A second housing is aligned with a first housing at a predetermined position using positioning means that determines the mounting position of the housing with respect to the first housing at the predetermined position; steering shaft supporting sections and output shaft supporting sections are provided in the first housing and the second housing respectively while the housings being mounted using screws or the like; the second housing is removed temporarily from the first housing; a steering shaft and an output shaft are supported using the steering shaft supporting sections and the output shaft supporting sections; and the second housing is aligned again with the first housing at the predetermined position using the positioning means and mounted.

In an electric power steering apparatus, the drive power of a motor is transmitted at reduced speed via a small gear provided on the output shaft of the motor and a large gear meshed with the small gear to a steering shaft provided with the large gear, and the rotating motion of the steering shaft is assisted. As the small gear and the large gear, spur gears, helical gears or the like, having power transmission efficiency higher than that of a worm gear, are used to make the electric power steering apparatus compact (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 62-144773 (1987)). By the use of such gears having high power transmission efficiency, the output of the motor, required for assisting steering operation, can be reduced, and the motor can be made compact. In the case that spur gears or the like are used, the steering shaft is nearly parallel with the output shaft.
In recent years, for the purpose of making the electric power steering apparatus more compact, an electric power steering apparatus comprising gears based on a special theory has been proposed, in which one set of gears is used, and the large gear thereof is made as small as possible while the speed reduction ratio required for assisting steering operation is maintained and while the gear strength applicable to practical use can be obtained securely (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-124045 (1999)). The gears based on the special theory are gears in which the curvature of the tooth profile curve is a continuous differentiable function and changes periodically in the direction of the tooth depth.
In the electric power steering apparatus comprising the gears based on the special theory, for the purpose of securely obtaining the gear strength applicable to practical use, it is necessary to accurately process the gears and to accurately maintain the center distance between the gears accommodated in the housing.
In addition, for the purpose of smoothly rotating the gears, it is necessary to provide appropriate backlash between the tooth faces. In other words, if the backlash is too large, the problem of backlash noise, that is, large meshing noise due to the collision of the tooth faces, is caused; if the backlash is too small, the problem of unsmooth gear rotation is caused. For the purpose of solving these problems, it is necessary to maintain the center distance between the gears accommodated in the housing constant.
Conventionally, these problems are solved by accommodating the steering shaft and the output shaft in the same housing, by fitting a guide plate provided with two holes spaced by a predetermined distance on the steering shaft and the output shaft, thereby maintaining the steering shaft and the output shaft in nearly parallel with each other.
More specifically, first, the steering shaft is accommodated in the housing via two roller bearings, and the motor and the output shaft are accommodated in the housing so that the steering shaft and the output shaft are in nearly parallel with each other. At this stage, the center distance between the large gear provided on the steering shaft and the small gear provided on the output shaft is not accurately constant. Next, the steering shaft is rotatably fitted into one hole provided in the guide plate, and the output shaft of the motor is rotatably fitted into the other hole. Furthermore, a C-ring is mounted on the output shaft or the steering shaft so that the guide plate is positioned at the end of the output shaft. Even if the guide plate is subjected to a force acting to move it in the axial direction, the C-ring serves as a stopper, whereby the guide plate is not moved along the output shaft or dropped from the end of the output shaft.
In the electric power steering apparatus being produced as described above, the center distance between the large gear and the small gear can be maintained accurately. In other words, the center distance between the gears can be maintained constant in the range of the dimensional errors of the two holes provided in the guide plate; therefore, the gear strength applicable to practical use can be obtained securely, and the problem of backlash noise can be solved.
However, in the conventional configuration, in the case that the electric power steering apparatus is used for a long time, the center distance between the gears cannot be maintained accurately, thereby causing problems of being unable to securely obtain sufficient gear strength and being unable to maintain appropriate backlash between the gears. In other words, in the conventional configuration, the walls of the holes provided in the guide plate are in the state of making tight contact with the output shaft and the steering shaft to accurately maintain the center distance between the gears; in the case that the electric power steering apparatus is used for a long time in this state, the walls of the holes are inevitably worn and deformed owing to the rotation of the steering shaft and the output shaft. Hence, the center distance between the large gear and the small gear cannot be maintained accurately owing to the abrasion of the walls of the holes, and the gear strength assumed in the design stage cannot be maintained. Furthermore, because of the same reason, the backlash between the gears cannot be maintained appropriately.
Moreover, because the gears based on the special theory have special tooth face profile, problems are caused, that is, the gears cannot be processed using existing general-purpose machines, and the process accuracy of the gears cannot be inspected efficiently.

Method for producing electric power steering apparatus


The invention relates to a method for producing a component, such as a structural member, free of toe pressure, including the steps of: introducing a soluble material into soil and introducing a component into the soil on the soluble material.

The foundations of structures consist of components for basic construction such as slabs, beams, stones or deep foundation elements. The deep foundation elements are often designed in the shape of piles, and in this, case absorb the load of the structures at the vertically upper end of the deep foundation element, the column head, and transfer this into the soil, which can also be referred to as the building ground. This is done on the one hand by the toe pressure, which results from the support of the vertically lower end of the deep foundation element, the column base, in the ground. On the other hand, the load from the structure is absorbed by the surface friction between the soil and the lateral surface of the deep foundation element.
The ratio of the two resistance components of toe pressure and surface friction depends largely on the nature of the soil. In order to be able to exactly determine the load-bearing capacity of deep foundation elements, it is necessary that the toe pressure and the surface friction are determined separately from one another.
DE 34 24 776 A1 discloses a method for determining the load-bearing capacity of piles, in which the pile is divided into an upper and a lower section. A press is provided between the upper section and the lower section and a load cell is provided on the pile base. The subdivision of the pile is chosen so that the sum of the surface friction of the upper pile section and its weight are equal to the sum of the surface friction of the lower pile section and the toe pressure. By measuring the press force and the toe pressure using the load cell on the pile base, all resistance components can be determined mathematically.
DE 10 2006 007 144 A1 discloses a pile lifting cushion for measuring the load-bearing capacity of a bored pile, which is designed as an annular bellows joint and is arranged between the upper and lower pile parts. By pumping up the pile lifting cushion with a liquid, the upper and lower pile parts can be displaced so that the surface friction can be determined from the resulting displacements and the pressure in the pile lifting cushion.
Based on this, the object of the invention is to provide a method with which a component can be simply and cost-effectively produced without toe pressures.

Method for producing a component free of toe pressure


Disclosed herein is a full meshing gear type variable speed transmission using interlocked gear pairs of the driving and driven gears to transmit power from the mainshaft to the auxiliary axle housing. The mainshaft can only drive the first driving gear through the spiral springs to drive the rest of the other driving gears indirectly. Each spiral spring of the different gear is normally disengaged, when the rotational speed of the auxiliary axle housing is exceeding a set limit, the spiral spring will be engaged with its gears change shift by the automatic gravity type shifting assembly. Each driven gear will also transmit its own power thru the transmission mechanism. Each transmission mechanism allows the driven gear of the higher shift to rotate faster than the driven gear of the lower shift, thus the interlocked pair of gears will not disengage during shifting.

