An electronically slip-regulated vehicle brake system is configured to change from an external force powered operating brake mode into a muscle-powered auxiliary brake mode, and includes a master brake cylinder configured to be operated, a pedal travel simulator configured to simulate an operating travel of the master brake cylinder during the operating brake mode, and a simulator control valve. The simulator includes two pressure chambers. The control valve is configured to control a flow of pressure medium into a first of the two pressure chambers from the master brake cylinder, and is disposed in a return line connecting a wheel brake to a reservoir tank at a position downstream of a connection point at which a second of the two pressure chambers of the simulator is connected to the return line.

One such vehicle brake system is for example known from DE 10 2013 206 324 A1. Said known vehicle brake system consists of an operating brake in which the brake pressure is produced by external force operation of a pressure generator in combination with muscle power operation of a master brake cylinder by the driver and a muscle power operated auxiliary brake that is activated in the event of a malfunction of the operating brake. The pressure generator is directly connected to a reservoir tank for a pressure medium and as a result is able to boost the brake pressure that is set by the driver. As a result, the known vehicle brake system is especially suitable for vehicles that are powered by an electric motor, a hybrid drive or by a supercharged internal combustion engine, and with which owing to its drive concept no vacuum, or in any case only a small vacuum, can be tapped that could be used for conventional brake force boosting by means of a pneumatic brake force booster. The known vehicle brake system comprises a plurality of brake circuits. A pressure generator and moreover at least one wheel brake are associated with each brake circuit. A pressure modulation device is connected between the pressure generator and each wheel brake, which adapts the pressure in the wheel brake to the slip characteristics at the associated wheel. For this purpose, the pressure modulation device comprises a regulated pressure build-up valve disposed in the brake circuit upstream of the wheel brake and a pressure reducing valve disposed downstream of the wheel brake. Said pressure reducing valves are designed in the form of switching valves that are closed in the normal position. Switching valves are available on the market relatively inexpensively.
With the known vehicle brake system, the driver is always involved in the build-up of brake pressure during operating brake processes and is consequently hydraulically connected to the to wheel brake. Said hydraulic connection causes a loss of comfort, as pressure pulsations in the brake circuit that are triggered by the pressure generator can be detected within the interior of the vehicle by means of the brake pedal that is coupled to the master brake cylinder.
In vehicles with a pure electric motor drive or with a hybrid drive, in which an electric motor and an internal combustion engine are used together as drive sources, so-called regenerative braking processes can be carried out. Said regenerative braking processes include braking processes during which energy recovery is carried out by converting the kinetic energy of the vehicle into electrical energy, which can then be stored in an accumulator. The total braking effect of a corresponding vehicle during said braking processes is comprised of a hydraulic braking torque of the conventional hydraulic brake system and a regenerative brake torque of the electrical drive operated as a generator. By blending the two braking torques, the total braking torque during a braking process can be held constant. However, the regenerative braking depends on the speed of the vehicle. Disadvantageously, owing to the nature of the system the known vehicle brake system is therefore not capable of fully blending the regenerative brake torque with the hydraulic brake torque until the vehicle is at a standstill. This adversely affects the efficiency of the energy recovery.
Fully blending capable, power-assisted brake systems with an electric motor driven plunger as the pressure generator are currently in the development stage. By reversing the direction of motion of said plunger, the wheel brake pressure can be reduced relatively simply and without the involvement of other components, for example of solenoid valves. It is disadvantageous, however, that a plunger only has a structurally limited stroke available to it, or that at the end of said stroke travel a reversal of the direction of motion of the plunger is necessary to maintain the operability thereof. Additional plunger control valves are necessary in this case in order to avoid pressure medium from being sucked out of the wheel brakes as a result of the restoring displacement of the plunger and consequently inadvertently reducing the brake pressure. Plunger control valves are still in the development stage, increase the parts costs and the assembly costs of a hydraulic assembly of such a vehicle brake system, occupy additional installation space and cause a bulky structure of the hydraulic assemblies and a correspondingly high use of raw material for the hydraulic block of the hydraulic assembly.

Electronically slip-regulated vehicle brake system


An adjustable shoe to properly fit a wear's heel, midfoot, forefoot and toes. The lower edges of first and second body members are securely attached to the first and second side edges, respectively, of a sole member from a point conterminous with the midline of the toe end of the sole member to points on the first and second side edges, respectively, of the sole member spaced from the midline of the heel end of the sole. A first attachment structure adjustably secures the heel end portions of the body members relative to one another. A second attachment structure adjustably secures the forefoot portions of the body members relative to one another.

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a shoe adjustable to properly fit a wearer's heel, midfoot, forefoot and toes.
2. Description of the Related Art:
A preliminary patentability search in class 36, subclasses 95, 97 and 105 resulted in the following patents: Gunn, U.S. Pat. No. 641,642; Ludwig, U.S. Pat. No. 2,391,720; Spencer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,591,211; Seurbom, U.S. Pat. No. 2,734,284; Schneider et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,745,196; Voss, U.S. Pat. No. 2,780,013; Rigsby, U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,085 and 3,057,086; Rigsby, U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,241; Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 3,192,651; Cary, U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,235; Colby, U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,103; and Munschy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,468. None of the above patents disclose or suggest the present invention.


The invention relates to a smoking article (1) having a high proportion of non-combustible, inorganic material and a relatively low level of visible sidestream. The smoking article includes a substantially non-combustible, wrapper (5) which extends along the full length of the smoking material rod and enwraps a combustible fuel source (6) and aerosol generator (7), both of which extend substantially along the length of the smoking material rod. Various suitable fuel source systems and aerosol generating systems are described. The article has a visible burn line which advances along the article and produces an ash which can be removed by the smoker in the normal way.

