A weapon-mountable designator/illuminator unit having a light source adapted to generate a light beam in a direction away from the unit. The light beam is variable between a collimated light beam and a divergent light beam for, respectively, designating a target and illuminating a target area of the weapon. At least a first modular power supply is adapted for installation in the designator/illuminator unit. The power supply includes a cage adapted to receive a power source, a first end adapted to be received within the designator/illuminator unit, and an end cap adapted to be exposed when the power supply is assembled with the unit. The power supply is adapted to deliver power from its power source to the light source of the designator/illuminator unit. The end cap may contain a light source for generating a light beam in addition to the light beam generated by the designator/illuminator unit.

Weapon-mountable optical sights and especially laser sights are becoming more commonly used on firearms, including handguns, long guns, and automatic weapons, air guns including air pistols and air rifles, airsoft guns, and various other types of equipment. Lasers emit a beam of coherent light that is concentrated and unidirectional, and therefore preferred for targeting use over other forms of light that are incoherent, relatively weak, and omni-directional.
In most cases, a laser sight is mounted to a scope to emit a laser light beam parallel to the axes of the scope and barrel from which a projectile is fired. The laser light appears as a small spot over long distances, enabling the user to place the spot on a target viewed through the reticle of the scope and, in doing so, indicate the trajectory of the projectile. In this sense, the laser sight is commonly described as a "laser designator."
Whereas most laser sights use a red laser diode, infrared diodes and other laser light colors have been used, including green laser diodes. Green laser light beams, for example DPSS (diode-pumped solid-state) lasers, emit a laser light beam having a wavelength of 532 nm, which is advantageous because green light is at the peak of the human eye's sensitivity, thereby producing more visible light with less energy compared to other light sources. Such efficiencies reduce the power requirements of the laser, and therefore increase battery life. A commercial example of a laser designator using this technology is the ND-3® and ND-5® series available from Laser Genetics, Inc. In addition to generating a small diameter laser light beam for use as a laser designator, these products incorporate an optical collimator that enables the beam diameter to be increased to illuminate a much larger area. In this sense, the laser sight can also be described as providing a "laser illuminator" capability. The term "laser designator/illuminator" will be used herein to refer to laser technologies that provide a laser designator and/or laser illuminator capability.
Various other weapon-mountable optical sights have been proposed, for example, as represented in U.S. Published Patent Application Nos. 2011/0314720, 2011/0167708, 2011/0167707 and 2011/0047850. For example, 2011/0314720 discloses a laser sighting device that includes an ocular lens, a laser locator, and an illuminator unit adapted to be mounted on a weapon, 2011/0167707 discloses a tactical illuminator having a foregrip, power source, aiming laser, and illuminator, and 2011/0047850 discloses a weapon-mountable foregrip assembly that includes a built-in aiming laser and power source. However, still greater versatility would be desirable, particularly for weapons that may be used in multiple different tactical missions.

Modular power supply for use in a weapon mountable designator/illuminator unit


An apparatus for regulating fluid flow through a spray nozzle comprising a circular chamber (1) defined by spaced apart end walls, a peripheral side wall (3), a central axis, and a first inlet at or near the peripheral side wall (3) to allow a flow of fluid to enter said chamber (1) tangential to the peripheral side wall (3), and an outlet (4) exiting through one of the end walls. In use a flow of fluid entering through the first inlet has a primary lower layer (16) that follows a first circular flow path which forms a vortex commencing at the peripheral side wall (3) and increases in velocity and pressure towards the outlet and at least one secondary upper layer (17) that substantially follows a second flow path radially inwardly towards the central axis. The primary lower layer (16) and the secondary upper layer (17) interact and support each other over at least a portion of flow between the inlet and outlet (4).

In order to conserve water it is common practice to install water saving shower heads. The devices currently used for this are quite rudimentary in operation. They typically reduce consumption by employing a small inlet to the shower head to reduce flow. The volume of water emanating from the head may also be decreased, simply by using reduced diameter spray holes. While each of these designs are to some extent successful, their effectiveness is limited because a reduction in flow rate also reduces the pressure of the spray. Consequently shower heads which operate at the current benchmark of 9 litres per minute for an AAA rating have problems with low spray pressure, restricted spray patterns and clogging of the outlet holes in the spray head. Also, for many people a shower spray of 9 litres per minute from existing devices feels inadequate.
One way of economising on flow rate whilst maintaining a desirable spraying effect is to have the primary flow of water entering the shower head chamber tangentially through an inlet in its peripheral side wall that is constrained to follow a circular flow path, and exits at an outlet in an end wall at or near the central axis of the chamber. This primary flow of water that follows a circular path forms a vortex commencing internally at or near the peripheral side wall and increases in velocity and pressure towards the outlet. If a further inlet is provided at substantially 90 degrees to the circular flow path and a secondary control flow of water is fed through this further inlet it regulates and atomizes the primary flow into a spray that emanates from the outlet.
This method of atomising and forming a spray is not limited to water applications and is employed in uses involving other fluids. One such application is in a fuel injection valve where atomisation of the fuel is desirable. U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,782 (Heinbuck et al.) depicts a fuel atomising disk in FIG. 2, in which a secondary control flow is provided at substantially 90 degrees to the primary circular flow path, and regulates and atomises the primary flow into a spray.
A disadvantage of providing a secondary control flow at substantially 90 degrees to the primary circular flow (or vortex) path, is that it tends to interfere and break down the vortex.

Apparatus for regulating fluid flow through a spray nozzle


Radiation is delivered to a wound in a series of sufficiently short pulses, with adequate cooling between individual pulses, to produce cumulative thermal denaturation and welding of the skin edges at the immediate area of the wound site, while avoiding unnecessary thermal damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

This invention relates to tissue welding, more particularly, to a method by which tissue may be welded reliably under controlled conditions. Lasers of various types have long been used in various medical applications. In a wide variety of surgical techniques, laser light is used to cut tissue, and to coagulate simultaneously along the cut. Some progress has been made previously, in the use of laser energy for joining tissue, commonly termed tissue welding. The ultimate goal is to facilitate the joining of tissues with a minimum of scar tissue formation, and high tensile strength at the joined edges. Progress in the field of laser tissue welding has been slow due, in part, to the large number of laser parameters that need to be considered in the welding process. These parameters include wavelength, radiant exposure, irradiance, pulse duration, pulse repetition rate, irradiation time, spot size, dye selection, and adhesive selection. Past tissue welding studies have used a wide range of values for these welding parameters, making the interpretation of results and comparison between studies difficult.
The majority of previous tissue welding studies have used a laser operated in either continuous wave (CW) mode or quasi-CW mode with constant surface temperature control. During CW and temperature-controlled welding, heat diffuses from the weld site into surrounding healthy tissue, typically resulting in a large zone of thermal damage. A zone of thermal damage greater than .about.200 .mu.m extending laterally from the weld site may inhibit wound healing and result in excessive scarring. For some applications, such as skin welding, too much scar tissue may be clinically unacceptable even if strong welds can be achieved.


Methods and apparatus for providing access to program channels, e.g., high definition programs and program channels which corresponding to a standard definition program and/or program channels are described. In accordance with the invention, a high definition auto tune function is supported. When enabled, in one exemplary embodiment, if a user selects a standard program definition channel, a check is automatically made to determine if a corresponding high definition program channel is available. The corresponding high definition program channel is a channel which provides the same program as on the selected standard definition channel but in high definition. When the auto tune function is enabled and a corresponding high definition channel is available, the device, e.g., set to box or tuner implementing the auto tune feature of the present invention, automatically tunes to the high definition channel instead of the standard definition channel. The content from the high definition channel is then displayed instead of the content from the user selected standard definition channel.

