant attention to the vessel's horn, and enhances safety and Coast Guard compliance, and in the long term helps to inform and educate the operator through observing the signal patterns, on the water, or in boating courses like Coast Guard Auxiliary, Power Squadron and Community College courses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to marine navigation systems and, more particularly, to a system for automating the horn/light signaling of marine vessels in accordance with Coast Guard Regulations, which provides for selection of regulation cadences via a convenient user-interface, and which allows said cadences to be repeated once or continuously, with a preview of the selected signal.
2. Description of the Background
All marine vessels are required by Coast Guard Regulation to carry sound signaling appliances and lights, and certain vessels are further required to make specified signals in specified situations. Proper sound signals are required for power and sailboats of 12 meter or more 39 feet 4½ ″and larger. Pursuant to U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rules International & Inland COMDTINST M16672.2D, Rules 32-37, operators are required to make specified signals in specified situations. For example, one of the main uses of this device is Rule 35 Restricted Visibility. There are pluralities of sequenced sound signals that must be repeated at timed intervals. In addition to the Restricted Visibility Rule 35 feature in this device there is also Danger/Doubt signal that can be given once or repeated. If a vessel doubts the safety of a proposed maneuver or fails to understand the intention of another vessel where collision may be at risk shall immediately indicate such doubt by giving at least five short and rapid blasts on the whistle. Such signals may be supplemented by a light signal. Rule 34. Furthermore, the device also provides a means of sending S.O.S signals either once or repeatedly Rule 37. Distress signals can be either a continuous blast or a short-short-short-long-long-long-short-short-short SOS pattern. For Inland use only, a high intensity white light flashing at regular intervals from 50 to 70 times per minute as allowed. Unfortunately, it is often not possible to maintain the sequence and time intervals called out in the regulations for Restricted Visibility, or in the need of assistance or distress, especially when attention is needed for other operating details. While boats less than 39 feet are not obliged to give the specified sound signals, they are required to give efficient sound signals as needed at prescribed intervals. Most of the smaller boats have 12-volt horns, but most operators simply do not know the proper signaling patterns.
In all such cases, these signaling patterns are complex, difficult to remember, and often ignored by recreational boaters. The general concept of automated horn signaling with an electronic control module is known. All of the following references do it in some manner, albeit most are fairly cumbersome.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,757 to Williams issued May 7, 1991 discloses an automatic horn warning signal apparatus for use on boats, which is manually selectable actuated for automatically sounding any of nine predetermined patterns of warning horn signal sequences applicable to specified, recognized navigational procedures for marine craft. The device is mechanical in that a small motor operates a camshaft containing nine lobed cams each having a different configuration corresponding to the desired warning signal pattern to be sounded. The camshaft actuates a valve for releasing pulses of compressed gas into the horn.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,234 to Harwood issued Sep. 5, 1995 shows a logical light control for sailing vessels to improve the method by which the operator selects the desired light combination, thereby eliminating the possibility of improper light combinations and reducing the probability that the vessel will display a currently incorrect light combination. This patent is narrowly drawn to the circuitry that actuates light patterns without the possibility of displaying an improper combination of lights.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,362 to Lilienthal issued Dec. 10, 1991 expired shows an apparatus for controlling a vessel's horn, any of which may be selected by pressing an appropriate key on a keypad. The apparatus includes fog modes that will automatically repeat an appropriate horn signal within a predetermined period of time. The structure of this device uses a microcontroller, albeit a different user keypad is employed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,473,005 to Showell issued Oct. 29, 2002 shows a marine signaling device that provides a user-interface that is functionally and operationally similar to the directional devices i.e., turn signal devices found in automobiles, thereby reducing the dependency of the vessel operator on his or her memorization of the applicable marine regulations.
United States Patent Application No. 20040075587 by Vogel, David A. et al. published Apr. 22, 2004 discloses a controller for automatically manipulating a horn signal for navigational purposes that automatically operates a vessel's horn as a foghorn. The horn controller automatically causes the vessel's horn to sound according to the proper foghorn-sounding schedule. The horn controller is designed to be installed in a new vessel, and/or to be retrofitted to an existing vessel. This patent is trade marked as FogMate and is commercially available. FogMate is a device that works with existing horn and helm switches to ensure automatic, regular timing of Rule 35 patterns. It is produced by TSX Products Corporation, Norwood, Mass. The user turns on the navigation lights either "underway" or "at anchor" to activate the FogMate controller, and then presses the horn switch in the appropriate pattern within three seconds of activating the FogMate controller to repeat the pattern. The operator must know and input the proper sequence for the required situation in order for the unit to repeat and output the proper signal. The FogMate will respond with very short blasts of the horn to acknowledge the count, and then start the selected blast pattern a few seconds later. There is no graphical control panel or preview to assure correct signaling has been chosen.
Again, the foregoing references are fairly cumbersome, requiring nine different wiring configurations to accomplish their purposes. Hence, they are not user-friendly.
It would be greatly advantageous to provide a more efficient system for automating the horn/light signaling with an electronic control module that can be retrofit or OEM installed into the existing vessel circuitry. The control module is programmed to automate signaling of both horn and/or lights in accordance with the Coast Guard Regulations. The specified sequences can be repeated once or continuously via sound and/or lights, with a preview of the selected signal. All of the regulation cadences can be readily selected by a convenient user-interface.


