A subscriber can dynamically provision, i.e., assign desired characteristics to any "target station", which is an active phone accessible to a telecommunications network. A call thereafter originated from the target station (including a pay phone or a mobile phone) then can use customized features (for example, speed calling, conferencing, account code dialing) and take advantage of special corporate billing arrangements (for example, SDN, WATS and MEGACOM). The identity of the target station with respect to the communications network (e.g., the Automatic Number Identification (ANI) of the station) is not changed. Initially, a service profile is created and stored for each subscriber, containing information describing desired features and billing options. Thereafter, the characteristics of a particular target station are changed by an activation process that can be initiated from any location, whereby the ANI associated with the target station is entered into the ANI trigger table in an intelligent switch on which that station is homed, and the service profile is loaded into a database. When a call is originated in the target station, information in the database is applied to the switch to provide the desired characteristics.

Recently, much attention has been given to the fact that telephone subscribers have dramatically increased mobility, so that there is a need to assure that calls directed TO the subscriber are forwarded to the destination at which s/he is located at the time the call is made. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,035 issued to Jordan et al. describes a Person Locator Service by which calls directed to a subscriber at home can be forwarded to the called party's office, car, hotel room, etc., depending upon the status of information contained in a database record that is updated when the subscriber is away from home. Application Ser. No. 07/607,925 filed Nov. 1, 1990, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, describes one approach for automatically updating the information stored in the database.
Despite the attention given to the re-direction of calls made TO a "mobile" telephone subscriber (as used herein, a "mobile" subscriber is a subscriber originating a call from a wired or wireless telephone that can change locations from home, car, boat, office, etc.--this term is not limited to a subscriber in a vehicle), little attention has been paid to the outbound calls made BY a mobile subscriber from stations other than the station normally used by that subscriber. For example, an employee of company X may wish to make business-related calls from his/her home. In that event, while individual calls could be billed to company X using a company credit card, the calls would be treated by the telecommunications network as being made from home and not the office, and would not have the "characteristics" of a call made from the office. Specifically, if the company, as a customer of a telecommunications provider, subscribed to a special billing arrangement such as WATS or MEGACOM or used a Software Defined Network, a call originated from home would not be entitled to corporate billing rates. In addition, if the telecommunications network was set up such that calls originating at the office phone were provided with features like speed dialing, outgoing call screening, wide area calling or any of a host of other services offered to telecommunications subscribers, these features would not be available from the home phone, unless advance arrangements were made. These arrangements, called provisioning, normally require a call to the telephone business office, and a relatively long period of time (usually hours to days) in order to effect the changes in the telephone switching equipment necessary to effectuate the desired changeover.
One arrangement for addressing certain needs of "mobile" subscribers (as defined above) is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,373 issued to C. Lee et al. on Feb. 6, 1990. In the Lee arrangement, personalized feature data associated with a subscriber is stored in a database in association with a personal identification number (PIN). A subscriber wishing to use personalized features while away from home dials a special code from a target station connected to local exchange which has access to the database. When the PIN is validated, the feature data is retrieved from the database and stored in the local exchange from which the call was placed. Thereafter, telephone service initiated at the target station will be rendered to the subscriber with the desired personalized features.
While the Lee arrangement gives mobile subscribers the ability to temporarily change certain features of outgoing calls, the patented system does not contemplate providing a subscriber initiating a call at a target station with advanced billing options usually provided only at the home station. Also, the request for a change in call characteristics must be initiated from the particular target station that is to be changed. This means that a mobile subscriber cannot effectuate the desired changes remotely, in advance, before he or she reaches the destination at which the target station is located.
Furthermore, the Lee arrangement would be difficult to use when long distance calls are to be made from the target station, and the target station is distant from the subscriber's home station. This is because the patentee contemplates changing the Automatic Number Identification (ANI) information associated with the target station. Thus, with the Lee arrangement, when a long distance call is initiated from a target station that is distant from the subscriber's home station, the ANI associated with the home station will be forwarded from the local exchange to the toll switch serving the target station. This could create confusion and a possible operating problem, since each long distance (toll) switch has knowledge only of the ANIs for stations that "home" on that switch. In addition, use of the home station's ANI in the target station may cause a long distance call to be rated improperly, leading to incorrect charges.

Arrangement for outbound telecommunications


A storage and work place apparatus used in conjunction with a wheelbarrow or similar item. The apparatus includes a housing having a bottom portion and a side portion extending outwardly to form an open chamber the bottom portion is intended to a lie atop a wheelbarrow a cover is used in conjunction with the open chamber and is hingedly or slidingly attached to the housing in order to extend laterally from the housing. At least a first leg attainably connects to the housing and extends outwardly to contact a ground surface adjacent the wheel barrow. At least a second leg is rotatable attached to the cover and also extends outwardly therefrom to support the cover above the ground surface when the leg contacts the ground surface.

The present invention relates to a novel and useful work place and storage apparatus.
Tools, machines, materials, and the like necessarily be transported from a storage area to a place of work. In the past, tool chest has been used to maintain such implements at hand during construction and manufacturing task. In addition, such tool chest have been mobilized by the addition of casters or wheels. However, tool chest and storage bins for tools and the like are necessarily bulky and difficult to move despite the fact that wheels have been attached. For example, tool chest are not easily moved over uneven terrain surfaces and along serpentine courses.
In the past, devices have been improvised to carry or transport tools and the like. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,085,447 7,032,921 US Patent Publication 2006/0157944, United States Patent Application Publication 20070063466, and Uk Patent Application 2,293,757 describe portable table structure for transporting equipment and tools which are generally compact or collapsible in nature.
U.S. Pat. No. 832,628, U.S. Design Pat. 338,306, and UK Patent Application 2,31965 describe carts having containers that are movable and may be used to transport tools and equipment.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,642,898, 5,893,572, 6,053,587, and 6,935,641 show portable tool carts which include benches or tables to allow a work place for the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,265 and UK Patent Application 2179305 show wheel barrow structures possessing novel attachment such as handles and legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,769,271 and US Patent Application Publications 2002/0144935, 2005/0212238 describe wheel barrow attachments in the form of platforms and bins which may be used to support items and process materials.
A storage and work place apparatus useable with a wheelbarrow or similar item would be a notable advanced in the manufacturing and construction arts.


The invention relates to a process for recovering and producing chemicals in a pulp production process where organic chemicals, such as formic acid and acetic acid, are used as cooking chemicals. The process of the invention is based on regeneration of cooking acids and formation of additional cooking acids and furfural by evaporating the cooking liquor and then separating acetic acid, formic acid, furfural and water. The separation is preferably carried out by distillation using the furfural formed in the process as a distilling aid in the distillation.

The invention relates to recovery of cooking chemicals in pulp production processes based on organic chemicals, particularly in processes based on formic acid and acetic acid. In the process of the invention recovery of cooking acids is arranged to be carried out in conditions which enable production of more cooking acids from dissolved hemicellulose and lignin included in the used cooking liquor and simultaneous release of acids bound to the dissolved material by de-esterification to compensate for cooking chemical losses. At the same time furfural is formed, which is utilized as an extractant in the recovery of cooking chemicals by distillation.
The chemicals used in pulp production have to be recovered and reused as efficiently as possible for environmental, legislative and economic reasons. In conventional pulp production processes, where wood material is used as the raw material, recovery of cooking chemicals has been rather successful. One has also succeeded in reducing the amount of sulphur compounds in exhaust gases. In several countries, however, the limited availability of wood material constitutes a problem when production is to be increased, and thus attempts have been made to replace wood with non-wood fibre sources. However, in such straw pulp processes recovery of chemicals has not been successful. So far it has not been economically feasible to implement a pulp plant that would function according to the "total effluent free" principle.
In pulp production processes based on organic chemicals, efficient recovery of chemicals is particularly important because organic chemicals are typically more expensive than inorganic chemicals and thus efficiency of their recovery has a considerable influence on the economy of the whole process.
So far prior art processes based on organic chemicals have involved considerable chemical losses. Neither have the chemical recovery processes been that simple and inexpensive. The best-known pulp production processes based on organic compounds include Alcell, Organocell, Milox and Formacell processes.
In the recovery of chemicals the object is to enable as efficient and economic re-use of chemicals as possible without loading the environment.
The recovery of chemicals in pulp production processes based on organic acids and alcohols has been described e.g. in WO 93/15261 (Lora J. H. et al.), EP 0 584 675 A1 (Nimz, H. H. H. & Schöne, M.) and in Pohjanvesi, S. et al., Technical and economical feasibility study of the Milox process, The 8th International Symposium on Wood and Pulping Chemistry, Jun. 6-9, 1995, Helsinki, vol. 2, pp. 231-236. In these prior art processes the recovery of acids is based on thermal separation processes and distillation.
Vapour-liquid equilibrium between organic acids and between furfural and organic acids as well as separation by distillation are described e.g. in Hunsmann, W. & Simmrock, K. H., Trennung von Wasser, Ameisensaure und Essigsäure durch Azeotrop Destillation, Chemie-Ingenieur-Technik 38 (19), 1966, pp. 1053-1059 and in Tsirlin, Yu. A., Studies of Liquid-Vapour Equilibrium in the System Furfural-Water-Acetic Acid, Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii 35 (1962), no.2, pp. 409-416.
Finnish application 980995 (WO 99/57364) (Chempolis Oy) describes a pulp production process based on formic acid and acetic acid and a process for regenerating cooking acid by evaporation and distillation. The concentrated cooking liquor is evaporated in a multi-phase evaporator to a concentration of dissolved solids of 50 to 80%, and water is distilled from diluted acids by means of overpressure to the typical total concentration of formic acid and acetic acid, i.e. 80 to 90%, and this mixed acid is returned to cooking.
Finnish application 973474 (WO 99/105959) (Chempolis Oy) describes a process for the recovery of chemically bound formic acid from pulp. The process utilizes free formic acid.

Method for producing furfural, acetic acid and formic acid from spent pulp-cooking liquor


An ampul for containing a physiologically acceptable liquid comprises a tubular body made of a non-toxic, chemically inert thermoplastic material having an elongation at break ranging from about 100% to about 200%, a tensile strength at break less than about 15,000 psi and a flexural modulus less than about 400,000 psi. The tubular body has at least one end portion of reduced cross-sectional dimension formed with a peripheral line of weakness enabling the end portion to be manually fractured. The ampul according to the invention is impact-resistant and forms a clean cut when the end portion is fractured to dispense its content, thereby eliminating dangerous shards.

The present invention relates to improvements in the field of unit-dose containers. More particularly, the invention is directed to an improved ampul for containing a physiologically acceptable liquid and to a process for producing same.
Glass ampuls containing hypodermic solutions or drinkable liquids such as vitamin solutions are known. These generally consist of a small cylindrical glass vessel which is hermetically sealed to preserve its content and has either one or two elongated end portions of reduced diameter formed with a circumferencial line of weakness, depending upon the intended use. In order to dispense the content of such a glass vessel, it is necessary to sever the end portions by applying with one's fingers a breaking force adjacent the circumferential line of weakness especially provided for this purpose. As a result, the ends are often severed forming jagged edges which may cause injuries to the fingers. Glass shards are also produced during severing and these may fall into the dispensed liquid, thus contaminating same. Moreover, if a glass ampul is inadvertently dropped on a solid surface, it usually shatters into multiple glass fragments.


XML document data is divided in a page tag unit, and an encoding table is created for each of the XML divided document data. Then, by using the encoding table, the XML divided document data is encoded to create code division data, and then the encoding table and code division data corresponding to the encoding table are sent to a printer. In this manner, the encoding tables with small redundancy and small data size are created, and the encoded XML document data and the code division data in small pieces are sent to the printer. Thus, even an apparatus with a small usable storage area such as an inexpensive printer can decode the XML document data by using the encoding tables with the small data size.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a document data processing method, document data creating apparatus, and a document data processing system. In particular, the invention relates to a document data processing method, document data creating apparatus, and a document data processing system which are suitably used for decoding encoded document data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data which is described in XML (extensible Markup Language) is text format data. Up to now, reading, writing, and saving of such data are performed based on the text format. The text format data is easy to handle for human beings. However, the data becomes redundant, and there is a problem that it takes time for a computer to perform reading and writing of the data. For this reason, a technology called binary XML has been used.
In the binary XML, each vocabulary such as an element name or an attribute name in the XML is replaced by a short code, thus providing data with small redundancy. For example, in Fast Infoset of Sun Microsystems, a number is allocated for each vocabulary such as the element name or the attribute name in the order of appearance in the XML data and each vocabulary is encoded. For example, according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-215951, an attribute name or an element is encoded through sorting in terms of data type such as an integer number and a character string.
In the binary XML, in order to decode the encoded data, it is necessary to use an encoding table that is a table representing a correspondence between a code and each vocabulary.
However, according to the above-described conventional technology, a single encoding table is allocated to the entire XML data. For this reason, as the number of types of vocabularies used in the XML data is larger, the size of the encoding table becomes larger. Therefore, an apparatus having a small usable memory area such as an inexpensive printer cannot hold the encoding table, and the encoded binary XML (each vocabulary) cannot be decoded in some cases.
As described above, according to the conventional technology, there is a problem that the document data described in a structured language for describing a document such as the XML (structured description language) may not be decoded by the apparatus having a small usable memory area.

Document data processing method apparatus, and system for sending encoded document data


Enzyme channeling assay is provided employing a solid non-porous surface to which is bound a member of a specific binding pair and an enzyme. A complementary member of a specific binding pair is conjugated to second enzyme, so that the amount of second enzyme which becomes bound to said solid non-porous surface by the binding of a specific binding pair(s) is related to the amount of analyte in the liquid assay medium with which the solid surface is in contact. The first and second enzymes are related by the product of one being the substrate of the other. The turnover of the substrate formed by one of the enzymes results in a detectable product, which can be related to the amount of analyte in the medium.

1. Field of the Invention
There are continuous efforts to develop new flexible techniques for the determination of a wide variety of analytes. The methods are related to new situations, new equipment, simplified protocols, greater sensitivity and the like. In many instances it is desirable to be able to carry out competitive protein binding assays in microtiter plates. It is also desirable not to have to perform wash steps, but rather to be able to combine all the reagents and sample in the well and after sufficient time, be able to read a signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Immunoassays employing porous particles and two enzymes are described in application Ser. No. 964,099, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,149. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,402, for a description of channeling immunoassays in a homogeneous medium.

Homogeneous enzyme specific binding assay on non-porous surface


A catheter having an elongated shaft which has a multilayered distal tip with a first layer formed of a polyimide first material and a second layer formed of a polymeric second material. In one embodiment the multilayered distal tip is a separate member, distal to the distal end of a proximal portion of the shaft. In another embodiment, the shaft has an outer tubular member, and a multilayered inner tubular member with a distal end which forms the multilayered distal tip of the shaft. In a presently preferred embodiment, the polyimide material is a thermoset polyimide. In one embodiment, the polymeric second material is a polyamide material.

This invention generally relates to catheters, and particularly intravascular balloon catheters for use in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or for the delivery of stents.
In a typical PTCA procedure, a dilatation balloon catheter is advanced over a guidewire to a desired location within the patient's coronary anatomy where the balloon of the dilatation catheter is positioned within the stenosis to be dilated. The balloon is then inflated with radiopaque liquid at relatively high pressures (generally 4–16 atmospheres) to dilate the stenosed region of the diseased artery. One or more inflations may be needed to effectively dilate the stenosis. Additionally, a stent may be implanted within the artery, typically by delivery to a desired location within the artery in a contracted condition on a balloon of a catheter which is similar in many respects to a balloon angioplasty catheter and expansion to a larger diameter by inflation of the balloon.
Prior art intravascular catheters have commonly included a soft distal tip to prevent or minimize injury to the vessel during advancement of the catheter therein. A balance is typically struck between stiffness and flexibility at the distal tip. Stiffness and strength provide improved ability to advance the catheter across an occlusion in the patient's vasculature, and can be a result of forming a secure connection between the tip and the section of the shaft proximal thereto shaft. On the other hand, flexibility at the distal end of the catheter results in improved maneuverability of the catheter and a more atraumatic distal end. Additionally, the soft tip preferably has a low profile for improved cross, yet a sufficiently large inner lumen to allow for guidewire movement therein.
Accordingly, it would be a significant advance to provide a catheter with a distal tip having improved performance. This invention satisfies these and other needs.


A desiccant container for use in an accumulator or a receiver/dryer of a vehicle includes at least one integral mesh screen for preventing small particles from passing therethrough. Preferably, the container includes two integral mesh screens, one forming an upper surface of the desiccant container and the other forming a lower surface of the desiccant container. By incorporating integral mesh screens, the container need not include separate filters.

The invention relates to desiccant containers for any purpose. However, specific embodiments will be described with respect to desiccant containers within HVAC systems.
A typical vehicle air conditioning system, for example, incorporates a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, an evaporator and a refrigerant storage device. The compressor compresses refrigerant. The refrigerant flows to the condenser, where it changes state from gas to liquid. In a system with a thermal expansion valve (a "TXV system"), refrigerant then passes into a refrigerant storage device called a receiver/dryer (R/D) before passing to the expansion device. In a system with a fixed orifice tube (an "FOT system"), refrigerant then passes directly from the condenser to the expansion device. The expansion device is used to significantly lower the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant before it passes to the evaporator. After the expansion device, the liquid refrigerant then flows to the evaporator. At that stage, an air blower passes air over the evaporator to the passenger compartment of the vehicle, thereby cooling the air within the vehicle. The heat transfer from the ambient air to the evaporator causes most of the refrigerant to change from a liquid to a gas.
In an FOT system, the refrigerant (now mostly gas and some liquid) flows from the evaporator to a refrigerant storage device called an accumulator. (In a TXV system, the refrigerant flows from the evaporator to the compressor directly.)
One purpose of the accumulator is to separate liquid refrigerant from gaseous refrigerant, so that only gaseous refrigerant returns to the compressor. Liquid refrigerant entering the compressor causes "flooding" which in turn reduces system efficiency and can damage the compressor. Hence it is standard practice to include an accumulator between the evaporator and the compressor to separate and store the excess or residual liquid. The residual liquid refrigerant in the accumulator eventually turns to a gaseous state and is then passed to the compressor.
Accumulators and receivers/dryers often incorporate a desiccant to prevent (or at least limit) moisture ingression in the compressor and the resulting damage or loss of efficiency to the air conditioning system. (For simplicity, hereinafter, the term "accumulator" or "refrigerant storage device" will refer to both accumulators and receiver/dryers.)
Particulate desiccants are often used in such systems because of the high area-to-volume ratios of the particles with respect to the surrounding air or fluid. Because the desiccant particles must be held in the air or fluid stream and prevented from contaminating other parts of the air conditioning system, the particles must be held in a container which is permeable to the air or fluid but impermeable to the particles.
In some known cases, loose desiccant is contained within a bag, the bag being constrained between filters. The filters are often discs made of felt, gauze, fiber or plastic (fused). Such bags are problematic because they can be easily damaged during assembly and/or testing. A tear in the bag allows the loose desiccant particles to escape and potentially enter the air-conditioning system, where they can damage the accumulator and other components.
In certain other systems, it is known to confine the desiccant within a hard container. In those cases, filter discs, such as those described above, are typically placed in the top and bottom of the desiccant container during manufacturing. However, there are certain drawbacks associated with the use of such filter discs. For example, the materials used within the filter discs, such as polyester or polypropylene matted or needles felt, for example, have been known to stimulate a reaction with the air conditioning refrigerant R-134A to create a significant noise within the air conditioning system. It would be desirable to eliminate the noise. It would also be desirable to eliminate the cost associated with the purchase of the filter discs. It would also be desirable to eliminate the time and cost associated with their installation within the desiccant cup. It would also be desirable to eliminate filter discs because they deteriorate during service and release high aspect ratio fibres into the air conditioning system.
A number of desiccant cups are known which have a one-piece cup with a one-piece cap, such as that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,204 in the name of Wood. The cup taught in Wood incorporates holes formed within the cap and cup bottom. However, such cups require additional filter layers placed against the cap and cup bottom. As well, holes formed within the cap and cup bottom in this manner have a number of drawbacks. One drawback is that diameter of the holes is large enough to allow desiccant particles to pass through or become caught or blocked in the holes. Therefore, such cups require a separate filter. As well, it would be desirable to have a more open area for fluid to pass through than is permitted through an array of holes, such as taught in Wood, because more open area reduces pressure drop in the system, thereby increasing efficiency.


A hair fixative composition includes at least one carboxylated cellulose ester based polyglucose polymer, an alcohol based solvent system, and a cosmetically acceptable additive. The polyglucose polymer is obtained by reacting at least one cellulose ester with a non-aromatic cyclic anhydride and neutralizing the reaction product thereof. The polyglucose polymer is soluble in the alcohol based solvent system.

Polymers used in personal care applications, such as hair styling and hair fixing, have conventionally been made using synthetic materials. In order for the polymers to be suitable in such personal care applications, they must be soluble in alcohol based systems, and in the case of aerosol based hair sprays, they must also be compatible with the propellant. Conventional synthetic polymers are generally inexpensive and provide acceptable performance; however, because they are not made from renewable resources, they are not sustainable. In addition, replicating the cost and performance of synthetic polymers is not easy.
For example, WO 99/59532 discloses a hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose acetate phthalate, cellulose acetate phthalate and cellulose acetate trimellitate. However, it has been found that at least cellulose acetate phthalate polymers underperformed when compared to the synthetic polymer under the tradename AMPHOMER® in the same system. In addition, although WO 99/59532 discloses a cellulose acetate butyrate succinate under the trade name CAB SU 160-6 as a comparative example, this polymer was considered outside the scope of the alleged invention of WO 99/59532 because it was not compatible in the alcohol based formulation.
Accordingly, there is a need for personal care polymers made from renewable sources that provide equal to or better performance at comparable costs than their synthetic alternatives and that are soluble in alcohol based systems, such as ethanol based systems and optionally, that are also compatible with propellants, such as dimethyl ether.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Hair fixatives including cellulose ester based polyglucose polymers


A conveyor panel for use on an endless conveyor including a base plate, an indicia plate and an indicia sheet. The base plate includes an upper surface, the upper surface having a recess formed therein and bounded by a slot on at least one side. The indicia plate includes a first sheet overlying a second sheet, with the indicia sheet captured between the first sheet and the second sheet. The indicia plate is removably carried in the recess of the indicia plate, and extends into the slot on at least one side.

Conveyors for carrying items from one location to another location are well-known in the art. In a specific example, conveyors are placed into an endless essentially circular orientation for dispensing baggage at airports. Recently, panels have been developed for carrying and presenting advertising to passengers waiting for their baggage. Notable among these devices is a sheet containing advertising adhered to the top surface of the conveyor panels. While presenting advertising to waiting passengers, this method is relatively ineffectual as the baggage and items carried by the carousel damage the sheets, obscuring the advertising. A much more effective approach has been adhering sheets containing indicia to the bottom of a transparent panel. In this manner the relatively fragile sheet containing indicia is protected from the baggage and items carried by the carousel. While very effective, this method has a drawback of being relatively expensive.
In both of the foregoing devices, sheets containing the indicia are adhered to the carousel panels. Thus when the sheets and indicia are damaged or when new indicia is desired, the entire panel must be replaced. Replacement of the panels on a baggage carousel is labor-intensive as well as costly.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved baggage carousel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a conveyor panel with easily replaceable indicia.
And another object of the invention is to provide a new improved method of advertising a conveyor.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an advertising device which is highly visible and durable.
And yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new improved method for making and using an advertising device for use on conveyor systems, which is relatively inexpensive, and produces highly visible and durable advertising devices.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a panel which can be used with conveyors, a plurality of which may be used on each conveyor, in which can be individually replaced are changed to change visual information without replacing the panel.

Conveyor panel with indicia and method of presentation


A band-gap voltage regulator having a self-regulating characteristic which improves the operation of the regulator includes a feedback circuit coupling a gain stage of the regulator to a voltage reference circuit which influences the regulated voltage. Changes in the operation of the gain stage which would otherwise change the regulated voltage produce counteracting changes in the voltage reference circuit, causing the supply voltage to remain substantially constant.

Voltage regulators based on the energy band-gap voltage of a semiconductor material have been used in applications requiring temperature-stable operation. A band-gap voltage reference circuit provides a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) reference voltage, which when added to a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) reference voltage of proper magnitude, produces an overall reference voltage having a zero temperature coefficient (ZTC) characteristic. The PTC reference voltage is based on the emitter-base voltage differential (.DELTA.V.sub.BE) between a pair of current mirror transistors having different current densities. The NTC reference voltage is developed by the base-emitter voltages of one or more output transistors which operate to regulate a supply voltage at a level determined in relation to the overall reference voltage.
A shortcoming of the above-described ZTC voltage regulator is that the NTC reference voltage tends to vary with current density of the output transistors. This, in turn, varies the overall reference voltage, reducing the ability of the circuit to precisely regulate the supply voltage.

Self-regulating band-gap voltage regulator


An encapsulated toner composition and process thereof, which toner is comprised of a core comprised of a polymer resin or resins, color pigment, dye, or mixtures thereof, and thereover an inner shell resin comprised, for example, of a polyurea, and thereover an outer shell coating comprised of an alkyl cellulose. The colored encapsulated toners are useful in reprographic processes wherein, for example, low gloss is desired.

The present invention is generally directed to toner compositions and processes thereof, and more specifically, to colored encapsulated toner compositions and processes thereof, and wherein toners can be directly generated without resorting to the conventional pulverization and classification methods. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to colored encapsulated toner compositions which display low gloss levels of, for example, from about 1 gloss unit to about 15 gloss units, and more preferably from about 3 gloss units to about 14 gloss units, as measured by the Gardner.TM. gloss unit apparatus. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a process of preparing colored encapsulated toner of fine particle size of from about 0.5 micron to about 15 microns in diameter, and more preferably from about 2 microns to about 7 microns diameter, as measured by a Counter Counter. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to colored encapsulated toner compositions which display low fixing temperatures of from about 110.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C., thereby reducing the energy consumption of an electrostatographic imaging or printing apparatus and prolonging the lifetime of the fuser contained therein. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the present invention relates to a colored encapsulated toner composition and process of generating an inner shell material surrounding a core material and wherein the resulting composite is surrounded by an outer shell or coating material. The colored encapsulated toners of this invention in embodiments are comprised of a core comprised of a polymer resin and colorants, including color pigments, dyes, or mixtures thereof, an inner shell material comprised of, for example, a polyurea, a polyurethane or a polyester and the like, and an outer coating layer comprised of a cellulose component, such as methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethylmethyl cellulose, and the like. The processes of the present invention in embodiments thereof are comprised of an initial dispersion step for forming a stabilized organic microdroplet suspension comprised of pigment, dyes or colorant, free-radical monomers, and an inner shell forming monomer such as a diisocyanate suspended in an aqueous medium containing an outer coating material, such as hydroxyethylmethyl cellulose; followed by addition of the second monomer forming the inner shell material by interfacial polymerization step, such as a diamine; and a final core resin formation step by free radical polymerization. The precipitation of the outer coating cellulose molecules is believed to begin at the initial dispersion-stabilization stage, and continues during the inner shell formation and core resin forming free radical polymerization step. In embodiments, the processes of the present invention can also utilize a mixture of cellulose polymers of from about 0.1 percent to about 5 percent by weight of the toner, and ionic or inorganic surfactants of from about 0.01 percent to about 0.5 percent by weight of toner, such as potassium oleate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and the like during the dispersion step. The cellulose-ionic or inorganic surfactant system facilitates efficient generation of very small sized microdroplets, particularly those with an average particle diameter of from about 0.5 micron to about 7 microns, together with a narrow particle size distribution of less than 1.35 , as measured by the Counter Counter.
The primary function of the inner shell of the colored encapsulated toner of the present invention is to provide for the mechanical integrity of the toner, minimizing or eliminating the seepage of the inner core material, hence preventing toner aggregation or coalescing, as well as providing the low gloss properties to the toner image, highly desired in black and highlight reprographic technologies utilizing a VITON.RTM. roll fuser. The primary function of the outer cellulose shell for the colored encapsulated toner compositions prepared by the processes of the present invention is to provide additional low gloss or preferably a matte finish. In addition, this outer coating shell is selected to provide additional mechanical integrity to the toner compositions, and ensure effective protection with the inner shell material for the containment of the core components. In addition, the coatings also inhibit toner particles from coalescing and prevent, or minimize toner agglomeration during the dispersion step and interfacial polymerization step for generating the inner shell. The primary function of the outer shell coatings relates to the nullification, or passivation of the triboelectric charging effects of colorants present in the toner compositions, such that the triboelectric charging characteristics of the toner compositions are primarily controlled or dominated by the charging effects of the cellulose layer, and surface additives. Accordingly, the processes of the present invention are useful for the preparation of a wide variety of colored toners possessing similar or substantially similar triboelectric charging characteristics with a selected carrier, irrespective of the nature of the colorants present in the toners. For single component development where triboelectric charging is generally accomplished by a frictional charging blade, similar equilibrium triboelectric charge levels can also be obtained under substantially identical conditions with different colored toners of the present invention. The cellulose coating for the toner compositions obtained by the processes of the present invention are in general relatively thin in nature, its presence therefore does not substantially affect the toner's fusing characteristics.
In color reprography, such as in full color or highlight color applications, colored toners with a wide variety of colors including black are usually employed. In color reprography, a heat-assisted transfix step or heat-roll fusing is applied to the toner image on paper. It is highly desirable to use VITON.RTM. fuser rollers rather than the conventional silicone roll fusers due to the drastically prolonged lifetime attained by a fuser roll containing VITON.RTM. surfaces. During the fixing step employing heated VITON.RTM. roll fusers, the toner is fixed on paper and the energy necessary to achieve this is related to the temperature applied by the rolls. Accordingly, toners which fix on paper with minimum amount of heat are highly desirable. The temperature necessary to properly fix a particular toner onto paper is known as the minimum fixing temperature (MFT). It is known that encapsulated toner compositions are highly desirable for low minimum fixing applications, such as from about 110.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C., and preferably from about 110.degree. C. to about 130.degree. C. The aforementioned encapsulated colored toners are comprised of an inner core with low glass transition temperature resin for fixing the toner onto paper at the low aforementioned minimum fixing temperatures, in that the core of the encapsulated toner is surrounded by a shell material thereby avoiding agglomeration of the core materials during, for example, storage or until its use in the final fixing step. Toner fusing onto paper is accomplished by the melting of the toner and its penetration into the paper fiber, and sticking or adherence of the resin onto the paper with colorants, dyes and additives. After this fixing step, the surface of the toner image on paper is usually smooth, and in addition, paper calendering results especially when excessive pressure is applied by the fuser, such that the toner image surface and paper is very smooth. This aforementioned fixing mechanism is responsible for high gloss properties to the toner image, such as from about 40 gloss units to about 80 gloss units, as measured by the GARDNER.TM. gloss unit. The gloss level is proportional to the smoothness of the toner image after fixing, and can easily be measured using a known GARDNER.TM. gloss unit. In color reprography, such as full or pictorial color applications, high gloss is highly desirable such as from about 40 gloss units to about 80 gloss units and more preferably from about 45 to about 60 gloss units, as measured by the GARDNER.TM. gloss unit on toner image after fixing. When using colored conventional toners for full or pictorial colored applications, high gloss is easily achieved, and the use of colored encapsulated toners comprised of a core containing resin, pigment, dyes or colorant and optionally surrounded by a shell for full color or pictorial applications, high gloss can be achieved. For color reprography, wherein black or highlight color application is desired, low gloss is desired, and preferably low gloss of less than 14 gloss units and more preferably less than 11 gloss units as measured by the GARDNER.TM. gloss unit. Gloss values of from about 14 gloss units and below are usually known to those in the art as "matte finish". However, both the aforementioned conventional and prior art encapsulated colored toners do not exhibit low gloss values, and are inferior to black and highlight color reprographic technologies which utilizes VITON.RTM. roll fusers. The colored encapsulated toner compositions of this invention alleviate the problem of high gloss and provide low gloss black and highlight colored images, and more preferably of a matte finish when transfixed using VITON.RTM. fuser rolls. Furthermore, the colored encapsulated toners of this invention can be of a fine average particle size of from about 0.5 micron to about 9 microns and more preferably from about 2 microns to about 7 microns in diameter, unattainable economically by conventional pulverization process. Additionally, the encapsulated toner compositions of this invention display low minimum fixing characteristics with excellent tribo characteristics such that the triboelectric properties of different colored toners be desirably controlled so that they all attain similar equilibrium triboelectric charging levels when utilized with a selected carrier. This is especially useful for custom colored toner packages since colored toners with a wide variety of custom colors can be obtained by simple blending of the primary colored toners. Another important aspect for two component development is the rate of charging of new toner to equilibrium charge levels when they are added to the toner depleted development housing. A fast rate of charging of fresh toner can be important in ensuring proper image development, particularly for high speed, greater than 70 copies per minute for example, reprographic systems.
It is known that color pigments or dyes present in the toner have a dominant effect on the toner's triboelectric charging behavior, arising primarily because these colorants are often also present at or close to the surface of the toner, and are, therefore, exposed to their environments. As a consequence, when the toner particles are admixed with carriers, the interactions of the exposed pigments of the toners with the carrier particles drastically affect the charging behavior of the toner. Similar effects are obtained for a number of prior art encapsulated toners where the color pigment particles are not completely encapsulated within the toner shell. Thus, it is often observed that toners with identical components, except colorants, exhibit different charging behavior, even to the extent of having triboelectric charges of opposite polarity. To overcome this difficulty, it is usually necessary to utilize different charge control additives for different colorants, or to use high levels of charge control additives so as to nullify or overcome the different charging effects of different colorants, and exert a dominating influence on the charging characteristics of the toners. The toners and processes of the present invention eliminate or overcome this difficulty through complete or substantially complete encapsulation of core components with an inner shell, and in addition, by the precipitation of an outer coating on the inner shell. As a consequence, the need to rely on only one shell material is avoided by the use of an additional outer layer precipitated coating of this invention. It is believed that the inner shell and outer shell precipitated coating, especially when TYLOSE.RTM. is employed, avoids toner smoothness after the fixing step, and alleviates unwanted gloss properties for black and highlight color reprographic technologies employing VITON.RTM. roll fusers. Other advantages associated with the toner compositions obtained by the processes of the present invention include, for example, rapid triboelectric charging rates, small toner size and narrow size distribution for high resolution images, excellent color mixing properties and image color fidelity, low minimum fusing temperatures, acceptable powder flow, and nonblocking and nonagglomerating characteristics. The toner compositions of the present invention can be selected for a variety of known imaging processes including electrophotographic and ionographic processes. It is also known that colored, including black single component magnetic toners, as well as encapsulated single component magnetic toners for ionographic applications, exhibit undesired high gloss properties, such as from about 40 gloss unit to about 80 gloss. This is primarily due to the high pressures exerted by the dielectric receivers on the toner image. The colored, including black, toners of this invention contain an additional outer coating not present in prior art toners, enabling the toner images with low gloss and preferably matte in finish.
Encapsulated toners and processes containing two shells are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,764 discloses a colored microcapsule toner composition and process thereof comprised of a core comprised of a wax and colorant, a first shell resin wall having an affinity for both the core and a second shell wall; and note column 3, line 13, wherein the first wall is chemically bonded to at least the second wall and core material, and note column 7, line 65, to column 8, line 5, wherein the first resin wall is oppositely charged to those of the core material and second resin wall. Furthermore, the microcapsules are prepared by a coacervation or phase separation process. U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,339 discloses a toner comprising an inner layer comprising a resin ion complex having a colorant and ionically crosslinked with a resin of opposite charge, and containing an outer layer comprised of flowability imparting agent. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,127 teaches a process of producing microcapsule toner composed of associated particles of secondary particles comprising primary particles of a polymer having an acidic or basic polar group, coloring agent and charge controlling agent. With the present invention in embodiments, the inner shell and outer shell are not chemically or ionically bound, and contain an interfacial polymer resin, such as a polyurea, for low gloss attributes, and also the outer coating material, such as TYLOSE.RTM., is not believed to be disclosed in '497, '764 or '127, which TYLOSE.RTM. is selected for low gloss and triboelectricity control. Additionally, the microcapsule of this invention is prepared by a suspension free-radical process, followed by interfacial polymerization, and coating thereof. Encapsulated toners and processes containing one shell are also known, for example, both U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,489 and British Patent 1,538,787, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,051 disclose similar processes for colored encapsulated toners wherein both the core resin and shell material are prepared by suspension polymerization techniques. However, only one shell material is present in the toner compositions of the aforementioned prior art. Similarly, other prior art, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,011, discloses a process for preparing encapsulated toners which involves a shell forming interfacial polycondensation and a core binder forming free radical polymerization; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,924 discloses the use of a mixture of two polymers, one having a glass transition temperature in the range of -90.degree. C. to 5.degree. C., and the other having a softening temperature in the range of 25.degree. C. to 180.degree. C., as the core binders for a pressure fixable encapsulated toner. Other representative U.S. Pat. Nos. are: 4,339,518, which relates to a process of electrostatic printing with fluorinated polymer toner additives where suitable materials for the dielectric toner are thermoplastic silicone resins and fluorine containing resins having low surface energy; U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,099, which discloses methods of forming encapsulated toner particles and wherein there are selected organic polymers including homopolymers and copolymers, such as vinylidene fluoride, tetrafluoroethylene, chlorotrifluoroethylene, and the like; U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,885, which discloses a pressure fixable microcapsule toner comprising a pressure fixable component, a magnetic material, and other optional components, and wherein the core material can contain a soft material, typical examples of which include polyvinylidene fluoride, polybutadiene, and the like; U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,091, which discloses an encapsulated toner with a core which comprises a colorant, a dissolving solvent, a nondissolving liquid and a polymer, and may include additives such as a fluorine containing resin; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,142 relating to capsule toners wherein additives such as polytetrafluoroethylenes are selected as lubricating components. Furthermore, there are disclosed in the prior art encapsulated toner compositions containing costly pigments and dyes, reference for example the color photocapsule toners of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,399,209; 4,482,624; 4,483,912 and 4,397,483.
In a U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,071 (D/90516), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, a colored encapsulated toner comprised of a core resin and colorant, coated with a cellulose shell material is disclosed, and wherein no inner shell material is present and low gloss properties are not disclosed. Furthermore, the gloss properties with the colored encapsulated toner compositions of this patent, containing only one shell are not attained generally as illustrated herein.
The following U.S. patents located in a patentability search report for encapsulated toners are mentioned: U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,962, which discloses a toner composition comprising a finely divided mixture comprising a colorant and a polymeric material which is a block or graft copolymer, including apparently copolymers of polyurethane and a polyether (column 6), reference for example the Abstract of the Disclosure, and also note the disclosure in columns 2, 3, 6 and 7, particularly lines 13 and 35; however, it does not appear that encapsulated toners are disclosed in this patent; 4,626,490 contains a similar teaching as the '764 patent, and more specifically, discloses an encapsulated toner comprising a binder of a mixture of a long chain organic compound and an ester of a higher alcohol and a higher carboxylic acid encapsulated within a thin shell, reference the Abstract of the Disclosure, for example, and note specifically examples of shell materials in column 8, beginning at line 64, and continuing on to column 9, line 17, which shells can be comprised, for example, of polyurethanes, polyurea, epoxy resin, polyether resins such as polyphenylene oxide or thioether resin, or mixtures thereof; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,442,194 and 4,465,755, mentioned herein; and U.S. Pat. Nos. of background interest including 4,520,091; 4,590,142; 4,610,945; 4,642,281; 4,740,443 and 4,803,144.
Furthermore, other prior art, primarily of background interest, includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,254,201; 4,465,755 and Japanese Patent Publication 58-100857. The Japanese publication discloses a capsule toner with high mechanical strength, which is comprised of a core material including a display recording material, a binder, and a shell, which shell is preferably comprised of a polyurea resin. In the U.S. Pat. No. '201 there are disclosed encapsulated electrostatographic toners wherein the shell material comprises at least one resin selected from polyurethane resins, a polyurea resin, or a polyamide resin. In addition, the U.S. Pat. No. '755 discloses a pressure fixable toner comprising encapsulated particles containing a curing agent, and wherein the shell is comprised of a polyurethane, a polyurea, or a polythiourethane. Moreover, in the U.S. Pat. No. '201 there are illustrated pressure sensitive adhesive toners comprised of clustered encapsulated porous particles, which toners are prepared by spray drying an aqueous dispersion of the granules containing an encapsulated material.
Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,271, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there are illustrated microcapsules obtained by mixing organic materials in water emulsions at reaction parameters that permit the emulsified organic droplets of each emulsion to collide with one another, reference the disclosure in column 4, lines 5 to 35. Examples of polymeric shells are illustrated, for example, in column 5, beginning at line 40, and include isocyanate compounds such as toluene diisocyanate, and polymethylene polyphenyl isocyanates. Further, in column 6, at line 54, it is indicated that the microcapsules disclosed are not limited to use on carbonless copying systems; rather, the film material could comprise other components including xerographic toners, see column 6, line 54.
Illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,506, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, are single component cold pressure fixable toner compositions, wherein the shell selected can be prepared by an interfacial polymerization process. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,240, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there are illustrated encapsulated toners with a core comprised of a polymer binder, pigment or dye, and thereover a polymeric shell, which contains a soft and flexible component, permitting, for example, proper packing of shell materials resulting in the formation of a high density shell structure, which can effectively contain the core binder and prevent its loss through diffusion and leaching process. The soft and flexible component in one embodiment is comprised of a polyether function. Specifically, in one embodiment there are disclosed in the aforementioned patent encapsulated toners comprised of a core containing a polymer binder, pigment or dye particles, and thereover a shell preferably obtained by interfacial polymerization, which shell has incorporated therein a polyether structural moiety. Another specific embodiment of the patent is directed to encapsulated toners comprised of a core of polymer binder, pigment, dye or mixtures thereof, and a polymeric shell of a polyether-incorporated polymer, such as a poly(ether urea), a poly(ether amide), a poly(ether ester), a poly(ether urethane), mixtures thereof, and the like.
Many of the prior art encapsulated toner compositions, in particular colored toner compositions, suffer from a number of deficiencies as indicated herein. For example, these toners do not possess, it is believed, desirable low gloss of from about 14 gloss units and below and more preferably less than 11 gloss units or a matte finish in color reprography utilizing VITON.RTM. fusers. The prior art encapsulated toner compositions contain only one shell material, or do not contain an inner shell material and outer shell material to enable low gloss applications, such as from about 1 gloss unit to about 14 gloss units. The gloss property of some of the prior art colored encapsulated toner compositions containing only one shell are reported in the Comparative Examples, and wherein the desired low gloss properties of from about 1 gloss unit to about 14 gloss units are not attained. Also, many of the prior art encapsulated toners do not display fusing properties such as being able to be fused at a reasonably low temperature of, for example, less than 160.degree. C.; they usually require different or excessive amounts of charge control agents for different colored toners; and their rates of triboelectric charging are poor. In addition, some prior art colored encapsulated toners cannot be obtained in smaller toner size of, for example, less than 7 or 8 microns in diameter with a narrow size distribution of less than about 1.35, and more preferably of from about 2 to about 7 microns with a narrow size distribution of less than about 1.35 in a cost effective manner. Also, toner blocking or agglomeration may be a problem with several of the prior art encapsulated toners because of the porosity of the shell structure, especially when they are exposed to conditions of elevated temperatures. Further, some of the prior art colored encapsulated toners are comprised of colored pigment particles that may not completely be encapsulated by the shell, and the triboelectric charging effects of such pigments are, therefore, not fully passivated, and this would adversely affect and degrade the toner triboelectric characteristics, thereby causing image quality to deteriorate. In addition, many of the prior art toner compositions do not possess the necessary long-term physical and environmental stability. These and other disadvantages are eliminated or substantially eliminated with the process and toner compositions of the present invention.
There is a need for colored toners which display low gloss values and are preferably matte finish, especially with color reprographic systems employing VITON.RTM. fuser rolls. Additionally, there is a need for color toners with low minimum fusing temperatures, wide fusing latitude, of fine particle size, of nonblocking tendencies, and of stable triboelectricity properties including complete passivation. These and other needs are accomplished with the colored encapsulated toners and process thereof of the present invention. More specifically, thus with the toners of the present invention, the toner properties can in many instances be tailored to certain specifications. Specifically, with the toners of the present invention in embodiments, low gloss images of matte finish are attainable with reprographic technologies employing VITON.RTM. fuser rolls. Additionally, complete or substantial passivation of the triboelectric charging effects of the colorants is accomplished, and smaller toner particle size with narrow size distribution can be achieved without conventional classification techniques. Also, the toners of the present invention do not block or agglomerate over an extended period of time, for example up to six months, in embodiments.

Low gloss toner compositions and processes thereof


Water and gas flow into a subterranean reservoir may be reduced by pumping into the reservoir a multi-aldehyde crosslinking agent and a low molecular weight polyacrylamide capable of crosslinking with the crosslinking agent. The reaction product forms a gel plug impermeable to water and gas.

Excessive water production or a thief zone during the production phase of a subterranean formation penetrated by a well can decrease hydrocarbon production or increase costs of well operations. The amount of oil and/or gas that may be ultimately recovered from the well is decreased since the water takes the place of other fluids that may flow or be lifted from the well. Thus, excessive water production has a direct affect on the productivity of the well and increases operating expenditures. In addition, expenditures are increased due to the need for disposal of produced water in an environmentally safe manner.
In the past, gel systems have been used to control water production and reduce the flow of produced water through high permeability channels within the formation. Such gellants plug pore spaces of the formation and prevent fluid movement, often by means of a controlled, delayed chemical reaction, such as precipitation or swelling.
For instance, success has been reported with three-dimensional crosslinked polymer gel systems. Such systems include a base polymer and a crosslinking agent, both of which may be liquid concentrates in water. Depending on formation temperatures, varying ratios and concentrations of the base polymer and crosslinking agent are mixed in water and then pumped into the formation. The reaction between the base polymer and the crosslinking agent creates a strong gel barrier which shuts off or reduces water production.
For use in low temperature reservoirs, it is highly desirable for the gel systems to react quickly. A system presently used in such reservoirs is based on polyacrylamide and a metallic crosslinker, such as chromium. Representative chromium crosslinkers include chromium acetate and chromium chloride. Such crosslinkers promote a rapid exchange between the metal and the ligand of the polymer. Gelation typically occurs in less than 12 hours with low thermal activation. Treatment of reservoirs having a temperature lower than about 150° F. is possible. However, chromium based crosslinkers are not allowed in some areas due to environmental regulations.
As demands have been made for environmentally friendlier treatment chemicals, alternative systems have been sought.

Method of forming fluid impermeable plug in a subterranean formation


A variable width tool attachment for use with a vehicle is herein described as generally comprising a complete tool which is split vertically and in the direction of vehicle travel to form two half tools. The two half tools are slidably mounted for mutual relative movement in the direction normal to the direction of vehicle travel, i.e, in the direction of tool width. A hydraulic ram cylinder or the like is operable to move the two half tools to form the desired width.. In one form of the invention, a horizontal cutting header is provided with a chain cutter and a chain drive having at least one moveable idler sprocket to take-up and let-out chain in the width direction whenever the width of the tool is varied.

The present invention relates to tool attachments for use with vehicle. Such tool attachments include plows, ditch digger buckets, harvester cutters, and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to such tool attachments having a variable width feature.
Typically, the farmer or construction firm needs to have a large variety of vehicles and tool implements for such vehicles. For example, when one is digging a ditch for irrigation or for constructing laterals for a septic system, specific widths are often required (e.g., 11/2 feet, 3 feet, etc.). Therefore, it is necessary to have digging buckets of several widths to provide the specific size ditch which may be required by an engineer's specifications.
The same general considerations attend the use of earth moving plows and it is likewise desirable for a farmer to have horizontal cutting headers of various widths. Needless to say, such implements are expensive and each requires a great deal of maintenance. Therefore, it would be advantageous if the number of such implements required could be reduced.

Variable width tool attachment for use with a vehicle


A circuit for eliminating a ghost noise of an image processing system in transmitting an image signal, wherein an image data and a noise are separated from each other visually and the ghost noise added during transmitting is changed to a white noise so as to reduce an extent of deterioration of a picture quality because a pattern of a data scrambled at each frame is changed by an initial value being different at each frame.

The present invention relates to a noise eliminating circuit in an image processing system, and more particularly to a circuit for eliminating ghost noise generated in transmitting an image signal of an advanced television (ATV).
Generally a ghost noise which is added in transmitting an image signal caused by high rise buildings or high mountains, results in deteriorating a picture quality and generating a multiple image, in an ATV of U.S.A type aiming at an image signal transmission through a ground channel.
Conventionally a data is scrambled in two dimension in order to eliminate the ghost noise. The picture quality, however, is deteriorated visually, and more severely in a high frequency component such as an edge portion because the ghost noise changed into a white noise is fixed always in a still image.

Circuit for eliminating ghost noise in image processing system


An apparatus obtains a second straight-line by mapping a first straight-line passing a projection center of a target-image taken by a first imaging-device in a three-dimensional space and a point representing an object in a projection-plane of the first imaging-device, onto each of reference-images respectively taken by second imaging-devices, and generates a line-segment representing an existing-range of the object on the second straight-line for each reference-image. The apparatus stores the coordinate-value of the second-endpoint and a difference between coordinate-values of the first-endpoint and a second-endpoint of the line-segment in a memory. The apparatus restores the coordinate-value of the first-endpoint from the coordinate-value of the second-endpoint and the difference stored in the memory, maps the coordinate-values of the endpoints, onto a depth-direction line of the projection plane of the first imaging-device, and determines overlap of the line-segments on the depth-direction line, based on the mapped coordinate-values.

Recently, the technique referred to as VisualHull is used to reconstruct the three dimensional shape of an object included in a multi-viewpoint video from a silhouette image of the object. According to the VisualHull, cross multiply of a plurality of silhouette cones from multiple viewpoints is recognized as the three dimensional shape of the object.
The technique of transmitting drawing differential information from a server to a client, the technique of constructing a three dimensional image from a plurality of two-dimensional images, and the technique of performing matching between a plurality of images to reconstruct three dimensional information have been known (For example, refer to Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2006-236334 and 2000-331160, and Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 11-512856).

Apparatus and method to reduce an amount of coordinate data representing an object taken by an imaging device in a three dimensional space


A razor blade cartridge is disclosed for wet shaving. The razor blade cartridge includes a platform member having a blade seat and a guard member. A plurality of first guard ribs are disposed on the platform member, and a first blade is disposed on the blade seat. A spacer is disposed on the first blade, and a plurality of second guard ribs is disposed on the spacer. A second blade is disposed on the spacer, and a cap member is disposed on the second blade. A plurality of third guard ribs is disposed on the cap member proximate the skin engaging edge of the second blade. The first, second and third guard ribs are arranged in a number of shapes and positions relative to each other, which assist the shaver in controlling blade exposure and shaving angle. Typically, the blade exposure is positive at the trough portion between the guard ribs, and negative at the tip portion an a shaving plane on skin engaging portion of the guard ribs.

The present invention relates to wet shaving systems of the blade type and more particularly to a shaving system having one or more blades positioned within a blade cartridge and having cutting edges protected by guard ribs.
Shavers have long sought a wet shaving system that provides a smooth and comfortable shave without causing annoying cuts and abrasions on the skin of the shaver. In many instances the blade being at the wrong blade exposure or an improper shaving angle causes cuts and abrasions.
The terms xe2x80x9cblade exposurexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cshaving anglexe2x80x9d represent geometrical relationships between the blade and the shaving surface. These terms as well as another term commonly used in the art are defined as follows. First, the term xe2x80x9cshaving planexe2x80x9d means the plane tangent to skin engaging surfaces, referred to as a guard and a cap, which are disposed on both sides of the blade so as to engage the shaving surface before and after engagement by the blade. Second, the term xe2x80x9cblade exposurexe2x80x9d means the distance by which the blade edge projects forward of the shaving plane. Third, the term xe2x80x9cshaving anglexe2x80x9d means the acute angle between a plane tangent to the cutting edge of the blade and the shaving plane.
Various approaches have been used in an effort to present a blade cartridge having the correct blade exposure and shaving angle. One approach disclosed in related art patents includes the configuration of a blade cartridge having blades that are movably mounted therein such that when force is applied to the blades they move to a less aggressive blade exposure and shaving angle. A second approach is to pivotally mount the blade cartridge to a handle that allows the entire cartridge to rotate in response to shaving forces to a less aggressive blade exposure and shaving angle.
A third approach involves constructing a blade cartridge wherein the blade assembly, including the blades, a spacer, and a cap member, are movable as a unit between various blade exposures and shaving angles within various degrees of control and direction in response to forces encountered during shaving. For example, Ciaffone et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,079, describes a razor cartridge comprising a body portion 10 which includes a guard bar 12 (FIGS. 1-5). The guard bar 12 defines a leading skin-engaging surface fixed to the body portion. Rear beam 17 spans end walls 14 and 16 of the body portion 10 and a medial support member 13 to join the front of the cartridge 12 to the end thereof. A plurality of generally flat coplanar segments 18, 19, 21, and 22, each having an opening 23, are hinged to the rear beam 17 by mating webs 24, 26, 27, and 28 (col. 2, lines 50-52). Collectively, the segments 18, 19, 21, and 22 define a blade seat which is operable to pivot about the beam 17, thereby changing the attitude of blade edge relative to guard bar 12 (col. 2, lines 53-57). A cap 33 is apparently placed above an assembly of two skin-engaging blades 34 and 36 straddling a spacer 37 (FIG. 3). The two blades and the spacer are secured to one coplanar segment 21 of the blade support or blade seat by a conventional rivet 38 to form a rigid unit. A hinge 27 connects the coplanar segment 21 to the rear-beam 17 (col. 3, lines 1-8). As compared to the position of the blade edges relative to the guard bar at the normal or free position set in accordance with a predetermined blade geometry (FIG. 3), a change in blade geometry occurs during the course of shaving when a shaving force F causes the blade package to rotate or pivot about rear-beam 17 in the direction of arrow R where the blade edges are rendered less xe2x80x9caggressivexe2x80x9d (FIG. 4, col. 3, lines 13-23). Upon relaxation of shaving forces, the elastic memory of hinges 24, 26, 27, and 28 forces the blade seat, and therefore the blade edges, to return to their normal position (FIG. 3., col. 3, lines 24-26).
Other approaches include foil guarded cartridges, taped blades and wire wrapped blades or cartridges. Foil guarded cartridges are typically constructed with a piece of foil extending over the cap member, the blades and the platform member. The foil has openings adjacent the blade edges to allow the blade edge to contact the skin of the shaver. Taped blades include a piece of material extending from the upper surface of the blade over the blade edge to the lower surface of the blade. The material has openings positioned along the blade edge to allow the blade edge to contact the skin of the shaver. Wire wrapped blades include a piece of wire extending around the entire blade and over the blade edge. Alternatively, the piece of wire can be wrapped around the entire blade assembly and over the blade edges, to form a wire wrapped blade cartridge.
The various approaches discussed above present several different problems. First, the cost of manufacturing these blade cartridges is high. The relatively complex mechanisms used to produce blade cartridges having movable blades or movable blade assemblies significantly increases the cost to produce and assemble such blade cartridges. Similarly, wire wrapped, foil guarded and taped blades are difficult and expensive to assemble adding cost to the finished product.
A second problem with the movable blade cartridges described above is the delicate, and sometimes unpredictable, nature of the movable blades. By movably mounting a blade within a blade cartridge, the risk arises that the blade may move to a more aggressive blade exposure or shaving angle, thereby cutting the shaver. Additionally, by movably mounting a blade within a blade cartridge, the risk arises that the movable connection may fail and the blade may become dislodged from the blade cartridge.
A second problem with the wire wrapped, foil guarded, and taped blade approaches is that they tend to grab and pull whiskers that become caught between the protective member and the blade. They also tend to collect debris and are hard to flush clean. The foil guarded, taped blade, and wire wrapped cartridges are limited in how close of a shave they can produce by the thickness of the foil, tape, or wire (diameter) used to cover the blades. The wire wrapped blades have the disadvantage that the wire tends to embed itself into the blade thereby damaging the blade. Additionally, the wires are easily disturbed thereby effecting shaving characteristics of the blade and potentially causing wear on the blade edge.
Consequently, a need exists for a blade cartridge incorporating an effective means for preventing cuts and abrasions caused by a razor blade being repeatedly passed over the skin of a shaver. The blade cartridge should be constructed to provide proper blade exposure and shaving angle, while still providing a close shave. The blade cartridge should also be cost effective to manufacture and durable. In addition, the blade cartridge should be configured to effectively shave varying contours and surfaces.
The blade cartridge of the present invention has one or more protruding members, or guard ribs, positioned proximate the skin engaging edges of the blades such that a portion of the blade adjacent the guard ribs has a negative exposure. The guard ribs provide an effective means for preventing cuts and abrasions caused by a razor blade being repeatedly passed over the skin of a shaver. The guard ribs provide the portions of the skin engaging edges with a negative blade exposure that prevents overexposure of the blades to the skin, while allowing the remainder of the skin engaging edges of the blade to still provide a close shave. The blade cartridge is cost effective to manufacture and durable, in that the present invention provides a simple arrangement without moving parts. In addition, the blade cartridge is configured to provide an effective shave on a variety of contours and surfaces. The plurality of guard ribs on the guard, spacer and cap define a blade exposure at a shaving plane at a tip of said guard ribs from between about xe2x88x920.762 mm to xe2x88x921.5 mm, and a blade exposure at a trough from between about +0.508 mm to about +1.270 mm.
Preferably, the blade cartridge is connected to a handle, and can be detachably connected so as to allow the blade cartridge to be replaced when it becomes worn. Alternatively, the blade cartridge may be permanently mounted on or integrally attached to a handle in the form of a disposable razor.
The present invention further includes one or more protruding members, or guard ribs, evenly positioned along the blade cartridge. The guard ribs preferably each have an arcuate contact surface and are narrow in thickness in a direction along the skin engaging edge. In addition to the guard ribs on the platform member, the present invention preferably further includes protruding members, or guard ribs, on the cap member. The guard ribs on the platform member are preferably aligned with and substantially continuous with the guard ribs on the cap member.
In a further embodiment, the blade cartridge includes a secondary blade and a spacer separating the primary blade and the secondary blade. In this embodiment the spacer preferably has protruding members, or guard ribs, positioned proximate the skin engaging edges of the primary and secondary blades. In this embodiment the spacer preferably has an open portion abutting the aperture in the primary blade that allows debris to flow through the resulting flow path and out the bottom of the blade cartridge. As with previous embodiments, the guard ribs on the spacer are preferably aligned with and substantially continuous with the guard ribs on the cap member and the platform member. Similarly, additional spacers with protruding members and additional blades may be added to the blade cartridge to produce further embodiments.


A method and apparatus for providing uniformly distributed filaments from a spun filament bundle and a process for forming spunbonded fabric having superior uniformity and a favorable ratio between machine and cross direction tensile strengths. The apparatus includes a fiber transfer tube and a pair of adjustable deflector plates. The deflector plates form a channel having a tapering width for transporting the filaments in a stream of high velocity air. The apparatus may also include an electrostatic charging means for applying an electrostatic charge to each individual filament after it exits the channel. The method for providing uniformly distributed filaments includes a first stage of separating the filament bundle by the high velocity stream of air and may also include a second stage of electrostatically charging the filaments to achieve a uniform filament separation. The process for forming spunbonded fabric enables a fabric to be produced having a machine direction to cross direction tensile strength ratio less than about 1.5.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing uniformly distributed filaments from a spun filament bundle. The invention also relates to a process for forming spunbonded nonwoven webs having superior web uniformity and a favorable ratio between machine and cross direction tensile strengths, and the fabric formed by such process.
Nonwoven fabrics can be made from spun filaments by passing freshly extruded filaments on a stream of air through a plurality of filament distribution devices to transport the filaments onto a moving conveyor screen or belt where a nonwoven web is formed as the conveyor moves past the filament distribution devices. The nonwoven web can then be bonded, utilizing any one of a variety of known methods, to produce an integrated web or fabric.
To obtain nonwoven webs of high quality, it is important that the filaments being supplied to the moving conveyor be separated from each other so that they can be uniformly distributed onto the moving conveyor. It is known in the prior art that transporting the spun filaments by a stream of turbulent air will tend to separate the filaments from each other to a certain degree. It is also known that separation of spun filaments can be achieved by application of an electrostatic charge, i.e., a corona discharge, to the filaments prior to supplying the filaments onto the moving conveyor.
One of the problems encountered in forming a nonwoven web from spun filaments is achieving adequate filament separation so that the filaments can be uniformly distributed onto the conveyor. If the filaments laid down to form the web stick together, entangle with other filaments or are laid onto the nonwoven fabric too close to other filaments, the web will have a nonuniform, rope-like appearance which is unsightly and undesirable.
Another problem that is encountered in nonwoven web formation is the interaction between adjacent filament distribution devices which are normally provided in series to form a nonwoven web onto the moving conveyor. These adjacent distribution devices may adversely affect the uniform distribution of filaments because the turbulent flow of air from each device tends to interfere with the flow of air from adjacent devices.
Another problem that arises in utilizing an electrostatic charge to enable filament separation in forming a nonwoven web is providing the electrostatic charge uniformly to each individual filament. If the electrostatic charge is applied to a bundle of filaments, those filaments on the surface of the bundle will receive a substantially greater charge than those filaments at the interior of the bundle. This will result in a nonuniform application of charge to the filaments and thus inadequate spreading.
A further problem in forming nonwoven webs by the use of a pneumatic filament distribution device is the tendency of individual filaments to become entangled with one another, thus preventing the effective separation and spreading of the filaments. Because of this tendency for filament entanglement, lower air rates are often required, which means that fewer filaments per device can be supplied to the conveyor and thus a greater number of filament distribution devices are required to form the nonwoven web.
A problem in forming nonwoven webs by the use of standard tubular distribution devices is that the pattern or "footprints" formed by the devices on the moving conveyor tend to become elongated, due to aerodynamic effects created by the proximity of adjacent devices, in the direction of conveyor movement (machine direction) causing filaments to be oriented predominantly in that direction. Nonwoven fabrics made by such processes thus tend to be weak in the direction perpendicular to the conveyor (cross direction) due to lack of orientation in that direction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device and method for uniformly distributing filaments from a spun filament bundle onto a moving conveyor.
It is another object of the invention to provide a filament distribution device that allows a higher air flow rate to be utilized without filament entanglement and thus a greater number of filaments per device can be uniformly distributed onto a moving conveyor.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a device and method for pneumatically separating filaments from a spun filament bundle while minimizing the amount of air that interferes with adjacent devices.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device anc method for applying an electrostatic charge to separate filaments from a spun filament bundle.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a device and method for enabling an electrostatic charge to be uniformly applied to substantially all the filaments from a spun filament bundle.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a filament distribution device having adjustable deflector plates which enables different types of spun filament bundles to be uniformly distributed onto a moving conveyor.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a filament distribution device capable of adjustable orientation with respect to the receiving conveyor to enable filament layers to be distributed at varying angles onto the conveyor.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a process for producing spunbonded nonwoven fabrics that have a machine direction to cross direction tensile strength ratio less than about 1.5.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a spunbonded nonwoven fabric that has a uniform appearance and a machine direction to cross direction tensile strength ratio less than about 1.5.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Method and apparatus for providing uniformly distributed filaments from a spun filament bundle and spunbonded fabric obtained therefrom


A pattern data inspection method includes the steps of (a) carrying out a logical/sizing process with respect to original pattern data, (b) carrying out a reverse-logical/reverse-sizing process with respect to pattern data subjected to the logical/sizing process, and (c) carrying out a logical process with respect to the original pattern data and pattern data subjected to the reverse-logical/reverse-sizing process, and inspecting the pattern data subjected to the logical/sizing process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to pattern data inspection methods and storage mediums, and more particularly to a pattern data inspection method which guarantees data when processing pattern data such as design data, exposure data and inspection data which are used for producing a semiconductor device or the like, and to a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to carrying out a process based on such a pattern data inspection method.
Recently, when producing a semiconductor device such as a large scale integrated (LSI) circuit device, a memory device, a magnetic device, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and plasma display panel (PDP), there are demands to minimize the time it takes from the time when the semiconductor device is developed to the time when the semiconductor device is actually produced and forwarded. In order to satisfy such demands, it is necessary to guarantee data when processing pattern data such as design data, exposure data and inspection data which are used for producing the semiconductor device. By guaranteeing the data when processing the pattern data, it is possible to judge whether or not the data processing such as a conversion process is correctly performed, thereby making it possible to quickly find software bugs and hardware bugs at an early stage.
2. Description of the Related Art
In this specification, the xe2x80x9cdesign dataxe2x80x9d refers to the pattern data including layout data related to a layout of the semiconductor device which is to be produced. In addition, the xe2x80x9cexposure dataxe2x80x9d refers to the pattern data including data which are obtained by subjecting the design data to a data processing such as a data conversion process and are necessary to expose a reticle or mask used to produce the semiconductor device. Further, the xe2x80x9cinspection dataxe2x80x9d refers to the pattern data including data related to the designed reticle or mask for use in comparing the actually produced reticle or mask.
In addition, a xe2x80x9clogical/sizing processxe2x80x9d which will be described later refers to at least one of a logical process and a sizing process. Similarly, a xe2x80x9creverse-logical/reverse-sizing processxe2x80x9d which will be described later refers to at least one of a reverse-logical process and a reverse-sizing process.
FIG. 1 is a flow chart for explaining an example of a conventional pattern data inspection method. In FIG. 1, original data 11 are made up of design data which are used to produce a semiconductor device. Apparatuses 12 and 21 respectively subject the design data to a data conversion process.
A step 13 inputs the original data 11, and a step 14 stores the original data 11 in the form of data having an internal format suited for a subsequent process which will be described later, in a storage unit. Similarly, a step 22 inputs the original data 11, and a step 23 stores the original data 11 in the form of data having the internal format suited for a subsequent process which will be described later, in a storage unit.
A step 15 carries out a logical/sizing process with respect to the data having the internal format and stored in the step 14, and obtains exposure data and/or inspection data of a reticle or mask which is used to produce the semiconductor device. A step 16 stores the exposure data and/or the inspection data in the storage unit in the form of data having an internal format suited for preventing multiple exposures. The logical/sizing process includes a known logical process such as an AND process and an OR process, and a known sizing process which carries out a pattern fattening or thinning process.
On the other hand, a step 24 carries out a logical/sizing process with respect to the data having the internal format and stored in the step 23, and obtains exposure data and/or inspection data of a reticle or mask which is used to produce the semiconductor device. A step 25 stores the exposure data and/or the inspection data in the storage unit in the form of data having an internal format suited for preventing multiple exposures.
A step 17 converts the data having the internal format and stored in the step 16 into output data suited for the actual exposure and/or inspection, and a step 18 stores the output data in the storage unit. On the other hand, a step 26 converts the data having the internal format and stored in the step 25 into output data suited for the actual exposure and/or inspection, and a step 27 stores the output data in the storage unit.
A step 31 carries out a logical process which compares the output data obtained from a first processing system which is made up of the steps 12 through 18, and the output data obtained from a second processing system which is made up of the steps 21 through 27. The first processing system and the second processing system use programs of mutually different internal formats and logical/sizing processes. For this reason, when the output data compared in the step 31 match, a step 32 guarantees the original data 11, and the production and forwarding of the semiconductor device are made using the output data obtained from the first or second processing system. On the other hand, when the output data compared in the step 31 do not match, a step 33 confirms the data to find software bugs and/or hardware bugs, and carries out the necessary modifications.
However, according to the conventional pattern data inspection method, the same original data are processed by two independent processing systems, namely, the first processing system and the second processing system. For this reason, it is necessary to provide two data processing apparatuses, and there is a problem in that the equipment cost becomes high.
In addition, if the same bug exists in the programs of the mutually different internal formats and logical/sizing processes used in the two processing systems, the output data from the two processing systems will include the same error. Consequently, such a bug cannot be found by comparing the output data from the two processing systems, and there is a problem in that the original data cannot be guaranteed accurately.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and useful pattern data inspection method and storage medium, in which the problems described above are eliminated.
Another and more specific object of the present invention is to provide a pattern data inspection method and computer-readable storage medium, which can positively and accurately guarantee the original pattern data, while maintaining the equipment cost low.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pattern data inspection method comprising the steps of (a) carrying out a logical/sizing process with respect to original pattern data, (b) carrying out a reverse-logical/reverse-sizing process with respect to pattern data subjected to the logical/sizing process, and (c) carrying out a logical process with respect to the original pattern data and pattern data subjected to the reverse-logical/reverse-sizing process, and inspecting the pattern data subjected to the logical/sizing process. According to the pattern data inspection method of the present invention, it is possible to positively and accurately guarantee the original pattern data, while maintaining the equipment cost low.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to inspect pattern data, comprising first means for causing the computer to carry out a logical/sizing process with respect to original pattern data, second means for causing the computer to carry out a reverse-logical/reverse-sizing process with respect to pattern data subjected to the logical/sizing process, and third means for causing the computer to carry out a logical process with respect to the original pattern data and pattern data subjected to the reverse-logical/reverse-sizing process, and inspect the pattern data subjected to the logical/sizing process. According to the computer-readable storage medium of the present invention, it is possible to positively and accurately guarantee the original pattern data, while maintaining the equipment cost low.
Other objects and further features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Pattern data inspection method and storage medium