This invention is an improved brake bleeder screw for use in the removal of entrapped gases from a vehicle's hydraulic wheel brake system. It is comprised of a discharge section containing external threads and an internal passageway, an extending device such as a compression spring, which is partially contained within an internal passageway of the discharge section and a sealing mechanism with an internal passageway, a head and an opening from the outside of the sealing mechanism to the internal passageway of the sealing mechanism. This improved brake bleeder screw can be substituted for existing hydraulic brake bleeder valves and permits the one-person bleeding of a hydraulic brake system.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to hydraulic brake systems. In particular, this invention relates to improved one person brake bleeder screws useful for removing entrapped gases from a vehicle's hydraulic wheel brake system.
2. Prior Art
In recent years improved methods for the bleeding of automobile hydraulic brake systems have been designed in order to eliminate air or gases present in these systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,511 describes a one person check valve and coupler assembly which is attached to a standard brake bleeder valve on a vehicle for the bleeding of the brake system. It incorporates a coupler between a one-way check valve and a standard bleeder valve. The coupler is a threaded nut which is threaded onto the inlet end of the valve body of the one-way check valve. The outer end of this threaded nut is slotted to slip over and behind the nipple of a standard bleeder valve. This mechanism discloses one method for the bleeding of a standard hydraulic brake bleeder valve by one person.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,524,800 describes a one-way brake bleeder check valve with a sealing cap. This one-way brake bleeder check valve is comprised of a valve body with a longitudinal passageway and an adjustable valve sealing cap which is screwed over the valve body. Contained within the valve is a compression spring pressing on a ball valve which seals off the passageway to the hydraulic wheel brake cylinder prior to the brake bleeding process. When the brake pedal is pressed, the pressure within the brake system forces the ball valve open and releases any trapped gases in the system. While this device is quite useful in the bleeding of hydraulic wheel brake cylinders, it does not replace conventional brake bleeder valves. Further, it requires two elements, 22 and 34 for successful operation.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,706,705 describes a check valve comprised of a generally tubular body including a cylindrical base and a guide sleeve. This check valve also uses a ball valve as a sealing element with two compression springs pressing on various elements of the check valve. It is considerably more complicated than the instant invention and does not replace conventional brake bleeder valves.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,524,793 describes another complicated automatic valve for bleeding air from a hydraulic fluid reserve. It is comprised of several elements which are screwed into a brake valve for bleeding of the line. Its very complexity contrasts with the simplicity of the instant invention.
While some of these patents disclose efficient methods for the removal of gases from hydraulic brake lines, many are quite complex and none can rep-ace the standard brake valve while still permitting the bleeding of a brake system by one person.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved brake bleeder screw for use in bleeding hydraulic wheel brake systems.
It is another object of this invention to replace the standard brake bleeder valve contained on many commercial vehicles with an improved brake bleeder screw.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide an efficient, easy to use, inexpensive, one person brake bleeder screw for use in the bleeding of hydraulic wheel brake systems.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following detailed description, drawings and claims. The description along with the accompanying drawings provide a selected example of construction of the device to illustrate the invention.


A method for activating several applications, where a received start up application determines whether a first application or a second application will be activated. The first application, which is received, along with the start up application, is activated if a file of additional data is not present in a memory. Conversely, the second application will be activated if the file is present in the memory.

Devices are known in the art which make provision for the recording, by means of decoders, of interactive programmes. The latter subsequently enable a user to interact, during the viewing of an application. For example, the document WO-01/50763 discloses the automatic recording of an auxiliary programme according to preset criteria, with a view to subsequent use by the user. Document WO-00/76213 relates to a prior recording of a software application, then of a television programme corresponding to the moment of its broadcasting, with appropriate markings for the interactivity relating to this application and the option for the user to trigger the interactive programme.
In interactive digital television systems, the broadcaster provides the terminal with a digital stream. This stream contains multiplexed data which make it possible to reconstruct the initial streams: for example video streams, audio streams, signalling data and interactive application.
For reasons of broadcasting cost and of downloading time, the broadcasters and providers of services tend to minimize the size of the applications. An effect of this is the non-existence of applications that contain additional content such as real-time video sequences enhancing broadcast programmes. Now, the use of these sequences may be very beneficial for the production of interactive adverts for example.
The prior downloading to the terminal of sophisticated applications can be envisaged, and may make it possible for data which it would be impractical, or even impossible, to download with the stream broadcast upon the triggering of an application to be made available locally. However, such an approach requires a coherent system that executes in a rather complex way, since it is necessary to organize a prior downloading of the applications into all the receivers concerned. In practice, receivers that have been unable to download the applications in the requisite time cannot benefit from the associated interactive services. Now, several factors might compromise the local availability of these applications: insufficient storage space, overly restricted bandwidth, failed prior connection to a network (for example the Internet) for downloading, etc.
Document EP-0989743 discloses a method of transmitting application data in a digital transport stream, these data relating to several services. An application data table, also transmitted, contains information about the applications transported in each service. This table enables in particular a decoder to decide whether or not to maintain applications when switching from one service to another (§[0148]), or whether download applications not yet present in the decoder but required by a new service (§[0121]).
Prior document WO-01/31920 describes a technique for managing multiple applications in a digital network, according to which a virtual application table ("VAT" table) is communicated to terminals. The latter are moreover furnished with authorization levels fixed by a multiapplications manager. On the basis of this information, each terminal is capable of constructing a local VAT table, which indicates those applications that the terminal must be furnished with, by downloading (p. 28, 1.3-27).
These latter two embodiments necessitate table tracking, management and utilization, which entails a relatively high level of complexity.
International application WO-00/64172 teaches a method for performing or otherwise a predefined action in a receiver, for example for selecting the display of information, as a function of the contents of triggers received by this receiver. This display is different depending on whether a predefined rule does or does not apply to the triggers received.
This technique requires that the management of the triggers be precisely coordinated with the chosen display schemes.
Patent US-2002/0059623 discloses a file system with dual mode in a television of a subscriber network. This system is designed to use local data when they are available and remote data (by downloading) in the converse case. The data required for services can be obtained beforehand by the receivers and be stored locally in the form of data relating to hyperlinks (§[0107]). Upon the execution of a corresponding service, a local application verifies the presence of these data in local memory and proposes to the user the execution of an improved version of the service using the hyperlinks (§[0109]).
Patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,120 describes a method for combining and distributing data with a pre-formatted real-time video. In a receiver, an augmented video programme is created by inserting selected portions of auxiliary data into a selected primary video programme. These auxiliary data may be stored beforehand in the receiver, so as to be utilized subsequently at the requisite time.
Prior document WO-02/32139 relates to systems and methods for providing media content on demand, for example on-demand video or audio content, or electronic publications. An interactive television furnished with appropriate means can retrieve further content corresponding to such selected media content, either at the same time as the latter is despatched, or by prior downloading (p. 42, 1.31-33). In the latter case, the interactive television is capable of also retrieving information associating the further content with the media content (p. 43, 1.9-14). The mode of display of the further content with respect to the media content may optionally be chosen by the user (p. 45, 1.4-7).
The potentialities of these latter three techniques remain restricted in practice to the displaying of small supplementary fields on the screen, added to the displaying of the base service, or to the introduction of sequences such as short advertising inserts.

Interactive television reception and transmitting processes and associated devices


The present invention is directed to an underlayment composition for an artificial playing surface comprised of a butadiene rubber, such as polybutadiene or styrene-butadiene that is commercially available as recycled polycord tires that have been granulized. An inorganic-base moisture-retaining agent such as vermiculite or perlite is also included in the composition in addition to a binder comprised of a mixture of isocyanate polyurethane and an inorganic acid. The present invention also provides a method of making the present composition. The method comprises the steps of mixing thoroughly granulized particles of butadiene rubber in a mixing container, mixing an inorganic-based moisture-retaining component with the butadiene rubber, mixing an acid having a pH .ltoreq.3 with the butadiene rubber and the inorganic-based moisture-retaining component, and mixing an isocyanate polyurethane with the butadiene rubber, the inorganic-based moisture-retaining component and the acid. Finally, the present invention also provides a method of using the present composition which comprises the steps of applying the composition over a conventional foundation base and laying an artificial turf over the underlayment composition.

