A light source device, system and method of operating and viewing a polarized light source device. The light source device comprising a support substrate, a plurality of light emitting asymmetrical light emitting resonators placed in a matrix on the support substrate forming a plurality of rows and columns of the asymmetrical light emitting resonators, a plurality of light waveguides positioned on the substrate such that each of the asymmetrical light emitting resonators is associated with an electro-coupling region with respect with to one of the plurality of light waveguides, a deflection mechanism for causing relative movement between a portion of at least one of the plurality of light waveguides and the associated asymmetrical light emitting resonator so as to control when the asymmetrical light emitting resonator is in the electro-coupling region, and a light source associated with each of the plurality of light waveguides for transmitting a light along the plurality of light waveguides for selectively activating each of the asymmetrical light emitting resonators when positioned within the electro-coupling region. A viewing device is provided for viewing the polarized light display.

A flat panel light source system is based on the generation of photo-luminescence within a light cavity structure. Optical power is delivered to the light emissive pixels in a controlled fashion through the use of optical waveguides and a novel addressing scheme employing Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices. The energy efficiency of the light source results from employing efficient, innovative photo-luminescent species in the emissive pixels and from an optical cavity architecture, which enhances the excitation processes operating inside the pixel. The present system is thin, light weight, power efficient and cost competitive to produce when compared to existing technologies. Further advantages realized by the present system include high brightness in varying lighting conditions; high color gamut; viewing angle independence, size scalability without brightness and color quality sacrifice, rugged solid-state construction, vibration insensitivity and size independence. The present invention has potential applications in military, personal computing and digital HDTV systems, multi-media, medical and broadband imaging displays and large-screen display systems. Defense applications may range from full-color, high-resolution, see-through binocular displays to 60-inch diagonal digital command center displays. The new light source system employs the physical phenomena of photo-luminescence in a flat-panel light source system.
Conventional transmissive liquid crystal displays (LCDs) use a white backlight, together with patterned color filter arrays (CFAs), to create colored pixel elements as a means of displaying color. Polarizing films polarize light. The pixels in a conventional liquid crystal display are turned on or off through the use of an additional layer of liquid crystals in combination with two crossed polarizer structures on opposite sides of a layer of polarizing liquid crystals. When placed in an electrical field with a first orientation, the additional liquid crystals do not alter the light polarization. When the electrical field is changed to a second orientation, the additional liquid crystals alter the light polarization. When light from the polarizing liquid crystals is oriented at ninety degrees to the orientation of the polarizing film in a first orientation, no light passes through the display, hence, creating a dark spot. In a second orientation, the liquid crystals do rotate the light polarization; hence, light passes through the crystals and polarizing structures to create a bright spot having a color as determined by the color filter array.
This conventional design for creating a display suffers from the need to use a polarizing film to create polarized light. Approximately one half of the light is lost from the backlight; thus, reducing power efficiency. Just as significantly, imperfect polarization provided by the polarizing film reduces the contrast of the display. Moreover, the required additional use of a color filter array to provide colored light from a white light source further reduces power efficiency. If each color filter for a tri-color red, green, and blue display passes one third of the white light, then two thirds of the white light is lost. Therefore, at least 84% of the white light generated by a backlight is lost.
The use of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) to provide a backlight to a liquid crystal display is known. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0085143 A1, by Jeong Hyun Kim et al., published Jul. 4, 2002, titled "Liquid Crystal Display Device And Method For Fabricating The Same," describes a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, including a first substrate and a second substrate; an organic light emitting element formed by interposing a first insulating layer on an outer surface of the first substrate; a second insulating layer and a protective layer formed in order over an entire surface of the organic light emitting element; a thin film transistor formed on the first substrate; a passivation layer formed over an entire surface of the first substrate including the thin film transistor; a pixel electrode formed on the passivation layer to be connected to the thin film transistor; a common electrode formed on the second substrate; and a liquid crystal layer formed between the first substrate and the second substrate.
A method for fabricating the LCD in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0085143 A1 includes the steps of forming a first insulating layer on an outer surface of a first substrate; forming an organic light emitting element on the first insulating layer; forming a second insulating layer over an entire surface of the organic light emitting element; forming a protective layer on the second insulating layer; forming a thin film transistor on the first substrate; forming a passivation layer over an entire surface of the first substrate including the thin film transistor; forming a pixel electrode on the passivation layer; and forming a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and a second substrate. However, this prior art design does not disclose a means to increase the efficiency of the LCD.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,884 issued Nov. 26, 2002 to Martin B. Wolk et al., titled "Method For Patterning Oriented Materials For Organic Electronic Displays And Devices" discloses the use of patterned polarized light emitters as a means to improve the efficiency of a display. The method includes selective thermal transfer of an oriented, electronically active, or emissive material from a thermal donor sheet to a receptor. The method can be used to make organic electroluminescent devices and displays that emit polarized light. There remains a problem, however, in that there continues to exist incomplete orientation of the electronically active or emissive material from a thermal donor sheet to a receptor. Hence, the polarization of the emitted light is not strictly linearly polarized, therefore, the light is incompletely polarized.
There is a need, therefore, for an alternative backlight design that improves the efficiency of polarized light production, thus and thereby improving the overall efficiency of a liquid crystal display that incorporates the alternative backlight.
Stereoscopic displays are also known in the art. These displays may be formed using a number of techniques; including barrier screens such as discussed by Montgomery in U.S. Pat. No. 6,459,532 and optical elements such as lenticular lenses as discussed by Tutt et al in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0075566. Each of these techniques concentrates the light from the display into a narrow viewing angle, providing an auto-stereoscopic image. Unfortunately, these techniques typically reduce the perceived spatial resolution of the display since half of the columns in the display are used to display an image to either the right or left eye. These displays also reduce the viewing angle of the display, reducing the ability for multiple users to share and discuss the stereoscopic image that is being shown on the display.
Among the most commercially successful stereoscopic displays to date have been displays that either employed some method of shuttering light such that the light from one frame of data is able to enter only the left or right eye and left and right eye images are shown in rapid succession. Two methods have been employed in this domain; including displays that employ active shutter glasses or passive polarizing glasses. Systems employing shutter glasses display either a right or left eye image while an observer wears active LCD shutters that allow the light from the display to pass to only the appropriate eye. While this technique has the advantage that it allows a user to see the full resolution of the display and allow the user to switch from a monoscopic to a stereoscopic viewing mode, the update rate of the display is typically on the order of 120 Hz, providing a 60 Hz image to each eye. At this relatively low refresh rate, most observers will experience flicker resulting in significant discomfort if the display is used for more than a few minutes within a single viewing session. Even when the display is refreshed at significantly higher rates, flicker is often visible when the display is large and/or high in luminance.
Byatt, 1981 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,341) has described a system employing a switchable polarizer that is placed in front of a CRT and performs very similarly to shutter glasses, using the polarization to select which eye will see each image. This system has the advantage over shutter glasses that the user does not need to wear active glasses, but otherwise suffers from the same deficiencies, including flicker.
Lipton, 1985 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,226) described a display system that will not suffer from flicker, but instead uses two separate video displays and optics to present the images from the two screens appropriately for the two eyes. While this display system does not suffer from the same visual artifacts as the system employing switchable polarization that was described by Byatt, the system requires two separate visual displays and additional optics, providing increasing the cost of such a system.
Previously, Newsome disclosed the use of upconverting phosphors and optical matrix addressing scheme to produce a visible display in U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,977. Upconverting phosphors are excited by infrared light; this method of visible light generation is typically less efficient than downconversion (luminescent) methods like direct fluorescence or phosphorescence, to produce visible light. The present invention differs from the prior art in that a different addressing scheme is employed to activate light emission from a particular emissive pixel. The method and device disclosed herein do not require that two optical waveguides intersect at each light emissive pixel. Furthermore, novel optical cavity structures, in the form of asymmetrical light emitting resonators, are disclosed for the emissive pixels in the present invention.
Additionally, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2002/0003928A1, Bischel et al. discloses a number of structures for coupling light from the optical waveguide to a radiating pixel element. The use of reflective structures to redirect some of the excitation energy to the emissive medium is disclosed. In the present invention, we disclose the use of novel asymmetrical optical cavity structures, in the form of elliptical ring, so-called racetrack, or elliptical disk resonators, the resonators themselves modified to affect the emission of visible light.
Recently, the optical properties of asymmetrical microdisk resonators have been disclosed in "Highly Directional Emission From Few-Micron-Size Elliptical Microdisks", Applied Physics Letters, 84, 6, ppg. 861-863 (2004), by Sun-Kyung Kim, et al. Such asymmetrical structures exhibit polarized light emission with the axis of polarization parallel to the major axis of the elliptical structure. The use of such asymmetrical structures to produce polarized light sources is a novel feature of the present invention.
The use of such resonators further allows for a novel method of control of the emission intensity, through the use of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices to alter the degree of power coupling between the light power delivering waveguide and the emissive resonator pixel. Such means have been disclosed in control of the power coupling to opto-electronic filters for telecommunications applications. In this case, the control function is used to tune the filter. Control over the power coupling is described in "A MEMS-Actuated Tunable Microdisk Resonator", by Ming-Chang M. Lee and Ming C. Wu, paper MC3, 2003 IEEE/LEOS International Conference on Optical MEMS, 18-21 August 2003.