Examples disclosed herein relate to configuring a network switch. In an example, user-defined configuration data may be included in a startup configuration file of a network switch. A token may be defined in the startup configuration file, wherein the token may represent a command for the network switch. The user-defined configuration data included prior to defining the token may be retained in the startup configuration file. In response to an event to restore factory-default configuration data in the network switch, an option may be provided to apply the user-defined configuration data included prior to the token along with the factory-default configuration data to the network switch. In response to selection of the option, the user-defined configuration data included prior to the token may be applied along with the factory-default configuration data to the network switch.

A network switch is a networking device that connects devices together on a computer network by using packet switching to receive and forward data to the destination device. A network switch may use hardware addresses to process and forward data at the data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI model. Some switches can also process data at the network layer (layer 3) by additionally incorporating routing functionality to perform packet forwarding.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP


An add-on device for a motorized garage door opener for automatically closing the door after a delay following the opening of the garage door by a driver and movement of a vehicle out of the garage. The device automatically prevents the door being inadvertently left open, as when a driver forgets to operate a remote controller to close the door.

The present invention relates to a device for use with a conventional garage door opener to cause the garage door automatically to move to a closed position after being moved to the open position.
Conventional motorized garage door openers often comprise a casing at a central location within the garage approximately seven feet above the garage floor and high enough that a person will not bump his/her head while moving within the garage. A tubular track extends from the casing horizontally to an anchorage point on the garage wall above the garage door opening. A carriage is slidably or rollably positioned on the track for movement therealong. The carriage has a pivotable link-type connection to the inner face of the garage door such that movement of the carriage along the track causes the door to move between a generally horizontal overhead open position within the garage and a vertical closed position closing the garage door opening. Carriage motion can be provided by a chain trained about a sprocket rotatably mounted above the garage door opener casing. An electric motor in the casing drives the sprocket, thus to open or close the door.
The motor can be triggered into operation by a manual switch located in the garage or by a small radio-sending unit in the automotive vehicle. A manual switch on the sending unit actuates a battery-operated radio, thus to generate a momentary signal which is received by a receiving unit in the garage door opener casing. Electrical output from the receiving unit actuates the motor.
A problem with conventional garage door openers is that the driver of a vehicle occasionally will forget to operate the radio-sending unit to close the garage door after he/she has driven the vehicle out of the garage. An open garage door represents potential theft and weather problems.
The present invention relates to a device attachable to a conventional garage door opener for automatically closing the door after the person has driven the vehicle out of the garage. The device includes a time delay mechanism which delays the closing operation for a predetermined period after the door has been opened so that the driver has time to get into the car and drive out of the garage before the door starts to close. The device is designed not to interfere with operation of the garage door opener by the driver, as by manual operation of the radio-sending unit after the car is out of the garage.


