A method for increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat in chickens which includes administering orally to a chicken, a biologically effective amount of chromium citrate.

The occurrence and function of chromium in biological systems was first described by Dr. Walter Mertz at the Human Nutrition Laboratory in Bethesda, Md. (see, Physiological Rev. 49: 163, 1969).
It has been proposed by Dr. Richard Anderson of the USDA, that signs of chromium deficiency are impaired glucose tolerance, elevated fasting insulin, glycosuria, decreased insulin receptor numbers, and elevated cholesterol and triglycerides in hypoglycemia. Decreased sperm count and sterility have been observed in experimental animals, but not humans. Dr. Anderson has stated that these symptoms, usually associated with aging, may actually be the result of long term low chromium diets (see, The Science of the Total Environment vol. 86, p. 75-81 (1989)). Chromium picolinate, a fat soluble chelate of chromium, was shown by Dr. Gary Evans to improve body composition and weight loss in healthy adults (see, Int. J. Biosocial Medical Research, vol. 13 (2) 1989.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,927 discloses the use of chromium picolinate to increase chromium assimilation. The reference discloses that chromium picolinate is not soluble. Further, chromium picolinate is expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,102 discloses the use of GTF (glucose tolerance factor) and chromium picolinate to prevent hypoglycemia and alcoholism. GTF is a factor made by the human body that contains chromium, which is more available to the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,855 discloses the use of synthetic GTF. GTF is an extremely large complex of chromium with two molecules of niacin and at least one amino acid. However, the exact structure of the mechanism of release of the chromium is unknown.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,391 discloses the use of chromium acetylacetonate for treating diabetes. The reference further discloses the use of 7 to 70 .mu.g of chromium per Kg of body weight per dose. This corresponds to a dose of 490 to 4900 .mu.g for a 70 Kg person. The reference further discloses the use of up to 4 doses per day.
Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, vol. 85, p. 293 (1959) discloses that very stable chromium complexes of bidentate chromium acetylacetonate seem to be metabolically inert.
Mertz, Nutrition Reviews vol. 33, No. 5, p. 130 (May 1975) discloses that "simple chromium" compounds like chromium chloride or chromium acetate, which are chromium complexes, do not meet the criteria of absorption and bioavailability needed for use as cofactors in insulin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,116 discloses the use of at least two organic, metal ion complexing agents for parenteral administration. However, the reference does not disclose using chromium citrate. Further, the reference discloses using extremely high doses of 500 ppm of chromium.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,637 discloses the use of chromium protoporphyrin to inhibit the metabolism of heme to bilirubin.
A major drawback in the chicken industry is the low amount of meat produced per pound of feed consumed by the chicken. A considerable amount of feed is wasted in the form of feces and fat produced. The amount of feed is a major cost factor in raising chickens, and the amount of meat produced is the only product of value. Therefore, there is a need in the industry for increasing the amount of meat produced per pound of feed consumed.

Method of increasing muscle mass in chickens


A method of displaying video data includes receiving, at a timing controller, a frame of pixel data at a resolution lower than the display resolution from an application processor, generating new frames of video data at the timing controller by applying a filter with a different set of coefficients to at least one neighboring frame at the lower resolution to generate a display frame of video data at a higher resolution. A video processing device has an application processor to execute instructions causing the application process to transmit frames of image data at a resolution lower than an original resolution, and a timing controller to execute instructions causing the timing controller to reconstruct frames of image data at the original resolution from the frames of lower resolution.

Super resolution playback involves displaying images at higher resolution than what is transmitted. Super resolution allows the display of a higher quality image in the same amount of bandwidth by using information on how the lower resolution (broadcast) image was created. However, practical use of super resolution with current broadcast encoding is limited.
A major issue arises in the transmission of images. Many techniques reduce the bandwidth on transmission, often resulting in loss of the high frequency content. Without any high frequency content, the super resolution processes cannot easily recover any further details. This defeats the purpose of super resolution that aims to increase the detail.
A common broadcast technique to reduce bandwidth is generating an interlaced picture. This can reduce the bandwidth by one half. For example, 1280×720 progressive images take as much bandwidth as a 1920×1080 interlaced picture. At the time it was developed, interlacing solved the issue of flicker caused by large bright areas on the display by allowing a higher frame rate for a given amount of resolution. Interlacing refreshed these areas more frequently, which reduced flicker. When the primary display device was a CRT, no special processing was required to handle the interlaced format. The raster scan was simply shifted by ½ line between fields to maintain the correct vertical alignment. However, fixed pixel devices, unlike cathode ray tube devices, have to de-interlace the fields prior to display. This has led the move to progressive image formats for transmissions. In addition, images transmitted across the Internet for display on computing devices, generally transmit as progressive images.
Interlace transmission can be thought of as an extreme example of how to encode an image for super resolution playback. Each field is a lower resolution version of the original and contains alias components that change from field to field. The deinterlacer needs to know how it was encoded or which field contains even or odd lines and whether there is motion. Unfortunately, interlaced transmission is difficult for typical computer devices to display without sophisticated per pixel processing.
What is needed is a method to reduce high resolution images to a lower resolution image in a way that is compatible with existing progressive video playback while allowing for the higher resolution images that are possible using interlaced transmission.


A solid-state battery includes a third active material layer, a first solid electrolyte layer, a first active material layer, a first current collector layer, a second active material layer, a second solid electrolyte layer and a fourth active material layer in the order mentioned, wherein both the first and second active layers are anode or cathode active material layers. When both the first and second active layers are anode layers, both the third and fourth active layers are cathode layers. When both the first and second active layers are cathode layers, both the third and fourth active layers are anode layers, at least the first current collector layer extends to an outer side than the third and fourth active layers, and an insulating resin layer continuously across a surface of the extending part on one side, a side face and a surface of the extending part on the other side.

Patent Literature 1 discloses the art of arranging an insulating resin so as to put the resin in a cavity portion in an end part of an all-solid state battery that includes an anode and a cathode, the anode being larger than the cathode in area, in order to prevent the end part of the battery from getting damaged, and to insulate the end part. In addition, Patent Literature 2 discloses the art of surrounding a battery element of an all solid-state battery by a sealing layer.

All solid-state battery, resin applicator, and method for producing all solid-state battery


An industrial pressure transmitter, for use in industrial process control systems, comprises a differential pressure sensor and an integrated process connector connected to the differential pressure sensor. A process fluid flow duct extends through the process connector and receives an industrial process fluid. A primary element is positioned in the process fluid flow duct for producing a pressure differential in the process fluid across the primary element. The differential pressure sensor is connected to the process fluid flow duct to sense the pressure differential across the primary element.

This invention relates generally to process instruments used in industrial process control systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flangeless differential pressure transmitter having an integrated primary element.
Industrial process transmitters are used to monitor process variables of industrial process fluids. For example, pressure transmitters are commonly used in the process control industry for sensing pressures or flow rates of chemicals or petroleum products. A pressure transmitter includes a sensor or transducer that produces an electrical output in response to changes in a process pressure. For example, a capacitive pressure transducer produces a varying electrical signal based on the pressure of a process fluid changing the capacitance of the transducer. The electrical signal of the sensor is processed by transmitter circuitry to produce an electrical output that can be monitored as an indication of the pressure of the process fluid. Pressure transmitters also include electronics and circuitry that allow them to communicate with a process control system for either remotely monitoring the electrical output through a control loop or network, or locally such as with an LCD screen.
A typical capacitive-based pressure transmitter is connected to the process fluid through a simple hydraulic system. The hydraulic system comprises one or more hydraulic passageways that are filled with precise amounts of fill fluid, which communicate the process fluid pressure to the capacitive transducer. At a first end of a hydraulic passageway is a sensor diaphragm that serves as a variable capacitor plate for the pressure sensor. At a second end of the hydraulic passageway is a transmitter isolation diaphragm that separates the fill fluid from the process fluid. In pressure transmitters, the transmitter isolation diaphragms can be positioned such that they are co-planar along a mating face on the base of the transmitter. Thus, the transmitter base allows transmitter isolation diaphragms to be extended to an outer surface of the transmitter suitable for mating with a process fluid source. However, since the transmitter isolation diaphragms are typically flush with the mating face of the transmitter base, a flange adapter union or process flange is typically required to join the process fluid source with the transmitter isolation diaphragms in a sealed arrangement. A process flange is a coupling device that provides a means for mechanically securing the transmitter base with a process fluid source. For example, COPLANAR™ process flanges are commercially available from the assignee of the present invention. A typical process flange comprises through-bores for bolted attachment to through-bores of the transmitter base, and threaded through-bores that align with the transmitter isolation diaphragms for joining with process fluid piping. Thus, the process fluid is brought into contact with the transmitter isolation diaphragms through a bolted connection. As the process fluid pressure fluctuates, the process fluid exerts a corresponding force on the isolation diaphragm at the first end of the hydraulic system, which through the fill fluid adjusts the position of a sensor diaphragm of the capacitive pressure sensor at a second end of the hydraulic system. Furthermore, in order to obtain flow measurements from the transmitter it is also necessary to include a primary flow element, such as a venturi tube, orifice plate, pitot tube or flow nozzle, in the process pipe. Thus, connecting a process fluid source to a pressure transmitter often requires multiple additional components, which provide potential leak points and add costs to installing process control systems. Therefore, there is a need for a simplified and less expensive pressure transmitter with a reduced number of potential leak paths.

Flangeless differential pressure transmitter for industrial process control systems


The flexible hose of the present invention is crush resistant, burst resistant, and virtually impossible to kink in normal use and is applicable to hoses that are designed for delivering virtually any kind of fluid including water, organic liquids, aqueous based herbicides, aqueous based insecticides, industrial chemicals, beverages, air, industrial gases, vacuum, and the like. The hose design of the present invention is particularly applicable to garden hoses for the delivery of water. In fact, garden hoses having the construction of the present invention are highly resistant to kinking and almost never kink when being used in conventional lawn, garden, and cleaning applications.

Flexible hoses are widely utilized in countless applications. For instance, garden hoses are used for watering grass, trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetable plants, vines, and other types of vegetation. Garden hoses are also commonly used to supply water for cleaning houses, buildings, boats, equipment, vehicles, animals, and the like. Fluids, such as beverages, fuels, liquid chemicals, gases and air are also frequently delivered from one location to another through a flexible hose.
Flexible hoses have been manufactured for decades out of natural rubber, synthetic rubbers, thermoplastic elastomers, and plasticized thermoplastic materials. Conventional flexible hoses commonly have a layered construction that includes an inner tubular conduit, a spiraled, braided, or knitted reinforcement wrapped about the tubular conduit, and an outer cover.
Kinking is a problem that has been associated with flexible hoses since their commercialization and continues to be a problem today. Kinking is a phenomenon that may occur when the hose is doubled over or twisted. A consequence of kinking is that the flow of fluid through the hose can be either severely restricted or blocked. Kinking is a nuisance that causes the user to waste time unkinking the hose. Extreme kinking may occur when, for example, a newly purchased coiled garden hose is initially used. At the time of initial use, a coupling at one end of the hose is fastened to a faucet. The user typically grasps the opposite end of the hose and move away from the faucet without allowing the coiled hose to untwist. Kinking also occurs after the initial use as a consequence of routine movements by the user. Virtually everyone that has used in garden hose in cleaning or gardening has at one time or another been aggravated by a kinked hose.
When a hose kinks, the flow of fluid through the hose is blocked. The user must then attempt to remove the blockage by manual manipulation, such as by swinging the hose to relax the kink or approaching the kinked location and manually straightening the kink. A kink in a garden hose may require the user to return to the faucet, shut off the flow of water at the faucet to release the fluid pressure in the hose, and then manually unkink the hose. The user suffers further inconvenience because he or she must walk back, reestablish the flow of water through the hose, and then return to the opposite end of the hose to continue use. An even more acute problem arises when the user has already attached a large sprinkler device, such as an oscillating sprinkler to the end of the hose, and is forced to untwist the hose with the sprinkler attached.
The tendency of flexible hoses to kink may be at least partially alleviated by winding a helical wrap about the exterior of the inner tubular conduit. However, because of the choice of construction materials for the wrap and conduit, such kink resistant hoses achieve enhanced flexibility by sacrificing crush resistance to an externally applied force. When these reinforced hoses are deformed, for example by walking on or driving over them with a car, the helical wrap tends to permanently deform. The permanent deformation that results from being crushed restricts path for fluid to flow through the hose. Another approach for increasing the kink resistance of flexible hoses is to increase the wall thickness of the tubular conduit. However, increasing the wall thickness sacrifices hose flexibility such that these hoses are more cumbersome for a user to handle and manipulate. Increasing the wall thickness also makes the hose heavier and accordingly more difficult to move and use.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,208 discloses a flexible hose that is depicted as having kink, crush, and burst resistance. The flexible hose described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,208 is comprised of: a tubular member comprising a sidewall aligned along a longitudinal axis and a lumen radially inside said sidewall, said tubular member comprising an ethylene-octene interpolymer comprising polymerized units of ethylene and 1-octene, wherein the interpolymer is characterized by an average block index greater than zero and up to about 1.0 and a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn, greater than about 1.3 and a helical reinforcement strip at least partially embedded within said sidewall of said tubular member and helically wound with a pitch about said lumen of said tubular member, said reinforcement strip comprising a blend of polypropylene and an ethylene-butene interpolymer of ethylene and 1-butene, where the ethylene-butene interpolymer is characterized by an average block index greater than zero and up to about 1.0 and a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn, greater than about 1.3.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0071795 A1 also describes flexible hoses having a kink, crush, and burst resistant construction. A hose revealed by United States Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0071795 A1 is comprised of an inner tubular member; an outer tubular member; a yarn layer disposed between the inner and outer tubular members; and a plurality of reinforcement strips within the outer tubular member and helically wound with a pitch about the lumen of the tubular member, wherein the outer tubular member is composed of a first compound containing an olefin block copolymer and a styrene/ethylene-butylene/styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer, and the reinforcement strips are composed of a second compound containing a thermoplastic elastomer and a polypropylene homopolymer.

Kink, crush, and burst resistant flexible hose


The invention relates to solid polyester granules of the type used as matting agents in paints. In particular, the invention relates to a new redox initiating system for use in a suspension polymerization process that is used to manufacture the solid polyester granules, to a process for the preparation of the solid polyester granules, and to paint compositions containing the solid polyester granules.

Solid polyester granules or beads are used as matting agents in paints, especially flat paints, to provide increased mar and burnish resistance. When included in flat paints, they provide outstanding resistance to wet and dry abrasion. The granules are generally added to paint formulations in the form of a dispersion in a continuous aqueous phase. In some cases the polymer granules contain a pigment, such as titanium dioxide, and in other cases they are unpigmented.
In the formulation of conventional flat decorative paints, the largest of the granules are approximately the thickness in diameter of the paint film. They protrude through the surface of the film and act as stationary ball bearings. Clothing, cleaning cloths and other objects that would normally mar the film only come into contact with the granules, and hence the paint film is very burnish resistant. This is in marked contrast to conventional flat paint films, where abrasion produces a large and unsightly localised increase in gloss.
Such solid polyester granules are commonly manufactured by the copolymerisation of an unsaturated polyester and styrene in a suspension polymerisation process. For example, solid polyester granules are often produced by first emulsifying in water a solution of unsaturated polyester in styrene which contains low levels of benzoyl peroxide and azobis(isobutyronitrile). Emulsification is achieved through use of colloid stabilisers and shear stirring the solution until a desired droplet size has been obtained. When this has been achieved, a low level of N,N-diethylaniline is typically added to the reaction solution to complete the redox couple (with benzoyl peroxide) and initiate the polymerisation reaction. The azobis(isobutyronitrile) thermal initiator assists in the latter part of the exotherm to increase conversion, but has been found to be not particularly effective at this. The reaction may or may not be stirred during this stage, but stirring has traditionally been maintained to prevent any risk of settlement of the newly formed granules.
Although solid polyester granules have been manufactured by such processes for many years, in more recent times, significant occupational health and safety issues in respect of these manufacturing techniques have become apparent. In particular:    (a) N,N-diethylaniline which is toxic and odorous. N,N-diethylaniline (DEA, CAS no. 91-66-7) is a liquid which can be absorbed through the skin resulting in surface irritation as well as causing methaemoglobinaemia with resulting anoxia and central nervous system depression. More significantly, these latter effects may arise if vapours are inhaled in significant amount (LC50 rat=1920 mg/m3/4 h). These hazards are significant in the case of DEA as it is a liquid. It is classified as a harmful/dangerous substance (class 6.1) under the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail.    (b) Azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) cannot be transported at temperatures above 25° C. by law, it cakes on storage and produces a toxic by-product (tetramethylsuccinonitrile CAS No. 3333-52-6) which persists in the granules.    (c) The levels of free styrene are higher than acceptable (1500 ppm or 0.15 wt % for clear solid granules, and 3000 ppm or 0.30 wt % for pigmented solid granules) by today's standards due to poor conversion of monomer into polymer.
The aforementioned problems, and in particular the residual monomer content, generally become more of a concern when the size of the polyester granules increases.
Recently, WO 00/43425 disclosed a less odorous/toxic initiating system for the production of solid polyester granules. The initiating system disclosed comprised a combination of a hydroxyl containing aromatic amine and a diacyl peroxide. Through use of this initiating system, it was reported that the handling of relatively toxic initiating species could be avoided or at least minimised, and the odour of unreacted monomer and the toxicity of the resultant granule slurry could be reduced.
Although there are some advantages afforded by the initiating system disclosed in WO 00/43425, the residual unreacted monomer content in the granule slurry produced using this initiating system falls well short of the residual monomer levels typically achieved in the manufacture of other polymeric paint constituents such as latex polymer binders. For example, the lowest residual free styrene level in the granule slurry produced in accordance with WO 00/43425 was about 1400 ppm, whereas levels well below 50 ppm can be obtained in the manufacture of latices in which a comparable amount of styrene is polymerised.
Accordingly, there remains an opportunity to develop an initiating system that can be used in a process for manufacturing both large and small solid polyester granules that enables the granules to be produced with relatively low levels of unreacted monomer.

Initiating system for solid polyester granule manufacture


This invention relates to a partially plated molded article and to a process for the production of a molded article which is partially plated with metal such as circuit boards, connectors, decorative articles, etc., where a catalyst such as palladium, gold, etc. is added after roughening of the surface of a primary molded article, and then, the molded article is inserted into the mold and a secondary article molded thereabout so that the portions to be plated with metal are exposed, and after such molding, the exposed portions are plated with metal. Alternatively, the catalyst may be applied after molding of the secondary article around the roughened primary molded article.

The present invention relates to a molded article with partial metal plating and to a process for the production of such molded article such as a circuit board, connector, etc.
A process for the production of molded articles having partial plating has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application laying-open No. 61-239694 which has been filed on the basis of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 704,440. This Japanese application specifies several production processes of which two processes will now be explained.
The first process for production includes a molding process of the molded articles, an adhesion promotion process and an adherent metal plating process.
In the molding process of the molded article, an alternate two shot injection molding is used. In the first shot, the first portion of the molded article equipped with a circuit pattern is molded using a first electrically insulating material, while in the second shot, the supporting structure is formed around the circuit pattern using a second electrically insulating material. Polyethersulfone with catalyst is used as the first electrically insulating material for forming the molded article, and the appropriate catalyst for filler material is palladium catalyst scattered on powdered aluminium silicate. The catalyst mixed in the electrically insulating material is catalytic for the material for electroless metal plating to be conducted in the adhesive metal plating. The desirable second electrically insulating material to be selected for the supporting structure is polyethersulfone (without a catalyst).
In the adhesion promotion process, the surfaces of the molded article are made micro porous and hydrophilic and the catalyst on the surface part of the circuit pattern and hole walls are exposed. Accordingly, all the flat, smooth and glittering surfaces of the molded article are matted. Further, in the metal plating process, the molded article is passed through the vapor of dichloromethane, and the matted hydrophilic surfaces of the support structure will be made flat, smooth and hydrophobic so that they can endure the metal plating from outside and once again will be returned to the metal plating solution. The reason why these kinds of processes are required is to avoid non-uniform dispersal of the palladium catalyst, and avoid having the surface layers of the circuit pattern from becoming rich with the resin portion such that the catalytic function of the surfaces are not brought into full play.
In the second production process the molded articles are formed by a two shot process, where not only the first electrically insulating material to be used in the first shot process for forming the circuit pattern, but also the second electrically insulating material to be used in the second shot molding process for molding the support structure are selected from a material having no catalyst. The molded articles are treated with etching solution for adhesion promotion, then catalyst for metal plating is added and further is activated for electroless metal plating, and then non-adhesive catalyst is washed away from the support structure, and finally the circuit pattern is subjected to copper plating using a solution for electroless copper plating.
Both processes mentioned above involve the following problems.
The first problem in the production process of the former case is that palladium catalyst is mixed into the first electrically insulating material for forming the circuit pattern. Palladium is an expensive precious metal. It needs to be mixed in a large quantity in order to cause it to conduct as a catalytic function for electroless metal plating, and accordingly, economical production is difficult. The second problem is that the former case makes the production process complicated and deteriorates the working efficiency, since a process for making the matted surfaces flat and smooth is needed in the metal plating process in addition to the need of the process to make a mat on all the smooth surfaces of the articles in order to expose the catalyst.
The problem in the production process of the latter case is that it requires work to wash away with spray the catalyst adhered to the portions other than the circuit pattern, that is to say, all the surfaces of the support structure, after activation of the molded articles but before electroless copper plating. It is time-consuming to ensure the removal of the catalyst. Especially, the work to wash away the catalyst adhering to the surface of the border portion of the circuit pattern and support structure takes a great deal of time, labor, and expense and is practically difficult. When the removal of the catalyst is incomplete in the molded articles, for instance, in the circuit boards, portions other than the circuit portions will be sure to get metal plated, and the insulation of these portions is not secured. Therefore, they will not function as circuit boards.

Molded article with partial metal plating and a process for producing such article


The present invention relates to a process for reducing formaldehyde emission from thermoplastics mixed with polyacetal, which comprises melting the thermoplastic mixture in the presence of at least one stabilizer in a mixing assembly and subjecting it to further processing steps.

High-quality recycling of plastic components requires that the used parts or production residue collected should be as nearly as possible composed of a single type of material, i.e. not comprise foreign plastics. However, sorting and/or separation for this purpose is often difficult and a mixture is therefore often inevitable. Examples of consequences of certain proportions of foreign plastics are impairment of properties of the main plastic, or impairment of processing in the melt due to decomposition reactions.
Polyacetal is often found as contaminant in the plastics. The decomposition reactions can be controlled by matching the processing conditions, such as temperature and residence time, to the main plastic, but this procedure cannot be used for polyacetal present as contaminant. In addition, it is likely that the main plastic, which may contain acidic end groups, or comprise additives or catalyst residues, will react with the polyacetal.
It is particularly during recycling that thermoplastics may comprise undesired admixtures of polyacetal. The polyacetal contamination generally enters the plastics to be recycled when polyacetal components are not isolated, or cannot be isolated, from the actual plastic components to be recycled. Another way in which polyacetal contamination can enter other plastics is through inappropriate operation with inadequate cleaning of the apparatus after production of previous products which comprise polyacetal.
Formaldehyde can form during processing in the melt of thermoplastics which comprise small admixtures of polyacetal. The polyacetal depolymerizes or decomposes in the melt. Even small amounts, e.g. less than 0.5% by weight, of polyacetal in the main plastic can be sufficient to liberate undesirable concentrations of formaldehyde.
It is well known that polyacetals can decompose thermally during processing in the melt, thus liberating formaldehyde.
High processing temperatures above 230xc2x0 C. and long residence times accelerate the degradation (Becker/Braun, Kunststoff-Handbuch, [Plastics Handbook], Volume 3/1, Polycarbonate, Polyacetal, Polyester, Cellulose ester, [Polycarbonates, polyacetals, polyesters, cellulose esters], Carl Hanser Verlag Munich, Vienna, 1992). In addition, polyacetals can react with acidic compounds, additives, catalyst residues, etc., with liberation of formaldehyde.
The Bayer A G publication ATI 0305 xe2x80x9cRecycling und Designxe2x80x9d [Recycling and Design] discloses that admixture of polyacetal in the recycling process should be avoided since it results in inadequate properties of the main plastic. The formation of formaldehyde from admixtures from polyacetal in other plastics is described, taking the example of polyester recycling.
Fleischer et al. in Kunststoffe 9/92, describe the product recycling and feedstock recycling of pure polyacetal.
It was therefore an object to reduce the amount of formaldehyde liberated during the processing, in the melt, of thermoplastics mixed with polyacetal.
This object is achieved by means of a process for reducing formaldehyde emission from thermoplastics mixed with polyacetal, which comprises melting the thermoplastic mixture in the presence of at least one stabilizer, i.e. a chemical compound having a stabilizing effect, in a mixing assembly and subjecting it to further processing steps.
Surprisingly, it has been found that this process can drastically reduce formaldehyde emission.
This is all the more surprising since the processing conditions selected during the processing in the melt of thermoplastics other than polyacetal, and in particular during their recycling, are markedly less favorable than those for the processing of pure polyacetal.
It is also surprising since it is known that polyacetal can decompose when even small amounts of inappropriate foreign materials are present.
The present invention therefore provides a process for reducing formaldehyde emission from thermoplastic mixtures.
The invention further provides the use of stabilizers in the process of the invention, i.e. for reducing formaldehyde emission in thermoplastic mixtures.
The process of the invention is in principle suitable for the processing of any thermoplastic mixtures which comprise at least one thermoplastic other than polyacetal but contaminated with polyacetal.
Examples of thermoplastics are described in Saechtling, Kunststoff-Taschenbuch [Plastics Handbook], Hanser Verlag, 1998, 27th Edition, on pp. 375-534, incorporated herein by way of reference.
For the purpose of the invention, the term thermoplastic polymers in principle includes all of the known synthetic, natural or, modified natural polymers which can be processed in the melt, with the exception of polyacetal.

Process and means for reducing formaldehyde emission during the processing of thermoplastics with admixed polyacetal

Abstract: During this process, formaldehyde emission deriving from decomposition of the polyacetal is markedly reduced by adding suitable additives/stabilizers.


An apparatus for guiding a strip consisting of a stiff material and cambered in the transverse direction includes a rotary member having a contact surface against which at least a portion of the strip bears in such a way that in that portion the strip exhibits a longitudinal curvature about at least one transverse axis, with the transverse camber being at least reduced resiliently. In order for the strip to be supported on the apparatus in a substantially play-free and slip-free manner so that the strip can carry a compression loading in a longitudinal direction thereof towards the apparatus, the apparatus further includes first and second lateral support surfaces which are disposed in mutually opposite relationship on respective sides of the contact surface and which are inclined towards each other so as to converge in an outward direction. The support surfaces are so arranged that each portion of the strip which passes into the longitudinally curved region thereof, due to the increase in width which it experiences as a result of the transverse camber being at least substantially reduced, is immovably gripped in a resiliently reversible manner between the contact surface and the first and second lateral support surfaces.

The invention relates to an apparatus for guiding a curved strip consisting of a stiff material.
An apparatus for guiding a curved strip of a stiff material, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,132, comprises a cylindrical drum having a peripheral surface which forms a contact surface against which at least a portion of the strip lies in such a way that, in that portion, the strip is of a curved configuration about a transverse axis, with the transverse curvature of the strip being resiliently removed. When the strip is wound around the peripheral surface of the cylindrical drum in a plurality of layers, the peripheral surface of the drum forms the contact surface for the innermost layer or turn of the wound strip, while the contact surface for each of the outer layers or turns of strip is formed by the outward surface of the respective next inward layer or turn of the strip. So that the strip which is of a curved or cambered configuration, being therefore resiliently prestressed in such a way that it is curved about its longitudinal axis, can be wound on to and unwound from the drum in a fairly well-defined manner, disposed upstream of the peripheral surface of the drum is an arrangement of clamping and guide rollers which are pressed against the wide sides of the strip and which ensure that, as the strip is wound on to or off the drum, the strip cannot tilt about its longitudinal axis or bulge outwardly, if the part of the strip which is not wound on the drum is subjected to a compression loading in the longitudinal direction of the strip towards the drum.
However, that construction does not make it possible to provide for a precisely defined, that is to say slip-free, conversion of the rotary movement of the drum into a linear movement of the strip end which is the `free end`, that is to say, the end which is not secured to the drum, or vice-versa. In addition, the clamping and guide rollers give rise to frictional losses which cause problems in many situations of practical use.


A cup shaped collector mounted at one end of an elongate telescopically adjustable pole defines a water receiving chamber for receiving and containing at least a portion of an open sprinkler head and collecting water discharged from the open head. An elongate flexible hose connected to the collector communicates with the water receiving chamber and diverts water from the open head to a friendly location. Fluorescent markings on the collector aid in manually positioning the collector to receive the open head under conditions of darkness.

This invention relates in general to a device for controlling water damage resulting from accidental operation of a sprinkler head.
In a high-rise building equipped with a sprinkler system there is an ever present risk of water damage resulting from accidental operation of a sprinkler head. The damage resulting from such occurrence is usually quite substantial in the immediate area of the open sprinkler head and may extend to several floors below. The valve for shutting-down the sprinkler system or at least that portion of the system which includes the open head may be located a substantial distance from the open head. Even when qualified building maintenance personnel are present at the scene, it may be a considerable time before the problem can be brought under control.
Such a sprinkler system usually include some type of water flow alarm to indicate when the system is in operation. When a fire department responds to a sprinkler alarm the usual procedure is to locate the shut-off valve and shut-down the sprinkler system, at least until the condition can be temporarily corrected. A ladder is usually required to gain access to the open head, which may be located high overhead, so that the open head can be temporarily closed using a wedge or other appropriate means. The fire fighter on the ladder is required to work under adverse conditions and is exposed to fatigue and possible risk of injury.
Accordingly, it is the general aim of the present invention to provide a light-weight, durable device which is easy to use and store and which will control water damage resulting from an open sprinkler head without compromising the sprinkler system.

Sprinkler head water damage control device


The present invention relates to a unit dose detergent film formed from a water soluble polymer and a cleaning solution.

The present invention relates to a unit dose detergent film for use in cleaning applications.
Various types of unit dose cleaning systems have been previously employed in cleaning compositions.
Cleaning compositions for automatic dishwasher in the form of tablets have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,191,089; 6,162,777; and 6,191,089.
Water soluble sachets containing cleaning compositions have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,228,825; 6,087,319; and 5,783,541.
The present invention relates to a unit dose detergent film for use in cleaning applications, wherein the unit dose detergent film comprises a cellulosic polymer, at least one surfactant, a fragrance and optionally a solubilizing agent, wherein the unit dose detergent film contains less than 5 wt. % of water.
An object of the present invention is to provide a unit dose detergent film which can be used to clean dishware and hard surfaces as well as being useful in an automatic dishwasher or a washer for cleaning fabrics.
The present invention relates to a unit dose detergent film which is formed from a cellulosic polymer and a cleaning composition.
The unit dose detergent film comprises approximately by weight:
(a) 4% to 12% of a water soluble cellulosic polymer selected from the group consisting of methyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose and mixtures thereof;
(b) 25% to 50% of at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkali metal salts of a fatty acids, ethoxylated nonionic surfactants, amine oxide surfactants, alkyl polyglucoside surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, anionic surfactants and C12-C14 fatty acid monoalkanol amides and mixtures thereof;
(c) 0 to 2%, more preferably 0.1 % to 1.5% of a perfume, essential oil or a water insoluble organic compound such as a hydrocarbon and mixtures thereof;
(d) 0 to 15%, more preferably 0.1% to 10% of a cosurfactant selected from the group consisting of glycol ethers and short chain amphiphiles, and mixtures thereof;
(e) 0 to 15%, more preferably 0.1% to 10% of at least one solubilizing agent;
(f) 0 to 7%, more preferably 0.1% to 5%, of an antibacterial agent;
(g) 0 to 2.5%, more preferably 0.1% to 2% of a proton donating agent;
(h) 0 to 6%, more preferably 0.05% to 3% of a perfume, wherein the unit dose detergent claim contains less than 5 wt. % of water.
The water soluble nonionic surfactants which is utilized in this invention are commercially well known and include the primary aliphatic alcohol ethoxylates, secondary aliphatic alcohol ethoxylates, alkylphenol ethoxylates and ethylene-oxide-propylene oxide condensates on primary alkanols, such a Plurafacs (BASF) and condensates of ethylene oxide with sorbitan fatty acid esters such as the Tweens (ICI). The nonionic synthetic organic detergents generally are the condensation products of an organic aliphatic or alkyl aromatic hydrophobic compound and hydrophilic ethylene oxide groups. Practically any hydrophobic compound having a carboxy, hydroxy, amido, or amino group with a free hydrogen attached to the nitrogen can be condensed with ethylene oxide or with the polyhydration product thereof, polyethylene glycol, to form a water-soluble nonionic detergent. Further, the length of the polyethenoxy chain can be adjusted to achieve the desired balance between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic elements.
The nonionic surfactant class includes the condensation products of a higher alcohol (e.g., an alkanol containing 8 to 18 carbon atoms in a straight or branched chain configuration) condensed with 5 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide, for example, lauryl or myristyl alcohol condensed with 16 moles of ethylene oxide (EO), tridecanol condensed with 6 to moles of EO, myristyl alcohol condensed with about 10 moles of EO per mole of myristyl alcohol, the condensation product of EO with a cut of coconut fatty alcohol containing a mixture of fatty alcohols with alkyl chains varying from 10 to 14 carbon atoms in length and wherein the condensate contains either 6 moles of EO per mole of total alcohol or 9 moles of EO per mole of alcohol and tallow alcohol ethoxylates containing 6 EO to 11 EO per mole of alcohol.
A preferred group of the foregoing nonionic surfactants are the Neodol ethoxylates (Shell Co.), which are higher aliphatic, primary alcohols containing about 9-15 carbon atoms, such as C9-C11 alkanol condensed with 8 moles of ethylene oxide (Neodol 91-8), C12-13 alkanol condensed with 6.5 moles ethylene oxide (Neodol 23-6.5), C12-15 alkanol condensed with 12 moles ethylene oxide (Neodol 25-12), C14-15 alkanol condensed with 13 moles ethylene oxide (Neodol 45-13), and the like. Such ethoxamers have an HLB (hydrophobic lipophilic balance) value of 8-15 and give good/W emulsification, whereas ethoxamers with HLB values below 8 contain less than 5 ethyleneoxy groups and tend to be poor emulsifiers and poor detergents.
Additional satisfactory water soluble alcohol ethylene oxide condensates are the condensation products of a secondary aliphatic alcohol containing 8 to 18 carbon atoms in a straight or branched chain configuration condensed with 5 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide. Examples of commercially available nonionic detergents of the foregoing type are C11-C15 secondary alkanol condensed with either 9 EO (Tergitol 15-S-9) or 12 EO (Tergitol 15-S-12) marketed by Union Carbide.
Other suitable nonionic surfactants include the polyethylene oxide condensates of one mole of alkyl phenol containing from 8 to 18 carbon atoms in a straight- or branched chain alkyl group with 5 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide. Specific examples of alkyl phenol ethoxylates include nonyl condensed with 9.5 moles of EO per mole of nonyl phenol, dinonyl phenol condensed with 12 moles of EO per mole of phenol, dinonyl phenol condensed with 15 moles of EO per mole of phenol and di-is octylphenol condensed with 15 moles of EO per mole of phenol. Commercially available nonionic surfactants of this type include Igepal CO-630 (nonyl phenol ethoxylate) marketed by GAF Corporation.
Also among the satisfactory nonionic surfactants are the water-soluble condensation products of a C8-C20 alkanol with a heteric mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide wherein the weight ratio of ethylene oxide to propylene oxide is from 2.5:1 to 4:1, preferably 2.8:1-3.3:1, with the total of the ethylene oxide and propylene oxide (including the terminal ethanol or propanol group) being from 60-85%, preferably 70-80%, by weight. Such detergents are commercially available from BASF-Wyandotte and a particularly preferred detergent is a C10-C16 alkanol condensate with ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, the weight ratio of ethylene oxide to propylene oxide being 3:1 and the total alkoxy content being 75% by weight.
Other suitable water-soluble nonionic surfactants which are less preferred are marketed under the trade name xe2x80x9cPluronics.xe2x80x9d The compounds are formed by condensing ethylene oxide with a hydrophobic base formed by the condensation of propylene oxide with propylene glycol. The molecular weight of the hydrophobic portion of the molecule is of the order of 950 to 4000 and preferably 200 to 2,500. The addition of polyoxyethylene radicals to the hydrophobic portion tends to increase the solubility of the molecule as a whole so as to make the surfactant water-soluble. The molecular weight of the block polymers varies from 1,000 to 15,000 and the polyethylene oxide content may comprise 20% to 80% by weight. Preferably, these surfactants will be in liquid form and satisfactory surfactants are available as grades L62 and L64.
The anionic surfactants which may be used in the unit dose detergent film of this invention are water soluble such as triethanolamine and include the sodium, potassium, ammonium and ethanolammonium salts of C8-C18 alkyl sulfates such as lauryl sulfate, myristyl sulfate and the like; linear C8-C16 alkyl benzene sulfonates; C10-C20 paraffin sulfonates; alpha olefin sulfonates containing about 10-24 carbon atoms; C8-C18 alkyl sulfoacetates; C8-C18 alkyl sulfosuccinate esters; C8-C18 acyl isethionates; and C8-C18 acyl taurates. Preferred anionic surfactants are the water soluble C12-C16 alkyl sulfates, the C10-C15 alkylbenzene sulfonates, the C13-C17 paraffin sulfonates and the alpha C12-C18 olefin sulfonates.
The higher alkyl mononuclear aromatic sulfonates, such as the higher alkylbenzene sulfonates containing 9 to 18 or preferably 9 to 16 carbon atoms in the higher alkyl group in a straight or branched chain. A preferred alkylbenzene sulfonate is a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate having a higher content of 3-phenyl (or higher) isomers and a correspondingly lower content (well below 50%) of 2-phenyl (or lower) isomers, such as those sulfonates wherein the benzene ring is attached mostly at the 3 or higher (for example 4, 5, 6 or 7) position of the alkyl group and the content of the isomers in which the benzene ring is attached in the 2 or 1 position is correspondingly low. Preferred materials are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,320,174, especially those in which the alkyls are of 10 to 13 carbon atoms.
Examples of suitable other sulfonated anionic surfactants are the well known. The paraffin sulfonates may be monosulfonates or di-sulfonates and usually are mixtures thereof, obtained by sulfonating paraffins of 10 to 20 carbon atoms. Preferred paraffin sulfonates are those of C12-18 carbon atoms chains, and more preferably they are of C14-17 chains. Paraffin sulfonates that have the sulfonate group(s) distributed along the paraffin chain are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,503,280; 2,507,088; 3,260,744; and 3,372,188; and also in German Patent 735,096. Such compounds may be made to specifications and desirably the content of paraffin sulfonates outside the C14-17 range will be minor and will be minimized, as will be any contents of di- or poly-sulfonates.
The C8-18 ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfate surfactants have the structure
Rxe2x80x94(OCHCH2)nOSOxe2x88x923M+
wherein n is about 1 to about 22 more preferably 1 to 3 and R is an alkyl group having about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, more preferably 12 to 15 and natural cuts, for example, C12-14 or C12-16 and M is an ammonium cation or a metal cation, most preferably sodium.
The ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfate may be made by sulfating the condensation product of ethylene oxide and C8-10 alkanol, and neutralizing the resultant product. The ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfates differ from one another in the number of carbon atoms in the alcohols and in the number of moles of ethylene oxide reacted with one mole of such alcohol. Preferred ethoxylated alkyl ether polyethenoxy sulfates contain 12 to 15 carbon atoms in the alcohols and in the alkyl groups thereof, e.g., sodium myristyl (3 EO) sulfate.
Ethoxylated C8-18 alkylphenyl ether sulfates containing from 2 to 6 moles of ethylene oxide in the molecule are also suitable for use in the invention compositions. These detergents can be prepared by reacting an alkyl phenol with 2 to 6 moles of ethylene oxide and sulfating and neutralizing the resultant ethoxylated alkylphenol.
The C12-C20 paraffin sulfonates may be monosulfonates or di-sulfonates and usually are mixtures thereof, obtained by sulfonating paraffins of 10 to 20 carbon atoms. Preferred paraffin sulfonates are those of C12-18 carbon atoms chains, and more preferably they are of C14-17 chains. Paraffin sulfonates that have the sulfonate group(s) distributed along the paraffin chain are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,503,280; 2,507,088; 3,260,744 and 3,372,188 and also in German Patent 735,096. Such compounds may be made to specifications and desirably the content of paraffin sulfonates outside the C14-17 range will be minor and will be minimized, as will be any contents of di- or poly-sulfonates.
The present invention can also contain alpha olefin sulfonates, including long-chain alkene sulfonates, long-chain hydroxyalkane sulfonates or mixtures of alkene sulfonates and hydroxyalkane sulfonates. These alpha olefin sulfonate surfactants may be prepared in a known manner by the reaction of sulfur trioxide (SO3) with long-chain olefins containing 8 to 25, preferably 12 to 21 carbon atoms and having the formula RCHxe2x95x90CHR1 where R is a higher alkyl group of 6 to 23 carbons and R1 is an alkyl group of 1 to 17 carbons or hydrogen to form a mixture of sultones and alkene sulfonic acids which is then treated to convert the sultones to sulfonates. Preferred alpha olefin sulfonates contain from 14 to 16 carbon atoms in the R alkyl group and are obtained by sulfonating an a-olefin.
The long chain fatty acids are the higher aliphatic fatty acids having from about 8 to 22 carbon atoms, more preferably from about 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and especially preferably from about 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and especially preferably from 12 to 18 carbon atoms, inclusive of the carbon atom of the carboxyl group of the fatty acid. The aliphatic radical may be saturated or unsaturated and may be straight or branched. Straight chain saturated fatty acids are preferred. Mixtures of fatty acids may be used, such as those derived from natural sources, such as tallow fatty acid, coco fatty acid, soya fatty acid, mixtures of these acids, etc. Stearic acid and mixed fatty acids, e.g. stearic acid/palmitic acid, are preferred.
Thus, examples of the fatty acids include, for example, decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, oleic acid, eicosanoic acid, tallow fatty acid, coco fatty acid, soya fatty acid, mixtures of these, acids, etc. Stearic acid and mixed fatty acids, e.g. stearic acid/palmitic acid, are preferred.
The water-soluble zwitterionic surfactant, which can also be used provides good foaming properties and mildness. The zwitterionic surfactant is a water soluble betaine having the general formula:
wherein R1 is an alkyl group having 10 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably 12 to 16 carbon atoms, or the amido radical:
wherein R is an alkyl group having 9 to 19 carbon atoms and a is the integer 1 to 4; R2 and R3 are each alkyl groups having 1 to 3 carbons and preferably 1 carbon; R4 is an alkylene or hydroxyalkylene group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and, optionally, one hydroxyl group. Typical alkyldimethyl betaines include decyl dimethyl betaine or 2-(N-decyl-N,N-dimethyl-ammonia)acetate, coco dimethyl betaine or 2-(N-coco N,N-dimethylammonio)acetate, myristyl dimethyl betaine, palmityl dimethyl betaine, lauryl diemethyl betaine, cetyl dimethyl betaine, stearyl dimethyl betaine, etc. The amidobetaines similarly include cocoamidoethylbetaine, cocoamidopropyl betaine and the like. A preferred betaine is coco (C8-C18) amidopropyl dimethyl betaine.
Amine oxide semi-polar nonionic surfactants comprise compounds and mixtures of compounds having the formula:
wherein R1 is an alkyl, 2-hydroxyalkyl, 3-hydroxyalkyl, or 3-alkoxy-2-hydroxypropyl radical in which the alkyl and alkoxy, respectively, contain from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 are each methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, 2-hydroxypropyl, or 3-hydroxypropyl, and n is from 0 to 10. Particularly preferred are amine oxides of the formula:
wherein R1 is a C12-16 alkyl and R2 and R3 are methyl or ethyl. The above ethylene oxide condensates, amides, and amine oxides are more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,824 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The alkyl polysaccharides surfactants, which can be used have a hydrophobic group containing from about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms, preferably from about 10 to about 16 carbon atoms, most preferably from about 12 to about 14 carbon atoms, and polysaccharide hydrophilic group containing from about 1.5 to about 10, preferably from about 1.5 to about 4, most preferably from about 1.6 to about 2.7 saccharide units (e.g., galactoside, glucoside, fructoside, glucosyl, fructosyl; and/or galactosyl units). Mixtures of saccharide moieties may be used in the alkyl polysaccharide surfactants. The number x indicates the number of saccharide units in a particular alkyl polysaccharide surfactant. For a particular alkyl polysaccharide molecule x can only assume integral values. In any physical sample of alkyl polysaccharide surfactants there will be in general molecules having different x values. The physical sample can be characterized by the average value of x and this average value can assume non-integral values. In this specification the values of x are to be understood to be average values. The hydrophobic group (R) can be attached at the 2-, 3-, or 4-positions rather than at the 1-position, (thus giving e.g. a glucosyl or galactosyl as opposed to a glucoside or galactoside). However, attachment through the 1-position, i.e., glucosides, galactoside, fructosides, etc., is preferred. In the preferred product the additional saccharide units are predominately attached to the previous saccharide unit""s 2-position. Attachment through the 3-, 4-, and 6-positions can also occur. Optionally and less desirably there can be a polyalkoxide chain joining the hydrophobic moiety (R) and the polysaccharide chain. The preferred alkoxide moiety is ethoxide.
Typical hydrophobic groups include alkyl groups, either saturated or unsaturated, branched or unbranched containing from about 8 to about 20, preferably from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms. Preferably, the alkyl group is a straight chain saturated alkyl group. The alkyl group can contain up to 3 hydroxy groups and/or the polyalkoxide chain can contain up to about 30, preferably less than about 10, alkoxide moieties.
Suitable alkyl polysaccharides are decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, pentadecyl, hexadecyl, and octadecyl, di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, and hexaglucosides, galactosides, lactosides, fructosides, fructosyls, lactosyls, glucosyls and/or galactosyls and mixtures thereof.
The alkyl monosaccharides are relatively less soluble in water than the higher alkyl polysaccharides. When used in admixture with alkyl polysaccharides, the alkyl monosaccharides are solubilized to some extent. The use of alkyl monosaccharides in admixture with alkyl polysaccharides is a preferred mode of carrying out the invention. Suitable mixtures include coconut alkyl, di-, tri-, tetra-, and pentaglucosides and tallow alkyl tetra-, penta-, and hexaglucosides.
The preferred alkyl polysaccharides are alkyl polyglucosides having the formula
R2O(CnH2nO)r(Z)x
wherein Z is derived from glucose, R is a hydrophobic group selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkylphenyl, hydroxyalkylphenyl, and mixtures thereof in which said alkyl groups contain from about 10 to about 18, preferably from about 12 to about 14 carbon atoms; n is 2 or 3 preferably 2, r is from 0 to 10, preferable 0; and x is from 1.5 to 8, preferably from 1.5 to 4, most preferably from 1.6 to 2.7. To prepare these compounds a long chain alcohol (R2OH) can be reacted with glucose, in the presence of an acid catalyst to form the desired glucoside. Alternatively the alkyl polyglucosides can be prepared by a two step procedure in which a short chain alcohol (R1OH) can be reacted with glucose, in the presence of an acid catalyst to form the desired glucoside. Alternatively the alkyl polyglucosides can be prepared by a two step procedure in which a short chain alcohol (C1-6) is reacted with glucose or a polyglucoside (x=2 to 4) to yield a short chain alkyl glucoside (x=1 to 4) which can in turn be reacted with a longer chain alcohol (R2OH) to displace the short chain alcohol and obtain the desired alkyl polyglucoside. If this two step procedure is used, the short chain alkylglucosde content of the final alkyl polyglucoside material should be less than 50%, preferably less than 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, most preferably 0% of the alkyl polyglucoside.
The amount of unreacted alcohol (the free fatty alcohol content) in the desired alkyl polysaccharide surfactant is preferably less than about 2%, more preferably less than about 0.5% by weight of the total of the alkyl polysaccharide. For some uses it is desirable to have the alkyl monosaccharide content less than about 10%.
The used herein, xe2x80x9calkyl polysaccharide surfactantxe2x80x9d is intended to represent both the preferred glucose and galactose derived surfactants and the less preferred alkyl polysaccharide surfactants. Throughout this specification, xe2x80x9calkyl polyglucosidexe2x80x9d is used to include alkyl polyglycosides because the stereochemistry of the saccharide moiety is changed during the preparation reaction.
An especially preferred APG glycoside surfactant is APG 625 glycoside manufactured by the Henkel Corporation of Ambler, Pa. APG25 is a nonionic alkyl polyglycoside characterized by the formula:
CnH2n+1O(C6H10O5)xH
wherein n=10 (2%); n=122 (65%); n=14 (21-28%); n=16 (4-8%) and n=18 (0.5%) and x (degree of polymerization)=1.6. APG 625 has: a pH of 6 to 10 (10% of APG 625 in distilled water); a specific gravity at 25xc2x0 C. of 1.1 g/ml; a density at 25xc2x0 C. of 9.1 lbs/gallon; a calculated HLB of 12.1 and a Brookfield viscosity at 35C., 21 spindle, 5-10 RPM of 3,000 to 7,000 cps.
The instant detergent film can also contain a mixture of a C12-14 alkyl monoalkanol amide such as lauryl monoalkanol amide and a C12-14 alkyl dialkanol amide such as lauryl diethanol amide or coco diethanol amide.
As used herein and in the appended claims the term xe2x80x9cperfumexe2x80x9d is used in its ordinary sense to refer to and include any non-water soluble fragrant substance or mixture of substances including natural (i.e., obtained by extraction of flower, herb, blossom or plant), artificial (i.e., mixture of natural oils or oil constituents) and synthetically produced substance) odoriferous substances. Typically, perfumes are complex mixtures of blends of various organic compounds such as alcohols, aldehydes, ethers, aromatic compounds and varying amounts of essential oils (e.g., terpenes) such as from 0% to 80%, usually from 10% to 70% by weight, the essential oils themselves being volatile odoriferous compounds and also serving to dissolve the other components of the perfume.
In the present invention the precise composition of the perfume is of no particular consequence to cleaning performance so long as it meets the criteria of water immiscibility and having a pleasing odor. Naturally, of course, especially for cleaning compositions intended for use in the home, the perfume, as well as all other ingredients, should be cosmetically acceptable, i.e., non-toxic, hypoallergenic, etc. The instant compositions show a marked improvement in ecotoxocity as compared to existing commercial products.
In place of the perfume one can employ an essential oil or a water insoluble hydrocarbon having 6 to 18 carbon such as a paraffin or isoparaffin.
Suitable essential oils are selected from the group consisting of: Anethole 20/21 natural, Aniseed oil china star, Aniseed oil globe brand, Balsam (Peru), Basil oil (India), Black pepper oil, Black pepper oleoresin 40/20, Bois de Rose (Brazil) FOB, Borneol Flakes (China), Camphor oil, White, Camphor powder synthetic technical, Cananga oil (Java), Cardamom oil, Cassia oil (China), Cedarwood oil (China) BP, Cinnamon bark oil, Cinnamon leaf oil, Citronella oil, Clove bud oil, Clove leaf, Coriander (Russia), Coumarin 69xc2x0 C. (China), Cyclamen Aldehyde, Diphenyl oxide, Ethyl vanilin, Eucalyptol, Eucalyptus oil, Eucalyptus citriodora, Fennel oil, Geranium oil, Ginger oil, Ginger oleoresin (India), White grapefruit oil, Guaiacwood oil, Gurjun balsam, Heliotropin, Isobomyl acetate, Isolongifolene, Juniper berry oil, L-methyl acetate, Lavender oil, Lemon oil, Lemongrass oil, Lime oil distilled, Litsea Cubeba oil, Longifolene, Menthol crystals, Methyl cedryl ketone, Methyl chavicol, Methyl salicylate, Musk ambrette, Musk ketone, Musk xylol, Nutmeg oil, Orange oil, Patchouli oil, Peppermint oil, Phenyl ethyl alcohol, Pimento berry oil, Pimento leaf oil, Rosalin, Sandalwood oil, Sandenol, Sage oil, Clary sage, Sassafras oil, Spearmint oil, Spike lavender, Tagetes, Tea tree oil, Vanilin, Vetyver oil (Java), Wintergreen, Allocimene, Arbanex(trademark), Arbanol(copyright), Bergamot oils, Camphene, Alpha-Campholenic aldehyde, I-Carvone, Cineoles, Citral, Citronellol Terpenes, Alpha-Citronellol, Citronellyl Acetate, Citronellyl Nitrile, Para-Cymene, Dihydroanethole, Dihydrocarveol, d-Dihydrocarvone, Dihydrolinalool, Dihydromyrcene, Dihydromyrcenol, Dihydromyrcenyl Acetate, Dihydroterpineol, Dimethyloctanal, Dimethyloctanol, Dimethyloctanyl Acetate, Estragole, Ethyl-2 Methylbutyrate, Fenchol, Fernlol(trademark), Florilys(trademark), Geraniol, Geranyl Acetate, Geranyl Nitrile, Glidmint(trademark) Mint oils, Glidox(trademark), Grapefruit oils, trans-2-Hexenal, trans-2-Hexenol, cis-3-Hexenyl Isovalerate, cis-3-Hexanyl-2-methylbutyrate, Hexyl Isovalerate, Hexyl-2-methylbutyrate, Hydroxycitronellal, Ionone, Isobornyl Methylether, Linalool, Linalool Oxide, Linalyl Acetate, Menthane Hydroperoxide, I-Methyl Acetate, Methyl Hexyl Ether, Methyl-2-methylbutyrate, 2-Methylbutyl Isovalerate, Myrcene, Nerol, Neryl Acetate, 3-Octanol, 3-Octyl Acetate, Phenyl Ethyl-2-methylbutyrate, Petitgrain oil, cis-Pinane, Pinane Hydroperoxide, Pinanol, Pine Ester, Pine Needle oils, Pine oil, alpha-Pinene, beta-Pinene, alpha-Pinene Oxide, Plinol, Plinyl Acetate, Pseudo Ionone, Rhodinol, Rhodinyl Acetate, Spice oils, alpha-Terpinene, gamma-Terpinene, Terpinene-4-OL, Terpineol, Terpinolene, Terpinyl Acetate, Tetrahydrolinalool, Tetrahydrolinalyl Acetate, Tetrahydromyrcenol, Tetralol(copyright), Tomato oils, Vitalizair, Zestoral(trademark).
The cosurfactants used in the instant inventions are glycerol, ethylene glycol, water-soluble polyethylene glycols having a molecular weight of 300 to 1000, polypropylene glycol of the formula HO(CH3CHCH2O)nH wherein n is a number from 2 to 18, mixtures of polyethylene glycol and polypropyl glycol (Synalox) and mono C1-C6 alkyl ethers of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol having the structural formula R(X)nOH wherein R is C1-C6 alkyl group, X is (OCH2CH2) or (OCH2(CH3)CH) and n is a number from 1 to 4, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1methoxy-2-propanol, 1methoxy-3-propanol, and 1methoxy 2-, 3- or 4-butanol, and triethyl phosphate. Additionally, mixtures of two or more of the three classes of cosurfactant compounds may be employed where specific pH""s are desired.
Representative members of the polypropylene glycol include dipropylene glycol and polypropylene glycol having a molecular weight of 200 to 1000, e.g., polypropylene glycol 400. Other satisfactory glycol ethers are ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (butyl cellosolve), diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (butyl carbitol), triethylene glycol monobutyl ether, mono, di, tri propylene glycol monobutyl ether, tetraethylene glycol monobutyl ether, mono, di, tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monohexyl ether, diethylene glycol monohexyl ether, propylene glycol tertiary butyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monopropyl ether, ethylene glycol monopentyl ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, diethylene glycol monopropyl ether, diethylene glycol monopentyl ether, triethylene glycol monomethyl ether, triethylene glycol monoethyl ether, triethylene glycol monopropyl ether, triethylene glycol monopentyl ether, triethylene glycol monohexyl ether, mono, di, tripropylene glycol monoethyl ether, mono, di tripropylene glycol monopropyl ether, mono, di, tripropylene glycol monopentyl ether, mono, di, tripropylene glycol monohexyl ether, mono, di, tributylene glycol mono methyl ether, mono, di, tributylene glycol monoethyl ether, mono, di, tributylene glycol monopropyl ether, mono, di, tributylene glycol monobutyl ether, mono, di, tributylene glycol monopentyl ether and mono, di, tributylene glycol monohexyl ether, ethylene glycol phenyl ether and 1-phenoxy-2-propanol, ethylene glycol monoacetate and dipropylene glycol propionate.
The instant unit dose detergent film can contain at least one solubilizing agent selected from the group consisting of a C2-5 mono, dihydroxy or polyhydroxy alkanols such as ethanol, isopropanol, glycerol ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and hexylene glycol and mixtures thereof, urea, and alkali metal cumene or xylene sulfonates such as sodium cumene sulfonate and sodium xylene sulfonate.
The unit dose detergent film can contain polyethylene glycol which is depicted by the formula:
HOxe2x80x94(CH2xe2x80x94CH2O"Parenclosest"nxe2x80x94H
wherein n is about 8 to about 225, more preferably about 10 to about 100,000, wherein the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of about 200 to about 1,000. One preferred polyethylene glycerol is PEG1000 which is a polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of about 1000.
The proton donating agent which can be used is selected from the group consisting of inorganic acids such as sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid and hydroxy containing organic acid, preferably a hydroxy aliphatic acid, wherein the hydroxy containing organic acid is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, citric acid, salicylic acid, orthohydroxy benzoic acid or glycolic acid and mixtures thereof.
The antibacterial agents which can be used are selected from the group consisting of 3,4,4-trichloro-canbanlide, 2,4,4xe2x80x2-trichloro-2xe2x80x2hydroxydiphenyl ether, C8-C16 alkyl amines, C8-C16 alkyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium chlorides, benzalkonium chloride, C8-C16 dialkyl dimethyl ammonium chlorides, C8-C16 alkyl, C8-C14 alkyl dimethyl ammonium chloride and chlorohexidine and mixtures thereof. Some typical antibacterial agent useful in the instant compositions are manufactured by Lonza, S. A. They are: Bardac 2180 (or 2170) which is N-decyl-N-isonoxyl-N,N-dimethyl ammonium chloride; Bardac 22 which is didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; Bardac LF which is N,Ndioctyl-N,N-dimethyl ammonium chloride; Bardac 114 which is a mixture in a ratio of 1:1:1 of N-alkyl-N,N-didecyl-N,N-dimethyl ammonium chloride/N-alkyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-ethyl ammonium chloride; and Barquat MB-50 which is N-alkyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-benzyl ammonium chloride. The preferred disinfecting agent is a C8-C16 alkyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride.
Another antibacterial agent is a cationic polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(hexamethylene biguanide)hydrochloride having the structure of:
where the average n=4 to 6 and a quaternized cationic polymer having the structure of
The cleaning composition of this invention may, if desired, also contain other components either to provide additional effect or to make the product more attractive to the consumer. The following are mentioned by way of example: Colors or dyes in amounts up to 0.5% by weight; pH adjusting agents, such as sulfuric acid or sodium hydroxide, can be used as needed. Protease enzymes, amylase enzymes, and chlorine bleach compounds at a concentration of 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. % can be used.
Preservatives which can be used in the instant compositions at a concentration of 0.005 wt. % to 3 wt. %, more preferably 0.01 wt. % to 2.5 wt. % are: benzalkonium chloride; benzethonium chloride,5-bromo-5-nitro-1,3dioxane; 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol; alkyl trimethyl ammonium bromide; N-(hydroxymethyl)-N-(1,3-dihydroxy methyl-2,5-dioxo-4-imidaxolidinyl-Nxe2x80x2-(hydroxy methyl)urea; 1-3-dimethyol-5,5-dimethyl hydantoin; formaldehyde; iodopropynl butyl carbamata, butyl paraben; ethyl paraben; methyl paraben; propyl paraben, mixture of methyl isothiazolinone/methyl-chloroisothiazoline in a 1:3 wt. ratio; mixture of phenoxythanoybutyl paraben/methyl paraben/propylparaben; 2-phenoxyethanol; tris-hydroxyethyl-hexahydrotriazine; methylisothiazolinone; 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one; 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane; 1-(3-chloroalkyl)-3,5,7-triaza-azoniaadamantane chloride; and sodium benzoate. PH adjusting agents such as sulfuric acid or sodium hydroxide can be used as needed.
The unit dose detergent film to be used in automatic dishwasher can contain about 5 wt. % to about 40 wt. % of at least one inorganic builder salt. A preferred solid inorganic builder salt is an alkali metal polyphosphate such as sodium tripolyphosphate (xe2x80x9cTPPxe2x80x9d). In place of all or part of the alkali metal polyphosphate one or more other detergent builder salts can be used. Suitable other builder salts are alkali metal carbonates, citrates, tartarates, borates, phosphates, bicarbonates, lower polycarboxylic acid salts, and polyacrylates, polymaleic anhydrides and copolymers of polyacrylates and polymaleic anhydrides and polyacetal carboxylates. Specific examples of such builders are sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, sodium tetraborate, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, potassium tripolyphosphate, potassium pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium sesquicarbonate, sodium mono and diorthophosphate, and potassium bicarbonate. The builder salts can be used alone or in an admixture with other builders. Typical builders also include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,316,812, 4,264,466 and 3,630,929 and those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,144,226, 4,135,092 and 4,146,495.
A preferred builder salt is sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP). The TPP is a blend of anhydrous TPP and a small amount of TPP hexahydrate such that the chemically bound water content corresponds to one H2O per pentasodium tripolyphosphate molecule. Such TPP may be produced by treating anhydrous TPP with a limited amount of water. The presence of the hexahydrate slows down the rapid rate of solution of the TPP in the wash bath and inhibits caking. One suitable TPP is sold under the name Thermphos NW. The particles size of the Thermphos NW TPP, as supplied, is usually averages 200 microns with the largest particles being 400 microns. Potassium tripolyphosphate and potassium pyrosphosphate can also be used. Nonphosphate builders such as alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal tartartes, alkali metal gluconates and alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal citrates and mixtures thereof can be used with the phosphate builders.
The cellulosic polymer which is used in forming the detergent film is selected from the group consisting of methyl cellulose and hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose. Dow Chemical manufactures these cellulosic polymers under the tradename Methocel. The following chart set forth suitable Methocel polymer useful in the instant invention.
The unit dose detergent film is made by preparing aqueous cleaning solution of the cleaning composition and a second aqueous polymeric solution of the cellulosic polymer at a 12 wt. % to 18 wt. % of the cellulosic polymer. The cleaning composition solution and the polymeric solution are mixed by simple mixing at room temperature in a 4:1 to 1:4 weight ratio to form a casting solution. The casting solution is cast onto a support film such as PET silicone or siliconized paper and allowed to dry by evaporation at about room temperature to form the unit dose detergent film having a thickness of about 1.0 mls. to about 12 mls.
The following examples were made in wt. %.


The present application discloses a method for carbonation with CO2. The method now disclosed describes the use of a static or dynamic mixer to react the CO2 with the incoming of nation liquor to whom Ca(OH)2 was previously added and readily starts the precipitation of tiny carbonate crystals. This solution can be advantageously used to compensate the deficit of CO2 in the carbonation process. This method for carbonation can be applied for example in the sugar refining industry.

Field of the Invention
The present application discloses a method for carbonation with CO2, which can be applied as example in the sugar refining.
Related Art
The word "sugar" is currently used for the chemical sucrose. Sucrose is a member of a group of substances generally known as sugars, which contain up to ten monosaccharide units, wherein monosaccharides are carbohydrates that cannot be further hydrolyzed. All carbohydrates are compounds built up from the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. All sugars are crystalline, water soluble and sweet tasting.
Sucrose has the chemical formula C12H22O11. It may be converted by acid or enzymatic hydrolysis into a mixture of two sugars, glucose and fructose, each with the formula C6H12O6, through the following general reaction:C12H22O11H2O→C6H12O6+C6H12O6
In sugar refining, glucose and fructose are regarded as impurities due to the difficulty of crystallizing them from the solution. Due to this, strict control of pH must be maintained to avoid loss of sucrose during refining through chemical hydrolysis to glucose and fructose.
Sucrose is purified from raw sugar, which is about 97.5% sucrose, in a four step process comprising the following steps:                affination—dissolving off some surface impurities;        carbonation—removing further impurities that precipitate from solution with calcium carbonate;        char filtration—removing further impurities with activated carbon;        crystallization—using a heat/vacuum process to produce sugar crystals.
In carbonation, milk of lime, which is calcium hydroxide, is added to the heated liquor, and boiler flue gas, containing CO2, is bubbled through the mixture. The chemical reactionCa(OH)2+CO2→CaCO3+H2Ooccurs under controlled conditions and as the calcium carbonate precipitate is formed, it precipitates a number of impurities, including multivalent anions such as phosphate, sulfate and oxalate, and large organic molecules such as proteins and pectins which aggregate in the presence of multivalent cations, removing them from the sugar syrup. The carbonation process is carried out in two stages, namely, two stages of carbonation with flue gases containing CO2 in tanks by bubbling the flue gases in the liquor to obtain an optimum quality precipitate for filtration, i.e. a suitable size and distribution of precipitate particles. The temperature of liquor shall be maintained between 70° C. and 90° C. by injecting steam in an exchanger built in each tank.
Eighty to ninety percent of precipitation is sought in the first stage of carbonation. The second stage is controlled by the measurement of the pH of the solution which is important throughout the process and ensures complete precipitation of the lime. The total reaction time is around 1 to 1.5 h at around 80° C.
The pH of liquors is of considerable importance. Below pH 7, sucrose is hydrolyzed to glucose and fructose, while above pH 9, alkali destruction of sugars occurs and coloured components are formed.
The calcium carbonate precipitate, including the impurities, is removed in a pressure filtration step using a filter cloth as supporting media and utilizing the calcium carbonate as a filter aid. The filter mud is later subjected to water washing to remove sugar residual and this mud is treated as a waste material. Water containing sugar recovered by washing the mud is used for dissolving the raw sugar at an earlier stage.
This operation of carbonation can be performed by flue gases containing CO2 from the sugar mill boilers. By doing this, the calcium hydroxide added to the sugar liquor precipitates as CaCO3 and reduces the impurities in the sugar syrup prior to crystallization. Yet there is a very important drawback: the CO2 contained in the flue gases depends on the quantity and quality of the fuel being burned. Additionally the flue gases must be washed in a scrubber system to remove solid particles, SOx and NOx and this system produces liquid effluents that must be treated externally. Furthermore the flue gas is compressed using liquid ring compressors that use a high amount of electricity. The most common fuel used in the boilers, used to be fuel oil which produced flue gases with a content of ˜12% CO2. Yet, in present times due to environmental concerns, fuel oil is increasingly being substituted for natural gas which produces a flue gas with 6% CO2. In some cases, sugar mills are stopping the boilers and installing combined cycle systems which have the advantage of producing electricity as well as steam but produce a flue gas with 2˜3% CO2. In these two events the quantity of CO2 generated is not sufficient for the carbonation process and mills are known to partially change a part of the natural gas used by fuel oil only to increase the CO2 content of the flue gas.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,935 discloses a system where flue gases from a boiler are first scrubbed and then passed through a gas separation membrane module. After the gas has passed through the membrane module, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the stream is increased to about 20% in volume. This stream is then injected into a reactor containing raw sugar, to perform the step of carbonation, and thus to remove most of the coloring matter from the raw sugar. However, this document does not disclose the use of a static or dynamic mixer to react with the CO2 in a carbonation step.
The document EP0635578 discloses a method of refining brown sugar that comprises a step of carbonation and/or phosphatation of said brown sugar.
However, this document does not disclose the use of a static or dynamic mixer to react with the CO2 in a carbonation step.
The document GB1239407 discloses a process for producing aragonite comprising the reacting carbon dioxide with calcium hydroxide dissolving in a sucrose solution at a temperature from 60° C. to 90° C. in the absence of crystal poisons in amounts preventing the formation of said aragonite. However, this document does not disclose the use of a static or dynamic mixer to react with the CO2 in a carbonation step.
The document GB1106276 discloses a method of refining a raw sugar juice comprising initial defecation-saturation with simultaneous addition of some of the total required quantity of lime and carbon dioxide in a low alkaline pH range between 8 and 10. However, this document does not disclose the use of a static or dynamic mixer to react with the CO2 used in a carbonation step.

