A method of preventing or treating an eye condition includes administering a sterile aqueous ophthalmic solution to an eye for the prevention or treatment of dry eye syndrome or dry eye sign and/or dry eye symptom. The sterile aqueous ophthalmic solution includes about 0.05% to about 0.5% (w/w) of N—(N-acetylcysteinyl-)chitosan or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in a carrier solution, wherein the N—(N-acetylcysteinyl-)chitosan has a content of free thiol groups in an amount of from 80 μmol/g polymer to 280 μmol/g polymer.

Dry eye syndrome (DES), also referred to as dry eye disease, is a highly prevalent ocular surface disease. Approximately 40 million Americans are affected with some type of dry eye, a significant portion of which that are age 50 years and older have moderate-to-severe dry eye (Schaumberg, Sullivan et al., 2003, Prevalence of dry eye syndrome among US women, Am J Ophthalmol (136): 318-326; Schaumberg, Dana et al., 2009, Prevalence of dry eye disease among US men: estimates from the Physicians' Health Studies, Arch Ophthalmol (127): 763-768).
Broadly, dry eye disease can be any syndrome associated with tear film instability and dysfunction (such as increased tear evaporation and/or reduced aqueous secretion). Among the indications that are referred to by the general term "dry eye disease" are: Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), age-related dry eye, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, Sjogren's syndrome, ocular cicatrical pemphigoid, corneal injury, ocular surface infection, Riley-Day syndrome, congenital alacrima, nutritional disorders or deficiencies (including vitamin deficiencies), pharmacologic side effects, glandular and tissue destruction, autoimmune and other immunodeficient disorders, and inability to blink in comatose patients. Also included are dry eye symptoms caused by environmental exposure to airborne particulates, smoke, smog, and excessively dry air; as well as contact lens intolerance and eye stress caused by computer work or computer gaming.
There are other diseases that have a high degree of co-morbidity with dry eye disease: Allergic conjunctivitis (seasonal and chronic), blepharitis and Meibomian gland dysfunction. These conditions affect the quality and stability of the tear film, which results in dry eye signs and symptoms.
Laser assisted vision correction procedures such as photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), laser-assisted sub-epithelial keratectomy (LASEK) and laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) also negatively influence tear film functionality and frequently cause (temporary) dry eye disease.
Currently the management of DES encompasses both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments, including environmental management, avoidance of exacerbating factors, lid hygiene, tear supplementation (artificial tears), secretagogues (to increase the production of tears), punctual plugs, anti-inflammatory agents (cyclosporine, steroids), moisture chamber, and even salivary gland auto transplantation (Behrens, Doyle et al., 2006, Dysfunctional tear syndrome: a Delphi approach to treatment recommendations, Cornea (25): 900-907). Currently available options for treating DES are inadequate. Even tear supplementation is not an ideal treatment option as it requires the subject to repeat artificial tear installation very many times during the day.
Various polymers have been disclosed as possible aids in providing some benefit to alleviating DES symptoms and in fact some artificial tears contain one or more polymers, including the currently top 5 best selling over-the-counter (OTC) products for dry eye within the EU (Celluvisc®, Systane®, Hylo-Comod®, Optive® and Artelac®). These polymers are intended to protect ocular mucous membranes and provide lubrication for the ocular surface. Examples include cellulose derivatives, hyaluronic acid, liquid polyols, polyvinyl alcohol, povidone, carbopol and hydroxypropyl-guar. Polymers used in products to treat DES have relatively short residence time on the ocular surface and require frequent instillation. In order to increase ocular residence time, some formulations contain petroleum jelly or mineral oil; however, due to significant blurring these highly viscous products can only be used in the evening prior to sleep. (Abelson et al., 2008, Tear Substitutes. In: Albert and Miller, eds. Principles and Practices of Ophthalmology, 3rd edition, vol. 1. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company, 287-292). All other tear substitutes have to be instilled repeatedly during the day.
Some potential improvements to these polymers have been disclosed. One potential improvement could be to use a polymer that has significant mucoadhesive properties in order to increase residence time of the formulation on the ocular surface without causing significant blurring. Chitosan, a polycationic polymer which is derived from the natural polymer chitin, is well known for its mucoadhesive properties. Ocular residence time of ophthalmic formulations containing chitosan can be increased not only due to its viscosity enhancing properties but also because of interactions of chitosan with negatively charged mucins on the ocular surface (Wadhwa, Paliwal et al., 2009, Chitosan and its role in ocular therapeutics, Mini Rev Med Chem (9): 1639-1647). In addition, chitosan has antimicrobial activity against various pathogenic microorganisms (Felt, Carrel et al., 2000, Chitosan as tear substitute: a wetting agent endowed with antimicrobial efficacy, J Ocul Pharmacol Ther (16): 261-270; Dai, Tanaka et al., 2011, Chitosan preparations for wounds and burns: antimicrobial and wound-healing effects, Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther (9): 857-879).