Games and various sports activities have been a part of civilization for most of recorded time and have, in fact, grown dramatically in popularity in the United States and around the world over the last century. Many types of playing surfaces have been developed to provide a suitable surface on which to conduct these various sports activities.
One of the first of such playing surfaces was a natural grass surface. Grass fields offer several advantages for conducting different types of games and related activities. For instance, natural grass fields provide an excellent shock-absorbing cushion for athletes as they run, jump and dive their way to victory over their opponents. This is an important aspect of any playing surface, since it is well known that the athlete's bones, joints and body, in general, absorb a great deal of shock force when impacting the playing surface while performing various athletic maneuvers. Maximum absorption of shock forces helps to reduce injuries that may arise when the athlete's body is subjected to shock forces over time.
Another advantage grass fields offer is that they provide excellent traction in dry weather conditions, allowing the athlete to keep proper balance and thereby more properly execute athletic maneuvers.
A further advantage grass fields offer is that they contain moisture in their grass root systems. The moisture functions in two ways. First, the moisture acts as a natural heat dissipator that, in turn, provide a relatively cool surface on which to perform the physically demanding activities. Second, the moisture functions as a lubricant to provides an appropriate amount of friction co-efficient reduction to prevent "footlock"--a situation that arises when the athlete's shoe momentarily sticks or drags on the turf, sometimes causing the athlete to stumble or fall. This second function also helps to prevent immediate injuries, because, when the athlete is hit by another player, the moisture in the grass surface allows the athlete's foot to slide across the surface instead of sticking to the surface. This lubricating action greatly reduces the chance of injury to the legs, and particularly to the knees or ankles. Additionally, natural grass fields absorb and drain water to an acceptable degree.
To this point, the discussion has been directed primarily to applications of grass fields in playing sports such as baseball, football, soccer or other outdoors sports that require a playing field. In addition to these applications, however, grass turf is also applicable in a golf course setting. The reason is that the various grass turfs customarily found on golf courses offer an ideal playing surface. For instance, the moisture content of the greens gives the right amount of ball stopping control as a ball is hit onto the green. Also, putting is affected by the amount of moisture available in the turf. Additionally, the impact absorption capability is a significant factor in properly stopping an in-flight ball on the green. While grass fields and turfs have several advantages and applications, there are, unfortunately, certain disadvantages associated with grass fields and turf.
One such disadvantage is that grass fields, of course, become very muddy and slippery when exposed to large amounts of water in a short period of time and, when excessively wet, they can be torn up rather quickly. Another disadvantage is that many of today's sports arenas are domed and enclosed for year round comfort of the spectators and the athletes alike. As such, natural grass fields are less desirable in these enclosed areas because of inadequate exposure to sunlight. Still another disadvantage is that grass fields require constant watering, fertilizing and general maintenance to keep them in an ideal playing condition. This upkeep is very expensive in that it requires substantial amounts of time and money for maintenance crews and supplies.
With respect to applications involving golf courses, the natural grass turf also has the same disadvantages regarding upkeep and general maintenance with even more cost and time involved. For example, tee boxes undergo regular abuse as successive golfers make divots in the surface of the turf while teeing-off from the box. The boxes, therefore, require constant replacement of sod and turf and, in some cases, require the provision of more than one tee box for each hole. Another example is the damage that occurs to greens when the balls impact the green and the physical damage that is often done by golfers and harsh weather conditions. Finally, grass and especially green grass can be very susceptible to frost damage, fungus and various other types of environmental conditions.
Another type of artificial turf that has been extensively used over the last two decades is "ASTRO TURF.RTM.", which is comprised of strands of extruded plastic. The "ASTRO TURF.RTM." is laid over a shock absorbing underlayment and a foundational hard base. Other types of artificial turfs include loop-pile carpet-like turfs, knitted nylon or polypropylene turfs or polypropylene tufted turfs.
The foundational hard base conventionally consists of a stone material that may vary in depth, depending on the intended use. The hard base is normally formed by depositing the stone material in a layer of at least six inches deep to a tolerance of plus or minus one inch and sloped in a predetermined direction for water drainage. The layer is then compacted, watered for optimum moisture content, and rolled to a compaction rate of 95% standard procter density. The compacted stone material is then normally oiled with a primer of hot, liquid asphalt to seal the material and provide bonding for subsequent deposition of an asphalt layer on top. Next, hot-mix asphalt is laid in place by conventional paving equipment. On top of this asphalt is laid a conventional underlayment or shock pad over which the artificial turf is laid.
Conventional underlayment shock pads typically consist of a hardened mixture of rubber granules and either a polyurethane, polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride binder in combination with a small pebble or stone approximately 4 to 9 mm in diameter. The conventional mixture forms what is known as a "closed cell" system, where multitudes of noncontiguous air pockets are trapped in the mixture. These pads average 5/8 inches in thickness when laid over the hard base asphalt. While the combination of the artificial turf and the underlying shock pad overcome some of the disadvantages associated with the natural grass field or turf, they introduce, however, several other disadvantages.
One such disadvantage is that many of the conventional shock pads are closed-cell systems. Again, a closed cell system is one in which the cells within the pad structure are not interconnected with one another or the surface of the pad. As such, the pad cannot "breathe", i.e, water and air cannot move into and out of the pad. In fact, the typical closed-cell system pad is specifically designed to repel moisture to enhance the water shedding capabilities of the playing surface in general. Thus, the pad neither retains moisture nor allows moisture to pass therethrough. This is a significant disadvantage because there is no moisture present to act as a natural lubricant, thereby preventing footlock, or to act as a natural heat dissipator, thereby providing a cooler playing surface.
Another disadvantage of the closed-cell system is that the closed-cell pads collapse over time, increasing the shock to the athlete, in turn transmitting greater shock to the athlete's body upon impact. Furthermore, the pads are initially limited in shock absorption, especially from greater heights, which, of course, increases the amount of force that the athlete's body absorbs when it impacts the surface.
Still another disadvantage of the prior art shock pads is that they use a polyurethane foam that causes the pad to be too rigid and hard. This rigidity and hardness detracts further still from the pad's ability to absorb the appropriate amount of impact shock. In addition, pebbles or stones are usually incorporated making the pad even harder still and thus even less capable of absorbing the appropriate amount of impact shock.
While some open-celled systems do exist, they also suffer from disadvantages. For example, as with closed-celled systems, open-celled systems typically include pebbles or stones and polyurethane foams in the mixture. As previously stated, polyurethane foams cause the pad to become hard and less absorbent over time. In addition, moisture cannot be entrained or entrapped within the pad because the pads are typically designed to allow water to pass through them to drain water effectively from the playing surface. Thus, footlock and a high playing field temperature are also prevalent in these conventional open-celled systems as well.
Applications of the conventional underlayments discussed above with respect to golf courses are unsatisfactory for basically the same reasons. First, the base or shock pad does not contain enough moisture to effectively simulate a natural grass green regarding its ability to stop an in-flight ball landing on the green. Moreover, the pad lacks the required degree of energy absorption that is necessary to properly stop the ball and that is necessary for absorbing the impact of the golf club as the golfer hits the tee shot from the tee box.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a shock absorbing underlayment that is durable, absorbs shock in the manner of a natural grass field and retains moisture to lubricate the surface of the artificial turf to prevent footlock and provide a playing surface that is cooler. The shock pad of the present invention addresses these needs.

Shock absorbing underlayment for artificial playing surfaces


A measuring cell is formed of base plates joined together. A passage groove is formed on a joining surface of one base plate. Through-holes for introducing and discharging a fluid sample are formed on the other base plate, and the joining surface is provided with an optically opaque Si film as slits. Further, the joining surfaces of the base plates and the inner surface of the passage groove are covered with SiO2 films. Thus, a measuring cell having a sufficiently small passage sectional area, a high air-tightness, a chemically stable measuring chamber, and a high measuring sensitivity can be obtained.