Polarized light emitting source with an electro-optical addressing architecture


A novel polymeric co-initiator is disclosed comprising a dendritic polymer core with at least one co-initiating functional group as an end group. The polymeric co-initiators are useful in radiation curable compositions such as varnishes, lacquers and printing inks and are especially useful in radiation curable inkjet inks. The dendritic polymeric core is preferably a hyperbranched polymer.

Commercial radiation curable inkjet inks generally contain significant amounts of low molecular weight co-initiators, such as ethyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoate or N-methyl-diethanolamine. This co-initiator is used in combination with a Norrish type II-initiator to accelerate the radiation curing process. No problem arises if all of the co-initiator is consumed and built into the polymeric network. However, hydrogen transfer from the co-initiator to the Norrish type II-initiator is rarely quantitative, resulting in unreacted co-initiator. In food packaging printed upon with a radiation curable composition, this unreacted co-initiator remains mobile and if toxic will cause health risks upon being extracted into the food. Unreacted co-initiators are also known to adversely affect the physical properties of the packaging material.
One approach in solving these problems is to design co-initiators with a higher molecular weight.
JP 2000086713 (TOYO INK) discloses the use of the reaction product of an unsaturated monomer bearing (meth)acryloyl groups or vinyl ether groups having an number average molecular weight of more than 500 with a primary or secondary amine as co-initiator in radiation curable compositions. However, using this approach only co-initiators with low functionality can be obtained.
EP 434098 A (UNION CARBIDE) discloses the use of amino terminated polyoxyalkylenes as co-initiators in radiation curable compositions. The claimed polyoxyalkylenes also have a low functionality, requiring the use of large amounts of unreactive polymer in the matrix compared to low molecular weight co-initiators.
The combination of a co-initiator and an initiator in a conventional linear polymer geometry has been described by ANGIOLINI, et al. Polymeric photoinitiators based on side-chain benzoin methyl ether and tertiary amine moieties for fast UV-curable coatings. Polymers for Advanced Technologies. 1993, vol.4, no.6, p. 375-384. Although potentially interesting to reduce extractable residues, the linear geometry of the polymer increases the solution viscosity of the formulations to an undesirable level for a great number of applications with radiation curable compositions, e.g. inkjet inks and lacquers.
WO 9907746 (DSM) discloses a radiation-curable resin composition containing at least a radiation-curable resin, a photo-excitable compound and an aliphatic amine, characterized in that as amine is chosen a compound containing at least one tertiary amino group, at least one substituent of the tertiary amino group being an aliphatic chain containing at least one electron-withdrawing group, excluding the case where the aliphatic amine consists of one tertiary amine group with the aliphatic chain being a cyanoethyl group and the other two substituents of the tertiary amino group forming part of an alkyl ring with 4 or 5 carbon atoms.
In a preferred embodiment and in all of the examples, Astramol™-dendrimers, commercially available from DSM, are used as co-initiator in comparison with low molecular compounds. However, the low generation dendrimers are in fact low molecular weight compounds, while higher generations require laborious synthetic work, making them too expensive for several applications. A further derivatization of these compounds to compatibilize them with different radiation curable compositions is impossible. The same Astramol™-dendrimers are described in WO 9903930 (DSM) in combination with maleimides as initiator.
WO 0222700 (PERSTORP SPECIALTY CHEM) discloses a radiation curable dendritic oligomer or polymer, characterized in that the radiation curable dendritic oligomer or polymer normally has at least one terminal group of Formula (A):
and normally at least one terminal group of Formula (B):
wherein R1 and R2 individually are hydrogen or methyl and wherein R3 and R4 individually are alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, alkylalkoxy, arylalkoxy, said alkyl and/or said aryl optionally having one or more hydroxyl groups. The dendritic polymers are claimed to be of particular of interest for curing under air compared to conventional curable dendritic oligomers. However, these oligomeric co-initiators tend to lose their effectiveness when coupled to a polymer, which does not contain acrylates, as stated in DAVIDSON, Stephen R. Exploring the Science Technology and Applications of UV and EB-curing. LONDON, UK: SITA Technology Ltd, 1999. p. 141. and DAVIDSON, Stephen R., et al. Type II polymeric photoinitiators (polyetherimides) with built-in amine synergist. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology, A: Chemistry. 1995, vol.91, no.2, p. 153-163.
There is therefore a need to provide cheap, effective co-initiators suitable for radiation curable compositions for use on food packaging with these co-initiators not being extractable into food or adversely affecting the physical properties of the packaging material. The co-initiator should be easy to manufacture and should be compatible with a wide range of radiation curable compositions without causing high solution viscosity.


The present invention relates to a counter rail and a dolly, suitable for use in an apparatus for heat sealing a laminated packaging material for packaging of a liquid or flowing product, wherein the counter rail and the dolly each are made of a substantially plastics material. The invention also relates to an apparatus for heat sealing and to a sealing/cutting apparatus including said counter rail and dolly, as well as to a packaging machine including such a sealing apparatus and counter rail and dolly of the invention. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of producing said counter rail and dolly by means of co-injection molding.