Thiolation of polymers has been disclosed to further increase their mucoadhesive properties. EP 1126881 B1 discloses a mucoadhesive polymer comprising at least one non-terminal thiol group. The use of thiolated polysaccharides for preparing an implant for tissue augmentation is disclosed in WO 2008/077172, wherein said thiolated polymers are characterised by the formation of disulfide bonds which leads to a stabilisation of the polymeric network. The priority application of WO 2008/077172, A 2136/2006, discloses further application fields for thiolated polymers.
Modification of chitosan by covalent attachment of thiol group bearing ligands (i.e., thiolation) has been disclosed. It has also been disclosed that thiolation increases the mucoadhesive properties of chitosan (Kast and Bernkop-Schnurch, 2001, Thiolated polymers—thiomers: development and in vitro evaluation of chitosan-thioglycolic acid conjugates, Biomaterials (22): 2345-2352; Bernkop-Schnurch, Hornof et al., 2004, Thiolated chitosans, Eur J Pharm Biopharm (57): 9-17; Bernkop-Schnurch, 2005, Thiomers: a new generation of mucoadhesive polymers, Adv Drug Deliv Rev (57): 1569-1582; Schmitz, Grabovac et al., 2008, Synthesis and characterization of a chitosan-N-acetyl cysteine conjugate, Int J Pharm (347): 79-85). The antimicrobial efficacy of some thiolated chitosans was evaluated as well (WO2009132226 A1; WO2009132227 A1; WO2009132228 A1; Geisberger, Gyenge et al., 2013, Chitosan-thioglycolic acid as a versatile antimicrobial agent, Biomacromolecules (14): 1010-1017)
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a derivative of the thiol group bearing amino acid L-cysteine. NAC is a reducing agent with antioxidative activity. It is also well known for its ability to reduce mucus viscosity by reducing mucin disulfide bonds. Due to these mucolytic properties NAC is widely used to reduce mucus viscosity in broncho-pulmonary disorders with excessive mucus production. Topical ophthalmic formulations containing the mucolytic and antioxidant agent NAC are used for the treatment of corneal diseases such as meibomian gland dysfunction and DES (Lemp, 2008, Management of dry eye disease, Am J Manag Care (14): S88-101; Akyol-Salman, Azizi et al., 2010, Efficacy of topical N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction, J Ocul Pharmacol Ther (26): 329-333). EP 0 551 848 B1 discloses an ophthalmic pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of DES containing NAC in a concentration between 3% and 5% (w/v) and polyvinylalcohol.
It has been disclosed that thiolation of chitosan using NAC increases its ocular residence time on rabbit eyes when compared with non-thiolated chitosan (Dangl, Hornof et al., 2009, In vivo Evaluation of Ocular Residence Time of 124I-labelled Thiolated Chitosan in Rabbits Using MicroPET Technology, ARVO Meeting Abstracts (50): 3689).
It has been disclosed that N—(N-acetylcysteinyl-)chitosan HCl has some beneficial effect on the ocular surface of the mouse eye in mouse dry eye models (Hongyok, Chae et al., 2009, Effect of chitosan-N-acetylcysteine conjugate in a mouse model of botulinum toxin B-induced dry eye, Arch Ophthalmol (127): 525-532; Hornof, Goyal et al., 2009, Thiolated Chitosan for the Treatment of Dry Eye—Evaluation in Mice Using the Controlled-Environment Chamber Model, ARVO Meeting Abstracts (50): 3663).
Further publications reviewing and discussing various uses of thiolated polymers are listed below:    Hornof et al., Mucoadhesive ocular insert based on thiolated poly(acrylic acid): development and in vivo evaluation in humans; Journal of Controlled Release 89 (2003) 419-428;    Hornof, M., In vitro and in vivo evaluation of novel polymeric excipients in the ophthalmic field, Thesis, University of Vienna, 2003;    Bernkop-Schnurch et al., Permeation enhancing polymers in oral delivery of hydrophilic macromolecules: Thiomer/GSH systems, J. Contr. Release 93(2003) 95-103;    M. Hornof et al., In Vitro Evaluation of the Permeation Enhancing Effect of Polycarbophil-Cystein Conjugates on the Cornea of Rabbits, J. Pharm. Sci. 91 (12) 2002, 2588-2592;    Clausen et al., The Role of Glutathione in the Permeation Enhancing Effect of Thiolated Polymers, Pharm. Res. 19 (5) 2002, 602-608;    Yamashita et al., Synthesis and Evaluation of Thiol Polymers, J. Macromol. Sc. 26 (1989), 9, 1291-1304;    Zheng et al., Disulfide Cross-Linked Hyaluronan Hydrogels, Biomacromolecules 3 (6) 2002, 1304-1311;    Wang et al., Chitosan-NAC Nanoparticles as a Vehicle for Nasal Absorption Enhancement of Insulin, J. Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 88B: 150-161, 2009;    WO 2008/094675 A2;    U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,076 A.
However, so far no formulation containing thiolated chitosan has been disclosed which fulfills the requirements of long-term stability, tolerability, safety, effectiveness in the treatment of dry eye syndrome and improved patient compliance. As a result of the ineffectiveness and inconvenience of current therapies of dry eye treatment, there remains a need for a method of treating dry eye syndrome that fulfills the requirements listed above.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A reusable draw clamp which brings together the opposed surface of a hoof Quarter Crack to promote healing of the crack. The draw clamp includes two plates, a threaded bolt, and a nut. Each plate has a plurality of holes which permit the plate to be fastened with screws to a respective side of a Quarter Crack. One plate receives a threaded bolt and the opposite plate supports a nut. Threading engagement of the bolt and nut permit the space between the plates to be adjustably drawn together to close the Quarter Crack.