The present invention relates to a measuring cell to be used in an optical measurement apparatus for measuring absorption or emission of rays in an ultraviolet or visible region to measure components in an extremely small quantity of a liquid sample.
A measuring cell for measuring absorption or emission of rays of a liquid sample in an ultraviolet or visible region has been widely used as a detecting device for accurately and quickly analyzing extremely small quantities of components, for example a capillary electrocataphoresis (CE), a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), a capillary electro chromatography (CEC), or a flow injection analysis (FIA) in a field of analytical chemistry, especially such as an environment analytical chemistry, a clinical field, a pharmaceutical field or the like. The measuring cell includes, generally, an introducing port for introducing a liquid sample to be analyzed, a passage of the liquid sample, and a discharging port for discharging the liquid sample, and the passage has a measuring chamber wherein the liquid sample and rays in an ultraviolet or visible region interact. The measuring cell is connected to an exit of an analytical column used in the analyzing apparatus. Also, the measuring chamber is provided with an incident window and an exit window of the measuring rays, and the rays in the ultraviolet or visible region introduced into the measuring chamber through the incident window pass through the liquid sample present in the measuring chamber, go out through the exit window, and are measured by a photometry optical system.
Recently, for example, as published in xe2x80x9cSciencexe2x80x9d, Vol. 261, p 895-897 (1993), there has been developed an electrocataphoresis device wherein a passage for introducing a liquid material and a passage for separating a liquid sample are formed on an electrocatahoresis member made of a glass base plate, for example PYREX GLASS, by using a micro-machining technique based on a semiconductor manufacturing technique. When compared with a conventional capillary electrocataphoresis device, the electrocataphoresis device has various advantages such that a high speed analysis can be made, a solvent consuming quantity is very little, a required sample is extremely small, the device can be miniaturized, and the like. These characteristics are very useful for enabling an on-sight or bed-side analysis, which can not be made by the conventional analyzing devices in the field of analytical chemistry. Also, in a field of a DNA analysis or the like, the above-mentioned advantages are useful for screening from a view point of the high speed analysis.
In the measuring cell to be used in a field of the analytical chemistry, a volume of the measuring chamber is required such that separating or analyzing ability for the various analytical methods are not impaired, i.e. the passage sectional area is generally the same as that of a separation capillary column. As the separation capillary column, generally, a molten silica capillary having an inner diameter in the order of several hundreds xcexcm is used. In order to obtain a measuring chamber having the same sectional area of the passage as that of the molten silica capillary, there has been proposed a manufacturing method of a measuring cell by joining two glass base plates provided with a passage on the surface thereof by applying the micro-machining technique.
In this case, it is important that the two base plates are securely joined and the surface of the passage is chemically stable in view of an influence on an analysis. However, in a conventional joining method employing a thermal oxidation film of an Si thin film, there may be formed a thermal stress and distortion on the base plates due to high temperature process to obtain the thermal oxidation film, so that the joining of the base plates becomes insecure and the measuring chamber can not be kept air-tightly.
Also, in case the measuring cell is desired to be used as a disposable cell, although a plastic cell is advantageous in view of its cost, it is required at the present situation that the two base plates are processed at a temperature higher than 100xc2x0 C. in a joining process thereof. Thus, it is difficult to bond the base plates while keeping the passage shape of the accurately formed plastic base plates. Also, since the surface of the plastic product mostly show hydrophobic property, there is a problem that a solution can not be easily introduced into the cell.
Also, among incident lights entering the measuring chamber, lights, i.e. stray lights, which do not interact with a liquid sample to be measured, enter a measuring device to thereby lower a measuring sensitivity.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a disposable measuring cell, wherein a passage of a measuring chamber has substantially the same sectional area as that of a separation capillary column; the measuring chamber has a sufficient airtightness; the inner surface of the passage is chemically stable; and stray lights do not enter a measuring device.
Another object of the invention is to provide a measuring cell as stated above, wherein the entire measuring cell is miniaturized with high accuracy to thereby produce a plurality of measuring cells at the same time and reduce its cost.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
A measuring cell of the invention for attaining the above objects includes a sample introducing port for introducing a liquid sample, a passage for the introduced liquid sample, and a sample discharging port for discharging the liquid sample. At least a part of the passage is used as a measuring chamber. The measuring cell is formed of two base plates joined together by using an SiO2 thin film formed by a sputtering film forming method or the like, and a groove portion as the passage is formed on a joining surface of at least one of the two base plates. Thus, without using a high thermal process step causing a thermal stress on the base plates, joining of the glass base plates can be securely carried out. Moreover, since the inner surface of the passage is covered by the SiO2 thin film, a material of the base plates does not contact the liquid sample. Thus, the chemical and physical characteristics of the inner surface of the passage are determined by characteristics of the thin film formed thereto, so that various characteristics can be relatively easily provided to the inner surface of the passage by changing film forming conditions and compositions of the materials.
Also, in order to form a groove portion as the passage on a joining interface or surface of the base plate, a known photo-fabrication technique and a wet etching technique can be used to thereby form the groove portion with a desired width and depth less than several hundreds xcexcm in either case. Therefore, a fine passage having a passage sectional area which is substantially the same as that of the separation capillary column can be used as the measuring chamber, so that it is possible to form a measuring chamber having a fine volume to an extent which does not impair separation or analyzing abilities of the various separation analyzing devices. Further, by providing optically opaque portions on both sides of the sample passage in a flow direction of the sample through formation of the optically opaque portions, such as an Si thin film, by the sputtering method on the joining surface, stray lights which do not interact with the liquid sample to be measured do not enter the measuring device, so that the measuring cell having a high measuring sensitivity can be obtained.
In case at least one of the two base plates is made of a plastic material, a cheap disposable measuring cell can be manufactured. When the plastic material is used for the base plate, although there are problems of keeping a passage shape at the time of joining the base plates and the hydrophobic property of the surfaces, the passage shape can be easily maintained and the inner surface of the passage become hydrophilic by covering the plastic surfaces with the SiO2 thin films and joining the base plates by using means, such as a hydrofluoric acid joining or the like.
Incidentally, it is preferable that the thicknesses of the base plates are made thin as little as possible in order to suppress absorption of lights to be measured by the base plates, i.e. in a range from several hundreds xcexcm to 1 mm. Although a size of the measuring cell is not specially limited, it is desirable that the measuring chamber has a length in the order of several hundreds um not to lower its resolving power.
Also, in case a liquid sample is measured through absorption of ultraviolet rays, when ultraviolet transmittance glass having a good transmittance to an ultraviolet ray region, foe example, Product No. UV-22 manufactured by Hoya Corporation or #9741 manufactured by Corning Inc., is used as base plates to provide the above structure, a measuring cell usable for measuring light absorption in the ultraviolet ray region can be obtained. When it is desired to increase the ultraviolet ray transmittance, if the above structure is embodied by using quartz glass as the base plates, an ideal measuring cell for light absorption in the ultraviolet ray region can be obtained.


Immunochemical measurement by either (1) the reaction of the measurement substance with the insolubilized substance and then the reaction of the reaction product of the first procedure with the labeled substance or (2) the reaction of the measurement substance with the labelled substance and then the reaction of the resulting reaction product with the insolubilized substance, or (3) the simultaneous reaction of the three substances.

Substances such as insulin, chorionic gonadotropin, growth hormone, .alpha.-fetoprotein and immunoglobulin having antigenicity hereinafter referred to antigenic substances bind to the antibodies against these substances very specifically and very sensitively. Taking advantage of these features, numerous processes have been developed to measure the antigenic substances or their antibodies and many immunochemical measuring processes are already in practical use. To mention some examples, there are; immunodiffusion methods, in which the antigen and the antibody are caused to react with each other in agar gel; agglutination reaction and agglutination inhibition reaction methods, in which blood cells or fine particles like polystyrene latex are utilized as carrier of antigen or antibody; radioimmunoassay (RIA), in which radiosotopes are employed to label the antigen or antibody; enzyme immunoassay (EIA), in which enzymes are employed for the same purpose; and fluoroescence immunoassay, in which fluorescent materials are employed for the same purpose.
Meanwhile there is a competitive protein binding assay, in which a receptor protein or binding protein, i.e., a protein which specifically binds to the substance to be measured is utilized instead of the antibody in the immunochemical process.
These processes with respective characters are finding wide applications. Among others, RIA and EIA, which are far superior in the sensitivity of measurement and quantitative precision, are widely used, the substances measurable by them ranging from high molecular substances such as protein hormones, virus, immunoglobulins to low molecular ones such as peptides, steroids, synthetic medicines.
The principle, which is common to RIA and EIA, is characterized by two methods; competitive method and sandwich method.
The present specification concerns a case of the antigen as the substance to be measured and the antibody as the substance specifically bindable with said antigen. Not being confined to this case alone, however, the present invention is applicable equally to a case of the antibody as the substances to be measured and of the antigen as the bindable substance with said antibody; to an antigen-antibody system; and even to a physiologically active substance-receptor protein system.
Next, referring to a drawing, the competitive method and the sandwich method in RIA and in EIA are to be described.
As schematically illustrated in FIG. 1, the competitive method works such that an unknown amount of unlabeled antigen 1 and a given amount of labeled antigen 2 which is labeled by labeling agent are caused to react competitively with a given amount of the corresponding antibody 3. In this case, the unlabled antigen 1 and the labeled antigen 2 bind to the antibody 3 in proportion to their respective amounts and thereby the amount of the labeled antigen 2 to bind to the antibody 3 is reversely proportional to the amount of the unlabeled antigen 1. Next, by appropriate way the bound labeled antigen 2a and the free labeled antigen 2 are separated and the activity of the labeling agent in either of the two is measured. In the meantime a dilution series of reference substance, whose concentration is known, is prepared and in the same way described above the activity of labeling agent in each dilution is measured. A standard curve obtained by plotting the measured activities is utilized for determining the amount of the substance to be measured.
In the competitive method, the antigen is measured by causing the antigen to be measured and the labeled antigen to compete one with another for binding to the antibody. If the antibody used is one insolubilized, the antigen can be measured in the same way; moreover, the antibody too can be measured by causing the antibody to be measured and the insolubilized antibody to compete one with another for binding to the labeled antigen. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,654,090 and 3,850,752 disclose the processes based on this principle. In these processes, the labeled substance directly binds to the insolubilized antibody, and this binding is competed by the binding of the substance to be measured to the insolubilized antibody and/or to labeled substance. Thus the amount of the labeled substance to bind to the insolubilized antibody is in reverse proportion to the amount of the substance to be measured.
Next the sandwich method works, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, such that an unknown amount of unlabeled antigen 1 to be measured is caused to react with the insolubilized antibody 4, i.e., an antibody to the antigen which has been insolubilized. Both come to bind to each other, yielding an antigen-body complex 5 (the first reaction). The complex 5 is separated from the reaction mixture and caused to react with a given amount of the labeled antibody 6 in which an antibody to antigen to be measured is bound to a labelling agent (the second reaction). The labeled antibody 6 binds to said complex 5, but a part of it which exceeds the bindability to the insoluble complex 5 remains in free state in the solution without binding to the insoluble complex 5. Next the bound labeled antibody 6a and the free labeled antibody 6 are separated and the activity of labeling agent in either of them is measured. In the meantime a dilution series of reference substance, whose concentration is known, is prepared and in the same way described above the activity of labeling agent in each dilution is measured. A standard curve obtained by plotting the measured activities is utilized for determining the amount of the substance to be measured.
In the sandwich method, since the labeled substance does not directly bind to the insolubilized antibody but does so through the substance to be measured, the amount of the labeled substance to bind to the insolubilized antibody will be proportional to the amount of the substance to be measured.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,932 discloses a process based on this principle.
Whereas in the competitive method a change in the activity of the labeling agent corresponding to increase or decrease of the amount of the antigen to be measured is little and accordingly with a mild slope of the standard curve the sensitivity of measurement is relatively low, in the sandwich method a change in the amount of the antigen to be measured directly corresponds to increase or decrease the activity of the labeling agent and accordingly with a steep slope of the standard curve the sensitivity of measurement is high. In the conventional sandwich method, however, in which after the first reaction between the antigen to be measured and the insolubilized antibody the antigen-antibody complex yielded has to be separated from the reaction mixture, and accordingly the upper limit of measurable amount of antigen is 10.sup.2 -10.sup.3 times the lower limit. Meanwhile, the upper limit of the amount of antigen to be measured may often amount to 10.sup.5 -10.sup.6 times the lower limit. For instance the blood level of .alpha.-fetoprotein is in normal humans less than 1.times.10.sup.1 ng/ml, but in a patient with primary hepatoma it may reach even 1.times.10.sup.6 ng/ml; in the latter case the specimens at several levels of dilution have to be prepared so that they can be made measurable by the process, whereby repeated dilution is likely to lower the precision of measurement.

