In an installation controlling the operation of one or more motors driving a mechanism for deploying or retracting a protective canopy over the cargo compartment of a truck or wagon, a method and device for protecting the motor windings against excessive power use by measuring the level of drawn current with a digital ammeter. If the current exceeds a threshold level of operation, a timer is started. As soon as a given absolute safe period of operation is surpassed, a breaker switch is tripped interrupting the motor power supply. A plural number of trip points can be programmed into the device.

Vehicle cargo compartments for transporting bulk materials such as dirt, sand, grass clippings and the like are often covered with a canopy, often called a tarpaulin or tarp, during travel in order to avoid blowing out part of the load and thus creating a hazardous condition on the highway or contaminating the surroundings, or to prevent the load from getting wet. The deployed tarp needs to be held in place tightly to avoid being dislodged by the wind. Then the compartment needs to be uncovered to unload and load the bulk materials. The repeated and proper covering and uncovering of the compartment can be time-consuming.
Many different types of canopy deployment systems are available such as boom systems as disclosed in Petretti, U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,347, slider systems as disclosed in Merlot et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,423, and side-rolling systems such as disclosed in Odegaard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,445 which deploys and retracts in a sideways manner from a double-wound laterally translating central roller. In the deployed configuration the roller is situated to span front-to-back over the middle of the open top of the compartment thus providing a middle support for the flexible canopy. The system in Odegaard uses an hydraulic motor to drive the deployment of the sheltering canopy off of the roller, and to drive retraction of the canopy back onto the roller. One advantage of hydraulic motors is that they are easily controlled in the forward and reverse direction by adjusting the pressure of the supplied fluid. However, hydraulic motors can have complex controls and be costly to manufacture, install and maintain. Further, leaking hydraulic fluid can contaminate other systems, cargo and the environment.
Some canopy systems use air driven motors. However such systems can be difficult to install and maintain due to lack of familiarity by operators. Further, some canopy systems are designed to tap into the existing vehicle air system operating the vehicle air brakes. Problems with the canopy air system can lead to more serious and potentially dangerous problems involving the vehicle brakes.
Some systems, such as the one disclosed in Eggers et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,682, use a relatively inexpensive electric motor conveniently driven by the vehicle electrical system which typically operates using direct current (DC) and relatively low voltages of between about 12 VDC and about 24 VDC.
Often to reduce the cost of an electrical drive system, the type of electric motor selected will fall within a fairly narrow range of performance characteristics. This can be problematic in the cargo canopy field which is subject to changing conditions, harsh environments and rugged treatment. For example, the canopy mechanism can be impeded by obstacles protruding from the cargo or the accumulation of rust or debris throughout its various components. A frustrated operator may repeatedly activate the deployment and retraction motors in attempting to free the jammed mechanism or forcibly clear the obstacle. This puts great strain on the motors at the risk of burning their windings. Further, electrical systems operating in a hot, desert environment may tend to overheat more quickly then those operating in a cooler environment. In addition, a cargo canopy activating motor should be able to withstand a short burst of high current to deliver the torque necessary to overcome a temporary resistance without causing damage to the motor.
Thus, there can be great variation in the performance characteristics required by electric motors used by a system and their potential for early burnout may vary greatly. Although more rugged electric motors having wider performance characteristics are available, they tend to be more costly.
Exacerbating the problem, because of weight and cost concerns, electrical wire of no thicker than #6 gauge is often used in vehicle runs that can be in the tens of meters in length where DC electrical resistance becomes a large factor. Thus, higher DC currents are often used and, over time, there can be high power consumption, leading to the greater potential for motor burnout.
Installing a current sensitive circuit breaker or fuse between the source of electrical power and the motors has been the conventional way of protecting them. However, a circuit breaker responds mainly to the amplitude of the current drawn by the motors not necessarily to the amount of consumed power that might overheat the motor and damage the windings.
Fuses tend to respond somewhat better to the power consumed, namely blowing more quickly when the current is higher and more slowly when the current is lower. For example, a typical new 50 ampere fuse can blow within 10 seconds when the current passing through it is 160 amperes, but can take 40 seconds to blow when the current is 110 ampere.
Unfortunately, fuses can be more difficult, costly and time-consuming to replace. Furthermore, over time, a fuse will weaken so that eventually the fuse may blow when the power consumption is within acceptable limits. A frustrated operator may then decide to electrically bypass the fuse thus greatly increasing the risk of motor burnout and the potential for dangerous electrical shorts.
In some systems there is a dedicated motor for deployment actions and a separate motor to drive retraction actions. Using two or more motors thus makes the cost of a particular motor more important to the overall cost of the system.
Some canopy retracting mechanisms previously available are prone to erratic operation due to misalignment of canopy edges, uneven stretching of the canopy fabric, lack of synchronization between driving motors or the jamming of pulling and guiding components. Moreover, the canopy deploying and retracting motors need to be well balanced and relatively precise in order to assure a smooth operation of the mechanism under the rugged, all-weather conditions typical for cargo vehicles. For stability and exactness of alignment, prior mechanisms have been proposed which require complex boom and lever structures as disclosed in PCT International Publication WO 2005/005186 Hines.
In addition, as material is wound upon a roller or spool its effective diameter changes due to the material already wound on the spool. Thus, it can be difficult to predict the amount of material taken up for any given rotation. This can lead to uneven tensioning on the material which in turn can lead to misalignment.
Unfortunately because of the rugged environment and particular cost concerns of the cargo canopy field, those electrical and mechanical systems which work in a seemingly similar field such as retractable awnings may not provide any useful guidance for designs in the cargo canopy field.
The instant invention results from efforts to address one or more of the above problems with prior cargo canopy systems.

Motor overload protection for cargo canopy systems


Image compensation for an occluding direct-view augmented reality system is described. In one or more embodiments, an augmented reality apparatus includes an emissive display layer for presenting emissive graphics to an eye of a user and an attenuation display layer for presenting attenuation graphics between the emissive display layer and a real-world scene to block light of the real-world scene from the emissive graphics. A light region compensation module dilates an attenuation graphic based on an attribute of an eye of a viewer, such as size of a pupil, to produce an expanded attenuation graphic that blocks additional light to compensate for an unintended light region. A dark region compensation module camouflages an unintended dark region with a replica graphic in the emissive display layer that reproduces an appearance of the real-world scene in the unintended dark region. A camera provides the light data used to generate the replica graphic.

Augmented reality holds great promise for providing information relevant to a person's current environment. With augmented reality, visual images are added to a scene of an environment currently being viewed by a person. The visual images are synthetic graphical images (also referred to as "synthetic graphics" hereinafter) that are generated by a computer and added to a real-world scene. For example, a synthetic graphic may be overlaid or superimposed in front of the real-world scene. A synthetic graphic may also be inserted into the real-world scene such that the inserted visual image of the synthetic graphic appears to be partially behind a real-world object at some depth in the field of vision. With a finely-orchestrated insertion of a synthetic graphic, the synthetic graphic can appear to be integrated with the real-world scene, which can provide increased realism or enable annotations that do not block important visual aspects but still clearly indicate what visible object is being annotated.
A synthetic graphic may be helpful, humorous, entertaining, and so forth. For example, an augmented reality system can display directional arrows and textual instructions over streets or down hallways to help a person navigate to a requested destination. In another example, recommended tolerances or detailed installation instructions for an automotive part are displayed to help a car mechanic In yet another example, an augmented reality system can project the results of a planned structural remodel or the introduction of new furniture into a real-world view of an interior of a building. A synthetic graphic can further be used for amusement, such as displaying amusing comments or recent social media communications, for example, over the heads of friends and coworkers. In another example, an electronic "buddy" can be introduced into the surrounding space of a child to act as a playmate, tutor, or guide. Thus, augmented reality has the potential to positively impact many areas of life by enabling the addition of synthetic graphics into real-world scenes.
An augmented reality system may be configured in a variety of ways. For example, the augmented reality system may be configured as glasses to be disposed in front of a user's eyes, goggles that cover the eyes, another type of head-mounted display, a display screen, a video projector, or some combination thereof. These systems also include functionality to generate the synthetic graphic for visual presentation in conjunction with the real-world scene.
Augmented reality systems are typically built as one of two main types: see-through systems supporting a direct-view or camera-mediated systems supporting an indirect view. With systems of the former type, a person looks through a display screen presenting a synthetic graphic and also may directly view the real-world scene disposed behind the display screen. With systems of the latter type, a person looks at a display screen to see both the synthetic graphic and the real-world scene as jointly presented on the display screen. With both types of augmented reality systems, some approach is instituted to composite a synthetic graphic with the real-world scene to create a composited view. Unfortunately, a number of technological hurdles prevent the attainment of the full potential of augmented reality with either the direct-view approach or the camera-mediated approach.
With a camera-mediated augmented reality system, a person's view is conventionally constrained to a single-layered display screen presenting the world as captured through the use of a camera, but the display screen is physically opaque to the real-world from the perspective of the eye of the person viewing the display screen. In other words, the person's view is indirect because the person does not receive light originating from the real-world. Instead, a camera with an image sensor is exposed to the real-world scene, and one or two miniature display screens display the real-world scene by piping in data from an image sensor of the camera. A camera-mediated augmented reality system is analogous to looking through the viewfinder of a modern camcorder in which a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen presents a view of what the image sensor of the camcorder is currently "seeing" while lighting or focus indications are superimposed over the scene being recorded.
Accordingly, camera-mediated augmented reality systems allow for accurate compositing because the combining of the real-world scene and the synthetic graphics is performed electronically and then displayed together on a single-layered display screen. Unfortunately, camera-mediated systems degrade a person's view of the real-world environment due to resolution and latency constraints of the camera, image processing components, and limitations of the display screen, itself. A camera-mediated augmented reality system also becomes dark and completely opaque if the system experiences a power failure.
In contrast, with a direct-view augmented reality system, a person's eyes are exposed to light rays originating from real-world objects. A direct-view system includes a display screen having one or more display layers configured for insertion between the person's eyes and a real-world scene as directly viewed. An example of a display layer for a display screen that is at least partially see-through is an emissive display layer. An emissive display layer can be primarily transparent to the light originating from real-world objects, but the emissive display layer can also selectively present images that are sufficiently opaque so as to be discernable to the human eye. Thus, direct-view augmented reality systems use advanced optics incorporated into one or more display layers to create the illusion of a transparent display at a fixed distance in front of the viewer as super-imposed over a real-world scene. Because real-world objects are viewed directly, the real world is seen with minimal latency.
Unfortunately, direct-view augmented reality systems also suffer from a number of drawbacks, such as a narrow field of view. Furthermore, the synthetic graphics added to a real-world scene are subject to the resolution constraints of a display sub-system, which can include multiple display layers of a display screen along with associated processing capabilities. Additionally, once synthetic graphics are super-imposed by a direct-view augmented reality system, a person's ability to properly focus on the synthetic graphics can be compromised by anatomical characteristics of the human eye. For example, presenting a synthetic graphic in a manner to cause the eye and the mind to locate the synthetic graphic at a desired depth in the real-world view is difficult. This is especially so when the eye and the mind of a person are trying to combine light originating approximately an inch from the eye with light originating from real-world objects that are tens, hundreds, or more feet away from the person.
To facilitate accurate compositing of close-up synthetic graphics and far-away real-world objects, a freeform optics prismatic lens can be used as a display layer of a display screen in a direct-view augmented reality system. A freeform optics prismatic lens presents synthetic graphics with proper focus cues to help a person see the displayed synthetic graphics without blurriness and at the intended depth in the field of view. Integrated light-weight eye tracking can be employed to estimate where or on what object a person's eyes are currently focusing to determine a focal depth.
A challenging problem, however, remains with the introduction of occlusive synthetic graphics to direct-view augmented reality systems. A synthetic graphic added to a real-world scene occludes a person's view of one or more real-world objects. Although the occluding synthetic graphic blocks the view of some real-world objects, the occluding synthetic graphic is nevertheless desirable because the graphic provides information to the person, such as a description or other annotation of an object in the real-world scene. On the other hand, distracting image artifacts are undesirable. Direct-view augmented reality systems continue to be problematic because such systems produce distracting image artifacts in conjunction with the presentation of occluding synthetic graphics. An example of an image artifact is a dark halo around a displayed synthetic graphic. Such image artifacts result from multiple see-through display layers, the light originating from the real-world scene, or the interaction of multiple layers and incoming light.
One relatively simple approach, at least from an optical perspective, for introducing occlusive synthetic graphics into a real-world scene utilizes a conventional stack of LCD layers. The stack of LCD layers can both attenuate the real world and provide synthetic graphics in the foreground along with proper focus cues. Unfortunately, such devices have low spatial resolution and require computationally expensive optimization processing to display the synthetic graphics. Moreover, for the stacked LCD layers to gain angular resolution, the resolution of the LCD layers is increased. But LCD layers of sufficiently high resolution can blur the transmitted view of the real world due to diffraction effects. Employing three such LCD layers that are stacked on top of each other further exacerbates this problem. Additionally, if a conventional stack of LCD layers is used to attenuate the view of a person's surroundings to support viewing a synthetic graphic, a dark halo is visible around the synthetic graphic. Alternative optical systems have been proposed, but the alternative optical systems are both bulky and complex. The alternatives also compromise other desirable aspects of an augmented reality system, such as good contrast.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Replica graphic causing reduced visibility of an image artifact in a direct-view of a real-world scene


Disclosed is a race guide wire containment and dispensing system comprising an outer housing and an inner housing.

The use of medical guide wires (or "guide wires") is ubiquitous in modern era, non-invasive, medical practice including cardiac catheterization and interventional radiology disciplines and the practice of endo-vascular surgery.
An accepted method of accessing the interior of a blood vessel involves placing a needle inside a short cannula, and then placing the needle and cannula into the blood vessel with subsequent extraction of the needle, but retention of the short cannula. This method is used for both diagnostic and endo-vascular surgical procedures. Once the needle is removed from the blood vessel, the cannula becomes an open access to the vasculature and blood will escape through the cannula unless the cannula is capped. Once a cannula has been placed in a blood vessel using this or any other method, it is common for a general-purpose guide wire, such as a 0.018-inch diameter wire or a flexible, 0.035 inch×4.5 mm regular J guide-wire (which, as known to those skilled in the art is a guide wire having a single, J-shaped, flexible tip of 4.5 mm in length) to be inserted into the cannula and into the blood vessel. At that point, the cannula is removed leaving the guide wire in the blood vessel an extending outward through percutaneous puncture. The intra-vascular location of the guide wire is usually confirmed with fluoroscopy or other suitable method at this point.
Once confirmed that the guide wire is intra-vascular, a sheath and dilator may be passed over the guide wire. The dilator is then removed and the sheath is flushed with heparin. Once that is completed, a guide wire exchange may be made, whereby the general-purpose guide wire may be replaced with another guide wire. The new guide wire may be a long J guide wire, a long regular or firm, angled or straight, 0.035 inch guide wire or a long similar featured floppy-tipped stiff guide wire depending upon the physician, choice, and of any length that may be desired by the physician to accomplish whatever goal is required. On occasions for example in selected intra-aortic procedures, a very stiff wire, sometimes called a "coat-hanger" wire, such as a Lindquist or Amplatz wire is selected (for endo-vascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm for example.)
Most medical guide wires presently come prepackaged in a single use sterile pack consisting of an outer layer on one side of the sterile pack, of white backing paper that is rugged and difficult to tear, and on the other side, transparent, non-tearable cellophane. The cellophane and the white backing paper are heat-sealed and at one end, a peelable seal is made. To open the sterile pack, the chevron seal is grasped between both hands and the two sheets of paper are peeled apart. The medical guide wire is then passed from the sterile pack to the operator.
Presently, a single medical grade guide wire is stored in a circular coil of a capillary plastic tube sufficient to contain the length of the guide wire that has been selected. Typically, the capillary tube is coiled and is four or five spirals wide (especially when longer guide wires are packaged). The wire resides within the lumen of the spiraled capillary tube. Each pass of the capillary tube passes inside its previous spiral and so on until the spiral stops at some point. Frequently, there is a separate 4-5 inch single tubular section of additional coil to restrain the end of the wire clipped inside the rest of the coil. Each coil of tube can move independently of the other coils of the tube. Thus, it is necessary to restrain the independent movement of each individual coil of the tube, which is typically accomplished by fastening the coils together with a plurality of individual, multi-toothed clips. Each clip typically has between 4 and 5 C-shaped extensions or teeth that are manually snapped or clipped onto each individual coil to hold the coils in place.
This system has several drawbacks. For example, the coils are easily deformable, thus the necessity of manually placing the clips onto the coils, and this process is labor and cost intensive. Also, the clips can and do come loose and thus the coiled tube may become uncoiled thereby threatening sterility during both use and transport, or the tube may simply become difficult to use in the operating room. Additionally, when the clipped, multi-coiled tube is gripped by the hand the coils tend to collapse on each other and the palm is not large enough to maintain a sufficient grip when that happens. This can and does complicate the removal of the guide wire from the tube. Additionally, it is necessary with this type of wire containment system to have an assembly line of workers placing individual clips symmetrically about the coiled capillary plastic tubing either before or after inserting the guide-wire. In addition, the plastic coil itself has to be extruded and then coiled before the clips can be applied. This type of containment system is labor intensive and therefore expensive to produce and clinically uncomfortable to use because the system is not designed with any ergonomic considerations.
Also, when removing the guide wire, the inner surface of the coiled plastic tubing and the guide wire bind with considerable friction and it is necessary to inject saline into the plastic tubing to reduce the friction and make extraction of the wire easier. Even when this is done the wire still has a tendency to bind and can be difficult to remove from the tube. Further, it is usually impractical to reinsert the guide wire into the plastic tube because the tube wall binds with the outer coil of the guide wire and friction prevents the wire from being reloaded. So, once the guide wire is removed from the tube, if not immediately used, the wire is placed in a bowl of saline under a laparotomy sponge or is simply placed under a wet lap until required. Sometimes during these procedures, the guide wire will spring loose and can become unsterile necessitating a new wire.


A heat pipe having a wick structure for efficiently returning working fluid to an evaporating portion is provided. The heat pipe comprises a container 2 sealed at its both ends, a working fluid encapsulated in the container, and a wick structure 10 covering an inner face of the container. The wick structure 10 includes a porous wick 11 of a sintered metal powder, and a fiber wick 12 buried in the porous wick. A capillary pressure of the fiber wick 12 is weaker than that of the porous wick 11, and a pressure loss of the fiber wick 12 is smaller than that of the porous wick 11.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of a heat pipe having a wick structure constructed of sintered metal powder arranged in a sealed container.
Discussion of the Related Art
Conventional heat pipes are adapted to absorb heat from a heat generating object such as an electronic device in the form of latent heat of working fluid. In the heat pipe, the working fluid is evaporated by an external heat and condensed while radiating heat. Cooling performance of the heat pipe of this kind may be enhanced by increasing mass flow of the working fluid.
In recent years, electronic devices has been downsized and highly improved hence generate higher heat. Therefore, the heat pipes are required to be downsized while enhancing heat transport capacity. For example, given that a flat heat pipe and a cylindrical heat pipe have same widths, the flat heat pipe is thinner than the cylindrical heat pipe. However, an inner space of the flat heat pipe serving as a flow path is smaller than that of the cylindrical heat pipe.
For instance, US2012/0118537 A describes a flattened heat pipe comprising a wick structure attached to an inner flat wall of a container, and vapor flowing passages formed in curves areas of both sides of the container. Working fluid is encapsulated and circulates in the container.
US2011/0303392 A also describes a flat heat pipe comprising a wick formed by bundling a plurality of thin metal wires extending in a longitudinal direction of a container while being contacted to a predetermined portion of an inner face of the container.
In turn, JP-A-2013-2640 describes a wick structure comprising a fiber wick layer formed of a plurality of metal wires laid on an inner surface of a sealed container, and a powder wick layer laid on the fiber wick layer.
Further, JP-A-11-294980 describes a cylindrical heat pipe having a wick structure for increasing a mass flow of the working fluid flowing through a flow path from a condensing portion toward an evaporating portion.
Specifically, according to the teachings of JP-A-11-294980, the wick structure is comprised of a metal net and a sintered metal powder. An inner wall of a container is entirely covered with the metal powder, and the metal net is situated on the metal net or interposed between the container and the metal powder.
However, according to the heat pipe taught by US2012/0118537 A, a pressure loss of the wick structure may be high, and hence it may be difficult to transport the working fluid over a long distance. Although a traveling distance of the working fluid can be extended by the wick taught by US2011/0303392 A, a flow rate of the working fluid per unit of area has to be increased. According to the wick structure taught by JP-A-2013-2640, thermal resistance between the container and the wick may be too large and hence the metal powder may fall from the wick into grooves. According to the wick structure taught by JP-A-11-294980, the sintered metal powder may not be fixed to the metal net firmly thereby increasing thermal resistance.
The present invention has been conceived noting the foregoing technical problems, and it is therefore an object of the present invention is to enhance the heat transfer performance of a heat pipe by efficiently returning working fluid flowing through a wick structure arranged in a sealed container.


To provide a polar compound having high chemical stability, a high ability to align liquid crystal molecules, and high solubility in a liquid crystal composition, and a high voltage holding ratio of a liquid crystal display element.

Technical Field
The disclosure relates to a polymerizable polar compound, a liquid crystal composition, and a liquid crystal display element, and more specifically, to a polymerizable polar compound having both a perfluoroalkyl chain and an acryloyloxy group substituted with a polar group such as a hydroxyalkyl group, a liquid crystal composition containing the compound and having positive or negative dielectric anisotropy, and a liquid crystal display element including the composition or a cured material of a part thereof.
Description of Related Art
Liquid crystal display elements can be classified into modes such as phase change (PC), twisted nematic (TN), super twisted nematic (STN), electrically controlled birefringence (ECB), optically compensated bend (OCB), in-plane switching (IPS), vertical alignment (VA), fringe field switching (FFS), and field-induced photo-reactive alignment (FPA) based on an operation mode of liquid crystal molecules. In addition, liquid crystal display elements can be classified as passive matrix (PM) and active matrix (AM) based on an element driving method. PMs are classified into static and multiplex matrixes and AMs are classified as thin film transistor (TFT) and metal insulator metal (MIM). In addition, TFTs can be classified as amorphous silicon and polycrystal silicon. The latter is classified into a high temperature type and a low temperature type according to a production process. Liquid crystal display elements can be classified into a reflective type that uses natural light, a transmissive type that uses a backlight, and a semi-transmissive type that uses both natural light and a backlight based on a light source.
A liquid crystal composition having a nematic phase has appropriate characteristics. It is possible to obtain an AM element having favorable characteristics by improving characteristics of this composition. The relationship between characteristics of the composition and characteristics of the AM element is summarized in the following Table 1.
TABLE 1Characteristics of compositions and AM elementsCharacteristicsCharacteristics ofNumberof compositionAM element1Wide temperature rangeWide temperature rangeof a nematic phasein which the elementcan be used2Low viscosity1)Short response time3Appropriate opticalLarge contrast ratioanisotropy4Large positive orLow threshold voltage,negative dielectriclow power consumption,anisotropyand large contrast ratio5Large specificHigh voltage holdingresistanceratio and largecontrast ratio6Stable with respectLong lifespanto ultraviolet radiationand heat7Large elastic constantLarge contrast ratio andshort response time1)The time taken for a composition to be inserted into a liquid crystal display element can be shortened
Characteristics of the composition will be further described based on commercially available AM elements. A temperature range of a nematic phase (a temperature range in which a nematic phase is exhibited) is related to a temperature range in which an element can be used. A preferable upper limit temperature of a nematic phase is about 70° C. or higher and a preferable lower limit temperature of a nematic phase is about −10° C. or lower.
The viscosity of the composition is related to a response time of the element. A short response time is preferable in order to display a moving image with elements. A shorter response time is desirable even if it is only 1 millisecond. Therefore, a lower viscosity of the composition is preferable and a lower viscosity at low temperatures is more preferable.
The optical anisotropy of the composition is related to a contrast ratio of the element. According to a mode of the element, large optical anisotropy or small optical anisotropy, that is, appropriate optical anisotropy is necessary. A product (Δn×d) of the optical anisotropy (Δn) of the composition and the cell gap (d) of the element is designed to maximize the contrast ratio. An appropriate product value depends on the type of operation mode. This value is about 0.45 μm in an element in a mode such as TN. This value is a range of about 0.30 μm to about 0.40 μm in an element in a VA mode and is a range of about 0.20 μm to about 0.30 μm in an element in an IPS mode or an FFS mode. In these cases, in an element having a small cell gap, a composition having large optical anisotropy is preferable.
Large dielectric anisotropy of the composition contributes to a low threshold voltage, low power consumption, and a large contrast ratio in the element. Therefore, large positive or negative dielectric anisotropy is preferable. A large specific resistance of the composition contributes to a high voltage holding ratio and a large contrast ratio in the element. Therefore, a composition having a large specific resistance not only at room temperature in an initial stage of use but also at a temperature close to an upper limit temperature of a nematic phase is preferable. A composition having a large specific resistance not only at room temperature but also at a temperature close to an upper limit temperature of a nematic phase after long term use is preferable.
The stability of the composition with respect to ultraviolet radiation and heat is related to a lifespan of the element. When this stability is higher, the lifespan of the element is longer. Such a characteristic is preferable for an AM element used in a liquid crystal projector and a liquid crystal television.
In a polymer sustained alignment (PSA) type liquid crystal display element, a liquid crystal composition containing a polymer is used. First, a composition to which a small amount of a polymerizable compound is added is inserted into the element. Here, a polymerizable compound having a plurality of polymerizable groups is generally used. Next, ultraviolet rays are emitted to the composition while a voltage is applied between substrates of the element. The polymerizable compound is polymerized and forms a polymer network structure in the composition. When this composition is used, since it is possible to control the alignment of liquid crystal molecules according to the polymer, a response time of the element is shortened and image burn is lessened. Such effects of the polymer can be expected for elements having modes such as TN, ECB, OCB, IPS, VA, FFS, and FPA.
In general purpose liquid crystal display elements, vertical alignment of liquid crystal molecules is achieved using a polyimide alignment film. On the other hand, for liquid crystal display elements having no alignment film, a mode in which a polar compound is added to a liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal molecules are aligned has been proposed. First, a composition in which a small amount of a polar compound and a small amount of a polymerizable compound are added is inserted into the element. As the polymerizable compound, a polymerizable compound having a plurality of polymerizable groups is generally used. Here, liquid crystal molecules are aligned according to an action of the polar compound. Next, ultraviolet rays are emitted to the composition while a voltage is applied between substrates of the element. Here, the polymerizable compound is polymerized and stabilizes the alignment of liquid crystal molecules. When this composition is used, since it is possible to control the alignment of liquid crystal molecules according to the polar compound and the polymer, a response time of the element is shortened and image burn is lessened. In addition, in elements having no alignment film, a process of forming an alignment film is unnecessary. Since there is no alignment film, a reduction in electrical resistance of the element due to an interaction between the alignment film and the composition does not occur. Such an effect caused by a combination of the polar compound and the polymer can be expected for elements having modes such as TN, ECB, OCB, IPS, VA, FFS, and FPA.
In liquid crystal display elements having no alignment film, as compounds to be added to a liquid crystal composition in order to align liquid crystal molecules, polar compounds having a perfluoroalkyl chain have been synthesized so far (Patent Document 1). For example, in Patent Document 1, a polar compound (S-1) having a perfluoroalkyl chain and a hydroxyl group is described.