The present invention relates to a counter rail and to a combination module of a counter rail and a dolly respectively, suitable for use in an apparatus for heat sealing a laminated packaging material for packaging of a liquid or flowing product.
The invention also relates to an apparatus for heat sealing and to a sealing/cutting apparatus including said counter rail and dolly, as well as to a packaging machine including such a sealing apparatus and counter rail and dolly of the invention.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of producing said counter rail and dolly.
Food packaging processes of today (with the term xe2x80x9cfoodxe2x80x9d is meant all sorts of solid and liquid food, such as juices, milk and other beverages as well as pastes, soups, jellies and cheese) often are of the type xe2x80x9cform-fill-sealxe2x80x9d and may be carried out by shaping a continuously moving web-shaped packaging material made of a flexible laminate into a continuously running tube, continuously filling the tube with the desired food product to be packaged and by sealing and finally cutting off sealed packages from the tube. An example of such forming of a tube from a continuous web of packaging material and the further formation of packaging containers is schematically shown in FIG. 1a.
The packaging processes are often high speed continuous processes, wherein the packaging material in the form of a web is continuously fed through a machine, sterilised, for example by passing through a liquid or gas-phase quick-acting sterilising medium, formed and sealed into the required tube-shape for being filled with the food to be packaged and finally transversally sealed.
The continuous web-shaped packaging material is manufactured with a packaging material manufacturing machine and placed on a reel. The packaging material often has a laminated structure comprising a core layer of paper or paperboard, an outer heat sealing layer of a thermoplastic polymer (such as for example polyethylene) on each side of the core layer and, if necessary, an aluminium foil gas-barrier layer interposed between the paper core layer and the film. Alternatively, a gas-barrier layer of a plastics or inorganic material, such as for example polyamide, polyethylene vinylalcohol (EVOH) or siliconoxide, may be employed instead of aluminium foil.
The reel with packaging material is installed in the packaging machine where it is reeled out and routed within the packaging machine using drive mechanisms disposed in several positions in the machine. The packaging material web is shaped into a tube and sealed in the longitudinal direction within the packaging machine. While the tube is being transferred downward within the packaging machine, the liquid or flowing food product is supplied from above to fill the inside of the tubular packaging material. Next, the packaging material tube is squeezed laterally from both sides and sealed in the lateral direction at specified intervals to form interconnected, filled and sealed packaging containers. Next, the sealed packaging containers are separated off from the tube by cutting between the laterally extending sealed portions, and the thus separated packaging containers are brought into a specified, desired shape, for example by folding and bending along previously formed crease lines in the packaging material, and, if required, finally sealed in order to remain in that shape.
The sealing of the tubular packaging material in the longitudinal or lateral direction is carried out by heat sealing of the outer surfaces of the packaging material, which are made of heat sealing thermoplastics, to each other. This may be performed by known heat sealing techniques, such as for example induction heat sealing, radio frequency (RF) or microwave heat sealing, heat convection sealing or ultra-sonic vibration heat sealing. A very common heat sealing technique today for the transversal heat seals in the case of aseptic packaging, is the induction heat sealing, wherein the aluminium foil in the packaging laminate co-acts with an inductor in order to generate heat. The thermoplastic surfaces are bonded to each other by heat fusion by simultaneous application of the induction current and pressure.
Alternatively, packaging processes may often be of the type that are forming packages from pre-cut blanks of packaging material. An example of a principle for such 6 packaging process is shown in FIG. 1b.
Pre-cut blanks of packaging material may be fed into a packaging machine, folded and longitudinally sealed, fold-formed and sealed at the bottom in order to provide open package capsules. The capsules are filled and subsequently sealed at the top, thus providing filled packages (11xe2x80x3).
Conventional packaging machines thus employ a heat sealing apparatus to seal the packaging material. The sealing apparatus is normally provided with so-called counter jaws and heat seal jaws disposed and working in opposing relation to each other.
An example of such a heat sealing apparatus is schematically shown in FIG. 4, while a cross-section view of a typical counter jaw and a heat-seal jaw is schematically shown in FIG. 5.
Conventionally, for transversal heat sealing, each counter jaw is provided with a pair of counter rails, while each heat-seal jaw is provided with a sealing block. Each counter rail and oppositely facing seal block are capable of creating one transversal heat seal across the packaging material. A cutter may be disposed in the gap formed between the two counter rails. Each cutting rail is provided with a counter element, a so-called xe2x80x9cdollyxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cpressure padxe2x80x9d, that extends along the counter rail, while the sealing block, in the case of induction sealing, is provided with an inductor coil disposed opposite to the dolly. Most commonly, in the case of packaging into a continuous tubular packaging material, the sealing and cutting operations are performed in the same part of the pack aging process, in which cases the counter rail is also called xe2x80x9ccutting railxe2x80x9d. However, it is also fully possible to separate the sealing and the cutting operations from each other, for example by subsequently cutting the filled and sealed tube in a separate cutting unit.
FIGS. 2 and 3, schematically illustrate a side-view of a conventional counter rail and sealing block for induction sealing, disposed on opposite sides of the packaging material to be heat sealed, before and after the sealing has been carried out.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the packaging material walls 12,13 of a tube or capsule may be placed in face to face relation to each other in a sealing zone S, for transversal induction sealing of the for example tubular packaging material 11. Each of the packaging material walls 12,13 is normally of a laminate structure made up of a paper base layer 14, and a film layer 16 of polyethylene, for example, located on the inside surface of the aluminium foil layer 15. Although not specifically illustrated, the outside surface of the paper base layer 14 is also coated with a layer of plastics material such as polyethylene. The polyethylene portions 16 of the two packaging materials 12, 13 are bonded together by heat fusion.
In other heat sealing methods, such as in high frequency (RF) sealing or heat convection sealing, an aluminium foil layer is not needed for the generation of heat.
The counter rail 21 normally is made of steel, and fulfils the requirements on planarity and parallelism. Depending on i.a. the requirements of the seal quality, the type of packaging material, the size of the package and the type of product to be packed, the shape and mechanical properties of the dolly 22 may be varied to suit the circumstances best. In the case of high quality seals as in the case of the present invention, such as for example for aseptic or long-term storage, so-called xe2x80x9cextended shelf-lifexe2x80x9d packaging, the dolly needs to have some degree of flexibility and compressibility for control of the flow of the heated thermoplastics from the layer 16 in the seal zone S. For packages with less stringent requirements on the seal quality, the dolly may be made of a durable hard metal material, just like the counter rail.
The inductor coil 23 extends along the sealing block 24 and is normally provided with a projection 25 extending toward the counter jaws. A coolant passage 26 is formed through the inductor coil 23 to control the temperature of the inductor coil 23 as a result of coolant flowing through the coolant passage 26.
In the initial stages of the sealing process shown in FIG. 2, the packaging material 11 is placed between the sealing block 24 and the counter rail 21 with dolly 22, whereupon the counter jaw and the heat seal jaw are moved so that they approach each other. Subsequently, the counter jaw and the heat seal jaw are moved further towards each other, and the sealing portion of the packaging material 11 is pressed hard and deformed with the inductor coil 23 and the counter element 22. A high frequency voltage is applied with a power device (not shown) to cause the aluminium foil 15 to generate heat with induction current. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the paired polyethylene portions 16 of the packaging material facing each other and squeezed between the paired aluminium foils 15 are heated and the polyethylene portions 16 in the sealing zone S are fused. Consequently, the tubular packaging material 11 is bonded together by heat fusion.
As shown in FIG. 3, the compressible counter element 22 is deformed during the sealing stage. When the pressure from the sealing block and the counter rail is released, the counter element is resuming its original shape and is ready for the next sealing and compression operation. Such compressible counter elements are conventionally made of a plastics material with suitable mechanical and chemical properties. Today, most commonly a cross-linked polyurethane (PUR) is used for this purpose. The desired shape and configuration of the dolly is usually cut out from a cross-linked polyurethane material. The dolly of cross-linked PUR is fastened into the cutting rail of stainless, chemically resistant steel by insertion into a groove 27 extending along the counter rail 21. The configuration, hardness and compressibility of the dolly are factors of great importance to the quality of the seal, and may vary depending on the various factors listed above, i.e. required seal quality, type of packaging material, package size and product to be filled. Different shapes and hardness/compressibility proper-ties of the dolly will influence the flow of thermoplastics in the seal zone S during heat fusion differently. Furthermore, these are important factors influencing the way in which the filled product in the tube is squeezed away from the sealing zone S. Different shapes have thus proved to be optimal for different combinations of package sizes and products to be filled.
Furthermore, the plastics material used in the dolly should be resistant to chemicals (for example alkaline cleaning agents, lactic acid and other substances in various filling products and to sterilisation agents, such as for example hydrogen peroxide (H202).
Although the known counter rail and dolly functions quite adequately, it does have a number of disadvantages. The main drawback with this known construction is that the dolly is made of a rather soft material in relation to the cutting rail and the sealing block, and will wear out after some time and thus must be exchanged for a new one with regular intervals. Each time the dolly is changed the packaging machine has to be stopped entirely. First, the counter rail has to be removed from the counter jaw, to which it is attached during operation. Then, the old dolly, which is fastened into the groove in the counter rail, has to be removed. When the old dolly has been removed, a new fresh dolly must be inserted into the narrow groove of the counter rail and subsequently the counter rail has to be attached to the counter jaw and the machine started up again. The groove, as well as the dolly, usually has an asymmetrical cross-section configuration and it is important that the dolly is carefully fastened and secured into the groove and that it is inserted in the right position, i.e. oriented in the right way. The steps of changing the dolly take some time, since the dolly should be quite strongly fastened into the groove and the dolly, therefore, has a slightly larger cross-section than the groove. Accordingly, the dolly must be pulled out of, respectively pressed into, the groove by using some force. This is done manually, since it is a quite complicated operation. The time the machine has to be completely stopped may amount to up to about 10 minutes, including the slow-down and start-up time during which the machine is adjusted from/to normal operation speed, during which time at least 600-1300 packages could have been produced at normal production speed, depending on the type of packaging machine. Under time pressure, it is easy to insert the dolly in the wrong direction into the groove, which if not noticed in time results in that the seat quality will be decreased considerably and the machine will have to be stopped completely a second time and, thus, in considerable extra losses of efficient production time.
Furthermore, when removing the dolly from the counter rail, sometimes it is tempting to use a pointed tool such as a screw-driver in order to get grip of the dolly and pull it out. Under unfortunate circumstances, this may damage the counter rail also. Since a new counter rail of steel is quite costly, this is highly undesirable.