Immunochemical process of measuring physiologically active substances


Disclosed is a device for particle sampling from compressed gases. The device allows for anayzing particles from compressed gases of a pressure ranging from 20 psi to 3000 psi. In the device, the formula D.sub.s =D.sub.t .sqroot.(Q.sub.s /Q.sub.t) is applicable wherein D.sub.s and D.sub.t are the probe diameter and the chamber diameter, respectively, Q.sub.s is the sampling flow rate required by monitoring instruments, and Q.sub.t is the total flow rate determined by the orifice diameter and pressure whereby the sampling velocity substantially matches the local flow velocity at the probe. In addition, a distance between the orifice and the probe is greater than L wherein L=D.sub.c / (2 tan .alpha.) where D.sub.c is the chamber diameter and .alpha. is the half angle of jet expansion.

1. Field of the Invention:
An orifice-type pressure reduction device compatible with particle sampling from compressed, high-purity gases is described.
2. Discussion of the Background:
Pressure reduction is a necessary step in sampling particles from compressed gases because most particle counters operate at or near atmospheric pressure. The criteria for a good pressure reducing device are that the particle loss is negligible and no artifact particles are generated.
It has been discovered from past experience that pressure regulators, needle valves and other commonly used flow control devices cannot be used for particle sampling because particles are lost in an uncontrolled fashion.
Pressure reduction by expanding gases through a capillary type pressure reducer tube for sampling from pressurized gas line has been used, for example in the high pressure diffuser shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 discloses a diffuser 1, needle assembly 2, end cap 3, jet guard 4, diffuser mount 5 and case member 6. An inlet jet 7, adapter fitting 8, hex cell 9 and high pressure gas source 10 are also utilized. This method and device has a severe drawback with respect to cleanability which thus prevents its application in high purity gases. Previous data ("Particles in Ultrasonic Process Gases", G. Kasper and Y. Wen Handbook of Contamination Control in Microelectronics Industry, Jan., 1988) have shown that the device itself is an indefinite source of particles.
Expanding gases through a thin orifice disc was recognized as the most suitable method of reducing pressure for particle analysis (Wen and Kasper, 1988, Journal of Aerosol Research, Japan; 1988 SEMI International Standards). The fluid dynamics for flow passing through an orifice has been well documented.

Pressure reduction device for particle sampling from compressed gases


Presented systems and methods facilitate efficient and effective communication link adaptation. In one embodiment, a system comprises: a first communication device configured to forward link adaptation information, and a second communication component configured to receive the link adaptation information. The system is part of a wireless local area network (WLAN). The link adaptation information can include Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) Feed Back (MFB) related information in a communication frame. The communication frame can include a first field and a second field. The first field indicates the information is being forwarded as unsolicited MFB information or is associated with a solicitation request for the MFB information. The second first field indicates whether the information is MFB information or a request for MFB information.

Numerous electronic technologies such as digital computers, video equipment, and telephone systems are used to increase productivity and reduce costs in processing information in most areas of business, science, and entertainment. The electronic systems often utilize a number of methods to convey information including audio, video, graphics, and so on. Accurate and clear communications of information are typically important for proper processing and utilization of the information. However, there are a number of factors that can impact accurate communications of information, including lack of coordination among diverse communication components in a communication network.
One approach to communication coordination is to utilize standardized protocols to facilitate interoperability of diverse network components. Traditional approaches often organize and format information in accordance with a protocol based on communication functions of the network system. Some conventional communication protocols include multiple layers organized in a hierarchy in which a lower layer serves the one above it (e.g., Open System Interconnection (OSI) model, IEEE 802.11 compliant model, etc.). The model and protocol can include a physical layer and a data link layer. The physical layer sets out the electrical and physical coupling specifications between a communication network hardware device and a transmission medium. The physical layer is typically below the data link layer in the hierarchy. The data link layer is directed at network node-to-node information transfer, including defining a protocol for flow control between node devices and defining a protocol to establish and terminate communication connections. Communication networks compliant with IEEE 802 standards such as 802.3 Ethernet, 802.11 Wi-Fi and 802.15.4 ZigBee operate at the data link layer.
Some traditional approaches divide the data link layer into a medium access control (MAC) layer and a logical link control (LLC) layer. The LLC layer is responsible for controlling error checking, frame synchronization, and network layer protocol identification. The MAC layer controls how devices in a network gain access to a medium and permission to transmit data. One aspect of media access control is link adaptation in which modulation, coding, and other signal parameters are matched to features, characteristics, and conditions on a communication link. However, traditional link adaptation is often limited and does not adequately address the complexities of network link conditions and demand for improved network communication performance.

Network communication link adaptation systems and methods


A pressure sensor has a sensor element portion for detecting pressure, and a pressure conduction portion connectable to a detected member and defining therein a conduction passage for conducting pressure from the detected member to the sensor element portion. A protective cap is detachably attached to the pressure conduction portion to cover a sealed portion where the pressure conduction portion is to be sealed to the detected member until before the pressure sensor is connected to the detected member. The protective cap has an opening portion through which the conduction passage communicates with an outside thereof. Accordingly, pressure characteristics can be checked without detaching the protective cap from the pressure conduction portion.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Applications No. 11-118563 filed on Apr. 26, 1999, and No. 2000-45143 filed on Feb. 17, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a pressure sensor having a sensor element portion for detecting pressure and a pressure conduction portion for conducting pressure to the sensor element portion, and a method for assembling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 11 shows a conventional pressure sensor, which can be used as a fuel pressure sensor for detecting pressure in, for instance, a vehicle fuel tank (detected body). A silicon-made sensor chip J1 is bonded to a glass-made base J2 to form a sensor element portion J3 for detecting pressure. The sensor element portion J3 is fixedly accommodated in a recess of a housing J4 molded with polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or the like.
The housing J4 is formed with a pressure conduction portion J6 defining a conduction passage J5 therein for conducting pressure toward the sensor element portion J3. An O-shaped annular groove J7 is formed on the outer circumference surface of the pressure conduction portion J6, and O-shaped ring J8 is retained in the groove J7. The pressure conduction portion J6 is connectable, by insertion, to a member of the detected body such as a hose communicating with the fuel tank. The O-shaped ring J8 seals the connected portion.
Generally, in this kind of pressure sensor, after the sensor element portion J3 is attached to the housing J4 holding the O-shaped ring J8, sensor pressure characteristics and the like are checked. After that, the pressure sensor is assembled with a member (detected member), a pressure of which is to be detected, at the pressure conduction portion J6 through the O-shaped ring J8.
Thus, the pressure sensor is assembled with the detected member after several check steps are performed in the state in which the O-shaped ring J8 is attached to the pressure conduction portion J6. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, a rubber-made cap J9 is attached to the pressure conduction portion J6 until immediately before the pressure sensor is connected to the detected member. The cap J9 covers the O-shaped ring fixation portion (sealed portion) to thereby prevent foreign matter from sticking to the O-shaped ring fixation portion during the manufacture process.
In the method for protecting the O-shaped ring fixation portion by the cap J9, however, the pressure characteristic check is performed after the cap J9 is attached to the pressure conduction portion J6. Therefore, the cap J9 must be detached for a while for the check in which a check jig is connected to the pressure conduction portion J6 so that check pressure is conducted into the sensor element portion J3 through the conduction passage J5.
The attachment and detachment of the cap J9 during the manufacture process increases time and deteriorates workability. In addition, foreign matter may stick to the fixation portion when the cap J9 is detached. The foreign matter sticking to the fixation portion causes leakage of pressure, sealing deficiency and the like when the pressure sensor is assembled with the detected member. These problems occur not only when the pressure conduction portion is sealed by the O-shaped ring but also when it is sealed by a packing member, screw fastening or the like.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. An object of the present invention is to prevent foreign matters from sticking to a sealed portion of a pressure sensor where the pressure sensor is sealed to a detected member, until immediately before the pressure sensor is attached to the detected member.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for assembling a pressure sensor includes preparing a pressure sensor having a sensor element portion for detecting a pressure and a pressure conduction portion defining therein a conduction passage for conducting the pressure to the sensor element portion. The method further includes attaching a protection member having an opening portion to the pressure conduction portion so that the conduction passage communicates with an outside of the pressure sensor through the opening portion.
Accordingly, a sealed portion of the pressure conduction portion where the pressure conduction portion is to be sealed to a detected member is covered until immediately before the pressure sensor is connected to the detected member to detect the pressure. Foreign matter is prevented from sticking to the sealed portion until immediately before the pressure sensor is connected to the detected member.
Because the conduction passage communicates with the outside thereof through the opening portion of the protective member, a check pressure can be conducted toward the sensor element portion through the opening portion of the protective member and the conduction passage to check sensor characteristics of the sensor element portion in the state where the sealed portion is covered with the protective member.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a pressure sensor includes a sensor element portion, a pressure conduction portion, and a protective member detachably attached to the pressure conduction portion to cover a sealed portion of the pressure conduction portion. The pressure conduction portion has an opening portion through which a conduction passage in the pressure conduction portion communicates with an outside thereof.
Accordingly, sensor characteristics can be checked without detaching the protective member from the pressure conduction portion. As a result, foreign matter is not stuck to the sealed portion during the check.