High Definition (HD) television is growing in popularity. As a result, cable and other communications services, e.g., satellite television service providers, are currently in the process of adding ever increasing amounts of High Definition (HD) programming content. However, there remains a great deal of deployed equipment, e.g., set top boxes and televisions, which are not capable of supporting HD television. In addition, there remains a large amount of existing content which is in Standard Definition (SD) format.
In order to support existing SD systems it seems likely that SD content will continue to be broadcast for sometime. However, in order to attract and retain customers seeking higher quality content, e.g., television programs, sports programs and other video in HD resolution, broadcasters including many cable and satellite broadcasters, are now offering HD quality content as a premium service while continuing to offer the same content, e.g., programs, at SD resolution. Unfortunately, the number of HD channels remains relatively small compared to the number of SD channels. While this may change with time, given the higher bandwidth required for HD channels, it seems likely that for sometime, more channels will continue to be offered in SD rather than HD. Furthermore, given the large amount of deployed hardware that supports only SD quality programs, it seems likely that programs available in HD format will continue to be simulcast in SD for quite sometime.
Many customers have grown accustomed to the SD program channel lineup available by a particular service provider. To maintain the availability of SD programs, HD programs which are simulcast are normally provided on a different, e.g., higher channel number, than the SD version of the corresponding program. Often, there is no fixed relationship between the program channel of an SD version of a program and the corresponding HD version of the program. This can make it difficult for a user to locate a HD channel corresponding to an SD channel or even determine if an HD version of a program being presented is available on another channel.
While presenting both the SD program and HD program one after the other in a program guide, regardless of the channel number of the HD program is one approach to helping users discover an HD program or program channel corresponding to an SD program, it has the disadvantage of reducing the number of unique program listings, assuming HD and SD listings for the same program are not considered unique, that may be displayed on a single screen at a given time. Furthermore the display of both the HD and SD program information which is often redundant, e.g., the program title for both the HD and SD versions will normally be the same, can be distracting and make it more difficult for a user to find a program and/or information of interest when viewing a guide.
While the simulcast of HD and SD programs presents various guide issues, it provides greater flexibility in terms of program recording options which can be of interest given the increasing use of digital video recording devices (DVRs) whether they be network or customer premise based video recorders.
While HD programs offer superior image quality to SD, one drawback is that HD programs are represented using far more data, e.g., sometimes 4 times as much data, as is used for SD programs. As a result, when recorded, HD programs can quickly fill up the storage capacity of many digital video records (DVRs). For this reason, many customers while desiring to record some programs, e.g., movies and/or sporting events, in HD resolution, may desire to record other programs, e.g., news shows, at standard definition resolution even though the program is available in HD format. Accordingly, in many cases it remains desirable that a user be aware of the availability of both HD and SD versions of a program, particularly in the case of devices which support recording of programs for later playback.
In view of the above, it should be appreciated that while the increasing availability of programs in both HD and SD format provides users, e.g., content subscribers such as cable and satellite customers, ever greater options for viewing and/or recording content, it also raises the need for improved methods of presenting guide information and/or recording options to users.


A method and apparatus is disclosed for the gradual reduction of heat in a clothes dryer. The heater runs until a high limit is reached. The heater is then turned off and the high limit reduced by a factor. The heater is turned on when a low limit is reached and the low limit is reduced by a factor. This continues until the high and low limits reach minimum values. The values of all these temperatures may be varied according to the fabric being dried.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for drying articles in a clothes dryer.
The temperature of the load of clothes or other articles in a clothes dryer is an important measure of dryer performance. In general, the higher the load temperature, the shorter the drying time. However, high load temperatures result in less satisfactory results (e.g. wrinkled permanent-press).

Gradual heat reduction for a clothes dryer


An organic electroluminescence element includes: an anode; a cathode; and a luminous layer. The luminous layer includes: a luminescent dopant having a reorganization energy of 0 eV to 0.7 eV in electron transition from a ground state (S0) to a lowest excited triplet state (T1); and a host compound having a reorganization energy of 0 eV to 0.3 eV in electron transfer reaction between a ground state (S0) and an anionic radical state (AR), and having a molecular weight within a range of 500 to 3000.

Electroluminescent displays (ELDs) are conventional light-emitting electronic display devices ELDs include components such as inorganic electroluminescence elements and organic electroluminescence elements (hereinafter, also referred to as organic EL elements). Inorganic electroluminescence elements, which have been used as planar light source, require high AC voltage to be driven.
An organic EL element usually has a luminous layer containing a luminescent compound disposed between a cathode and an anode. In the organic EL element, electrons and holes are injected into the luminous layer to recombine therein, which generates excitons. The excitons are deactivated while emitting light. The organic EL element emits light (fluorescence or phosphorescence) in such a manner. Organic EL elements can emit light at a low voltage in the range of several volts to several tens of volts. Organic EL elements also provide a wide viewing angle and high visibility due to their self-luminescent characteristics. Organic EL elements are also attracting attention from the viewpoints of space saving and portability because they are full solid state thin-film element.
Since an organic EL element based on phosphorescence from the excited triplet had been reported by Princeton University, phosphorescent materials emitting at room temperature (25° C.) have been intensively studied toward practical use of organic EL elements.
The recently discovered organic EL elements based on phosphorescence have luminous efficiency theoretically raised by approximately four times in comparison with a conventional element based on fluorescence. Therefore, materials, layer structures and electrodes for light-emitting elements are researched and developed worldwide.
For example, many compounds, primarily heavy metal complexes such as iridium complexes, have been synthesized and used for luminous layers of organic electroluminescence elements (also referred to as organic EL elements).
Although an organic EL element based on phosphorescence is a system of great potential, major technical issues for the element are the way of controlling the position of the emissive center, particularly stable recombination inside the luminous layer and stable emission of light, as well as enhancement of the luminescent property of a phosphorescent dopant itself, from the viewpoints of efficiency and lifetime of the element.
In order to enhance the luminescent property of a phosphorescent dopant, there are two possible approaches: (1) an increase in the radiative rate constant (kr) and (2) a decrease in the non-radiative rate constant (knr), when the lowest excited triplet state (T1) is deactivated to the ground state (S0).
A possible specific measure for decreasing the non-radiative rate constant (knr) is steric control of the structure of a ligand of the phosphorescent dopant to reduce the structural change between the ground state and the excited state. With regard to the iridium complex, which is a typical phosphorescent dopant, one of examples of such a measure is control of the steric structure by a combined ligand of dibenzofuran and pyridine as disclosed in PTL 1, for example.
Similar applications are found on iridium complexes formed with phenylpyrazole derivatives (see PTL 2), phenylimidazole derivatives (see PTL 3), and derivatives containing a carbene moiety as a ligand (see NPL 1), and on a platinum complex (NPL 2). These complexes have a low reorganization energy, due to decreased structural changes between the ground state and the excited triplet state.
From the viewpoint of decreasing the reorganization energy to decrease the non-radiative rate constant (knr), extension of the conjugated system from naphthalene ring to pentacene ring is known to decrease a reorganization energy (see NPL 3). Such a method is based on the effect of delocalized electrons.
Regarding the reorganization energy of luminescent hosts, disclosed is the use of a host compound having a reorganization energy level of 0 eV to 0.50 eV when the host compound is converted into anionic radicals, which provides organic EL elements with improved properties, such as an increased luminance and a prolonged lifetime (PTLs 6 and 7).
Durability of a phosphorescent dopant varies widely depending not only on the luminescent dopant but also on a host compound used in combination with the luminescent dopant. Since the interaction between the host compound and the luminescent dopant in a film influences significantly on carrier mobility and the durability, the combination of the host compound and luminescent dopant may be an important factor for improved durability. Disclosed is a technique of enhancing luminous efficiency and heat resistance of elements with a host compound having a specific heterocyclic structure in combination with a luminescent dopant (PTLs 4 and 5).
Regarding the luminescent dopant, disclosed is use of a compound having a difference of 0 nm or more and 5 nm or less between a maximum emission wavelength on a shortest wavelength side in an emission spectrum measured at 300 K and that measured at 77 K, which provides organic EL elements with improved properties, such as enhanced luminous efficiency and a prolonged lifetime (PTL 8).
Unfortunately, these techniques are not satisfactory in terms of providing an organic EL element that has high luminous efficiency and low driving voltage, excels in heat resistance and raw storability, and has a long lifetime. A further solution is therefore being sought for a lower non-radiative rate constant (knr) of the luminescent dopant to enhance the luminous efficiency of the element, for combination of optimal host compound and luminescent compound to increase the durability of the element, and for achieving such improvements at the same time.

Organic electroluminescence element, illumination device, and display device


An auxiliary, removable, modular power drive unit has a pivot point that can be attached to any bicycle or vehicle by way of a quick release clamp system. The power for the drive system may be derived from an internal combustion engine or electric motor. The power developed by the engine or motor is delivered to the rear wheel of a bicycle by a friction drive wheel that presses directly onto the tire of the bicycle. The power unit may utilize a clamp joined to an integrated fuel cell by a pivot point, causing the fuel cell to act as a swing arm and a motor mount. This enables the fuel cell to move up and down to compensate for different tire sizes, variations in road conditions, or movement of a suspension system of the bicycle due to imperfections in terrain.