Another disadvantage with the known construction of the counter rail and dolly is that the two parts of the module, i.e. the counter rail and the dolly, are made of different materials having considerably different thermal expansion coefficients. Plastics normally have thermal expansion coefficients ranging from about 100 to about 200 10xe2x88x925 mKxe2x88x921, while the coefficients of metals vary from about 6 to about 10 10xe2x88x925 mKxe2x88x921. When the heat sealing is carried out and the dolly is heated, it expands much more and much faster than the counter rail at the same temperature. The dolly therefore needs some space around itself inside the groove for expansion, and also must be able to move and slide against the inside surface of the groove. Thus, the shape of the dolly is critical from several points of views, i.e. firstly for the squeezing and pressing properties in the seal zone and secondly for enabling secure attachment within the groove when cold as well as thermal expansion within the groove of the counter rail when hot. This makes the counter rail provided with a dolly a very complex module of parts, both in view of manufacturing and in view of assembling.
There is thus a need for a counter rail and a combination module of a counter rail and a dolly respectively, that is not susceptible to the disadvantages, drawbacks and problems associated with a conventional counter rail or counter rail module. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a combination of counter rail and dolly that functions equally well as conventional ones, but have the further advantages of being easily and quickly interchangeable in the sealing apparatus and packaging machine, preferably at lowered or at least maintained cost levels.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a counter rail to be provided with a dolly and such a combination module respectively, which overcomes or alleviates the above mentioned problems.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a counter rail to be provided with a dolly, which enables the operation of changing the dolly to be carried out more rapidly and shortens the duration of the break in production.
It is further an object of the invention to provide a counter rail to be provided with a dolly, which simplifies the operation of changing the dolly and thus makes it easier to carry out without making mistakes.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a counter rail and a counter rail provided with a dolly respectively, which is easy to manufacture.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is an object to provide a counter rail provided with a dolly, which eliminates the problem of assembling the counter rail and the dolly in the operation of changing the dolly.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a cost effective combination module of counter rail and dolly, that functions well both in production and also at maintenance, i.e. in the operation of changing the dolly.
In addition, it is an object of the invention to provide a heat sealing apparatus including the counter rail provided with a dolly according to the invention as well as a packaging machine including such a sealing apparatus.
By manufacturing both the counter rail and the dolly of a plastics material, a less complex construction is achieved at the same time as the two-part module may be integrated to consist of only one single piece. The gains in productivity and cost are considerable, since the sealing apparatus of the invention operates at high speed and every reduction of the time of a production break results in significantly higher efficiency.
The counter rail and the counter rail provided with a dolly respectively, according to the invention is thus suitable for use in a sealing apparatus for transversal heat sealing of a tube of a laminated packaging material filled with a liquid or flowing product, such a sealing apparatus having at least one sealing jaw and at least one counter jaw disposed to face each other and to be movable in advancing and retracting directions for transversally sealing the sealed package, the counter rail being adapted to be included in the heat seal apparatus by being attached to the counter jaw and the dolly being disposed along the counter rail.
Preferred and advantageous embodiments of the counter rail as well as of the module of counter rail and dolly according to the invention have further been given the characterising features as set forth in claims 2-10.
Preferably, from a practical point of view in order not to have to change the counter rail and dolly too often, the plastics should be an engineering plastics having high resistance to chemicals at temperatures ranging from about 10xc2x0 C. up to about 90xc2x0 C., more preferably from about 5xc2x0 C. up to about 100xc2x0 C., most preferably from about 0xc2x0 C. up to about 110xc2x0 C.
Preferably the plastics involved in the counter rail according to the invention, are engineering plastics resistant to alkaline as well as acidic liquids and solutions having a pH ranging from about 2 to about 12, such as for example cleaning agents and sterilising agents normally used for the cleaning of food packaging machines. Advantageously, the plastics employed should also be resistant to hydrolysis when exposed to hot water and aqueous solutions. Furthermore, cleaning agents often contain aliphatic or aromatic solvents, which could be detrimental to some plastics materials. The plastics involved should also preferably be resistant to oil and grease in lubricants, which may be used in the maintenance of the machines. With xe2x80x9cresistantxe2x80x9d is meant that the desired mechanical properties are maintained for a sufficient time when in use.
Among the engineering plastics, polyamides and plastics from the group of high performance plastics (HPP) are particularly preferred. It is well known to the skilled person in the art of plastics that to the group of HPP belongs the polyetherketones, such as polyetherketone (PEK), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyaryletherketone (PAEK) and polyetheretherketoneketone (PEEKK), polyphenylenesulphide (PPS), liquid crystal polyesters (LCP), polyimides as well as polysulfones. These polymers generally have some chemical resistance and heat resistance along with good mechanical properties. However, LCP polymers are less preferred since they have limited resistance to hydrolysis. Furthermore, they are less suitable for injection moulding due to their anisotropic properties and morphology. Polysulfones are not preferred either, since they have only a limited resistance to oils and aromatic solvents. Polyimides have limited resistance to alkali while polycarbonates have no resistance to alkali and aromatic solvents, why these polymers also will be less suitable in a counter rail.
The skilled person further knows that to the group of engineering plastics other than the HPP""S, belong, for example, among others, the polyamides, polybutyleneterephtalate (PBT), polyethyleneterephtalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), polyphenyleneoxide (PPO) and polyoximetylene (POM).
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the counter rail is made of a polyamide. Preferably, the polyamide is selected from polyamide-11 (PA-11) or polyamide-12 (PA-12) or a polyamide having similar properties. Generally, the PA-6, PA-66 and PA-46 are less preferred, because they absorb more water and have only limited resistance to acidic liquids and solutions. Polyarylamide (PAA) is not as preferable as PA-11 and PA-12, but still more advantageous than said less preferred polyamides, since they absorb less water.
According to another preferred embodiment, the counter rail is made of a HPP selected from the group consisting of PPS and the polyetherketones (PEK, PEEK, PEEKK, PAEK). The plastics employed in the counter rail according to said preferred embodiments are all resistant to hot water, acidic and alkaline solutions as well as to alcohol, aromatic and aliphatic solvents and oils. Furthermore, they absorb only a low amount of water, generally less than about 1.0%, preferably less than about 0.5%. Moreover, they are suitable and have the right flow properties and mechanical properties for the manufacturing of molded parts such as a counter rail, by means of for example injection molding. It is also important in the choice of plastics for the counter rail, that it has a high degree of dimension stability and that dimensional tolerances may be kept, equal to counter rails made of stainless steel or titanium. The counter rail should preferably have a planarity of less than 0.3 mm, more preferably less than 0.2 mm, and a parallelism of less than 0.1 mm.
According to a most preferred embodiment of the invention, the counter rail is made of reinforced, preferably glass fibre reinforced, PPS. PPS has advantageous properties with regard to chemical resistance, flame resistance, dimensional stability, durability and low water/moisture uptake.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the plastic material in the counter rail may be blended with up to about 50 weight-%, more preferably up to about 40 weight-% of a reinforcement additive, such as for example glass fibres, glass spheres and iron powder, in order to keep the dimensions within the required limits of tolerance. This may be advantageous both from the dimension stability point of view and from the point of view of mechanical properties. However, if the amount of reinforcement additive is too high, the impact strength of the plastic material may be adversely affected.
The dolly employed according to the present invention is made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) having a compressibility of at least about 20% at a Shore A hardness of about 70, as well as high resistance to chemicals and to temperatures of from about 10xc2x0 C. to about 90xc2x0 C., preferably from about 0xc2x0 C. to about 110xc2x0 C.
Preferably, the dolly is made of a thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes (PUR), polyetherblockamides (block copolymers) (PEBA) and thermoelastic polyolefins (TPE-O). Polyurethanes may be of the polyether-type or of the polyester-type, of which the polyether-type PUR is more preferred. PUR and PEBA generally are more preferred because they are harder and have higher resistance to abrasion, as well as more adequate compressibility for the purpose of a compressible dolly. The TPE polyolefins (TPE-O) have, however, sufficient chemical and water resistance and absorb less than 1.0% water, and are resistant to temperatures of between at least about 10xc2x0 C. and up to about 100xc2x0 C., preferably 110xc2x0 C.
The compressibility of an elastomeric material generally is depending on its hardness, and a PUR thermoplastic elastomeric material generally has a compressibility in the order of about 24% at for example a hardness Shore A of 70, while a PEBA has a compressibility in the order of about 36% at the same hardness. A TPE-O has a compressibility in the order of about 64% at the same hardness.
Most preferably, the counter rail is made of polyamide-11 (PA-11), polyamide-12 (PA-12) or PPS and the dolly of a polyurethane (PUR) of ether-type or of a polyetherblockamide copolymer, because these combinations of plastics, in addition to good mechanical properties and chemical resistance as well as temperature resistance, furthermore result in good bonding and adhesion between the contact surfaces of the plastics at the interface between the counter rail and the dolly.
These specific plastics are preferably used since they allow immediate bonding when consecutively co-injecting the two materials in order to fuse them together. The friction from the high speed of the injected plastics generates heat at the interface between the surfaces of the counter rail and the dolly to be attached to each other, thus resulting in melt-fusion between the surfaces.
Preferably, the counter rail and the dolly are manufactured by means of a co-injection moulding process. By means of so-called co-injection moulding or double injection moulding, the dolly and the counter rail may be manufactured in one operation, the whole piece thus being made of plastics materials.
A further advantage of the counter rail and dolly both being made of plastics materials is that the coefficient of thermal expansion may be matched to be nearly the same, and the difficulties with the combination of metal and plastics materials be avoided. The thermal expansion coefficients of metals and plastics are so different, i.e. ranging from 100 to 200 (10xe2x88x925 mKxe2x88x921) for plastics materials and from 6 to 10 (10xe2x88x925 mKxe2x88x921) for metals. The plastics material is swelling and expanding more than the metal and follows the temperature changes more slowly than the metal. Thus, there must be no surface bonding between a metal counter rail and a plastics dolly. The plastics dolly must be allowed to slide within the groove of the metal counter rail. This, among other factors, makes the shape of the dolly versus the groove so critical. When matching plastics of the same thermal expansion properties for the counter rail and the dolly, these difficulties are reduced or even eliminated and the shape of the dolly and it""s fitting with the counter rail is thus not so critical anymore.
The counter rail and the dolly may be separately injection molded and subsequently attached to each other by means of an adhesive or by means of heat fusion, depending on the combination of plastics material and suitable adhesives available for each plastics material.
Most preferably, though, the counter rail and the dolly are consecutively injection moulded from said plastics materials in a co-injection moulding process and thus attached to each other by melt fusion, which ensures quick, cost-effective and reliable manufacturing of such modules of counter rails provided with dollies in production scale.