The present invention relates to smoking articles, and in particular to smoking articles which have an other than conventional structure and combustion regime, yet which have the outward appearance similar to a conventional smoking article.
Many attempts have been made to produce a smoking article which provides the smoker with an aerosol which is similar to tobacco smoke. Some ideas have centred on generating an aerosol vapour from an aerosol generating means by heating the aerosol generating means with a surrounding fuel source, such as cut tobacco. Smoke from the fuel source is prevented by a smoke barrier from reaching the smoker""s mouth, whilst the aerosol vapour can pass to the smoker. These can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,258,015 (Ellis) and 3,356,094 (Ellis). The first of these proposed a smoking article having an outer cylinder of fuel with good smouldering characteristics, preferably cut tobacco or reconstituted tobacco, surrounding a metal tube containing tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or other source of nicotine and water vapour. A substantial disadvantage of this article was the ultimate protrusion of the metal tube as the tobacco fuel was consumed. Other disadvantages include the formation of substantial tobacco pyrolysis products and substantial tobacco sidestream smoke. This design was later modified in the second patent mentioned above by employing a tube made out of a material such as inorganic salts or an epoxy bonded ceramic, which became frangible on heating and was discharged as an ash by the smoker. In this invention also there are substantial tobacco pyrolysis products and, because of the combustion of tobacco, visible sidestream smoke.
Aerosol inhalation devices such as European Patent Applications, Publication Nos. 0 174 645 and 0 339 690 describe means of using heat transfer from a fuel element to physically separate aerosol generating means. The main feature of these inventions is that the aerosol generating means is always physically separate from the fuel element and is always heated by heat transfer from a heat conducting member, never burned. To this end the fuel element is always short, located to one end of the smoking article and kept out of direct contact with the aerosol generating means.
Other and mainly more recent devices have included GB 1 185 887 (Synectics), U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,667 (Strubel) and EPA 0 405 190 (R. J. Reynolds). In all of these devices the patentee has arranged the fuel element as an annulus around aerosol generating means.
GB 1 185 857 provided a substantially inorganic smoke of readily absorbable salts to the smoker and produced an ash which could be removed in normal fashion by the smoker. However, the smoking article is presumed to have given off an amount of visible sidestream smoke because of the cellulosic components within individual items of the smoking article.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,667 provided a co-axially arranged tobacco-containing fuel element encircled by a metallic heat transfer tube with a flange portion at the end to be lit in order to prevent smoke from the burning tobacco from passing through the flavour source material circumscribing the heat transfer tube. Only aerosol from the flavour source material passes to the smoker. The device does not burn down and tobacco material is combusted, as well as providing the flavour source material, thereby producing visible sidestream smoke and utilising a high percentage of a costly item such as tobacco.
EPA 0 405 190 seeks to provide a smoking article which provides the user with the pleasures of smoking by heating without burning tobacco. Most of the articles comprise an annular carbonaceous fuel segment, a physically separate aerosol generating means disposed concentrically within the fuel segment, a barrier member between the fuel segment and the aerosol generating means, which substantially precludes fluid flow radially therethrough and which is disposable as the smoking article is smoked, and a mouthend segment. As the fuel source is disposed annularly around the aerosol generating means it is advantageous to surround the fuel source longitudinally with an insulating sleeve which may then be wrapped with a conventional wrapper. One alternative embodiment is postulated which comprises a co-axial carbonaceous fuel source of slow burning rate encircled along its longitudinal length by an insulation member, which in turn is encircled along its length by tobacco wrapped in a paper wrapper. The tobacco is only heated and not burnt, as in the other embodiments, but unlike the other embodiments of EPA 0 405 190 the device cannot burn down as tobacco would then be burnt. No actual practical embodiment is described and thus this embodiment appears to be an armchair, or paper, proposal. The patentees appear to have had some difficulty in reducing to practice this particular concept. This concept also utilises considerable amounts of expensive tobacco, to provide the aerosol source material, which the smoker never truly experiences.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,012 discloses a smoking article having a non-combustible wrapper of woven, glass fibres with one or more adhesive materials, calcium carbonate to prevent flaming, propylene glycol as a plasticiser and a diatomaceous earth to render the wrapper impermeable and cooler to the touch. A disadvantage of this construction is that the wrapper still maintains a predominantly fibrous characteristic of woven glass fibres. Such a wrapper would be unacceptable for a commercial smoking article. U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,438 discloses a smoking device which does not burn down along its length which by means of a smouldering heat source heating air drawn into the device liberates aerosol from an aerosol forming material disposed on a substrate. The wrapper of the device is a non-combustible tube having high heat conductivity. Such high heat conductivity is undesirable for a commercial smoking article. The wrapper of the present invention seeks to overcome these deficiencies.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a smoking article which does not produce substantial tobacco pyrolysis products.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a smoking article which exhibits very little visible sidestream smoke, and considerably less visible sidestream smoke than prior proposed conventional smoking articles comprising tobacco rods of cut tobacco wrapped in a paper wrapper containing a visible sidestream reducing compound or being a visible sidestream reducing paper.
It is another object of the invention to fulfil the above objectives whilst maintaining a substantially conventional outward appearance of a smoking article as we know the same today.
It is also an object of the invention to preserve the physical elements of the smoking process, including the ashing of a cigarette to produce an ash which can be removed by the smoker in the normal way.
The present invention provides a smoking article having a smoking material rod comprising a substantially non-combustible wrapper extending substantially along the length of the smoking material rod and enwrapping a combustible fuel source extending substantially along the length of the smoking material rod and aerosol generating means extending substantially along the length of the smoking material rod.
As used herein the terms xe2x80x98smoking material rodxe2x80x99 or xe2x80x98smoking materialxe2x80x99 are merely intended to mean that part of the smoking article which is contained within the substantially non-combustible wrapper and should not have imported therein any association as to the combustibility or otherwise of individual components of the rod of the smoking material.
The present invention further provides a smoking article having a smoking material rod comprising a substantially non-combustible wrapper extending substantially along the length of the smoking material rod and enwrapping a combustible fuel source extending substantially along the full length of the smoking material rod, and aerosol generating means being disposed between the fuel source and the wrapper and extending substantially along the length of the smoking material rod.
The present invention provides a substantially non-combustible smoking article wrapper comprised of predominantly non-combustible inorganic filler material, a binder, optionally a plasticiser, and optionally a small amount of cellulosic fibre material.
Preferably the non-combustible inorganic filler material is a particulate material and even more preferably is a non-metallic material.
This invention also provides a method of producing a substantially non-combustible smoking article wrapper comprising predominantly non-combustible inorganic filler material and a binder, the method comprising producing a mixture of the non-combustible inorganic filler material and a binder, extruding the mixture to provide a hollow tube, and contacting the hollow tube with a material which causes the hollow tube to set rapidly.
The material which causes the hollow tube to set rapidly may be a water scavenging substance which removes water contained in the extrudate. Alternatively the material may be a solution which renders a soluble binder in the mixture insoluble, or a hydrophilic substance which removes water from an aqueous-containing mixture.
The present invention also provides a smoking article fuel source of substantially the whole length of a smoking article, the fuel source comprising carbonaceous material, an inorganic non-combustible binder and optionally a burn promoter.
The present invention provides a smoking article fuel source of substantially the whole length of a smoking article, the fuel source comprising carbon, non-combustible inorganic filler material, organic binder, optionally plasticiser and optionally inorganic binder.
The present invention provides smoking article aerosol generating means comprising a non-combustible inorganic filler material, aerosol forming means, and an organic or inorganic binder.
The present invention also provides a smoking article aerosol generating means comprising an organic filler material, aerosol forming means, an organic binder and optionally a non-combustible inorganic filler material.
The present invention provides a smoking article aerosol generating fuel source comprising a non-combustible inorganic filler material, aerosol forming means, an organic or inorganic binder and carbon.
The present invention further provides a smoking article aerosol generating fuel source comprising organic filler material, optionally a non-combustible inorganic filler material, aerosol forming means, organic binder and carbon.
Substantially non-combustible Wrapper
Preferably the substantially non-combustible wrapper is comprised of predominantly non-combustible inorganic filler material. The term xe2x80x98predominantlyxe2x80x99 as used herein means at least about 65% and usually 70%. The inorganic filler material advantageously yields very little or substantially no visible sidestream smoke when the smoking article is lit. Preferably the non-combustible wrapper comprises at least 80%, and more preferably at least 90% inorganic filler material by weight of the wrapper. Advantageously the non-combustible inorganic filler material is one or more of perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, chalk, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulphate, magnesium carbonate or other low density, non-combustible inorganic filler materials known to those skilled in the art.
The non-combustible wrapper may comprise a small amount of cellulosic fibre material. Preferably the fibre material comprises less than 10%, more preferably less than 5%, and even more preferably less than 2% by weight of the non-combustible wrapper. Most advantageously the fibre material is not present in the wrapper.
Preferably the wrapper comprises a binder and/or a plasticiser. These components may be present at up to 30% by weight of the wrapper. Advantageously the binder is not present at more than 25% by weight of the wrapper. The exact proportions will depend on the taste characteristics, acceptable visible sidestream smoke emission and strength of the desired product, and the processing techniques used. The binder may be present at about 8-10% by weight of the wrapper, although it may be present at about 5% or less by weight of the wrapper. The binder may be organic binders, for example, cellulose derivatives, such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose or cellulose ethers, alginic binders including soluble alginates such as ammonium alginate, sodium alginate, sodium calcium alginate, calcium ammonium alginate, potassium alginate, magnesium alginate, triethanol-amine alginate and propylene glycol alginate or insoluble alginates which can be rendered soluble by the addition of solubilising agents, such as ammonium hydroxide. Examples of these include aluminium, copper, zinc and silver alginates. Alginates which are initially soluble but which, during processing, undergo treatment to render them insoluble in the final product may also be used, e.g. sodium alginate going to calcium alginate (see below). Other organic binders include gums such as gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum tragacanth, Karaya, locust bean, acacia, guar, quince seed or xanthan gum, or gels such as agar, agarose, carrageenans, fucoidan and furcellaran. Pectins and pectinaceous materials can also be used as binders. Starches can also be used as organic binders. Other suitable gums can be selected by reference to handbooks, such as Industrial Gums, Ed. Whistler (Academic Press). Combinations of the above may also be used. Inorganic non-combustible binders, such as potassium silicate, magnesium oxide in combination with potassium silicate, or some cements, for example, and mixtures thereof, may be used.
The wrapper, although not giving much, if any, visible sidestream smoke, does produce ash of an acceptable colour and quality. The smoking article also has a visible burn line which advances along the article and enables the smoker to determine whether the article is alight and to monitor the smoking process. The visible burn line may be formed as a result of burning the organic binder. Alternatively, colour changing compounds can be included in the wrapper composition. Colourants which give the wrapper an other than white colour may also be included. These colourants may also change colour as heating occurs, providing a visible burn line, e.g. CuSO4.5H2O.
