An injection molding machine with a vertically operating clamp mechanism is provided with a pair of locking devices on the upper movable platen to lock the locking rods for high tonnage clamping forces. Each locking device uses spring biased actuating rods to simultaneously lock two locking rods to the movable platen in an always xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d arrangement. A power on actuator is provided to release the locking device for raising and lowering the movable platen. A vertical ladder frame is provided for guiding the movable platen when it is raised or lowered. Additionally, a lift mechanism is provided for a rotary table carrying the lower mold halves.

This invention relates generally to injection molding machines and more particularly to injection molding machines having vertically oriented clamp systems.
xe2x80x9cVerticalxe2x80x9d injection molding machines consist of an injection unit mounted either with a horizontal or vertical orientation and a clamp system oriented vertically to hold the two mold halves together under force sufficient to resist the pressure exerted by the molten plastic. Orientation of the clamp system vertically allows for operational ease as compared with horizontal clamp systems for certain applications including, but not limited to, insert molding and cable connectors.
The clamp systems commercially used in today""s vertical injection molding machine generally comprise either a three platen (or plate) or xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d-frame systems.
Tie bar type machines typically use three main plates conventionally known as a stationary platen, an end platen, and a movable platen. In these designs, the stationary platen mounts the stationary mold half and the movable platen mounts the movable mold half. The end platen is used to mount the traverse actuators and the tonnage actuators. In a straight hydraulic clamp, the end platen houses the tonnage cylinder. In a toggle clamp, the end platen mounts the tonnage cylinder and the toggle linkage mechanism employed as a force multiplier. In either system, the end platen is used to react the forces when tonnage is developed to hold the two mold halves together. This is a general description of tie-bar or tie rod type machines present in the commercial marketplace. Within the patent literature, a number of variations are present.
In C-frame machines there are no tie bars and a large frame acts as both the stationary platen and the end platen. The stationary half of the mold mounts to the lower C-frame and the movable mold half mounts to the movable platen. The movable platen is again driven by actuators mounted on the upper C-frame and may be either straight hydraulic or incorporate a toggle linkage to develop tonnage. In either system, the C-frame upper and lower halves act to react against the force generated during tonnage application. This is a general description of C-frames in the commercial marketplace today. Within the patent literature, variations probably exist.
The overall height of the conventional vertical machines is therefore higher than what is otherwise required because of the presence of the end plate or the top leg of the xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d-frame. It is to be appreciated that, because the stationary platen of a vertical injection machine is mounted to ground, vertical molding machines are inherently suited to large, heavy mold applications requiring high mold tonnage. Conventional, large vertical machines thus require massive mold frames which raise height clearance concerns. In contrast, horizontal machines have length concerns but such concerns can be addressed, in most instances, by plant layout techniques.
More recently, the injection molding machine industry has begun commercializing two-platen mold clamping systems which have reduced the length of horizontal machines. Reference can be had to assignee""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,516 to Armbruster et al., issued Jul. 7, 1998, for an example of a two-platen mold assembly.
In the patent literature, reference can be had to U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,171 to Hayakawa et al., issued Aug. 16, 1994, for a description of a number of mold clamp systems, including a two-platen system for a vertical machine. The two-platen mold systems under discussion are characterized by high tonnage, hydraulic piston-cylinder units with small piston travel displacing little hydraulic fluid because a smaller driving cylinder, pneumatic or hydraulic, is used to move the mold halves into and out of molding engagement. The movable platen moves into and out of molding engagement and is maintained in molding engagement under high tonnage by tie rods or by bushings for guide bars and the like. For the horizontal machine, this mounting/guiding arrangement is acceptable because the weight of the platen can be supported by rollers (indirectly in contact with ground) which can also assure alignment. For the vertical machine, the guide bars must closely control and guide the movable platen to assure consistently repeatable cycles necessary for the mold guide pins to properly align the mold halves. Bushings wear and require constant maintenance to assure lubrication of clean surfaces.
Additionally, the high tonnage lock rods must be positively locked for clamp tonnage and unlocked. Also, there are safety requirements that require the mold position to be locked in event of power failure, emergency stop, intrusion into the clamp zone, etc. The requirements are especially pertinent for vertical injection molding machines because they require that the movable platen be prevented from dropping vertically. Typically, the safety requirements for a positional lock are met by a locking rod which is usually located out of the center of acting forces. In the case of an emergency lock, a conventional locking rod could create significant damage to the system because of disproportional distribution of inertia forces. In one of the inventors"" earlier patents, U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,606, issued Jul. 30, 1991, a fail safe locking arrangement is disclosed which overcomes many of the problems present in conventional locking arrangements. This invention improves on the locking arrangement disclosed in the ""606 patent which is incorporated herein by reference.
A particular advantage that vertical injection molding machines possess is the ability for the machines to be equipped with a rotating table overlying the stationary platen. The table is equipped with a plurality of stationary mold halves that are rotated by the table through successive work stations to reduce the overall process time. For example, after molding, the stationary mold half with the molded part is rotated to an ejector station where ejector pins dislodge the molded part from the mold cavity. The transfer to an ejection station while another mold half is simultaneously rotated into a molding relationship with the movable platen, reduces the cycle time otherwise required in a horizontal machine to eject the part, or alternatively, employ complicated mold transfer mechanisms to shuttle mold halves into and out of the clamp. Other stations on the rotating table may be dedicated to robotic part removal, insert placing, etc.
Typically, the table is rotated in sliding contact with the stationary platen and the station position is determined by limit or proximity switches. The sliding table motion requires lubrication and maintenance and also limits the mold weight of a machine otherwise inherently suited for executing large clamping forces.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved vertical type injection molding machine which addresses the concerns discussed in the Background.
This general object along with other features of the invention is achieved in a vertical injection molding machine which includes a lower stationary platen upon which a lower mold half is mounted and an upper vertically movable platen on the bottom side of which is mounted an upper mold half in confronting relation to the lower mold half. An advance mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the movable platen relative to the stationary platen and the machine has an injection unit for injecting molding material into one of the mold halves when the mold halves have been moved into a molding relationship. A plurality of vertically extending locking rods positioned to straddle the mold halves is provided with each locking rod being attached at one end thereof to the stationary platen (for example, by being connected to a high tonnage clamp piston of a cylinder mounted to the stationary platen). Each locking rod extends through a locking rod opening in the movable platen and has a plurality of longitudinally spaced annular grooves extending over a rod length adjacent the opposite locking rod end (i.e., the top end) to a position which is at least adjacent to the movable platen. A locking device is provided on the top side of the upper movable platen for locking the upper movable platen at any set distance from the stationary lower platen.
The locking device includes a caliper for each locking rod having inboard and outboard caliper halves with each caliper half having a generally semi-circular, radially inward protruding lock ring adapted to fit within a locking groove when the inboard and outboard caliper halves are moved together to form a generally circular locking ring. The locking device further includes first and second actuating rods. The first rod is secured to the inboard caliper half of a first caliper at one end of the rod and to the outboard caliper half of the second caliper at the opposite end of the first rod. Similarly, the second actuating rod is secured to the outboard caliper half of the second caliper at one end of the second rod and to the inboard caliper half of the first caliper at its opposite end. The locking device also includes a piston rod connector plate and a cylinder connector plate. The piston rod plate is secured to the first actuating rod at a first distance between the ends of the rod and through which the first actuating rod extends and, in addition, has a first opening for slidably receiving the second actuating rod. Similarly, the cylinder connector plate is fixed to the second actuating rod at a second distance between the ends of the second actuating rod and through which the rod extends and also has an opening for slidably receiving the first actuating rod. A compression spring is situated between the piston rod connector plate and the cylinder connector plate to simultaneously bias both inboard and outboard caliper halves of both first and second calipers to a closed position while an opening mechanism also attached to the piston rod connector plate and the cylinder connector plate is provided for drawing the connector plates towards one another to simultaneously open both inboard and outboard caliper halves of both first and second calipers. Thus, the locking mechanism provides an always on, spring biased locking device simultaneously locking two calipers and their associated locking rods to meet safety concerns while a power-on arrangement is utilized to disable the locking device for raising and lowering the upper movable platen at the completion and commencement of successive molding cycles.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention related to the locking device, the movable platen is generally rectangular in configuration having longitudinally extending sides and short sides with a locking device adjacent a long side on the top surface of the movable platen so that the machine has two locking devices and the first and second calipers of each locking device assembly are positioned at opposite corners of a long side so that each machine has four locking rods. The opening mechanism includes a piston movable within a cylinder housing mounted to the cylinder connector plate and the piston has a piston rod extending therefrom mounted to the piston rod connector plate. Additionally, the cylinder housing has a cylinder stop rod protruding in an opposite direction from the piston rod. A piston rod mounting block is provided which is secured to the movable platen and through which the piston rod slidably extends and also a cylinder rod mounting block is provided which is, likewise, secured to the movable platen and through which the cylinder rod slidably extends. The actuating rods are connected only to the caliper halves and to the connector plates and the connector plates, in turn, are only connected to the piston/cylinder opening mechanism which, in turn, is connected to the movable platen only by the sliding fit established by the mounting blocks so that the locking device is free to float allowing the actuating rods to center themselves in the calipers to assure positive opening and closing of the locking device.
In accordance with a more specific feature of the invention, the floating arrangement of the actuator rods is continued into the design of the calipers which includes a caliper block secured to the movable platen adjacent a long side of each caliper and functioning as the only attachment of the caliper to the movable platen. The caliper (or alternatively, the caliper mount) has a longitudinally extending groove and the caliper mount (alternatively, the caliper) has a protrusion slidable in the groove duplicating the sliding attachment provided for the piston/cylinder opening mechanism of the locking device. A lubricated wear plate between caliper halves and the moving platen assures movement of the caliper halves. The caliper mounting arrangement further assures full utilization of the compressive force of the locking device spring without sticking or binding of the device thus avoiding more complicated caliper tie-down arrangements such as the utilization of a top plate and/or the requirement of having multiple lock rings in each caliper.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention that further assures positive actuation of the locking devices, each caliper has a long side generally parallel to the long side of the movable platen. Any given caliper has an actuating rod secured to an outboard caliper half and an actuating rod secured to an inboard caliper half adjacent one long caliper side while an actuating rod secured to an inboard caliper half and an actuating rod secured to an outboard caliper half is adjacent to the opposite long caliper side so that even clamping forces are distributed by four actuating rods to each caliper. Thus, each machine has two locking devices. Each locking device locks and unlocks two locking rods and each locking device has four actuating rods.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the opposite or top locking rod ends of each locking rod are secured to a locking rod bridge. A proximity (or alternatively a limit) switch on a caliper senses the position of the teeth and grooves on one of the locking rods. The advance mechanism lowers the movable platen to a molding position whereat the short stroke, high tonnage piston/cylinders can exert a clamping force on the mold halves. The locking rod bridge assures that all four corner positioned locking rod teeth and grooves are in reasonable alignment at the molding position so that the locking ring of each caliper can fully engage a groove/shoulder in the locking rod when the advance mechanism brings the mold halves into molding relation prior to actuation of the high tonnage actuators. In the preferred embodiment, the locking rod bridge is a simple structural steel fabrication, preferably of angle iron which has good resistance to twisting while lacking any significant load bearing capacity (since that function is performed by the calipers and locking rods in the upper platen). Locking rod alignment of all four locking rods as a unit is therefore maintained by a special mounting arrangement firmly securing the bottom end of each locking rod to the piston of a high tonnage piston/cylinder that allows a floating connection when the movable platen is raised or lowered while the opposite top end of all locking rods are tied together by the locking rod bridge.
In accordance with another somewhat separate but related aspect of the invention, a vertically extending ladder frame is mounted to the stationary platen. The vertical ladder frame has a pair of laterally spaced and parallel vertical guide rails which are secured to the frame and each guide rail has a pair of runner blocks slidable on the rails in a secure manner. A pair of parallel mounting block plates are secured to one of the long sides of the movable platen and extends above the top surface and below the bottom surface of the movable platen. Each mounting block plate confronts a guide rail and the runner blocks are secured to the block mounting plates above and below the top and bottom movable platen surfaces so that the movable platen is maintained and aligned at a set relationship to the stationary platen throughout its travel. This arrangement obviates the need for close toleranced bushings and sleeves to be fitted within the movable platen which would otherwise be required to maintain alignment (within thousandths of an inch to assure seating of guide pins, sleeves, etc.) of the confronting mold halves.
In accordance with another specific aspect of the invention, the vertical frame also mounts one end of each of the carriage positioning/reaction cylinders of the injection unit to a reaction block slidable on a vertical support, in turn, fixed at each end thereof to a cross-over member on the vertical frame. The nozzle of the injection unit extends between the vertical supports and the carriage positioning/reaction cylinders mounted to the injection unit are free to vertically move and maintain alignment as the injection unit is raised or lowered by a lift mechanism to proper molding height.
In accordance with another somewhat separate but related feature of the invention, the vertical injection molding machine is equipped with a generally circular table which rests on the stationary platen during molding. The table has a central opening. A multi-purpose spindle journaled in a spindle mounting block, in turn, mounted to the stationary platen extends through and is secured to the central opening to allow table rotation about the spindle. A lift mechanism which includes a pair of table actuators is provided radially outward from the spindle and on diametrical opposite sides thereof. Each table actuator has at least one spherical roller that is spring biased into contact with a hardened, flat circular track plate inserted in the bottom of the table. Each roller is mounted in a spring biased roller block which, in turn, is mounted in a vertically movable manner to a lift actuator block mounted to stationary platen and containing a power actuator for raising the roller mounting block. The rollers lift the table when the actuators are in an actuated position and roll on the track plate as the table is rotated about the spindle by a motor driven pinion gear meshing with a ring gear extending about the circumference of the table. Lifting the table for rotation avoids the sliding, lubricated arrangement otherwise used, thus reducing the power requirement to rotate the table and allowing heavier bottom mold halves (for increased molding tonnage) to be mounted on the table. When the table has rotated a bottom mold half to its molding station and is lowered to rest on the stationary platen, the springs in the roller block maintain the rollers in contact with the track plate to avoid roller/track damage resulting from impact which could otherwise occur when the table actuators subsequently push the table upward on the rollers.
In accordance with another aspect of the rotary table, the rotating spindle is not only hollow to permit liquid connections (for mold temperature control) to be made with the spindle to work stations on the top surface of the table, but also a plurality of hydraulic actuator connections are provided through the spindle. Within the spindle mounting block are a plurality of vertically spaced hydraulic inlet lines and a like plurality of vertically spaced hydraulic return lines, each line taking the form of a ring groove in the spindle mounting block. Each inlet line communicates with a circumferential inlet spindle groove leading to a vertically extending inlet passage formed in the wall of the hollow spindle exiting at the top surface of the table. Each return line similarly communicates with a circumferential return spindle groove leading to a vertically extending return passage formed in the wall of the hollow spindle exiting at the top surface of the table. The spindle grooves have flared openings spanning a vertical distance at least equal to the table lift travel which always remain in fluid communication with spindle mounting ring grooves. O-ring or elastomer seals between and vertically spaced from spindle grooves and spindle mounting block ring grooves prevent leakage during spindle rotation and vertical movement thereby allowing hydraulic cylinders mounted at work stations on the top of the table to be connected to the machine""s hydraulic pumps with pressure controlled by the machine""s programmable controller.
In general summary, the invention resides in the provision of an improved vertical injection molding machine which has the following features either alone or in combination with one another:
a) An improved lock for the movable platen having among its distinguishing features i) an always on lock for each locking rod meeting safety requirements, ii) simultaneous operation by one locking device (two locking devices per machine) for simultaneous clamping and unclamping of two locking rods, iii) floating structure allowing centering and full utilization of the spring clamping forces by four actuating rods for each locking device; and/or, iv) floating alignment bridge for locking rods to assure locking device engagement;
b) A vertical frame to i) keep low machine height for two-platen machines, ii) stably support movable platen throughout vertical travel without the need of close tolerance tubes or bushing, and/or iii) provide a convenient mount for carriage, position/reaction cylinders of injection unit;
c) A rotatable lift table to i) allow operation with heavy mold sets to utilize inherent advantages of a vertical clamp machine, ii) reduce power otherwise required to rotate table, and/or iii) provide hydraulic actuator and/or liquid connections at table center.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the Detailed Description of the Invention set forth below taken in conjunction with the drawings.