An apparatus includes a cartridge holder configured to receive a pen or a cutter, a platen configured to receive an object, a moving mechanism configured to move the cartridge holder in a direction that the cartridge holder comes close to the platen, a read unit configured to read image data from the object, and a processor configured to instruct the apparatus to set a specific size of a pattern in the image data, eliminate, from the image data, one or more of specific patterns whose size is less or equal to the specific size, and instruct the moving mechanism to move the cartridge holder close to the platen, based on the image data after eliminating one or more of specific patterns from the read image data.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus provided with a cartridge holder receiving a pen or a cutter and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing data of instructions for the apparatus.
2. Related Art
Cutting plotters have been conventionally known as an apparatus automatically executing a cutting process. An object to be cut is a sheet-shaped object (paper sheet, for example). The sheet is held on a base material. More specifically, the base material is a holding member having an adhesive layer on a surface thereof. The sheet is applied to the adhesive layer. The cutting plotter moves the base material holding the sheet, in a first direction while holding both ends of the base material vertically between a driving roller and a pinch roller. The cutting plotter further moves a carriage with a cutting blade in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A desired pattern is cut out of the sheet by the above-described operation.
The cutting plotter has been proposed to be equipped with an image acquisition apparatus provided with a scanner. In this case, a sheet printed with a pattern is set on the cutting plotter. An image of the sheet surface is then read by the scanner, so that cutting data of the pattern can be generated on the basis of the image data. The cutting plotter then executes a cutting process based on the generated cutting data, with the result that a pattern which is the same as printed on the sheet can be cut out of the sheet.

Apparatus with a cartridge holder to receive a pen or a cutter for cutting or drawing image


A vehicle control apparatus includes state measurement means for measuring states of the vehicle; required power estimation means for calculating an estimated required power indicating a motor power required to operate the vehicle based on the states of the vehicle measured by the state measurement means; critical power estimation means for calculating a critical power when the motor power saturates based on the states of the vehicle measured by the state measurement means; modified reference input means for modifying a reference input so that the estimated required power falls within the estimated critical power when it is determined that the estimated required power estimated by the required power estimation means exceeds the estimated critical power estimated by the critical power estimation means; and control means for controlling a motor of the vehicle based on the reference input modified by the modified reference input means.

It is important to allow an inverted vehicle travelling while keeping an inverted state to safely continue travelling even when sufficient motor power cannot be provided due to a failure of an electric system or the like. A vehicle control apparatus is known, for example, to contact a safety wheel to the ground to prevent an overturn when speed of the inverted vehicle is abruptly reduced because of a failure of an electric system (see Patent literature 1).

Vehicle control apparatus, control method thereof, and control software


The present invention discloses a color rolling detection method and detection device for an input image, which can detect a phenomenon of color rolling in the image rapidly, efficiently and at a low cost. The detection method includes the steps of: an extracting step for extracting parameter values indicative of the color or brightness of the image in a detection time period T3; a preprocessing step for performing a preprocess to the extracted parameter values so as to obtain characteristic values of the image; an initial value setting step for obtaining a first initial value from the characteristic values in an initialization time period of the detection time period T3; an average value calculating step for calculating, with respect to each detection cycle T2 in the detection time period T3, an average value on the time axis of the characteristic values in the detection cycle T2 based on the obtained first initial value; and a detecting step for detecting whether there exists in the detection time period T3 such a detection cycle T2 that the characteristic values in the detection cycle T2 always maintain a deviation in a specific direction relative to the average value thereof, wherein if so, then occurrence of the color rolling is judged; otherwise, no occurrence of the color rolling is judged.

Along with increasing popularization of a surveillance system in commercial and civil applications, surveillance cameras have been widely applied in various fields for the purpose of guaranteeing public security. The majority of the surveillance cameras are in a 24-hour operation and have to output an image with stable quality regardless of the daytime or nighttime. Therefore, imaging in any high-end product of the surveillance cameras has to be characterized by a broad dynamic range, high reliability, etc. A predominant technology of a CCD camera is to capture an image by a multi-shutter method. However, the surveillance camera when used may suffer from a phenomenon of "color rolling" in case where a fluorescent lamp serves for illumination. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the difference between the frequency of the fluorescent lamp and that of the camera causes shifting of a sampling point of the camera, and consequently the amount of incident light sampled by the camera differs from the spectral distribution. Thus, an image processed by the camera is subject to color rolling. That is, the image may turn from white to blue, pink and back to white, and such a process will be repeated.
In an existing method for detecting color rolling, waveforms during color rolling have to be stored, and this requires a considerable memory and a significant effort of calculation, which may be inappropriate for hardware or for a microcontroller with a poor calculation capacity, and also lacks a good real time property.
Furthermore, a color rolling improvement function has been developed in the prior art to address the problem of color rolling. However, an image generated by a high-speed shutter might fade in color under certain conditions if the color rolling improvement function were enabled in the case of color rolling not being detected.