The present invention relates generally to the repair of animal, and in particular, horse hoofs. More particularly, this invention relates to the reduction of injury and repair of Quarter Cracks that occur in animal hoofs.
Quarter Cracks often occur in the hoofs of animals which have been exposed to repetitive or particularly strenuous contact with a hard walking surface. These cracks begin to form at the top of the hoof near the hair line and expand downwardly toward the bottom of the hoof. The majority of Quarter Cracks (90-95%) occur on the side of the hoof while 5-10% occur on the front portion of the hoof.
Quarter Cracks significantly impair the function of the animal's hoof. Small Quarter Cracks create substantial discomfort for the affected animal and can reduce its mobility. Large Quarter Cracks can cause the animal to become maim.
Quarter Cracks can heal themselves, unaided, if the animal remains immobile for a significant period of time or patches can be applied to assist the healing process. Both of these methods involve reduced mobility of the animal and glued patches often require the hoof to be prepared by filing and sanding. In addition, glued patches or fasteners often require reapplication, and are susceptible to deterioration and reduced function if used on the hoof of an animal that continues to walk. The present adjustable clamp has the ability to tightly and permanently draw together a Quarter Crack, allowing it to heal while also allowing the animal full mobility without further damaging the hoof.


A composite loudspeaker apparatus including a cabinet which has a first air chamber and a second air chamber having a sound port, a drone cone or a resonance duct, adjacent to each other, wherein the first air chamber has a first loudspeaker driven by the audio signal of one of the left (L) and right (R) channels, and the second air chamber has a second loudspeaker driven by the low frequency component of the synthesized audio signal of the L and R channels mounted therein. The apparatus has another cabinet wherein a third loudspeaker driven by the audio signal of the other of the L and R channels is mounted therein. Another cabinet has a sound port, a drone cone or a resonance duct.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite loud-speaker apparatus provided with loudspeakers for reproducing audio sound in a full range and a medium/low frequency range and to a method of driving the same, and particularly to a composite loud-speaker apparatus and method of driving the same which is reduced in size and has improved low frequency range.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the configuration of a composite loudspeaker apparatus of the prior art. In the drawing, numeral 1 denotes a full-range loudspeaker for the left (L) channel which reproduces the sound from an audio signal L of the L channel. The full-range reproduction loudspeaker 1 is enclosed in a closed cabinet 2. Numeral 3 denotes a full-range reproduction loudspeaker for the right (R) channel which reproduces the sound from an audio signal R of the R channel. The full-range reproduction loudspeaker 3 is enclosed in a closed cabinet 4.
The composite loudspeaker apparatus of the prior art, is further provided with a synthesis circuit 8 which synthesizes the audio signal L of the L channel and the audio signal R of the R channel, a low frequency range boost up circuit 9 for enhancing the low frequency range of the synthesized audio signals, and a low frequency range reproduction loudspeaker 5 for converting the output signal from the low frequency range boost up circuit 9 into audio sound. The low frequency range reproduction loudspeaker 5 is enclosed in a phase inverting cabinet 6 which has a volume greater than those of the closed cabinets 2 and 4. Inside of the phase inverting cabinet 6 is divided into a small air chamber and a large air chamber. The phase inverting cabinet 6 has a sound port 7 made in a wall of the small air chamber.
Now the operation will be described below. The audio signal L of the L channel is input to the full-range reproduction loudspeaker 1 and converted into audio sound, and the audio signal R of the R channel is input to the full-range reproduction loudspeaker 3 and converted into audio sound. The audio signals L and R of the L channel and the R channel are input to the synthesis circuit 8 where both signals are synthesized, and to the low-frequency range boost up circuit 9 where the signals are enhanced in the low frequency range. The enhanced signal is input to the low frequency range reproduction loudspeaker 5 and is converted into audio sound, The audio sound in the low frequency range radiated from the low frequency range reproduction loud-speaker 5 is enhanced through Helmholtz's resonance between the air in the sound port 7 and the air in the small air chamber, and then radiated from the sound port 7. As a result, the reproduced sound pressure characteristic in the low frequency range is enhanced.
The composite loudspeaker apparatus of the prior art, as constructed as described above, requires three cabinets (2, 4, 6) for the L channel, the R channel and the low frequency range reproduction. Also because increasing the reproduction frequency range for lower frequencies requires increasing the volume of the cabinet 6, greater installation space is needed.

Composite loudspeaker apparatus and driving method thereof


A valve for controlling flow of hydraulic fluid. The valve includes first and second relatively movable valve members (60 and 62). The valve members (60 and 62) include cooperating surfaces (112, 142, 144) which define first and second orifices for metering fluid from a pressurized fluid source (44) toward first and second locations (22 and 24) in a fluid utilization device (12). The valve members (60 and 62) have a displaced position in which the first orifice is increased in size and the second orifice is decreased in size. The increased size of the first orifice reduces a pressure drop across the first orifice. The decreased size of the second orifices increases a pressure drop across the second orifice. The valve members (60 and 62) include means (114 and 146) for increasing a pressure on a downstream side of the second orifice to reduce the pressure drop for controlling valve noise.