A bicycle head tube assembly includes a connecting device connected between a handlebar lug thereof and a head tube thereof to absorb shocks, the connecting devices comprised of a soft covering and a stack of resilient steel plates covered within the soft covering, the resilient steel plates including a fixed steel plate at the top having two opposite ends welded to the lug and the head tube respectively, and stack of suspension steel plates alternatively welded to the lug or the head tube and having a respective free end spaced from the lug or the head tube at a distance.

The present invention relates to a bicycle head tube assembly which effectively prevents transmission of shock waves from the front wheel of the bicycle to the handlebar.
The head tube of a conventional bicycle, as shown in FIG. 1, is generally comprised of a lug 51 connected to the head tube body 52 thereof by an unitary connecting tube 53 to hold the handlebar. As the bicycle runs over the rugged road, shock waves are directly transmitted from the bicycle frame to the handlebar, causing the hands to ache.
The present invention has been accomplished to provide a bicycle head tube assembly for a bicycle 15 which effectively eliminates transmission of shock waves to the handlebar during the running of the bicycle so that the rider's hands do not ache. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connecting device which connects the handlebar mounting lug to the head tube is comprised of a stack of resilient steel plates. The stack of resilient steel plates include a fixed steel plate at the top having two opposite ends welded to the lug and the head tube respectively, and a stack of suspension steel plates alternatively welded to the lug or the head tube and having a respective free end spaced from the lug or the head tube at a distance.
As the bicycle runs over a rugged road, the suspension steel plates are shaken to vibrate, and therefore shock waves are eliminated or lessened.


Adhesive constructions are provided. In general, the adhesive constructions include first and second fields pressure sensitive adhesive. The amount of adhesive or coverage of adhesive in the two fields differs to advantage. A particular preferred adhesive construction is provided which includes a flexible substrate defining an outer perimeter edge and having on a side thereof an adhesive pattern which includes at least two adhesive fields, preferably arranged as: an outer perimeter adhesive field adjacent to the outer perimeter edge; and an inner adhesive field spaced from the outer perimeter edge and completely surrounded by the outer perimeter adhesive field. The preferred outer perimeter adhesive field is a discontinuous pattern of adhesive with adhesive covering no more than 80% of an area of a portion of the side of the flexible substrate defined by the outer perimeter adhesive field; and, the preferred inner adhesive field has adhesive covering at least 90% of an area of a portion of the side of the flexible substrate defined by the inner adhesive field, preferably in a continuous pattern. In typical preferred adhesive constructions, the inner adhesive field surrounds an adhesive-free region. Also provided are a preferred roll stock with such an adhesive construction secured to it, and preferred methods for constructing such arrangements.

The present invention relates to adhesive constructions and methods for manufacturing and using such constructions. In preferred applications, the invention particularly concerns adhesive constructions from which a label, cover or other adhesive component, can be applied from a release liner, in an effective and convenient manner.
In general, in many industries adhesive constructions are applied using high speed dispensing equipment, from a roll of individual constructions. The roll generally comprises individual elements in a line or column, adhered to a release liner, During an application process, the adhesive constructions or elements are sequentially stripped from the release liner and are applied to a package or other substrate on which such a construction is desired. Arrangements of this type are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,351,426 and 4,661,189, the complete disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Adhesive constructions can be used in a variety of applications. For example, they may be used as labels or as covers. In other instances they may be used as components in larger systems, for example as a layer in a laminate.
An adhesive construction is provided. The adhesive construction involves a flexible substrate having a selected adhesive pattern, of pressure sensitive adhesive, on at least one side thereof. The selected adhesive pattern of pressure sensitive adhesive preferably includes at least a first adhesive field and a second adhesive field. In preferred constructions: the first adhesive field is a discontinuous pattern of adhesive with adhesive covering no more than 80% of an area of the portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the first adhesive field, the area of that portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the 80% adhesive field preferably being at least 10 square millimeters (sq. mm.), typically at least 30 sq. mm.; and, the second adhesive field preferably covers at least 80% (typically at least 90%) of an area of a portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the second adhesive field; the area of the portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the second adhesive field being at least 10 sq. mm., typically at least 30 sq. mm. Preferably there is more adhesive and more surface coverage, per unit area, in the second adhesive field than in the first adhesive field.
Adhesive constructions as defined herein may have still further adhesive fields thereon, as long as (preferably) the first and second adhesive fields are present.
In preferred adhesive constructions according to the present invention, the first and second portions of the selected adhesive pattern are preferably defined (respectively) by an outer perimeter adhesive field; and, an inner adhesive field. The preferred outer perimeter adhesive field is arranged along (or to border) a perimeter edge or edge portion of the flexible substrate. In such preferred embodiments, the inner adhesive field is completely surrounded or circumscribed by the outer perimeter adhesive field. In general, as described above, there is a higher amount of adhesive or higher coverage of flexible substrate surface by adhesive, in the region of the inner adhesive field, than in the region of the outer perimeter adhesive field. Preferred arrangements and amounts of coverage, are described.
In certain preferred arrangements, there is also provided an adhesive-free region on the flexible substrate. Preferably the adhesive-free region comprises an inner adhesive-free region completely surrounded or circumscribed by an inner (or second) adhesive field. In selected embodiments, the adhesive-free region is substantially transparent.
The adhesive construction will typically include, during a portion of its life prior to application to a package or other substrate, a release liner secured to the flexible substrate with the defined adhesive fields therebetween. The release liner generally would comprise a silicone release layer, to facilitate the separation of the release liner from the flexible substrate, during a labeling or covering operation, i.e., an application process, so that the flexible substrate could then be adhered to an appropriate package or other substrate.
Methods of preparing preferred adhesive constructions according to the present invention are provided. In general, the methods include: applying adhesive to create the different pressure sensitive adhesive fields defined; and, conducting appropriate die cutting and waste material stripping operations to achieve the generation of the individual adhesive constructions secured to a common release liner. In general, preferred die cutting operations will be conducted such that die cutting: is through a layer of laminate which will eventually become the flexible substrate of the adhesive construction; and, is in overlap only with adhesive in the first type of adhesive field, and thus in a pattern surrounding or circumscribing adhesive in the second type of adhesive field.
Preferred methods include applying adhesive to create a first, (for example outer perimeter) adhesive field and a second (for example inner) adhesive field by utilizing a printing approach, typically a dot screen printing approach, in which more adhesive is applied to the region that will become the second (inner) adhesive field than is applied to the region which will become the first (outer) perimeter adhesive field. This can be accomplished for example, by varying the number of dots or weight (wt.) of adhesive per unit area.
In typical manufacturing operations, a two layer laminate is prepared comprising two flexible webs secured to one another by adhesive. One of the flexible webs would comprise a release liner layer, and the other would comprise a flexible substrate web or layer that, when die cut, would form the flexible substrates of individual adhesive constructions for generation of the preferred constructions as characterized. The adhesive pattern between the two webs would typically have two regions: a region of adhesive in a concentration that, after a die cutting operation, would form the first (outer) perimeter adhesive field; and, a region of higher adhesive concentration which, after the die cutting operation, would form the second (inner) adhesive field. In preferred constructions, the adhesive fields of the laminate are organized such that during a die cutting operation, die cutting of the flexible substrate web only occurs in overlap with regions of lower adhesive concentration.


The behavior of a network for mobile ratio apparatuses is simulated in a work station having a data input capable of inserting data representative of a network scenario, a data output capable of making available data representative of results of the simulation of the network, and a simulation environment associated with the computer and capable of simulating the network on the basis of the network scenario and of generating and sending to the data outputs the data representative of the results. This environment has first objects representative of devices and/or physical elements belonging to the network to be simulated and second objects representative of processing modules separate from the first objects and capable of conditioning and activating the first objects on the basis of the network scenario to simulate the network.

As is well known, with the evolution of telecommunications, networks for cellular phones become more and more complex, and consequently it becomes more difficult to verify the behavior of such networks, taking into account the various possible scenarios, represented for instance by the number and type of apparatuses being used, typology of available services and time distribution of such services.
It is also known that with the evolution of telecommunications various types of systems for cellular telephones are available on the market, such as the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) system and the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), and different technological implementations, such as those represented by apparatuses of different manufacturers, and that, therefore, the choice among various alternatives of scenarios which as such is already difficult for a same type of network, becomes even more complex if it is to be made taking into account different systems and different technological solutions.
The evaluation of complex scenarios and the choice among alternatives of different systems and technologies have always been faced by the present art in a partial way, that is through simulation environments (simulators) either lacking, of modularity or applicable to contexts of limited complexity only or applicable to only a typology of system or technology.
For instance, general purpose simulators are known which, even if theoretically capable of simulating different networks, have on the other hand the strong limitation of not being able to simulate networks characterized by a high complexity in terms of quantity of apparatuses, because, due to their architectural structure, they cannot be practically used in such contexts.
As a matter of fact, owing to the definition modalities of the network scenario to be simulated, usually performed through uncompiled files (i.e. files that have to be interpreted by the system), general-purpose simulators require exponentially increasing simulation times as a function of the network complexity in terms of number of apparatuses.
There are known as well simulators of "custom" type, developed for instance by research establishments that are capable of simulating complex networks in terms of number of apparatuses, however structured with specifically optimized architectures for the simulation of problems or specific systems or specific technologies of a particular manufacturer, and therefore they cannot be used for the simulation of different networks of different technology.
In essence, the instruments known so far are inadequate to meet the twofold requirement of simulating complex networks in terms of quantity of apparatuses and network type, and of comparing, through simulation, the behavior of such networks within the different technological contexts as a function of the services being offered.
As a matter of fact, the instruments available so far meet, to a limited extent only, one of the two requirements above, thus making only partially possible the use of the same simulators and requiring from time to time to resort to field measurements for result accuracy check or to use a plurality of simulators for the analysis of the various operation characteristics of the networks as the possible situations vary.