It is well known that bicycles are designed to be driven by the leg power of a rider. The rider actuates a pedal system to transmit motion to the rear wheel of the bicycle by way of a chain drive. In many cases, pedal power is augmented by a transmission that alters the force required on the pedals by shifting the chain drive to sprockets of different size associated with the rear wheel of the bicycle. The sprockets are arranged in a cassette and act to provide the chain drive with different pinion ratios. Some bicycles include front or rear suspensions that provide springs or shock absorbers between the bicycle seat and the wheel, to absorb bumps and dips by allowing the wheel to move with respect to the bicycle seat.
Auxiliary power drives are known using electric or internal combustion motors to apply power to either the front or rear wheel of a bicycle. These devices often use friction drives to engage the bicycle wheel to provide forward motion of the bicycle without pedaling. Such devices have been proposed for attachment to conventional bicycles. However, prior friction drive units are typically rather large and bulky, occupying significant space around or near the bicycle frame, and offsetting the center of gravity and balance of the bicycle. These drive units are often difficult to engage or disengage from the bicycle. Mounting the unit to the bicycle requires significant time and the use of external tools. Upon reaching a destination, the drive unit cannot be easily removed to store the bicycle. Some drive units are permanently attached to the bicycle frame, limiting the flexibility of use of the bicycle as well as the drive unit. Additionally, these drive units often cannot be used on a bicycle with a rear suspension, as the drive unit components and mounting equipment cannot accommodate movement of the rear tire relative to the bicycle frame. Also, some prior drive units accelerate wear of the bicycle tire, beyond the normal wear caused by the road or ground surface.
Therefore, there remains a need for a drive unit for a bicycle that is easier to engage and disengage from the bicycle, and that can accommodate a bicycle with a rear suspension, without causing excessive tire wear.

Auxiliary power driven unit for a bicycle


Provided are a method and a device of a host with IPv4 application for performing communication. The method of the host with IPv4 application for performing data communication includes the following steps: the IPv4 application generates an IPv4 packet sent to a communication end; when confirming the type of the network the host is located in is an IPv6 network, the host transforms the IPv4 packet head of the IPv4 packet to an IPv6 packet header, and sends it to the communication end via the IPv6 network. With this invention, it can be accomplished that according to the type of the network the host is located in, the host with IPv4 application communicates with a communication end; the processing load of the system is lightened; the probability that invalidation occurs at a single node is reduced; the smooth migration and transition from original IPv4 application to IPv6 system are facilitated.

As the addresses of Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) are exhausted and a service requires a terminal be "always online", it will be certain that Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) technology is deployed. In order to introduce the concept of IPv6 network step by step, the construction of IPv6 network and IPv4/IPv6 dual stack network will be the first step for deploying IPv6 technology. However, the current host devices have a great amount of IPv4 applications but only a very little amount of IPv6 applications, thus it will become an important problem to be solved in the initial stages of the transition scheme of IPv6 that how IPv4 applications are accessed and intercommunicated between host devices in an IPv6 network.
In the prior art, SIIT algorithm provides a method for an IPv6 application to communicate with an IPv4 node via an IPv6 network and an IPv4 network. In this method, an SIIT translator is set on the network topology path on which a data packet passes in and out of the IPv6 network; when a large amount of data streams that access to external IPv4 applications appear in the network, the SILT translator needs to translate each data stream and save the state thereof, which makes the processing load of the network system very heavy and is easy to cause a Single Point of Failure in the system. Moreover, SILT algorithm does not provide a method for an IPv4 application to communicate with an IPv4 node via an IPv6 network.
Furthermore, an BIS algorithm of the prior art provides a method for an IPv4 application to access to an IPv6 node in an IPv6 network. In this method, a translation module is added to a host device with the IPv4 application, for monitoring data streams between a TCP/IP module and a network card driver and mutually translating between the IPv4 and IPv6 data packets. When a host device with an IPv4 application communicates with other IPv6 host devices, some IPv4 addresses are allocated in the host device to the corresponding IPv6 host devices, and these addresses are only used inside this host device. Moreover, such an allocation process is accomplished via a DNS protocol automatically. Thus, the host device with the IPv4 application may convert a data packet to be sent to the opposite end IPv6 node into an IPv6 data packet through the translation module, or it may convert a received IPv6 data packet into an IPv4 data packet and transfer the IPv4 data packet to the IPv4 application, thereby realizing the communication with the IPv6 node in the IPv6 network. However, in a scene of practical application, it is possible that an IPv4 application needs to access to another IPv4 application via an IPv6 network, then the BIS algorithm has no solution for such a scene.
In another scheme of the prior art, it is put forward that a border conversion gateway device is deployed on the edge of IPv4 and IPv6 networks, where the border conversion gateway device converts a data packet sent to the IPv4 network from the IPv6 network into an IPv4 data packet, and converts a data packet sent to the IPv6 network from the IPv4 network into an IPv6 data packet. Thus, by combining this scheme with the above BIS algorithm, the problem that an IPv4 application accesses to another IPv4 application via an IPv6 network may be solved. However, because a dedicated border conversion gateway device needs to be deployed on the edge of IPv4 and IPv6 networks to realize the conversion of data packets, the processing load of the network system will be made very heavy, and it will be easy to cause the problem of Single Point of Failure. Moreover, although an IPv4 application can access to an IPv4 node in an IPv4 network via an IPv6 network by employing this technical solution, this solution is only limited to a scene in which the opposite end is an IPv4 node (or a host device with an IPv4 application); that is, when the IPv4 application communicates, it takes for granted that the opposite end is an IPv4 node or a host device with an IPv4 application, if the opposite end is an IPv6 node, communication will be unable to be carried out or a communicate error will occur, which greatly limits the flexibility of communication via an IPv6 network for an IPv4 application.
In conclusion, all the prior art methods for an IPv4 application to access to another IPv4 application via an IPv6 network need to deploy a dedicated device (for example, the above SIIT translator or border conversion gateway device) on the edge of IPv4 and IPv6 networks for address translating and serving an application information conversion function of the application layer gateway (ALG) (i.e., application layer gateway function). Especially, it has been proved by practice that the addition of the application layer gateway function will bring a heavy processing load to the network system, which makes it easy to cause the problem of Single Point of Failure.

Method and device for communication for host device with IPv4 application


Systems and methods for determining an event validation status are provided. A start time and at least one authorization time for each of a plurality of event components relating to an event can be received. An authorization status of each event component can be determined across a predetermined period of time, based on the start time and the at least one authorization time of each of the plurality of event components. A validation status of the event can be determined across the predetermined period of time, based on the authorization status of each event component across the predetermined period of time. Graphical information corresponding to a visual representation of the authorization status of each event component and the validation status of the event across the predetermined period of time can be generated and displayed on an electronic display device.

Organizations such as businesses and government entities track various events that may be dependent on a variety of conditions or event components. For example, business policies, administrative rules, or laws may require that certain conditions are met before the occurrence of an action, such as billing a customer. Due to the complexity of such policies, rules, or laws, it can be difficult to accurately track all of the relevant conditions associated with an event. As a result, the validation status of an event at a given point in time may be unclear to employees of the organization or others who require such information, because the conditions impacting the validation status of the event are not accurately tracked over time.


The invention provides stable, substantially anhydrous, transparent, gelled cosmetic compositions useful for the preparation of deodorant and antiperspirant sticks which are substantially free of lower, aliphatic, monohydroxy alcohols. The compositions contain dibenzylidene monosorbitol acetal as a gelling agent and are stabilized by the presence of an inorganic base.