(1) Field of the invention
The present invention is related to a variable speed transmission used in the automobile, particularly a device to improve the transmission efficiency in electric cars.
(2) Description of the prior art
The research and development on electric cars were started in 1830. As compared to the engine automobiles, the electric cars have the advantages of energy conservation, minimum environmental pollution, low noise and stable in operation. On the other hand, the battery in electric car weighs as high as a few hundred kilograms, and the energy density is only 40 to 45 Watt per hour, the disadvantages of insufficient horsepower, low operating efficiency, short distance in continuous operation as well as battery recharging existed in electric cars. After the invention of the automatic ignition in combustion engine, the automobiles with combustion engines have dominated the market in the twentieth century. Due to the energy crisis and the pollution caused by the fuel engine, the world is paying more attention and reconsidering the advantages of electric cars, regardless of their disadvantages.
In order to reach the stages of practical application, the electric cars have to overcome the drawbacks of insufficient power, low operating efficiency and short continuous operating distance. One way to overcome the above obstacle is to develop highly efficient batteries, and another more direct way is to decrease the weight of the variable speed transmission and increase the transmission efficiency. So far there is no break through in the development of high grade batteries, conventional lead acid battery has a low energy density, the recently developed batteries have their disadvantages and are not practical yet. For instance, although the sodium sulfate batteries have a higher energy density, they have to be operated under a high temperature environment of 260 C. and they are explosive under an accidental impact, the zinc type batteries require additional accessories such as compressor, pump, separator, purified storage tank, etc.; and they are difficult to be recharged. The Lithium battery operating under high temperature takes a long time to recharge and the battery life is short. The general Nickel Cadmium battery is expensive and its energy density is about the same as the lead acid battery. Although the Silver Zinc battery has a better energy density, its price is very expensive and can be recharged about 100 times only. Therefore, based on the current manufacturing technologies, development on the high efficiency, light-weight variable speed transmission is one of the best way to improve the efficiency of electric cars.
The operating principle and structure of the electric car are different from the fuel engine driven automobile. The electric car uses the dc motor to replace the engine, the battery to substitute the fuel, main control circuit to replace the function of the carburetor; among them the battery is used to power the dc motor, the Silicon-Controlled Rectifier (SCR) in the main control circuit is used to adjust the terminal voltage of the dc motor so as to control the speed of the electric car. Although the main control circuit can control the revolution and the speed of the dc motor, the horse-power cannot be adjusted and controlled based on the operating condition, this is causing a low start up, slow down in speed and unbalanced in power consumption during operation. The above drawbacks can be compensated and improved by installing a variable speed transmission drive to provide a different rotating speed between the motor shaft and the drive shaft, this device can give a higher torque and horsepower during the low speed operation, it can also reduce the number of revolutions of the motor at high speed operation. This installation can therefore improve the battery efficiency, the low start up torque, slow speed and unbalanced electric power consumption in the operation of the electric cars.
The conventional variable speed transmission is classified into three types: the manual transmission, the automatic transmission and the continuously variable transmission. The manual transmission changes the ratio between the rotating speeds of the engine and the wheels by the use of gears, it has the highest efficiency in transmissions. In the operation of the automobile with Manual transmission, the driver has to apply and release the clutch as well as shift the lever based on the speed of operation, this is causing an emotional and physical burden to the driver, especially during the traffic jammed condition.
Drivers in automobiles with Automatic transmissions do not have to worry about the clutch and the shift lever. The car is easy to operate and thus reduce the risk of accident. The automatic transmissions use fluid power and its fluid torque converter has a slip phenomenon in the system, the efficiency is not ideal and the lagging causes the automobiles with Automatic transmission consume more power, slow down in accelerating and decelerating as well as the drawback of frequent braking.
Continuous variable transmission consists of a pulley belt and a pair of grooved wheels, the pulley and its wheels generate a high torque of transmission, the centripetal force generated from the pulley induced a highly compressed force on the triangular shaped pulley, therefore the pulley has to have a certain degree of thickness to avoid breaking from the centripetal force. The increase of thickness in the pulley will relatively increase its centrifugal force so as to cause a higher surface tension of the pulley. Besides the increase of thickness in the pulley also cause an increase in the diameters of the wheels. In addition, the belt is traveling through the grooved wheels and is causing more friction, this is a negative impact in the overall efficiency and the operational life of the continuous variable transmission.
The above mentioned conventional transmissions cause complicated structures, heavy weight, large physical size and low transmission efficiency. If installed in the electric cars, they would certainly impose a heavy load on the batteries, and this is the reason electric cars use speed reducer instead of the variable transmissions.

Full meshing gear type variable speed transmission for electric cars

Chia An Tsun, Long Tang Hsian, Taoyuan Hsien


A manually-operated trailer wash apparatus for washing an interior of a trailer includes a frame with a handle configured to be manually pushed by a human operator and front and rear wheels. Rotatable couplings are disposed between each of the wheels and the frame to rotate the wheels in response to the manual pushing of the handle. A conduit is coupled to the frame and extends transversely across a direction of travel of the apparatus. The conduit has a plurality of nozzles to pressure wash a surface on which the apparatus travels. The conduit receives pressurized fluid from a hose and pump system.

Refrigerated trailers often carry food products in a temperature-controlled environment. To avoid cross-contamination of loads, trailers are to be periodically or regularly cleaned and/or sanitized based on certain shipper protocols.
The U.S Food and Drug Administration implements the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) which is directed to regular cleaning of trailers. The FSMA was designed to improve food safety and address concerns with foodborne illnesses. The FDA is charged with enforcing provisions relating to regular washing of trailers.
Some current trailer washing devices are fully automated devices that enter and exit a trailer while pressure washing portions of the interior of the trailer. These systems are expensive and require complicated installation procedures. Other solutions involved one or two human operators with hand-held pressure spray hoses moving about the trailer. However, this approach is labor intensive and can lead to inconsistent washing.

Manually-operated trailer wash apparatus


Methods and system are disclosed that execute processing a payment event. In one aspect, via a framework, a request for initiating a payment event from a smart device via a smart terminal is received. Upon processing the initiated request, the received request may be authenticated based on a configuration information associated with the payment event. When the authentication is successful, a session to process the request including the payment event may be established. Based on the established session, whether to execute processing the payment event based on a combination of transaction context associated with the payment event and a device identifier associated with the smart device. Based on the determination, processing the payment event may be executed.

Real world enterprise processes and applications typically execute on integrated heterogeneous systems. For example, systems, applications and processes that are associated with processing information using online platforms (e.g., over a network using internet) may include heterogeneous platforms with complex landscape. Further, such heterogeneous platforms may be inefficient, have multiple complex point to point communication nodes, inflexible and not scalable, may perform data replication at multiple points, thereby adding to redundancy and increasing costs. Further such heterogeneous platforms lack facilities for unified reporting and may operate with a high risk of regulatory compliance. Therefore, providing a framework with a unified architecture with simplified platform for seamlessly integrating the enterprise systems by overcoming the above operational and data management complexities, may be challenging.

Framework for managing online transactions in internet of things (IoT)


Methods and systems are described for automated processing of medical information for employment determinations. Based on an employment screening procedure for an applicant, medical information queries are automatically generated to provide instructions to medical providers for conducting physical exams and laboratory tests and for retrieving medical records. After medical information is collected according to the queries, the medical information and related requirements codes are displayed to program administrative personnel in a user-friendly format to assist in making an employment determination.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automated systems and methods for processing medical data to support employment determinations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Corporations, government agencies, and other employers often require the gathering and evaluation of medical information to support employment determinations. For example, such employers may require employment screening procedures, periodic employment evaluations, evaluations of an employee's or potential employee's fitness for particular tasks, combination of the same and the like. Typically, such screening procedures (or "screenings") revolve around a triggering event, such as, an application for work, a certain period of employment, a set date on which employees are tested, an event that occurs with respect to the employee's workplace (e.g., a spike in radioactivity at a power plant), the results of a primary test (e.g., an employee or a relative discovers that he or she has cancer) and the like.
In order to evaluate the medical suitability of an applicant during a particular screening process, certain medical information is typically required. Medical information requirements are typically established by the employer responsible for the determination and are used by the employer to generate a specific suitability evaluation based upon the interpretation of that medical evidence. The requirements are specified by rules developed by the corporation, government agency or other employer, pertinent case law, government regulations, legislation and administrative decisions, and so forth. For example, the requirements may specify that if an applicant is applying for a particular form of employment, a medical provider must conduct certain physical examinations and laboratory tests on the applicant or ask certain questions. Requirements can also be specified by conventional medical knowledge, such as, for example, requiring a certain test to confirm a particular condition.
The requirements may be documented in a variety of formats, such as in manuals, databases, or other media. The collection of corporate rules, administrative decisions, pertinent legislation and case law governing employment is herein referred to as a "rules collection" governing employment. The rules collection typically specifies a capability, or lack of restriction, for the applicant to be acceptable to undertake or continue in a particular form of employment. It may, or may not, delineate a particular medical procedure that should be used to gather medical information needed for the determination.
In an evaluation process, the applicant typically visits a hospital, clinic or medical office. A medical provider such as a physician or a nurse collects medical evidence from the applicant to support an employment determination. The employment determination is typically made by personnel employed by the corporation, government agency or other employer based on the medical information collected by the medical provider and based on the rules collection. These personnel, referred to hereinafter as program administrative personnel, often support the employer in an administrative capacity and are often human resources personnel.
The medical providers often are not familiar with the rules collection relevant to the employment determination and may not collect the correct information, or may collect insufficient information, for making the determination. Therefore, the required medical information can be omitted and/or entered incorrectly, thus preventing a fast, accurate employment determination. In addition, the program administrative personnel, who typically have only limited medical knowledge, must spend considerable time reviewing the medical information collected by the medical providers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for processing medical data for employment determinations