System and method for stimulating the behavior of a network for mobile radio apparatus


Substituted thiophenes, processes for their preparation, their use as medicament or diagnostic agent. The substituted thiophene derivatives have the following backbone structure:

NHE3 is found in the body of various species, for example, in the gall bladder, the intestine and the kidney (Larry Fliegel et al., Biochem. Cell. Biol. 76: 735-741, 1998), but can also be detected in the brain (E. Ma et al., Neuroscience 79: 591-603).
The NHE3 inhibitors known to date are derived from compounds of the acylguanidine type (EP825178), of the norbornylamine type (DE199 60 204), of the 2-guanidino-quinazoline type (WO 0179186) or of the benzamidine type (WO0121582, WO172742). Squalamine, which has also been described as NHE3 inhibitor (M. Donowitz et al. Am. J. Physiol. 276 (Cell Physiol. 45): C136-C144), is, according to current understanding, not, unlike the compounds of formula I, effective immediately, but rather via an indirect mechanism and thus reaches its maximum potency only after one hour. Such NHE3 inhibitors which act by a different mechanism are therefore suitable for use as combination partners for the present compounds according to the invention.
Clonidine, which is similar to the compounds described here, is known as a weak NHE inhibitor. However, its action on the NHE3 of the rat is, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 620 μM, extremely moderate. In contrast, it shows a certain selectivity for the NHE2 (J. Orlowski et al. J. Biol. Chem. 268, 25536). It would therefore be more accurate to refer to clonidine as an NHE2 inhibitor. In addition to the weak NHE action, clonidine has a high affinity for the adrenergic alpha2 receptor and the imidazoline I1 receptor, mediating a strong hypotensive action (Ernsberger et al., Eur. J. Pharmacol. 134, 1, 1987).
Clonidine-like compounds having a thiophene ring instead of the phenyl ring are known from DE1941761. These known compounds differ from the structures of formula I described in the present invention in that they have considerably smaller radicals R7 and R8 and in particular by the fact that R7 and R8 are not capable of forming a joint ring.
By these differences in the substituents R7 and R8, it is possible to eliminate the undesirable clonidine-like cardiovascular effects described above, which are mediated by the alpha-adrenoceptor action. At the same time, owing to these differences in the substituents, the NHE-inhibiting properties of the compounds described herein are enhanced to the micromolar and submicromolar range, whereas the compounds known from DE1941761 show only extremely weak NHE-inhibiting effects, if any.
The present invention provides a different kind of NHE3 inhibitors.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Substituted thiophenes: compositions, processes of making, and uses in disease treatment and diagnosis

Abstract: Medicaments comprising compounds of this type are of use for preventing or treating various disorders, such as, respiratory disorders and snoring, acute and chronic disorders, disorders induced by ischemic and/or reperfusion events and by proliferative or fibrotic events, disorders of the central nervous system and lipid metabolism, diabetes, blood coagulation and infection by parasites.


Data transmission apparatus for multiplexing one or more channel data streams of equal, predetermined, data rate into a transmission data stream comprises: means for generating a control data stream of the same data rate as the channel data rate, in which first periodically repeating portions of the control data stream provide a synchronisation signal and second periodically repeating portions of the control data stream provide identification data specifying information about the channel data streams with reference to a predetermined ordering of the channel data streams; and means for multiplexing the control data stream with the one or more channel data streams in a cyclic pattern of equally-sized data portions so that a data portion from the control data stream is followed by data portions from each of the channel data streams according to the predetermined ordering of channel data streams.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to interfacing digital signals such as, for example, digital audio signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several signal interface formats exist for defining the way in which digital signals are carried (e.g. by cables) from one place to another. Examples include the AES/EBU standard for audio signals, and the so-called xe2x80x9cSDIxe2x80x9d standard for audio/video signals.
These interface formats take into account the physical properties of the signal to be transmitted, such as its bit rate or bandwidth, the identification of components of the transmitted signal, such as the identification of different audio channels within a signal formed of multiple channels, and synchronisation of the received signals so that they can be correctly decoded.
In some interface formats, these matters can impose a large overhead on the data actually carried. For example, in an AES/EBU two channel interface there is a 62.5% overhead imposed to support formatting information. In other words, 62.5% of the data transmission rate is unavailable for carrying actual audio data. Similarly in the MADI 56 channel interface the overhead is 40%.
This invention provides data transmission apparatus for multiplexing one or more channel data streams of equal, predetermined, data rate into a transmission data stream, the apparatus comprising: means for generating a control data stream of the same data rate as the channel data rate, in which first periodically repeating portions of the control data stream provide a synchronisation signal and second periodically repeating portions of the control data stream provide identification data specifying information about the channel data streams with reference to a predetermined ordering of the channel data streams; and means for multiplexing the control data stream with the one or more channel data streams in a cyclic pattern of equally-sized data portions so that a data portion from the control data stream is followed by data portions from each of the channel data streams according to the predetermined ordering of channel data streams.
This invention also provides data reception apparatus for receiving a multiplexed transmission data stream having one or more channel data streams and a control data stream of equal, predetermined, data rate in a cyclic pattern of equally-sized data portions so that a data portion from the control data stream is followed by data portions from each of the channel data streams according to a predetermined ordering of channel data streams, the apparatus comprising: means for detecting first periodically repeating portions of the control data stream representing a synchronisation signal, thereby identifying the control data stream within the transmission data stream; means for detecting second periodically repeating portions of the control data stream providing identification data specifying information about the channel data streams with reference to the predetermined ordering of the channel data streams.
In the invention, a control channel of equal size to one of the data channels is provided to carry formatting and synchronisation information. By multiplexing the control channel and the data channels together in a predetermined cyclic order so that some information to identify the data channels within the data stream is implied, the data overhead of the system can be reduced in comparison to other formats. Indeed, for a two channel interface the invention implies a 33% overhead, much less than that of the AES/EBU format. For a 56 channel interface the invention implies a 1.75% overhead, much less than that of the MADI format.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.


Method of three-dimensionally printing an article onto a surface.

Three-dimensional ("3-D") printing technology is known in the art (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,008 (Comb et al.)) and offers cost advantages and higher speed of making some articles (including prototype models) compared to, for example, conventional molding processes. In some forms of 3-D printing (e.g., that are available, for example, under the trade designation "MAKER BOT AND 3-D SYSTEMS" from Stratasys, Eden Prairie, Minn.), a plastic is extruded through a nozzle that traces a part's cross sectional geometry layer by layer. The build material is often supplied in filament form. The nozzle contains heaters that keep the plastic at a temperature just above its melting point, so that it flows easily through the nozzle and forms the layer. The temperature of molten plastic immediately drops and the viscosity increases after flowing from the nozzle and bonds to the layer below. At the starting point, the surface that the part is printed onto is often relatively cold. Therefore, the molten plastic from the extruder tip immediately hardens and often does not stick well to the (initial) printing surface. An alternative approach is to have the surface that the part is printed onto be relatively hot to aid in the deposited material sticking to the surface. Issues, however, have been encountered when the article undesirably shrinking during cooling. There can also be difficulty removing some printed articles from the printing surface.
Another approach is to mechanically contain the first writing of molten plastic by using a structured platform with the printing surface. This approach has been found to have some effectiveness in limiting delamination of the printed article from the printing surface due to thermal shrinkage. A drawback of this approach, however, is the lack of adhesion due to heat accumulation and undesirable thermal shrinkage, as well as the surface or texture imparted by the structured platform.
The useful life of the printing surface from the approaches discussed above is typically undesirably limited.
Alternative 3-D printing surfaces are desired that preferably address one or more of the undesirable aspects of the surfaces or approaches discussed above.


A back closure for a multi-use frame includes a base plate and a lever. The base plate has a first and second knuckle. A tab is defined within the base plate between the first and second knuckle. The tab has spring-bias. A lever is connected to the base plate for movement relative to the base plate. The lever and the base plate have a common axis for movement relative to one another. The lever includes a center knuckle which is positioned between the first and second knuckle of the base plate. The center knuckle defining a slot for receipt of the tab to provide snap action. In operation, a user moves the lever relative to the base plate about a common axis. The tab of the base plate engages the slot defined within the lever to prevent further travel of the lever.