The present invention relates to a valve for controlling flow of hydraulic fluid. The valve is used to control the flow of hydraulic fluid to a power steering motor.
A known power steering control valve for controlling flow of hydraulic fluid to a power steering motor includes a hollow valve sleeve and a valve core. The valve core is positioned within the valve sleeve. The valve core and the valve sleeve are relatively rotatable. Each of the valve core and valve sleeve has a plurality of lands and grooves.
When the valve core and valve sleeve are in a neutral position fluid is communicated to opposite chambers of the power steering motor at equal pressures. When the valve core and valve sleeve are relatively rotated from the neutral position, fluid flow is variably restricted. Restriction of the fluid flow causes pressurized fluid to be delivered to one of two chambers of a hydraulic power assist motor to cause motor actuation.
The restriction is provided by lands on the valve core and valve sleeve which define flow orifices. Variation of the flow orifices, and the amount of restriction, is provided by end surface segments of the lands which are formed such that varied amounts of relative rotation between the valve core and valve sleeve cause the end surface segments to be positioned at varying distances apart. Due to a high volume of hydraulic fluid flow and pressure differential changes as the hydraulic fluid flows through the flow orifices, noise may be created in the control valve.

Valve with noise reducing two stage pressure drop


The present invention provides a system for cleaning and polishing an optical disk. The system comprises a tray having a circular floor and a parameter wall; an armature having at least two circular pads being rotatably coupled to the armature; and a mechanism for rotating the armature parallel to the floor and about a central axis of the wall being perpendicular to the floor. The mechanism rotates the armature in a first direction, which in turn rotates each pad in a second direction to clean and polish the optical disk.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to an optical disk polishing device, and more particularly to a process and apparatus for resurfacing an optical disk without damaging the data contained thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the past decade, optical disks have become the most widely used median for storing acoustic, video and audio-visual data for both consumers and manufacturers. This wide use can be seen in both stationary and portable devices. With the portable devices, it is not uncommon that the optical disk may be exposed to relatively harsh environments. In particular, the compact disk (CDxe2x80x9d) or Digital Versatile Disk (xe2x80x9cDVDxe2x80x9d) may be exposed to water, dust, or contaminates such as food and beverages. In addition, media for portable devices are more likely to be carried in shirt pockets, briefcases, backpacks, purses, and automotive compartments where a foreign object may reside unknowingly that could damage or scratch the media. Damaged optical disk""s typically result in audible corruption or hinder a portion or all of the media""s contents.
The CD and DVD are made from a rigid material having a diameter of either 80 or 120 mm, respectively. In addition, most optical disks are provided with a substrate to protect the recording layer and integrity of the data contained on the disk. However, it can be easily damaged if scratched or exposed to the various contaminates described above. If the recording surface is scratched, stained or otherwise undesirably affected, its appearance is impaired and pieces of information recorded in that area are unlikely to be read out and reproduced correctly by a disk drive for doing the same. Many optical disk Players take advantage of Error Correction Code (ECC) to recover missing bits, or data, not readable by the laser of the CD Player/CD-ROM Player. However, ECC is not always successful correcting imperfections. In many cases the damage resides in critical areas on an optical disk or the damage to the disc may be too great for recovery. To cope with this problem, stains and the like may be typically removed by hand using a cloth, but scratches, indentures and physical defects must be removed by a mechanical disk-cleaning device.
The manual operation is laborious and time-consuming and, as stated above, has a drawback in that scratches, stains or the like may not be removed satisfactorily. In particular, in a secondhand CD shop, CD-rental agency, library or the like which has a large number of disks, which are lent or rented out frequently, much labor is unavoidable in removing scratches, stains or the like from disks. Similarly, some cases may involve proprietary data/audio information, not available in secondhand resources. This also proves true for recorded information on CD-R and CD-RW media, where much of the information compiled is not available by other means. Accordingly, it is strongly desired instead to remove scratches, stains or the like mechanically and automatically with a disk cleaner or polisher.
To meet such a demand, various disk cleaning systems have been proposed, however, very few are without problems. For example, a typical disk cleaner provides a cylindrical scouring member, such as a polishing pad, that is rotated in one direction while the disk to be cleaned is rotated in an opposite direction. If the cylindricality of the scouring member and the parallelism thereof with the side of the disk being scoured are not precisely maintained, undulations and the like are likely to result in the surface of the disk.
With the same or other disk-cleaning device, the problem with the cleaning process may involve how easy it is to properly remove the damage. It is desirable for a disk cleaner to provide both a scouring member for abrasion (for removal of a scratch) and a scouring member for polishing (for lubrication, for finishing). However, in many known disk cleaners, only one scouring member can be pressed against the disk. Accordingly, there is a disadvantage in that replacement is frequently required between the scouring member for scratch removal and the scouring member for polishing.
Another problem that is common among known disk cleaners involves the force applied by the polishing pad to the disk. If the pressing force of the scouring member on the disk cannot be adjusted, the optimal pressing force may not be maintained as the scouring members become worn or deformed by the scouring operation. As a result, a scratch or stain may not be satisfactorily removed.
Lastly, many of today""s disk cleaning devices are simply awkward to use, unreliable and inefficient during certain operations. This is typically apparent with systems that rely on numerous interactive parts during an operation. Therefore, the placement or removal of a disk or the replacement of the scouring member may be time consuming or cumbersome, or the system may experience part failures that may or may not be repairable.
Given the growing use of optical disks, particularly with a portable device where the likelihood of scratching a disk is very high, it would be advantageous to provide a resurfacing device that could be readily used by anyone from a single consumer to an optical disk manufacturing plant. In turn, it would be advantageous to provide a resurfacing device that is lightweight, durable and easy to use.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing, the above problems typically found with conventional disk polishing devices.
In one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for cleaning and polishing an optical disk. The system comprises a tray having a circular floor and a perimeter wall; an armature having at least two circular pads being rotatably coupled to the armature; and a mechanism for rotating the armature parallel to the floor and about a central axis of the wall being perpendicular to the floor. The mechanism rotates the armature in a first direction, which in turn rotates each pad in a second direction to clean and/or polish the optical disk.
In another aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for cleaning an optical disk cleaning system. The system provides a tray having a floor and a perimeter wall, and a cleaning mechanism having an armature, at least two pads and a central post. The mechanism rotates the armature about the central post in a first direction to force the rotation of the at least two pads in a second direction.
In still another aspect of the instant invention, a method is provided for cleaning and polishing an optical disk being contained by a circular tray having a perimeter wall. The process includes the steps of centrally positioning an armature having at least two pads within the tray such that a side portion of each pad contacts the wall and a bottom surface of each pad contacts the optical disk; and rotating the armature about a central axis of the tray in a first direction to rotate the at least two pads in a second direction.