Pressure sensor and method for assembling the same


Corrosive-resistant, amorphous metal alloy coatings for crystalline metal surfaces wherein the coating is formed by vapor deposition of a mixture of. (1) from 8 to 30 atomic percent of boron, silicon, or mixtures thereof and PA0 (2) the remainder being a modified metal composition formed by modifying the composition of the crystalline metal of the surface to produce a final amorphous metal alloy coating that is anodic in reference to the crystalline metal of the surface.

This invention relates to amorphous metal alloys and particularly to amorphous metal alloy coatings for protecting metals against corrosion.
Metallic glasses are relatively new materials that are produced in the form of ribbons, wires, or coatings by rapid solidification from either the liquid or vapor state. They are truly noncrystalline alloys which combine the properties of a metal (electrical conductivity, metallic luster, etc.) with the lack of long range order typical of a glass. They are very homogeneous and lack the defects typical of a crystalline material, such as grain boundaries and dislocations.
There are a large number of alloy systems which will form metallic glasses. The best known metallic glasses combine late transition metals with metalloids such as boron, carbon, silicon, and phosphorus. Because of the lack of stoichiometric requirements, the composition of a metallic glass can be varied continuously within certain limits. Thus, the properties of a metallic glass can be tailored over a wide range to optimize various properties.
The outstanding corrosion resistance of some metallic glasses derives from two sources. The complete lack of microstructure leads to a particularly homogeneous passive film with no underlying defects to serve as pitting sites. In addition, the surface of an amorphous solid has a higher free energy than the surface of the corresponding crystalline solid leading to more aggressive passivation. It should be noted that if the metallic glass lacks elements that form a passive film, such as chromium or aluminum, the higher reactivity of the surface results in a corrosion resistance which is poorer than that of the corresponding crystalline material. If, however, the appropriate element is present, metallic glasses produce a higher quality protective film than that of a crystalline material with similar composition.
The outstanding corrosion properties of metallic glasses have led to several research efforts aimed at producing corrosion resistant coatings on metallic substrates. These include Mo-Ru-B, USN S30400 stainless steel (304SS) with small additions of carbon, Mo-Cr-B, and a sputtered version of Metglas.RTM. 2826A. Procedures for fabricating highly corrosion-resistant metallic glass coatings are now very well established. The method of choice is usually magnetron sputtering, an industrially mature process which is characterized by high deposition rate and excellent film adhesion. Recently, amorphous metal coatings also have been produced by electroless deposition.
There are a number of situations in which a metallic glass coating would have a distinct advantage over other types of corrosion protection. Amorphous metal coatings would be especially useful in cases where the coating must be electrically conductive (e.g., electrical contacts) or where the dimension of the work-piece must remain unchanged within a certain tolerance. Another major advantage of metallic glasses is that because they have no grain boundaries or defects, they tend to make excellent barriers to permeation of various corrosive substances such as fuel components. Such permeation can cause severe corrosion problems.
Unfortunately, a small pinhole or scratch often results in the severe corrosion and catastrophic failure of the underlying crystalline metal structure material. It would therefore be desirable to provide corrosion-resistant coatings that could have pinholes, cracks, or scratches and still protect the underlying crystalline metal material from major corrosion.

Corrosion resistant metallic glass coatings

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A goalie skate for a hockey goalkeeper. The goalie skate may comprise a skate boot for receiving a foot of the hockey goalkeeper, a blade for contacting ice, and a blade holder between the skate boot and the blade. The skate boot comprises an outer shell comprising a synthetic material. The goalie skate may be cowlingless.

Hockey goalkeepers (a.k.a. goalies) defend their team's goal in a hockey game. To that end, a hockey goalie wears various equipment, including goalie skates to move on a playing surface (e.g., ice), leg pads to protect his/her legs when used to stop a puck or ball and/or when moving (e.g., dropping) them onto the playing surface, and a blocker and a catcher to stop the puck or ball with his/her arms and hands
A goalie skate typically comprises a skate boot for receiving a goalie's foot and a cowling that covers toe, heel, lower medial, and lower lateral areas of the skate boot. The cowling is a hard cover that extends over the toe, heel, lower medial, and lower lateral areas of the skate boot for added protection in those areas. The cowling also carries a blade or set of inline wheels of the skate that engages the playing surface.
While the cowling imparts impact protection to the goalie skate, it may detrimentally affect other characteristics of the skate. For instance, a maximal angle of attack of the goalie skate with the playing surface may be limited by the cowling as a medial side of the cowling will contact the playing surface first when the goalie skate is inclined. This can in turn affect how fast and how hard the goalie can push off the playing surface during play.
For these and/or other reasons, there is a need to improve skates for hockey goalies.


The vehicle deceleration control apparatus controls deceleration given to a vehicle according to a distance from a vehicle ahead, which is directly measured or estimated based on an accelerator operating condition, so that the smaller the distance from a vehicle ahead, the greater is an assist deceleration. The vehicle deceleration control apparatus is capable of giving an appropriate deceleration according to traffic conditions.

The disclosures of Japanese Patent Application No. 11-357761 filed on Dec. 16, 1999 and No. 2000-108295 filed on Apr. 10, 2000 including the specification, drawings and abstract are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicle deceleration control apparatus that gives deceleration to the vehicle and a control method for the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a vehicle deceleration control apparatus that gives deceleration to the vehicle in accordance with operating conditions of the accelerator and a control method for the same.
2. Description of Related Art
One known arrangement relating to this invention is a deceleration control apparatus that gives deceleration to the vehicle by applying a braking force when the driver releases an accelerator pedal from the depressed state. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication HEI 9-95222, discloses a deceleration control apparaus, in which a braking force is applied to a main brake system when the accelerator pedal is in a deceleration zone.
Equipping a vehicle with such a deceleration control apparatus eliminates the need for the driver to frequently operate the brake pedal when gradually accelerating or decelerating the vehicle, thus enhancing a deceleration response and driving is made easier.
In this known arrangement, deceleration control in consideration of road traffic conditions is not provided. In light traffic conditions, however, it is not particularly necessary to make deceleration greater and a greater deceleration may even give the driver a sense of awkwardness. Under heavy traffic conditions, on the other hand, the driver needs to operate the brake more frequently with a small deceleration, which makes it necessary to augment deceleration for an improved deceleration response.
An object of the invention is to provide a vehicle deceleration control apparatus that is capable of giving appropriate deceleration according to the traffic conditions.
To achieve the foregoing object, a vehicle deceleration control apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention has an arrangement, in which an accelerator operating condition detecting device is used to detect the operating condition of an accelerator and, when it is determined that the accelerator operating condition is in a return operation condition, a deceleration application device is controlled so as to give deceleration to the vehicle. Further, by evaluating the distance from the vehicle ahead, the vehicle deceleration control apparatus controls using the deceleration application device to make deceleration to be given smaller when the distance is greater than when the distance is shorter.
According to the invention, deceleration to be given is controlled by determining the distance from the vehicle ahead and in accordance with the distance from the vehicle ahead. When the distance from the vehicle ahead is long, deceleration is kept to a small rate to prevent an excessive deceleration from being produced. When the distance from the vehicle ahead is short, deceleration is given more amply. This makes it possible to decelerate the vehicle without requiring frequent braking operations and keep an appropriate distance from the vehicle ahead.
This vehicle may be equipped with a vehicle-to-vehicle distance detecting device that detects the distance from the vehicle ahead and the vehicle deceleration control apparatus according to this invention preferably uses this vehicle-to-vehicle distance detecting device to determine the distance from the vehicle ahead. A laser radar, millimeter wave sensor, and a similar device may be appropriately used for the vehicle-to-vehicle distance detecting device such as this one.
In addition, the vehicle may also be provided with a relative speed detecting device that detects a relative speed with respect to the vehicle ahead, and the data representing the vehicle-to-vehicle distance and the relative speed with respect to the vehicle ahead may be used as a basis for adjusting deceleration. If the vehicle ahead runs faster than the driver""s vehicle even with a small distance available between the two vehicles, there is only a little necessity for making deceleration greater.
The distance between the two vehicles may even be evaluated based on fluctuations with time in accelerator operating conditions as detected by the accelerator operating condition detecting device.
The inventor has found that the shorter the distance from the vehicle ahead, the greater are the fluctuations with time in accelerator operating conditions even with the same driver. That is, it is possible to estimate the distance from the vehicle ahead based on the fluctuations with time in accelerator operating conditions. This eliminates the need for providing the vehicle-to-vehicle distance detecting device, thus simplifying the construction of the control device.
It is also preferable that the deceleration to be applied by the deceleration application device be set in accordance with an accelerator operating position detected by the accelerator operating condition detecting device. This allows deceleration to be applied so as to suit the driver""s intention by varying deceleration according to the accelerator operating position.
It is preferable that the deceleration application device applies deceleration by controlling a braking force. If a mechanism that aids in the braking force in proportion to a brake operating force is employed, the invention can be embodied with simple modifications.
An embodiment of this invention is not limited to a vehicle deceleration control apparatus such as that described heretofore. Another embodiment of the invention includes, for example, a vehicle equipped with a vehicle deceleration control apparatus and a control method for the vehicle deceleration control apparatus.