The nature of the binder selected will also determine the permeability of the outer wrapper. Binders, such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose and propylene glycol alginate, have been found to be particularly effective at producing an outer wrapper sufficiently permeable to sustain combustion of the fuel source within the wrapper. The latter binder gave the more permeable outer for the same outer wrapper composition. Hydration time of some binders can play a part in determining the efficacy of the binders. Conventionally understood strong binders such as hydroxypropylcellulose can be used at lower levels to increase the wrapper permeability but this has to be balanced against the strength of the wrapper.
The plasticiser may be present in the wrapper at up to 20% by weight thereof. The plasticiser is preferably present at about 10% or less, preferably 5% or less, by weight of the wrapper. The plasticiser may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or low melting point fats or oils for example. Depending on the method of production selected for the wrappers, the plastisicer may be absent from the wrapper composition. The plasticiser helps in the drying stages of the wrapper to prevent shape distortion, particularly if direct heat, e.g. hot air, is the drying medium. The amount of plasticiser, binder or other organic filler material will affect the appearance of the burn line, i.e. the burn line width, and the amount of visible sidestream of the article. Preferably the width of the burn line is not greater than 10 mm, is preferably not more than 5 mm and more preferably is between 2-3 mm in width. The width of the burn line depends on the composition of the burnable material in the article.
The wrapper may comprise materials which provide an odour to any sidestream smoke which may come from the article. Suitable deodorisers include citronellal, vanillin and geraniol, for example.
The wrapper may be formed by producing a thick slurry of the wrapper components, coating the slurry about a rotating mandrel, and removing excess moisture by physical or chemical means. Alternatively, the slurry may be cast as a sheet on a drum or band caster, or extruded as a hollow tube, through a xe2x80x98torpedoxe2x80x99 die-head, for example, which has a solid central section, or extruded as a sheet material. The slurry could be sprayed, coated or pumped onto a suitably shaped fuel/aerosol assembly.
The extrusion process is suitably carried out at a pressure which does not detrimentally affect the wrapper permeability and is suitably not greater than 3-4 bar (300-400 kPa) at the extruder die of a ram extruder, for example, and not more than 9 bar (900 kPa) for an APV Baker Perkins screw extruder. The extrusion process may require foaming to occur at the die exit to produce a cellular structure, in which case greater pressure can be exerted, at the die, whilst retaining permeability.
After extrusion or coating the hollow extrudate or coated mandrel is suitably subjected to heat at or exit the die to drive off excess moisture. The wrapper slurry may comprise a heat activated binder, such as potassium silicate, magnesium oxide, or hydroxypropylcellulose at temperatures above 40-50xc2x0 C., for example. Subjecting the coated mandrel or hollow extrudate to heat would activate the binder causing the wrapper to set. Infra-red or microwave heating is advantageous as direct heating, e.g. the use of hot air blowers, can affect the shape of the extrudate, especially at temperatures of greater than 100xc2x0 C.
Extrusion may be carried out using a single or double screw extruder, a ram extruder or slurry pump.
The wrapper suitably has a thickness within the range of 0.1-1.0 mm, although 2-3 mm may be desirable. The thickness required depends on the weight and permeability of the wrapper. Thus, a dense thin wrapper or a thick low density wrapper could be provided, depending on the composition of the wrapper materials.
Alternative setting methods for the wrapper include the use of water scavenging substances. These substances remove water from the wrapper slurry thereby, in effect, drying the wrapper. For example, light magnesium oxide can be in the wrapper slurry mixture at up to 45% by weight of the dry slurry constituents, depending on the residence time in the extruder and the temperature in the extruder. The addition of magnesium oxide can also have advantageous visible sidestream reducing effects. Alternatively, the wrapper material can be extruded into an ethanol bath, or other strongly hydrophilic substance, the ethanol scavenging the water from the extrudate. A further alternative is the precipitation of an insoluble alginate from a soluble alginate in the extruded wrapper. This can be achieved by, for example, extruding a hollow tube of, for example, sodium alginate-containing wrapper material into a bath of simple electrolyte(s), for example, 1.0M calcium chloride solution. The calcium ions substitute for the sodium ions and cause the extrudate to set extremely quickly. In the latter two methods, spraying of the water scavenger onto the extrudate or wrapper sheet may be carried out instead of passing the extrudate into a bath.
Some precipitation can be achieved by adding a sub-critical level of a precipitating agent into the extruder barrel, then completely precipitating the structure by raising the level of the precipitating agent post extrusion. Other precipitation methods include precipitation of the extrudate into a highly ionic electrolyte bath or into a water miscible non-solvent for the alginate.
A further method includes, as briefly mentioned above with respect to the binders, use of a conventionally insoluble alginate as the binding material by rendering it soluble with a solubilising agent and then setting of the wrapper structure by removal of the solubilising agent or addition of a sequestering agent.
These methods may be used sequentially, e.g. the wrapper may be set by precipitating a soluble alginate containing wrapper material in a bath containing calcium ions. The extrudate may be subsequently passed into a bath of water scavenging agent, such as ethanol, and then heated to drive off liquid residues. Alternatively, after setting the wrapper may be dried using the methods described above.
These methods are particularly effective for achieving a good shape to the extrudate because of the speed of the reaction and the lack of volume reduction in the processes, particularly the drying stages.
The wrapper may have a rigid structure, although we have found that flexible wrappers can be produced using sodium alginate as the binder, which is then precipitated to form calcium alginate and then slowly dried. Flexibility is advantageous in terms of the increased robustness of the product during machine and manual handling.
The wrapper suitably has a air permeability within the range of 1-300 Coresta Units (cc/min/1 cm2/10 cm WG). Permeability can be controlled by a number of methods, such as coating an extrudate with a film forming or other permeability reducing agent. Alternatively, sacrificial molecules can be introduced into the wrapper mixture, which molecules can be removed after the formation of the structure by moderate temperature or chemical reaction to increase the permeability of the wrapper structure.
Alternatively, the wrapper may be a cellulose-based wrapper, such as conventional cigarette paper, which has been treated to prevent the wrapper from burning and thereby producing visible sidestream smoke. Preferably the treated wrapper will char and therefore provide a visible burn line. The paper should also produce an ash which can be knocked off by the smoker.
The ashing characteristics of the wrapper should be such that, unburnt, the wrapper is strong enough or flexible enough to resist digital pressure prior to, and during smoking, but upon thermal degradation of the wrapper the structure is considerably weakened, leaving an ash which can be readily disintegrated by pressure or a flicking movement. Some wrappers may require ash charring agents which char to leave some black residue to simulate conventional cigarette ash.
Fuel Source
Preferably the fuel source extends continuously from the mouth end of the smoking article to the lighting end thereof, excluding any filter or mouthpiece element. In the alternative, the fuel source may comprise a number of sections closely located so that burning of the fuel source does not cease.
Advantageously, the end of the article to be lit has the appearance of a conventional article. Suitably the end of the smoking article at the end to be lit is of a tobacco-like or dark colour, e.g. brown.
The fuel source may be provided by three distinct systems, but overlap may occur between them. In these systems the fuel source is physically discrete from the aerosol generating means.
When physically discrete from the aerosol generating means and in the form of a rod, in a first system the fuel source is suitably prepared from carbonaceous material by pyrolysing wood, such as rods of balsa wood, cotton, rayon, tobacco or other cellulosic containing material, which are prepared to a shape which is particularly useful in the present invention. In this system, the fuel source comprises at least 85% by weight pyrolysed carbonaceous material. Preferably the fuel source comprises at least 90% carbonaceous material. A burn promoter such as, for example, potassium nitrate, potassium citrate or potassium chlorate, is also advantageously present at 10% or less by weight of the fuel source. Other suitable burn promoters would be known to those skilled in the art. Alternatives for an almost wholly carbon-containing system include the use of carbon fibres or carbon aerogels.
The term xe2x80x98carbonxe2x80x99 as used herein can be taken to cover a material which is substantially solely carbon and any carbon precursors, such as carbonaceous material. As used herein the term carbonaceous includes material which has been pyrolysed, which material preferably contains carbon, although some incomplete combustion products may still be present. Ready pyrolysed coconut fibre may, for example, be the carbonaceous material from which carbon is derived.
In a second system, the fuel source may be a substantially inorganic system and comprise an inorganic, non-combustible binder, selected from the list outlined above with respect to the wrapper, for example, Portland cement, or potassium silicate. The binder may be present within the range of 10-65% by weight of the fuel source. The binder is advantageously present in an amount of less than 40% by weight of the fuel source. The fuel source may also comprise 5-20% of a burn promoter, preferably less than 10%, by weight of the fuel source. The fuel source may comprise 25-70% carbon, advantageously at least 55% carbon, and more suitably at least 60% carbon by weight of the fuel source. However, we have found that acceptable combustion characteristics can still be maintained with about 30% carbon, 60% inorganic, non-combustible binder and less than about 10% burn promoter when the fuel source is provided as a rod. A proportion of inorganic, non-combustible filler in the rang of 0-60% may also be incorporated in this alternative to reduce the density of the fuel source or to improve the strength of the fuel source.
The fuel source in this instance may, for example, be a shaped rod of carbon having a porous structure to sustain continuous combustion throughout the length of the fuel source. Shaping techniques which do not disadvantageously lose water during shaping of the rod are preferred. Shaping of a thick slurry comprising carbon and a binder within a hollow tube and removing the shaped rod from the tube after a curing or setting stage is one method of fuel source production. Alternatively, an extrusion process may be used.
In the third system, the fuel source is a partially organic system and comprises 15-70% carbon, 84-5% non-combustible inorganic filler material such as, for example, one or more of the inorganic filler materials listed above with respect to the wrapper, 0-5% plasticiser, such as one or more of low melting point fats or low melting point oils, and 1-20% organic binder, such as cellulosic, alginic or pectinaceous binders, for example, and/or the other organic binders described above with respect to the wrapper. A mixture of inorganic or organic binders may be used, the inorganic binder being present within the range of 0-20% by weight of the fuel source. The plasticiser is included to improve the mechanical strength and flexibility of the fuel source and the amount present together with the amount of organic binder, should not provide a significant quantity of mainstream smoke. A high level of organic binder might be utilisable if the binder produces a low level of mainstream smoke, i.e. particulate matter. The amount of carbon is subject to the type and amount of binder and/or filler utilised, thus the range above should not be considered too limiting. The amount of carbon required will also depend on the composition of the outer wrapper. Furthermore, at low levels of carbon usage the outer wrapper will need to be more permeable than at higher carbon levels. Most suitably the carbon is present in the range of 25-35%.
Extrusion may be a low pressure extrusion through a nozzle using a driving force not substantially greater than atmospheric pressure, or a high pressure extrusion process. Foaming of the extrudate to achieve a cellular structure may be required, particularly in the second and third systems, depending on final product design. In the second system, foaming could be achieved by the introduction of air entraining agents instead of a proportion of the inorganic, non-combustible binder and/or the inorganic filler, if present. The air-entraining agents can be powdered or liquid additives or porous particulate materials. In the third system when foaming is required it may be achieved by the presence of, for example, a polysaccharide expansion medium such as starch, and the expanding effect of water under high temperature and pressure. The expansion medium would replace the binder or the plasticiser or inorganic filler, if present. Alternative expansion mediums, such as pullulan or other polysaccharides, including cellulose derivatives, may be used. Other agents capable of causing foaming may be solid foaming agents, such as sodium bicarbonate, inorganic salts and organic acids providing in situ gaseous agents; propane or isobutane as organic gaseous agents; nitrogen, carbon dioxide or air as inorganic gaseous agents; and volatile liquid foaming agents, such as ethanol and acetone, for example. Polysaccharide expansion mediums are preferred because of their ease of usage and safety aspects.