Method and system for polishing optical disks

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The invention relates to an integrated blood treatment module (1) comprising a support element (4) and a fluid distribution circuitry associated thereto; the distribution circuitry comprises at least a blood line (44), a portion of which is secured to the support element and defines with the latter at least a U-shaped tube length (44a) designed to cooperate, when in use, with a respective pump (3a). There are then further fluid lines (45, 48, 50, 51) fastened to the support element and defining each at least a U-shaped tube length (45a, 48a, 50a, 51a) with respect to said element and each designed to cooperate, when in use, with a respective pump (3b, 3c, 3d, 3e). The support element has a first zone (274) in which the portion of the blood line is secured, and at least a second zone (275) opposite said first zone, to which all the corresponding further tube lengths are fastened.

The present invention relates to an integrated blood treatment module and to an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus that can receive said integrated module.
As is known, in order to carry out extracorporeal blood treatments such as for instance haemodialysis, haemofiltration, haemodiafiltration, plasmapheresis, extracorporeal blood oxygenation, extracorporeal blood filtration or other treatments, it is necessary to provide for at least an extracorporeal circuit through which the blood flows and is conveyed towards a treatment unit; the treated blood is then carried back to the patient's cardiovascular system. Referring by way of example to a dialysis treatment, the extracorporeal circuit used comprises: a dialysis filter consisting of a housing body defining at least a first and a second chamber separated from each other by a semipermeable membrane, a blood intake line leading to the first chamber of the dialysis filter and a blood return line designed to receive blood coming out of the first chamber and to carry it back to the patient. The second chamber of the dialysis filter is then connected to a circuit for the circulation of a dialysis liquid designed to receive the impurities that are present in the blood and the excess fluid that has to be removed from the patient's blood.
Currently, in apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatments all the lines designed for the circulation of the dialysis liquid are housed within the dialysis apparatus, whereas the lines constituting the extracorporeal blood circuit are replaced at every treatment and suitably connected to the dialyzing filter, which can be replaced either at every treatment or from time to time, as required.
From a structural point of view the dialysis filter, the lines for the circulation of the dialyzing liquid and the lines constituting the intake branch carrying the blood back to the patient consist of separate parts that are connected and cooperate during operation after being suitably assembled.
There are also apparatus that are available on the market at present, designed in particular for intensive treatment of kidney failure, which are advantageously equipped with integrated modules comprising a support structure, a dialyzing filter engaged to the support structure by means of a suitable support projecting from said structure, as well as a hydraulic circuit comprising the tubes that are necessary to define the blood suction and return lines leading to the patient, the possible lines for the infusion of anticoagulant or substitution liquids, the intake line for the dialysis liquid and the discharge line for the liquid coming out of the second chamber of the dialyser.
The integrated modules described above enable an easy and immediate association of the lines to the treatment apparatus and do not require any connection between the treatment unit, such as for instance a dialysis filter, and the various tubes or lines designed to convey blood and other fluids. Moreover, said integrated modules enable the removal both of the tubes conveying the blood and of the tubes conveying other fluids at the end of the treatment. In other words, thanks to a simple loading and connecting operation of the terminals and of the fluid conveyance lines to the corresponding sources such as bags or others, the user can install a dialysis apparatus. Analogously, once the treatment step is over, by simply disconnecting and disassembling the integrated module from the blood treatment apparatus in few operations, the operator can completely eliminate both the extracorporeal circuit and the blood treatment unit, as well as the tubes for the circulation of possible infusion liquids and of the dialysis liquid. The easy installation of said modules ensures an efficiency and a speed that are certainly advantageous for intensive treatments where the personnel, who might not be conversant with the use of blood treatment apparatus, can thus operate rapidly and with a high reliability.
In particular, it is known about integrated modules for extracorporeal blood treatment in which a quadrangular plate, thanks to the use of an auxiliary engagement structure, centrally carries the blood treatment filter and also supports on each of its sides four tube lengths of corresponding lines of the fluid distribution circuitry.
In particular, each of the four sides has two connectors to which a respective tube length, basically semicircular, is secured; each length can be engaged by a respective peristaltic pump.
The four ring-shaped tube lengths extend away from the four sides and all have the same shape and size.
In particular, the part of the module consisting of the support plate and of the U-shaped tube lengths is symmetrical with respect to two orthogonal axes.
The arrangement referred to above, though being widely used today in integrated modules designed for intensive therapy apparatus, has proved to be susceptible of several improvements.
First of all, it should be noted that the particular relative arrangement of the various U-shaped tube lengths and, therefore, of the respective pumps supported by the apparatus do not allow to optimize the lengths of the various portions of tubes in which blood, dialysis fluids, waste fluids, etc.
Furthermore, it is not possible to use pumps with larger size (which would thus involve U-shaped tube lengths with larger size) in any of the lines without prejudicing the compactness and the overall dimensions of the integrated module.
Eventually, it should be noted that the module at the state of the art is necessarily designed for a maximum of four peristaltic pumps for conveying the respective fluids, since other infusion lines beyond those that are already provided cannot be installed.