This invention relates generally to a closure and more particularly to a back closure having spring-bias and snap action for repetitive, predictable, and simple securing of a frame back to a multi-use frame.
Presently, there are many methods and devices for securing a frame back, which may or may not be hingedly connected to a multi-use frame, such as a turn button. For example, a turn button is used to maintain a frame back within a multi-use frame with media, such as a photograph or artwork, sandwiched therebetween. Prior art turn buttons are typically tab-like structures that are attached to a multi-use frame back or a multi-use frame. The tabs are pivotally attached to the multi-use frame back or multi-use frame so that they may pivot in place. The free ends of the turn button tabs, when in a locked position, reside within a groove in the frame back or multi-use frame to secure it in place. When pivoted to an open position, the tabs are no longer engaged with the frame back or multi-use frame so the frame back can be freely removed to gain access to an interior of the multi-use frame itself to insert or remove media therefrom.
In general, prior art turn buttons are typically attached to the multi-use frame back or multi-use frame by a rivet, a "built-in" eyelet, or simply punched therethrough. This attachment dictates the pivoting tension of the turn button itself. For example, a tightly secured rivet connection will result in a tight turn button making it very difficult to turn for the user of the frame. A less tightly secured rivet connection makes it easier to manipulate the turn button but the connection will also be loose making a poor locking connection and/or making it possible for the turn button to fall off of the frame back or multi-use frame completely.
Sometimes, the turn button may fail to reliably and predictably secure the frame back to the frame for a variety of reasons. On occasion, the frame back is made of material, such as soft cardboard, lacking sufficient strength to properly retain the turn button therein. Upon installation, the rivet may be improperly flared allowing the turn button to disengage. Also, a consumer may not properly place the turn button in the correct position to secure the frame back to the frame.
Therefore, there is a need for a repetitive, reliable, and predictable way of securing the frame back to the frame to prevent disengagement of the frame back from the frame. Also, there is a need for securing the frame back to the multi-use frame which is convenient and easy to use for a consumer.

Craft, Inc. a Massachusettes Corporation


A microwave-enhanced infrared thermography technique for detecting buried objects exploits varying phase shifts experienced by different-frequency microwave signals reflected from objects back toward the surface, the phase shifts resulting in different interference patterns and therefore different temperature distribution patterns near the surface. Respective infrared images of an area are captured prior to microwave heating, after a first heating with a first frequency, and after heating with a second frequency different from the first. Pairs of the images are subtracted to form temperature rise images showing patterns of temperature rise in the two cycles, and the temperature rise images are subtracted to form a difference image which is analyzed to identify characteristics indicating the presence of buried objects.

There is a need to detect, locate and identify underground or buried objects such as mines, buried waste and utility structures. Existing techniques for detecting, locating and identifying underground objects include techniques employing ground-penetrating radar and solar thermal imaging. While ground-penetrating radar has proven to be useful in detecting underground objects, it suffers from limited resolution, which makes the locating and identification of underground objects difficult. Solar thermal imaging, which utilizes thermal images from solar heating of the ground, is limited in that sunlight does not penetrate the ground to any appreciable depth, and it can only be used during certain hours when sunlight levels are changing. Further, the captured image is somewhat weak, because it is produced entirely by heat transfer, and is noisy due to uneven absorption of sunlight at the surface.
Recently, the use of microwave-enhanced thermal imaging, or thermography, has been proposed for use in locating buried objects such as land mines. Generally, microwave-enhanced thermography involves directing a high-energy microwave signal onto the surface of an area of interest from an aerially suspended microwave antenna, and utilizing an infrared camera to capture an image of the resulting heating. This image is compared with an infrared image of the same area prior to such microwave heating, and the difference between the images is analyzed for indications of buried objects. This technique relies on the reflection of the microwave signal from the object back toward the surface and the resulting pattern of interference with the incident microwave signal. When the heating cycle is of the proper duration, the interference pattern can be detected by the infrared camera as a corresponding temperature distribution on the surface. The benefits of microwave-enhanced thermography include relatively high resolution, control over the heating cycle, and speed of analysis.
It has been noted that the microwave-enhanced thermography technique as described above can work well when the surface is relatively smooth, but its performance suffers if the surface has appreciable irregularity or roughness. It is believed that this degraded performance arises from distortions in the microwave field caused by the irregularities, resulting in variations in the heating of the ground that are greater than those associated with the buried object(s). This effect has been referred to as xe2x80x9cnoisexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cclutterxe2x80x9d induced by surface roughness. If this noise is sufficiently high, it becomes much more difficult to reliably detect signal features caused by a buried object, resulting in missed detections and false alarms.
It would be desirable to enable microwave-enhanced thermography to be used in areas having appreciable surface roughness without the degraded performance that has heretofore been observed.
In accordance with the present invention, technique for performing microwave-enhanced infrared thermography is disclosed that performs well even in the presence of surface roughness.
The disclosed technique is based on the observation that the heating of the surface area is primarily dependent upon the field strength at the surface, which is substantially independent of the frequency of the microwave energy. However, the pattern of mixing of the reflected field from a buried object with the incident field varies with frequency, due to differences in the relative phase shifts caused by the propagation of the signals from the surface down to the object and back to the surface. These different mixing patterns induce corresponding different temperature patterns on the surface, which are subtracted. The result is a difference image with reduced noise from surface roughness due to the canceling effect of the subtraction.
Thus, in the disclosed thermography method, a first infrared image of a target surface area of interest is captured prior to any microwave heating. Then the target area is heated using microwaves of a first frequency, and a first xe2x80x9cheatedxe2x80x9d infrared image is captured. These two images are subtracted to form a first xe2x80x9ctemperature risexe2x80x9d image showing a pattern of temperature rise on the surface as a result of this first heating cycle.
Subsequently, the target area is heated using a different microwave frequency, and a second heated infrared image is captured. The second heated infrared image is used in calculating a second temperature rise image. The first temperature rise image from the first heating cycle is subtracted from the second temperature rise image of the second heating cycle, and the difference image is subject to image analysis to identify any characteristics indicating the presence of a buried object in the target area. The microwave signals have respective frequencies that are suitably widely spaced to maximize the difference in phase shifts and therefore the interference patterns of the two heating cycles, to yield an acceptably high signal-to-noise ratio in the difference image.
Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description that follows.

Multiple wavelength microwave-enhanced infrared thermography


A method and apparatus for generating a statistic based upon a persistence data is provided. The method comprises the steps of defining a plurality of slices of data comprising a persistence data and generating a histogram of the data within each of the plurality of slices. A parameter is measured for each of the generated histograms, and the measured parameters are plotted corresponding to each of the generated histograms.

Traditionally, digital oscilloscopes capture, store and subsequently display representations of electronic signals. By storing the acquired signals in memory, a user is able to scroll forward or back through the representation of the signal as desired, and also to process the data to generate any number of various parametric statistics.
If the stored data is longer that the available memory, or for any other reason such as the user looking to capture events that occur randomly or infrequently, the user may choose to accumulate information about the stored data before it passes out of memory and the memory accepts newer data. Such an accumulation of data is called persistence data, and the display of this persistence data comprises a persistence map. This persistence map is typically representative of a large amount of acquired data. While a user is able to view various features of such a persistence map, information about the data forming the persistence map may not be available.
In an attempt to harvest additional information from persistence maps, LeCroy® Corporation Jitter & Timing Analysis Packages have provided functionality to a user allowing for the generation of a single slice from a persistence waveform. However, while useful, this view does not show enough additional information about the persistence map to be truly useful to a user.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to be able to provide additional information to a user about the data used from a persistence map.