Extrusion may produce thin elongate strands, which may be longitudinally arranged, or more solid thicker rods, preferably co-axially located within the smoking material rod. In the first two alternatives, i.e. the pyrolysed structure and the inorganic system, a central rod could be replaced by several thinner strands. Extruded sheet may also be produced, then shredded to produce cut filler similar to cut tobacco filler. These processes are all suitable for the production of the fuel source, the aerosol generating means and the combined aerosol generating fuel source to be described later. Band casting, heated drum casting and other sheet making techniques can also be used.
In all of the above fuel source alternatives, except in the pyrolysed rod embodiment, 0-2% fibre is optional. This also applies to those methods of preparation of aerosol generating means which involve casting or paper making techniques.
Aerosol generating means
The aerosol generating means may be provided by three distinct systems, but overlap may occur between them.
The first system may be a substantially inorganic system comprising 95-30% inorganic, non-combustible binder, such as those binders described above with respect to the fuel source, 0-65% non-combustible inorganic filler material, such as those materials described above with respect to the fuel source, and 5-30% aerosol forming means, as described below.
The second system may be a partially inorganic system comprising 1-25% organic binder, 45-94% non-combustible inorganic filler material and 5-30% aerosol forming means. The third system may be a partially organic system comprising 1-25% organic binder, 1-94% organic filler material, 0-93% inorganic filler material and 5-30% aerosol forming means. Preferably the aerosol forming means comprises 5-25% by weight of the mixture. These systems are intended to be substantially non-combustible. The inorganic filler material is therefore selected, in combination with the proportions of the other materials, to provide substantially non-combustible aerosol generating means. Some inorganic fillers, such as perlite, magnesium hydroxide and magnesium oxide, readily serve to render the aerosol generating means non-combustible. Other fillers, such as chalk, at some incorporation levels, do not detract from the combustibility of the aerosol generating means and as such are unsuitable at those levels.
The organic filler material is preferably a material other than tobacco and may include inorganic salts of organic acids, or polysaccharide material, and should provide smoke with an acceptable taste characteristic.
These two systems represent two ends of a spectrum in which inorganic and organic components of the binder and filler material can be gradually substituted for one another. The third system may also incorporate an amount of expansion medium, such as described above, as part of the organic filler material. An example of foamed aerosol generating means comprises 20% organic binder, 20% aerosol forming means, 15% starch as an expansion medium and 45% inorganic filler material. The aerosol generating means may also comprise flavouring means.
A small amount of fibre material may also be required in the above systems to assist in the formation of a sheet, depending on the manner of manufacture.
The aerosol generating means preferably comprises aerosol forming means, such as polyhydric alcohols, glycerol, propylene glycol and triethylene glycol, for example, or esters such as triethyl citrate or triacetin, or high boiling point hydrocarbons.
Flavouring agents in the smoking material rod are designed to contribute towards an aerosol which has a unique but very acceptable taste and flavour characteristic to the aerosol smoke. The taste and flavour may not necessarily be designed to imitate tobacco smoke taste and flavour. Flavouring agents may include tobacco extract flavours, menthol, vanillin, toffee, chocolate or cocoa flavours, for example. Colouring means, such as food grade dyes, for example, or colourants such as liquorice, caramel or malt, or extracts thereof, may be used to darken the colour of the filler material. The presence of vermiculite or other inorganic material, such as iron oxide, may also give a darker colour to the filler material of the smoking article.
Flavouring agents may also be incorporated on or into a substrate, which may be the aerosol generating means and/or the fuel source, at a location close to or at the mouth end of the smoking material rod of the smoking article, or along the length of the smoking material rod provided that they are not affected by combustion temperatures. The percentages given above are given without the addition of any flavouring agent. These percentages will be consequently reduced by the addition of flavouring agents. Where inorganic or organic filler material is present in the aerosol generating means or fuel source, the percentages of these elements would be decreased as flavourants increased. Where filler material is not present, either the carbon or aerosol forming means would be consequently reduced as the flavourants increased.
As mentioned above, the aerosol generating means may be formed by conventional paper-making techniques or by extrusion techniques. The sheet material may be cut or rolled. The inorganic filler materials of these systems can be used in the system mixtures without pre-treatment stages before providing a complete aerosol generating mixture.
Aerosol generating fuel source
As described above both of the fuel source and the aerosol generating means are kept substantially separate from one another, each forming a distinct area of either fuel source or aerosol generating means. In some instances though it may be advantageous to combine the two elements. This can be done by mixing physically discrete fuel source and aerosol generating material or by producing a totally combined aerosol generating fuel source. In the first case, a preferred embodiment is mixing the fuel source as cut filler material with aerosol generating means as cut filler material. Thus, an aerosol generating fuel source comprising a mixture of physically discrete individual cut filler material is provided, which filler material extends the full length of the smoking material rod. This embodiment is particularly advantageous in that it can be made in a manner very similar to conventional cigarette making procedures by providing a mixture of cut filler material to a cigarette making machine. In the second case, carbon is added to the aerosol generating means composition.
The aerosol generating fuel source may be provided by three distinct systems, but overlap may occur between them. The first system is a predominantly inorganic system comprising 0-35% inorganic filler material, 5-30% aerosol forming means, 30-60% inorganic binder, 30-65% carbon and 0-10% burn promoter. The aerosol forming means is selected from the group outlined above with respect to the aerosol generating means. The other components are also to be selected from the respective groups outlined above with respect to the other elements of the invention. This also applies to the systems described below.
The second system is a partially inorganic system comprising 86-0% inorganic filler material, 5-30% aerosol forming means, 1-25% organic binder and 8-60% carbon.
The third system is a more organic system comprising 93-0% organic filler material, 0-93% inorganic filler material, 5-30% aerosol forming means, 1-25% organic binder and 1-60% carbon. The more organic system may be foamed by the presence of an expansion medium and/or expansion agent, at the levels described above.
Preferably the aerosol forming means comprises 5-25% by weight of the mixture.
The binders and aerosol forming means for the above aerosol generating fuel sources may be any one or more of the binders or aerosol forming means exemplified above.
With the increase in organic components and the respective increase in sidestream, the permeability of the outer wrapper must be controlled to reduce the visible sidestream given off by this fuel source composition or, as described below, sidestream reducing agents can be added to the wrapper to reduce the amount of particulate matter forming the sidestream smoke. The thickness of the outer wrapper can also be varied to reduce visible sidestream smoke.
Structure of Article
The smoking article may be provided in a number of physical structures. In all three fuel source systems the fuel source may be provided as a longitudinally extending rod, strands or filaments, advantageously located co-axially of the smoking article. The rods, strands or filaments can be of various shapes, e.g. round, square, star or polygonal, all of which may be hollow or solid, and may be co-axially clustered. In the second and third system the fuel source may also be a sheet material which can be cut to produce shreds. Material of the third system may also be rolled to the desired shape.
When the fuel source is provided as a central rod of either carbonised wood or an extruded rod of the second or third fuel systems, i.e. a cement/carbon fuel source or the partially organic fuel system, the aerosol generating means may be an annulus of cut aerosol generating material or a roll of such material, rolled to provide a sufficient annular density to support the fuel rod, while still allowing air to be drawn through the article by the smoker.
A preferred option is to provide the rod filler material as a cut filler material. In one case, there may be provided a central core of cut fuel material surrounded by an annulus of cut aerosol generating material. This arrangement can also be provided with the aerosol generating means as the core material and the fuel source as the annulus material. Known techniques for producing co-axial structures for cut filler material can be used, e.g. providing a small dimension first wrapped rod which is fed to a further garniture and cut filler material is arranged around the first rod.
In the alternative, if an aerosol generating fuel source is provided, discrete cut aerosol generating means may be intimately mixed with discrete cut fuel source material.
The overall percentages of mixed cut fuel source material and cut aerosol generating material preferably falls within the range of 30-35% carbon, 5-10% binder, 0-2% fibre, 5-10% plasticiser and 40-60% inorganic material. This range may be comprised of the individual sheets of material having the following compositions:
Fuel source: 60-70% carbon, 7% propylene glycol alginate binder, 1% fibre and 32-22% perlite inorganic material.
Aerosol generating means: 7% propylene glycol alginate binder, 1% fibre, 15% glycerol plasticiser and 77% perlite inorganic material.
These materials would typically be mixed in the ratio of 1:1. Other ratios of mixing could be used to give the desired overall range of components described above.
If the aerosol generating means and fuel source are actually combined together chemically, the sheet material may be cut and provided within the outer wrapper as cut filler material. It may be desirable to increase the proportion of fuel material in a further combined sheet material, and to provide this material as a central region of higher carbon density surrounded by a less carbon-containing combined cut sheet material.
When the fuel and aerosol components are produced by extrusion methods, they may be provided as rods, strands or filaments. A coaxial core of several strands (or rods or filaments) may be provided of fuel material surrounded by an annulus of gathered strands of aerosol generating means. The vice versa arrangement is also possible as above. A further arrangement is the intimate inter-mixing of strands of discrete fuel source and aerosol generating means within the outer wrapper. The rods, strands of filaments may also be comprised of the chemically combined aerosol generating fuel source material. These extruded rods, strands or filaments may all be somewhat foamed, if desired.
Where foaming to provide a cellular structure is desired, a core of foamed fuel source may be surrounded by an annulus of foamed aerosol generating means. This may be produced by co-extrusion techniques using cross-head dies, for example. The vice versa arrangement is also possible. It is also possible in all of the above structural embodiments that only one of the core or annulus material is foamed.
Smoking article
Advantageously the smoking article incorporates a filter element which may be conventional fibrous cellulose acetate, polypropylene or polyethylene material or gathered paper material. Multiple filter elements may also be utilised. Filter elements having particular pressure drop characteristics, such as the filter sold by Filtrona and known as The Ratio Filter, may also be utilised. Disposed upon or within the material of the filter element may be further flavouring materials, as described above, which are released or eluted from the filter element by the aerosol generated by the heated or burnt aerosol generation means.
Disposed about the fuel source at the mounted thereof and/or between the fuel source and the filter element may be a firebreak. The firebreak may suitably comprise a more densely packed region of the material comprising the aerosol generating means. Preferably the firebreak also comprises aerosol forming means to enhance the delivery of aerosol to the smoker, as well as protecting the smoker from potentially over-hot smoke as the length of the smoking article decreases. Alternatively, the firebreak may comprise a band of burn retarding material on the exterior of the wrapper, for example. The firebreak may be substantially combustible or substantially non-combustible material.
The proportions of the non-inorganic materials are selected to give a smoking article which exhibits extremely low visible sidestream smoke. A conventional smoking article comprises cut tobacco wrapped in a paper wrapper. A smoking article which exhibits low visible sidestream smoke is required to give a reduction of at least 30% in rate of sidestream particulate matter, known as NFDPM (nicotine free, dry particulate matter) emission, in order for there to be a reduction in visible sidestream which is visible to the naked eye. European Patent Application, Publication No. 0 404 580 describes a smoking article having a paper wrapper which is extremely effective in reducing visible sidestream smoke. Reductions in visible sidestream particulate matter of up to 60% against control cigarettes without the inventive papers are achievable with smoking articles incorporating the paper according to that application. When smoking articles according to the present invention and cigarettes according to EPA 0 404 580 are smoked head to head, smoking articles according to the present invention have even less visible sidestream than the cigarettes of EPA 0 404 580. Smoking articles of the present invention are thus effective to provide visible sidestream reductions far greater than any other smoking article available at the present time.
Smoking articles according to the present invention preferably comprise at least 50% by weight of the article as inorganic material.