Integrated blood treatment module and extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus


A speed control system is disclosed wherein a brushless DC motor and a magneto resistive encoder are able to rotate a motor at arbitrarily low speeds. The motor is able to rotate at low speeds by having a filtered signal generated by an encoder applied to its inputs. The encoder is coupled to a series of filters which remove DC level and harmonic distortions from the resulting encoder signal. These filtered signals are then applied to the motor to control motor rotation speed.

Wide range speed control systems have been developed for use in a number of disparate applications. An example of such a system is the Band-Scan FPL Control System by Sequential Electronic Systems, Inc. ("Jitterless Photorecon Systems", Electromechanical Design, December 1965). Another example can be seen in the article by Lamar Cowger, "The Solution to Extremely Slow Motion Control," Drivers & Controls Int'l., Jan. 1982. Further, the system of BEI of Little Rock, Ark., U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,428 issued Aug. 10, 1976 to Hafle, discloses a speed control system which uses an optical encoder to generate the position signals of a motor shaft, or moveable member. The encoder is constructed and arranged to produce a phase variable output signal at the modulation frequency; the phase of the output signal being compared to a reference signal. Based on the phase and frequency of the above two signals, the speed of the drive motor for the rotary member is increased or decreased.
Both of the aforementioned systems are expensive and, in the case of the BEI system, use optical encoders whose signal outputs must be carefully shaped to produce low distortion sine and cosine waveforms. The ATAR tape recorder by the Datatape Division of Kodak also uses high quality optical encoders. By using a digital, discrete time control system, the electronics cost and size can be reduced, but an optical encoder that produces the high quality sine and cosine signals is still required.
Low cost speed control systems using inexpensive magneto-resistive (MR) encoders are used in video tape recorders. However, these systems are not able to rotate a motor at speeds of less than about 5 RPM. MR signals are inherently analog in nature and, although quasi-sinusoidal, suffer from considerable distortion, amplitude modulation and DC level drift as compared with signals generated by optical encoders. The DC level drift is of particular significance since the DC level uncertainty may range over a few tens of millivolts. However, MR encoders produce signals of a few tens of millivolts peak to peak independent of speed. This means that the peak MR signals may be substantially masked by the uncertainty in the concurrent DC level under conventional operating conditions. Furthermore, current conventional MR encoders are limited to about 1500 sine and cosine wave cycles per revolution in packages of about 1.5 inches (1.5") in diameter.
At rotational frequencies up to the encoder servo loop bandwidth encoder anomalies will generally be manifested as shaft position disturbances. Encoder anomalies at frequencies near the encoder servo natural frequency will, in fact, be harmonically exacerbated.
A particular application that requires precise motor speed control involves the storage and retrieval of data from a linear tape media. Typically a speed controlled motor is used to drive a capstan directly through a speed changing mechanism that is mechanically linked to the tape. Thus, for systems with non-longitudinal data track orientation in a write mode, non-uniform capstan motion causes two undesirable results: (a) track pitch variations; and (b) positional deviations from the desired locus of the head across the tape. In the read mode, track pitch variations reduce the available off-track margin. Track locus variations, to the degree they are not followed, also reduce off-track margins.

Economical wide range speed control system


A yarn feeder device for feeding yarns having elastic characteristics includes a feeder roll carried by a drive shaft which is journalled for rotation between a pair of shoulders. The feeder roll has a peripheral surface engaged by each peripheral surface of a pair of pressure rolls with yarn being fed tangentially therebetween. A pair of arms is pivoted to one of the shoulders and each arm rotatably carries one of the pressure rolls. A drive wheel is nonrotatably, but axially slidably connected to the drive shaft and is adapted for driving engagement with a rotatable drive disk. The drive wheel is also shiftable by a fork member along the drive shaft to vary the point of driving contact between the drive wheel and the drive shaft to thereby control the speed of the feeder roll. A pair of guide members guide the fork member for guiding movement along a path corresponding to the axial sliding direction of movement of the drive wheel, and a rod in threaded engagement with the fork member is operated by a stepping motor for selectively rotating the threaded rod.