Counter rail and counter element in a sealing apparatus and method of manufacturing thereof


Provided herein are antibodies that specifically bind a protein comprising an H1.0K180me2 antigen or a peptide thereof, methods of making such antibodies, and methods of using such antibodies for therapeutics and diagnostics.

Cellular chromatin is a dynamic polymer, capable of many configurations, and prone to remodeling and restructuring as it receives physiologically relevant input. Histone proteins are the main protein components of chromatin and double-stranded DNA is wound around histone proteins. Changes in histone proteins can differentially alter access of the transcriptional machinery to some genes while leaving access to other genes intact. Differential chromatin condensation achieved by histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs) underlies packaging of chromatin (Lunyak and Rosenfeld 92008) Hum. Mol. Genet., 17: R28-36; Jenuwein and Allis (2001) Science, 293: 1074-1080). Histone PTMs, for example methylation, can act as an epigenetic code and play critical roles in many aspects of the cellular responses tightly linked to development, injury, disease and aging.
Five major families of histones exist: H1, H2A, H2B, H3 and H4. Histones H2A, H2B, H3 and H4 are known as the core histones, while histones H1 and H5 are known as the linker histones. The large number of H1.0-binding proteins identified by multiple studies in recent years point to an important role for protein—protein interactions of H1.0 and suggests a new paradigm for H1.0 structure and function that extends beyond its effects on chromatin architecture.
There is a need to detect H1.0 methylation in various cellular contexts; and sensitive assays are needed to differentiate among the various types of cellular contexts, as they relate to the development of disease, response to injury, and response to therapeutic regimens. There is also a need to therapeutically address methylated H1.0-related diseases and conditions. Provided herein are methods and compositions for this purpose.

H1.0K180me2 antibodies, methods of making and uses thereof


This invention discloses a composition comprised of nanoparticles having p-isononylphenoxypoly (glycidol) as a surface modifier adsorbed on the surface thereof. In preferred embodiments, the p-isononylphenoxypoly (glycidol) provides resistance to particle aggregation during heat sterilization. In another preferred embodiment, those nanoparticles also comprise a stability enhancing compound. A preferred stability enhancing compound is albumin. This invention further discloses a method of making nanoparticles having p-isononylphenoxypoly(glycidol) as a surface modifier adsorbed on the surface, comprised of contacting said nanoparticles with p-isononylphenoxypoly(glycidol) for a time and under conditions sufficient to form a p-isononylphenoxypoly(glycidol) surface modified nanoparticle. In a preferred embodiment, the p-isononylphenoxypoly (glycidol) surface modified nanoparticle is further contacted with a stability enhancing compound for a time and under conditions sufficient to form a p-isononylphenoxypoly(glycidol) surface modified nanoparticle with a stability enhancing compound associated therewith.

Nanoparticles, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,684, are particles consisting of a poorly soluble therapeutic or diagnostic agent onto which are adsorbed a noncrosslinked surface modifier, and which have an average particle size of less than about 400 nanometers (nm).
Sterilization of therapeutic and diagnostic agents in nanocrystalline form stabilized by a surface modifier (surfactant) is difficult. Filtration using a filter of 0.22 .mu.m mesh size is sufficient to remove most bacteria and viruses, but the nanoparticles, due to their sizes, cannot be sterile filtered without accounting for substantial drug losses. Conventional autoclaving (steam heat) at 121.degree. C. generally results in substantial growth in particle size, rendering the resulting particles unusable. One possible explanation is that the aggregation of nanoparticles upon heating is related to the precipitation of the surface modifier (surfactant) at or below sterilization temperature (above the cloud point of the surfactant) where the bound surfactant molecules are likely to dissociate from the nanoparticles and precipitate, leaving the nanoparticles unprotected. The unprotected nanoparticles can then aggregate into clusters of particles. Upon cooling, the surfactant redissolves into the solution, which then coats the aggregated particles and prevents them from dissociating into smaller ones.
Shelf stability of nanoparticles is also a problem, with nanoparticle size increasing upon storage. It would be advantageous to allow for an increase in storage shelf life after autoclaving without the concomitant agglomeration of the nanoparticle suspension. It is desirable that the nanoparticles exhibit good physical stability, i.e., shelf stability and stability in biological fluids, both before and after autoclaving.
This invention is directed to novel compositions that allow autoclaving of nanoparticles with reduced or no particle size growth. These compositions provide for a surfactant adsorbed onto nanoparticles such that the nanoparticles do not agglomerate during autoclaving. This invention is also directed to a method of making such compositions.
This invention is also directed to novel compositions that allow autoclaving of nanoparticles without the concomitant increase in particle size upon storage, and a method of making such compositions.

Formulations comprising olin 10-G to prevent particle aggregation and increase stability


A graphic processing apparatus includes a chunk assignment unit which assigns a block in which a maximum N number of polygons are located, out of a plurality of polygons drawn in a frame buffer which is divided into a plurality of blocks, to a maximum M number of chunk buffers; a chunk generation unit which generates pixel data of a polygon located in a block assigned to the chunk buffer, out of the N number of polygons, and writes the pixel data to the chunk buffer; and a chunk writing unit which writes the pixel data written in the chunk buffer to the frame buffer, wherein a processing phase, including processing by the chunk assignment unit, processing by the chunk generation unit, and processing by the chunk writing unit, is repeatedly executed for the plurality of polygons.

In three-dimensional graphics, a graphics engine generates a two-dimensional image when a three-dimensional object is viewed from a predetermined visual point, based on three-dimensional data on the three-dimensional object, and writing data on each pixel of the two-dimensional image in a memory, whereby two-dimensional image data is generated. The image data stored in the memory is read by a display engine so as to be displayed on a display device.
In this image processing apparatus, DRAM is normally used as a memory for writing image data. DRAM has characteristics where memory access to continuous addresses is fast, but memory access to discontinuous addresses is slow. In concrete terms, a DRAM has a processing unit called a "page", and access within a same (continuous addresses) is fast, but accessing different pages (discontinuous addresses) generates a processing called a "page miss". If a page miss is generated, a DRAM controller must activate a new word line, and read data from the memory cell, during which the DRAM cannot be accessed for new reading.
However a three-dimensional object is normally drawn as a set of small lines and triangles, therefore a large quantity of discontinuous memory accesses is generated when the three-dimensional object is drawn in the DRAM, and memory access efficiency drops considerably.
As a method for improving this problem, a tiling architecture is known. According to the tiling architecture, the image processing apparatus divides a drawing space into a predetermined size (e.g. 8×8 pixels) of tiles, and performs drawing processing for all the graphics having pixels in a tile, using an internal memory, such as an SRAM, and writes the image data generated in the internal memory to an external memory (Japanese Translation of PCT Application No. 2002-529865). Since the image data is written to the external memory in tile units, DRAM is continuously accessed, and access efficiency improves.
According to the tiling architecture, however, the graphics engine generates drawing parameters having an increment value of each side of a polygon and an increment value of a span, and determines a polygon having a pixel in a tile, out of all the polygons, based on the vertex parameters of the polygon (e.g. a coordinate, depth, parameter value) for all the drawing target polygons for each tile. As a consequence, drawing parameter generation processing is required for all the polygons for each tile, and processing volume increases.
A possible method to prevent this problem is generating drawing parameters for all the drawing target polygons, and writing this data to an external memory, and reading the drawing parameters from the external memory when the drawing processing of a tile is performed, and determining a polygon having a pixel in the tile. According to this method, however, the graphics engine must access the external memory every time processing to read or write the drawing parameters is performed.

Graphic processing apparatus and computer-readable medium storing graphic processing program