Color rolling detection method and detection device


Estimating a three-dimensional (3D) pose of an object, such as a hand or body (human, animal, robot, etc.), from a 2D image is necessary for human-computer interaction. A hand pose can be represented by a set of points in 3D space, called keypoints. Two coordinates (x,y) represent spatial displacement and a third coordinate represents a depth of every point with respect to the camera. A monocular camera is used to capture an image of the 3D pose, but does not capture depth information. A neural network architecture is configured to generate a depth value for each keypoint in the captured image, even when portions of the pose are occluded, or the orientation of the object is ambiguous. Generation of the depth values enables estimation of the 3D pose of the object.

Estimating a 3D pose of an object, such as a hand or body (human, animal, robot, etc.), from a 2D image is useful for human-computer interaction. Hand pose can be represented by a fixed set of points in 3D space, usually joints, called landmarks or keypoints. Estimating the 3D pose accurately is a difficult task due to the large amounts of appearance variation, self-occlusions, and complexity of articulated hand poses. 3D hand pose estimation escalates the difficulties even further because a depth of each of the hand keypoints also has to be estimated.
Conventional techniques for determining locations of the landmarks of a hand in 3D space include one or more of multi-view camera systems, depth sensors, and color markers/gloves. Each of the conventional techniques requires a constrained environment and/or specialized equipment. Furthermore, environmental conditions such as sunlight, occlusions, and complexity of non-rigid hand poses present challenges to landmark detection and determination. There is a need for addressing these issues and/or other issues associated with the prior art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Three-dimensional (3D) pose estimation from a monocular camera


A chassis structure capable of sensing temperature of a media storage device includes a tray. The tray includes a body, an accommodating space formed in the body, a connector disposed on the body, and a temperature sensor juxtaposed with the connector. The media storage device is electrically coupled to the connector and contacts the temperature sensor. A working temperature is measured by a temperature sensor directly attached to an outer housing of the media storage device, thereby avoiding influences such as air flow and undesired heat conduction of the chassis structure.

With development of technology and the Internet, servers or other equipment having large scale integrated circuits are provided with high integration density. A central processing unit (CPU) or a disk array in the server has increased processing speed, leading to greater heat accumulation in the server chassis. If the accumulated heat cannot be expelled out from the server chassis, temperature of elements or components in a system will increase continuously to cause malfunction. Even worse, the elements or components may be damaged. In order to ensure the server to operate normally, a heat dissipation fan is utilized to generate air flow and to thereby achieve heat exchange, so as to quickly expel the heat out from the server chassis. However, the key of efficient heat dissipation is to control operation of the heat dissipation fan.
In order to improve heat dissipation of the server chassis, besides having a temperature sensor in a heat source, the temperature sensor is also disposed in a proper position in the server chassis for measuring a temperature variation or difference between the heat source and the server, so that a rotation speed of the heat dissipation fan can be properly controlled, and heat dissipation efficiency of the server chassis is improved.
However, the temperature sensor in the server tends to be affected by air flow, heat conduction, or other factors, leading to an inaccurate temperature measurement. In other words, the temperature measurement is influenced by ambient temperature variations. Therefore, it is the aim of the present invention to accurately measure the temperature of the server chassis to thereby effectively control the heat dissipation efficiency.

Chassis structure capable of sensing temperature of media storage device


A dispenser assembly for a door of a refrigerator includes a tray of flap construction which is moveable between a first position and a second position. In the first position the tray is received within a cavity of the dispenser assembly to present a support surface for a container such as a water glass. The tray is pivotable into a second position outside of the dispenser assembly so that an area normally underneath the tray is open to provide a second support surface for supporting larger containers than is possible with the tray in its first position. The now exposed bottom of the flap provides a third support surface outside of the cavity. The dispenser assembly can be used for dispensing water, ice, combinations thereof and may include lighting and other features. In an alternative construction, when the tray is pivoted into the second position, it is also forced out and away from the cavity of the dispenser assembly through a tray drive mechanism to accommodate different thicknesses of walls for a variety of different refrigerator door panels.