The present invention relates to a feeder device for feeding yarns having elastic characteristics for a knitting machine, in particular a hosiery knitting machine.
In the processing of hosiery, in order to give elastic characteristics to the product, it is known to insert an elastic yarn in correspondence of certain stitch courses, with said yarn having elastic characteristics being knitted between the stitch loops. According to the shape of the product, it may become necessary to feed amounts of yarn which are different from course to course, e.g., by progressively decreasing or increasing the amount of yarn fed per each stitch course.
The feeding of a yarn having elastic characteristics is generally carried out by means of a feeder roll, kept pressed against the face of a revolving disk, the revolution speed of which depends on the revolution speed of the machine, with the yarn running between the roll and the disk. In order to control the amount of yarn fed per each unit time, the roll is shifted along the surface of the disk according to a radial direction of the same disk, i.e., parallel to the axis of the roll, so as to vary the peripheral speed of the roll, as well as the radial distance of the yarn from the axis of revolution of the disk, which continues to revolve at a speed derived from the speed of the machine.
Such a feeder device is capable of delivering to the machine one elastic yarn only. In case feeding a plurality of elastic yarns is desired, whether with one elastic yarn feed, or a plurality of elastic yarn feeds, a plurality of devices of this kind have to be provided, with several problems consequently arising.
Besides the problems of overall dimensions and of cost, which are not negligible, the problem exists that a plurality of yarns have to be fed at the same speed and under the same tension, otherways in the finished product more and less tensioned yarns would be contained, with a considerable worsening in product quality. With a plurality of devices of the above stated type, identical conditions of feeding of the respective yarns cannot be secured.

Yarn feeder device for feeding yarns having elastic characteristics for a knitting machine


A flight lug is provided for releasable attachment to a conveyor belt. The lug comprises a base and first and second side walls mounted to opposite edge surfaces of the base such that the base extends between and interconnects the side walls intermediate upper and lower ends of the side walls. Flanges extend inwardly from adjacent the lower ends of the side walls. Each flange defines a slot between the flange and the lower surface of the base for receiving an edge of the belt. The first side wall is pivotally attached to the base for movement relative to the base between a first position where the flange on the lower end of the first side wall is spaced a first distance from the flange on the lower end of the second side wall for allowing the belt to fit between the flanges, and a second position where the flanges on the side walls are spaced apart a second distance which is less than the width of the belt for capturing the belt in the slots between the side walls.

This invention generally relates to a flight lug used in a conveyor system including one or more endless conveying belts for moving articles, and more particularly to a flight lug which is releasably fastened to a conveyor belt for selectively changing the position of, or replacing, the flight lug.
A conveyor system includes one or more continuous flexible conveyor belts movably supported on a framework. There are two general types of conveyor belts, chain belts and cord belts.Cord belts comprise polyurethane or similar suitable belt material surrounding fiber or steel cords. Cord belts are preferred over chain belts for high speed conveyor systems, or when cleanliness is a process requirement.
An array of spaced flight lugs are fixed along the length of a conveyor belt and project upwardly from the outer surface of the belt. The flight lugs are separated by a distance appropriate for individual articles being transported by the conveyor system, in effect, defining pockets which receive the articles. One or more flight lugs engage an article as the article is moved for properly positioning the articles on the conveyor belt and pushing the articles along in the direction of the path of travel.
Conventional flight lugs used on cord belts are formed from plastic. The plastic lugs are permanently welded, or vulcanized, directly onto the belt by melting the lug and the adjoining surface of the belt. However, vulcanized lugs are sometimes distorted which eventually results in tears at the edges of the belt. If a belt with welded plastic lugs is damaged or otherwise becomes jammed, the damaged lugs must be replaced in the field or the belt changed. Replacement of the lugs necessitates disassembly of the belt. This is a time consuming process resulting in significant labor costs and machine downtime, thereby increasing the overall cost associated with using a conventional conveyor system. Moreover, removal of a damaged lug that has been welded to the belt can damage the belt.
The pitch of a conveyor belt is determined by the space between the lugs. It is occasionally desirable to modify a conveying system for moving articles of different sizes, which requires changing the pitch of the belt. This is usually accomplished by moving the lugs toward or away from each other to accommodate smaller or larger articles, respectively. For example, a conveyor system running on a 12″ pitch at a speed of 1000 feet per minute moves 1000 pieces per minute. If the article being moved will allow a 6″ pitch, the conveyor system will move 2000 parts per minute with the belt running at the same speed. Unfortunately, since plastic lugs are permanently welded to the belt, the pitch of the belt cannot be easily changed. Therefore, a change in pitch requires that the belt be replaced by another belt with a different pitch.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a flight lug which can be easily removed from a conveyor belt for repositioning or replacement to reduce the labor cost and machine downtime associated with a change in pitch or to repair a conveyor system. Ideally, the flight lugs should be adapted for use with a wide range of article configurations and sizes.


Disclosed is an apparatus for measuring electrocardiogram (ECG) using wireless communication, including a first measuring device and a second measuring device connected to each other using wireless communication, wherein the first measuring device includes a first electrode configured to measure a first signal generated by a heartbeat, and a slave signal generation unit configured to generate a slave signal based on the first signal and a wireless virtual ground signal received from the second measuring device, and the second measuring device includes a second electrode configured to measure a second signal generated by a heartbeat, a ground electrode configured to measure a ground signal, a wireless virtual ground unit configured to generate the wireless virtual ground signal based on the ground signal, and an ECG measuring unit configured to measure ECG based on the slave signal, the second signal, and the wireless virtual ground signal.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for measuring electrocardiogram (ECG) using wireless communication, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for measuring ECG using wireless communication in which an ECG is measured based on electrical signals measured at different locations and transmitted using wireless communication.