Vehicle deceleration control apparatus and control method for the same


A transparent electroconductive laminate having a transparent electroconductive layer composed mainly of indium oxide deposited on a transparent planar substrate, the electroconductive layer comprises two uniformly mixed phases comprising a crystalline phase of 1-80% by area and an amorphous phase of 99-20% by area and, in particular, the crystalline phase is composed of a grain or grains having a size of less than 1 .mu.m and the crystal grain or grains are in at least one of an isolated state, a linked state and a state in which the crystal grain or grains are separated from each other by a network of the amorphous phase, whereby the laminate is suitable for an electrode of a transparent touch panel and an electroluminescent panel.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrically conductive laminate and production thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transparent electroconductive laminate composed of a transparent electroconductive layer which is composed mainly of an indium oxide formed on a planar substrate.
2. The Prior Art
With the advent of the "informationalized society," there has been great progress in producing a device which utilizes both properties of optics and electronics, i.e., an optoelectronics device. According to the great popularization of the microcomputer, the innovations of instruments surrounding these microcomputers are extensively advanced. A transparent touch panel is widely used as an input unit, and a liquid crystal display and an electroluminescent display are becoming widely used as an output unit.
In the above-mentioned transparent touch panel, the liquid crystal display and the electroluminescent display, a transparent electrode is used and, in particular, a transparent electroconductive laminate, especially a transparent electroconductive plastic laminate, is used. A transparent electroconductive layer in the electroconductive laminate used for this purpose requires particularly excellent durability and stability of the electrical properties against mechanical stresses.
For the transparent electroconductive layer, a thin layer of a metal such as gold (Au), palladium (Pd), etc., a thin layer of a metal oxide such as indium-tin oxide (ITO), cadmium tin oxide (CTO), stannic oxide (SnO.sub.2), titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2), etc. and a multi-layer thin film such as titanium oxide (TiOx)/silver (Ag)/titanium oxide (TiOx), etc. are well known. Among these films, a thin layer of a metal oxide is superior to others in principal properties such as transparency, electroconductivity, mechanical properties, etc. In the thin layers of a metal oxide, a layer mainly composed of an indium oxide is advantageous, and of those an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer is especially excellent in transparency and electroconductivity. This further attracts attention since it can be readily etched to a desired electrode pattern (superior etchability).
Various production methods for a transparent electroconductive film composed mainly of indium oxide have been proposed.
The conventional process for the production of the glass-based film comprises the spraying of a solution of tin tetrachloride in hydrochloric acid onto a glass sheet heated to several hundred degrees Celsius, followed by oxidation at high temperature to form a thin film of stannic oxide. A recently developed method uses indium oxide as an evaporation source which is deposited as a vapor on a glass sheet (heated normally to about 300.degree. to 350.degree. C.) in a high degree of vacuum in the range of from 10.sup.-4 to 10.sup.-5 mmHg. Obviously, either method requires the heating of the glass base to high temperatures, as does another known method which supplies the vacuum system with water vapor or a gas that contains water vapor. The last mentioned method aims at forming an electrically conductive film of low resistivity, for example, 100 ohms/cm.sup.2 or less, but even that method requires heating of the glass base to a temperature between 300.degree. and 350.degree. C. In short, the heating of the glass base is indispensable to the manufacture of a desired glass-based electrically conductive film in the conventional technique, and apparently, such a technique is not applicable to the production of a thin electrically conductive film using a plastic base. The thus obtained indium oxide-based transparent electroconductive layer was a completely crystallized layer.
Several methods have been proposed to solve the stated problem, and most of them rely on a vacuum vapor deposition process using either indium oxide or indium as a primary evaporation source.
Examples of a method using indium oxide as an evaporation source are described in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 35431/76 and 37667/76 wherein an indium oxide vapor is deposited on a plastic base in a high degree of vacuum (i.e., less than 1.times.10.sup.-3 mmHg, typically between 1.times.10.sup.-4 to 1.times.10.sup.-5 mmHg) that was either unheated or heated to a suitable temperature tolerable to the plastic base, followed by oxidative treatment under heating primarily in an oxidizing gas atmosphere. However, this method demands relatively severe conditions for the oxidation treatment that follows the vacuum deposition of indium oxide vapor; for example, the optimum temperature for heat treatment in air for a practical period is between 200.degree. and 250.degree. C. or higher. During vacuum deposition, indium oxide is decomposed to lower oxides, so the purpose of oxidative treatment is to convert them into higher oxides, but since the conditions for that treatment are severe, as mentioned above, only limited types of plastics can be used as the base. In addition, the indium oxide film thus prepared was also a completely crystallized layer.
The other method, that uses indium as an evaporation source, deposits the vapor of indium oxide on a plastic base that is formed by oxidizing indium in a vacuum system having a relatively low degree of vacuum (i.e., ca. 2.times.10.sup.-2 to 1.times.10.sup.-4 mmHg) which is being supplied with an oxidizing gas.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 14304/65 describes a method that facilitates the conversion of indium to indium oxide by heating the plastic base to at least 100.degree. C., and typically between about 110.degree. and 150.degree. C., before vacuum deposition. Japanese Patent Publication No. 8137/68 describes a method wherein a thinner film of vapor deposit is provided by performing deposition at a rate higher than 16 .ANG./sec, typically higher than 50 .ANG./sec, and after the deposition, the film is held at a temperature of around 100.degree. C. for several hours to promote the conversion of indium to an oxide form. The indium oxide layer produced by the above-mentioned method was produced at an extremely low oxidation level and the transparency was very poor.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,000 a transparent electrically conductive film and processes for the production thereof are described, the film comprising a metallic oxide wherein the metallic component comprises from 60 to 95 wt % indium and from 40 to 5 wt % tin formed on the surface of a plastic base, wherein the weight ratio of the tin to the indium changes continuously from the outer surface to the inner surface in such a manner that the ratio on the inner surface of the film is appreciably lower than the average ratio of the film and the ratio on the outer surface of the film is appreciably higher than the average ratio of the film. This invention provides an electroconductive film with a high transmittance by such a specific structure.
Cathode sputtering has also been used to form oxide films of the aforesaid metals, particularly indium oxide films. Some of these previous methods of producing sputtered indium oxide films rely on the oxidation of the cathode and the sputtering of this oxide to produce the film. The rate of sputtering is limited by the rate of oxidation of the cathode.
Another method of obtaining indium oxide films is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,687 to Preston. In this patent, indium or another metal oxide is sputtered or the metal is sputtered in an atmosphere containing only a trace of oxygen to produce a colored or opaque film, and the film is subsequently heated in air to develop a permanent conductivity and improve film transmission. The indium oxide-based transparent electroconductive layer obtained this method was also a completely crystallized layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,291 discloses a method of making low resistance indium oxide conductive films on a substrate by a vacuum evaporation or sputtering process using indium oxide or metallic indium as a starting material in a chamber having an atmosphere comprising an aqueous vapor or gas mixed with an aqueous vapor.
Low resistance indium oxide conductive films made by the invention have the feature that the transmission factor is lowered greatly in the near infrared range so that it is possible to produce infrared selective indium oxide reflecting films of superior performance with good reproducibility; however, this does not disclose any suggestion to produce a highly durable and stable film of the present invention.
Further, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,065,600, 4,172,020, 4,336,119, 4,379,040, 4,400,254, 4,512,864 and 4,661,229 disclose production methods for an indium oxide-based transparent electroconductive layer by sputtering; however, none suggests the present invention.
The present invention was accomplished by finding and resolving a practical and great problem whereby a transparent electroconductive laminate prepared by depositing an indium-tin oxide layer by sputtering often suffered from the occurrence of disconnection in the sticking process of the transparent electroconductive film to an emitting layer by heat-compression when used as a transparent electrode of an electroluminescent panel.