1. Field of the Invention
The cosmetic compositions of this invention are particularly useful for preparing antiperspirant sticks and deodorant sticks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gelled antiperspirant compositions for use in preparing transparent antiperspirant sticks are known. Typically, they will contain an antiperspirant, a solvent and a gelling agent, although other ingredients such as perfumes, coloring agents, antibacterial agents and emollients may be present.
Gelled deodorant compositions using sodium stearate and propylene glycol for preparing non-transparent deodorant sticks are known. As deodorant sticks, they generally function in one of two ways. Either they contain a strong fragrance such as a perfume which masks body odor caused by bacteria which multiply using perspiration as a nutrient medium, or they provide a hostile environment for bacterial growth because they contain an anti-bacterial agent and they are strongly alkaline.
It is impossible to make acidic gelled sticks using sodium stearate and propylene glycol base, because these compounds are not compatible with acidic antiperspirant salts. Sodium stearate no longer functions as a gelling agent in propylene glycol at acidic pH. Therefore, commercial deodorant sticks which have an acidic pH are not available except as opaque, antiperspirant sticks. Clear, transparent, deodorant sticks having an acidic pH are not available due to formulation difficulties.
DBMSA (dibenzylidene monosorbitol acetal) is particularly favored as a gelling agent in transparent gelled sticks. However, DBMSA is unstable in the presence of acids and hydrolyzes to form benzaldehyde. Benzaldehyde has an almond like odor which, while not necessarily unpleasant, is undesirable because it indicates the hydrolytic decomposition of DBMSA which is generally accompanied by decreased color and odor stability.
Antiperspirant compositions contain astringent aluminum or zirconium compounds or complexes or mixtures thereof. Usually the aluminum or zirconium compounds will take the form of astringent salts.
Such compounds are of a class well known in the art. They are described, for example, in Miller and Hoag, Personal Care Products, Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs, 5th Ed., Chapter 19, pages 397-417 (American Pharmaceutical Association, 1986). Aluminum compounds are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,887,692; 3,904,741 and 4,359,456; and in British Patent Specifications 2,048,229 and 1,347,950. Zirconium compounds are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,679,068 and 4,120,948. All of these citations are incorporated herein by reference. Attention is also directed to the Antiperspirant OTC Monograph which discloses antiperspirant salts commonly employed in antiperspirant compositions.
Many of the commonly employed aluminum or zirconium salts are acidic and, as aforesaid, DBMSA is unstable in acidic compositions. Much effort has been expended to stabilize DBMSA in acidic compositions against hydrolytic decomposition to benzaldehyde and other products.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,102 describes the use of various stabilizing agents such as N-(2-hydroxyethyl) fatty (C.sub.8 -C.sub.12) acid amide, magnesium sulfate, zinc acetate and hexamethylenetetramine. The last three of these compounds are also described as stabilizers in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,518,582 and 4,720,381.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,430 describes the use of N-(2-hydroxyethyl) acetamide, alone, or combined with one or more of magnesium sulfate, zinc acetate, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) cocamide and hexamethylenetetramine as stabilizers in ethanolic compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,835 describes the use of basic metallic salts such as calcium hydroxide and potassium carbonate as stabilizers for antiperspirant stick compositions. The compositions of the patent include 1 to 50% of what are described as small, polar organic and organic compatible compounds such as morpholine, pyridine and acetic acid as well as ethanol, propanol and butanol. The compositions may also contain less reactive alcohols which are secondary or long chain primary alcohols, such as isopropanol, isobutanol and 1,2-butylene glycol. The compositions are described as opaque.
Such stabilizing agents as have heretofore been utilized have not proved to be completely satisfactory principally due to discoloration and/or lack of clarity.
Other U.S. Patents describing the use of DBMSA as a gelling agent include 4,137,306; 4,154,816; 4,720,381; 4,781,917; 4,346,079; 4,822,602; 4,822,603; and 4,816,261. Foreign patent documents which relate to such compositions include Japanese Patent Publication 23170/88, which describes the use of urea as an anti-gelling agent, and European Patent Applications 0272919 and 0274267.
Many of these patents describe the use of water and lower monohydric alcohols, such as ethanol, as solvents. Such solvents are best avoided in gel stick compositions because sticks containing a high concentration of alcohol have a tendency to shrink due to evaporation of the alcohol. Additionally, it is difficult to prepare a clear antiperspirant stick due to the high temperatures required to solubilize DBMSA in alcohol. Water and ethyl alcohol are especially unsatisfactory solvents because they are very reactive, increase the rate of hydrolysis of DBMSA and heighten the almond odor. They also reduce stick hardness and increase tackiness.
As will be understood from the following description, the compositions of this invention are substantially anhydrous and substantially lower aliphatic monohydroxy alcohol free and yet, are highly transparent i.e. clear. Small amounts of water and/or alcohol can be added to the compositions of the present invention without adversely affecting stability. However, the compositions become more and more difficult to manufacture if alcohol is present. Additionally, too much water may cause a loss of clarity. Thus, although operative, the inclusion of alcohol and water in the compositions of the present invention is not preferred.
"Substantially free" relative to the water and lower monohydroxy alcohols as used herein means the composition contains less than about 5% and preferably 0% of such materials. The term does not include the presence of bound water.
As used in this description and claims the term "stable" means that samples of the product, in stick form, when stored for one month at 104.degree. F. will not exhibit a noticeable or objectionable benzaldehyde odor or color instability indicative of hydrolysis of DBMSA and will retain stick transparency and stick shape.
The term "lower aliphatic monohydroxy alcohols" means alcohols containing up to six carbon atoms such as methanol or ethanol.
The compositions of the present invention are transparent to the transmission of light. By transparent is meant that sufficient light passes through the gel sticks of the present invention to enable an observer to see without difficulty an image, e.g., lettering, placed immediately behind and in contact with the gel stick.
The compositions of this invention take two principal forms. In one form, they are useful for preparing antiperspirant sticks. In the other, they are useful for preparing deodorant sticks. For the former utility, they are principally characterized in that they contain an antiperspirant amount of an acidic antiperspirant soluble in the composition. For the latter utility, they contain up to about 8% of such antiperspirant together with an odor masking perfume and/or an antibacterial agent.

Clear gelled antiperspirant stick composition


A grid insert assembly for a concave of an agricultural threshing machine having a frame formed from two side walls that define a slot. The slot engaging a cross bar of the concave. Each side wall is provided with an engagement aperture. The engagement apertures are coaxial with a grid insert mounting aperture located on the concave cross bar. A U-shaped mounting pin, having an engagement leg is selectively positioned into and out of the slot through the engagement apertures for securing the grid insert to the concave cross bar. A mounting leg of the mounting pin is slidably positioned in mounting ears extending from the grid insert. A latching assembly for latching the mounting pin is formed by an elastomeric sleeve which engages the mounting leg of the mounting pin.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an assembly for easily attaching grid inserts to the concave of an agricultural threshing machine to simulate concave wires.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Combines and other agricultural threshing machines are provided with a threshing cylinder and concave for beating the grain from its husk or head. Typically, in a conventional combine, a transverse threshing cylinder is provided with a plurality of rasp bars which engage the crop and force it down against the concave.
The concave itself comprises a series of parallel steel cross bars which are held together by curved longitudinal side bars. Wire rods are also inserted through the cross bars. Increased grain separation from the material other than grain (MOG) can be achieved by removing concave wires in the rear of the concave. Removing wires lets greater quantities of chaff material imbedded with the grain fall through the concave openings onto the cleaning shoe. In some crops the cleaning shoe load can become too great, depending on crop conditions, and it is necessary to add full length wires back into the concave. Adding or removing wires from a concave can be very time consuming. When short wires are substituted for long wires, the wire holes in the concave cross bars fill with MOG potentially causing plugging and reducing separation capacity of the concave.


An HVAC system may include a VAV box including a damper movable between a first damper position and a second damper position and an HVAC controller that is mounted remotely from the VAV box. The HVAC controller may be configured to control the VAV box in accordance with a temperature set point entered into the HVAC controller and may be programmed with a test and balance procedure. In some cases, the HVAC controller may also be programmed with functionality that facilitates an installer or other technician in configuring and/or reconfiguring the VAV box. This may include providing a user interface that supports a test and balance procedure of the VAV box. Such functionality may be user-accessible via the user interface of the HVAC controller, and in some cases, may be used to drive the damper of the VAV box between various damper positions as well as perform other functionality.

A variety of HVAC systems include air handling equipment such as VAV (variable air volume) boxes. A VAV box generally includes an air inlet that receives conditioned air and one or more air outlets for distributing the conditioned air to a portion of a building such as a room or zone. A VAV box generally includes a damper that can be driven to multiple positions in order to regulate air flow of through the one or more air outlets. The HVAC system may include one or more HVAC controller that control the operation of the VAV boxes. The HVAC controllers are often wall mountable environmental controllers that sense one or more environmental conditions in a room or zone, and control the dampers of the VAV box(es) to achieve desired environmental conditions in the room or zone. In practice, the VAV boxes must be properly configured during installation and/or reconfigured during maintenance. Configuring the VAV boxes is typically done by manually accessing the VAV boxes, performing certain measurements, and based on those measurements, making certain setting changes on the VAV boxes themselves. This can be a time consuming and tedious task.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

HVAC controller for a variable air volume (VAV) box


An improved method of making an immobilized enzyme comprising (a) treating an immobilization support with an aqueous solution comprising a cross-linking agent and polymeric aldehyde species and active centre species to produce a modified support; (b) isolating the modified support; (c) treating an enzyme solution with the modified support to produce the immobilized enzyme, the improvement comprising treating the aqueous solution of cross-linking agent with an effective amount of a purifying agent to reduce the amount of the polymeric aldehyde species and active centre species. Alternatively, the invention provides an improved method of making an immobilized enzyme comprising (a) treating an immobilization support with an aqueous enzyme solution to produce an adsorbed immobilized enzyme; (b) isolating the adsorbed immobilized enzyme; and treating the adsorbed immobilized enzyme with an effective amount of an aqueous solution comprising a cross-linking agent and polymeric aldehyde species and active centre species to produce the immobilized enzyme, the improvement comprising treating the cross-linking agent with an effective amount of a purifying agent, to reduce the amount of the polymeric species and active centre species. Preferably, the cross-linking agent is glutardaldehyde, the purifying agent is activated carbon, the immobilization agent is a silica gel, zeolite or activated carbon, and the enzyme is amylase.

The industrial use of enzymes is often limited by their high cost and rapid inactivation. Soluble enzymes are lost with the product at the conclusion of a process, and must be replenished. One area of technological development involves modification of proteins to enhance their activity and/or stability. Processes, such as those involving site-directed mutagenesis and the cultivation of wild forms of enzymes in extreme environments, i.e., extremophiles, have led to significant advances in enzyme technology involving the reduction in the cost per unit of enzyme activity.
Another means to improve the economic feasibility of enzymes for industrial processes is through enzyme immobilization onto a matrix, which may facilitate re-use of the enzyme. Immobilization research has focused upon means to enhance the transfer of enzymes onto the support, and upon means to ensure that the immobilized enzymes remain active. Inactivation of enzymes during catalytic turnover is, however, a key obstacle which may limit the economic feasibility of enzyme-mediated processes. Enzymes may be inactivated by extremes of temperature, pH, shear, and also by free radicals and other reactive species present in the reaction medium. Immobilization technology has the potential to reduce such enzyme inactivation, and, thus, extend the enzyme's useful lifespan.
The development of an immobilized enzyme requires a choice of support matrix and a choice of enzyme immobilization method. These choices may have a dramatic impact on the quantity of enzyme transferred to the support, along with the activity and stability of the attached enzyme.
Activated charcoal is a well-known absorbent, and has been previously used for enzyme immobilization via absorption (A. S. Rani, M. L. M. Das, S. Satyanarayana, J. Mol. Catal. B. Enzymatic, 10, 471, 2000; W. Hassler, Purification with Activated Carbon, Chemical Publishing Co., New York, 1974), and following derivatization. Le Fevre and Saville, U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,183, describes the use of siliceous materials for enzyme immobilization.
Glutaraldehyde is a well-known protein cross-linking agent, used for enzyme immobilization and for fixation of samples for scanning electron microscopy (D. R. Walt and V. I. Agayn, Trends Anal. Chem., 13(10), 425, 1994). Its propensity to cause protein denaturation is well known. Typically, highly purified forms of glutaraldehyde are used for electron microscopy, whereas standard commercial grades of glutaraldehyde are typically used for immobilization. These commercial grades may include, in addition to the pure aldehyde, polymers of glutaraldehyde, cyclic structures, and acetals. A recent review (Walt and Agayn ibid) reached no clear consensus on the benefits/disadvantages of any of the forms of glutaraldehyde used for immobilization.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,196—Oreste J. Lantero Jr. is an example of derivation and describes immobilization onto activated carbon after the support has been derivatized using a polyamine compound or a copolymer of a polyamine and an epihalohydrin.

Enhancement of enzyme activity through purification and immobilization


In a transport device, a cover defining a portion of a transport path is pivotable between a closed state and an open state. The cover is movable while in the closed state between a first position and a second position lower than the first position. An urging member urges the cover from the second position toward the first position. The cover includes a main body for guiding the sheet in the transport direction and an engagement portion engaged with a frame when the cover is at the first position to restrict pivoting of the cover from the first position to a third position at which the cover is in the open state. The engagement portion is disengaged from the frame when the cover is at the second position to allow pivoting of the cover from the second position to the third position.

A known inkjet printer includes a rear cover defining a portion of a transport path along which a sheet fed by a feed roller is transported. The rear cover is movable between a closed position to partially define the transport path and an open position to expose the transport path, thereby allowing a user to access and remove a jammed sheet.
The rear cover partially defining the transport path receives a force from a sheet transported along the transport path. The force urges the rear cover from the closed position to the open position. Thus, the rear cover is required to securely held at the closed position so as not to move to the open position. On the other hand, in order to remove a jammed sheet, the rear cover is usually moved by a user manually from the closed position to the open position. Thus, the rear cover is required to be easy to operate and movable, without excessive force, from the closed position to the open position.

Transport device including a cover having a frame engagement feature


An ultrasound system (1) is disclosed that comprises a probe (10) including an array (110) of CMUT (capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer) cells (100), each cell comprising a substrate (112) carrying a first electrode (122) of an electrode arrangement, the substrate being spatially separated from a flexible membrane (114) including a second electrode (120) of said electrode arrangement by a gap (118); a voltage supply (45) coupled to said probe and adapted to provide a first set of said CMUT cells with a sequence of drive voltages each including a bias voltage component and a stimulus component of different frequency for generating a series of temporally distinct pulses each having a different frequency, wherein each pulse is generated in a separate transmit mode and provide a second set of said CMUT cells with a sequence of temporally distinct bias voltages, wherein each temporally distinct bias voltage is provided in a receive mode following one of said transmit modes and is for setting the second set of CMUT cells to a resonance frequency corresponding to the pulse frequency of said transmit mode; and a signal processing unit (22) communicatively coupled to said array and adapted to superimpose the echo signals received by the second set of CMUT cells during the respective receive modes. An ultrasonic imaging method using such a system is also disclosed.

Ultrasonic transducers used for medical imaging have numerous characteristics that lead to the production of high quality diagnostic images. Among these are broad bandwidth, affecting resolution and high sensitivity, which combined with pressure output affects depth of field of acoustic signals at ultrasonic frequencies. Conventionally the piezoelectric materials which possess these characteristics have been made of PZT and PVDF materials, with PZT being particularly popular as the material of choice. However, PZT suffers from a number of notable drawbacks. Firstly, the ceramic PZT materials require manufacturing processes including dicing, matching layer bonding, fillers, electroplating and interconnections that are distinctly different and complex and require extensive handling, all of which can result in transducer stack unit yields that are lower than desired. This manufacturing complexity increases the cost of the final transducer probe and puts design limitations on the minimum spacing between the elements as well as the size of the individual elements. Moreover, PZT materials have a poorly matched impedance to water or biological tissue, such that matching layers need to be added to the PZT materials in order to obtain the desired acoustic impedance matching with the medium of interest. As ultrasound system mainframes have become smaller and dominated by field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and software for much of the signal processing functionality, the cost of system mainframes has dropped with the size of the systems. Ultrasound systems are now available in inexpensive portable, desktop and handheld form, for instance for use as ultrasound diagnostic imaging systems or as ultrasound therapeutic systems in which a particular (tissue) anomaly is ablated using high-energy ultrasound pulses. As a result, the cost of the transducer probe is an ever-increasing percentage of the overall cost of the system, an increase which has been accelerated by the advent of higher element-count arrays used for 3D imaging in the case of ultrasound diagnostic imaging systems. The probes used for ultrasound 3D imaging with electronic steering rely on specialized semiconductor devices application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) which perform microbeam forming for two-dimensional (2D) arrays of transducer elements. Accordingly it is desirable to be able to manufacture transducer arrays with improved yields and at lower cost to facilitate the need for low-cost ultrasound systems, and preferably by manufacturing processes compatible with semiconductor production.
Recent developments have led to the prospect that medical ultrasound transducers can be batch manufactured by semiconductor processes. Desirably these processes should be the same ones used to produce the ASIC circuitry needed by an ultrasound probe such as a CMOS process. These developments have produced micromachined ultrasonic transducers or MUTs, the preferred form being the capacitive MUT (CMUT). CMUT transducers are tiny diaphragm-like devices with electrodes that convert the sound vibration of a received ultrasound signal into a modulated capacitance. For transmission the capacitive charge applied to the electrodes is modulated to vibrate/move the diaphragm of the device and thereby transmit an ultrasound wave. Since these diaphragms are manufactured by semiconductor processes the devices generally can have dimensions in the 10-500 micrometer range, with the diaphragm diameter for instance being selected to match the diaphragm diameter to the desired resonance frequency (range) of the diaphragm, with spacing between the individual diaphragms less than a few micrometers. Many such individual CMUTs can be connected together and operated in unison as a single transducer element. For example, four to sixteen CMUTs can be coupled together to function in unison as a single transducer element. A typical 2D transducer array can have 2000-10000 CMUT transducer elements by way of example.
The manufacture of CMUT transducer-based ultrasound systems is therefore more cost-effective compared to PZT-based systems. Moreover, due to the materials used in such semiconductor processes, the CMUT transducers exhibit much improved acoustic impedance matching to water and biological tissue, which obviates the need for multiple matching layers and yields an improved effective bandwidth.
However, such an improved effective bandwidth is not without complications. For instance, the acoustic properties of tissue such as signal attenuation, acoustic impedance and acoustic speed are frequency dependent. Signal attenuation typically increases (linearly) with frequency. Therefore, the bandwidth of the signal reduces while penetrating the tissue. Furthermore, the frequency-dependent acoustic speeds of the various frequency components of large bandwidth transmit pulses cause aberrations that can reduce the quality of the wave front, particularly at larger depth.
In addition, using larger bandwidths also means that signal noise, originating from transducer elements and front-end electronics, is integrated over this larger bandwidth and therefore is more prominent. Next to that, large bandwidth electronic circuits typically dissipate more energy. Furthermore, signal transfer of the received echo signals across the transducer probe interconnect requires more bandwidth and is therefore more expensive.
US 2010/0217124 A1 discloses an ultrasound imaging system that includes an ultrasound probe having an array of transducer elements divided into a plurality of contiguous transmit sub-apertures. A plurality of transmitters coupled to the sub-apertures of the ultrasound transducer apply respective transmit signals to the sub-apertures at different frequencies and with delays that cause respective transmit beams emanating from the sub-apertures to overlap each other in a region of interest. A multiline beamformer coupled to the transducer elements processes signals corresponding to ultrasound echoes to output image signals. A processor receives the image signals from the multiline beamformer and outputs image data corresponding to the image signals.
However, this prior art citation does not address any of the aforementioned issues associated with low-noise high-bandwidth ultrasound imaging.


Spectroscopy apparatus for spectrochemical analysis of a sample having an excitation source (60) for providing spectral light (62) of the sample for analysis. The spectral light (62) is analysed via an optical system (64-66-68) that includes a polychromator (70, 74-80) and solid state multielement array detector (82). The elements (i.e. pixels) of the detector (82) are serially reel by means (84) to provide light intensity measurements as a function of wavelength. A problem is that the elements (pixels) of the detector (82) continue to accumulate change during the serial read-out. This is avoided by providing an optical shutter (72) for blocking the spectral light (62) whilst elements (pixels) of the detector (82) are being serially read. Shutter (72) has a piezoelectric actuator which is preferably a bimorph mounted as a cantilever. It is preferably located adjacent to the entrance aperture (70) of the polychromator. Bimorph structures for the actuator and drive and protective circuit arrangements are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a shutter for blocking the path of a light beam in a spectroscopy instrument.
It is known that chemical analysis of samples can be accomplished by a variety of spectroscopy-based techniques. For example, the amount of various chemical elements in a sample can be ascertained by optical emission spectrometry or by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The concentration of various chemical species in a sample can be ascertained by ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrometry or infrared absorption spectrophotometry, or by ultraviolet-visible fluorescence spectrophotometry. These are only a few examples of spectroscopy-based chemical analysis techniques.
Equipment for spectroscopy-based chemical analysis typically operates by measuring the intensity of light either as a function of wavelength or at one or more specific wavelengths. This may be done with a monochromator and a single detector collecting intensity data for each wavelength of interest in a serial fashion, but it is also possible to collect light intensity data for more than one wavelength simultaneously. Because of the greater time efficiency offered by simultaneous measurement, this approach is increasingly favoured for practical applications.
Modem simultaneous spectroscopic measurement apparatus typically includes an optical polychromator together with a solid state electronic detector device incorporating an array of optical sensor elements. The detector can be, for example, a charge-transfer device such as a charge-injection device (CID) or a charge-coupled device (CCD). A polychromator that is able to disperse the light in two dimensions (for example an echelle polychromator) can be employed, in which case a 2-dimensional array of optical sensor elements can be used with advantage as a detector. Alternatively a polychromator that provides dispersion in one dimension only (such as a single-grating-based polychromator) can be utilised, and a linear array detector used. The 2-dimensional approach offers better wavelength resolution for a given wavelength range and so is favoured for chemical analysis applications, particularly for elemental analysis by optical emission spectrometry.
Elemental analysis typically involves operation at optical wavelengths extending from the visible to the far ultraviolet, which places limitations on the types of detectors that can be used. Solid state detectors of various types are known to be suitable for this application, for example charge transfer devices, both CIDs and CCDs, are known to be useful. An example of such a detector is the CCD detector disclosed by Zander et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,407. This has a number of optically sensitive sites, generally referred to as pixels, that are distributed in a precise geometric arrangement over the surface of the detector to map accurately the optical image from the polychromator. Each optically sensitive site or pixel is capable of converting the energy of incoming light to free electrons, which are stored at the optically active site. The number of electrons, and thus the total charge, accumulated within each pixel will depend on the light intensity incident on that pixel and the time for which the pixel is exposed to said light, said time being usually referred to as the integration time.
Measuring the optical intensity therefore involves determining the amount of charge built up over a known integration period. In order to do this it is necessary first to collect the charge and then to transfer the charge accumulated at each pixel to appropriate readout electronics.
Two principal ways of carrying out this process are available. The first, used in the detector disclosed by Zander et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,407, duplicates each optically active pixel with an optically inactive pixel. The first step in the readout process is a parallel transfer operation that transfers the charge from each row of active pixels to the corresponding row of inactive pixels. The charge is then stepped through these inactive pixels as the shift register nodes. The second approach uses the optically active pixels themselves as shift register nodes, so that with each move operation the charge on every pixel moves to the next pixel along, with the charge of the last pixel moving to the readout circuit.
Both approaches have their attendant advantages and disadvantages. The second approach has the advantage that most of the surface area of the CCD can be covered by active pixels, thus maximising the light sensitivity of the whole device. It also avoids the need for any secondary structure. That is, this approach provides more efficient utilisation of available light in spectroscopic applications. It also permits the use of relatively inexpensive, off-the-shelf detectors.
The disadvantage of the second approach is that the pixels continue to accumulate electrons generated by any incoming light during the readout process. As a consequence, as the charge from one pixel moves through other pixels on its way to the readout circuitry, it accumulates additional charge, the amount of which depends on the light intensity incident at each of those other pixels and the speed of charge transfer. This has the effect of smearing the resultant image data, which is totally unacceptable in a spectroscopy application. To overcome this disadvantage it is proposed to provide an optical shutter that can block all light to the detector during the readout process.
Known optical interrupters for use in spectroscopic or photographic applications generally comprise one or more metal vanes driven by electromagnetic actuators. For example such devices are disclosed by Vincent in U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,576, U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,553 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,251, by Fletcher et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,506, by Saito et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,682 and by Krueger in U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,860. These mechanisms are relatively large, and consequently rather slow. This is a serious limitation in spectroscopic applications. The devices also tend to consume significant amount of power. Because of the number of moving parts the reliability and lifetime of this type of mechanism is uncertain. Furthermore, devices offering sufficiently long life tend to be relatively expensive.
Hikita et al. disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,974 an optical switch based on a piezoelectric bimorph. The use of a piezoelectric device is advantageous because such devices are silent, and they can be operated reliably for many millions of cycles. They are relatively inexpensive. They dissipate very little power and thus do not cause any significant local rise in temperature within the optical system of an instrument. Any such local rise in temperature is undesirable because it may lead to thermal expansion and consequent optical drift. Hikita et al disclose an optical switch having an optical shielding element at the free end of a cantilevered piezoelectric bimorph such that a light beam travelling parallel to the length of the bimorph is either intercepted by said optical shielding element or allowed to pass, depending on the polarity of the voltage applied to the bimorph. Light that is allowed to pass falls on a mirror close to the fixed end of the cantilevered bimorph and is reflected from said mirror and detected by an optical detector. The invention of Hikita et al. is suitable for use with narrow, well-collimated beams of light, such as laser beams, but it would not be suitable for the light beams in spectroscopic instruments. Such beams, although very narrow at certain points, converge rapidly towards such points and diverge rapidly away from them. This is a consequence of the need to capture as much light as possible from the spectroscopic source and transfer it to the detector. A light switch according to the teachings of Hikita et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,974 would not be suitable for use with a widely convergent or divergent beam because the device itself would partially obstruct the beam irrespective of the position of the optical shielding element. This would cause an undesirable loss of light transmission efficiency.
The discussion of the background to the invention herein is included to explain the context of the invention. This is not to be taken as an admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in Australia as at the priority date established by this application.
According to the invention there is provided spectroscopy apparatus for spectrochemical analysis of a sample comprising
a light source and a system for interacting the light source and a sample for providing spectral light of the sample, and
an optical system including a polychromator and a multi-element solid state detector for providing intensity measurements of the spectral light as a function of wavelength,
means for serially reading a plurality of the elements of the detector to provide said light intensity measurements,
and further including a shutter device having a piezoelectric structure, the shutter device being operable on application of an electrical signal to the piezoelectric structure for movement between two positions, wherein at one position the spectral light is permitted to reach the detector, and at the other position the spectral light is prevented from reaching the detector for the plurality of detector elements to be serially read while the detector is shielded from the spectral light.
In a preferred embodiment the piezoelectric structure is a bimorph which is preferably in the form of a cantilevered strip, but the invention is not limited to this construction.
The light source may be adapted to receive a representative portion of an analytical sample and to heat this portion to a temperature sufficient to decompose it and to excite spectrochemical emission of light from molecules, atoms or ions resulting from the decomposed portion, for example as in atomic emission spectrometry. Alternatively light from the source may be passed through a decomposed sample portion and its absorption at particular wavelengths measured, for example as in atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Other techniques encompassed by the invention include passage of light through a suitably presented sample and measurement of its absorption at particular wavelengths (for example as in ultra-violet-visible absorption spectrometry, or infrared absorption spectrophotometry), or measurement of emitted light at particular wavelengths (for example as in fluorescence spectrophotometry). The wording herein of interacting a light source and a sample for providing xe2x80x9cspectral light of the samplexe2x80x9d is intended to encompass all of these and other similar spectrochemical analysis techniques involving the measurement of the intensity of resultant light as a function of wavelength.
The detector will normally be a charge transfer device (CCD or CID) that may be made up of a plurality of detector elements (or pixels) arranged, for example, in a regular array of rows and columns.
A shutter device in spectroscopy apparatus according to the invention can meet the relatively demanding attributes required of it in spectroscopic elemental analysis applications. Specifically, it can have very low attenuation (possibly zero attenuation) when open and can be arranged to block the spectral light beam completely when closed. It can operate with light extending into the far ultraviolet region of the spectrum and not degrade in the presence of intense UV light such as that emitted by the plasma sources typically used for elemental analysis by emission spectrometry. Since the operation of the shutter determines the integration time, the switching time between open and closed positions (or vice versa) may be short, in order to achieve short integration times. It is also accurately repeatable. The optical shutter device, being based on the use of a piezoelectric actuator, also has a long life. For example, a preferred embodiment has been subjected to over 30 million cycles without failing. The complete shutter device can be made relatively small offering further advantages given that space inside an optical system of a spectroscopy instrument is often limited. A shutter device according to the invention may also be manufactured relatively inexpensively.
In a preferred embodiment a shutter element for blocking the spectral light beam is attached to a piezoelectric structure in the form of a bimorph at or adjacent to its free end. This shutter element may be any stable, sufficiently rigid and optically opaque material having a low mass. In a preferred embodiment, the shutter element is a piece of thin metal foil.
In operation, the movement of the bimorph places the shutter element between the source of a light beam and an entrance aperture through which said light beam must pass if the detector is to be exposed to light. The size of the shutter element is such that there can be no direct path for light to enter the entrance aperture when the shutter is in its closed operating position. For more complete exclusion of light from the entrance aperture, it is also necessary to prevent light entering the entrance aperture by indirect paths. In particular, it is preferable to exclude the possibility that light passing the shutter and striking the surface surrounding the entrance aperture might be reflected or scattered from said surface onto the surface of the shutter element and then be reflected or scattered therefrom into the entrance aperture. Accordingly, it is preferable that the surface surrounding the aperture, and the surfaces of the shutter element, be treated (for example to make it matt black) to reduce reflection and the scattering of incident light. Furthermore, to achieve an even greater reduction of the possibility of light entering the shutter by indirect means it is a possible further aspect of this invention to place a mask, having an opaque surface and an aperture, between the shutter element and the source of the light beam so that the only light approaching the shutter is that corresponding to the effective optical entrance beam of the polychromator. The function of such a mask is to prevent the direct passage of light past the shutter element to the surface surrounding the entrance aperture. To further reduce the possibility of light entering the entrance aperture by indirect routes, it is a further possible aspect of this invention that a second mask, having an opaque surface and an aperture, be placed between the shutter element and said first mask. Said second mask is arranged in such a manner that when the shutter element is so placed as to block the entrance aperture there can be no direct path between the aperture of said first mask to the surface surrounding the entrance aperture.
The amount of movement required of a bimorph actuator of a shutter device according to the invention to prevent light from reaching the detector depends on the place at which the blocking occurs. Typically the entrance aperture to the polychromator of a spectroscopic instrument of the invention is quite small and if the light beam is blocked close to the entrance aperture the amount of movement required will be correspondingly small. A peak-to-peak movement of about 0.5 mm would suffice. Embodiments of a shutter device having a cantilevered bimorph actuator as described hereinabove can provide peak to peak motions of about 0.6 mm.
The piezoelectric structure or actuator of the invention bends in response to an applied electric voltage and the motion thus does not involve bulk movement, as is required in known mechanical interrupters. Such bending is responsive to the electrical drive signal and follows the applied voltage rapidly, providing fast operation. Electrically, a piezoelectric bimorph, which is the preferred form for the actuator, resembles a capacitor and it has low static dissipation and low loss when switching. Since there are few parts and no rotating or sliding surfaces there is no wear and the lifetime is dependent only on the life of the piezoelectric bimorph actuator. Such actuators have long lifetimes if operated within their specified ratings and if driven with a suitable applied voltage versus time regime.
The characteristics of the voltage versus time profile applied to drive the shutter device are determined primarily by the requirement that the shutter be driven quickly from one extreme of its movement to the other, with minimal oscillation at each end of its travel. Oscillation is excessive if it results in multiple interruptions of the light, including partial interruptions. In order that the shutter may be driven from one extreme of its movement to the other as quickly as possible while keeping oscillations to acceptable levels, an additional preferred feature of the invention is the application of an appropriate voltage versus time profile to the bimorph.
Several voltage versus time regimes have been investigated by the inventors, each having its attendant advantages and disadvantages. In the first of two applied voltage versus time regimes included within the scope of this invention, the applied voltage versus time profile causes the shutter first to commence its movement towards its operated position and then to decelerate it so that it reaches its operated position with substantially zero velocity. This has the advantage of allowing rapid movement of the shutter element. It has the disadvantage that the required rapid changes of the applied voltage can cause stresses in the bimorph that can lead to the partial fracture of the piezoelectric material and consequent failure of the device. To avoid this, in the second of the applied voltage regimes included within the scope of this invention the voltage versus time profile applied to the bimorph is such that at no time is the cantilevered bimorph subject to forces that would tend to accelerate it to velocities in excess of those corresponding to its natural frequency of vibration. Application of such forces can cause distortion of the bimorph, or the excitation of higher-order vibrations, and these can lead to the fracture of the piezoelectric material. Depending on its extent such fracture may or may not prevent the movement of the shutter, but it can result in the movement being unacceptably different from that intended.
A disadvantage of the second voltage versus time regime is that the speed of movement of the shutter cannot be greater than that set by the natural frequency of vibration of the bimorph. Where the utmost speed is not required it is preferable to use the second voltage versus time regime and so avoid the risk of damage to the device. Accordingly, the invention preferably encompasses electrical circuit means for applying a voltage versus time regime such that the cantilevered bimorph is not subjected to forces that would tend to accelerate it to velocities in excess of those corresponding to its natural frequency of vibration. A particular example is the use of an electrical circuit to drive the bimorph quasistatically. Such an arrangement keeps the voltage applied to the bimorph close to the equilibrium voltage as the bimorph moves. Stresses and higher order vibrations in the bimorph are thereby kept to a minimum.
Mechanical resonance of the cantilevered bimorph would result in simple harmonic motion. A plot of the position of the free end of the bimorph as a function of time would be a sine wave. Preferably, the voltage applied by the drive circuit mimics this wave shape to drive the bimorph efficiently and with the minimum of stress. Preferably, a lockout is provided in the circuit so that once a movement is commenced it must be completed before a movement in the opposite direction is initiated.
In the practical application of the invention it may be that the power supplies to the drive circuit are unstable for a brief period when they are switched on or off. Such instability could result in fast-changing voltages being applied to the bimorph, resulting in fracture of the piezoelectric material as described previously. Accordingly, it is an additional preferred feature of this invention to provide protection circuitry to prevent such fast-changing voltages being applied to the bimorph. An example of such protection circuitry is the provision of a high resistance element that can be placed in series with the bimorph. Since the bimorph acts as a capacitor, such an arrangement will sufficiently limit the rate of rise of a voltage applied to the bimorph. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a microprocessor supervisory device monitors the levels of the supply rails to the driving circuit. When all levels are within specification it bypasses the series resistance element, thus providing fast drive to the bimorph as required for normal operation. The bypassing of the series resistance is preferably done relatively slowly, thus ensuring that the bimorph is not subjected to any abrupt changes in the drive voltage as the drive circuit impedance is reduced. In a preferred embodiment the bypassing of the series resistance is done by a photovoltaic relay. Any drop in the voltage on the supply rails below specified levels results in the photovoltaic relay being turned off quickly, thus interposing the resistance and filtering any fast transient drive signals that would otherwise be applied to the piezoelectric bimorph.
The time taken for the shutter to fully obstruct the spectral light beam when the appropriate voltage for that movement is applied has been found by the inventors to be highly reproducible for a particular shutter device. Likewise, the time taken for the shutter to be fully clear of the light beam when the appropriate voltage for that movement is applied is also highly reproducible for a particular shutter device. When different specimens of the shutter device were tested, however, it was found that these times, while highly consistent for each specimen, varied to a small but significant extent from one specimen to another.
Given the spectroscopic field of this invention, it may be desirable in some applications to vary the integration time by varying the time for which the shutter is open. It is often preferable to take multiple readings at short integration times to avoid the detector being saturated by long exposure to intense spectral lines from elements present in the sample at relatively high concentrations. It is also necessary that measurements made by summing the results of multiple readings at a short integration time should yield the same analytical results as would be obtained by the use of one long integration time, said long integration time being equal to the product of the number of readings and the length of said short integration time. Accordingly, it is necessary to take account of the variability, from one device to another, in the time taken for the shutter to fully obstruct the light beam when the appropriate voltage for that movement is applied, and of the time taken for the shutter to be fully clear of the light beam when the appropriate voltage for that movement is applied. It would be possible to provide adjustment means to set these times to the same values for each device, but this would be complex and expensive. It is preferable to conduct a calibration procedure such as, for example, that taught by Dr Tim Abbott of the Canada-France Hawaii Telescope (now at the Nordic Optical Telescope, Canary Islands, Spain) for calibrating mechanical shutters for CCD detectors on astronomical telescopes.
As explained by Dr Abott, the shutter delay pattern can be deduced by comparing a long exposure flat field with an exposure in which the shutter has been opened and closed many times. The counts in pixel i in an image where the shutter has been opened and closed once are given by:
I1,i=(t1+si)Fi
where t1 is the reported exposure time of the image, Si is the total shutter delay at pixel i, and Fi is the number of counts detected per second at that pixel.
If the shutter is opened and closed n times before the CCD is read out, then the counts at pixel i will be:
I2,i=(t2+nsi)Fi
where t2 is the reported exposure time for this second image and it has been assumed that the shutter delay is the same for every open-close cycle.
Since Fi is the same for both images, the shutter delay at each pixel in the image can be deduced from the following:
Si=(t1I2,ixe2x88x92t2I1,i)/(nI1,ixe2x88x92I2,i)
Another aspect of the invention provides a shutter device for blocking the path of a light beam in a spectroscopy instrument for preventing the further accumulation of charge by an optically sensitive detector of the instrument during a read time period for the detector following a charge accumulation time period, the shutter device including a piezoelectric structure which is a bimorph actuator in the form of a strip that is mounted as a cantilever to provide a free end, wherein the free end moves upon application of a driving voltage to the bimorph to block or unblock a light beam which propagates in a direction substantially at right angles to the plane of movement of the free end of the bimorph.
To better understand the invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, embodiments thereof will now be described by way of a non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Optical shutter for spectroscopy instrument


The present invention relates to an improved method and device for treating biomass in which thermally treated biomass is discharged from a pressurized reactor and introduced into a blow tank, wherein the absolute pressure in the blow tank is maintained below atmospheric pressure. The slurry of biomass separated in the blow tank is then enzymatically treated.

It is known in the art to pre-hydrolyse biomass sugars in a reactor in which hemicellulose sugars are dissolved from biomass at elevated temperature and pressure, optionally in the presence of an acidic catalyst. With biomass is here meant any type of lignocellulosic material which contains hydrolysable hemicellulose or cellulose sugars. The biomass is heated with saturated or superheated steam and the temperature in the reactor is typically around 200° C. and the pressure is in the range 15 to 20 bar. There is no free liquid level in the reactor, but the biomass comprises a certain amount of moisture. The biomass is discharged from the reactor after completed sugar hydrolysis to an atmospheric receiving container, in the following called a "blow tank". The temperature of the discharge, which contains mainly biomass, hydrolyzed sugar and water, drops rapidly to about 100° C. when water and other volatile compounds evaporate to equilibrium at the pressure prevailing in the blow tank. Said pre-hydrolyzed biomass is then enzymatically hydrolyzed to release cellulosic sugars. The released sugars are fermented to ethanol or used as feed stock for various chemicals.
The pre-hydrolyzed biomass must be cooled to low temperature and it must be diluted typically to about 40-60° C. and to 10-20% insoluble material content to secure a good enzymatic activity in downstream hydrolysis steps. It is known in the art to cool and dilute hydrolyzed biomass by mixing it with a cold or cooled coolant for example water, recycled process condensate or recycle process filtrate. Additionally, the pH of the pre-hydrolyzed slurry must be adjusted to a pH range 4.0 to 6.5 for optimum enzymatic activity.
Said method of cooling by mixing coolant to the pre-hydrolyzed biomass may result in dilution of the slurry below 15%, which has the drawback of suboptimal conditions with high operation cost because the dilution liquid will be removed in downstream process stages. In addition, the diluted slurry contains carboxylic acids and furfural, which are toxic and may reduce activity of enzymes and yeast in the enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation steps.
EP 18 208 026.7 discloses a method for treating biomass in which thermally treated biomass is discharged from a pressurized pre-hydrolysis reactor unit and dewatered followed by cooling of the separated liquid phase. Said invention teaches to install a dewatering press or alike to separate hot hydrolysate before cooling it with a heat exchanger. The cooled hydrolysate is then back-mixed with the dewatered biomass which is pumped to enzymatic hydrolysis. The inventors claim that problems with scaling and plugging of cooling heat-exchangers may be reduced with their invention.
US 2015/0232902 A1 describes a method of cooling a thermally hydrolyzed biomass prior to mixing it with enzymes. Said patent teach to split the enzymatic hydrolysis in two steps such that the first enzymatic hydrolysis step operates with a shortened duration (small reactor volume) and the second enzymatic step(s) operates with long duration (large reaction volume) to provide completed saccharification. The duration of the first reactor is such that it saccharifies (liquefies) cellulose enough to provide a pumpable water (hydrolysate) solution through a recycle cooler (heat exchanger). This way it is no longer necessary to recycle coolant (hydrolysate) over the second enzymatic step. The inventors claim that the total (first and second) reaction volume is much smaller in comparison to having only one enzymatic reaction volume. However, said application is still proposing cooling of hot hydrolysate by a recycling process.
EP 3212764 B1 discloses a method for treating biomass and organic waste in which the biomass is discharged from a pressurized pre-hydrolysis reactor by steam explosion into one or more pressure relief tank(s), in which the pressure is reduced from 5-35 bar to atmospheric pressure. The discharged biomass has a temperature of 95-110° C. and is processed to ethanol, hydrogen, lactic acid, methane organic acids or other desired produced by fermentation at a pH of 7-8.5.
There is still a need for an improved method and device for cooling thermally treating biomass to a temperature range of optimum enzymatic activity, which is typically about 40 to 60° C., which avoids diluting the thermally treating biomass with a cooling liquid. Additionally, the problems of adjusting the pH to the pH range of optimum enzymatic activity of 4.0 to 6.5, without further diluting the thermally treating biomass and the presence of toxic components like carboxylic acids and furfural in the pretreated biomass slurry are not solved.

Method for cooling and detoxifying biomass


A seedling transplanting system is provided that utilizes a seedling feeder that is configured to fit between a tray of seedlings contained within a series of chain pots and a hydroponic trough. The feeder includes a ramp and a chute that direct the seedlings from the tray into the trough. A pair of guide surfaces, which form ramp sidewalls, help the seedlings to self-right as they are drawn into the hydroponic trough. A restraining jig aids in establishing and maintaining the relative positions of the seedling tray, feeder and trough during the transplanting process. A pulling tool simplifies the transplanting process by providing means for pulling a pair of media strips along with the captured chain pots into the hydroponic trough.

Given the continued growth of the world's population, and given that the regions allocated for agricultural pursuits have decreased or simply become less favorable to such activities, the ability of conventional farms to feed the world's growing population has become increasingly taxed. Additionally, since population centers and agricultural centers are frequently not co-located, and due to the time and expense associated with shipping agricultural goods, in many regions of the world only the wealthy are able to obtain adequate supplies of non-processed food, i.e., raw fruits and vegetables. As a result, there has been a renewed interest in soilless growing techniques that offer a potential solution to many of these problems.
Hydroponics is a soilless growing technique in which plants are grown using a liquid solution of water and nutrients. The roots of the plants are typically maintained in a fibrous or granular material, often comprised of plastic, and fed via a wick, drip, nutrient film, or other nutrient delivery system. Hydroponic growing systems are often established within indoor facilities, thus allowing them to be located in or near population centers. This approach also provides exceptional climate control (i.e., temperature, humidity, air flow, CO2 concentration, light wavelength, intensity and duration, etc.) as well as improved pest and disease control, thus allowing an indoor hydroponic farm to succeed in a region in which the outside environment and/or the soil conditions are inhospitable to the use of conventional farming techniques. Furthermore, hydroponic and other soilless growing techniques can yield extremely high plant densities, especially in those instances in which either horizontal stacking systems or vertical growth towers are used.
While hydroponic farming techniques offer a number of advantages over conventional farming techniques, large-scale adoption of these techniques requires that the cost per plant is competitive with conventional techniques. Accordingly, the present invention provides a means of simplifying and expediting the process by which seedlings are transplanted within a plant production system.