A method for producing a solid electrolytic capacitor, which comprises the steps of:

A solid electrolytic capacitor is produced by encapsulating a solid electrolytic capacitor element with a resin or the like. The solid electrolytic capacitor element comprises, for example, a laminate of an anode body, a dielectric layer, a semiconductor layer and a conductor layer in this order, in which the anode body is connected to a lead wire. The anode body is composed, for example, of a porous body obtained by compacting a valve action metal powder, and followed by sintering. The dielectric layer is composed, for example, of an insulating oxide thin layer obtained by anodizing the surface of the porous body. The semiconductor layer serves as a cathode relative to the anode body through the dielectric layer. The conductor layer is provided so as to facilitate electrical connection to the cathode. The conductor layer covers the periphery of the element, excluding the vicinity of the connection portion between the lead wire and the anode body. The cathode portion of the solid electrolytic capacitor element is composed of the semiconductor layer and the conductor layer.
The solid electrolytic capacitor element is laid on a cathode lead portion of a lead frame (hereinafter sometimes referred to simply as a "cathode lead") and the conductor layer existing on the periphery of the element is electrically connected to the cathode lead. The cathode load is partially exposed on the outside of an outer packaging of the solid electrolytic capacitor to form a cathode terminal. On the other hand, the lead wire connected to the anode body (hereinafter sometimes referred to simply as an "anode lead wire") is electrically connected to an anode lead portion of the lead frame (hereinafter sometimes referred to simply as a "anode lead") and the anode lead is partially exposed on the outside of the outer packaging of the solid electrolytic capacitor to form an anode terminal.
A conductive adhesive such as adhesive silver paste is used so as to connect the solid electrolytic capacitor element to the cathode lead. Usually, the solid electrolytic capacitor element and the cathode lead are electrically connected so that conductive adhesive does not protrude from the connection surface of the solid electrolytic capacitor element and the cathode lead. When the conductive adhesive protrudes, it must be handled in the same manner as in the case using a solid electrolytic capacitor element with a large overall size, and therefore it is not preferred.
PLT 1 has proposed a solid electrolytic capacitor having high capacity and excellent high frequency property, in which a plurality of solid electrolytic capacitor elements are laid in parallel on a lead frame including a pair of opposing lead portions extending toward the inside of the frame. In this solid electrolytic capacitor, the plurality of solid electrolytic capacitor elements are laid adjacent to each other in parallel and encapsulated with an encapsulation resin material or the like. The encapsulation resin material usually has electrical insulating properties.
PLT 2 has proposed that a fixed layer extending between a plurality of solid electrolytic capacitor elements laid in proximity to each other in parallel is placed. The fixed layer placed so as to extend between solid electrolytic capacitor elements can prevent an encapsulation resin material from flowing into a gap between solid electrolytic capacitor elements. Thus, it is made possible to obtain a chip-shaped solid electrolytic capacitor which has low equivalent series resistance and low leakage current. Air remains in the gap between solid electrolytic capacitor elements. Air has electrical insulating properties.
PLT 3 discloses a solid electrolytic capacitor in which solid electrolytic capacitor elements are not laid adjacent to each other, but the solid electrolytic capacitor elements are laid by intentionally increasing a gap therebetween so that an encapsulation resin material positively flows into the gap. The encapsulation resin material usually has electrical insulating properties. PLT 3 describes that it is possible to prevent large deterioration of equivalent series resistance (ESR), leakage current (LC) and the like in a durability test of allowing to stand in the environment maintained at a temperature of 60° C. and a relative humidity of 90 to 95% for a long time as the encapsulation resin material flowed positively serves as a cushion.
PLT 4 describes that a solid electrolytic capacitor, which scarcely exhibits an increase in a leakage current even when heat shock or the like, due to solder heat is applied, is obtained by adjusting the proportion of air in a gap between adjacent solid electrolytic capacitor elements to 60 volume % or less. In order to remove air from the gap between solid electrolytic capacitor elements, a resin or an oily substance is absorbed in the gap. PLT 4 teaches that the resin or oily substance preferably has electrical insulating properties.

Method for producing solid electrolytic capacitor

Abstract: laying a plurality of solid electrolytic capacitor elements in proximity to each other in parallel on a cathode lead portion of a lead frame with a conductive adhesive, and

Abstract: electrically connecting the solid electrolytic capacitor elements to the cathode lead portion so that the conductive adhesive gets into a gap between the solid electrolytic capacitor elements.


In valve control apparatus for an internal combustion engine and its assembling method, a positioning section is interposed between a predetermined position of a housing member at which a shoe is positioned so as to be opposed against a side surface of a vane in which a lock piston is arranged and one of a front cover and a rear plate on which a lock hole is formed, to perform a housing circumferential directional positioning of the lock piston and the lock hole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to valve timing control apparatus which variably controls open and closure timings of an engine valve constituted by an intake valve or exhaust valve of an internal combustion engine in accordance with a driving condition of the engine and its assembling method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. 2003-113703 published on Apr. 18, 2003 (which corresponds to a U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,173 issued on Jul. 22, 2003) exemplifies a previously proposed valve timing control apparatus. In the previously proposed valve timing control apparatus, a housing in which a cylindrical housing member and a front cover and a rear plate to enclose openings of both ends of the housing member are integrally coupled together by means of a plurality of bolts is provided, a vane member fixed to an end of a camshaft is rotatably housed within the housing and advance angle oil chambers and retardation angle oil chambers are formed on an inner peripheral surface of the housing and alternately among three shoes of approximately trapezoid shapes and mutually projected from a radial direction toward an inner direction. A sprocket to transmit a torque from a crankshaft via a timing chain is integrally formed on an outer peripheral surface side of the rear plate. In addition, a lock pin is retractably projected from a sliding hole formed in an inner axial direction of one of the vanes and a lock hole is engageably disengaged from the lock pin on the inner end surface of the rear plate. Then, a hydraulic pressure drained from an electric power pump which is driven to be rotated in normal and reverse directions is selectively supplied to either of the advance angle oil chambers or the retardation angle oil chambers so that the vane member is rotated in the normal or reverse direction and a relative pivotal phase between the timing pulley and the camshaft is varied. Thus, the open and the closure timings of the intake valve are variably controlled. Furthermore, during a stop of the engine, the lock pin is engaged into the lock plate so that a relative conversion angular position of the vane member to the housing is retained at an optimum position during the start of the engine to secure a favorable restart performance.

Valve timing control apparatus and its assembling method


The present invention provides a water management building wrap that may be useable between a frame structure of a building and an exterior building covering. In at least one embodiment, the building wrap comprises a permeable membrane and an extruded polymeric drainage structure secured to the second side of the membrane. In at least one embodiment, the drainage structure includes a plurality of generally vertical members having a first thickness and forming boundaries for generally vertical water drainage channels, and a plurality of generally horizontal members attached to the generally vertical members and having a second thickness less than the first thickness and forming integral joints at intersections of the generally vertical members and the generally horizontal members that provide dimensional stability to maintain the orientation of the generally vertical members and form stable vertical water drainage channels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an extruded netting and to a water management building wrap incorporating an extruded netting.
2. Background Art
Buildings, both residential and commercial, typically have a frame structure, a sheathing over the frame structure, and an exterior building covering over the sheathing. Building wraps have been widely used in the construction of buildings. The building wraps are typically placed between the sheathing and the exterior building covering to serve as a moisture barrier by inhibiting water intrusion into the building. These building wraps can also help to prevent energy loss by inhibiting air intrusion into the building. Popular building wraps include Tyvek® Homewrap, available from DuPont, and Typar® Housewrap, available from BBA Fiberweb.
Water can sometimes get behind the exterior building covering through cracks in the exterior building covering or by the window and door joints. Also, moisture from the relatively warm interior of the building can penetrate through the sheathing and the building wrap and condense into water upon contacting the relatively cold exterior building cover. The water can become trapped between the building wrap and the exterior building covering, possibly causing water damage to the building. Also, trapped water can encourage growth of mold and mildew, as well as water damage to building components.
It would be advantageous to provide a building wrap that would not trap water that gets between the sheathing and the exterior building covering of a building.


Various embodiments of a fiber optic module adapted for use in an electronic assembly and system are provided. Multiple embodiments of a method of interfacing an electronic assembly with an external circuit through use of the fiber optic module are also provided. In one embodiment, the fiber optic module includes a mounting bracket, a fiber optic connector, and an electrical cable connection. In one embodiment, the method includes: a) providing an electronic assembly comprising a bulkhead panel, a backplane, a fiber optic module, and an electrical cable, b) providing a fiber optic cable associated with the external circuit, and c) removably connecting the fiber optic cable a fiber optic connector of the fiber optic module at the front of the bulkhead panel.

Electrical-to-optical conversion and vice versa may be accomplished in a fiber optic module. This typically requires measures in the fiber optic module and/or higher assemblies for protecting external circuits from electromagnetic emissions and for cooling optoelectronic components associated with the conversion. These measures may include EMI shields, gaskets, clamps, and other hardware for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) that make installation and removal of fiber optic cables associated with the fiber optic module complex and time consuming. Moreover, these measures may also include heat sinks, cooling fans, forced air cooling systems, and/or convective cooling systems that increase manufacturing costs and make design of the associated higher assemblies more complex.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


To obtain an impact wave by generation of arc discharge between a high-voltage-side electrode 31 connected to a high-voltage-side terminal of a pulse power generating device and a low-voltage-side electrode 32 grounded or connected to a low-voltage-side terminal of the power source. One of the high-voltage-side electrode 31 or the low-voltage-side electrode 32 is an annular electrode formed in an annular shape, the other electrode is a core electrode arranged inside the annular electrode, and arc discharge is generated between an inner peripheral portion of the annular electrode and an outer peripheral portion of the core electrode.

A pulse power generating device has been known as a device configured to generate arc discharge (pulse discharge) between a high-voltage-side electrode connected to a high-voltage-side terminal of a pulse power source and a low-voltage-side electrode grounded or connected to a low-voltage-side terminal of the power source to obtain an impact wave. The pulse power source is for compressing electric energy in a circuit manner Power obtained by compression of the electric energy in the circuit manner will be referred to as "pulse power."
One example of the pulse power generating device is described in Patent Document 1. The pulse power generating device includes a high-voltage pulse generation source and a pair of electrodes connected to such a power source, and is housed in an insulating tube with tip end portions of both electrodes being exposed. In this example, both electrodes are close to a work immersed in a processing solution, and arc discharge is generated between both electrodes to obtain an impact wave. In this manner, a foreign object or a burr adhering to the work is removed.


A toner composition comprised of a core comprised of a polymer resin or resins, low remanence-magnetite of from between about 0.1 to about 8 gauss with an average volume particle diameter of from between about 2 to about 6 microns, and a light scattering component with an average particle diameter of from between about 2 to about 6 microns; and which core is encapsulated in a polymeric shell.

The present invention is generally directed to toner compositions and processes thereof, and more specifically, to encapsulated toner compositions and processes thereof, and wherein in embodiments toners can be directly generated without resorting to the conventional pulverization and classification methods. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to encapsulated toner compositions which display low gloss levels of, for example, from about 0.1 gloss unit to about 25 gloss units, and more preferably from about 1 gloss unit to about 14 gloss units, as measured by the GARDNER.TM. gloss unit apparatus. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to cold pressure fixable encapsulated toners of low remanence and low gloss, such as a remanence value of from about 0.01 gauss to about 5 gauss as measured using a Half-Effect device of a Gaussmeter such as the F. W. BELL GAUSSMETER.TM. and low gloss value of from about 1 gloss unit to about 15 gloss units. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to cold pressure fixable encapsulated toners of low gloss, and low remanence and of fine particle sizes of from about 11 microns to about 21 microns in volume average diameter, and more preferably from about 13 microns to about 15 microns volume diameter, as measured by a Counter Counter. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to colored encapsulated toner compositions which display low fixing temperatures of from about 25.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C., and high fixing pressure of from about 2,000 pounds per square inch to about 4,000 pounds per square inch, thereby reducing the energy consumption of an electrostatographic imaging or printing apparatus and prolonging the lifetime of the reprographic engine. The encapsulated toners of the present invention in embodiments are comprised of a core comprised of a polymer resin and colorants, including color pigments, dyes, or mixtures thereof, and especially low remanence magnetites with, for example, diameters of from about 0.5 to about 10, and preferably 1 to 6 microns, and a light scattering components, and thereover a polymeric shell of, for example, a polyurea, a polyurethane or a polyester and the like. The processes of the present invention in embodiments thereof are comprised of an initial dispersion step for forming a stabilized organic microdroplet suspension comprised of low remanence magnetite, free-radical monomers, a deglossing agent like titanium oxide, and a shell forming monomer such as a diisocyanate suspended in an aqueous medium, followed by addition of a second monomer such as a diamine to enable formation of the polymeric shell by interfacial polymerization; and a final core resin formation step by free radical polymerization. In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a MICR imaging process comprised of sorting security documents prepared utilizing a magnetic MICR toner comprised of resin particles and magnetite, such as MAPICO BLACK.TM., and a magnetic encapsulated toner, and wherein the images or characters developed are undetectable by known MICR devices, such as the IBM 890.TM. sorter reader or NCR 6780.TM..
In some reprographic technologies, such as xerographic or ionographic single component development systems, the fixing of toner on paper is accomplished by a high pressure fixing device utilizing minimal or no heat. More specifically, the Xerox 4068 printer and Delphax printer utilize fixing pressure of from about 2,000 pounds per square inch to about 4,000 pounds per square inch. In such systems, the conventional toner utilized is comprised of a magnetite, pigment, conductive or charge control agents, and resin, such as polyethylene wax, with a melting point of about 50.degree. to about 90.degree. C. The high pressures exerted by the rolls onto the toner on the paper substrate result in moderate fixing level, such as from about 45 percent to about 60 percent, as measured by the tape fixing method evaluated by the pull method as described in Example 1. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,240, a pressure fixable encapsulated toner composition is illustrated wherein a core comprised of a low glass transition temperature resin of from about -70.degree. C., and a shell comprised of a high glass transition temperature of from about 100.degree. to about 200.degree. C. is disclosed. The use of the aforementioned encapsulated toners in high pressure fixing system results in an excellent fixing level, such as from about 75 percent to about 95 percent, as measured by tape fixing method. The mechanism for excellent fixing by utilizing encapsulated toners is believed to be due to the rupture or cracking of the shell component during fixing allowing the core resin to seep out and adhere or stick onto the paper substrate. However, the use of both prior art conventional or encapsulated toner compositions results in high gloss toner images such as from about 50 gloss units to about 70 gloss units as measured by the GARDNER.TM. gloss meter. The high gloss is believed due to the high pressures exerted by the fixing device resulting in a calendered or smooth toner image. The gloss level is proportional to the smoothness of the toner image after fixing, and can easily be measured using a known GARDNER .TM. gloss unit. In some reprographic technologies, wherein black or highlight color application is desired, low gloss is desired such as less than 25 gloss units, and more preferably less than 15 gloss units as measured by the GARDNER.TM. gloss unit. Gloss values of from about 14 gloss units and below are usually known as " matte finish". However, many of the prior art encapsulated magnetic toners do not, it is believed, exhibit low gloss values, and are inferior to black and highlight color reprographic technologies which utilizes high or "cold" pressure fixing devices. The encapsulated toner compositions of the present invention alleviate the problem of high gloss and provide low gloss black and highlight colored images, and more preferably of a matte finish when transfixed using, for example, cold pressure fusers. More specifically, the encapsulated toners of this invention in embodiments utilize a magnetite of large particle size, such as from about 2 microns to about 6 microns, and a light scattering component primarily to further alleviate high gloss such as calcium carbonate, zinc stearate, titanium dioxide and the like of particle size from about 2 to about 6 microns in diameter. Accordingly, when the encapsulated toners of this invention are fixed by cold pressure devices, the toner surface is not smooth and rendered bumpy due to the large particle size of the magnetite, and light scattering of the surface results with the aid of the light scattering component, resulting in low gloss of less than about 20 gloss units and preferably less than about 15 gloss units. Furthermore, the black or colored encapsulated toners of this invention can be of a fine average particle size of from about 11 microns to about 21 microns, and more preferably from about 13 microns to about 17 microns in diameter, unattainable economically by conventional pulverization process. Additionally, the encapsulated toner compositions of the present invention in embodiments display excellent fixing characteristics, such as from about 75 percent to about 95 percent fix, as measured by the tape fixing method.
In some reprographic technologies, especially in security document processing such as checks, including for example dividend checks, turn around documents such as invoice statements like those submitted to customers by American Express and Visa, corporate checks, highway tickets, rebate checks and other documents with magnetic codes thereon, two reprographic systems are utilized. In one reprographic system, such as two component xerographic development systems or ink jet printers, a nonmagnetic toner is fixed onto paper. The aforementioned document is then subjected to a single component reprographic system, such as ionography, which fixes the magnetic toner onto paper. The resulting documents contain both a magnetic and nonmagnetic toner image and wherein only the magnetic image can be detected utilizing a MICR device such as the IBM 890.TM. or NCR 6780.TM. for sorting and security applications. However, in such process two reprographic technologies must be utilized, and as there is a need wherein the process is simplified by the use of a single reprographic system. The encapsulated toners of this invention in embodiments comprise a magnetic material, wherein the remanence is low and is of from about 0.1 to about 5 gauss, due to the large particle size and selection of magnetite which cannot be detected utilizing a MICR device such as the IBM 890.TM. or NCR 6780.TM.. Accordingly, the low remanence encapsulated toners of this invention can be imaged by single component development such as ionography, and is not magnetically read or detected by MICR devices. This allows the use of only one reprographic technology, such as a single component development ionographic system, comprised of two development housing and wherein the first development housing contains a magnetic toner which can be detected by MICR devices, and the second development house contains the encapsulated toner of this invention which cannot be detected by MICR devices. Security or sorting documents can be generated by the use of one reprographic system containing two magnetic toners of which only one magnetic toner is detected by the MICR devices. Additionally, three or more development houses in a reprographic device can be devised, wherein colored and black magnetic toners of the present invention can be utilized wherein one or more are selected as magnetically readable and one or more as magnetically nonreadable by MICR devices.
Encapsulated and MICR toners comprised of a core of a polymer and pigment like magnetite and thereover a shell are known. Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,268 are xerographic toners for MICR printing; U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,598 discloses a magnetic toner for the printing of machine legends; also known are magnetic encapsulated toners wherein there are selected magnetic materials, such as BAYFERROX.TM. or MAPICO BLACK.RTM. magnetites; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,627,682; 4,439,510; 4,536,462 and 4,581,312, the disclosures of each of the aforementioned patents being totally incorporated herein by reference. The magnetic toners of the aforementioned prior art patents comprise magnetites of a diameter in the range of from 0.2 to 0.5 micron, and of high remanence, such as from about 10 to about 20 gauss, useful for magnetically detectable images with reader sorters, such as the IBM 3890.TM. sorter reader. However, these toners are not effectively suitable for images nondetectable by sorter or reader devices. Additionally, in many instances these toners possess high gloss, as indicated herein, and a smooth developed copy finish rather than a matte or bumpy finish as is the situation with the toners of the present invention. Moreover, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,607 there is disclosed a magnetic toner composition and process thereof, note for example column 3, lines 64 to line 67, wherein the magnetic material has a specific area of 10 m.sup.2 /gram or less and a specific surface area of diameter of 0.1 to 2 microns. Additionally, in column 8, Example 1, through column 12, Example 12, there is disclosed a magnetite, such as EPT-1000, which has a specific surface area diameter of 0.4 micron, and the use of other magnetites of 0.2 to 1.65 microns in specific surface area diameter. Additionally, note column 12, claim 1 (a) wherein the magnetic material is of 0.1 to 2 microns in diameter. These toners do not exhibit, it is believed, low gloss when utilized in ionographic technology, such as illustrated in Comparative Example II that follows, wherein EPT-1000.RTM. magnetite (produced by Dowa Iron Powder Company)is utilized. Additionally, low remanence is not obtained, it is believed, with the use of the magnetic materials, such as EPT-1000.RTM. of the aforementioned '607 patent. Similarly, EPT-1000.RTM. magnetites are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,520,091; 4,576,890; 4,599,289; 4,601,968; 4,610,945; 4,642,281; 4,784,930; 4,803,144 and U.K. Patent Publications 2,137,636A and 2,135,469A. The encapsulated toners of this invention comprise large particle sizes of both magnetites and light scattering components of from about 2 microns to about 6 microns in diameter to achieve bumpy image surfaces resulting in low gloss. Additionally, low remanence is obtained with the use of larger particle size magnetites of from about 2 to about 6 microns in diameter.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,825, there is disclosed a porous electrographic toner, and in column 6, Example 1, through Example 13 of column 15, magnetic materials such as iron oxides of average particle size of from 0.2 to about 2 microns are utilized. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,169, there is disclosed a microcapsule magnetic toner, and in column 5, Example 1, through column 11, Example 24, granular and acicular magnetites of particle size of 0.2 to 0.4 are illustrated. In U.K. Patent 1,431,699, there is disclosed a pressure fixable magnetic toner, and particularly note column 8, line 106, wherein the magnetic or magnetizable components should be finely divided, preferably submicron, and note column 8, line 112, wherein the particle sizes are of between 0.1 and 1 micron. Moreover, it is known in the art that by "fine powder" it is meant that the particles are submicron and preferably less than 1 micron. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,698, discloses magnetic toners, and in column 12, lines 12 to 15, fine powdery magnetites are utilized of from 0.1 to 1 micron in diameter, and similarly U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,885, column 3, line 32, discloses the use of magnetites of fine powder. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,168, discloses magnetic encapsulated toner, and note column 7, line 1 to line 10, wherein magnetic materials of less than 2 microns are utilized. Pressure fixable encapsulated magnetic toners are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,924, note column 15, line 58, through column 16, line 5, wherein magnetites with average particle sizes of 0.1 to 1 micron are utilized such as in column 16, line 40, of Example 1, wherein iron oxide BL-100.RTM. produced by Titanium Kogyo Company is utilized. Other magnetic iron oxide materials such as MAPICO BLACK.RTM. produced by Columbian Chemicals, NP604.RTM. and NP604.RTM. (Northern Pigments), MO8029.RTM. and MO8060.RTM. (Mobay), CB4799.RTM., CB5300.RTM., CB5600.RTM., MCX636.RTM. (Pfizer), TMB-100.RTM. or TMB-104.RTM. (Magnox) are of fine powdery size of 0.1 to about 1 micron in diameter, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,043,240; 5,045,428; 5,080,986; 5,045,422; and European Patent 276147 A. The aforementioned prior art does not, it is believed, utilize a large particle size magnetite of about 2 to about 6 microns, light scattering components of from about 2 microns to about 6 microns in diameter, such as used in the present invention, and is necessary to achieve bumpy image surfaces resulting in low gloss. Additionally, low remanence is obtained with the use of large particle size magnetites, such as in the present invention, of from about 2 to about 6 microns in diameter, and which toners can be selected for security document applications, wherein part of the document is imaged by a low remanence toner, is not detected by MICR devices such as the IBM 890.TM. or NCR 6780.TM. reader sorters.
There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,344 a magnetic toner with inorganic materials such as alumina, titanium dioxide and like, see column 4, lines 33 to 36, wherein these inorganic materials are on the toner surface and attached by blending, and note column 5, line 3 to line 15, wherein the function of the inorganic material is used to increase the mechanical strength of the toner. Moreover, in the aforementioned '344 patent, note column 4, lines 37 to 69, wherein the inorganic materials are of fine particle size and of specific surface area of 50 to 400 m.sup.2 /gram (less than 1 micron in diameter). Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,754, discloses magnetic toners with metal oxides on the toner surface as flowability and electric charging purpose, and note column 5, lines 55 to 57, wherein the diameter of the metal oxide is of not larger than 1 micron, and note claim 4 wherein said particles of metallic oxide may comprise primary particles having a mean size of not more than 1 micron. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,162, discloses magnetic toners wherein tin oxide is utilized on the toner surface for increasing the toner's conductivity, and note column 2, lines 59 to 64, wherein the tin oxide preferably has an average size of not more than 0.3 micron.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,370 are toners with a core comprised of a polymer resin, colorants, such as pigment or dye, and thereover an inner shell comprised of a polyurea, a polyurethane, a polyether, a polyamide, or a polyester, and thereover an outer shell coating comprised of a cellulose polymer, such as methyl cellulose, a mixture of methyl cellulose and methyl ethyl cellulose, available as TYLOSE.RTM. from Fluka Biochemical Company, and the like. The aforementioned inner and outer shells are believed to yield low gloss or matte finish prints of from about one gloss unit to about 14 gloss units, especially when reprographic technologies employing VITON.RTM. fusers are utilized. However these toners are not, it is believed, magnetic and cannot be effectively utilized in reprographic technologies, such as ionography, wherein cold pressure fixing devices are employed. Additionally, in the patent there is selected an inner and outer shell to alleviate gloss. The toners of this invention utilize large particle size and low remanence magnetites as well as deglosser to alleviate gloss in cold pressure fixing devices with little or no heat.
Many of the prior art encapsulated toner compositions, particularly colored toner compositions, suffer from a number of deficiencies as indicated herein. For example, these toners do not possess, it is believed, desirable low gloss of from less than about 25 gloss units and more preferably less than 15 gloss units or a matte finish in reprography utilizing cold pressure fixing devices. Further, many of the prior art encapsulated toners do not display fusing properties such as being able to be fused at a reasonably low temperature of, for example, less than 60.degree. C. Also, many of the prior art encapsulated toners are not magnetic and cannot be utilized in reprographic single component technology, such as ionography. Also, low fixing properties, such as less than 70 percent fix level as measured by the tape fix method, are obtained with several of the prior art conventional toners. These and other disadvantages are eliminated or substantially eliminated with the processes and toner compositions of the present invention.
There is a need for toners which display low gloss values and are preferably of a matte finish, especially with black or highlight color reprographic systems employing cold pressure fixing device. Additionally, there is a need for color toners with low minimum fusing temperatures, wide fusing latitude, of fine particle size, of nonblocking tendencies, and of low remanence. These and other needs are accomplished with the encapsulated toners and processes thereof of the present invention. Specifically, with the toners of the present invention in embodiments, low gloss images of matte finish are attainable with reprographic technologies employing cold pressure fixing devices. Also, in embodiments the magnetic toners of this invention are of low remanence and cannot be detected by MICR devices. Also, the toners of the present invention possess excellent fixing properties, and do not block or agglomerate over an extended period of time, for example up to six months, in embodiments.


An additive is introduced into a fluid system and dissolved in a carrier fluid which is immiscible or slightly miscible in the fluid system, wherein the carrier fluid is subsequently removed from the fluid system. This method can be used to detect leaks, wherein an on-off UV light source, such as xenon light, can be used to detect the leak visually.

The present invention is related to a method of introducing an additive into a fluid system, as well as to a method for detecting leaks and an apparatus and composition useful for leak detection.
Daylight visible and ultraviolet fluorescent dyes have been used to detect leaks in refrigeration systems utilizing fluorocarbon refrigerants and refrigerant oils. Typically, these dyes are introduced into the refrigeration system, and at the site of the leak, the leaking refrigerant, oil and dye are detected under normal or UV light.
More specifically, a leak-detecting trace fluid, which is generally a fluorescence (powdered) dye material dissolved in an oil or petroleum fraction carrier, is introduced into the refrigeration system. The fluorescent dye material is carried throughout the system, and at the location of a leak, the refrigerant, oil, and fluorescent dye material leak into the atmosphere. The refrigerant is subsequently vaporized, leaving an oil residue containing the fluorescent dye material. Application of a UV light to this area results in the illumination of the oil/fluorescent dye material.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,915,965 discloses a leak detector method for a compression refrigeration system. Daylight visible compounds, such as methyl violet, crystal violet, auramine B, rhodamine E, etc. are introduced into such systems as leak detectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,412 discloses a UV fluorescent dye composition comprising water, a nonionic surfactant, a 1.0 wt. % sodium fluorescein and a semi-synthetic thickening agent. This fluorescent dye composition is sprayed on the external surfaces of a system where the bubbles formed by the leak fluoresce under UV light.
Other prior art examples include U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,120, which discloses anthraquinone blue dyes for use as visual leak detectors of refrigerants, refrigerant oils, and mixtures thereof; U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,366, which discloses a UV fluorescent dye composition comprising a polyhalogenated hydrocarbon refrigerant, a refrigeration oil, or a mixture thereof, with a fluorescent dye; U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,453, which discloses a UV fluorescent dye composition comprising an effective amount of a fluorescent, alkyl substituted perylene dye combined with a refrigerant oil and a polyhalogenated hydrocarbon refrigerant; U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,782, which discloses a UV fluorescent dye composition comprising an optical brightener mixed with either mineral oil, polyalkylene glycol or polyol ester refrigeration lubricant; U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,140, which discloses a method of introducing a fluorescent dye solution into a system with an atomizing mist infuser, wherein four different formulas for the fluorescent dye solution are disclosed, wherein the dye solution is a fluorescent dye mixed with an appropriate refrigerant oil; WO 92/07249, which discloses a method and a sensor system for detecting hydrocarbon-containing fluids by fluorescent detection, wherein additives used in hydrocarbon-based fluids, such as gasoline, heating oils and motor oils, can fluoresce, and can be used to detect and locate the source of ground water contamination from gasoline and oil storage tanks using a fluorescent sensor which detects the presence of fluorescing materials such as Coumarin 153.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,919, discloses a method of introducing a UV fluorescent dye additive into a closed refrigeration system by placing the fluorescent dye on a swatch of material installed in a desiccant bag which is placed in a dehydrator or filter (i.e. filter-dryer) of the refrigeration system. The swatch is capable of releasing as well as adsorbing the dye. The refrigerant and system lubricant flow through the dehydrator and are then mixed with the fluorescent dye, thereby allowing the fluorescent dye to be carried throughout the system. Although this system allows the introduction of the fluorescent dye into the system without requiring the use of a carrier oil, it also requires that the dehydrator or filter-dryer of the system be changed in order to introduce the dye into the system.
Generally speaking, the standard industry method of introducing daylight visible or fluorescent dyes into a refrigerant oil, has been to dissolve the dye in the refrigeration oil and to introduce this mixture into the system. There are however currently several different types of oils that are used in refrigeration systems. For example, polyalkylene glycol (PAG), polyol ester (POE), alkylbenzene (AB) and mineral oils are all used in current systems and some of these oils (or their additives) are incompatible with one another in concentrations as low as 1%. This means that a service technician must carry an inventory of all different types of fluorescent dye mixtures, i.e. one for each oil type.
An even greater problem with the conventional approach is that the technician must first determine which type of oil is used in the system which is being checked for leaks, as often, the technician is called upon to repair a leak in a system which has not been previously serviced and in which the oil used is unknown. This presents a significant problem. We have recognized that a more universal fluorescent leak check solution which is compatible with all potential lubricants and delivery method is needed to simplify leak detection in refrigeration systems.
The type of daylight visible or fluorescent material used for leak detection is also critical because the additives used in oils can interact with the material or the material could directly and negatively affect the properties of the oil or refrigerant. Although the quantity of material used for fluorescent leak detection is generally small, on the order of a few percent by weight of oil or less, a material can adversely affect the properties or performance of the oil or refrigerant to which it is added. In addition, conventional fluorescent materials have not always maximized visible light emission from UV excitation with respect to the amount of fluorescent material added.
Another drawback to current leak detection techniques is that conventional fluorescence leak detectors have used a very bright mercury vapor lamp with a UV filter. Commercial UV fluorescent leak detection devices also use halogen light sources. Other suitable UV light sources are disclosed Skoog, et al., Principles of Instrumental Analysis, Saunders College, 1980, Figure 5-2, p. 116, which lists components and materials for spectroscopic instruments and lists several light sources, including a xenon lamp, as a source of visible light.
Flashing UV light has been used for various applications in the past. Typically these applications use excited xenon in a light tube to provide continuous light or to provide UV energy for chemical curing reactions, such as in dental reconstruction. Up until our present invention, however, flashing UV light has not been recognized as beneficial for leak detection.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,254 discloses a UV light used on medical patients to radiate the skin. The UV electrical light circuit, which is not battery operated, counts pulse flashes in order to automatically shut off and avoid over-exposure as a safety measure; U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,335 discloses a rapid pulse UV light apparatus in which a UV light source is fed as a high frequency pulse into a high pressure (3 atmosphere) xenon light tube to cure epoxy resin tooth caps; U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,275 discloses a high efficiency pulse light source as a xenon light source to excite lasers; U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,552 discloses a vacuum UV light source which provides a high output UV light source using low pressure hydrogen or deuterium in a hollow tube at wave lengths below 180 mm; U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,658 discloses a dental xenon light apparatus which supplies UV and visible light and is used to cure tooth restoration materials by focusing the light on a small area of a tooth; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,634 discloses a pulsed light source using a pulsed xenon light tube coupled with a phosphorus coating which emits different colors of visible light as a navigational aid.
Industries in which leak detection is important have not recognized that leaks can be detected by administering a fluorescing material to any system using a carrier fluid injected at any pressure, regardless of oil type, and detected using a UV lamp. Moreover, we are not aware that anyone prior to our invention recognized that a visible dye can be used in addition to a UV fluorescing material to further facilitate visualization and location of leaks. Our recognitions provide a much simplified and advantageous method of leak detection.
An object of the present invention, is to provide a more effective method of introducing an additive into a system to avoid the need for a system specific carrier oil and the time consuming process of replacing the filter to introduce the additive.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of introducing an additive into a system which will not degrade the performance of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of introducing conventional fluorescent or daylight visible dyes or mixtures thereof into a fluid system for leak detection.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of introducing a conventional material with heretofore unrecognized UV-fluorescing properties into a refrigeration oil or lubrication system using a carrier solvent, in which the solvent is later separated from the oil or lubricant after use as a carrier.
The materials having fluorescence properties in accordance with the present invention are usually solid at room temperature, and are selected from a group of commercially available compounds, some of which are already used in the oil manufacturing industry as additives to promote the performance characteristics of oil. Many of these fluorescent materials are also soluble in lubricants and oils, whether the oil is petroleum-derived (mineral) or synthetic but up until now their ability to fluoresce has not been appreciated.
A yet further object of the present invention is to select a carrier solvent which will evaporate from the compressor oil, so that it can be removed by adsorption with a filter-dryer of a refrigeration system. The solvent should generally be immiscible or slightly miscible in the refrigeration system oil or lubricant, so that it can be removed from the system by adsorption using appropriately sized filter-dryers containing an adsorbent which adsorbs the solvent similar to those used in conventional refrigeration system design. The solvent should also be compatible with the lubricants and refrigerants currently used by the HVAC industry. A carrier solvent for the additive is removed after being used as a carrier in accordance with the present invention and thus greatly reduces concerns of both material and refrigerant incompatibility of the carrier solvent with the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide daylight visible or fluorescent additives which are soluble in both the solvent carrier as well as the various types of refrigerant oils, i.e. synthetic or petroleum-derived. Solubility is desirable for at least two reasons. First, the additive is dissolved in the solvent alone for delivery into the refrigeration or air conditioning system. If the additive were insoluble in the solvent, the additive could precipitate or form a residue. As a result, inadequate amounts of additive would be delivered into the system or insoluble residues could clog key system components, such as the expansion device, and cause operational problems. Second, once adequate amounts of the additive are delivered into the system, the additive must be soluble in the specific refrigerant lubricant used in the system, allowing the additive to travel with the lubricant throughout the system to the location of the leak. The refrigerant/lubricant/additive mixture then leaks into the atmosphere at the site of the leak, leaving a lubricant/additive residue at the site which can be detected by visible light or by application of UV light to the area.
Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to overcome the problems and disadvantages of conventional leak detecting light sources, which include power consumption and poor detection capabilities, by providing a high-efficiency xenon flashing light source. We have found that the advantage in using a flashing light instead of, for example, a continuous light source, is that it makes the fluorescing material more noticeable. That is, the flashing light provides the operator with a continuous comparison between a leaking region with fluorescence and the same region with normal ambient light, thereby making the fluorescing material appear to flash and easier to detect.
Normally, xenon lights inherently flash at a frequency so that the light is easily perceptible as continuous to the human eye. According to the present invention, however, the light has an adjustable on-off duty cycle, wherein the light may be off for 0.5 seconds or more. As a result of the longer off-time, such units use significantly less power and make battery powered units practical.
These objects have been achieved in accordance with the present invention by a method in which an additive is introduced with a carrier fluid into a refrigeration system to detect system leaks.
An advantage of the present invention is that it can also use known fluorescent dye materials. Instead of dissolving the material in an oil or petroleum-based carrier which has to be compatible with the oil used in the system, however, our invention is based on the recognition that the fluorescent material can be of a type which is dissolvable in a solvent carrier which does not remain in the system. The fluorescent materials and solvents of the present invention are, to great advantage, universally soluble and, at the same time, fluorescent in petroleum-based and synthetic oils and lubricants.
According to a currently preferred embodiment, the carrier fluid is a non-oil carrier, such as an alcohol. When the carrier is an oil or lubricant, as used in the past, additives such as fluorescing materials, which may or may not have performance enhancing properties, can have very low solubility. In contrast thereto, alcohol generally has a high solubility for such fluorescing materials of the present invention, and therefore, will dissolve the additive with a comparatively smaller volume as compared to the volume of oil or lubricant which might be necessary to dissolve the same quantity of additive.
The present invention also advantageously uses additives with natural fluorescent characteristics which are not damaging to the performance of the oil, lubricant or refrigerant. Moreover, with the use of our invention and its general principles, the incorporation of certain additives into the system actually benefits the performance, wear, stability, and/or life of the oil or lubricant when the additive has anti-wear, anti-oxidant, viscosity improving, and/or dispersing properties.
According to the present invention, the extent to which the additives are used is essentially only limited by the solubility of the additive in the system fluid. The concentration of additive should, generally speaking, be limited to an amount below which precipitation occurs, because precipitation of the additive may be detrimental to the fluid system and performance.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is the use of mixtures of fluorescent materials and daylight visible dyes which, when used together, provide enhanced visual detection of the leakage and/or alter the fluorescent color of the fluorescent material to enhance detection of the mixture.
In accordance with the present invention, a method is utilizable by which an additive and a solvent carrier can be introduced into a refrigerant system, regardless of the system pressure and temperature or whether the system is or is not open to the environment. The solvent carrier can then be removed from the system by adsorption in a filter normally present in the system, leaving only the dissolved additive in the system oil or lubricant.
In summary, we have discovered, among other things, that the carrier solvent should have the following properties to obtain the benefits of our invention:
1. The solvent must be capable of dissolving the additive; PA1 2. The solvent should ideally, but need not, be immiscible in all possible lubricants so that the solvent does not dissolve in the lubricant and become difficult to remove or reduce the lubrication properties of the lubricant; PA1 3. The solvent should be compatible with all materials and fluids in the system; and PA1 4. The solvent should be rapidly adsorbed by the molecular sieve, activated alumina, and/or carbon filter-dryers used in typical refrigeration systems so that the solvent can be removed from the system thereby leaving only the additive dissolved in the lubricant.
Xenon tubes used as a light source according to the present invention, advantageously produce a full spectrum of light very efficiently, without the generation of significant heat. This light can then be filtered to remove the visible and IR frequencies, leaving only the ultraviolet spectrum. The result is an intermittent, intense light of long wave ultraviolet black light or UV-A, typically in the 180 nm to 390 nm wavelength range of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Generally, the light sources for detecting fluorescing materials require a filter to filter-out visible light. Without a filter, the illumination of the fluorescing material is much less noticeable. Typically, the filter is a glass filter because the conventional continuous light source generates sufficient heat to damage inexpensive filters. According to the present invention, however, the xenon filter cooling effect advantageously results from a duty cycle in which there is a relatively slow on/off frequency.
Xenon light sources are generally in the form of xenon arc lamps, which burn continuously, or xenon flash tubes which are typically flashed at very high frequencies to approximate (i.e., appear to the naked eye as) a continuous light source. However, the present invention employs a xenon light which is turned on at a low frequency, with a very pronounced on and off cycle. Such xenon flashing lights generate significantly less heat and thus avoid potential safety concerns, reduce fabrication costs, and allow for the use of inexpensive plastic or glass lenses or the application of a UV filter material directly on the xenon bulb. Their utilization in leak detection of the type involved herein provides advantages not heretofore recognized.
Instead of using a continuous beam of UV light, it was found that, by introducing an intermittent (on/off duty cycle) UV light, the UV sensitive fluorescing material is more noticeable. The on/off UV light source allows a repeated comparison between the fluorescing leak indicator and the background, much like a flashing warning light is more noticeable to a driver at night. We also found that an adjustable flashing frequency allows the user to adjust the frequency to suit the user according to ambient light conditions. The intermittent light also advantageously consumes significantly less power, making possible the use of light-weight, low-cost, portable, battery-powered units.

Method of introducing an additive into a fluid system, especially useful for leak detection, as well as an apparatus for leak detection and a composition useful for leak detection


The application discloses a system and method for playback of audio signals though a large variety of headphone devices. To optimize playback, the specific headphone device is identified so the proper amplifier gain and equalization settings can be applied. Such identification is determined by measuring the headphone impedance as a function of frequency, and comparing the impedance data with data of know devices in a database. Once a match is found, the appropriate audio gain and equalization settings can be applied.

Users of mobile electronic devices such as cell phones, MP3 players, and lap top computers often utilize a number of different headphone type devices for listening to the audio output of their electronic devices. For example, a user may have a headset/microphone combination for use with voice communication or conferencing in the workplace. The same user may have stereo headphones for music listening, and perhaps "ear bud" devices for use while exercising.
The use of all these different headphone type listening devices with a single portable electronic device can have compatibility issues. Firstly, the sensitivity varies considerably from manufacturer to manufacturer and product type to product type. The sensitivity is the measure of the amount of voltage (or power) needed to produce a given sound pressure level (SPL) in the user's ear. Swapping a high sensitivity headphone device subsequent to the use of a low sensitivity device may cause pain and ear damage due to the high SPL produced at the volume setting previously used with the low sensitivity device. Secondly, the impedance of various headphone listening devices can vary almost three orders of magnitude, from about 10 ohms to nearly 1000 ohms. This impedance variation can require different amplifier gain settings for optimum operation. Thirdly, headphone devices may require customized frequency equalization (EQ) for the best sound performance. Equalization is the process in which the frequency response of the headphone device is altered to better suit the listening requirements of the user. Preset tonal settings (e.g. "rock", "jazz", etc.) are often used.
Attempts have been made to have an electronic device try to determine the type of headphone that is being used. These attempts often involve a making a simple DC resistance measurement of the headphone. Unfortunately, this type of measurement is inadequate to distinguish accurately between the large number of headphone devices and their sensitivity or equalization requirements.
These and other limitations of the prior art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the following descriptions and a study of the several figures of the drawing.

System and method for optimized playback of audio signals through headphones


A motor vehicle includes a spoiler articulable between a stored position substantially flush with the body of the vehicle and a deployed position vertically spaced from the body of the vehicle. The aerodynamic member is interconnected to the body through first and second stanchions. The stanchions are oriented substantially vertical when the aerodynamic members in the deployed position and horizontal when the aerodynamic member is in the stored position. A drive arrangement moves the aerodynamic member between its stored position and its deployed position.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally pertains to motor vehicles. More particular, the present invention pertains to an arrangement for reducing lift and drag of a motor vehicle. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular embodiment and/or use which is shown and described for pruposes of illustration, the present invention relates a spoiler for a motor vehicle which is articulable between a stored position and a deployed position.
2. Discussion
It is an ongoing goal of motor vehicle designers and engineers to reduce the aerodynamic drag over the vehicle and lift on the rear axle. Reducing aerodynamic drag and lift has the effect of increasing fuel efficiency or increasing speed for a given horsepower. The reduction of aerodynamic drag also improves handling characteristics of the motor vehicle. Even small improvements in fuel efficiency can reduce operating costs significantly.
Considerable effort has been initiated towards the incorporation of spoilers or air deflectors on motor vehicles for reducing aerodynamic drag and lift. As a result, widespread use of air deflectors for various vehicles has been previously contemplated. However, it is well known that the air deflectors are not required, and in fact are effectively non-functional, when the vehicle is stopped or the air deflector for particular vehicles may not always be desired. The need for reduced lift and drag of a motor vehicle exists in the form of a practical device which is retractable and does not substantially detract from the overall appearance of a vehicle.

Motor vehicle including a deployable spoiler


A pharmaceutical composition comprising a semifluorinated alkane of formula (I): F(CF2)n(CH2)mH, wherein n is an integer from 4 to 6, and m is an integer from 5 to 8, for use in the treatment or prevention of a disease or condition relating to an ocular surface of an eye of an individual, wherein the individual is a contact lens wearer, and wherein the contact lens is a hydro gel contact lens and the composition is administered topically to a surface of the eye of the individual before the contact lens is inserted to the eye of the individual and/or during contact lens wear and/or after the contact lens has been removed from the eye of the individual, or wherein the contact lens is a silicone hydrogel contact lens and the composition is administered topically to a surface of the eye of the individual after the contact lens has been removed from the eye of the individual.

The use of contact lenses becomes more and more popular as an alternative for wearing spectacles for various reasons. In many cases, contact lenses provide for a better correction of the vision as well as functional advantages especially for sports and outdoor activities. Furthermore, contact lenses are preferred over spectacles for aesthetic considerations by many users. Recently, soft contact lenses have become inexpensive and readily available, allowing for higher comfort of use and varying periods of utilization and wear, from as short as one day up to a couple of days. In particular, disposable contact lenses for single use have become standard today.
One of the widespread complications associated with wearing contact lenses, however, is the dryness of the eye during and especially as a result of prolonged wearing of contact lenses. The use of aqueous artificial tears to provide some relief to the sensation of dryness in many cases is insufficient as it does not result in the formation of a stable, long lasting relief of dryness.
WO 2011/073134 A1 discloses pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye disease) comprising liquid vehicles which include one or more semifluorinated alkanes. The compositions incorporate an active ingredient selected from the of macrolide immunosuppressants and can be administered topically into the eye. Contact lens wearing is described among the risk factors to develop keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
WO2014/041055 A1 refers to compositions comprising at least two or more semifluorinated alkanes. The compositions can be used as medicines that are topically administered to an eye or ophthalmic tissue, such as for use in the treatment of keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye disease) and/or meibomian gland dysfunction and symptoms associated therewith. As non-pharmacological approaches for the treatment of keratoconjunctivitis sicca, the avoidance of exacerbating factors such as dry air, wind and drafts, tobacco smoke, modification of working habits; eye lid hygiene; tear supplementation; physical tear retention by punctal plugs or therapeutic contact lenses are mentioned.
WO 2017/055453 A1 refers to ophthalmic compositions comprising semifluorinated compounds characterized by the general formula CF3—(CF2)n—CH(CH3)—(CH2)m—CH3 wherein n is an integer selected from 3 to 5 and m is an integer selected from 1 to 5, as well as the use of the composition as a medicament for topical administration to the eye. Among other studies, the document describes tear film analysis studies in dry eye disease from which patients wearing contact lenses were excluded.
Furthermore, WO 2017/055454 A1 refers to compositions comprising CF3(CF2)5(CH2)7CH3 and CF3—(CF2)5—CH(CH3)—(CH2)5—CH3 as well as their use as medicaments for topical administration to the eye. In this case, tear film analysis studies from which patients wearing contact lenses were excluded are also described.
WO 2005/123035 A1 discloses hydrophobic ophthalmic compositions adapted for use in a patient's eye or on a contact lens inserted into a patient's eye and having a viscosity of 1 to 15,000 centistokes. The composition includes a silicone polymer, fluorinated silicone polymer, fluorocarbon polymer fluorinated alcohol, or perfluorinated polyether composition, singly or blended, adapted to coat at least a portion of a contact lens inserted in a patient's eye.
Martin-Montanez et. al. (Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2015; 38(3):148-51) refer to end-of-day dryness (EOD dryness), as a symptom of preferentially soft contact lens wearers with multifactorial etiology with a prevalence of 28-72%, with a substantial number of contact lens wearers showing no clinical signs.
WO 2007/008666 A2 describes a method of improving a patient's vision comprising providing a composition comprising at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of silicones, fluorinated silicones, perfluorocarbons, fluorinated alcohols, and fluorinated polyethers; and applying the composition to at least one surface of a contact lens for insertion into the patient's eye.
Accordingly, for contact lens wearers, especially those wearing contact lenses on a regular and/or prolonged basis, no satisfactory relief for the treatment or prevention of undesirable implications relating to an ocular surface of an eye, such as, for example, discomfort, dryness or pain during or especially after wearing the contact lenses presently is available.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide compositions which may avoid some of the disadvantages of the prior art, and which may be useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases or conditions relating to an ocular surface of an eye of an individual, wherein the individual is a contact lens wearer. Further objects of the invention will be clear on the basis of the following description of the invention, examples and claims.
Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide compositions that are suitable to treat, ameliorate, reduce dryness of the eye or diseases or conditions associated therewith as a result of soft contact lens wear.
Further objects of the invention will become clear on the basis of the following description, examples, and patent claims.

Pharmaceutical compositions comprising semifluorinated alkanes for the treatment of contact lense-related conditions