A portable apparatus cleaning a conduit including a housing, a filter and a pump. The filter is attached to the conduit to be cleaned and an aqueous solution reservoir, and is storable within the housing. The pump is attached to the aqueous solution reservoir, and to the conduit to be cleaned, and is storable within the housing. A method for cleaning a conduit, which includes connecting a power supply to a pump, connecting an aqueous solution reservoir to the pump, connecting a conduit to be cleaned to the pump, connecting the conduit to be cleaned to a filter, connecting the filter to the aqueous solution reservoir, running the pump for a specified period of time, disconnecting the aqueous solution reservoir from the pump and filter, connecting the pump and filter to a container of distilled water, and running the pump for at least one cycle.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning a conduit, and a method for cleaning a conduit. More specifically, but without limitation, the present invention relates to a portable apparatus for cleaning an aircraft oxygen conduit and a method for cleaning an aircraft oxygen conduit.
It is desirable to keep conduits in apparatuses clean and free from contaminates. A conduit is a pipe, channel, tube or the like, for conveying a fluid (gas or liquid). In particular, but without limitation, an oxygen conduit is a conduit that conveys oxygen to aircraft crew, a cockpit area, manned areas of any type of vehicle (aircraft, ship, truck, tank, etc.), and the like. An oxygen conduit can also convey oxygen to an engine, a chamber, a machine, or the like that requires oxygen for operation or use. Oxygen conduits need to be kept clean and free from foreign substances. Oxygen conduits can build up contamination and/or foreign substances as a result of normal use, malfunction or poor/improper maintenance. Contaminated oxygen conduits can cause fires and/or contaminate the oxygen, resulting in severe injury or death.
In addition, many conduit cleaners utilize chemicals that contain cleaning agents that are incompatible with oxygen systems. If the cleaned conduit is not completely purged of the cleaning agent, the oxygen system may not function properly once the conduit is reinstalled. Such malfunctions can cause, for example, oxygen fires and explosions. In aircraft oxygen conduits, a contaminated conduit is a life threatening safety hazard affecting both pilots and aircrew.
The standards of the Department of Defense, National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA), National Fire Protection Agency, American Society for Testing Materials and the Society of Automotive Engineers all specify that the rigorous removal of organic and particulate contamination from oxygen and oxygen enriched handling equipment is absolutely necessary to prevent a fire hazard. Failure to thoroughly clean oxygen enriched handling equipment has resulted in catastrophic fires. Testing by NASA has demonstrated that, in the presence of an ignition source resulting from particulate contamination or organic material, many metals will burn in an oxygen-enriched atmosphere. Accompanying the fire hazard is the toxicity hazard associated with oxygen and oxygen enriched handling equipment used in providing life support functions. In addition, personnel could be injured from toxic residue remaining in life support equipment cleaned with a cleaning agent that was inadequate. In these instances, the cleaning agent either failed to remove toxic contaminants or it contained toxic contaminates that were not removed during the cleaning process.
Due to the Montreal Protocol Agreement of 1987, production of CFC-113 xe2x80x9cFreonxe2x80x9d solvent, a class I Ozone Depleting Substance, has ceased as of Jan. 1, 1996. CFC-113 was the preferred Navy cleaning agent for oxygen systems and oxygen conduits. It was therefore necessary to develop a new apparatus for cleaning an oxygen conduit and to develop a new method for cleaning oxygen conduits that is safe and easy to use.
In addition, conventional apparatuses for cleaning conduits are typically not portable and often are large, bulky and clumsy. Most apparatuses for cleaning a conduit require the work piece or conduit to be cleaned to be transferred to the apparatus for cleaning a conduit, which can be both inconvenient and time consuming.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit and method for cleaning a conduit that is portable and easy to use.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit, having a housing, a filter, and a pump. The filter is attached to a conduit to be cleaned, and is also attached to an aqueous solution reservoir. The pump is attached to a power supply, the aqueous solution reservoir, and the conduit to be cleaned. The filter and pump are storable within the housing.
The present invention is directed to a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit that is portable with the ability to be easily transported. The portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit is also easy and inexpensive to manufacture. The portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit is easy to use, easy to assemble and disassemble.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for cleaning a conduit that may be brought on board an aircraft and brought into tight cockpits. It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus for cleaning a conduit that may used by deployed military personnel.
It is an object of the invention to provide a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit and method for cleaning a conduit that can use any aqueous solution, specifically one that does not utilize any materials that can be a fire hazard. It is another object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus that is environmentally safe and does not utilize any ozone depleting substances that other cleaners utilize. It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method that satisfies Environmental Protection Agency requirements.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit that can also include a cleaning solution, which can effectively clean oxygen conduits. It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus wherein the cleaning solution can be a liquid oxygen cleaning compound and water.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit and method for cleaning a conduit that cleans oils, grease, particulate, contaminates, and the like from the inside of an conduit, specifically, but without limitation, from the inside of an oxygen conduit. Based on United States Navy requirements, the portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit and method for cleaning a conduit has been tested to effectively clean oxygen conduits close to 100%.
It is a further object to provide a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit and method for cleaning a conduit that is compatible with an oxygen system.

Portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit and method for cleaning a conduit

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A method for deinking of repulped xerographic paper comprising adding an organic polymeric particulate and a substantially water insoluble organic ester to a repulped aqueous slurry containing xerographic toner particles in an amount sufficient to at least partially agglomerate the xerographic toner particles within the slurry to larger particle sizes; and removing the xerographic toner particles from the slurry by one or more liquid/solid separation techniques.