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-108310

Polymerizable polar compound, liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display element

Abstract: A compound represented by Formula (1):

Abstract: R1 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group that may be substituted; a is 2 to 12; and R2 is Formula (1-a), Formula (1-b), and Formula (1-c);

Abstract: Sp1 to Sp3 are a single bond or an alkylene group that may be substituted; M1 and M2 are H, F, Cl, or an alkyl group that may be substituted; and X1 is —OH, —NH2, —OR3, —N(R3)2, —COOH, —SH or —Si(R3)3.


A loop heat pipe includes a reservoir, an evaporator adjacent to the reservoir, and a condenser including a condenser inlet and a condenser outlet. The loop heat pipe further includes a vapor transport line connecting the evaporator to the condenser inlet, a liquid transport line connecting the condenser outlet to the evaporator, and a vapor bypass joining the vapor transport line near the condenser inlet and joining the liquid transport line near the condenser outlet. The vapor bypass includes a vapor bypass housing. The vapor bypass housing includes a temperature. The loop heat pipe also includes a thermally-controlled connection between the vapor bypass housing and the condenser, and a thermal controller connected to the thermally-controlled connection and regulating the temperature of the vapor bypass housing via the thermally-controlled connection.

Loop heat pipe operation can exhibit some undesirable instabilities manifested as thermal-fluid oscillations (TFOs) and even partial dryouts resulting from quick fluid dynamics effects or TFOs. Temperature Oscillations are usually undesirable for high-power temperature-sensitive electronics used in space programs, which are cooled by LHP-based radiators. Moreover, TFOs are associated with variations of the liquid temperature and flow rate in the liquid return line. Such large-amplitude variations due to TFOs or similar thermal fluid transients can potentially result in the partial dryouts of the LHP evaporator, which might be seen as unacceptable by the LHP users and therefore filler restricting LHP applications, especially for high power levels in excess of one kilowatt.
There are only two conventional methods directly intended to stabilize LHP operation in terms of eliminating thermal-fluid oscillations;
1. Heating the LHP Reservoir by using an electrical heater to keep the Reservoir temperature above a predetermined temperature,
2. Installing a three-way mechanical valve on the vapor transport line in the vicinity of the evaporator to send some vapor to the LHP Reservoir through an additional bypass line thus delivering some thermal energy to the Reservoir, with the vapor flow, to keep it above some temperature level where thermal-fluid oscillations can develop.
Additionally, utilizing thermal straps between the vapor and liquid transport lines have been used (to elevate temperature of the liquid flowing to reservoir) with the objective to reduce the electrical power expenditure for the
Reservoir control heater.

Method and system for stabilizing loop heat pipe operation with a controllable condenser bypass

The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


One or more support stand assemblies are utilized for mounting functional equipment or creating a barrier on variable surfaces or a surface which may be sloped. Each support stand preferably includes a support post configured to be releaseably secured to a stabilizer member with the support post including a functional end adapted for attachment to a functional structure. The support stand further includes a base preferably including first and second legs being configurable in a set up operating configuration and alternately a collapsed stowed configuration. After use, the support post is removed from the stabilizer member and the locking faster is loosened to permit the first and second legs to be substantially aligned and stowed adjacent the support post in a compactable bundle for handling and shipping.

Safety barriers are utilized for many purposes. For instance, in the construction industry, a safety barrier or display sign with a support stand is commonly used to cordon off a restricted area or warn of potentially dangerous conditions. Support stands used with such devices may be collapsible. A collapsible stand may be used, for example, to support a barrier structure, ribbons or flags around a construction site, to support a safety sign used around roadside or highway construction areas, or for other purposes where portability is needed to move the barrier or sign or to pack it up and relocate it to another construction site or the like. Of course, portable barriers or signs with collapsible support structures may be used for many other purposes as well, such as, for example, to visibly mark off queued areas inside a movie theatre, display store advertisements indoors or outdoors, etc.
Collapsible prior art barriers often require complicated spring-loaded foldable and/or multiple articulating mechanisms to achieve portability. Many such complex devices require certain specially designed support stand parts which do not foster overall interchangeability and simplicity. Replacing damaged components of such structures can in some cases require substantial time due to the numerous interlocking and/or bolted assemblies that must be disassembled and reassembled to repair the device. It also may be difficult—and over time, impossible—to readily find replacement parts for specially designed component parts of such structures—thus effectively rendering the entire device un-useable.
Stability is another essential feature of a support stand structure used with a barrier or a sign. Stability is especially critical when positioning a safety barrier or sign indoors or in an outdoor environment (e.g., in windy or rainy conditions, etc.)—near road traffic or pedestrians passing by. A support stand needs stabilizing structures to help minimize the possibility of the mounted barrier or sign being blown over into oncoming traffic or knocked over and injuring passing pedestrians. Stand leveler structures are generally needed to help keep the barrier or sign oriented properly when used to block-off, barricade, or warn drivers or pedestrians of dangerous areas around highway or building construction sites.
Moreover, generally, typical collapsible support stands are a functional component of a safety barrier or a sign—rather than being integrally compactable in combination with both a safety barrier and also a display sign. That is, various portable devices are constructed as either a combination of a safety barrier and collapsible support stand or—alternatively—a combination of a display sign and collapsible support stand—but not the combination of all three of these structures.
Prior art collapsible stand devices lack structures adapted to enhance stability when used on certain sloped or irregularly contoured ground or road surfaces and the barrier/sign and support stand structural configuration that fosters compactibility. Moreover, prior art structures use specialized parts that create repair and replacement problems.
Prior art patents which disclose attempts to solve the above problems are set forth as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,258 to Lang, entitled "Portable Highway Sign Stand," is directed to a portable collapsible highway sign stand for standard rollup and rigid warning, regulatory and informational signs. This device has an elongated vertical rigid sign-supporting mast which is supported by a multi-legged base. The legs are pivotally supported for movement from a first folded position parallel to the mast to a second position in which the legs are splayed outwardly and secured in place by a single central retainer pin. A sign mounting jaw including a first fixed outer jaw and a slidable inner jaw member is secured to the top of the mast. A mast tilt adjuster is incorporated to adapt use of the sign stand to non-level terrain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,894 to Brown, Jr., entitled "Stand for Safety Sign or the Like," sets forth a sign stand for supporting highway safety signs or the like. The stand includes a plurality of folding legs which support the stand on the ground. The legs support a socket having an open upper end to receive the mounting bracket formed at one corner of a side. A latch mechanism includes a hook normally extending within the socket, and cammed to one side as the mounting bracket enters the socket. The lever extends laterally from a side of the socket, enabling withdrawal of the hook to remove the sign.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,623 B1 to McCarthy, entitled "Portable Safety Barrier," sets forth an example of device with multiple upright adjacent posts spaced apart which are each pivotably mounted on a first base plate affixed along an edge of a precipice. The posts have bores through opposed sides and L-shaped brackets mounted on at least one side surface. A triangular brace has a second base plate spaced inwardly from the post. Two arms converging inwardly distal from the second base plate connect ends of the second base plate to the post. The arms pivot with respect to the second base plate. Ropes are threaded through the bores or 2×4's are mounted on the L-brackets or mesh is hung on the L-brackets to create a barrier between the spaced apart posts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,267 to Alder, entitled "Portable Golf Target Stand," sets forth an example of a portable golf target stand having a base member, with the base member including pivotally mounted legs, with the legs arranged in a canted orientation relative to a top wall of the base member, such as the legs are arranged for inter-folding configuration to orient the leg members in a substantially parallel relationship when thusly inter-folded, with a signal rod arranged for selective reception within the base member, and the signal rod arranged for a break-down configuration for ease of storage of the signal rod when separated from the base member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,178 to Hillstrom, entitled "Portable Collapsible Sign and Stand," is directed to a collapsible sign member which is attached to a collapsible base member. The two members can be disassembled and folded-up into a compact package for storage and transport. Horizontal cross-brace members for the sign member are connected to a central bracket member which is releasably attached to a vertical upright member in the base member. Another cross-brace member is slidably received in the vertical upright member. A sign panel is connected to the ends of horizontal and vertical cross-brace members and the vertical upright member in order to be fully displayed for viewing by passing motorists and pedestrians. A foldable flag mechanism is used to display a set of warning flags. The flag mechanism is pivotally attached to the vertical cross-brace member. The combination sign and sign stand assembly can be quickly and readily assembled to its display condition and, correspondingly, disassembled and folded-up to its storage and transport condition.
My earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,248 is incorporated herein by reference.
Publications of devices related to barricades are shown at www.globalindustrial.com entitled "Portable Safety Barricade" (page 221); "Portable Barricade" (page 219); Indoor/Outdoor Pedestrian Control;" Protective Rail Barrier" (page 219); "Premium Control Barrier" (page 222); "High Visibility Barrier" (page 222); "Outdoor Hi-Visibility Barrier" (page 222); "Pedestrian Barrier" (page 220); and "Barrier Warning Tape" (page 220). Other publications are shown at www.grainger.com entitled "Delineator Post" (page 2788); "Plastic Safety Fence" (page 2788); Warning Barrier Fence"; and they are also shown in McMaster-Carr publication entitled "Traffic and Control Barriers and Tape" (page 1725).
There remains a need for a uniquely collapsible barrier and sign support stand combination configured for easy setup and breakdown—as well as being compact, in the collapsed position—without the need for numerous specially configured interconnecting, foldable subcomponents and without the need for numerous special components lacking simplicity and ready interchangeability and replaceability—and which is also adapted to help enhance stability on flat as well as irregularly contoured or sloped surfaces.
Those of skill in the art will appreciate the present invention which addresses the above needs and other significant needs the solution to which are discussed hereinafter.


A method and apparatus for analyzing vapors generated from explosives in which vapors containing nitrogen monoxide and/or nitrogen dioxide are generated by decomposing explosives by increasing the temperature of the explosives, primary ions and neutral molecules are generated from air. The generated primary ions and the nitrogen monoxide and/or nitrogen dioxide contained in the generated vapors are allowed to react with each other in an area inhibited or prevented from being penetrated by the generated neutral molecules, and the nitrogen monoxide and/or nitrogen dioxide contained in the generated vapors is ionized. The ionized nitrogen monoxide and/or nitrogen dioxide is subjected to mass spectrometry, and an amount of the nitrogen monoxide and/or nitrogen dioxide contained in the generated vapors by decomposing the explosives is determined.

The present invention relates to a method for analyzing vapors generated from explosives, and an analysis apparatus for use in the method. More specifically, it relates to an analysis method and an analysis apparatus each preferably used for the stability test of an old explosive.
Deterioration of explosives due to secular changes and the like affects the aspect of performances, for example, in such a manner as to make a prescribed explosion power unobtainable. In addition, it increases the fear of causing spontaneous ignition or an incidental explosion accident. The explosives are affected by temperature, humidity, and light, and the speed of deterioration varies according to the storage state. Therefore, for explosives, it is difficult to understand the degree of its deterioration only by the length of time elapsed after manufacturing.
Conventionally, at the site of manufacturing and storage of explosives, examination of deterioration of explosives is carried out by the Abel heat test method. Below, a description will be given to the Abel heat test method adopting an explosive containing nitrate ester as an example by reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus 90 for carrying out the Abel heat test. A reference numeral 91 denotes a container for containing therein prescribed-temperature hot water. The container 91 includes a test tube 92 for filling therein an analysis sample, and a thermometer 93 for determining the bath hot water temperature. On the other hand, FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for illustrating the test tube 92. The upper part of the test tube 92 is attached with a rubber stopper 94 including a glass rod 94a. The lower end of the glass rod 94a is provided with a potassium iodide starch paper 94c suspended from a platinum wire 94b in the form of key.
The Abel heat test method is carried out by means of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 in the following manner. First, a proper amount of the sample is collected into the test tube 92 as it is when the explosive containing nitrate ester of the sample is in granular form, or in small pieces when it is a large-size explosive in square, band, or string form or other form (not shown). When the sample has taken up moisture, previously, it is sufficiently dried by vacuum drying or the like at ordinary temperature, and then collected into the test tube 92. Subsequently, the test tube 92 is stopped by the rubber stopper 94 including the glass rod 94a having the test paper 94c. At this step, the upper half part of the test paper 94c is dampened with a half-and-half mixed solution of distilled water and glycerin. Subsequently, the test tube 92 is set in the apparatus 90 as shown in FIG. 9. Herein, a marked line 92a given on the test tube 92 in FIG. 10 denotes the critical position of the hot water bath upper surface when the test tube 92 is set in the apparatus 90, a marked line 92b denotes the actual hot water bath upper surface position, and a marked line 92c denotes the position at a height ⅓ of the height of the test tube 92. Whereas, in the container 91, a prescribed amount of prescribed-temperature, generally 65xc2x0 C. bath hot water is previously charged.
The analysis is carried out in the following manner. The test tube 92 is mounted at a prescribed position of the apparatus 90, and then, the length of time elapsed until the color tone with the same density as that of a standard paper occurs at the dry-wet boundary portion of the test paper 94c is determined. This determined time is taken as the heat resistant time, so that the deterioration states of explosives are determined according to this time.
Such a prior-art Abel heat test method has the following problems.
First, in the deterioration processes of explosives, predictably, there are present a process in which the explosives decompose while releasing nitrogen monoxide (NO) and a process in which the explosives decompose while releasing nitrogen dioxide (NO2). However, with the Abel heat test method, the amount of NO2 is determined, and hence sufficient attention has not been paid to NO. Further, in the determination of NO2 in the Abel heat test method, the criterion for deterioration is the value as very high as 200 ppm, so that the sensitivity is too low to examine the stability of the explosive in details. Still further, the analysis is carried out by a sensory test in which the color of the test paper in the test tube is visually judged. For this reason, another problem is unfavorably encountered that the differences in experience, color and temperature of the laboratory light source, and the like cause differences in results.
On the other hand, various methods have been used for general-purpose analysis of a chemical substance Among them, the mass spectrometry is known as an analysis method excellent in sensitivity and selectivity. With the mass spectrometry, ionization of a sample is required-for achieving the separation depending upon the mass to charge ratio (m/z). As the general-purpose ionization processes, mention may be made of: (a) a process by electron impact in a vacuum; (b) a process by the chemical reaction of primary ions and sample molecules; (c) a process utilizing the tunnel effect of electrons by an electric field; and (d) a process by impacts of neutral atoms at a solid phase interface.
The process (a) is excellent in ease of use and also in reproducibility. With the process (b), a difference in sensitivity is caused from one kind to another of samples according to the reactivity with the primary ions. With the process (c), a large amount of a sample is required, and further, the apparatus increases in size. With the process (d), a sample is easy to prepare, which enables the analysis of a high boiling sample.
However, these processes (a) to (d) are not necessarily sufficient for ionizing a vapor sample generated from explosives in a general manner.
In general, in order to identify a specific substance in a vapor mixture, the specific substance is required to be separated from the vapor mixture. As such a separation process, for example, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (below, abbreviated as GC/MS) is known. This process is a system in which a specific substance is separated from a vapor mixture by GC, and analyzed by MS. However, with this process, a long time is taken for analysis, and hence it is difficult to continuously monitor the state of deterioration with time. In addition, operation and maintenance are required to be performed using a reference material at all times. Other analysis processes also present the same problems when using a separation means.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for analyzing vapors generated from explosives, capable of collecting a sample with ease, and stably analyzing the vapors generated from explosives in a short time and with high accuracy.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for analyzing vapors generated from explosives, capable of analyzing the vapors generated from explosives in a short time and with high accuracy, and also capable of being reduced in size.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for analyzing vapors generated from explosives, which comprises: a step (1) of generating vapors from explosives; a step (2) of generating primary ions and neutral molecules from air; a step (3) of allowing the primary ions generated in the step (2) and an analysis target sample contained in the vapors generated in the step (1) to react with each other in an area inhibited or prevented from being penetrated by the neutral molecules generated in the step (2), and ionizing the sample; and a step (4) of subjecting the sample ionized in the step (3) to mass spectrometry.
In the step (1), as a process for generating vapors from explosives, for example, mention may be made of a process in which the explosives are heated to a desired temperature. The vapors to be generated include decomposition products from the explosives, for example, analysis target samples such as NO and NO2.
Herein, examples of the explosives which decompose to release NO and NO2 may include nitroglycol, nitroglycerin, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, trinitrotoluene, nitrocellulose, cyclotrimethylenetrinitroamine, and 2,4,6-trinitrophenylnitroamine. These explosives may be employed alone, or in mixture of two or more kinds thereof for use. Further, it is also possible to use explosives including other materials mixed therein.
The step (2) can be carried out, for example, in the following manner. A high voltage is applied to a needle electrode, so that a corona discharge is caused in the vicinity of the tip of the needle electrode. By the corona discharge, primary ions such as oxygen ions and neutral molecules of NO and the like are generated from air.
The step (3) is a step of allowing the primary ions generated in the step (2) and the analysis target sample contained in the vapors generated in the step (1) to react with each other, and ionizing the sample. In this step, if the vapors generated in the step (1) and the primary ions and the neutral molecules generated in the step (2) are allowed to react with each other in the same area, the high-accuracy analysis thereof becomes difficult. The reason for this is that it is not possible to distinguish the NO as the analysis target sample present in the vapors generated from explosives in the step (1) from the NO as the neutral molecules generated in the step (2).
Therefore, in the step (3) in the analysis method of the present invention, it is necessary to effect the reaction between the primary ions generated in the step (2) and the analysis target sample contained in the vapors generated in the step (1) in an area shielded from penetration of the neutral molecules generated in the step (2).
As a process for shielding the area from the neutral molecules, for example, mention may be made of the following process. As shown in FIG. 3 described later, the layout of an exhaust system is appropriately selected so that the neutral molecules can be inhibited or prevented from penetrating into the area where the primary ions and the analysis target sample react with each other. Thus, the flow of vapors generated in the step (1) and the flow of the neutral molecules are controlled. In addition, the reaction between the primary ions and the analysis target sample is effected by an atmospheric pressure ionization process. With such an atmospheric pressure ionization process, it is possible to continuously monitor the substances in the vapors, which enables the vapor components to be ionized in a short time and in a simple manner.
In the step (4), the mass spectrometry has no particular restriction. For example, the step (4) can be accomplished by a mass spectrometry employing a mass analyzer using a permanent magnet, a quadrupole mass analyzer, an ion trap mass analyzer, or the like.
Further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for analyzing. vapors generated from explosives, which comprises: a vapor generating means for generating vapors from explosives; an atmospheric pressure ionization means for ionizing an analysis target sample contained in the vapors generated from the vapor generating means; and an analysis means for subjecting an ion sample obtained by the atmospheric pressure ionization means to mass spectrometry, characterized in that the atmospheric pressure ionization means includes a corona discharge unit for generating primary ions and neutral molecules; and an ionization reaction region for allowing the primary ions generated by the corona discharge unit and the analysis target sample to react with each other, and further includes a neutral molecule penetration inhibiting means for inhibiting or preventing the penetration of neutral molecules generated by a corona discharge in the ionization reaction region.