Smoking article with non-combustible wrapper, combustible fuel source and aerosol generator

British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited


With a cylinder direct injection engine in which fuel is injected directly into combustion chambers and air-fuel mixture is guided by an air flow, it is difficult to secure combustion stability under low engine speed and low load conditions such as during idling. Furthermore, there are needs for improvement of emission characteristics and fuel economy in other operation modes as well. An engine according to the invention injects fuel while dividing the same in plural-parts during a compression stroke. The first injection forms a lean air-fuel mixture around an ignition plug, and the second injection makes a flammable air-fuel mixture reach an area around the ignition plug. This ensures efficient stratified combustion and allows improvement in emission and fuel economy performance.

The present invention relates to a cylinder injection type internal combustion engine that supplies fuel directly into combustion chambers by fuel injection valves.
JP-A-11-159382 describes a technology directed to a cylinder injection engine (hereafter simply referred to as engine), which comprises fuel injection valves (hereafter simply referred to as injector) for supplying fuel directly into combustion chambers and, when the engine is in an operation zone of low engine speed and low load conditions, injects fuel in compression strokes to stratify and burn air-fuel mixture. The technology is for improving fuel consumption by injecting fuel in plural times during a compression stroke, when the engine is in an operation zone wherein at least either the load or engine speed is relatively high within a stratified combustion region, to thereby extend the stratified operation zone.
JP-A-7-119507 describes a technology of injecting fuel while dividing the same in the uniform combustion (synonymous with homogeneous combustion) region under high load and low engine speed conditions and thus reducing the injection quantity at one time to achieve uniform combustion through effective atomization and diffusion of fuel.
Both the conventional technologies described above employ injectors with long-distance spray penetration and use pistons as guides or hit plugs directly with fuel. Accordingly, the injected fuel deposits on the pistons in the stratified combustion region or deposits on combustion chamber walls after passing through the ignition plugs, and they cannot improve fuel economy or reduce emissions as much as theoretically possible. Besides, even if fuel is divided and injected in plural times at one fuel injection timing, much of the fuel contacts the pistons and the combustion chamber walls due to the character of the system, resulting in insufficient improvement in fuel economy and emission reduction.
Injectors conventionally used in cylinder injection type internal combustion engines are driven by high-voltage generators including capacitors. In case of driving the injector for opening and closing plural times during one injection timing, time for charging the capacitor is required while the valve is closed between injections, and the injection interval cannot be shortened. Accordingly, another problem is that fuel cannot be injected multiple times during one injection timing if the duration of the combustion stroke in a high-speed operation zone is short.
Furthermore, the conventional art described above do not discuss any stratified combustion that takes place in such an engine operation zone wherein a starter is operated. This means that an engine is started with a high air-fuel ratio to avoid combustion failure because a failure in stratified combustion under such conditions will result in several times the normal amount of HC emissions to make it impossible to meet severe European emission regulations.
However, the higher the air-fuel ratio used for starting, the more HC is emitted. Besides, the conventional art described above do not give consideration to the fact that operating the injectors multiple times during one fuel injection timing results in heavy power consumption.
It is one of objects of the present invention to enlarge the region of stratified combustion as compared with the conventional art so as to improve fuel economy as well as emission characteristics.
Another object of the invention is to improve fuel economy as well as emission characteristics by extending the operation zones in which fuel is injected multiple times during one injection timing.
Still another object of the invention is to lessen power consumption even when the injector is opened and closed multiple times during one injection timing.
To attain any one of the above objects, according to the first aspect of the invention, a fuel injection valve is so constructed that the state of the current flowing through an electromagnetic coil varies between a Valve Starting To Open state and a subsequent Valve Held Open state, and that the cycle of the Valve Starting To Open state and the Valve Held Open state is repeated at least twice during one fuel injection timing.
According to the second aspect of the invention, a fuel injection valve is so constructed that two electromagnetic coils are provided and the state of the current flowing through them is switched between a Valve Starting To Open state and a subsequent Valve Held Open state, and that the cycle of the Valve Starting To Open state and the Valve Held Open state is repeated at least twice during one fuel injection timing and the state of the current flowing is switched every time the cycle is repeated.
Preferably, in the constructions according to the first and the second aspect, the cycle of the Valve Starting To Open state and the Valve Held Open state is repeated at least twice at a given valve closing interval during one fuel injection timing.
According to the third aspect of the invention, a fuel injection valve is so constructed as to have a valve element and a valve seat for opening and closing a fuel passage, include a radial fuel passage upstream of the valve seat and extending radially from outside to inside for imparting a swirling force to fuel and form a fuel flow in the radial fuel passage at least twice during one fuel injection timing, which flows radially from outside to inside.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, a fuel injection valve is so constructed as to open and close a fuel passage at least twice during one fuel injection timing during the operation of a starter.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, a fuel injection valve is so constructed as to switch between a spraying state of long penetration and another spraying state of short penetration, use the short penetration spraying state in a stratified combustion region, use the long penetration spraying state in a homogeneous combustion region, and inject fuel at least twice during one fuel injection timing when the spray penetration is short.
According to the sixth aspect of the invention, a fuel injection valve is so constructed as to include, in its injection hole, a deflection element for deflecting fuel spray in a direction to an ignition plug and inject fuel from the deflection element toward the ignition plug at least twice during one fuel injection timing.
According to the seventh aspect of the invention, a fuel injection valve is constructed so that an air flow generator, provided in an intake port, creates an air flow in a combustion chamber, the valve divides and injects the fuel required for combustion in plural times, and fuel spray in plural times is guided in a direction to a ignition plug by the air flow.

Fuel injection apparatus and method for cylinder injection type internal combustion engine


A rotary cutting tool with an elongate body disposed about a longitudinal axis, the elongate body including a helical flute and a polycrystalline-diamond cutting tip. The cutting tip comprises an inner portion having an inner point angle and an outer portion having an outer point angle different from the inner point angle.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to rotary cutting tools and, more particularly, to rotary cutting tools, such as drills, having polycrystalline-diamond (PCD) cutting tips. The invention further relates to a method for forming a rotary cutting tool having a polycrystalline-diamond cutting tip.
Background Information
Polycrystalline-diamond (PCD) drills have historically been formed as straight fluted, facet point drills. More recently, PCD drills have been formed having helical flutes and more complex point geometries similar to solid carbide drills. One of the major uses of such highly engineered PCD drills is for drilling in composite materials, such as carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) titanium composites. Drills used for cutting such material require a high wear resistance to survive in CFRP while having a geometry that is effective to cut titanium. Aerospace customers, who commonly utilize such CFRP composite materials, further require that the burr height of the titanium portion of the drilled composite material be maintained around 100 microns. Known PCD drills produce a high quality hole in the first few holes, but rapidly begin to produce unacceptable burrs soon thereafter (typically about 5 holes or less). Accordingly, such drills must be replaced frequently at a high cost.
There is, therefore, room for improvement in rotary cutting tools used for drilling CFRP-titanium, particularly in the quality of the holes cut and the durability of the cutting tool.

Rotary cutting tool having PCD cutting tip


Polyester urethane derivatives having the following general formula: EQU c-i-(d-n).sub.t d-i-c. wherein d is a radical derived from an organic polyol; n is a radical derived from an unsaturated aliphatic dicarboxylic acid or an anhydride thereof; i is a radical derived from a polyisocyanate; c is a carbamyl-linked radical derived from a hydroxy-terminated ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid; t is an integer equal to from 1 to about 5; in ethylenically unsaturated monomer solutions are thickened to moldable non-sticky gels by the formation in said solution of minor amounts of branch chain polyurethane resin mixtures free of ethylenic unsaturation. The physical properties of reinforced molded articles made from these molding compositions show dramatic improvement in impact strength and flexibility.

This invention is directed to blends of polyols, ethylenically unsaturated monomers and certain ethylenically unsaturated vinyl-terminated polyester urethane resins in homogeneous solution which can be thickened by the addition of polyisocyanates to form polyurethane gels which are tack-free within a few hours. It is also directed to gelled unsaturated monomer solutions of certain ethylenically unsaturated vinyl-terminated polyester urethane resins the gelling of which is obtained by employing mixed polyurethane resins free of ethylenic unsaturation as the gelling or thickening agent. Furthermore, it is directed to cured urethane resins of low profile or deep drawn reinforced components having a filler content as high as 80%. These fully-cured gelled compositions are surprisingly high in flexural and tensile strength, retain a higher tensile elongation, and have a higher impact resistance than previously known resins employing a dual curing system employing a polyurethane thickener free of ethylenic unsaturation. The molded compositions made from the resins of this invention, when mixed with glass and other fillers, pigments, peroxides, mold release agents, etc. can be converted into tractable, tack-free, handleable gels which can be cut into preforms and shaped by either injection or compression molding techniques into fully-cured articles such as plates and automobile bumpers having unusually high strength and flexibility.

Polyester urethane-containing molding compositions


A display device includes a display panel including a display driving circuit, and a touch sensing circuit. The display panel includes first and second panel blocks, each including pixel arrays including touch sensors. The display driving circuit includes a shift register for sequentially outputting a gate pulse applied to a gate line. The shift register includes first and second shift registers and a compensation stage. The first shift register applies a gate pulse to gate lines arranged in the first panel block, and the second shift register applies a gate pulse to gate lines arranged in the second panel block during at least a portion of the display period when a node of the second shift register is charged to a predetermined level. The compensation stage charges the node of the second shift register upon receiving a bridge clock during a touch sensing period of the first panel block.

Field
The present disclosure relates to a display device having a touch sensor.
Discussion of the Related Art
Development of multimedia has led to an increase in demand of display devices able to appropriately display the multimedia. In order to meet the increase in demand, flat display devices (or display devices) which are increased in size and low-priced, and have high display quality (video expression, resolution, brightness, contrast, and color reproducibility, and the like) have been actively developed. In these flat display devices, various input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a track ball, a joystick, a digitizer, and the like, are used to form an interface between users and the flat display devices. However, the use of the aforementioned input devices requires users to learn how to use the input devices and inconveniences as the users with installation of the input devices and occupation of the input devices of an operation space, making it difficult to increase completeness of products. Thus, demand for input devices which are convenient to use, simple, and reduce malfunction has grown. In order to meet the demand, touch sensors capable of recognizing information generated as users directly touch a screen with their hands or a pen or apply a touch in a proximity manner, while viewing a display device, has been proposed.
A touch sensor used in a display device may also be implemented in an in-cell type touch sensor installed within a display panel. An in-cell type display device may employ a scheme in which a touch electrode of a touch sensor and a common electrode of a display panel are shared and driving is performed by time division of a display period and a touch sensing period. In particular, a display panel may be divided into a first block PB1 and a second block PB2 as illustrated in Figure (FIG. 1, and display driving and touch sensing driving may be performed in units of the divided blocks. For example, after data of an input image is written into pixels of the first block PB1 during a first display period Td1, touch sensors are driven to sense a touch input during a first touch sensing period Tt1. Subsequently, after data of an input image is written into pixels of the second block PB2 during a second display period Td2, touch sensors are driven to sense a touch input during the second touch sensing period Tt2.
During the display period, a gate driver sequentially shifts a gate pulse applied to gate lines using a shift register. A gate pulse is synchronized with the data signal of the input image and sequentially selects pixels in which the data signal is to be charged, one line each time. The shift register of the gate driver includes dependently connected stages. The stages of the shift register are dependently connected to receive a start pulse and/or an output of a previous stage to charge a node (e.g., a Q node). When the display period is not divided but continuous, node charge periods (e.g., Q node charge periods) (hereinafter, referred to as "a standby period") of all the stages of the shift register are the same as approximately 2 horizontal periods.
However, when the display period is divided in units of the blocks (e.g., Td1 and Td2) as illustrated in FIG. 2, and a touch sensing period is allocated there between (e.g., Tt1 and Tt2), and a Q node of a stage generating a first output immediately after the touch sensing period is decayed by the touch sensing period to generate a low output. In case of full high definition (FHD), 1 horizontal period is approximately 6.0 μs and a touch sensing period is 100 μs or longer. Thus, a standby period of a stage generating a first output immediately after the touch sensing period is 100 μs or longer, while a standby period of other stages is about 12.0 μs. Since the standby period is lengthened, a decay time of a node is lengthened, causing a line dim phenomenon at a first line from which the display period starts again immediately after the touch sensing period.


An aqueous liquid laundry detergent composition comprising an alkoxylated carboxylic acid surfactant and urea at pH 6-8. The composition has improved performance on grass stain removal.

Liquid laundry detergents are popular with the consumers. While a variety of surfactants is available to manufacturers to formulate these, it is desirable to include alkoxylated ester surfactants, due to their better bio-degradability in comparison to alcohol-based alkoxylates. In addition, alkoxylated ester surfactants are derived from a renewable source—oil and fat. Unfortunately, alkoxylated ester surfactants hydrolyse in the presence of water, and especially under alkaline conditions. The hydrolysis has a dual disadvantage of destroying the surfactant and introducing fatty acid, one of the degradation products, which is, essentially, oily soil. The hydrolysis of acid esters occurs in an aqueous, high pH environment, and so may occur in the bottled compositions on storage. Thus, compositions containing alkoxylated ester surfactant need to be formulated at pH 6 to 8. Unfortunately, the cleaning performance of the laundry compositions is impaired at such lower pH, especially the removal of grass stains—an extremely important stain, especially on kids clothes or sportswear.
The following art describes compositions, in some instances laundry compositions, that may include various, broadly ranging carboxylic acid esters and/or alkoxylated derivatives thereof, some of which may also contain urea: Mertens (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,071,873 and 6,319,887), Koester et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,384,009), Hees et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,753,606), WO 01/10391, WO 96/23049, WO 94/13618, Miyajima et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,146), JP 9078092, JP 9104895, JP 8157897, JP 8209193 and JP 3410880.

Liquid laundry detergent with an alkoxylated ester surfactant and urea


From 3 to 25 g/m.sup.2, in particular from 5 to 10 g/m.sup.2 of a pulverulent reactive hot-melt composition including a prepolymer and a hardener for the latter are applied onto one or two faces of textile reinforcement. The hardener becomes active only at a temperature above that at which the powder softens to become tacky. This powder on one or two faces makes it possible in particular to preform the reinforcement before it is employed for the manufacture of an article made of composite material.

The invention relates to the field of textile reinforcements for composite materials.
It is now well known to manufacture composite materials of high strength, despite their low weight, by coupling a matrix, generally a heat-curable resin with a set of textile structures, such as tissues. There are various methods for obtaining such materials. Reinforcing tissues can be impregnated with the resin manually, to be subsequently subjected to a contact molding method. A method which is employed, industrially consists of placing the textile reinforcement in a mold into which the resin is introduced and, to facilitate the flow of the latter, creating a pressure gradient in the mold to permit an optimum resin transfer. Another widely employed method consists of compressing a stack of textile reinforcements in a mold into which resin has been introduced.
In yet another method, a resin film or sheet is transferred under the effect of heat and pressure onto a stack of tissues or a multidimensional textile structure with fiber orientation. A further method also consists of passing the reinforcement, after impregnation with a resin, through a heated die to produce continuous profiled articles by extrusion. All these processes for the manufacture of articles made of composite materials are well known to the specialist and therefore do not need to be described in greater detail.
In practice, the cutting, handling and assembling of a number of layers and the forming of dry, that is to say not preimpregnated, textile structures frequently present problems and limit the possibilities of automation of the operations for the manufacture of articles made of composite materials, especially according to the methods referred to above.
In particular, the placing of dry reinforcements on a mold of complex shapes is a problem which has not been properly resolved, most especially in the case of stacking of a number of layers and when attempts are made to conform to the precise fiber orientations and to produce variable thicknesses, in order to obtain high mechanical performances.

Textile reinforcements for composite materials and method of manufacturing thereof


A device for spreading particulate material from a vehicle mounted dump bed includes a hopper device mounted transversely across a material discharge end of the dump bed and a broadcast spreader beneath one end of the hopper device. The hopper device includes first and second spaced end walls, a fixed back wall between the end walls, and an elongated auger extending between the end walls arranged to be rotated about an axis parallel to the back wall. Rotation of the auger causes particulate material entering the hopper device to be moved toward one end wall beneath which the broadcast spreader is located. Spreading through, dumping over, and cleaning of the hopper device are possible as a result of an independent cover member extending between the end walls and movable between three corresponding positions. Support of the cover member relative to the hopper device is provided by a series of latching pins through each of the end walls and into portions of the cover member with one pin connection allowing movement of the cover member into a generally upstanding position for cleaning of the hopper device.

This invention relates to the art of spreading materials such as salt, cinders or gravel, on roadways and, more particularly, to an improved hopper for use on a vehicle employed in spreading material on a roadway. While the invention is particularly applicable for use on a vehicle for spreading salt on a roadway during the winter season and will be described with particular reference thereto, it is appreciated that the invention has broader applications and can be used for vehicles spreading various materials along the roadway or path being traveled by the vehicle.
During the winter season, it has become common practice to spread salt or cinders along a roadway to remove ice and reduce the tendency for skidding of motor vehicles traveling along the roadway. While many arrangements for spreading salt or cinders have been attempted, the most accepted devices include a broadcast spreader having a rotating disc which centrifugally discharges salt or cinders dropped on the spreader from a dump bed carried by the vehicle as the vehicle moves along the roadway. Since the broadcast spreader generally has a width substantially less than the width of the dump bed of the vehicle, provisions must be made for channelling the salt or cinders falling from the dump bed to an area immediately above the broadcast spreader. A hopper device extending along a discharge end of the dump bed is customarily used to channel the particulate material onto the spreader. These hoppers generally include spaced end walls, a backwall positioned adjacent to and directly beneath the discharge end of the dump bed, and a front wall deflecting the particulate material into the hopper. A rotating auger is provided near the bottom of the hopper for the purpose of moving the particulate material to a discharge opening in the bottom of the hopper from which the salt or cinders drop onto the broadcast spreader. While the discharge opening may be located at any position along the hopper, generally the opening is located at the end of the hopper nearest the center of the roadway being traveled. As a result of the location of the discharge opening, the rotating auger is required to move portions of the particulate material the entire length of the hopper toward the end wall nearest the roadway center. This combination of hopper, rotating auger and broadcast spreader is widely used in spreading salt or cinders along roadways.
While the hopper and broadcast spreader combination is beneficial during use as a spreader, even an occasional necessity of dumping particulate material directly onto the roadway presents problems. In this regard, if a larger quantity of material or a wide path of material were desired to be deposited on the roadway, the hopper device would have to be removed from the vehicle. To overcome this difficulty, it has been proposed that the hopper include a movable cover plate having a first position for spreading and a second position for dumping. A device having such a movable cover plate is shown in Swenson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,189,355. This reference teaches of a cover plate movable into a vertical position for spreading in which position the cover plate provides a backing plate for directing particulate material into a hopper. Moving the cover plate to a horizontal position allows dumping of particulate material over the hopper. This concept of providing a cover having spreading and dumping positions is a commonly utilized design as shown by Daneman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,970 and Buchmann U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,585.
Another problem which commonly occurs in salt or cinder spreaders having hopper devices and rotating augers is clogging of the salt or cinders within the hopper surrounding the auger. In the spreader devices discussed above, the hopper has an inlet through which the particulate material enters from the dump bed and a relatively small discharge opening through which the material falls onto the spreader. Salt or cinders being spread often clog the auger, especially if it becomes damp or is allowed to sit for a prolonged time in the hopper. The design of the hopper as an enclosed device results in considerable effort being expended to unclog the hopper and auger. As a solution to this problem it has been proposed that the hopper be provided with an arrangement allowing access to the auger for cleaning. Such an arrangement is shown in a Swenson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,066. A lower portion of a hopper is pivotally mounted at a bottom edge to enable the portion to be dropped for cleaning of the hopper and access to the auger. The pivoting lower portion extends the entire longitudinal length of the hopper. This reference requires a first movable panel for dumping and spreading and a second movable panel for clean-out of the hopper.
An improvement upon this immediately above noted concept is shown in Hetrick, U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,150 wherein spreading, dumping and cleaning are provided by a single positionable panel of a hopper device. The panel is permanently secured to the hopper by links pivotally mounted on a pair of spaced sidewalls and the sides of the panel resulting in the panel being movable relative to the hopper through spreading, dumping and cleaning positions. Locking pins are appropriately positioned through a series of apertures in each of the sidewalls. Corresponding apertures in the panel provide releasable locking of the panel by the pins in the spreading and dumping positions.

Hopper device for material spreader having a multi-positionable cover


A table-based wired information system includes a table having a plurality of actual positions designed to receive people and a monitor positioned so as to be observed by people at any of the plurality of actual positions. A flat ribbon cable with a plurality of electrical conductors less than the number of available positions is affixed to an under-surface of the table in a flat orientation by an adhesive backing. A plurality of vote boxes, each including a multi-position switch, are adhesively attached to the under-surface at each of the actual positions. The cable is coupled to the monitor system and each of the vote boxes is coupled to the cable intermediate the ends by a press-on insulation displacement connector.

In today's fast moving and complex world, most non-trivial projects require the varied expertise and simultaneous efforts from multiple individual people. Often, small teams are involved; many are limited to a dozen, or fewer people. (Evidence: The vast majority of corporate conference room tables seat fewer than 12 people). Collectively, these teams determine the fates of billion-dollar-programs, as well as the fates of many corporations, themselves.
Yet, it is common knowledge, among experienced meeting attendees, that groups and teams face a variety of potential communication breakdowns. Some examples are, 'incomplete sharing of critical facts', 'important clarification that goes unsought' and 'questionable logic that goes unchallenged'. Clearly, sincere and complete discussion is needed to avoid such breakdowns. Very often, sincere and complete discussion can be initiated as follows: Ask a tough question, allow the attendees to answer it anonymously, and display the vote tally (but not any individual votes). Often, group members will anonymously flag a problem that they would not flag without anonymity. Yet, when they see that others in the group share their same concern, open (sincere and complete) discussion follows. In summary, a typical sequence is, "ask tough question #1, display the anonymous tally, engage in 'somewhat open' discussion, ask tough question #2, display the anonymous tally, engage in even more open discussion". This anonymous-polling-sequence can be used numerous times in a single meeting. However, it must be fast, convenient, easy to learn, and easy to use.
An unmet need exists for truly practical conference-table-based polling systems. This is evidenced by today's lack of any kind of instant polling capability in millions of corporate conference rooms, where numerous important face-to-face meetings take place, daily. This is further evidenced by the complete global absence of any truly practical conference-table-mounted polling capability.
While 'audience response systems' do exist, they are neither designed, nor optimized, for small conference rooms (e.g. for 12 or fewer people). They are designed for use with large crowds (e.g. hundreds or thousands of people). These systems are either wired or wireless.
It might be tempting to assume that wireless systems are always superior. However, for use around a small conference room table, these wireless systems are inherently inferior. They have numerous drawbacks, such as, a serious loss of anonymity (due to the need to see one's own keypad), unnecessarily high costs, time consuming setup and put-away (for every session), extensive training needed for the main operator, 12 or more batteries to go dead, unreliable operation due to radio frequency interference (or infrared occlusions), slow tally and display operation, complexity for users, frequent loss of remote units (that become misplaced, inadvertently left at home, dropped or stolen).
Likewise, the existing wired 'audience response systems' are designed for use with large crowds (e.g. hundreds or thousands of people). As such, they are not intended for practical, permanent installation in the numerous conference rooms for 12 or fewer people. They comprise unsightly tangles of cables, connectors and large, awkward enclosures that can not be properly mounted to the conference table without seriously destroying the normal utility of the table top surface or without infringing on legroom and comfort underneath the table. Again, they too suffer a serious loss of anonymity (due to the need to see one's own keypad), unnecessarily high installation costs (if permanent installation is attempted), and time consuming setup and put-away (for every session if not a truly permanent installation).
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in prior attempts to meet the unmet need.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved conference-table-based information system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved conference-table-based information system that provides truly anonymous polling.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved conference-table-based information system with an easy and cost-effective method for permanent or temporary installation (easy enough to be organized as a 'do-it-yourself kit').
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved conference-table-based information system with 'instant-on' access (virtually no setup/put-away time required), virtually no obstructions placed on the table top surface, ample legroom, no sharp edges to contact knees, pants or skirts and minimal training required to use basic polling functionality.

Conference-table-based wired information system


A mobile station includes a wireless interface, which gains wireless access to Internet via a BTS of a mobile communication network, a storage, which stores bookmark information including information on a title, a URL, or a display mode of at least one WAP page/Web page, a display, which displays the WAP/Web page, an input, which receives the information on the title, the URL, or the display mode of the WAP/Web page, and a central processing unit, which stores the bookmark information, including the information on the title, the URL, or the display mode of the WAP/Web page input through the input, in the storage, and displays the WAP/Web page, based on data downloaded from a server on the Internet accessed through the wireless interface, through the display using the display mode information corresponding to the title information or the URL information of the WAP/Web page.

Currently, with the development of mobile communication technologies, various supplementary services including a simple voice communication service, such as a wireless internet service capable of downloading data of various types of content through the Internet by wireless, are provided.
Wireless internet service has an advantage in that it enables a mobile station not only to access a server on the Internet, to thereby search for necessary information or confirm an e-mail, but also to download and use various types of wireless internet content such as images, sound sources, games, and so forth. As such, subscribers have a growing interest in wireless internet service.
A mobile service provider providing mobile services processes Internet content in a format suitable for transmission through a mobile communication network on the basis of a wireless application protocol, and then transmits the content to the mobile station without taking into account problems such the limited size of a display screen of the mobile station.
Meanwhile, an initial wireless internet service is a closed environment in which the subscriber is serviced with Internet content provided by a subscribed mobile service provider (e.g. SKT, KTF or LGT). Since a current mobile station supports a full-browsing function, the subscriber can directly input a uniform resource locator to access a Web site (or a Web portal).
In other words, the initial wireless internet service is adapted so that the subscriber accesses a wireless portal established by the subscribed mobile service provider using a WAP browser built in the mobile station, and then uses only the content provided from a server operated by the subscribed mobile service provider. In contrast, the current wireless internet service is adapted so that the subscriber accesses the Web site through the wireless portal of one subscribed mobile service provider as well as that of another subscribed mobile service provider due to the application of full-browsing, and then is serviced with the content.
The mobile station has a relatively small display screen compared to that of a computer such as a personal computer, a laptop computer, and so forth, which gets access to the Internet. Thus, the mobile station cannot display an entire display window of the WAP page or the Web page at one time. As such, a display mode in which the mobile displays the display window of the WAP page or the Web page through the display screen can be classified as a first display mode in which a width of the WAP/Web page is automatically adjusted to a transverse length of the display screen, and a second display mode in which the user shifts the WAP/Web page on the display or causes the WAP/Web page to overlap the entire display.
In order to look at the WAP/Web page using current mobile stations, the user must set the WAP/Web page in the display mode for which the user has a preference. When the display mode is changed, the WAP/Web page is differently displayed. Thus, the data required to change the display mode must be additionally downloaded from the server, so that the user must pay an extra fee.

Method and apparatus of displaying output of mobile station


A network monitoring system comprising: a prediction unit configured to acquire information needed for detecting an abnormality in a virtual network function provided in a virtualization infrastructure, and predict performance information of a virtual network function that is to be newly provided and monitored; a generation unit configured to generate an abnormality determination rule to serve as a reference for determining whether or not actual performance information of a virtual network function falls within an allowed range that is set based on the predicted performance information; a determination unit configured to perform abnormality determination using the actual performance information of the virtual network function and the abnormality determination rule; and an output unit configured to output an abnormality notification if it is determined by the determination unit that there is an abnormality.

Conventionally, dedicated apparatuses in which network functions and hardware were integrated were commonly used in communication equipment, but a network function virtualization (NFV) technique for providing a general-purpose server with a network function by making use of a virtualization technique has been attracting attention due to increased functions of general-purpose servers and the advancement of virtualization techniques.
By arranging a virtual network function (VNF) in a virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) using an NFV technique, a reduction in equipment cost, effective use of infrastructure resources, and an increase in the speed of service provision are expected. Furthermore, by providing the virtualization infrastructure with the network function, provision and deletion of the network function are easier, and therefore automization of network operation management is also expected.
The virtual network function is characterized in that the allocation of virtualization infrastructure resources for the VNF, such as distribution of VNF arrangement locations, and CPU and a memory resource amount for the VNF, is flexible. For this reason, for example, a technique of automatically scaling out or scaling in according to the communication amount or server load (auto-scale function) and a technique of automatically recovering from damage by causing a VNF to transition to another healthy server if an abnormality or damage is detected in the VNF (auto-heal function) have been considered. The auto-scale function and the auto-heal function are executed by being triggered by detection of an abnormality in a virtual network function, a virtualization infrastructure, or hardware.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a conventional network function monitoring system. A NFV infrastructure constituted by a hypervisor, a virtual machine, virtual switches, and the like is constructed on a general-purpose server, virtual network functions (VNFs) such as a firewall, a load balancer, and a router are included in the virtualization infrastructure, and a monitoring system monitors these virtual network functions and the virtualization infrastructure. Also, when an abnormality is detected in the monitoring system, abnormality notification is performed to the NFV control system, and after receiving the abnormality notification, the NFV control system operates the VNFs and the NFVI using the auto-scale function, the auto-heal function, and the like.
In this manner, in order to provide a highly-reliable network, it is essential that abnormalities in the network are found out rapidly. However, in particular, in performance monitoring of an NFVI, various types of performance information, such as a CPU usage rate, a memory usage rate, a band usage rate, and a disk usage rate, need to be monitored for a virtualization infrastructure, such as a hypervisor, a virtual machine, or a virtual switch, and therefore the items to be monitored become complicated.
Normally, by providing thresholds for the pieces of performance information, it is determined whether or not there is an abnormality, but settings become complicated accompanying enlargement of the monitoring region and diversification of the items being managed. For example, when an abnormality occurs in a hypervisor, an alarm for performing notification of an abnormality is generated from related virtual machines as well, and therefore as a result, the designation of the abnormal location and the influence range becomes difficult, there is a significant likelihood that the auto-heal function and the auto-scale function will not function appropriately, and there is concern that the real-time property will be lost. Furthermore, in the conventional detection procedure, there is a phenomenon in which an abnormality inside of a virtual switch that crosslinks virtual machines or the like is difficult to detect.
With respect to this kind of problem, PLT1 discloses a technique of detecting an abnormality by comprehensively analyzing the performance information of the NFVI. As shown in FIG. 7, based on the performance information during normal operation of the networks, an abnormality determination rule utilizing statistical processing and machine learning with no teacher is generated, and by comparing the performance information collected in a certain period and the abnormality detection rule, an abnormality detection function is provided.
Also, PLT2 discloses a technique of analyzing the temporal periodicity of the performance information of an apparatus being monitored, deriving an appropriate threshold value based on density distribution model information generated in each of the periods, and detecting an abnormality based on the threshold value.
Also, PLT3 discloses a technique of detecting an abnormality based on whether or not a correlative function generated at a time of normal operation has broken down, by deriving a correlative function for pieces of performance information of any two managed target apparatuses and a time series.

Network monitoring system, network monitoring method, and computer-readable storage medium


A metallic coating method is carried out by contacting a surface of a substrate with a molten metal which is locally raised under ultrasonic vibration. A metallic coating can be continuously attained on one side only of ribbon type substrate in a form of plate, sheet or strip or only the outer surface of a pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a metallic coating method using ultrasonic vibrational energy. More particularly, it relates to a metallic coating method of coating a ribbon type substrate in a form of plate, sheet or strip of metal on one side only or a pipe on outer surface only or a curved surface of the substrate with a molten metal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The metallic coating method by immersing a sheet or strip of metal in a molten metal which is called as hot dipping process has been applied in various fields as it has been found in the processes for preparing a galvanized sheet or a tin plate.
In the conventional hot dipping processes, both sides for plating such as a sheet metal have been dipped in a molten metal bath. Accordingly, they have been suitable for metallic coating of both sides of the sheet metal. However, when the metallic coating is applied on one side surface of a sheet metal especially a thin sheet, it is required to contact the one surface for metallic coating with the molten metal bath but to prevent the contact of the other surface with the molten metal bath by coating the surface with a masking material.
Because of the difficulty of the operation and the removal of the masking material after the metallic coating, suitable hot dipping process has not been found as a metallic coating method of sheet material on one side only.

Metallic coating method using ultrasonic vibration