Mixed office waste is receiving considerable interest as a source of recycled fiber, particularly in printing and writing grades. Currently, it is one of the major grades of waste paper available accounting for almost 3,000,000 tons/year. The major problem in using mixed office waste, and the reason why it is currently under-utilized, is that it contains a high percentage of difficult to deink, non-impact printed material.
Xerography is a method for producing documents by an electrostatic technique. Xerography is used by both xerographic copying machines (photostatic duplicating machines) and by "laser" printers to produce copies or computer drafted originals, respectively. Such xerographic machines are now widely used as office equipment, and generate a great amount of waste paper. This waste paper is a large source of high-quality recycled fiber.
In xerography, an electrostatic image is produced on an electrostatically charged plate (photoconductive insulating surface) by a radiation differential, i.e., different amounts of radiation falling on different parts of the plate. A dark powder, generally referred to as a toner, of opposite charge to that of the plate, is applied and adheres to the charged areas, from which it is transferred to paper or a similar medium. Xerography is thus a reproduction method that employs a dry or low moisture (xeric) "ink".
When one document is being produced from another fixed-medium document, such as in xerographic copying, ultraviolet light is passed through the document to be copied. Where the ultraviolet light is not blocked, it discharges the plate; where the ultraviolet light is blocked by inked sections or the like, the plate is not discharged. A similar xerographic technique is employed by laser printers.
The toner is generally comprised of carbon black and certain thermoplastic polymers (i.e., binders), with other ingredients. The toner is applied to a paper sheet by the non-impact (i.e., without localized impact) electrostatic method, and fused by heat to promote adhesion of the thermoplastic binder to the sheet.
Polymeric thermoplastic binders found in xerographic toners generally comprise from about 80 to about 90 weight percent thereof. Such thermoplastic binders routinely have softening temperatures in the range from about 60.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. which is the common temperature range for adhesion fusion of such toners to the paper substrate. Some toners employ thermoplastic binders of substantially a single type of polymer, such as a random styrene-predominant copolymer of high-carbon alkyl acrylate ester, for instance 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. Other binders include a styrenevinylcarboxylic acid ester, a styrene-butadiene copolymer, and a bis-phenol A resin and ester. Still other toners have thermoplastic binders that are polymer blends, for instance blends of poly(methyl methacrylate) and nylon.
Waste paper (i.e., commonly referred to in the art and herein as "xerographic paper" or "xerographic waste paper") produced by xerography is a significant potential source of recycled fiber. The paper of xerographic paper is routinely manufactured from a bleached chemical pulp which is a higher grade of pulp than for instance that used for newspaper. Paper recycling normally requires the fiber to be repulped and deinked. Conventional deinking processes, however, were developed for the high volume recycling of newspaper. Xerographic toners are different from the newsprint inks for which deinking processes were designed. The conventional deinking processes used for recycling newspapers do not achieve the performance level on xerographic paper required for a high grade of recycled paper.
Conventional deinking (such as that used for newsprint deinking) is comprised of three distinct steps. First the ink is removed, or separated, from the paper fiber. This usually occurs while the waste paper is being repulped in water and is routinely aided by caustic and surfactant. Secondly, the separated ink is dispersed to a small particle size. The dispersion step usually occurs concomitantly with the separation step. In the third step, the dispersed ink is usually separated from the repulped fiber slurry by washing or flotation.
Efficient deinking demands both a successful separation of ink from the fiber and a successful separation of the ink dispersion from the fiber slurry. A deinking process that successfully separates the ink from the fiber and successfully disperses the ink into the aqueous phase of the slurry as small particles will be inadequate if thereafter it does not provide effective removal of the ink from the fiber slurry. Dispersed ink particles that are carried along with the fiber in the slurry will in some degree be retained on the fiber during paper formation, resulting in a general gray hue or distinct spots, and commonly a low brightness.
The performance of a deinking process is usually judged by a dirt or speck count and by total reflectance, i.e., brightness, of the paper product produced from the recycled, deinked pulp. In a speck or dirt count method, a test sheet is formed of the repulped and deinked slurry, and then the number of ink particles that can be seen on the sheet by the naked eye per unit weight or unit area are counted. The ink or toner particles that can be detected, and thus counted, by this method are only those having a diameter greater than about 50 micrometers. However, most particles that survive a deinking process are smaller than 50 micrometers and although they cannot be seen by the naked eye, they lower the brightness more than the larger particles. The presence of such deleterious smaller particles are thus detectable from the reflectance, or brightness, level of the test sheet.
Simple alkaline repulping methods have been found to separate xerographic toners from fiber. Such repulping disperses the toner to a wide distribution of particle sizes, including small, intermediate and large (above >50 micrometers) particle sizes. The separation of the intermediate and large ink particles cannot be achieved by simple washing. Washing requires small ink particles (about <10 micrometers) that can pass through the fiber mat and washer wire. Most North American recycle mills were designed to handle pulps such as repulped newsprint that respond to simple washing, and these washing systems do not sufficiently separate the intermediate and large xerographic toner particles from the slurry. The other conventional separation methods require particles that are larger than the small and intermediate size xerographic paper toner particles.
Flotation for instance requires large particles that can be induced to adhere to air bubbles. Newer recycle mills have both washing and flotation capability, and the combination of such methods may produce a relatively clean pulp, but with a reduced pulp yield believed to be caused by low selectivity in the flotation step.
Screening requires that the particles be larger in all dimensions than the screen openings and have a high enough modulus of elasticity or plasticity to avoid being extruded into the screen openings. Even the intermediate size xerographic ink particles may be small enough in their smallest dimension to pass through such openings.
Centrifugal cleaners require an appropriate particle size, particle shape and a density differential for removal. The intended reject particles (i.e., ink particles) must differ in density from the intended "accepts" (i.e., the fiber slurry). It is believed that the irregular flat shape of xerographic ink particles as repulped creates at least some of the difficulties encountered in separation by centrifugal cleaners.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/942,816 (Cosper), filed on Sep. 10, 1992, discloses a unique method whereby certain low molecular weight, water-insoluble organic esters act to agglomerate toner particles during the repulping process. By agglomerating toner fragments they can be separated from the fiber slurry by centrifugal cleaners and screens. This particular method for deinking of xerographic paper comprises repulping the xerographic paper to separate the xerographic toner from the fiber, adding a substantially water insoluble organic ester to the repulped slurry, whereby the xerographic toner particles within the slurry are at least partially agglomerated to larger particle sizes, and then removing the xerographic toner particles by one or more liquid/solid separation techniques. The ester typically has the structure of Formula I below: EQU C.sub.m H.sub.n (COOR).sub.x (I)
wherein x is an integer of at least 1, R is an alkyl having from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, m is an integer having a value of from about 1 to about 20, or 22, and n is an integer having a value of from about m-2 to about 2m+1, and when x is more than 1, each R is separately an alkyl having from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms; provided that the ester has at least about eight total carbons. The ester is preferably diisobutyl succinate, diisobutyl glutarate, diisobutyl adipate, trans-methyl cinnamate or combinations thereof.
The present inventors have discovered that some toners do not respond well to ester treatment. That is, little or no aggregation occurs even at high doses of the agglomerating agent. In other instances, toners can be readily overdosed to afford large, tacky particles which are unsuitable for mechanical separation.
The present inventors have undertaken the task of exploring chemistries capable of enhancing the performance of the organic ester agglomerating agent in the repulping of xerographic waste paper. Through extensive experimentation, the present inventors have developed a universal treatment system capable of causing toner agglomeration in most xerographic waste paper. The novel treatment system according to the present invention involves the addition of an organic ester together with a water insoluble, polymeric particulate material to enhance the agglomeration of xerographic toners during waste paper repulping.
The combined use of liquids and solid particulates to agglomerate toners has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,276,118 (Quick), which issued on Jun. 30, 1981, and 4,820,379 (Darlington), which issued on Apr. 11, 1989. The Quick patent discloses a process which uses solid polymers such as polystyrene or poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in combination with a water-insoluble liquid which must be an aliphatic alcohol or a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon. In accordance with Quick the temperature of the pulp slurry should be at or above the softening point of the toner.
The present inventors have found that aliphatic alcohols alone do not agglomerate toners, at least at ambient temperature. The process of the Quick patent has also experienced problems in the separation of agglomerates from pulp.
To the contrary, the present invention is capable of agglomerating toners at very low temperatures, e.g., 25.degree. C., while the Quick patent requires elevated temperatures. This is because the liquid esters of the present invention tackify toner without heat; whereas the aliphatic alcohol or hydrocarbon according to the Quick patent does not. Moreover, the agglomerating agents of the present invention are capable of deinking mixed office waste that contains xerographic as well as impact printed paper; whereas the treatment process according to the Quick patent had difficulty removing toner when repulping mixed office waste.
The Darlington patent discloses a two component treatment system comprising an aqueous medium containing polymeric material (e.g., polystyrene or a styrenecarboxylic acid copolymer) and a compound or mixture of compounds of the Formula R(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2)nR.sup.1 wherein R is a C.sub.6 to C.sub.20 linear or branched alkyl, and R.sup.1 is a halogen or the like. These agglomerating agents require high process temperatures, i.e., 60.degree.-75.degree. C. and very specific agglomerating chemicals. Halogen-terminated polyethers are not common materials of commerce resulting in periodic cost and supply problems.
The present invention also provides many additional advantages which shall become apparent as described below.

Recycling of xerographic waste paper using organic particulates


Methods and apparatus for distributing video data provide video data containing two or more different versions of video content. The different versions may be optimized for display on different displays and/or for viewing under different ambient conditions. Video data optimized for display on a particular display under particular ambient conditions may be obtained by one or more of selecting one of the versions of video content and combining two or more of the versions of the video content.

Displays include televisions, computer monitors, home cinema displays, digital cinema displays, dedicated displays on devices such as tablet computers, cellular telephones, digital cameras, copiers, industrial controls, specialized displays such as displays for medical imaging, virtual reality, vehicle simulation and the like. Color displays may be used to display color images specified by image data.
Displays may incorporate any of a wide variety of underlying display technologies. For example, displays may comprise: cathode ray tube (CRT) displays; backlit liquid crystal displays (LCDs); plasma displays; organic LED displays (OLED displays); laser projectors; digital minor device (DMD) displays; and electroluminescent displays. Within any of these general technologies a wide variety of different constructions and compositions for light-emitting and/or filtering elements are possible. Different displays may have capabilities that differ significantly in areas such as: the range of different colors (gamut) that can be displayed; the maximum brightness achievable; the contrast ratio; the resolution; the color depth; available dynamic range; the white level, the white point, the black point, the number of grey steps, and the like.
Consequently, the same video content may appear different when played back on different displays. Video content displayed on some displays without modification may depart from the creator's creative intent in one or more ways.
Some current displays can outperform displays that were state-of-the-art at a time when certain video content was created. For example, the displays may be capable of providing images that have brighter highlights, greater contrast, and/or wider color gamuts than legacy displays that were originally available when the video production was created. It would be desirable to take advantage of these improved capabilities without departing significantly from the creative intent embodied in the video content.
It may be desirable to play video content created to take advantage of high-performance displays on legacy displays or displays that have lower capabilities. It would be desirable to provide methods and apparatus for adapting the way that the video is played to preserve as much as possible a creative intent embodied in the video content.
The perception of colour and luminance can be affected by ambient conditions. A video presented under theatre conditions may be perceived by viewers significantly differently when viewed in a location where there is significant ambient light. Further, the characteristics (such as the colour temperature) of ambient light can affect a viewer's perception of video content. It would be desirable to adapt the playback of video content taking into account the environment in which the video content is being viewed to preserve as much as possible a creative intent embodied in the video content.
There is a need to provide viewers of images (including still and/or video images) with viewing experiences that exploit the capabilities of displays on which they view the images. There remains a need for apparatus and methods which may be applied to adjust video signals such that video or other image content encoded in the signals has a desired appearance when played.

Encoding, distributing and displaying video data containing customized video content versions

Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation