Low-reactivity fuel such as gasoline is provided to a diesel engine cylinder sufficiently early in the injection stroke that it will be premixed. High reactivity fuel such as diesel fuel is then injected during the compression stroke, preferably around 40-60° before Top Dead Center (TDC), to provide a stratified distribution of fuel reactivity within the cylinder, one which provides ignition (the start of main heat release) at or near TDC, preferably at 0-10° prior to TDC. At that time, the low-reactivity fuel is again injected and burns in a diffusion-controlled manner owing to its lower reactivity, thereby providing greater power output (and thus increased load) with little or no increase in peak heat release rate (PHRR) and combustion noise.

Diesel (compression ignition) engines are among the most energy-efficient engines available, with admirably high power output per fuel consumption. Unfortunately, they're also among the "dirtiest" engines available, with common diesel engines (at the time of this document's preparation) being prone to high production of nitrogen oxides (commonly denoted NOx), which result in adverse effects such as smog and acid rain, and unburned hydrocarbon particulates (often simply called "soot"), sometimes seen as the black smoke emitted by a diesel vehicle as it accelerates from a stop. Soot particularly tends to be a problem when diesel engines are idling or operating at low loads, and for this reason, many areas of the United States have adopted "anti-idling" laws limiting the amount of time that a diesel vehicle can be left idling.
Because of the impact of soot and NOx emissions on the environment, the United States and many other countries have also imposed stringent emissions regulations on the use of diesel engines in vehicles, and numerous technologies have been developed which attempt to reduce diesel emissions. As an example, NOx is generally associated with high-temperature engine conditions, and may therefore be reduced in the engine by use of measures such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), wherein the engine intake air is diluted with relatively inert exhaust gas (typically after cooling the exhaust gas), thereby reducing the oxygen in the combustion chamber and reducing the maximum combustion temperature. As another example, soot is generally associated with incomplete combustion, and can therefore be reduced in the engine by increasing combustion temperatures, or by providing more oxygen to promote oxidation of the soot particles. Unfortunately, measures which reduce NOx production in an engine tend to increase soot production, and measures which reduce soot production in an engine tend to increase NOx production, resulting in what is often termed the "soot-NOx tradeoff."
NOx and soot can also be addressed after they leave the engine (e.g., in the exhaust stream), but such "after-treatment" methods tend to be expensive to install and maintain. As examples, the exhaust stream may be treated with catalysts and/or injections of urea or other reducing/reacting agents to reduce NOx emissions, and/or fuel can periodically be injected and ignited in the exhaust stream to burn off soot collected in "particulate traps." These approaches require considerable expense and complexity, and in the case of particulate traps, they tend to reduce a vehicle's fuel efficiency.
Other technologies have more fundamentally focused on how to reduce both NOx and soot generation from the combustion process and thereby obtain cleaner "engine out" emissions (i.e., emissions directly exiting the engine, prior to exhaust after-treatment or similar measures). These approaches include modifying the timing, rate, and/or shape of fuel injection charges, modifying the combustion chamber shape, and/or modifying other factors to try to attain complete combustion of all fuel (and thus lower soot) while controlling the combustion temperature (thus controlling NOx). One family of approaches can be broadly referred to as Low-Temperature Combustion strategies, which seek to avoid the rapid ignition conditions (rapid temperature and pressure rises) favorable to NOx and soot production. LTC strategies include Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI), which attempts to obtain a fully premixed (i.e., homogeneous) fuel-air mixture within the cylinder, typically via introduction of fuel charges into the cylinder very early in the combustion cycle; and Premixed Charge Compression Ignition (PCCI) and Partially Premixed Combustion (PPC), variants of HCCI wherein at least some of the fuel is injected into the cylinder to stratify the fuel distribution, and thus the equivalence ratio, across the cylinder. (It should be understood when reviewing the literature that nomenclature is not well-settled, with the aforementioned HCCI methods sometimes being referred to as "PCCI," and PCCI methods sometimes being referred to as "HCCI," or with the same methods being given different names entirely.) Many of these technologies provide emissions improvements, but are difficult to implement and control, particularly over the complete range of speeds and loads over which common diesel vehicle engines must operate. Additionally, many of these technologies still require measures such as exhaust after-treatment to attain emissions targets, leading to the aforementioned issues with cost and fuel efficiency.
Because of the difficulties in complying with emissions regulations while providing the fuel efficiency, cost, and performance that consumers seek, many automotive companies have simply shifted their focus away from diesel engines to the use of gasoline engines. Gasoline engines unfortunately have lower energy efficiency, and their emissions are also of concern. (For the reader having limited familiarity with internal combustion engines, the primary difference between gasoline engines and diesel engines is the manner in which combustion is initiated. Gasoline engines—also commonly referred to as spark ignition or "SI" engines—provide a relatively fuel-rich mixture of air and fuel into an engine cylinder, with a spark then igniting the mixture to drive the piston outwardly from the cylinder to generate work. In diesel engines—also known as compression ignition engines—fuel is introduced into an engine cylinder as the piston compresses the air therein, with the fuel then igniting under the compressed high pressure/high temperature conditions to drive the piston outwardly from the cylinder to generate work.)
Prior U.S. patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 8,616,177 to Reitz et al. (and related U.S. Pat. No. 9,080,501 to Reitz et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 8,851,045 to Reitz et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 9,057,321 to Reitz et al. describe diesel combustion methods, now referred to as Reactivity-Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) methods, wherein the fuel provided to the engine's combustion chamber is adapted to have its reactivity vary over the course of a combustion cycle. ("Reactivity" is a property corresponding to a fuel's tendency to spontaneously ignite under diesel operation conditions, i.e., under high pressures and temperatures. Thus, reactivity generally corresponds to a fuel's cetane number, or the converse of the fuel's octane number). In these RCCI methods, the fuel is also provided to the combustion chamber in such a manner that a stratified distribution of fuel reactivity results, that is, spaced regions of high reactivity and low reactivity are situated within the combustion chamber during the compression stroke of the combustion cycle. During compression, the higher-reactivity regions ignite first, with combustion then propagating to the lower-reactivity regions. With appropriate tailoring of fuel reactivity, fuel/reactivity amounts and proportions, the timing of fuel introduction into the combustion chamber, and similar factors, combustion can be tailored to produce peak work output at the desired time (for optimal power output), with low NOx and soot production. Experimental engines implementing RCCI methods resulted in exceptionally high fuel efficiency while meeting U.S. government emissions standards applicable at that time, without the need for exhaust gas after-treatment.
An exemplary version of the above-noted RCCI methods is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 1A-1D. An initial fuel charge having a first reactivity is supplied to the combustion chamber during the intake and/or compression stroke sufficiently prior to Top Dead Center (TDC) that the initial fuel charge is at least partially premixed (homogeneously dispersed) within the combustion chamber before the following injection(s) is/are made. The initial charge may be introduced into the combustion chamber via (preferably low-pressure) direct injection into the cylinder, and/or by providing it through the combustion chamber's intake port, as by injecting or otherwise introducing the charge into the intake manifold, and/or into an intake runner extending therefrom. The accompanying FIG. 1A schematically illustrates the premixed initial fuel charge within the combustion chamber during the compression stroke, with the piston traveling toward TDC.
One or more following fuel charges of different reactivity can thereafter be supplied to the combustion chamber in such a manner that a stratified distribution of fuel reactivity results within the combustion chamber, with distinct regions of higher and lower fuel reactivity. More specifically, the later different-reactivity charges are timed and otherwise designed to distribute the different-reactivity charges—which will be introduced into the premixed "matrix" of air and first-reactivity fuel—in such a manner that the reactivity gradient within the combustion chamber provides desired combustion phasing (combustion start time, rate, and duration resulting in controlled heat release and superior work input to the piston), while deterring rapid pressure increases and high temperatures (which promote NOx production and reduce fuel economy), and while completely burning all (or nearly all) fuel within the combustion chamber to reduce soot. Typically, a following high-reactivity fuel charge is supplied to the combustion chamber between the time the intake port is closed and approximately 40 degrees before TDC. For a typical combustion chamber which is partially bounded by a piston face with a central bowl (as depicted in FIGS. 1A-1D), the following fuel charge is preferably introduced at such a time (and with such pressure) that at least a major portion of the following fuel charge is directed toward an outer (squish) region located at or near an outer radius of the piston face. More specifically, the fuel charge is directed toward a region located outside of an outer third of the radius of the piston face. This is exemplified by FIG. 1B, which shows the combustion chamber at approximately 60 degrees before TDC, and with an injection being directed by the injector toward the squish region. However, in all instances injection is always preferably provided at pressures which avoid or minimize charge impingement on combustion chamber surfaces, since such impingement tends to enhance soot production.
FIG. 1C then depicts the injection of a second following high-reactivity fuel charge into the combustion chamber at approximately 30 degrees before TDC, with at least a major portion of the injection being directed toward an inner (bowl) region spaced inwardly from the outer radius of the piston face. More specifically, at least a major portion of the fuel charge is preferably injected toward a region located inside an outer fourth of the radius of the piston face (i.e., it is injected toward a region defined by the inner 75% of the bore radius). In the meantime, the first following fuel charge has begun to diffuse from the squish region, and to mix with the low-reactivity fuel from the initial fuel charge to form a region of intermediate reactivity at or near the squish region.
FIG. 1D then illustrates the combustion chamber of FIG. 1B at approximately 15 degrees before TDC, with the fuel in the chamber having a reactivity gradient ranging from higher-reactivity regions in the bowl to lower-reactivity regions at the outer diameter of the chamber, and at the crown of the bowl. Combustion may begin around this time, starting at the regions of highest reactivity (these regions being generated via the introduction of the higher-reactivity material), and spreading therefrom to the lower-reactivity regions via volumetric energy release and/or flame propagation until all fuel from all charges is consumed. Greater stratification/gradation in reactivity tends to result in a lower combustion rate. Conversely, lower stratification/gradation in reactivity (greater uniformity in reactivity throughout the combustion chamber) tends to result in a higher combustion rate, since each location within the chamber has an approximately equal chance of igniting first, and those locations that do not ignite first will be rapidly ignited by their neighboring locations.
Basically the same combustion mechanism results if the reactivities of the charges of FIGS. 1A-1D are reversed, i.e., if one or more initial higher-reactivity charges are followed by one or more following lower-reactivity charges: ignition begins in the higher-reactivity regions and propagates to the lower-reactivity regions. Combustion phasing can be controlled by the timings and amounts of the fuel charges, which affect the degree of stratification attained. For optimal work output, it is desirable that the fuel charges are supplied to the combustion chamber to attain peak cylinder pressure at or after Top Dead Center (TDC), more preferably between TDC and 20 degrees ATDC (After TDC), and most preferably between 5 and 15 degrees ATDC. In similar respects, CA50 (i.e., 50% of the total fuel mass burned) preferably occurs between approximately 0 to 10 degrees ATDC. It is also useful to supply the fuel charges in such a manner that the rate of pressure rise is no greater than 10 bar per degree of crank angle rotation, since greater pressure rise can generate unwanted noise and more rapid engine wear, and also promotes higher temperatures (and thus increased fuel consumption owing to heat transfer losses, as well as NOx production).
The different fuel charges, with their differing reactivities, can be conventional fuels supplied to the engine from separate conventional tanks, e.g., diesel fuel (which has a higher reactivity) from one tank, and gasoline (which has lower reactivity) from another tank. Alternatively or additionally, fuel from a single tank can have its reactivity modified between higher and lower levels by the addition of an appropriate reactivity modifier. As an example, an initial lower-reactivity charge could simply contain gasoline or diesel fuel, and a following higher-reactivity fuel charge could contain the gasoline or diesel fuel with a small amount of Di-Tertiary Butyl Peroxide (DTBP), 2-ethyl hexyl nitrate, or another cetane improver. An arrangement of this nature is useful since many reactivity modifiers are only needed in very dilute amounts, and thus a smaller tank for containing a reactivity modifier could be provided in a vehicle along with a conventional fuel tank arrangement, and with a metering arrangement that mixes a desired amount of reactivity modifier into the fuel line (or into a high-reactivity fuel line separate from a low-reactivity fuel line) when appropriate. To illustrate, a conventional diesel vehicle with a supplementary 1-2 quart tank containing DTBP would only require refilling every 3000-6000 miles or so, which is roughly the recommended frequency for an oil change, and thus the reactivity modifier tank could be refilled when the vehicle's oil is changed.
Use of the foregoing RCCI methodology tends to result in much lower peak combustion temperatures—as much as 40% lower—than in conventional diesel engines, owing to the increased control over the combustion process. This deters NOx formation, and additionally increases engine efficiency because less energy loss occurs from the engine through heat transfer. Further, the reactivities, amounts, and timing of the fuel charges can be adapted to optimize combustion such that there is less unburned fuel left at the end of the expansion stroke (and thus lost to the exhaust), thereby also enhancing engine efficiency, and also generating less soot.
Experimental results of the RCCI methods operating with diesel and gasoline fuels yielded a net indicated thermal efficiency of up to 53%, and a gross thermal efficiency of about 56%. (Thermal efficiency is a useful measure of fuel efficiency, as it represents the amount of fuel converted to output power by the engine, as opposed to being lost via heat transfer, exhaust, or other variables. Net thermal efficiency takes account of work output over the entire engine cycle, whereas gross thermal efficiency only takes account of the expansion and compression strokes, with an approximately 3% difference between the two being common.) In contrast, at the time the RCCI methods were first developed, the average conventional diesel engine had a thermal efficiency of approximately 42%, and the average gasoline engine had a thermal efficiency of approximately 25-30%. The RCCI methods therefore yielded exceptionally high fuel efficiency. At the same time, they met U.S. governmental soot emissions limits, NOx emissions limits, and fuel consumption limits for the year 2010 without the need for exhaust gas after-treatment. Emissions could be lowered even further with the implementation of measures such as exhaust after-treatment.
However, further experimentation found that with decreasing engine load, RCCI methods did not function as well. In versions of the invention using diesel fuel and gasoline, the invention required greater amounts of (higher-reactivity) diesel fuel and lesser amounts of (lower-reactivity) gasoline as load decreased. Below loads of approximately 4 bar indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP), and particularly at idle (i.e., less than about 1 bar), the engine effectively operated as a conventional diesel engine, with minimal or no use of gasoline. This yielded conventional low-load diesel performance, i.e., lower thermal efficiency and undesirably high emissions. The aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 8,851,045 to Reitz et al. describes approaches for addressing this problem.
Further experimentation has similarly found that in some engines, particularly those with higher compression ratios, increasing engine load requires greater amounts of (lower-reactivity) gasoline and lesser amounts of (higher-reactivity) diesel fuel. This is problematic because one of the primary engine control mechanisms in RCCI is adjustment of the fuel ratio; thus, once the engine shifts solely to gasoline operation at higher load, control options are limited. The gasoline tends to prematurely autoignite, causing undesirably high levels of engine noise (knocking/ringing) and difficulty in control of combustion phasing (combustion start, rate, and duration). Attempts to achieve greater power output by injecting greater amounts of gasoline only exacerbates this problem. Greater control over combustion phasing can be attained by using measures such as greater amounts of EGR and lower intake air temperatures, but these measures can cause condensation of water vapor, hydrocarbons, and sulfur species along the air intake path, leading to fouling and corrosion of components along the path. It is therefore desirable to develop new combustion techniques which have many or all of the advantages of RCCI, while at the same time allowing operation at still higher loads.

Engine combustion control at high loads via fuel reactivity stratification


Apparatus and associated methods relate to a system for detecting foreign object debris ingested into an aircraft engine. The system detects such foreign object debris by projecting a beam of light over an inlet of the aircraft engine. When foreign object debris is ingested into the aircraft engine, it intercepts the beam of light and scatters a back-scattered portion of the intercepted beam of light. An optical detector is configured to detect the back-scattered portion of the intercepted beam of light. A processor is configured to determine whether foreign object debris is ingested by the aircraft engine based on a comparison of a threshold value with a signal indicative of the back-scattered portion generated by the optical detector.

Foreign Object Debris (FOD) can cause severe damage to gas turbine aircraft engines if ingested therein Eliminating FOD on the taxiways and runways of an airport can help to prevent ingestion of FOD such as metal tools and fasteners that can cause damage to aircraft engines. Even if FOD were to be entirely eliminated from these taxiways and runways, however, there would still remain a non-zero possibility of FOD ingestion into aircraft engines from other sources of FOD. Even nature provides for such sources of FOD, which include, for example, bird strikes, hail, and volcanic ash.
Current methods for detecting ingestion of FOD into aircraft engines rely on the FOD being metallic, yet FOD can include non-metallic objects consisting of a wide variety of non-metallic materials. Moreover, these current FOD detection systems that sense only metallic objects have reported only a thirty-percent detection rate. Therefore, most of the FOD that is ingested into an aircraft engine goes undetected.
If the aircraft engine is suspected of having ingested damaging FOD, inspection of the aircraft engine's internal parts is often required. Such internal inspection can be time consuming and expensive, as well as unnecessary if, for example, the aircraft engine did not ingest FOD. A method of reliably monitoring the ingestion of FOD of all types into an aircraft engine could eliminate such unnecessary inspections.

Optical detection of foreign object debris ingested by aircraft engine


An insulated foam board is manufactured by leading a first facing from a reel and laying down liquid foam reactants. A second facing from a supply reel is laid over the reactants forming a sandwich. The foam is expanded in an oven and the board is cut to a desired length. One or both facings are removed and re-wound onto a reel for re-use. A coating in the form of a metallized paint is applied in-line to one or both faces of the foam core, after removal of the facings. The painted boards have enhanced heat insulation properties.

The invention relates to insulated board and in particular to a method for manufacturing a foam panel.
In conventional reactive foam panel manufacture a first facing is delivered to an area at which liquid foam reactants are delivered onto the first facing. A second facing is led over the liquid foam reactants. The foam is then heated and allowed to rise to a predetermined height.
Such manufacturing processes are widely used and are generally successful. There is however an increasing need to maintain competitiveness by reducing manufacturing costs whilst producing a high quality board.
This invention is therefore directed towards producing an improved manufacturing process of this type.
According to the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a foam panel comprising the steps of:
leading a first facing from a first facing supply to a foam lay down area;
laying liquid foam reactants on the first facing;
leading a second facing from a second facing supply over the liquid foam reactants;
allowing the foam to expand between the facings to form a foam panel;
removing at least one of the facings from the foam; and
applying a coating to one or both faces of the foam from which the facings have been removed.
Most preferably the coating is applied in-line. The coating is preferably in a liquid form. Preferably the coating is a paint. In one case the paint contains non-gas permeable flake-like particles or platelets such as metal or glass flakes. The paint may contain aluminium flakes.
In a preferred embodiment the paint contains nanocomposites.
In one embodiment the coating is applied by a calendering roll.
Alternatively or additionally the coating is applied by passing the panel with the facings removed through a curtain of the coating material.
Alternatively or additionally the coating is applied by spray coating.
Alternatively the coating is applied electrostatically.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the method includes the step, after applying the coating, of curing the coating on the foam. Preferably the curing is carried out in-line.
Most preferably, the coating is cured by heating and/or by application of radiation.
The coating may be cured by localised application of heat and/or radiation.
In one arrangement the method includes the step after coating, of passing the coated panels through an accumulator.
The method may include the step, before or after coating, of turning the panel to lie on an edge thereof.
Ideally the method includes the step, after coating, of cutting the panel to a desired length.
Preferably the method includes the step, after at least partial curing of the coating, of cutting the panel to a desired length.
The paint may be a leafing or non-leafing paint.
Ideally the coating is of low gas permeability, especially to CO2, O2, N2 and/or H2O.
In one embodiment of the invention both facings are removed from the foam for re-use.
In a preferred arrangement one or both facings is/are peeled from the foam and coiled onto a take-off reel for re-use either as the first or second facing supply.
Typically the upper facing is coiled onto an upper facing recycle coil to provide a facing supply for the second facing. Preferably the upper facing recycle coil is delivered to a second facing feeding station. Preferably the lower facing is coiled onto a lower facing recycle coil to provide a facing supply for the first facing. Typically the lower facing recycle coil is delivered to a first facing feed station.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the first and/or second facings are removed from the foam core after at least partial curing of the foam core.
Ideally, the first and/or second facings are removed from the core in advance of cutting of the foam to a desired length.
In one arrangement release means is provided between the inner face of the first and/or second facing and the foam core. Typically the release means is provided on the inner face of the first and/or second facing.
In one embodiment of the invention the first and/or second facing is selected from:
polyolefin films (such as polypropylene, high or medium density polyethylene, low or linear low density polyethylene), poly halogenated polyolefins (such as polytetrafluoro ethylene), waxed paper and waxed plastic films, other suitably treated paper, plastic, metal foil or glass films and facings and combinations thereof such that the facing can be continuously removed from the foam without significant damage to either facing or foam during or just following the production process.
The foam is preferably selected from polyurethane, polyisocyanurate and phenolic.
Preferably the foam has significant cellular structure for use in thermal and/or acoustic insulation applications.
The invention further provides a foam panel whenever manufactured by a method of the invention. The panel is free from a facing on one or both faces thereof. At least one of the faces of the panel is coated with a coating material, preferably a paint.
The invention also provides a foam panel comprising a foam core having a first face and a second face, at least one of the faces having a coating applied thereto. Preferably the coating is a paint. Most preferably the foam core is of polyurethane, polyisocyanurate or phenolic material.
The panel may for example, be used as an underfloor insulation panel. Alternatively the panel may be an insulation liner panel, for example for use in refrigeration applications such as for a refrigerated transport vehicle.

Kingspan Research and Developments Limited


A system and method for allowing legacy circuit switched user equipment (CS UE) to operate via a packet-switch system, such as an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) system, is provided. The mobility and session control aspects of communications with a legacy CS UE is separated. A user agent is placed in the receiving node (e.g., a home node B) that acts as the SIP agent for the CS UE for session control. An interworking function is provided to allow mobility between the macro CS network and the PS (e.g., IMS) network.

In telecommunications, a femtocell-originally known as an Access Point Base Station—is a small cellular base station, typically designed for use in residential or small business environments. It connects to the service provider's network via broadband (such as DSL or cable). A femtocell allows service providers to extend service coverage indoors, especially where access would otherwise be limited or unavailable. The femtocell incorporates the functionality of a typical base station, but extends it to allow a simpler, self-contained deployment.
A Node B is an element of a 3G macro Radio Access Network (RAN), and a Home Node B (HNB) is the 3GPP's term for a 3G femtocell. Within an HNB Access Network there are two network elements: a HNB (or femtocell) and a Home Node B Gateway (HNB-GW). The HNB is connected to an existing residential broadband service and provides 3G radio coverage for 3G handsets within a home. The HNB Gateway is installed within an operator's network and aggregates traffic from a large number of HNBs back into an existing core service network.
Generally, a legacy wireless device communicates via a circuit-switched (CS) network. In the case of a HNB, a legacy CS wireless device communicates via CS techniques with the HNB access point. The HNB then communicates via the HNB-GW to provide access to the CS core, also referred to as the macro CS.
As mobile devices improve and include more enhanced capabilities, mobile devices have evolved to act as Internet Protocol (IP) devices. IP devices typically implement IP Multimedia services (IMS) sessions that utilize packet-switch (PS) communications instead of CS communications. Legacy CS devices, however, are unable to communicate with the PS network, and hence, the legacy CS devices are unable to utilize services or take advantage of the capabilities offered by IMS systems or other PS networks.
Thus, there is a need for a method and system that allows the legacy CS devices to utilize IMS services when communicating via a femtocell.

System and method for provision of IMS based services for legacy CS UE with home node B access


A pacifier assembly having a pivotally mounted cover on a shield assembly is disclosed. The assembly allows convenient protection for the nipple by being selectably moved between an open and closed position. In one embodiment, two nipples are provided on opposite sides of the shield assembly. The cover can be positioned to protect one nipple while exposing the other. Once the assembly is dropped to the floor and the sanitary condition of the exposed nipple is compromised, the cover can be moved to cover the dirtied nipple and expose the unused nipple. In another embodiment, the dual nipple pacifier includes two covers. Thus, the covers can protect both nipples simultaneously for transporting the assembly in a sanitary manner. One nipple can be exposed by pivoting one of the covers. Preferably, the covers nest within one another over the protected nipple. Once the sanitary condition of the exposed nipple has been compromised, both covers can be pivoted to cover the opposite nipple in a nested configuration to expose the unused nipple.

Conventional pacifiers are in common use for soothing infants and providing infants with a means to satisfy an innate non-nutritive sucking need. A conventional pacifier has a shield and a nipple extending from the shield. The nipple is typically formed of a resilient, flexible materia.
A common inconvenience associated with infant pacifier use is that pacifiers frequently fall out of or are ejected from infants' mouths. For example, if an infant falls asleep, ceases to suck on the pacifier, or moves its mouth in any number of ways, the pacifier is likely to fall from the infant's mouth. The pacifier will often drop to the floor or other unclean surface and the nipple will become dirty, especially when the pacifier falls to the ground in a public place.
When the nipple of the pacifier contacts surfaces which are not sanitary, the parent or caretaker of the infant must either clean the pacifier nipple, replace it with another pacifier, or allow the infant to use a pacifier, the sanitary condition of which has been compromised. As this sequence of events happens with great frequency, it is a great inconvenience to attend to the cleaning of pacifiers. This problem is intensified when the pacifier is being used in public areas where sanitary conditions of floors is poor, for example, in restaurants, restrooms, stores, etc., where numerous individuals walk with frequency. Since infants can be particularly susceptible to contracting illnesses, it is desirable to keep the nipple clean at all times. Therefore, when a pacifier is dropped, the typical parent or care provider must cease use of the pacifier until he or she can clean it. This is often not possible to attend to immediately. For example, when the pacifier is dropped in a public place, there may not be immediate access to a washroom. Furthermore, even simple transport of the pacifier, such as via a purse, pocket, or baby/child paraphernalia bag, or otherwise, can soil the nipple surface with dirt, dust, hair, germ or other undesirable particles.
This issue has been addressed in several manners. Several conventional pacifiers or pacifier covers are known and used which are designed to protect the nipple of a pacifier from soiling when not in use. There are numerous such devices which have a cap or cover piece which is separate from the pacifier. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,784, issued to Wang, discloses a pacifier with an attachable cap which is capable of releasably engaging the shield of the pacifier. U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,054, issued to Maniero et al. discloses a pacifier cover having a flange which is adapted to snap over the shield of the pacifier to hold the cover on the pacifier. U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 409,309, issued to Tollman, discloses a pacifier having a single cover for the nipple. U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,324, issued to Johnston, discloses a pacifier cover which has a separate cover piece having two embossments which are adapted to fit into two corresponding apertures in the shield of the pacifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,613, issued to Ryan et al. discloses a universal pacifier case. The case has a housing which can fully enclose a typical nipple and shield assembly. The housing has a pair of engageable wall members hinged together for opening and closing the housing around the pacifier. U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,996, issued to Copeland discloses a protective pacifier having a cap which releasably attaches to the base of the pacifier by turning and snapping the cap on the base. When the pacifier is in use, the cap may be attached to the non-used side of the base.
Furthermore, U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 243,366, issued to Lybe et al., discloses a protective casing for pacifiers. The casing has a plurality of horizontal rides adapted to engage a base or shield of a pacifier to hold the casing over the pacifier. U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 448,486, issued to Horntrich, discloses a pacifier with a protective cover. The pacifier cover has two embossments which are adapted to fit within two apertures on the shield of the pacifier. U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,505, issued to Vasquez, discloses a pacifier cover wherein a pacifier may be extended through an opening in the cover and into the casing of the pacifier cover. A plurality of fingers extend from the opening and keep the pacifier in place. While these devices can protect the nipple from soiling when applied, oftentimes the pacifier cover is misplaced, lost, or left in a separate location while the pacifier is in use.
Other conventional pacifier designs attempted to address the problem of losing the separated cap or cover by providing an attached covering means for the nipple of the pacifier such that the cover would not be separated from the pacifier. For example, some conventional pacifiers have a cover which is attached to the pacifier shield or base via a ribbon to avoid separation of the components. For example, U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 340,387 discloses an ornamental design for a combined pacifier and protector. The pacifier has a shield, a nipple, and a loop fixed to the shield. At the end of the loop, there is a cover adapted to fit over the nipple.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,617, issued to Reid, discloses a pacifier having a base with a hinged cover. A pacifier can be removably secured to the base. When the pacifier is in an infant's mouth, the cover may hang from the base by a ribbon. U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,003, discloses a pacifier clip cover for a single nipple with a clip to secure the cover to an infant's clothing while an infant sucks on a pacifier. There is a ribbon attached to a pacifier at one end. The other end of the ribbon is connected to a pinch cover for the pacifier. The pinch cover also has a clip such that the cover can be secured to an infant's clothing while the pacifier is in use. While these devices attempt to address the problem of misplacing the cap, the ribbon or string which attaches the cover to the pacifier is often troublesome. Infants often flail their arms and produce rapid jerking movements. Such movements are likely to either break the ribbon connection or displace the entire assembly from the infant's mouth. This can either cause an unwanted disturbance to the infant, or the entire device may fall to the floor or other unclean surface and become unclean notwithstanding the attached cover. If an infant crawls while a pacifier or cover is attached to the infant's clothing, the item may drag on the floor and become dirtied or get in the way. Furthermore, ribbons, strings, cords, chains, twine, leather straps, or yarn attachments can be dangerous to infants.
The covers in the above devices do not address the problem of the pacifier nipple becoming dirtied when it fall from an infant's mouth, since the cover is not generally protecting the nipple when the pacifier is most likely to fall.
Further such conventional pacifiers having an integral cover with the pacifier are known and used. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,641, issued to Russell et al., discloses a sanitary pacifier which has a concave base member supporting an upwardly extending nipple member. A concave top member is formed of a resilient material and defines a centrally elongated slot an a collapsible side wall extending downwardly to and secured to the base member. The base member and top member form an enclosure for the nipple member. A pair of handles extend through the base member and are secured to the top member on opposite sides of the elongated slot. The handle members may be drawn through the base member causing the top member to collapse and conform to the base member and causing the nipple member to extend through the elongated slot. Though this embodiment provides an integral means of covering the nipple, the device requires a number of different parts and is therefore expensive and difficult to manufacture.
Another conventional pacifier disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,058, issued to Chen, discloses a single nipple pacifier with an integral cover. The pacifier has a base member and a nipple protrudes from a first side of the base member. A handle is secured to a second side of the base member. There is a pair of half shells which can open to form the conventional shield such that the infant does not swallow the pacifier. The half shells are pivotally connected to the base member such that they can be drawn to a closed position around the nipple. Though the device uses the same components as part of the shield and cover, the device is not a useful solution because the half shells of the device are uncomfortably too large. The half shells are required to be a large size to cover the nipple when the two half shells are brought together. Therefore, when the half shells are unfolded to form the shield, they are uncomfortably large for most infant's faces. Furthermore, they will not likely close when the pacifier is dropped.
Other conventional pacifiers having an integral means of covering the nipple are known and used. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,162, issued to Hudson, discloses a pacifier having a retractable nipple wherein the nipple is retractable into the pacifier body when the pacifier is not in use. The pacifier body has a bottom body opening and a flexible nipple structure attached to the top portion of the nipple body. There is a retraction mechanism which is mechanically connected to a nipple tip portion of the nipple structure for mechanically inverting the nipple tip portion and pulling it within a compartment formed within the pacifier. U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,481, issued to Zade, also discloses a retractable pacifier. The nipple and shield assembly of the pacifier are moved upward within has a cylindrical housing and may be locked into place via a tab. While these devices provide an integral means of keeping the nipple clean when not in use, the method is not very effective. When the pacifier is used, saliva and other germs collect on the nipple. When the nipple is retracted into the housing, the saliva and germs are transferred directly onto the housing. Even after one or two uses, the whole assembly should be cleaned to avoid placing an unclean nipple back in the infant's mouth.
Other conventional pacifiers having an integral means of covering the nipple have been contemplated. Some such devices have a collapsible portion on the pacifier. U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,630, issued to Hines, discloses a pacifier with a collapsible shield. The pacifier has a face plate, an aperture in the face plate, a nipple, and a collapsible shield preferably made of rubber. When the infant sucks on the nipple, the shield is pressed backward and the nipple protrudes through the aperture in the face plate. When the infant is done with sucking on the nipple and pressure is released on the face plate, the shield springs back to its normal position and covers the nipple. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,461,374, issued to Huang, discloses a protective pacifier nipple. A protective sleeve consisting of a serpentine tubular structure covers the nipple when the nipple is not in use. When the nipple is in use, the serpentine tubular structure is collapsed and the nipple is exposed. These devices are not very useful because they rely on steady suction from the infant's mouth to keep the nipple exposed. A problem with such devices is that infants do not and are oftentimes incapable of applying steady suction to the pacifier. Even when an infant stops sucking to take a short breath or simply stops sucking for a short time, the collapsible portions can snap back to their normal position and increase the tendency for the pacifier to slip out of the infant's mouth.
There are further conventional baby pacifiers having an internal means of preventing the soiling of the nipple. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,649, issued to Chamberlain, discloses a pacifier which is secured inside an infant's mouth by adjustable straps. The pacifier solves the problem of losing the pacifier when on the infant's mouth, but this configuration is often uncomfortable to an infant who often needs to make sounds, cough, or exhale. The device also does not protect the nipple unless it is worn by the baby. Furthermore, the device is uncomfortable for an infant who often wishes to take a break from the pacifier.
Since it is not uncommon for a baby to drop a pacifier regardless of whether the pacifier has no cover, a separate cover, or an attached cover, pacifiers having multiple nipples are known and used. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,125, issued to Rhoads, discloses a double-sided baby pacifier. The pacifier has two nipple portions integrally connected to a middle support member. The support member may move from a neutral position and become either convex or concave depending upon which side of the pacifier is being sucked on. U.S. Pat. Design No. 430,300, also discloses an ornamental design of a dual nipple pacifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,107, issued to Wexler, discloses a baby toy having up to six nipples on its periphery surfaces. The nipples are inserted into holes on the periphery surface and are held in place by retainers. The toy can be transformed into a plural nipple ball with a handle by substituting a handle assembly for one of the nipples. U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,128, discloses a one piece pliable molded polymer pacifier having a pair of hollow balls. Each ball has a plurality of nipples disposed on its surface and 90 degrees apart from one another. These devices provide an additional nipple so that if one is soiled, the other nipple(s) may be used. These devices are deficient however because they do not provide for any covering of any of the nipples. Since babies frequently will drop the above devices, it is very likely all the nipples will become soiled at the same time when dropped.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,656, discloses a dual nipple pacifier having a shield, a cover, and a pair of nipples projecting from opposite sides of the shield. There is a releasable cover which can be placed on one of the nipples while the other is exposed. One drawback of this device is the cover is a separate piece which can be misplaced as discussed above. Another drawback is one nipple is still exposed and when a parent is carrying the nipple, the exposed nipple may still be contaminated with hair, dirt, or other contaminants.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a double nipple pacifier with one easily movable, integral cover and also a double nipple pacifier having an easily movable, integral cover for each nipple of the pacifier.
It would be further desirable to provide a single nipple pacifier having a pacifier shield which is easily movable and engagable over the nipple having fewer parts and greater durabiltity.

Pacifier having pivotally mounted covers


A key arrangement includes an activation element, a switch, a mechanical counterforce generating device, and a permanent magnet arrangement. The switch has at least a first state and a second state. The activation element has a basic state and an activation state and is configured to, in case of activation by a user, permit a movement from the basic state into the activation state, and in case of the movement into the activation state to permit a change in the state of the switch. The mechanical counterforce generating device is configured to generate, in case of an activation of the activation element, a first counterforce at least in certain areas. The permanent magnet arrangement is configured to generate, in case of activation of the activation element, a second counterforce at least in certain areas.

DE 10 2012 112 628 A1 presents a keyboard in which the key cap is attached to an X-shaped holder, wherein the operating force is influenced by magnetic elements. In the lower position, a contact pin makes contact with a circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,856 presents an electronic switching contact in which a resetting force is generated by permanent magnets.
WO 2007/069026 A1 presents a keyboard in which the key cap is held in the upper position by means of magnets which repel one another, as long as the key cap is not pressed downward by the user.
WO 2014/175565 A1 presents a switch arrangement for a horn in which a movable part experiences a resetting force by means of permanent magnets.
US 2011/0093526 A1 presents a portable cloud computing computer having a keyboard in which permanent magnets are used to reset the keys.
DE 20 2015 103 208 U1 presents a switching device for an electric drive, in which switching device an activation element is attracted by a magnet element, in order to apply a resetting force to the activation element.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,670,873 B2 presents a key in which the resetting force is generated by means of permanent magnets, and the movement of the key is sensed by means of a Hall element.

Key arrangement employing mechanical and magnetic forces

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft


Provided is a signal processing apparatus for compensating for a non-linear distortion of a digital signal, including: an analysis signal generating section that converts the digital signal into a analysis signal of a complex number, using a digital filter; and a compensation section that compensates for the analysis signal, using a compensation coefficient of a complex number corresponding to the non-linear distortion, where the digital filter divides data of the digital signal into “n” data sequences, assigns (n*L+k)th data of the digital signal to a k-th data sequence, performs filtering on each of the data sequences using a same filter coefficient, and combines each of the data sequences after the filtering, thereby generating an imaginary number portion of the analysis signal, where “n” is an integer equal to or greater than 2, L=0, 1, . . . , and k=1, 2, . . . , n.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a signal processing apparatus, a digital filter, and a recording medium.
2. Related Art
A signal processing apparatus generates a compensating signal using a complex number signal of a digital signal when compensating a non-linear distortion of the digital signal. Hilbert transform is known as a method to convert a digital signal into a complex number signal. Hilbert transform is described in Patent Document No. 1.
Patent Document No. 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-233946
A signal processing apparatus can perform Hilbert transform on a digital signal using a Hilbert filter that uses a digital signal processing circuit. The Hilbert filter is a type of band pass filter, whose frequency characteristic is defined according to the number of taps and the tap coefficient of the digital signal processing circuit, etc. So as to apply the Hilbert filter to various frequency bands, the number of taps should be increased, which unfavorably increases the circuit size.

Signal processing apparatus, digital filter and recording medium


A method and device for treatment of a varicose vein is provided which includes the step of applying to the skin of a subject superficial to the vein to be treated a device including: (a) an element for securing the device to the leg of a subject superficial to the vein to be treated such as a carrier tape; and (b) a one-way valve element such as a cantilever element biased by a spring for applying a selected amount of pressure to the skin superficial to the vein to be treated in a manner such that blood-flow toward the heart is permitted during peripheral venous pumping but wherein backflow away from the heart as a result of gravity is substantially reduced; and applying sufficient pressure to the skin superficial to the vein to be treated in a manner such that blood-flow toward the heart is permitted during peripheral venous pumping but wherein backflow away from the heart as a result of gravity is substantially reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the medical treatment of varicose veins, and more specifically to a non-invasive, topical treatment for varicose veins utilizing the device described herein to act as an external one-way valve to replace the function of the defective internal valves contained within the varicose veins to be treated. This non-invasive treatment improves blood flow in the varicose veins and diminishes the vein varicosities without the necessity for an invasive and costly surgical procedure, the scarring which often results post-operatively from such procedures, the recurrence of varicosities which often follows such procedures, or the other undesirable effects of presently available treatments for varicose veins. This non-invasive treatment differs from other available treatments in that unlike such treatments, it restores rather than obliterates venous function.
2. Description of Varicose Vein Treatments and Related Art
Varicose veins is a medical condition which involves the abnormal twisting, lengthening or dilation of the superficial veins of the leg. It has been estimated that between 20% to 30% of the adult population suffers from some form and degree of varicose veins. Significant varicosities, those which are large enough for treatment, have been estimated to occur in about 12% of the adult population. Patients suffering from varicose veins often suffer from a variety of symptoms including aching, swelling, burning, throbbing and cramping in and around the areas in which the varicosities exist. These symptoms are felt much more intensely by women during pregnancy or during or just before menstruation. One survey showed that 50% of persons with varicose veins were bothered by their symptoms occasionally, and that 18% noted frequent to continuous symptoms. More serious complications may also result from the presence of varicose veins including phlebitis, ulceration, eczema, dermatitis and two-fold to four-fold increased risk of deep vein thrombosis. Even in the absence of such symptoms or more serious complications relating to the varicosities, many varicose vein sufferers seek medical treatment for the condition due to unsightliness of the varicosities.
The venous system of the legs consists of two channels: one deep within the muscular system and one superficial to it. The deep veins and the superficial veins are connected through a series of communicating veins, also called perforating veins. The superficial veins function mainly to collect blood from the subcutaneous tissue and to carry it to the closest communicating vein for rapid transit through the deep veins back to the heart. Approximately 15% of the venous blood volume in the legs is contained in the superficial veins, with 85% in the deep vein system.
One-way, bicuspid valves are located in the superficial veins that, when properly functioning, permit unidirectional flow of blood from the superficial venous system into the deep system to permit proper and rapid transmission of blood to the heart. These valves also break-up the otherwise continuous column of blood leading to the heart and thus reduce the hydrostatic pressure on the veins.
The cusps of the superficial venous valves are attached to the walls of the veins. Due to defective structure or function of the valves within the saphenous veins, intrinsic weakness of the vein walls, or the effects of a traumatic event which has significantly increased the blood pressure in the superficial veins (pregnancy being by far the single most significant such event), the valves of the saphenous veins become incompetent, permitting bi-directional flow (backflow or reflux) of blood through the veins with a corresponding increase in retrograde pressure in such veins. Regardless of the original cause of the valve incompetency, the result is the enlargement of the saphenous veins which, lying close to the skin and being poorly supported by the subcutaneous tissue, become varicose.
Once valve incompetence occurs, such as at valves on the upper thigh near the saphenous junction, and as blood refluxes, further venous enlargement occurs upstream (i.e., away from the heart and toward the feet), pulling the valve cusps further apart, causing more valvular incompetence in sections of the adjacent distal vein. As the segment of the engorged saphenous vein becomes elongated, the hydrostatic pressure exerted by the uninterrupted column of blood increases, further exacerbating the condition which causes the varicosities. With time, this process propagates into peripheral venous branches and also into communicating veins when they become exposed to the increased pressure from the continuous column of blood below an incompetent valve in the main saphenous channel. Moreover, in this condition, blood pressure during exercise fails to decrease normally because effective valves are not present.
Ebers in the papyrus of 1550 B.C. first described the condition of varicose veins and advised that surgery should not be performed. Caius Marius in Plutarch's Lives underwent surgical correction of the varicose veins in one of his legs, but when questioned regarding similar treatment for the other leg, declined by noting, "I see the cure is not worth the pain." For more than three thousand years, suffers of varicose veins have wrestled with the problem, attempting to avoid surgical repair of the condition while seeking less intrusive and more effective management methods for the condition.
There are currently three known types of treatment for varicose veins: (1) surgical vein ligation or stripping; (2) sclerotherapy; and (3) compression therapy. Surgical therapy in the form of vein stripping is directed at ligating the varicose system at its origin and removing the veins to prevent persistent reflux by direct and collateral routes. In the stripping technique, a small incision is placed at the distal end of the vein near the groin. The saphenous vein is also ligated at the foot. An internal vein stripper is then advanced proximally through the incision at the groin and secured. The stripper is then gently removed through the incision at the groin. It is also necessary for the surgeon to make multiple small incisions along the leg in order to disconnect the numerous communicating veins from the saphenous vein and to ligate these communicating veins. Postoperatively, the leg is wrapped and ambulation is held to a minimum for 8 to 12 hours. Complete recovery from varicose vein stripping usually takes 2 to 3 weeks. While saphenous vein stripping can often be accomplished without the use of a general anesthetic and without overnight hospitalization, particularly with the advent of ambulatory phlebectomy, a European developed varicose vein stripping procedure, a spinal or epidermal anesthetic is required. Surgical treatment of varicose veins may also be accomplished by vein ligation alone. While this procedure may be cost effective, studies have shown that it may not yield positive long term results due to extremely high rates of recurrence.
While stripping techniques represent a permanent solution in the area where the removed veins existed, the technique has numerous drawbacks. First, recurrence can occur in other areas of the leg away from the removed veins, and studies have shown recurrence rates from 12 to 56% over a five year period for patients who underwent vein stripping. Second, the procedure results in scarring which may be as cosmetically unsatisfactory as the varicose veins themselves. Third, a variety of complications can result from the procedure including infection, cutaneous pigmentation, superficial thrombophlebitis, deep venous thrombophlebitis, and nerve injury. Finally, if the veins are removed, they are unavailable should they be needed for arterial reconstruction, since the saphenous veins are normally used in such procedures.
Sclerotherapy involves injecting a liquid into the varicose veins that induces inflammation and scarring or sclerosis sufficient to seal the vein closed, which forces blood flow away from the affected veins. Various methods of sclerotherapy involve differing sclerosing agents combined with various levels of compression therapy to optimize efficacy.
In general, after careful mapping of the involved veins, a small gauge needle on a syringe containing the sclerosing agent is inserted into the vein while the leg is dependent. The syringe is taped to the leg while two or three other veins are punctured in the same manner. The leg is then elevated to empty the veins and the sclerosing agent is applied at each site. At the completion of the injections, a firm elastic bandage is wrapped carefully from the foot to 6 inches above the most proximal injection site. Some physicians recommend continuous compression for as long as 6 weeks. After compression has ended, the patient returns to the physician's office for removal of the bandages and inspection of the results. Further injections can then be made, and the cycle can be repeated until the varicosities are gone.
While sclerotherapy is less expensive than vein stripping or ligation and is less invasive than such surgical procedures, it also has severe drawbacks. First, since it does not involve the removal of the affected veins, sclerotherapy may not represent a permanent or complete management technique. Studies have shown that the five year recurrence rate in small superficial or lower-leg communicating veins was 19%, while recurrence over that same period in large main venous trunks was 69%. Second, various complications can arise from the therapy, though most are minor and severe complications are rare. Third, it is often necessary for patients to undergo multiple courses of therapy to obtain sufficient results. Finally, as with stripping of the veins, sclerotherapy makes the veins unavailable for use in subsequent reconstructive procedures.
Finally, varicose veins may be "conservatively" managed by the employment of compression therapy. Compression of the varicose vein occludes the vein, eliminating temporarily not only backflow of blood through the vein away from the heart but also flow in the normal direction toward the heart. Among compression measures, the most common is the elastic stocking, numerous brands and styles of which are commercially available and which are widely described in the literature such as by Lubin, U.S. Pat. No. 366,590; Teufel, U.S. Pat. No. 967,585; Scholl, U.S. Pat. No. 2,646,797; Westlake, U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,740; Daneshvar, U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,630; Fujimoto, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,923; and Arabeyre et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,513. While compression therapy is non-invasive, and therefore less painful than surgery or sclerotherapy, and considerably less expensive than such treatments, compression stockings are uncomfortable (particularly in warm weather), often don't provide the desired effect and are as unsightly as the varicose veins to be treated.
Also known in the art is a variation on compressive therapy whereby a varicose vein is occluded by means of a tourniquet-like leg wrapping. Schutz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 519,894 discloses a strap for treatment of varicose veins whereby sufficient pressure is applied to a varicose vein so as to prevent retrograde blood flow (backflow) but which also prevents flow of blood in the normal direction toward the heart as a result of peripheral venous pumping caused by the action of the major muscles in the leg. Compression therapies, focusing on the utilization of stockings of varying external compression can be useful in providing temporary relief, particularly to pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy but are normally ineffective as a long term treatment for the reasons stated above. Moreover, when compressive therapies provide sufficient pressure to prevent "backflow," they also prevent the beneficial flow of blood in the desired direction toward the heart.
The prior art relating to the treatment of varicose veins specifically and the use of pressure to treat venous and other ailments in general is directed to the simple concept of venous occlusion or removal to restrict venous blood flow to the exclusion of proper venous function. Ligation, stripping, and sclerotherapy permit treatment of the varicose vein by its permanent destruction and are inconsistent with the restoration of proper venous function. Compression therapy while attempting to accomplish a similar goal as more permanent varicose vein management measures are nevertheless temporary and are equally antithetical to restoration of venous function.
Given the severe drawbacks which exist in all of the presently available treatments for varicose veins, and in light of the historic search for an acceptable, non-invasive treatment for this condition, it is plain that a critical need exists for alternative treatments. Moreover, and perhaps of equal importance is the need for an effective treatment alternative which focuses on restoring proper venous function, rather than focusing on the obliteration or removal of the venous structures or the negation of their proper function.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and device for treatment of varicose veins


Provided are an encapsulated colorant, a method of preparing the same, and an ink composition including the encapsulated colorant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an encapsulated colorant, a method of preparing the same, and an ink composition including the encapsulated colorant.
2. Description of the Related Art
In inkjet printers, a colorant is a material that selectively absorbs or reflects visible light and exhibits a unique color. Colorants are classified into dyes and pigments.
A dye refers to a colorant which is formed by using a given method to color a material such as fiber, leather, fur, and paper, and has high solar light fastness, washing fastness and abrasion fastness. A pigment refers to microparticles containing a colorant, which are not directly dyed on the surface of a material to be colored, but are attached to the surface of the material using a physical method, such as bonding, to provide a unique color.
Dyes mix with and are dissolved in solvents such as water. However, pigments, in general, are insoluble in solvents such as water and thus, evenly dispersing the pigment microparticles within a solution to permanently stabilize and maintain the dispersed pigment microparticles such that the pigment microparticles are not re-agglomerated is important.
Water-soluble dye-type ink has good long-term storage stability, maintains homogeneity, and has sharp color and brightness, but has poor waterfastness and lightfastness properties.
Pigment-type ink has a high optical density (OD), good fastness to water and light, and relatively low bleeding between colors, but has poor long-term storage stability compared to the dye-type ink. Moreover, a picture printed with pigment-type ink has poor rubbing fastness under dry and wet conditions; that is, resistance to abrasion is low.
In addition, while printing in color (multiple-color printing) with a dye or pigment, bleeding of boundaries between colors may occur, which reduces clarity of the picture.
Therefore, there is a need to develop an ink composition which has good storage stability with respect to water-soluble dye-type inks, along with good water fastness with respect to pigment-type inks, and with enhanced printed gloss and abrasion resistance.
Meanwhile, in order to improve the abrasion resistance of ink, a technique of adding a resin to ink compositions has been suggested. However, the addition of a resin may cause an increase in the ink viscosity, which is undesirable in inkjet printers. Also, a technique of adding resin particles to ink in order to suppress the viscosity increase of the ink has been suggested, but the abrasion resistance cannot be sufficiently improved because the resin particles and the pigment are dispersed separately in the ink.
Therefore, the problems mentioned above cannot be resolved by adding new additives to ink compositions. Thus, there is a need to improve ink composition properties by reforming the colorant.

Encapsulated colorant, method of preparing the same, and ink composition including the encapsulated colorant


xe2x80x98BENminnxe2x80x99 is a new and distinct variety of miniature rose plant primarily identified by its vigorous, upright and spreading plant habit and it""s medium pink flowers of hybrid tea form. There is little fade to the color of the flowers. Borne often in large sprays in such a manner that two or three sprays would make a notable bouquet. Flower stems within the sprays are a good length and can be cut individually to use for smaller bouquets or for exhibition.

Genus/species: Rosa hybrida xe2x80x98minimaxe2x80x99.
Varietal denomination: xe2x80x98BENminnxe2x80x99.
The present invention bares some resemblance to xe2x80x98BENmfigxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/783,455 filed Feb. 14, 2001, now abandoned) from the same breeding program with which it shares some of the same pollen parent, xe2x80x98BENmagicxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,603). Both xe2x80x98BENmfigxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98BENminnxe2x80x99 are very vigorous miniature roses with pink blooms of hybrid tea form. Both are good as cut flowers with flowering stems of appropriate length. The primary differences between the two are that xe2x80x98BENmfigxe2x80x99 has a slightly more open plant habit, grows slightly taller and the blooms are usually varying shades of pink as opposed to the clear pink of this new invention.
This present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of hardy, bush type plant of the miniature rose class and with exhibition form which is the primary objective of this breeding program. This new variety was created in a greenhouse in Englishtown, N.J. by crossing the following two rose plants:
The seed part is xe2x80x98KORivoxe2x80x99 for which no patent information was found.
The pollen parent is BENmagic (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,603).
This current invention is miniature rose plant with a vigorous, upright and spreading plant habit and medium pink flowers of hybrid tea form.
The seed parent, xe2x80x98KORivoxe2x80x99, is an ivory white, florabunda rose with hybrid tea form flowers, borne profusely on a bush with glossy foliage. Flower form and profusion of bloom of this new invention were probably derived from this seed parent.
xe2x80x98BENmagicxe2x80x99, the pollen parent, is a miniature rose plant with red and white bicolor flowers, also with hybrid tea form, and with semi-glossy foliage. The only notable traits passed on to this present invention are it""s miniature habit, hybrid tea form bloom and semi-glossy foliage.
Asexual reproduction by cuttings of this new variety in Rowley, Mass. have shown root development to initiate in 1 to 2 weeks on cuttings taken from new growth, depending on light and temperature, and that these rooted cuttings, grown on, show all distinguishing characteristics to continually come true to form.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of hardy dwarf bush type rose plant of the miniature class; the variety being primarily characterizedxe2x80x94as to noveltyxe2x80x94by it""s large sprays of well formed, hybrid tea type, medium pink blooms.
The variety is further characterized by:
Flowers with exhibition potential
An abundance of flowers continually throughout the season
A slight rose fragrance
Vigorous, upright and spreading plant habit
Semi-glossy foliage
A plant which grows and blooms satisfactorily providing decoration and cut flowers in large containers both in the greenhouse and outdoors, as a garden perennial or specimen plant

Miniature rose plant named xe2x80x98BENminnxe2x80x99


There are provided a device which can measure a reaction performance of a neurotransmission system and that of a muscle expansion/contraction system in a specific body part easily, and gives a direction that a muscle in a specific body part is to be in an unreacted state by muscle unreacted state directing means, gives a direction that the muscle in the part is to be shifted into a reacted state by muscle reacted state directing means, continuously measures impedance and time until the reaction of the muscle in the part is completed after it has been directed that the muscle in the part is to be in the reacted state by impedance measuring means and timing means, and computes the reaction time of a neurotransmission system and the reaction time of a muscle expansion/contraction system based on these continuously measured impedance and time by individual system reaction time computing means.

(i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a measuring device which determines a reaction performance by measuring impedance.
(ii) Description of the Related Art
Conventional reaction performance measuring devices include a device as disclosed in Patent Publication 1 which determines a reaction performance by measuring a reaction time between when an indication of stimulation is seen and when the reaction of movement is detected and a device as disclosed in Patent Publication 2 which determines a reaction performance by comparing data at the time of measurement with data at normal times when buttons are pressed in accordance with data about the order of pressing.    Patent Publication 1
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 184474/1996    Patent Publication 2
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 224226/1996
However, the above reaction performance measuring devices merely evaluate a reaction performance including all systems associated with body reactions. That is, the devices are not capable of evaluating the reaction performance of an individual system, e.g., the reaction performance of a neurotransmission system which represents a process from when detection of signal data for a reaction is started, a signal reaches the brain and until a signal for causing a movement reaches a specific body part from the brain or the reaction performance of a muscle expansion/contraction system which represents a process from when this specific body part has received the signal from the brain and until the movement is completed.
Further, they are measuring devices which can determine only reaction performances associated with limited specific body parts, e.g., only the lower body or only hands.
Thus, in view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an impedance based reaction performance measuring device which can measure the reaction time of a neurotransmission system and the reaction time of a muscle expansion/contraction system as the reaction of a specific body part easily. Another object of the present invention is to provide an impedance based reaction performance measuring device which can also measure the reactions of specific body parts.

Impedance based reaction performance measuring device


Fluid is removed from the cleaning element of such as a sponge mop or string mop by inflating a bladder or like expansible member which is positioned in an enclosure adjacent the cleaning element, causing the expansible member to expand into contact with the cleaning element, thereby compressing the cleaning element for squeezing fluid therefrom.

The prior art shows a variety of floor mop constructions for "wringing" or removing fluid from sponge-type mops, with the majority of the structures employing pressure plates or rollers which are activated by lever arms to press against the mop head. Typical of such constructions are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,131,111 and 5,974,617.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,322,865 and 4,817,228, pistons mounted in a mop handle are activated to create a vacuum in a mop head causing the walls of the mop head to collapse, thereby causing presser plates, which are pivotally connected thereto to compress an attached sponge.
String-type mops of the prior art, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,709,622 and 5,675,858, and Design No. 387,526, employ collars or sleeves which are slideably mounted on the mop handle and are forced over the mop head and twisted or rotated to remove fluid therefrom.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,172, an air bladder is inserted into an air duct and inflated and pulled along the duct for removing dirt and debris from the duct.
The prior art fails to provide cleaning apparatus, which is lightweight, employs no pressure plates or levers or rollers to effect wringing and requires no bending during use.


Upon satisfaction of an idle learning condition, the internal combustion engine system of the invention successively performs learning of an idle control amount and learning of a most delayed angle control amount in this sequence. Upon satisfaction of a most delayed angle learning condition, on the other hand, the internal combustion engine system successively performs learning of the most delayed angle control amount and learning of the idle control amount in this sequence. This arrangement effectively reduces the total time required for completion of learning both the idle control amount and the most delayed angle control amount, compared with the conventional procedure of individually learning only one control amount corresponding to the satisfied learning condition.

One proposed structure of an internal combustion engine system varies the open-close timing of an intake valve to freely change a relative phase difference between the open-close timing of an exhaust valve and the open-close timing of the intake vale within a predetermined angle range. A phase angle having a least overlap between the open timing of the exhaust valve and the close timing of the intake valve is learnt as a most delayed phase angle.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-120374

Internal combustion engine system, vehicle equipped with internal combustion engine system, and control method of internal combustion engine system


A material for use in the cathode terminal of a battery that is made from a lithiated manganese oxide which is doped with ruthenium and optionally with a transition material and a method for the synthesis of the same. The material exhibits improved conductivity and cyclic performance at high current density (current density of 1470 mA/g and higher) and can be used in hybrid vehicles and other electronic devices due to its good cyclic performance at high current density and its relatively large capacity.

High lithium containing batteries are extensively used in modern life as electrochemical power sources.
There are two types of lithium batteries, namely primary lithium battery, and secondary battery. Lithium-ion secondary battery has been widely used in mobile phones, laptops and other modern appliances.
The cathode of a typical rechargeable lithium-ion battery uses a transition metal oxide material that can reversibly intercalate/deintercalate lithium at a high potential difference when carbon, for example, is used as the anode material. The first commercial lithium-ion batteries introduced in 1990 by Sony Corporation used LiCoO2 as the cathode material, which continues to be used in more than 90% of lithium-ion batteries. LiCoO2 has a well-ordered layered crystal structure, which is easily prepared and enables a fast and reversible lithium intercalation. However, LiCoO2 has poor thermal stability and is toxic, rendering it unsuitable for large-sized battery applications, such as electric and hybrid vehicles, that require batteries to be stable, economical and environmentally friendly, along with good performance.
To replace layer-structured LiCoO2, other cathode materials have been developed for many years. These other cathode materials can be divided into cathode materials having a spinel crystal structure and cathode materials having an olivine crystal structure. A typical cathode material with an olivine crystal structure, for example, LiFePO4, has high theoretical capacity of about 170 mAh/g, low cost and non toxicity. However, the electronic conductivity of this type of cathode materials is poor, limiting its use in high charge/discharge rate applications, for example, in hybrid vehicles. Many methods have been researched to improve the conductivity of olivine lithium-based cathode materials. For example, LiFePO4 particles have been coated with a thin carbon layer or doped with some metal cations, and nano-sized cathode particles have been synthesized. These methods have improved the electric conductivity.
Manganese oxides having a spinel crystal structure offer lower cost and lower toxicity compared to cobalt, and have been demonstrated to be safer when overcharged. The most readily prepared lithiated manganese oxide with a spinel crystal structure is LiMn2O4. LiMn2O4 includes three-dimensional channels, which allow for lithium diffusion. Lithiated manganese oxide has a high work voltage (around 4.2V), but a lower capacity than that of LiCoO2, and low stability due to J-T distortion during lithium intercalation/de-intercalation. To improve its performance, LiMn2O4 has been doped with transition metals such as Cr, Ni and Cu among which LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 shows a higher work voltage (around 4.5˜4.7V), a large capacity (around 147 mAh/g) and a relatively good cycle performance below a relative high current density of around 147 mA/g. Many efforts have been made to further optimize the electrochemical performance of lithiated nickel manganese oxide at high current density by the synthesizing nano-sized particles of lithiated nickel manganese oxide to make lithium diffusion easier and by doping lithiated nickel manganese oxide with metal cations to improve its structural stability and enhance its conductivity. However, these improvements have not been that effective in rendering the structural stability and conductivity of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 suitable for hybrid vehicles.

Cathode material for a battery with improved cycle performance at a high current density


Provided is a conductive paste capable of adjusting resistivity and forming a conductor film having high strength of bonding with a glass substrate and high mounting strength of a metal terminal. The conductive paste contains a conductive component, a glass frit having a composition containing a Bi2O3—B2O3—SiO2—Al2O3 or Bi2O3—B2O3—SiO2—Al2O3—ZnO primary component and about 0.5 to 5% by weight of NiO as a secondary component, and an organic vehicle. The conductive paste is applied on a glass substrate and then baked to form a conductor film. A glass circuit structure formed by using the conductor film can be advantageously used as a defogging glass for an automobile window.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conductive paste and a glass circuit structure comprising a conductive film formed on a glass substrate by using the conductive paste. Particularly, the present invention relates to a conductive paste and a glass circuit structure suitably used for a defogging glass for an automobile window.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an automobile rear window glass, for example, a heating conductor is disposed at the glass, for defogging or defrosting (simply referred to as "fogging prevention" or "defogging" hereinafter) so that the heating conductor is heated by passing a current through a conductor circuit including the conductor to keep the glass surface temperature at the dew point or higher.
In many cases, this heating conductor comprises a plurality of strips and bus bars connected to both ends of the strips formed on a glass surface. The heating conductor having such a structure comprises a conductor film formed by printing a conductive paste in a pattern on the glass surface and then baking the paste. Also, a lead-out metal terminal is connected to each of the bus bars by soldering or the like to form the conductor circuit in which the heating conductor is heated by applying a voltage between the metal terminals.
Since a constant-voltage power supply is used for applying the voltage applied the metal terminals, the quantity of heat generated from the heating conductor depends upon the shape, including the thickness, and the resistivity (volume resistivity) of the heating conductor. Therefore, it is desirable to realize conductors having various resistivity values from a material aspect in order to control the quantity of heat generated.
For example, a resistance adjuster is mixed with a conductive paste containing a silver powder, a low-melting-point glass frit and an organic vehicle, for adjusting the resistance of the paste to a desired value by controlling sintering, thereby adjusting the resistivity of a conductor (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2000-48642 and 9-92028).
As the resistance adjuster, for example, a metal having high resistivity, such as Ni, Al, Sn, Pb, Pt, Pd or the like, or an oxide thereof, is used.
However, when the resistance adjuster is used, the metal terminals cannot be connected with sufficiently high strength in some cases. A possible reason for this is that when the above-described metal or oxide is added as the resistance adjuster to the conductive paste, the adjuster is solid-dissolved in glass frit in the burning process to inhibit flow of glass, thereby decreasing the bonding force between the heating conductor and a glass substrate. Another possible reason is that the amounts of oxides, which are not involved in soldering, in the sintered conductor film are increased to segregate the oxides near the surface of the conductor film, and the segregated oxides inhibit solderability to decrease the strength of bonding between the metal terminals and the heating conductor.
It is thought that in order to decrease the amount of the metal or oxide added, which is likely to cause the above problem, the properties such as the shape, particle diameter and crystallinity of the silver powder contained as a conductive component in the conductive paste can be changed to decrease the sinterability of the sliver powder. However, this countermeasure causes roughening of the silver sintered texture to easily produce cohesive failure in the conductor film and decrease the strength of bonding with the glass substrate.