L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE


Provided are a device and method capable of machining a machining target such as a sample, a probe, or a sample table without requiring a high degree of device operation skill. First, a shape generation process of determining a shape of a machining target on the basis of an ion beam scanning signal and an absorption current of the machining target is performed. Next, a machining pattern positioning process of positioning a machining pattern over an image of the machining target is performed. Further, an ion beam stopping process of stopping ion beam irradiation is performed from a result of comparison between the image of the machining target and the machining pattern while the machining target is machined through the ion beam irradiation.

A device for extracting a microsample from a sample substrate is proposed as a sample preparation device that facilitates preparation of a microsample piece used for analysis devices, by combining focused ion beam (hereinafter abbreviated to FIB) machining with micromanipulation technology. This technique is described in JP 5-52721 A. Such a sample preparation device employs a probe in a charged particle beam device. The sample preparation device separates the microsample for analysis from the sample substrate through FIB machining. Moreover, the microsample for analysis can be held and carried using the probe. The shape of the probe is recognized from a scanning ion microscope image (hereinafter referred to as a SIM image) through ion beam scanning and secondary electron detection.
Moreover, there is also a technique of recognizing the shape and the tip of a probe from an inflowing current image obtained by synchronizing an inflowing current of the probe with a scanning signal of a charged particle beam. Such a technique is described in JP 2000-171364 A.
There is also a method of, by disposing an extracted microsample on a sample table that is cylindrical or prismatic in shape, minimizing the sample contamination and ion beam damage generated during the FIB machining. Such a technique is described in JP 2004-199969 A.


A high-frequency signal combiner includes a first input terminal for the connection of a first high-frequency signal, a second input terminal for the connection of a second high-frequency signal, an output terminal for the output of the third high-frequency signal combined from the first and the second high-frequency signal. A first coaxial line extends between the first input terminal and the output terminal. A second coaxial line extends between the second input terminal and the output terminal. Furthermore, an annular core is provided, through the recess of which the first and second coaxial line are guided each in a different direction. The annular core is manufactured from an axially wound strip which includes a first layer made of a magnetizable material and a second layer made of an insulating material.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a high-frequency signal combiner.
2. Discussion of the Background
High-frequency amplifiers based on semiconductors are limited with regard to their power amplification. This technical disadvantage is overcome by supplying the high-frequency signal to be amplified to several high-frequency amplifiers at the same time, of which the outputs are connected to a high-frequency combiner in order to combine a high-frequency signal, which corresponds to the sum of the high-frequency output signal generated by each high-frequency amplifier.
A high-frequency signal combiner of this kind comprising individual coaxial lines is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,299 B1.
In the event of a failure of one high-frequency amplifier, the high-frequency signal combiner is supplied in an asymmetric manner. This asymmetry in the control of the high-frequency signal combiner causes disturbing high-frequency signals on the exterior of the coaxial lines of the high-frequency signal combiner, so-called sheath waves, which are attenuated by the ferrite-core-amplified inductance of the coaxial lines.
The arrangement of the high-frequency signal combiner disadvantageously provides a large structural volume because of the spatial extension of the coaxial lines and the ferrite core.


An automatic packing machine for conditioning bags under conditioned atmosphere, in which the sealing operation of the bags occurs inside a pneumatically insulated space that is composed by a conditioning chamber which contains the already conditioned bag, and by a sealing chamber which contains the sealing equipment, after that the chambers have been put in communication through the opening of the lid of the conditioning chamber.

The present invention refers to the technical field of automatic packaging machines construction, specifically for the conditioning of bags under controlled atmosphere. International Classification B65 b.
In the prior art are known several kinds of machines that seal bags under vacuum or under controlled atmosphere. In the known packaging machines each conditioning chamber is provided with its own sealing equipment.
Such machines are usually cumbersome and heavy, and also very expensive because of the high number of components that are not active during large part of the production process, and that intervene only during the packets"" sealing phase.
In the prior art there is EP 0929445 that shows a machine including a plurality of conditioning chambers and only one sealing chamber. It is clear that said solution presents considerable problems of wear of the sliding gaskets of the single fixed lid that closes all the conditioning chambers.
The present invention solves the problem of the slide wear of such gasket parts of the lid of the conditioning chamber.

Automatic packaging machine for sealing bags under conditioned atmosphere


A system and a method for protecting the occupant of a vehicle during a side-impact detects an approaching vehicle and identifies a collision threat. A collision threat level is assessed based on a set of parameters, and when the collision threat exceeds a pre-determined collision threat threshold level, the system unlatches the occupant's door, pushes it a few centimeters outwards, and locks it in that position. Pressure sensors and accelerometers disposed at suitable locations on the sides of the vehicle, provide crash signals to a Restraint Control Module (RCM). When the crash signals exceed a certain threshold, the RCM commands an airbag deployment module to deploy the airbag between the occupant and the door. Since the door is pushed outwards, an extra pre-crush space is created between the occupant and the door, which allows the use of larger and softer side airbags to provide enhanced protection to the vehicle occupants.

The present disclosure relates to vehicle safety and protection systems, and more specifically, to side-impact protection systems based on pre-crash sensing.
Side-impact protection systems are now being provided in vehicles to reduce the risk of injury to the vehicle occupants during side collisions. Many of these protection systems use airbags that get deployed a few milli-seconds after a collision occurs, with the airbags softening the impact to the vehicle occupants and also absorbing some of the crash energy during the impact. For sensing an approaching vehicle or an object, called as a bullet vehicle or a bullet object, many cars are equipped with detection systems that include radar sensors, such as those used in vehicle blind-spot detection systems, to provide information signals preceding an impact threat.
A bullet vehicle has a specific velocity as it approaches the vehicle being affected by the collision (hereinafter referred to as 'target vehicle'). Typically, for protection systems using airbags, during side collisions, the target vehicle door's velocity continues to increase until the airbag which is mounted on the target vehicle's door, gets fully deployed and contacts the target vehicle's occupant sitting next to the door. The target vehicle's occupant picks up a velocity inwards and away from the side door, when the airbag contacts the occupant. The target vehicle also acquires a lateral velocity in the direction of impact. Finally, all the three velocities, i.e., the bullet vehicle's velocity, the occupant's velocity and the target vehicle's velocity, acquire a common value at a certain time.
During a side-impact, deployment of an airbag as early as possible can significantly reduce the amount of impact injury to a side occupant. Specifically, during a side collision, the rate of increase of the occupant's lateral velocity (i.e., the occupant's lateral acceleration), which depends on the occupant's interaction with the airbag is directly proportional to the impact force experienced by the occupant. A reduction in occupant's lateral acceleration during a side impact helps to reduce the risk of injury to the occupant. Attempts have been made in the art along this direction, by utilizing existing crush space between the side-impact door and the occupant. For example, some disclosures have been directed towards increasing the stiffness of the side impact protection structures and mechanisms, to absorb maximum crash energy, and thus reduce the occupant's acceleration. However, such attempts to reduce the occupant's lateral velocity increment rate (i.e., occupant's lateral acceleration) add significant weight and other design complexities to the vehicle.
Therefore, there exists a need for a side-impact protection system that can help to reduce the injury risks during side-impacts.

Side collision occupant protection system


The present invention relates to a method for testing a retinal implant. After an implantable device for interfacing with retinal cells is provided, an external stimulus is applied to the implantable device so that the implantable device transmits a first pulse to a processing device through a wireless interface. When a conversion unit is controlled to gradually decrease an output voltage until the implantable device outputs an output voltage lower than a reference voltage, the implantable device transmits a signal different from the first pulse to the processing device through the wireless interface. The processing device determines a current value of a pixel unit according to a time difference between the first pulse and the signal.

Among current patients with visual deterioration, some patients choose to implant a retinal implant to improve vision. At present, the only retinal implant approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only 60 pixels and is expensive; therefore, the improvement to the quality of life for patients is limited. In view of this, many companies and research institutes are actively devoted to the improvement of retinal implant microsystems. For example, a non-planar chipset is proposed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 9155881B2 filed by the applicant, which has a flexible structure formed by bending and deforming a planar shape. The flexible structure includes at least one layer of semiconductor material, and openings of a plurality of cut-out channels around a central portion of the flexible structure extend from a periphery of the flexible structure toward the central portion, and the plurality of cut-out channels are used for decreasing a displacement stress generated when the planar shape is bent and deformed into the flexible structure. Outside the flexible structure, the flexible structure is further joined to at least one fixing structure via a joining structure, so that the flexible structure maintains its bent state.
A retinal implant detects the intensity of light, and electrically detects the intensity of light with a high spatial resolution and stimulates healthy optic nerves, for example, bipolar cells in a retina. To avoid that a leakage current damages nerve tissue or causes a system damage, only a stimulation electrode of the retinal implant is exposed and in contact with the tissue, and the rest is hermetically sealed, not allowing a test point or an electrode to be exposed.
As a result, it is difficult to ensure that the manufactured retinal implant functions properly before transplantation. However, functional assurance is an essential element in reducing the risk and costs of retina transplantation.
In addition, there is also a need for a method for effectively reducing the impedance of an electrode to enhance a stimulation effect.