An apparatus and method for providing a control panel that reduces overall size while providing integrated button protection for functional advantage. The control panel includes a function activator disposed at a fixed position on panel face of a device and a moveable cover, disposed over the panel face, the moveable cover having a first selection aperture configured to allow selection of a desired function by allowing engagement of a function activator only when the first selection aperture is moved to align with a function activator associated with the desired function.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to control panels for rack mounted equipment, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for providing a control panel that reduces overall size while providing integrated button protection for functional advantage.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical equipment racks are commonly used to stack a plurality of system chassis. Rack mount enclosures are compact in design and allow for mounting of various components (e.g., servers, switches, power distribution units, etc.) in a stacked style configuration. Utilizing racks allows a user to include various rack-mounted components in the rack, decreasing the footprint, while the components remain easily accessible for maintenance.
Rack space is always at a premium, and various designs have been created to increase the density of equipment storage. For example, some chassis may be mounted upon telescoping rail assemblies to facilitate forward and rearward motion of the chassis in respect to the rack for purposes of performing maintenance and renewal operations on system components that are attached to the chassis.
However, heat is increased by mounting multiple components in a rack, thereby causing deterioration and possible failure of many of the components. Mass data storage systems, tape backup systems, automated tape library systems, electronic test equipment, telecommunications equipment, network servers, routers and firewalls are often mounted in cabinets and rack mount frames. For example, most server systems generate a large amount of heat that requires cooling in order to maintain proper function. The generated heat must be displaced to ensure proper function of all components. Fans are the most common method used to remove this heat.
A frequently underestimated conflict in the design of a high-performance computer is the trade-off between design for density and the ability of the fans to move hot air away from the system. Thus, airflow for cooling products is an increasing requirement. Nevertheless, control panels often block valuable real estate that could be used for more air vents.
For example, current control panels on some blade servers include three primary buttons, a smaller non-maskable interrupt (NMI) button, 5-6 LEDs, and a hinging door protecting the power button. FIG. 3 illustrates a current control panel 300 for a blade server that is located at the top of the blade server. The control panel 300 includes system information LEDs and control switches 312, 314. A media-select button 312 is provided to allow a CDROM drive, diskette drive, and USB port to be associated with the blade server. The media select button 312 lights when the ownership of the CD-ROM drive, diskette drive, and USB port transfers to this blade server. Blade-error LED 320 is used to indicate that a system error has occurred in the blade. Information LED 322 is used to indicate information about a system error for the server has been placed in the error log. Location LED 324 is turned on in response to a programmed condition or remotely by the system administrator to aid in blade identification for maintenance. The location LED 324 will be on also. After maintenance has been completed the location LED 324 is turned off. Activity LED 326 indicates that there is activity in the blade server. This includes hard disk and network activity. Power-on LED 328 indicates that the server has AC power. The console select button 314 is used to associate the keyboard mouse and video ports with this blade server. This button 314 lights when the ownership of the keyboard mouse and video transfers to this blade server. A power-control button is located behind the control panel door. The power control button is pressed to manually turn the blade server on or off.
FIGS. 4a-b illustrates a second embodiment of a current control panel 400. In FIG. 4a, a hinged cover 410 is shown in the closed position. However, the video 412 and CD 414 buttons are accessible with the hinged cover 410 in the closed position. FIG. 4b shows the hinged cover 410 in the open position. When the hinged cover 410 in the open position the LEDs 430-440 for diagnostics are visible and the power button 432 is accessible. To provide greater airflow, it would be beneficial if current control panels could be replaced with control panels designed to take up even less surface area. However, simply reducing the size of the control panel may result in additional disadvantages. For example, to allow for readability, the size of icons should not be reduced to a point that renders the icons meaningless. Likewise, the spacing between buttons should not be reduced to such an extent that human-machine interaction is negatively effected. The spacing requirement is intended to prevent accidental activation of one button when depressing an adjacent one.
It can be seen that there is a need for an apparatus and method for providing a control panel that reduces overall size while providing integrated button protection for functional advantage.

Apparatus and method for providing a control panel that reduces overall size while providing integrated button protection for functional advantage

International Business Machines Corporation


An instruction processing apparatus using a microprogram instruction which implements re-reading operation. The instruction execution apparatus is provided with a queue stack, a unit halting requests for reading subsequent instructions at the instruction of a microprogram, and a unit releasing this halt. Further, by instruction the reading of the subsequent instructions using the microprogram control information, it becomes possible to simultaneously execute the microprogram and instruction re-reading processing. Because the Program Status Word Instruction Address (PSWIAR) of the load control (LCTL) plus the instruction length of the PSWIAR makes an instruction fetch address of the LCTL, the hardware of the instruction re-read address production circuit (which is a part of the instruction processing circuit) can be used. This reduces the: T-cycle instruction address register (TIAR), T-cycle instruction length code (TILC), A-cycle instruction address register (AIAR), the A-cycle instruction length code (AILC), and an adder for adding the TILC with the TIAR.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an instruction processing apparatus in an information processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an information processing system, when a load control (LCTL) instruction or other instruction requiring serial processing, a load program status word (LPSW) instruction or other instruction for changing the controlled state of a system, or an interrupt is executed, instructions have to be re-read.
Recent information processing systems use a microprogram so as to execute instructions while reducing the hardware. Similar use is made of a microprogram for realizing a method for re-reading instructions due to execution of an LCTL instruction or other instruction requiring serial processing, a LPSW instruction or other instruction for changing the controlled state of a system, or an interrupt.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the routine for an instruction re-read operation using a microprogram.
An instruction re-read operation using a microprogram is realized by, in time, starting up the microprogram (step S1), halting the reading of instructions (step S2), setting an instruction read address (step S3), and starting the reading of instructions (step S4).
A conventional instruction processing unit adopting pipeline processing performs similar processing to that of FIG. 1.
A conventional instruction re-read method using pipeline processing will be described next using FIG. 2 to FIG. 13. FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 show an instruction processing circuit. FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of the circuit and the connection of FIG. 3 to FIG. 5. FIG. 6 to FIG. 8 are timing charts of instruction re-re-read processing. FIG. 9 to FIG. 13 show the hardware configuration employed in the instruction processing circuit.
A basic instruction re-read operation description follows.
The basic instruction re-read processing is performed by an LPSW instruction. Among the timing charts of FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, FIG. 6 shows the processing of this example.
The routine of FIG. 1 in an LPSW instruction as executed as follows. First, in the startup of the microprogram of step S1 of FIG. 1, instructions fetched into an instruction buffer (IBUFFER) of FIG. 3 are loaded into an instruction register (IWR), the instructions are decoded at the D-cycle, and an operation code (IO) is supplied to a control storage address register (CSAR). By this, microprogram control information (PLHC, PCR, LAST-WORD, etc.) is successively read from a main control storage (MCS) into a D-tag (DTAG). The PLHC is a Pipeline Hardware Control used for interlock controlling of the pipeline, the PCR is a Program Control Register mainly used for controlling REGISTER, and the LAST-WORD (Last-Word) contains data read from the MCS, which shows the end of the microprogram. The microprogram control information is shifted from the D-cycle to a W-Cycle for the processing at the cycles (D-Cycle to W-Cycle).
The halting of the reading of instructions at step S2 of FIG. 1 is performed by a function counter 2 (FC2) of FIG. 6. Microprogram control information (PLHC=0C) of the FC2 read from the MCS of FIG. 3 is shifted from the D-cycle to the W-cycle. At this time, the microprogram control information (PLHC=0C) from the TTAG of the T-cycle is decoded and a T-CONTROL signal (A) is produced (see FIG. 10) and sent to an instruction reading control unit of FIG. 3. For explanation, a function counter (e.g. FC2, shown in FIG. 6) indicates a count of a series of processes from D-cycle to W-cycle. The function counters FC0-FCn are not constituted by hardware, but are indications that show function units processed by the data read from the MCS in each fetch cycle.
The sent T-CONTROL signal (A) activates the RE-IFCH-TGR of FIG. 12 and halts the reading of instructions by a signal (C): +IF-REQ signal sent from the instruction reading control unit of FIG. 3 (see FIG. 12). At the same time, the instruction buffer is initialized by clearing the NSI-COUNTER of FIG. 3 showing the state of the IBUFFER and the location of instructions by a signal (D): xe2x88x92INITIALIZE-NSIC signal (see FIG. 12) sent from the instruction reading control unit.
The setting of the instruction read address of step S3 in FIG. 1 is performed by a function counter FC0 of FIG. 6. The microprogram control information (PCR=14) of the FC0 read from the MCS of FIG. 3 is shifted from the D-cycle to the W-cycle. At this time, an operand fetch instruction is issued by an A-CONTROL signal of the A-cycle of FIG. 4, microprogram control information (PCR=14) is decoded from the WTAG of the W-cycle of FIG. 5, a W-CONTROL signal (E) is produced (see FIG. 11), the result register latch (RR-LCH) of FIG. 5 is selected, and the output is written in a program status word (PSW).
Next, at the W+1 cycle of FIG. 5, an instruction address (PSWIAR) of the PSW updated by a W-CONTROL-LCH signal (F) latching the W-CONTROL signal (E) of FIG. 11 is loaded into an instruction address register (IAR).
The starting of reading of instructions of step S4 of FIG. 1 is performed by FC5 of FIG. 6. Microprogram control information (LAST-WORD) of the FC5 read from the MCS of FIG. 3 is shifted from the D-cycle to the W-cycle. At this time, the AND of the microprogram control information (LAST-WORD) and a D-VALID signal (signal indicating that the D-cycle is valid) is taken from the DTAG of the D-cycle of FIG. 3, whereby an NSI-REQ signal (G) is produced and sent to the instruction reading control unit of FIG. 3.
The NSI-REQ signal (G) sent to the instruction reading control unit of FIG. 3 resets the latch of RE-IFCH-TRG of FIG. 12 and then activates the latch of START-UP, whereby an IF-REQ signal (C) is sent from the next clock cycle and thereby instructions start being read.
By the processing of the microprogram as explained above, the routine of FIG. 1 is satisfied and the basic instruction re-read operation indicated in FIG. 6 is carried out.
An example of producing subsequent instruction address and performing instruction re-read operation follows. The instruction re-read operation at the subsequent instruction address is performed by the load control (LCTL) instruction. Among the timing charts of FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, FIG. 7 shows the processing of this example.
The LCTL also performs the instruction re-read operation according to the routine of FIG. 1. The startup of the microprogram for the instruction re-read operation of step S1, the halting of reading of instructions of step S2, and the starting of reading of instructions of step S4 in this example are similar to those of the above explanation of the basic instruction re-reading operation. Only the setting of the instruction read address of step S3 differs.
In the same way as the above basic instruction re-reading operation, a microprogram is started up at step S1 and the halting of the reading of instructions of step S2 is performed by the FC2 of FIG. 7.
The setting of the instruction read address of step S3 of FIG. 1 is performed by the FC6 of FIG. 7. In the same way as the microprogram control information (PLHC=0F) of the FC6 read from the MCS of FIG. 3 being shifted from the D-cycle to the W-cycle, an address in the IAR corrected by an instruction address modifier (IAM) sent from the instruction reading control unit of FIG. 3 and an instruction length code decoded from the IWR are shifted.
At this time, microprogram control information (PLHC=0F) is decoded from the TTAG of the T-cycle, a T-CONTROL signal (B) is produced (see FIG. 10), TIAR+TILC obtained by adding the data of the T-cycle instruction address register (TIAR) and the T-cycle of FIG. 4 instruction length code (TILC) is selected, and the TIAR+TILC is loaded into the IAR.
Next, for the start of the reading of instructions of step S4 of FIG. 1, processing similar to that explained in the above basic instruction re-read operation is performed by the FC8.
By the processing of the microprogram as explained above, the routine of FIG. 1 is satisfied and the basic instruction re-read operation indicated in FIG. 7 is carried out.
An Example of Performing Instruction Re-read Operation Influenced by State of CPU in Interrupt Processing follows.
Among the timing charts of FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, FIG. 8 shows the processing of this example.
In the instruction re-reading operation influenced by the state of the CPU in the interrupt processing, an instruction re-read operation is performed according to the routine of FIG. 1. The startup of the microprogram for the instruction re-read operation of step S1, the halting of reading of instructions of step S2, and the setting of the instruction read address of step S3 in this example are similar to those of the above explanation of the basic instruction re-reading operation. Only the starting of reading of instructions of step S4 differs.
In the same way as the above basic instruction re-reading operation, a microprogram is started up at step S1, the halting of the reading of instructions of step S2 is performed by the FC2 of FIG. 8, and the setting of the instruction read address of step S3 is performed by the FC0.
The starting of the reading of instructions of step S4 of FIG. 1 is performed by the FC8 of FIG. 8. Microprogram control information (LAST-WORD) of the FC8 read from the MCS is shifted from the D-cycle to the W-Cycle. At this time, the AND of the microprogram control information (LAST-WORD) and D-VALID signal (signal indicating that the D-cycle is valid) is taken from the DTAG of the D-cycle, whereby an NSI-REQ signal (G) is produced (see FIG. 9) and sent to the instruction reading control unit and process control unit of FIG. 3.
The NSI-REQ sent to the instruction reading control unit of FIG. 3 resets the latch of RE-IFCH-TGR of FIG. 12 and activates the latch of START-UP. The NSI-REQ sent to the process control unit of FIG. 3 is latched and the AND of the latched signal and an END-PROCESS-STATE signal (see FIG. 13) is taken, whereby the state is changed from a START state to a PROCESS state. When the PROCESS state is entered, the Enable Process Instruction Fetch (ENB-PROCESS-IFCH) of FIG. 12 is activated, whereby the IF-RED signal (C) is sent from the next clock cycle and thereby instructions start being read. The ENB-PROCESS-IFCH indicates that the instruction fetch process is valid.
By the processing of the microprogram as explained above, the routine of FIG. 1 is satisfied and the basic instruction re-read operation indicated in FIG. 8 is carried out.
The conventional instruction re-read method using pipeline processing explained above, however, suffered from the following three problems:
1. Calculation of Subsequent Instruction Address
In the conventional pipeline type instruction processing method, the subsequent instruction address is calculated by the T-cycle instruction address register and T-cycle instruction length code. Doing this invites an increase in the hardware, so a new method of calculating a subsequent instruction address is needed.
2. Starting of Reading of Instructions
The conventional operation for starting reading of instructions, as indicated in FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, starts the subsequent reading of instructions by the NSI-REQ signal at the D-cycle of the last cycle of the microprogram. This is due to the fact that, in the conventional control for loading instructions, as shown in FIG. 3, the initial instruction fetch data is loaded directly to the IWR without passing through the IBUFFER, therefore if reading of subsequent instructions is started during execution of a current instruction at the time of an instruction re-read operation, the content of the IWR may be destroyed.
As opposed to this, the content of the IWR will never be destroyed when the reading of subsequent instructions is started, in the D-cycle of the last cycle of a microprogram, as shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 8. However, when the reading of instructions is started at the D-cycle of the last cycle, if the number of clock cycles for the processing for reading instructions increases due to cache errors in instruction fetching operations, conversion of instruction address, etc., the loading of instructions to the instruction execution control unit is delayed by the amount of the increase in the number of clock cycles caused by the processing for reading the instructions.
3. State Transition of CPU
In interrupt processing, starting from the D-cycle of the last cycle, the state changes from the ENDPROCESS-STATE to START and to PROCESS-STATE. The reading of instructions is first started at PROCESS-STATE. Therefore, the reading of subsequent instructions is delayed.
An object of the present invention is to establish a new method of re-reading instructions and to increase the instruction re-reading speed in an instruction re-read operation using a microprogram while decreasing the hardware. In the present invention, along with changes in the method of executing instructions, there is provided an instruction re-read operation using a microprogram which can establish a new method of rereading instructions and realize an increase in speed of the instruction re-read operationxe2x80x94a perennial problem in information processing systemsxe2x80x94while reducing the hardware.
The present invention was made to achieve the above object.
The instruction processing apparatus according to the present invention provides a queue stack to execute instructions. Moreover, it employs a method under which all control for loading instructions goes through an instruction buffer (IBUFFER) and instructions are loaded into an instruction register (IWR). Due to this, it is possible to avoid the case of destruction of the content of the IWR by simple control (this is explained in the discussion below of FIGS. 33 to 35, which precedes the explanation of the overall instruction re-read operation of FIG. 20). In the processing of the microprogram for the instruction re-read operation, by performing the instruction fetching operation in advance during the execution of the microprogram, it becomes possible to load instructions in the instruction execution pipeline soon after the completion of the processing of the microprogram.
The present invention is further provided with the later explained means for the following reasons:
1. In an instruction processing apparatus, an instruction execution control unit and an instruction fetch pipeline operate mutually independently, therefore microprogram processing and instruction fetch processing can be executed simultaneously.
2. There are methods of calculating subsequent instruction addresses without calculation of the T-cycle instruction address and T-cycle instruction length code.
3. The END-PROCESS STATE is required for starting a microprogram for interrupt processing etc., but while the microprogram for interrupt processing is running, the END-PROCESS-STATE is not required.
For the reasons above, the following means are provided:
1. An instruction reading request halt control register, a halt unit halting an instruction reading request issued by a microprogram, and a halt releasing unit are provided so as to enable an instruction re-read operation.
2. The start of reading instructions of FIG. 1 is instructed by separate microprogram control information so as to enable simultaneous execution of the instruction re-reading processing with the execution of a microprogram and to enable an increase of speed of the instruction re-read operation.
3. A unit holding a self instruction address and self instruction length due to microprogram instructions in an instruction re-read operation at a subsequent instruction address and an adder are provided so as to decrease the hardware and enable the instruction re-read operation.
4. A unit causing a change in state from the ENDPROCESS-STATE through the START-STATE to the PROCESS-STATE soon due to a microprogram instruction and enabling an instruction fetching operation in an instruction re-read operation at an interrupt processing etc. is provided so as to execute the instruction re-read operation.

Instruction processing apparatus using a microprogram that implements a re-reading operation by controlling early loading of instructions


In network device, a plurality of ports is configured to receive and to transmit packets on a network. A packet processing pipeline includes a plurality of hardware stages, wherein at least one hardware stage is configured to output a data structure comprising a field extracted from a received packet based on a first packet processing operation performed on the packet or the data structure, wherein the data structure is associated with the packet. A configurable processor is coupled to the at least one hardware stage of the packet processing pipeline. The configurable processor is configured to modify the field in the data structure to generate a modified data structure and to pass the modified data structure to a subsequent hardware stage that is configured to perform a second packet processing operation on the data structure using the field modified by the configurable processor.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Network switches are configured to forward network traffic between a plurality of ports connected to communication links. For high throughput applications, network switches are often implemented using hardware such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). When a new networking protocol is introduced and the hardware (e.g., ASIC) of a network switch was designed prior to the introduction of the new networking protocol, the network switch may have difficulty processing packets that conform to the new networking protocol.


The present invention generally relates to a method for manufacturing phase change material (PCM) pellets. The method includes providing a melt composition including paraffin and a polymer. The paraffin has a melt point between about 10° C. and about 50° C., and more preferably between about 18° C. and about 28° C. In one embodiment, the melt composition includes various additives, such as a flame retardant. The method further includes forming the melt composition into PCM pellets. The method further may include the step of cooling the melt to increase the melt viscosity before pelletizing.

The present invention relates generally to a method for making phase change material, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a low-cost, continuous method of manufacturing form-stable phase change material.
Published reports show that incorporation of paraffinic Phase Change Material (PCM) in building envelopes (wall boards, attic insulation, etc.) can reduce energy consumption by 20+%.
Although paraffins with melting points between 10° C. to 50° C. have all found specialty passive energy storage applications (ranging from clothing to spacecraft thermal systems), the paraffins of interest for building envelopes are those that undergo solid-liquid phase change (melting and freezing) at indoor comfort temperatures (generally between 18° C. and 28° C., or between 64° F. and 82° F.). Such paraffins are also referred to as wax.
Relatively large amounts of energy are stored during paraffin phase change (about 100 to about 240 J/g), thus reducing the peak energy demand for cooling (summer) and heating (winter).
Paraffins offer advantages over other types of PCM due to thermo-oxidative stability and material compatibility (i.e. non-corrosive).
Paraffin wax has traditionally been encapsulated for PCM use, mainly to prevent leakage of paraffin when it is in melt phase. A PCM product that keeps its form whether in solid or melt phase is referred to as form-stable PCM. Other methods of making form-stable PCM involve filling small cups (or other container) with the PCM, capping the filled cups, and incorporating them into building construction material.
Encapsulation is a costly batch process often involving use of toxic monomers. Similarly, filling and capping containers can be labor intensive and inefficient for mass production.
Given the current state of PCM manufacturing technology, PCM products have been too expensive and not broadly available. As such, despite demonstrated potential for improving energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings, PCM products have not penetrated this, or other cost-focused segments of industry.
Recent studies have shown that form-stable PCMs can be formed by mixing paraffins with high density polyethylene (HDPE). However, there has been no suggestion of how these form-stable PCMs can be manufactured commercially.
To this end, there is a need for a low cost continuous process to manufacture form-stable PCMs. It is to such a process of manufacturing form-stable PCMs that at least one embodiment of the present invention is directed.
The process uses equipment that is well-suited for automated, high production rate, low cost operation.
PCM pellets are similar in form to more costly micro-encapsulates. Specifically, the pellets are relatively small in size and therefore, have a high surface area to volume ratio for increased heat transfer rate.

Low cost process for manufacture of form-stable phase change material


A soundboard for a hollow-body stringed instrument made of layers of carbon-fiber and resin material surrounding a core of one or more layers of constant-thickness plywood, veneer (thinly sliced wood) or paper. Additional shaped layers are provided to produce a desired pattern of stiffness in the soundboard. The soundboard may be tuned by attaching additional masses to a surface of the soundboard. A method of making and tuning the soundboard of the invention is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of carbon-fiber laminates. More particularly, the invention pertains to musical instrument sound boards made of layers of carbon-fiber and resin with a core or base layer of specific material, and methods of making such sound boards.
2. Description of Related Art
The following US patents and published applications show stringed instruments with soundboards incorporating composite fiber materials:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,040 "Sound Board for Stringed Instrument" Kaman (1975) Guitar having a sound board made of layers of graphite fiber and a wood core. Core is plywood or veneer, may be single layer or multiple layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,452 "Plastic musical instrument body having structural insert" Morrison, et al [Norlin Industries, Inc.](1982)—a structural support member of wood is embedded within a plastic body, which is essentially solid (there is a cut-out hollow area). The thickness of plastic about the structural member at most points along the member is substantially minimized and the mass of plastic material on one side of the member is not substantially greater than the mass of plastic on the opposite side of the member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,933 "Soundboard assembly for pianos or the like" Kaman, et al. [Currier Piano Company, Inc.](1982) A soundboard assembly for use in a piano, harpsichord or similar stringed musical instrument comprises a thin, laminated soundboard consisting of a center sheet of wood and two outer layers of composite material. The center wooden sheet has a substantially unidirectional grain and the two outer layers of composite material are made of unidirectional carbon fibers embedded in a resin matrix.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,862 "Method for making sound board" Kaman [Kaman Aerospace Corporation](1982)—A fiber glass fabric reinforced wood sound board for a guitar is made by placing a sheet of wood in a shallow mold cavity with a layer of fiber glass fabric overlying an associated surface of the wood sheet, spreading a layer of liquid resinous compound over the layer of fabric to impregnate the fabric, providing a plate having a smooth surface, positioning the plate with its smooth surface in face-to-face engagement with the layer of liquid impregnating material to provide a substantial closure for the mold cavity, drawing vacuum on the mold cavity, and curing the liquid resinous material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,990 "Construction material for stringed musical instruments" Haines [University of South Carolina] (1982)—Uses cardboard or paper core covered in carbon-fiber material.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,873,907 and 4,969,381 "omposite-materials acoustic stringed musical instrument" Decker, Jr. et al. [Kuau Technology, Ltd.] (1989/1990)—soundboard for an acoustic guitar made of a composite-materials plate having an area density matching that of wooden soundboards while having a bulk density exceeding the bulk density of wooden soundboards. The soundboard is preferably made of a lay-up of woven polymer (preferably aramid) fabric and a layer of unidirectional graphite fibers followed by a layer of decorative fabric (e.g., silk), all embedded in a resin matrix.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,125,312 and 5,189,235 "Stringed Musical Instrument" Fishman, et al [Korg/Fishpark Associates] (1992/1993) A light weight guitar with light weight wood core material, strengthening layer of carbon fiber and a fiberglass sheet layer both impregnated with a high temperature resin. This is a solid-body guitar, the wood core is 1.5 inches thick.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,769 "Soundboard for musical instruments" Sawada et al. [Yamaha Corporation] (Nov. 28, 1995)—laminated construction soundboard for use pianos, the core having larger shearing elastic modulus and/or smaller shearing loss tangent than that of the fore and rear plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,592 "Acoustic guitar assembly" Teel (1999) An acoustic guitar having a resin laminate soundboard with a bracing pattern specifically configured to provide the non-wooden soundboard with qualities resembling traditional wooden soundboards.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,087,568 "Acoustically tailored composite material stringed instrument" Seal (Jul. 11, 2000)—guitar made up of a plurality of plies of composite laminates individually selected and arranged together to provide desired sounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,552 "Soundboards and stringed instruments" Coomar, et al.[Kuau Technology, Ltd.] (2000)—Soundboard includes first and second opposed layers of a stiffened graphite sheet material and a low-density foam core material interposed between the first and second opposed layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,718 "Stringed musical instrument top member" Saunders, et al. [Kaman Music Corporation] (2001)—Soundboard includes an outer composite material layer and an inner composite layer with a core layer, preferably wood, bonded between the inner and outer layers. Referring to FIG. 5, the composite material layers extend outboardly from the outer periphery of the interior portion and are bonded in contact with each other to form the core free flex edge portion of the forward part.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,372,970 Stringed musical instrument body and neck assembly Saunders, et al [Kaman Music Corporation] (2002)—Sound board has an outer composite material layer and an inner composite layer with a core layer, preferably wood, bonded between the inner and outer layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,452 "Acoustic guitar having a composite soundboard" Teel [C. F. Martin & Company, Inc.] (2003)—acoustic guitar having a hollow body constructed with a pre-finished graphite soundboard and a pre-finished high pressure laminate backboard and sidewall. A bracing pattern particularly for use with the graphite soundboard is also provided.
Published Application No. 2004/60,417 "Solid body acoustic guitar" Janes, et al. (Apr. 1, 2004)—A guitar body is formed of a generally solid material having a cavity formed therein and substantially lacking a soundboard. A soundboard is formed of a generally planar material attached to the solid material, so as to substantially cover the cavity. The planar material can be composite graphite.
Published Application No. 2002/104,423 "Composite stringed musical instrument, and method of making the same" Verd (Aug. 8, 2002)—acoustic and electrically amplified stringed musical instruments comprising fiber-reinforced resin composite materials, where the instruments are provided with a sound-damping interior coating.
Published Application No. 2002/69,743 "Soundboard of composite fibre material construction" Schleske (Jun. 13, 2002)—a soundboard for acoustic musical instruments constructed as a composite fiber sandwich plate consisting of core plate and fiber coating. The fiber coating is characterized in that it is multidirectional and single-layer, or multidirectional and applied only to part-zones of the core plate.
Published Application No. 2002/66,354 "Soundboard of composite fibre material construction" Schleske (Jun. 6, 2002)—a soundboard for acoustic musical instruments produced as a composite fiber sandwich. The core plate of the sandwich construction is provided with at least one recess.
Published Application No. 2002/66,353 "Soundboard of composite fibre material construction" Schleske (Jun. 6, 2002)—a soundboard for acoustic musical instruments constructed as a composite fiber sandwich plate. The area defined by the outline of the soundboard is enlarged relative to the average area of the soundboards of conventional musical instruments of the same type in such a way as to compensate for the characteristic frequency shifts ( and thus changes in timbre) which result from the more favorable ratio of stiffness to mass of the composite fiber sandwich plate relative to the conventional solid wood soundboard.

Carbon-fiber laminate musical instrument sound board