When there is observed a tendency that the proportion of the correction by an air-fuel ratio correction value for the feedback control of an air-fuel ratio in an air-fuel mixture sucked into an engine to a target air-fuel ratio is increased in the air-fuel ratio-enriching direction in a region of a smaller sucked air flow quantity, it is judged that the leakage of air into a suction system of the engine occurs. The quantity of the correction of the sucked air flow quantity corresponding to the quantity of leaking air is set based on the relation between the air-fuel ratio correction value and the corresponding sucked air flow quantity, and the detection value of an air flow meter is corrected based on this correction quantity.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the self-diagnosis of the air leakage in a control system of an internal combustion engine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus in which the leakage of air into a suction system of the engine is self-diagnosed and the detection value of the flow quantity of sucked air is corrected based on the result of the self-diagnosis.
(2) Description of the Related Art
There has been known a control system for electronically controlling the quantity of a fuel supplied into an engine, in which an sucked air flow quantity, which is a quantity of the state of sucked air participating in the quantity of air sucked into the engine, is detected by an air flow meter and the fuel supply quantity is variably set based on this detected sucked air flow quantity and the revolution speed of the engine (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60-153446).
In an internal combustion engine, air purified by an air cleaner is supplied into the engine through a suction duct and a suction manifold and the sucked air flow quantity is controlled by a suction throttle valve. However, in the system for electronically controlling the fuel supply quantity based on the sucked air flow quantity in the above-mentioned manner, if air leaks into the suction system from a portion other than the prescribed air introduction system, it is apprehended that the following problems will arise.
More specifically, in a fuel supply control apparatus generally called "L-Jetro System" where the flow quantity of air is measured and the fuel supply quantity is electronically controlled based on the measured sucked air flow quantity, the structure is arranged so that all of sucked air is introduced into the engine through the air flow meter. However, if there is present leaking air sucked into the engine without being measured by the air flow meter (for example, air leaking from a clearance of a connecting part between parts constituting the suction system disposed downstream of the air flow meter), the fuel supply quantity is set at a quantity smaller than the quantity corresponding to the actually sucked air quantity, and the air-fuel ratio becomes leaner than the target air-fuel ratio. Accordingly, if the leakage of air takes place, misfire is caused and the unburnt gas is burnt in a catalyzer, resulting in occurrence of burnout of the catalyzer.
Furthermore, in the case where an ignition system for performing electronic control according to the ignition timing set based on the basic fuel supply quantity set by the sucked air flow quantity is disposed, if the basic fuel supply quantity comes to include an error because of occurrence of the leakage of air, the set ignition timing deviates from the value required by the engine and the ignition controllability is degraded.
Therefore, it is necessary to dispose an apparatus capable of self-diagnosing the leakage of air and making a correction according to the leakage quantity when the leakage of air occurs. However, according to the conventional technique, even if the air-fuel ratio is detected based on the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas of the engine, since it is impossible to distinguish whether or not the mean deviation of the air-fuel ratio detected is due to the leakage of air into the suction system of the engine, once the mean deviation of the air-fuel ratio is detected, all of electric appliances participating in the control of the air-fuel ratio (a control unit, an air flow meter, a fuel injection valve and the like) are exchanged with new ones.
More specifically, in some electronically controlled fuel supply apparatus, the air-fuel ratio in the air-fuel mixture sucked in the engine is detected through the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas, and an air-fuel ratio feedback correction function of performing the feedback correction of the basic fuel supply quantity so that the detected air-fuel ratio is brought close to the target air-fuel ratio is given. This function is adjusted so that the correction quantity by the air-fuel ratio feedback correction is minute at the initial stage. If a large correction by the air-fuel ratio feedback control becomes necessary afterward, when the correction is one for increasing the quantity of the fuel, there is a possibility that the detected value of the sucked air flow quantity is made smaller than the true value because of the leakage of air. In this case, however, the deviation cannot be distinguished from the deviation of the air-fuel ratio which is due to the degradation of supply characteristics of a fuel injection valve for supplying the fuel or the trouble of the air flow meter the pressure regulator for adjusting the fuel supply pressure. Therefore, it is necessary to exchange all of the related parts and find out the part causing the deviation. Accordingly, the maintenance characteristics for coping with the leakage of air are poor.

Method and apparatus for self-diagnosis of air leakage in control system of internal combustion engine

Japan Electronic Control Systems Co., Ltd.


A method to implement controls with respect to a collaborative workflow, the method including mapping a private task of a private workflow of a first entity to a public task of a public collaborative workflow, and defining a public control relating to the public task, the public task and the public control to be published to a second entity with which the first entity collaborates utilizing the public collaborative workflow.

The controlled and demonstrable execution of tasks is an increasing requirement in the business world, partly triggered through new legal guidelines (e.g., the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Basel II, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)). While many current Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, IBM MQ Workflow and BEA Systems) make it possible to monitor activities with respect to a workflow, a number of restrictions exist with respect to collaborative and distributed workflow systems that span organizational and technical boundaries.
For example, consider that control over the execution of tasks in a workflow may be enforced through the definition of workflow models, instances of which are specified to be executed in a designed fashion. However, it is not always possible to define each and every execution path in a workflow model, and a workflow model may as such be augmented by a set of declarative rules.
An example workflow may be a loan approval process, which is an example of a very repetitive process in the banking domain. However, as a large number of instances of this process may be executed at the same time (e.g., several thousand customers may apply for a loan each week), it may be desirable to capture specific conditions in rules. For example, a rule may specify that if a loan is greater than a predetermined amount, a supervisor is required to counter check.
Such rules may be viewed as "separation of duty" rules, in that they may operate to prevent error and fraud through a general, or context-dependent, limitation of a particular entity's tasks and authorities.
It will be appreciated that certain collaborative and distributed workflow systems may span organizational and technical boundaries. The definition of rules (e.g., "separation of duty" rules, or other controls) presents technical challenges in such collaborative and distributed workflow systems. Merely for example, certain aspects of a collaborative workflow may include private tasks, and one party to a collaborative workflow may be reluctant to make details regarding private workflows publicly available. Also for example, consider that the tasks defined by collaborating parties may be defined in non-compatible manners.

Controls in collaborative workflow environment


Process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which a liquid stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I) in a molar ratio of from 0.5 to 5 is produced by combining tertiary amine (I) and a formic acid source, from 10 to 100% by weight of the secondary components present therein are separated off and formic acid is removed by distillation in a distillation apparatus at a bottom temperature of from 100 to 300° C. and a pressure of from 30 to 3000 hPa abs from the liquid stream obtained, the bottom discharge from the distillation apparatus being separated into two liquid phases and the upper liquid phase being recycled to the formic acid source and the lower liquid phase being recycled for separating off the secondary components and/or to the distillation apparatus.

The present invention relates to a process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which a liquid stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I) in a molar ratio of from 0.5 to 5 is produced by combining tertiary amine (I) and a formic acid source, from 10 to 100% by weight of the secondary components present therein are separated off, and formic acid is removed by distillation in a distillation apparatus at a bottom temperature of from 100 to 300° C. and a pressure of from 30 to 3000 hPa abs from the liquid stream obtained.
Formic acid is an important and widely useable product. It is used, for example, for acidification in the production of feeds, as preservative, as a disinfectant, as an assistant in the textile and leather industry, as a mixture with salts for deicing aircraft and runways and as a synthon in the chemical industry.
Perhaps the commonest process at present for the preparation of formic acid is the hydrolysis of methyl formate, which can be obtained, for example, from methanol and carbon monoxide. The aqueous formic acid obtained by hydrolysis is subsequently concentrated, for example by use of an extracting agent such as, for example, a dialkylformamide (DE 25 45 658 A1).
In addition, it is known that formic acid can also be obtained by thermal cleavage of compounds of formic acid and a tertiary nitrogen base. These compounds are in general acid ammonium formates of tertiary nitrogen bases, in which the formic acid has reacted beyond the stage of classic salt formation with the tertiary nitrogen bases to give stable addition compounds bridged via hydrogen bridge bonds. The addition compounds of formic acid and tertiary nitrogen bases can be formed by combining the tertiary nitrogen base and a formic acid source. Thus, for example, WO 2006/021,411 discloses the preparation of such addition compounds in general (i) by direct reaction of the tertiary nitrogen base with formic acid, (ii) by transition metal-catalyzed hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to give formic acid in the presence of the tertiary nitrogen base, (iii) by reaction of methyl formate with water and subsequent extraction of the resulting formic acid with the tertiary nitrogen base, and (iv) by reaction of methyl formate with water in the presence of the tertiary nitrogen base.
The general advantages of the use of addition compounds of formic acid and tertiary nitrogen bases for obtaining formic acid are that firstly the addition compounds initially bind formic acid sufficiently strongly to remove the formic acid as free formic acid from the medium, for example the reaction medium, in which the formic acid is first formed by chemical synthesis or, for example, from a dilute formic acid solution and to enable the formic acid to be separated off more easily thereby in the form of its addition compounds, and secondly the addition compounds are sufficiently weak to release the formic acid again subsequently by thermal cleavage in order to concentrate it and to obtain it purified in free form.
EP 0 001 432 A discloses a process for obtaining formic acid by hydrolysis of methyl formate in the presence of a tertiary amine, in particular of an alkylimidazole, with formation of addition compounds of formic acid and the tertiary amine. The hydrolysis mixture obtained, which comprises unreacted methyl formate, water, methanol, addition compounds and tertiary amine, is freed from the low boilers methyl formate and methanol in a first distillation column. In a second column, the remaining bottom product is dewatered. The dewatered bottom product of the second column, which still comprises addition compounds and tertiary amine, is then fed to a third column and the addition compounds are thermally cleaved therein into formic acid and tertiary amine. The formic acid liberated is removed as top product. The tertiary amine collects in the bottom and is recycled to the hydrolysis.
DE 34 28 319 A discloses a process for obtaining formic acid by hydrolysis from methyl formate. The hydrolysis mixture obtained, which comprises unreacted methyl formate, water, methanol and formic acid, is freed from the low boilers methyl formate and methanol in a first distillation column. The aqueous formic acid occurring in the bottom is then extracted with a higher-boiling amine, in particular a longer-chain, hydrophobic C6- to C14-trialkylamine, in the presence of an additional hydrophobic solvent, in particular of an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon, and converted thereby into an aqueous addition compound of formic acid and the amine. This is dewatered in a second distillation column. The dewatered addition compound occurring in the bottom is then fed to the uppermost tray of the distillation column (designated as "K4" in FIG. 1) and thermally cleaved according to DE 34 28 319 A. The hydrophobic solvent is present both in the top and in the bottom of the column. The gaseous top stream comprises in particular the liberated formic acid in addition to the hydrophobic solvent. This stream is liquefied again in a condenser. Two phases form, namely a polar formic acid phase and a hydrophobic solvent phase. The formic acid phase is taken off as product, and the solvent phase is recycled to the column as reflux. Owing to the presence of the hydrophobic solvent, it is possible to achieve complete cleavage of the adduct which, according to the teaching of the DE-A, allegedly takes place without decomposition of formic acid. The (almost) formic acid-free bottom product comprises the hydrophobic amine and the hydrophobic solvent. Said bottom product is recycled to the extraction stage.
EP 0 181 078 A and EP 0 126 524 A describe processes for obtaining formic acid by hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in the presence of a transition metal catalyst and of a tertiary amine, such as, for example, a C1- to C10-trialkylamine, with the formation of an addition compound of formic acid and the tertiary amine, working-up of the hydrogenation discharge with separation of the catalyst and the low boilers, exchange of the adduct base for a weaker, higher-boiling tertiary amine, in particular for an alkylimidazole, with separation of the first tertiary amine and subsequent thermal cleavage of the newly formed addition compound in a distillation column. For this purpose, according to EP 0 181 078 A, FIG. 1, the stream comprising formic acid and amine is fed into the middle region of the column "30". The formic acid liberated in the thermal cleavage is removed as top product. The weaker, higher-boiling tertiary amine collects in the bottom and is recycled to the base exchange stage.
WO 2008/116,799 discloses a process for obtaining formic acid by hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in the presence of a transition metal catalyst, a high-boiling polar solvent, such as, for example, an alcohol, ether, sulfolane, dimethyl sulfoxide or amide, and a polar amine carrying at least one hydroxyl group, to form an addition compound of formic acid and the amine. According to the teaching of WO 2008/116,799, the hydrogenation discharge can be fed directly to a distillation apparatus for the thermal cleavage of the addition compound. Said distillation apparatus may comprise a distillation column and, if short residence times are desired, also a thin-film or falling-film evaporator. The formic acid liberated is removed as top product. The polar amine and the polar solvent and any catalyst not separated off collect in the bottom and can be recycled to the hydrogenation stage.
WO 2006/021,411 describes a process for obtaining formic acid by thermal cleavage of an addition compound of formic acid and a tertiary amine (quaternary ammonium formate), in which the tertiary amine has a boiling point of from 105 to 175° C. Alkylpyridines are mentioned as preferred tertiary amines. The color stability of the formic acid obtained is increased by the special boiling range of the tertiary amines. The addition compound to be used can generally be obtained from the tertiary amine and a formic acid source. Advantageously, the discharge from the adduct synthesis is first freed from volatile constituents and then fed to the thermal cleavage. The thermal cleavage takes place as usual in a distillation column, the stream comprising formic acid and amine being fed according to FIG. 1 into the middle range of the column (C). The formic acid liberated is removed as top product. The tertiary amine, which may optionally still comprise residues of formic acid, collects in the bottom and can be recycled to the formic acid source.
EP 0 563 831 A mentions an improved process for the thermal cleavage of an addition compound of formic acid and a tertiary amine (quaternary ammonium formate) to obtain formic acid. The addition compound to be used can generally be obtained from the tertiary amine and a formic acid source. Advantageously, the discharge from the synthesis is first freed from volatile constituents and then fed to the thermal cleavage in the middle of a distillation column. The improvement substantially consists in carrying out the thermal cleavage of the addition compound in the presence of a secondary formamide which increases the color stability of the formic acid obtained. The formic acid liberated is removed as top product. The tertiary amine and the secondary formamide collect in the bottom and can be recycled to the formic acid source.

Process for the preparation of formic acid


A method of processing an input data stream including at least one data peak (2), comprising: detecting at least one peak (2) in the input data stream having an apex with an amplitude above a predetermined threshold (4); and extrapolating (30) the segment of the peak which has an amplitude above the predetermined threshold (7, 8), based on a shape characteristic of the peak (2), to estimate the amplitude of the segments of the peak which have an amplitude less than said threshold (15, 16).

A known method of obtaining a mass spectrum comprises recording the output signal from an ion detector of a mass analyser, as a function of time, using a fast analogue-to-digital converter (ADC). It is known to use an ADC with a scanning magnetic sector mass analyser, a scanning quadrupole mass analyser or an ion trap mass analyser.
The ADC records the signal intensity (amplitude) at each clock cycle Tn. Known ADCs can digitise a signal at a rate, for example, of 40 MHz whilst recording the intensity of the signal as a digital value of 16 bits. In a TOF based system, a typical rate may be 2 GHz and the signal intensity may be recorded as a digital value of 8 bits.
An ADC produces a data stream comprising a continuum intensity profile as a function of time corresponding to the signal (current) output from the electron multiplier, as illustrated in FIG. 1.
An advantageous feature of an ADC system is that it can record multiple simultaneous ion arrival events by outputting an increased intensity value. Multiple ion arrival events can therefore be accurately recorded using an ADC.
ADCs suffer from the problem that any noise (e.g. electrical noise, spontaneous detector events caused by, for example, cosmic rays etc.) will also be digitised. There is a need to distinguish between background noise current and current due to ion impacts.
To reduce or compensate for the effects of noise, it is known to apply a threshold to an input data stream. With this thresholding method, whenever the amplitude of the measured data stream is below a predetermined threshold, that or those part(s) of the input data stream is/are ignored in subsequent processing of the input data stream, set to zero or otherwise flagged. Only the segment of the input data stream in which the amplitude is equal to or above the threshold will be of interest (and subsequently summed to produce a final mass spectrum or m/z chromatogram).
FIG. 1 illustrates the output of an ADC and depicts a single ion event. The input data stream 1 comprises a single (first) peak 2 having an apex 11 and also incorporates background noise 3 and spontaneous detector events 12 (false peaks). The mean (average) 9 of the baseline of the input data stream 1 is also indicated in FIG. 1. The baseline is the part of the data stream not including ion events (peaks) or spontaneous detector events, which is within the range of the background noise 3 illustrated in FIG. 1. The peak 2 has a leading edge 7 and a trailing edge 8, either side of the apex 11.
In accordance with a known technique, a threshold 4 is set at a predetermined level. The level of the threshold 4 is preferably high enough so as to ignore anticipated background noise 3 and spontaneous detector events 12, but low enough so as not inadvertently to ignore genuine ion peaks 2. Inevitably, using this technique, a segment 5 of the leading edge 7 and a segment 6 of the trailing edge 8 of a peak 2 will be below the predetermined threshold 4. A segment 10 will be above the threshold, comprising a part of the leading edge 7 and a part of the trailing edge 8.
Applying the known technique, any parts of the input data stream 1 having an amplitude (intensity) below the predetermined threshold 4 are ignored (or set to zero or a constant or flagged). The mean of the baseline 9 of the input data stream 1 may also be subtracted from the input data stream 1. The resultant filtered data stream 20 is depicted in FIG. 2, including only the segment 10 of the peak 2 in the input data stream 1 which is above the predetermined threshold 4.
By ignoring some of the peak data, the threshold technique inevitably leads to inaccuracies in subsequent centroid detection and calculation of the area under the peak 2. It will be noted that the area beneath segment 6 in FIG. 1 represents a significant part of the area under the peak 2 as a whole.
Where ion responses (peaks 2) are separated in time, and where the shape and apex amplitude of each peak 2 is substantially the same, these inherent inaccuracies may be substantially constant. The resulting error may be tolerated and/or reliably compensated for. For example, for every peak detected, a correction constant (or variable) may be applied to the data.
However, where an input data stream 1 includes multiple ion events 2 (peaks) which at least partially overlap, segments of a peak 2 which would have been under the threshold if the peak 2 was separate from other peaks 2 in the input data stream, will now be 'pushed' above the threshold, when combined with a segment of an adjacent, overlapping, peak 2. Accordingly, this part of the input data stream will be included in subsequent processing of the data.
This leads to a difference in the mean centroid and or peak area calculated for a given peak 2 depending on whether it is separated from all other peaks 2, or overlapping with at least one other peak (and the extent of the overlap).
It is common for a given input data stream to include both separated and overlapping peaks, and it is a requirement for such input data streams to be accurately processed and analysed. However, applying the known threshold techniques to such input data streams inherently causes inaccuracies, depending on whether the peaks are overlapping or separated.
Similar problems are encountered in time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry, which can lead to inaccuracies in quantitation and peak centroiding.
An improved method is required.


An evaporated fuel processing apparatus includes: a fuel tank that stores fuel supplied to an engine; a purge pipe that communicates an upper space in the fuel tank with an inlet system of the engine; an electromagnetic valve that is mounted on the purge pipe and that opens and closes the purge pipe; an air-fuel ratio detecting module for detecting an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture burned in the engine in accordance with an oxygen concentration in exhaust gas emitted from the engine; and a controlling module for controlling open and close of the electromagnetic valve based on an operating state of the engine. The controller controls at least one of a valve-open cycle, a valve-open period, and a valve-open amount of the electromagnetic valve based on a variation value of the air-fuel ratio detected by the air-fuel ratio detecting module when opening the electromagnetic valve.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an evaporated fuel processing apparatus that processes evaporated fuel generated in a fuel tank by causing an engine to suck the evaporated fuel through an inlet system for combustion.
2. Related Art
An evaporated fuel processing apparatus or an evaporated fuel purging system that processes evaporated fuel generated in a fuel tank is widely used in the related art in order to prevent the evaporated fuel from being discharged into an environment (atmosphere). The evaporated fuel processing apparatus processes the evaporated fuel by causing the evaporated fuel to be temporarily adsorbed on an adsorptive agent in a canister, causing an engine to suck the adsorbed evaporated fuel through an inlet system of the engine for combustion under predetermined operating conditions.
In recent years, an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) provided with an engine and an electric motor as drive power sources is widely used to improve a fuel consumption rate (fuel cost). Simultaneously, a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) that achieves a further improvement in terms of the fuel cost by mounting an increased amount of secondary battery, enabling charging of the secondary battery from outside, and extending a range of travelling as an electric vehicle compared with the HEV is now in practical use.
In the HEV and the PHEV (specifically the PHEV), the engine is stopped for a long time, and thus the frequency of a purge of evaporated fuel adsorbed on the canister is reduced. Therefore, discharge of excessive evaporated fuel which cannot be adsorbed by the canister into an environment, or an increase in size of the canister may be required. Accordingly, a so-called direct purge system is proposed. The direct purge system processes evaporated fuel by trapping the evaporated fuel in a sealed fuel tank instead of adsorbing in the canister and sucking the trapped evaporated fuel directly into the engine through an inlet system under predetermined operating conditions. However, a state in which a pressure in the fuel tank is kept at a high pressure for a long time due to accumulated evaporated fuel in the sealed fuel tank is not preferable, for example, in terms of durability of the sealed fuel tank.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2014-190241 discloses an evaporated fuel processing apparatus capable of reducing a pressure in a fuel tank. More specifically, the evaporated fuel processing apparatus disclosed in JP-A No. 2014-190241 opens a sealing valve that seals a communicating path between the interior of the fuel tank and a canister under the conditions that a purge operation for sucking the evaporated fuel from the canister into an intake pipe of the engine is executed and the pressure in the fuel tank is relatively high. At that time, the evaporated fuel processing apparatus controls an opening-closing period of the sealing valve such that an open period of the sealing valve is shorter in a state in which the pressure in the fuel tank is high than in a state in which the pressure in the fuel tank is low.
As described above, since keeping the pressure in the fuel tank at a high pressure for a long time is not preferable in terms of the durability of the fuel tank, there is a desire to reduce the pressure in the fuel tank in an as early stage as possible. However, with the evaporated fuel processing apparatus of the related art, if an attempt is made to increase an amount of the evaporated fuel to be sucked by the engine for reducing the pressure in the fuel tank in the early stage, an air-fuel ratio (A/F) of an air-fuel mixture which burns in the engine may vary, and deterioration in emission may result.


An adjustable lumber stand system may include a pair of adjustable leg assemblies. Each leg assembly may comprise a first external tubular section into which a second internal section may longitudinally slidably adjust. A pair of base anchors configured to anchor the pair of adjustable leg assemblies may be coupled to lower ends of the first external tubular sections. A pair of adjustable support bracket assemblies may comprise a brace and a support arm configured to support lumber. The first end portions of the support arms and the braces may be coupled to one another and second end portions of the support arms and the braces may be coupled to different locations on the first external tubular sections. A pair of top anchors configured to anchor the pair of adjustable leg assemblies to a structure may be coupled to upper ends of the second internal section.

1. Technical Field
This document relates to an adjustable lumber stand system.
2. Background Art
Sheeting generally includes manufactured wood or other products that are produced and sold in sheets, such as plywood, particle board, chip board, oriented strand board, medium density fiberboard (MDF), drywall, and other forms of products preformed into sheets. Sheeting is generally sold in sheets that are four feet by eight feet or 4 feet by 12 feet having a designated thickness, although dimensions may vary.
Regardless of the exact dimensions of the sheeting being used, problems persist in installing sheeting, such as on the rafters comprising the roof of a structure under construction for example. Full sheets regularly need to be moved from the ground to the rafters for installation thereon. Typically, a worker on the ground lifts sheeting up to another worker on the roof. The worker on the roof then places the sheeting on a hastily-built, makeshift stand on the rafters to hold the sheeting until it is needed. These makeshift stands are made out of scrap wood typically, and they are notoriously unstable and often collapse under the weight of the sheeting, thereby creating an unsafe working environment. Furthermore, for each structure under construction, a worker must build a new makeshift stand.
Accordingly, what is needed is an adjustable lumber (e.g. sheeting) stand system that safely holds and supports lumber (e.g., standard sized sheeting) at a job site during installation thereof, the system being convenient and easy to assemble, disassemble, store, and transport.


A fluctuation absorbing apparatus includes a first plate secured to a flywheel, a second plate disposed at a distance from the first plate, a third plate slidably sandwiched between the first plate and the second plate, and a resilient section that is supported by, fixed to or integrated with the first plate or the second plate and biases the second plate toward the first plate.

A torque fluctuation absorbing apparatus is disposed, for example, in a power transmission path between an engine and a clutch, and absorbs (suppresses) a fluctuating torque caused by the engine and a transmission. There is a torque fluctuation absorbing apparatus comprising: a damper unit that absorbs the fluctuating torque with a spring force, a hysteresis unit that absorbs (suppresses) the fluctuating torque with a hysteresis torque generated by friction and the like, and a limiter unit that slides when a torsion between rotating shafts cannot be absorbed by the damper unit and the hysteresis unit. In the limiter unit, a lining plate, both surfaces of which has a friction member attached thereto, is interposed between a pressure plate and a cover plate, and the pressure plate biased by a disc spring presses the lining plate toward the cover plate, resulting in that the friction members are slidably pressed onto the pressure plate and the cover plate, respectively (refer to, for example, Patent Literature PTL 1).
PTL 1: JP Patent Kokai Publication JP2005-127507A (FIG. 2)


Fastening plastic drivers in a washing machine drum having at least two domes on the inside, which comprise a cavity extending along its center line, and are oriented perpendicular to the sheet casing of the drum and which serve to fasten the driver. A hole pattern corresponding to the arrangement of the domes of a driver is punched into the sheet casing of the drum. The driver is placed with its dome ends, which project beyond the contact surface of the driver with the sheet casing, onto the sheet casing so that the dome ends pass through the holes of the hole pattern. Counter holders are inserted from the opposite side into the cavities of the domes. From the fastening side, hold-down elements are driven against the sheet casing. Heated form punches are driven against the dome ends until the dome ends have mushroom-shape ends.

The invention relates to a method for fastening a plastic driver made of hot-deformable plastic in a laundry drum of a washing or drying machine, wherein the driver or drivers have at least two domes on the inside, which comprise a cavity extending along its centre line, which are oriented perpendicularly to the sheet casing of the laundry drum and which serve to fasten the driver.
Such fastening methods are known (GB 1 161 219). In this case, the drivers consisting of plastic are usually prepared for fastening in such a manner that a type of dome has a rectangular cross-section and its ends which have lugs which extend sideways at right angles engage behind an edge of a likewise rectangular gap in the sheet casing. The drivers are fixed in the position predetermined by the rectangular gaps by means of a second type of domes whose cavities are suitable for screwing thread-forming screws and which merely abut from inside against the edge of the allocated hole on the sheet casing.
Drivers consisting of plastic in washing drums of high-quality washing machines are usually fastened to the inside of the sheet casing in this manner. However, it has been shown that this type of fastening of drivers cannot be made any cheaper in assembly by any rationalisation measure.

Driver for fastening to a sheet metal drum of a laundry machine


A system for performing software updates for building devices of a building includes a thermostat associated with one of multiple zones of the building and a controller. The controller includes a processing circuit configured to store thermostat software in a memory device of the processing circuit, the stored software being software for the thermostat and determine, by communicating with the thermostat, whether thermostat software run on the thermostat is newer or older than the thermostat software stored in the memory device. The processing circuit is configured to update the thermostat software run on the thermostat with the thermostat software stored in the memory device in response to a determination that the thermostat software run on the thermostat is older than the thermostat software stored in the memory device and operate building equipment to control an environmental condition of the building.

The present disclosure relates generally to building efficiency systems and devices. The present disclosure relates more particularly to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controls and thermostats.
Thermostats must have the proper software version installed in order to properly communicate with HVAC control devices. When new control devices are installed in a building, the thermostat may need to update to a particular software version in order to communicate with the HVAC control devices. The conventional method for updating software for a thermostat usually involves loading new software onto the thermostat through a storage devices such as an SD card or a USB flash drive.

Multi-zone system with software update features