Conductive paste and glass circuit structure


A shear tension device comprising an adjustment screw and a lock wherein the lock is configured to engage with the adjustment screw and maintain tension properly set by the factory in the shears until service of the shears is required.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to a shear tension device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shear tension device for maintaining tension in a set of shears designed to undergo repeated stresses, for instance, in the hair styling industry.
2. Description of the Background Art
Shears are regularly used for cutting various items. For instance, the hair styling industry relies on shears daily. These shears generally include a fastener which connects the two blade members to one another. These shears undergo repeated stresses through their normal daily usage. These stresses test the capability of the fastening device to maintain pressure between the two blades. As the fastening device loosens (as a result of the repeated stresses), the operability of the shears is impacted.
Although each of the above referenced devices is useful in limited instance, they do not provide the ability to further secure the fastening device.


Interpretation from a first language to a second language via one or more communication devices is performed through a communication network (e.g. phone network or the internet) using a server for performing recognition and interpretation tasks, comprising the steps of: receiving an input speech utterance in a first language on a first mobile communication device; conditioning said input speech utterance; first transmitting said conditioned input speech utterance to a server; recognizing said first transmitted speech utterance to generate one or more recognition results; interpreting said recognition results to generate one or more interpretation results in an interlingua; mapping the interlingua to a second language in a first selected format; second transmitting said interpretation results in the first selected format to a second mobile communication device; and presenting said interpretation results in a second selected format on said second communication device.

An automatic speech-to-speech (S2S) interpreter is an electronic interpreter that enables two people who speak different natural languages to communicate with each other.
The interpreter consists of a computer, which has a graphical and/or verbal interface; one or more audio input devices to detect input speech signals, such as a receiver or microphone; and one or more audio output devices such as a speaker. The core of the interpreter is the software, which comprises three components: a speech recognizer, an interpretation engine, and an output processor.
Automatic speech recognition (ASR) can be defined as the conversion of an input speech signal into text. The text may be a "one best" recognition, an "n best" recognition, or a word-recognition lattice, with respective associated recognition confidences. The broader the domain that an ASR engine is trained to recognize, the worse the recognition results. This balance between recognition coverage and precision is a recurring theme in the field of pattern recognition and is fundamental to the assessment of each component's performance.
Interpretation is the task of providing a representation in one language to a representation in another language. This can be done through a classifier, that is, viewing interpretation as if we are classifying speech input into one of many bins, (see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/965,711), as well as automatic machine translation (MT). MT is the task of translating text in one natural language to another language. Machine translation is generally performed by one or more of the following broad categories: rule-based machine translation (RBMT), template based machine translation (TBMT), and statistical machine translation (SMT). A combination of these engines may be used to perform interpretation.
Speech synthesis is often accomplished using a text-to-speech (TTS) processor which handles how interpreted text is converted into sound. Systems are trained on recorded speech in the target language. Phone or word sequences are sampled and stitched together to derive the output signal.
S2S interpretation systems are subject to propagation of error. The quality of the input signal affects the quality of the speech recognition. Similarly, the quality of the recognized text directly affects the quality of the interpretation and thereby also the output of the system via a TTS processor. Additionally, each component contributes its own error. A robust S2S system is able to minimize these errors and improve the output of any one component by applying constraints from the succeeding component, thereby rendering the system robust to that error.

Mobile speech-to-speech interpretation system


Various aspects of this disclosure are directed to determining, with a computing device, an amount of time that has elapsed since the computing device was last utilized for processing an outgoing or an incoming phone call. The computing device may determine that the amount of time that has elapsed exceeds a threshold time value. Responsive to the determination, the computing device may identify a phone number to call with the computing device, may establish a voice connection using the identified phone number, and may output a message using the voice connection.

Computing devices may be used as communication devices, such as for telephonic communications. Conventionally, a device may be configured to dial a preconfigured phone number upon receiving an indication that a user would like to dial the phone number. For example, a user may wear a remote control for the device and, when the user would like the device to call the single preconfigured phone number, the user may press a button on the remote control. In another example, a device may be provided with a list of phone numbers to call and output a predefined message upon the call being answered.

Automatically establishing a telephonic connection between devices


A method for forming a constant geometry and non-turbulent stream inducing pouring spout in the rim portion of an annular side-walled vessel. The method comprises the steps of: a) positioning the vessel within a clamp possessing a groove whose centerline forms a 90.degree. angle with the annular side wall of the vessel when the clamp is in place; b) placing inside the vessel a center plug possessing a radially extending groove whose centerline forms a 90.degree. angle with the annular side wall when the center plug is in place; c) aligning the centerlines of the grooves of the clamp and the center plug to form a straight line travel path; d) placing a pour spout former in the center plug portion's groove and causing the former to travel along the travel path and into contact with the rim portion of the vessel; and, e) further causing the former to travel along the travel path to yieldably deform the rim portion of the annular wall into the desired shape pouring spout. The actual deformation of the rim takes place in three stages. The first stage and third stages involve deforming the rim portion by the former in an outward and upward direction and an outward and downward direction, respectively, while the second stage involves deforming the rim portion in only an outward direction.

This invention relates generally to a method for forming vessels having pouring spouts, and is a particularly suitable method for forming cookware having pouring spouts adapted to allow the transferring of liquids, sauces, and other foods contained within the cookware.
Because the disclosed invention is a particularly suitable method for cookware, the invention will be disclosed in relation to that exemplary application. However, it should be noted that the invention is not specifically limited to that application, as it is an applicable method for vessels other than those intended for kitchen or domestic use.
Cooking vessels used for heating and cooking liquids of varying viscosities containing a wide range of relatively solid food particles suspended therein are in daily use throughout the world. Upon completion of heating the contents of the vessel, it is frequently desirable to precisely control the rate and direction of flow of the contents into another vessel for additional preparation, cooling, storing, serving, or disposal. Additionally, when cooking meat products wherein fat is rendered, or liquified fat or oil is used as a cooking medium, it is common to pour the excess fat or oil into another vessel for future use or disposal.
The prior art is replete with vessels having pour spouts to aid in the transferring of the contents of a first vessel into a second receiving vessel. However, prior art vessels share a common shortcoming in that when the contents are poured out of the first vessel, the resulting stream is not geometrically constant and tends to exit the vessel at varying rates. For example, the contents of the vessel would lap the outside of the vessel if the pouring rate was too slow, and conversely, if the pouring rate was too fast, the contents would exit the vessel in a non-uniform, waterfall-like geometry resulting in poor directional and flow rate control. Such stream characteristics resulted in undesired dripping, spillage, and possibly over filling the receiving vessel. The spillage and dripping occurring from the lack of control when pouring contents out of a vessel not only constitutes an inconvenience to the user, but in some extreme cases may provide a hazard to an inattentive user when transferring hot oil or fats.
Thus, there was need for vessels having a pouring spout that provides a uniform geometric flow pattern regardless of the particular pouring rate of the contents exiting the vessel.
Originally, the unique pour spout vessels were manufactured from aluminum, however, because of the success of the product a demand for similar products made of stainless steel was created. A forming problem was encountered immediately because the vessel pour spout shaping process conventionally utilized for stainless steel, i.e., straight pressing, caused too much downward force in the steel resulting buckling of the metal. A roller type process was investigated, but without success, because, this process again caused too much downward force and subsequent buckling of the stainless steel material. Therefore, a process for forming these unique pour spouts in stainless steel needed to be developed. It is this problem to which the invention disclosed herein is directed.

Method of forming a vessel pouring spout


Disclosed is a nonwoven textile material comprising fibers of a propylene polymer material blended with an olefin polymer material.

Nonwoven textile material containing various thermoplastic fibers are well-known in the prior art. In addition to its significant use in structural elements such as molded parts, polypropylene has found significant use as a fiber in yarn, and woven and nonwoven textile materials. In order to capitalize on its strength, high melting point and chemical inertness, as well as low cost, the polymer typically used for such applications has been crystalline homopolymer polypropylene. However, textile materials, such as nonwoven materials, prepared from polypropylene fibers do not generally exhibit the delicate balance of properties that would be most desirable, such as softness and drapability.

Nonwoven textile material from blends of propylene polymer material and olefin polymer compositions