Method and apparatus for analyzing vapors generated from explosives


A new class of tilting micromechanical mechanisms have been developed. These new mechanisms use floating pivot structures to relieve some of the problems encountered in the use of solid flexible pivots.

The present invention relates generally to micromechanisms, and more specifically to micromechanisms comprising pivoting structures.
Although there is no precise referent for the term "micromechanical", its common use is to machinery whose size scale makes invalid most of our assumptions about machinery of ordinary dimensions. For example, whereas at ordinary dimensions the strength of materials is usually limited by mechanisms involving motion and multiplication of dislocations in response to applied stress, in the micromechanical regime surface erosion and cleavage modes of failure are more common. Again, whereas at ordinary dimensions fluid lubrication of frictionally related elements (e.g., an axle and a shaft bearing) is one of a handful of practical choices, in the micromechanical regime the viscous shear stress of a lubricant increases in inverse proportion to the size scale of the apparatus, increasing the energy dissipation rate to unusable levels.
When the change in size scale renders conventional practice invalid, it also enables new approaches toward micromechanical functionality. An effective replacement for fluid lubricants can be a surface layer of a solid which is (usually) either amorphous or polycrystalline, is reasonably strong, forms a smooth film on the component surfaces, and has a surface structure that resists bonding with itself.
Consistent with common practice, in this specification the term `micromechanical` is associated with mechanical apparatus whose functional components have sizes ranging from about 1 mm to about 1 .mu.m. Such micromechanical apparatus can be made of a wide variety of materials, but perhaps the most common system is a combination of polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon oxides, and silicon nitride. This material system has high material strength and rigidity, high resistance to fracture, can be doped to provide electrically conducting regions, and is relatively easy to directly integrate with microelectronics at a chip level.
A common mechanism in micromechanical apparatus is a tilt stage, whose function is to provide an attached element with a controllable amount of tilt along a predetermined axis or axes. The attached element can be an intrinsic part of the apparatus (e.g., as in an escapement), or an external element which is to be positioned and directed by the apparatus (e.g., a micromirror). The implementations described in this specification will be for micromirror tilt stages, but this should not be taken as an implicit limitation on the scope of the present invention, which can be used in a wide range of pivoting mechanisms.
A typical prior art micromirror tilt stage is shown in FIGS. 1a-1d. FIG. 1a shows a transparent top view of the tilt stage, and FIG. 1b shows a side view. Micromirror 11 is mounted on top of base 10 by flexible pivot 12. (Note that 11 could as easily be a mounting platform for a micromirror or for some other component. The present identification is made for simplicity of description, and not to limit the scope of the present invention.) The top surface of micromirror 11, if necessary, is polished flat and/or coated with a reflective layer.
Capacitor plates 13 and 14 provide the forces which tilt the micromirror. In one working arrangement the micromirror is doped to the point of being a good conductor, and is grounded through flexible pivot 12 and base 10, both of which are also appropriately doped. Capacitor plates 13 and 14 are electrically insulated from the base 10. When a voltage is applied to capacitor plate 13, the micromirror 11 tilts to the left. When a voltage is applied to capacitor plate 14, the micromirror 11 tilts to the right.
If the applied voltage is large enough, the micromirror 11 will tilt until it hits a solid stop. This condition is of interest for designers, as it provides for a precise amount of tilt, and at the same time helps prevent vibration of the micromirror. Two common solid stops are illustrated here. FIG. 1c shows a maximum leftward tilt, the magnitude of the tilt being limited by contact between the micromirror 11 and the base 10. This provides a limitation in many designs, because the micromirror structure is fabricated by growing layers of structural and sacrificial material on top of the base, and then removing the sacrificial material. Practical limitations of such processes limit the thickness of the sacrificial layers to a few microns at most. A typical micromirror can be perhaps 100 .mu.m across, with a gap separating the micromirror from the base of about 1 .mu.m. In this case, the maximum tilt angle is limited to about 1.degree..
FIG. 1d shows a maximal rightward tilt, where the magnitude of the tilt is limited by the presence of stop post 15. Such a stop post can be used if a smaller maximum tilt is desired than results from contact between the micromirror and the base.
In another implementation of this prior art device, a second pair of capacitor plates can be added to the base, thereby allowing an arbitrary tilt direction to be driven electrostatically, as shown in FIG. 2.
Many equivalent mechanisms are known in the art. However, what they share is pivoting about a structure which also provides a permanent physical connection between the moving parts of the tilting structure. For example, whereas the pivoting motion was provided above by the bending of a flexible pivot connecting the micromirror to the base, an equivalent motion can be obtained using a pair of torsional equivalent motion can be obtained using a pair of torsional pivots attached to the sides of the micromirror and to a mounting frame which is attached to the base. Similarly, the top surface of a cantilever beam can be used as a micromirror or as a micromirror mount. Such a cantilever mount can provide multiaxis tilt capability when electrostatic actuators are arranged so that both bending of the cantilever and rotation about the cantilever are driven.
The common factor to these mechanisms is that the pivoting members are solid bodies which pivot through bending and/or torsion. A second prior art mechanism which allows pivoting is the fabrication of actual hinges. A tilt mechanism which illustrates this approach appears in FIGS. 3a-3b.
In the figure, a device to tilt a micromirror is assembled from carefully patterned material and sacrificial layers on a base 500. A micromirror 504 is mounted on top of a mirror frame 503. Mirror frame 503 is rotably fixed to base 500 by a first set of axles 502 attached to mirror frame 503 and rotating in a first pair of bearing blocks 501 which are at the surface of base 500.
Mirror frame 503 is rotably fixed to driving frame 507 by a second set of axles 505 attached to mirror frame 503 and rotating in a second pair of bearing blocks 506 which are attached to driving frame 507. Driving frame 507 is secured to base 500 by a third pair of axles 509 which are attached to the driving frame, and are constrained to slide on the surface of the base by a pair of sliding bearings 508.
Driving frame 507 is moved along the surface of the base by the action of linear transfer beam 513, which transfers motion and force from a bi-directional linear electrostatic actuator comprising comb electrodes 514, 515, 517, and 518. The linear transfer beam 513 is restricted to move substantially along its long axis through the combined action of support bushing 516, beam guides 512, and rotable connection 510 and 511 to the driving frame.
The function of this prior art tilt stage can be understood by comparing the side view of FIG. 3a with FIG. 3b. FIG. 3a shows the `flat` configuration, in which the electrostatic actuator has pulled linear transfer beam 513 as far to the right as is possible. In the flat configuration the micromirror 504 is in a well-defined position and orientation approximately parallel to the surface of base 500. The exact position can be adjusted in the design phase by placing additional material under either between the micromirror and the mirror frame, or by placing additional material under the mirror frame.
FIG. 3b shows the `tilted` configuration in which the electrostatic actuator has pushed the linear transfer beam 513 as far to the right as possible. In the tilted configuration micromirror 504 achieves a well-defined position which is tilted at a large angle relative to the surface of base 500.
Although hinged mechanisms of the sort shown in FIG. 3 can be fabricated, their mechanism and structure is quite complex, and rather delicate in operation. Because of the enormous material strength associated with silicon at micromechanical size scales, flexible pivots have proven quite useful for limited tilt angles, but represent a major restriction to the design process, thereby severely limiting the types of mechanisms which can be implemented.
A new approach to the problem of micromechanical pivots is badly needed in this realm of the useful arts.


A bottle includes a bridge forming a fluid channel, and extending radially outwardly on a bottle neck, from a location spaced axially from a bottle finish to a bottle shoulder. The bridge includes an outer wall offset radially outwardly with respect to walls of the neck and the shoulder and, in transverse cross section, the outer wall includes an incurvate inner surface. The bridge also includes side walls extending between the outer wall of the bridge and the walls of the neck and shoulder and, in transverse cross section, the side walls include straight inner surfaces disposed at chordal angles.

Bottles typically include a body, a shoulder, a neck, and a neck finish. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2012/0000878 illustrates an example glass bottle of this general type. Such bottles may be produced using a blow-and-blow manufacturing process or a press-and-blow manufacturing process, and typically have substantially uniform wall thicknesses. Moreover, longneck bottles are popular in the beverage packaging industry, particularly for packaging beer. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010/0264107 illustrates example longneck bottles having necks with internal ribs produced by forming external ribs on necks of parisons and pushing the external ribs into the necks during blowing of the parisons into the bottles.
A general object of the present disclosure, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, is to provide a bottle that includes abridge establishing a fluid channel for improved product dispensing, and that does not require unconventional neck ring equipment or an unconventional closure design for the container.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A glass bottle in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure includes a body, a shoulder at one end of the body, a neck extending from the shoulder, and a finish at an end of the neck spaced from the shoulder, wherein the base, the shoulder, the neck, and the finish have circular cross sections coaxial about a longitudinal axis of the bottle. The bottle is characterized in that a bridge forms a fluid channel for pouring or venting depending upon orientation of the bottle during pouring, and extends radially outwardly on the neck, from a location spaced axially from the finish to the shoulder. The bridge includes an outer wall offset radially outwardly with respect to walls of the neck and the shoulder. The outer wall includes, in transverse cross section, an incurvate inner surface. The bridge also includes a pair of side walls extending between the outer wall of the bridge and the walls of the neck and shoulder. The side walls include, in transverse cross section, straight inner surfaces disposed at chordal angles with respect to the circular cross sections. The fluid channel is established between the inner surface of the bridge outer wall and inner surfaces of the neck and shoulder walls.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a bottle that extends along a longitudinal axis and includes, a base, a body extending from the base, a shoulder extending from the body and including a shoulder wall, a neck extending from the shoulder and including a neck wall, and a finish terminating the neck. The bottle also includes a bridge forming a fluid channel, and extending radially outwardly from and longitudinally along the neck at a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, from a location spaced axially from the finish, toward the body, and across at least a portion of the shoulder. The bridge includes an outer wall that is offset radially outwardly with respect to the walls of the neck and the shoulder and, in transverse cross section, has an incurvate inner surface. The bridge also includes side walls extending between the outer wall of the bridge and the walls of the neck and shoulder and, in transverse cross section, having straight inner surfaces disposed at chordal angles.


The invention relates to chemical compounds of formula (I), and salts thereof. In some embodiments, the invention relates to inhibitors or modulators of PIM-1 and/or PIM-2, and/or PIM-3 protein kinase activity or enzyme function. In still further embodiments, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds disclosed herein, and their use in the prevention and treatment of PIM kinase related conditions and diseases, preferably cancer.

PIM-1 gene was first identified as a proviral insertion site in Moloney murine leukemia virus-induced T-cell lymphoma. PIM-1 gene translates a Ser/Thr protein kinase. The known PIM kinase family also includes PIM-2 and PIM-3. Mice studies suggest that physiologically the PIM kinases are involved in growth factor and cytokine signaling. Deregulated PIM kinase expression occurs a in large number of hematopoietic tumors, such as myeloid and lymphoblastic leukemias and lyphomas. PIM kinases are also expressed in solid tumors, such as prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer, and transgenic mice which express PIM-1 develop T-cell lymphoma. Dhanasekaran et al., (2001). Nature 412: 822-826 and Li et al., (2006) Cancer Res 66: 6741-6747. Accordingly, it is believed that PIM Kinase inhibitors will be useful in the treatment and/or prevention of cancer. Thus, there is a need to identify inhibitors of PIM kinases.


The present invention provides a method of producing a porous carbon material in which a soft carbon-type carbon material is activated with alkali in the presence of a carboxylic acid ion and at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of iron ions, cobalt ions, manganese ions and nickel ions. The method is capable of industrially producing a porous carbon material having a specific surface area per unit volume of 1000 (m2/cm3) or more in high yield and at low cost. The packing density of the porous carbon material can also be increased, and a high capacitance per unit volume can be obtained when the porous carbon material is used as a polarizable electrode material. Therefore, the present invention also provides an electrical double layer capacitor having a small size and a large capacitance, and using the porous carbon material as a polarizable electrode.

The present invention relates to a porous carbon material and a method of producing the same, and an electrical double layer capacitor using the porous carbon material. Particularly, the present invention provides a porous carbon material which has a large specific surface area per volume (referred to as a xe2x80x9cvolume specific surface areaxe2x80x9d hereinafter), and which significantly increases in capacitance per unit volume when used as a polarizable electrode material, and an industrial method of producing the porous carbon material in high yield and at low cost. Also, the present invention provides an electrical double layer capacitor using the porous carbon material and having a large capacitance even with a small size.
In an interface between two different phases including a solid electrode and an electrolytic solution, positive and negative charges are arranged and distributed with a very short distance therebetween. For example, with the positively charged electrode, anions in the solution are arranged for supplement for the charge. A layer caused by the charge arrangement is referred to as an xe2x80x9celectrical double layerxe2x80x9d. The electrical double layer is formed by non-Faradaic reaction without electron transfer between the electrode and the ions. The capacitance expressed at the electrode interface accompanying the formation of the electrical double layer is referred to as xe2x80x9celectrical double layer capacitancexe2x80x9d, and an energy storage device utilizing the capacitance is referred to as an xe2x80x9celectrical double layer capacitorxe2x80x9d.
The electrical double layer capacitor has the properties that it has excellent instantaneous charge-discharge performance, and causes less deterioration in charge-discahrge cycle life performance. Therefore, the electrical double layer capacitor is useful as a backup power supply for an electronic apparatus such as a microcomputer comprising IC memory, and a power supply for an electric vehicle.
In the electrical double layer capacitor having a structure in which an electrolyte is held between a pair of polarizable electrodes, stored capacitance C is represented by the following equation (1):
C=∫[xcex5/(4xcfx80xcex4)]dsxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
(wherein xcex5: dielectric constant of electrolytic solution , xcex4: distance between the electrode surface and the ion center, s: surface area of the electrode interface.)
Therefore, by using a polarizable electrode material having a large specific surface area, an electrical double layer capacitor having a large capacitance can be obtained.
A known material with a large specific surface area which can be used as the polarizable electrode is activated carbon. The activated carbon is generally produced by an oxidizing gas activation method comprising oxidizing a waste resin, a pulp production residue, coal, coal cokes, wood, coconut shell, or the like, which is used as a raw material, with stream, air, oxygen, CO2, or the like to form pores.
Since the oxidizing gas activation method uses no special chemical and has no problem of equipment corrosion, the method is advantageous from the viewpoint of cost. However, it is known that activated carbon having a, large specific surface area cannot be efficiently obtained by oxidizing gas activation. For example, in an attempt to obtain activated carbon having a surface area per unit weight (referred to as a xe2x80x9cweight specific surface areaxe2x80x9d hereinafter) of as large as about 1500 to 3000 (m2/g), which is required for the polarizable electrode material, the yield is as low as 20% or less.
On the other hand, a chemical activation method of forming pores by using a chemical is also known. Particularly, an alkali activation method using alkali can obtain activated carbon having a surface area of 1500 to 3000 (m2/g) per unit weight in a yield of 60% or more. The alkali activation method can also increase the specific surface area by increasing the amount of the alkali used. For example, by using alkali in an amount of about 3 to 5 times (mass ratio) as large as the raw material, a specific surface area of 2000 m2/g or more can be obtained.
In recent years, electronic apparatus, electric vehicles, etc. have been required to be decreased in weight and size, and the energy density of the carbon material used for these applications has been increasingly required to be increased.
In an attempt to decrease the weight and size of the electrical double layer capacitor, therefore, it is required to increase not only the capacitance per unit mass (referred to as the xe2x80x9cweight specific capacitancexe2x80x9d hereinafter), but also the capacitance per unit volume (referred to as the xe2x80x9cvolume specific capacitancexe2x80x9d hereinafter). More specifically, in application of the electrical double layer capacitor, the target value of the capacitance per unit volume is as high as 20 F/cm3 or more. The capacitance per unit volume (F/cm3) is obtained by multiplying the capacitance per unit mass (F/g) by a packing density.
The above equation (1) indicates that the capacitance per unit mass (F/g) increases as the surface area per unit mass increases. However, in fact, the capacitance per unit volume (F/cm3) is liable to be saturated when the surface area per unit weight is about 2000 (m2/g), and inversely decreased when the surface area per unit weight exceeds about 2500 (m2/g). Therefore, the target value of the capacitance per unit volume of 20 F/cm3 or more cannot be easily achieved by the conventional method of increasing the specific surface area.
This is possibly mainly due to the fact that the packing density is decreased by increasing the specific surface area.
Another conventional method for improving the capacitance per unit volume has been proposed.
Namely, it has been proposed to secure a high packing density by using meso carbon micro beads as an alkali activation raw material (Application No. 2634658). However, it is disclosed that by the alkali activation method using meso carbon micro beads having smooth surfaces, a high packing density of 0.90 g/cm3 can be achieved with a surface area per unit weight of 470 (m2/g), but when the surface area per unit weight is increased to 1000 (m2/g) or more by activation, the packing density can be increased to only about 0.50 g/cm3 at most. Furthermore, in an attempt to increase the surface area per unit weight to about 2000 (m2/g), only a packing density of as low as 0.46 g/cm3 can be obtained.
The alkali activation method is basically a method of producing micro pores having diameters of less than 2.0 nm to increase the specific surface area. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-230414 discloses that in alkali activation of meso carbon micro beads under an inert atmosphere, the ratio of micro pores of less than 2.0 nm is 85% or more of the total pore volume. This publication also discloses in examples that in activation with potassium hydroxide in an amount of 3 to 5 times as large as the meso carbon micro beads, activated carbon having a weight specific surface area of 1500 to 3000 (m2/g) can be obtained. In this case, the ratio of the weight specific surface area of mesopores having diameters of 2.0 nm or more is only about 0.8 to 3.0% of the total specific surface area.
Pores of the polarizable electrode material for the electrical double layer capacitor, which are effective to adsorb and desorb an electrolyte, are generally mesopores of 2.0 nm or more. However, the conventional alkali activation method is difficult to produce many mesopores of 2.0 nm or more.
Although the alkali activation can easily secure a certain weight specific surface area, it requires a large amount of alkali, and has the problems of high chemical cost and equipment corrosion, thereby causing difficulties in industrial mass production.
Therefore, a method has been proposed, in which a metal or a salt thereof other than alkali metals is added in oxidizing gas activation for activating a carbon material with steam or the like to form mesopores.
For example, Yoshizawa et al. (Tanso, 181, 8-13 (1998)) disclose steam activation for forming mesopores in which acetylacetonato-complex salt of iron (III), nickel (II), cobalt (II) is added to coal. By this steam activation method, activated carbon supporting metal oxides can be obtained.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Application No. 10-297912 discloses carbonization or activation in a weakly oxidizing atmosphere in which a transition metal or a compound of a transition metal such as Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, W, or the like is added to facilly graphitizable carbon such as cokes, or hardly graphitizable carbon such as phenol resin. In this method, the pore diameter distribution is maximized to obtain meso carbon. However, this publication discloses that although mesopores can be formed regardless of the type of the metal added, the specific surface area of cokes is less increased, and the specific surface area of the phenol resin is not so increased.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Application No. 10-172870 teaches a method in which activated carbon, activated carbon fibers or carbon black is activated with steam together with a metal or metal compound to disperse fine particles of the metal or metal oxide, imparting conductivity.
The present invention has been achieved for solving the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a porous carbon material which has a volume specific surface area of 1000 (m2/cm3) or more and which significantly increases in capacitance per unit volume when used as a polarizable electrode material, and an industrial method capable of producing the porous carbon material in high yield and at low cost. Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical double layer capacitor using the porous carbon material and having a large capacitance even with a small size.
The inventors performed study about an industrial method capable of producing a porous carbon material suitable as an electrode material for a high-performance electrical double layer capacitor. As a result, it was found that a porous carbon material having a large volume specific surface area and significantly increasing in capacitance per unit volume when used as a polarizable electrode could be obtained by alkali activation using a soft carbon-type carbon material as a raw material in coexistence with specified metal ion and a carboxylic acid ion. It was also found that this method uses a smaller amount of alkali than a conventional method, and thus the problems of chemical cost and equipment corrosion can be resolved. These findings resulted in achievement of the present invention.
Namely, the present invention relates to a method of producing a porous carbon material comprising activating a soft carbon-type carbon material with alkali in the presence of a carboxylic acid ion and at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of iron ions, cobalt ions, manganese ions and nickel ions.
In this production method, the soft carbon-type carbon material preferably comprises at least one selected from mesophase microspheres and bulk mesophases.
The metal ion is preferably supplied by a metal chloride.
The carboxylic acid ion is preferably at least one ion selected from an acetic acid ion, a citric acid ion, and a benzoic acid ion.
In the present invention, the porous carbon material is obtained by any one of the above production methods, and has a surface area per unit volume is 1000 m2/cm3 or more. The porous carbon material preferably has a packing density of 0.5 g/cm3 or more, which is obtained by a predetermined packing method.
Furthermore, the present invention provides an electrical double layer capacitor using the porous carbon material as a polarizable electrode material. The electrical double layer capacitor preferably has an capacitance per unit volume of 20 F/cm3 or more.

Method for preparing porous carbon material, porous carbon material and electrical double layer capacitor using the same


Implantation of germanium (45) into a PMOS buried channel to permits the enhancement implant profile (to 45) to be made more shallow. The shallow profile will reduce or eventually solve P-channel buried channel-induced short channel effects and enable further decrease in device length to deep submicron range.. Benefits include better short channel characteristics, i.e., higher punch through voltage BVDSS, less V.sub.T sensitivity to the drain voltage (defined as curl) and better subthreshold leakage characteristics.

The invention uses various materials which are electrically either conductive, insulating or semiconducting, although the completed semiconductor circuit device itself is usually referred to as a "semiconductor". One of the materials used is silicon, which is used as either single crystal silicon or as polycrystalline silicon material, referred to as polysilicon or "poly" in this disclosure.
Shallow channel junction will reduce significantly the undesirable short channel effects of transistors. This is significant in the fabrication of sub-micron P-channel (P-CH) transistors in which n+ doped poly gate is used and buried channel is formed. It is desired to further reduce or even solve P-channel buried channel-induced short channel effects and enable further decrease in device length to the sub-micron range.
The prior art relating to Germanium in VLSI devices has been in the area of (1) field isolation improvement and (2) transistor source/drain regions to achieve shallow source and drain junctions. The former deals with device isolation and an improvement in electrical encroachment; yet it does not improve transistor performance; the later deals with device performance by means of achieving shallower source drain junction depths so that the reduction in charge-sharing effect would improve transistor short channel characteristics. It however does not solve or reduce P-channel transistor short channel effects caused by the very nature of buried channel behaviour.

High performance sub-micron P-channel transistor with germanium implant