Most present constructions for refrigerators typically include a system for producing refrigerated water and ice which can be dispensed without requiring opening of the door to the refrigerator and entry into the interior thereof. Such systems typically include a water supply to the interior of the refrigerator which is cooled and/or formed into ice which through a dispenser arrangement can be dispensed through the wall of the refrigerator and through a door dispenser assembly. Such door dispenser assemblies are typically of a fixed size and can only accommodate containers up to a predetermined size. The dispenser assemblies discussed typically include a refrigerator door compartment which is open towards the refrigerator exterior, and contains a cavity and underlying support surface for supporting a glass or like container to be filled with refrigerated water and/or ice.
From an aesthetics perspective, the prior dispenser assemblies have been manufactured to be of limited size so as to not present a visually unpleasant large cavity in the door of the refrigerator. A problem with such construction is that when it is desired to dispense water into larger containers, for example, larger than conventional drinking glasses such as pitchers, etc., the door dispenser assembly cannot be used for such purposes.
Accordingly, and in accordance with the invention, the disadvantages of the prior constructions as discussed previously are avoided as is described with reference to the invention in greater detail herein.

Dispenser assembly for a refrigerator door


Systems and methods for extending a directory schema independent of schema modification are described. In one aspect, a directory schema data structure includes a flexible attribute data field. The flexible attribute data field identifies a complex data type. The complex data type is used to express one or more operational or data providing properties of a flexible attribute. The one or more operational or data providing properties are independent of the complex data type and independent of directory schema modification. The directory schema data structure also includes a flexible structural object content class to encapsulate the flexible attribute.

A directory schema is a collection of base content classes and associations. These base content classes and associations abstract tangible and intangible items or "objects" that can be represented in a directory. For instance, a schema may include base content classes that represent computers, peripherals, network switches, operating systems, applications, network connections, people, and so on.
Directory schemas are typically very carefully designed to provide content classes to meet present and future requirements of a directory. However, directory schemas are often extended to meet needs of the directory that were not foreseeable at the time that the schema was designed. For instance, just because one version of a product works with the directory schema, does not mean that other or new product versions or different products will properly function with the schema. Specifically, any variation of the type information required by a product or product versions over time generally results in the need to extend the directory schema to specifically represent each piece of interesting information that a new product or a new version of the product requires to properly operate. Because of this, third parties typically extend directory schemas to create new content classes and attributes.
Conventional practice, however, is to strictly control directory schema updates because modifying a directory schema requires specialized knowledge and can have complex, serious, and far-reaching consequences for customers. For example, extending directory schemas to support specific products and product versions means that these different products and product versions will have mutually exclusive schemas. Thus, a product that was usable with one schema may become unusable with a different schema.
For instance, suppose object X is an instance of class Y. Class Y has an attribute, Z. Therefore, because object X is an instance of class Y, object X can have this attribute defined on it. Assume that X does indeed have this attribute currently defined in it. Now a schema update is performed that modifies class Y by deactivating attribute Z. Note that this change makes the instance of object X invalid because X now has an attribute, Z, that it is not allowed to have according to the class definition of Y (of which object X is an instance).
Additionally, directory schema extensions or additions are not reversible and always add to the size of the schema. In other words, once a class or attribute has been added to the schema it cannot simply be removed from the schema once it is no longer required. Continuous schema growth due to schema extension results in a problem that is generally referred to as "schema bloat".
The size of a directory schema or schema bloat becomes relevant when considering that schema changes are global to a distributed computing environment. An extended schema needs to be globally replicated to every domain server on the network. I.e., a distributed directory shares a common directory schema for the entire forest of directory trees that are organized as peers and connected by two-way transitive trust relationships between the root domains of each tree; when the directory schema is extended, the forest is extended.
The collection of data that must be copied across multiple servers (i.e., the unit of replication) during schema replication is the domain. A single domain may contain a tremendous number or objects (e.g., millions of objects). Thus, schema extensions typically result in a substantial amount of replication traffic across the globe on multiple servers—and the larger the schema, the larger the amount of replication traffic.
Moreover, schema replication procedures may result in replication latencies across servers in the distributed environment, causing temporary inconsistencies between various server versions of the schema. For example, consider that a new class A is created at server X, and then an instance of this class B is created at the same server X. However, when the changes are replicated to another server Y, the object B is replicated out before the object A. When the change arrives at server Y, the replication of B fails because server Y's copy of the schema still does not contain the object A. Hence, Y does not know about the existence of A.
In light of these considerations, it is apparent that schema extensions typically require a substantial amount of computing resources and data bandwidth as well as coordination between network administers to ensure that legacy applications in various domains properly operate with the updated schema. Accordingly, installing products on organizational networks that require directory schema changes can be risky, potentially politically difficult, and a time-consuming process.
The following subject matter addresses these and other problems that are associated with schema extensions.

Extending a directory schema independent of schema modification


Computing systems, computer-readable media, and methods may include determining at least one automated sequence to be performed during a portion of a drilling operation by a drilling system. The at least one automated sequence may include performing one or more actions to cause a response in the drilling system. The method may include performing, during the drilling operation, the at least one automated sequence. Further, the method may include measuring, during the performance of the at least one automated sequence, one or more responses in the drilling system. The one or more responses may be measured within a wellbore undergoing the drilling operations and at a surface of the wellbore. The method may include modifying a model of the drilling system based at least in part of the one or more responses that were measured during the performance of the at least one automated sequence.

In hydrocarbon exploration industries, models of physical response of a drilling system may be used in the planning phase of a drilling operation. Drilling operation involves three separate mechanical operations at the surface, namely pumping mud, rotating the pipe, and moving the travelling block. Each of the surface mechanical operations has an associated force term: a pressure to pump fluid, a torque to turn the drill string, and a load on the hook from suspending the drill string in the well. Manual operations may be undertaken during the drilling phase to characterize the response of the drilling system. Additional, the manual operations may be undertaken to facilitate model calibration, which is then used for drilling parameter selection and abnormal trend identification. Examples of manual operations may include: manually performing a drill off test where rate of penetration ("ROP") and downhole torque-on-bit are recorded at different weight on bit ("WOB") and revolution per minute ("RPM") combinations; manually circulating off bottom at different rates to calibrate a hydraulics model; manually taking pick-up, slack off and rotating weights as per a pre-defined sequence to calibrate a torque and drag model.
With the advent of automated drilling, at least some of the drilling process may be computer-controlled, e.g., "auto-driller" operations. However, no methods or systems are available that automatically integrate operations to characterize the response of the drilling system during the drilling operations.

Characterizing responses in a drilling system


A dry air generation apparatus includes a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a switching valve, and a controller. The first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are provided in the air flow path, and the moisture contained in the air is removed by cooling the air which flows through the flow path to 0° C. or lower. The switching valve switches the direction of the air flowing through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. The controller controls the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, and the switching valve. The first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are connected in series in the air flow path.

In a processing apparatus that performs a processing such as, for example, a film formation, etching, or modification on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a "wafer"), the temperature of a wafer under processing is maintained at a temperature within a predetermined range. When the processing is performed using, for example, plasma, the wafer may be heated. Therefore, in order to maintain the temperature of the wafer being processed within a predetermined range, it is necessary to cool the wafer. For example, a coolant having a temperature (e.g., 0° C. or less) lower than room temperature (e.g., 20° C. to 25° C.) is circulated inside a stage on which a wafer is placed, thereby cooling the wafer through the stage.
There may be a case where dew condensation occurs on components that come in contact with the outside air, such as, for example, a stage and a coolant pipe, through which a coolant having a temperature lower than room temperature flows.
When condensation occurs on a component, the component or an electric circuit connected to the component may break down due to the moisture generated by the dew condensation. Therefore, for a component that may come in contact with the outside air among the component that is cooler than the room temperature, the dew condensation of the component is suppressed by covering the component with a container and filling the container with dry air having a low dew point temperature.
As a method of generating dry air filled in the container, for example, a membrane method that removes moisture from the air by making the air pass through a hollow fiber membrane, or a cold trap method that removes the moisture from the air by cooling air is known. The cold trap method is frequently employed as a dry air generation method since it is advantageous in that an air loss is less than that in the membrane method, and in that it is possible to generate dry air having a dew point temperature lower than that in the membrane method. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-066250.

Dry air generation apparatus, dry air generation method, and substrate processing system