Apparatus and method for measuring electrocardiogram using wireless communication

Korea Institute of Science and Technology


A method for producing pitch-type carbon fiber, comprising the steps of discharging, from a spinning nozzle, a spinning pitch comprising an optically isotropic pitch and/or optically anisotropic pitch, maintained at such a temperature that the spinning pitch can have a viscosity of 20 poises or less, to form pitch fiber, while jetting a gas preheated to a temperature of 100.degree. C. lower than the temperature at which the spinning pitch can have a viscosity of 20 poises or less, or higher from the periphery of the spinning nozzle in the same direction as the discharging direction of the spinning pitch and parallel to the discharged pitch fiber to give extremely fine fiber having an average diameter of 5 .mu.m or less, and subjecting the thus spun fine fiber to infusibilization and carbonization.

This invention relates to carbon fiber, and more particularly to extremely fine pitch-type carbon fiber and a preparation method of the same.
In general, pitch-type carbon fibers are broadly classified into two groups, that is, high performance carbon fiber (HP product) and general purpose carbon fiber (GP product).
High performance carbon fiber is prepared by spinning an optically anisotropic spinning pitch to give fiber in which liquid crystalline molecules are arranged parallel to the axial direction of the fiber, and subjecting the fiber to infusibilization and carbonization to form graphite crystals thereon. High performance carbon fiber having high strength and high modulus can thus be obtained.
General purpose carbon fiber, on the other hand, is prepared by spinning an optically isotropic pitch as it is, followed by carbonization. The resulting carbon fiber is a non-graphitic optically isotropic material. General purpose carbon fiber having moderate strength can thus be inexpensively obtained.
Studies are now being made on application of the above conventional carbon fibers to practical use, in such a field that their characteristics and properties are supposed to be utilizable.
Heretofore, the high performance carbon fiber has been mainly prepared by a melt spinning method, and the general purpose carbon fiber, a centrifugal spinning method. Carbon fibers prepared by either method have a diameter of approximately 8 to 15 .mu.m, and it is quite difficult to prepare fiber having a smaller diameter than the above by any conventionally known method.
Furthermore, carbon is intrinsically a brittle material, so that carbon fiber is inferior to fibers made from other materials in flexibility, and is easily broken.
For the above reasons, long carbon fiber requires careful handling; and short carbon fiber tends to be easily broken when preparing a composite material by mixing the carbon fiber with a plastic or concrete. In addition, papers, felts and mats which are produced by using short carbon fiber are poor in flexibility, so that they are easily damaged.
The above shortcomings can be eliminated if the diameter of the carbon fiber can be reduced. However, fine carbon fiber cannot be obtained by the conventional art due to mainly the below-described reasons:
In general, in the melt spinning method, a spinning pitch is discharged from a nozzle, and the discharged pitch fiber is wound up at high speed to finally obtain thin fiber. However, even the pitch fiber before being subjected to the winding has a low strength of approximately 0.4 kg/mm.sup.2, so that finally obtainable fine fiber is to have an extremely low strength. On the other hand, stretching force which is applied to pitch fiber during spinning is increased as the diameter of the fiber decreases, in other words, as the winding speed is increased. When the stretching force finally becomes higher than strength of the pitch fiber, the fiber snaps, and the spinning cannot be stably continued any more.
In the centrifugal spinning method, on the other hand, a spinning pitch is discharged from a nozzle which is revolving at high speed, and the discharged pitch fiber is blown off by centrifugal force, thereby obtaining thin fiber. However, thin fiber has a low mass, so that it cannot be easily applied with force of inertia. For this reason, fiber cannot be made thin without limitation.

Method for producing pitch-type carbon fiber


A moving image acquiring part acquires a moving image. A still image accumulating part stores still images. An image processing part calculates gains obtained by previously storing based on the costs of extraction of still images from a moving image, and extracts some still images with higher gains from among the still images composing the moving image and stores into the still image accumulating part. A request processing part retrieves a still image requested by a request source from the still image accumulating part and transmits to the request source and, when the still image requested by the request source is not stored in the still image accumulating part, extracts the still image requested by the request source from the moving image acquired by the moving image acquiring part and transmits to the request source.

In the fields of video monitoring, video analysis, and so on, there is a case of, in accordance with a request from a request source, extracting a still image from a moving image and providing the request source with the extracted still image. In this case, a response time gets long in a case where a process of extracting a still image from a moving image is started at the time of request.
Then, as a related art relating to the present invention, it is proposed to extract still images from a moving picture and store the still images into a cache in advance and, when there is a request actually, retrieve a still image from the cache and provide a request source with the still image, as is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. JP-A 2013-090194
Because of the limit of cache capacity, it is difficult to store all still images extracted from a moving image into a cache. Therefore, there is a need to select still images to be stored into a cache from among a plurality of still images extracted from a moving image.
Regarding such selection, the abovementioned related art relating to the present invention employs a method as described below.
A still image extracted from a moving image by using the latest version of image processing program is stored into a cache. In a case where the still image extracted by using the latest version of image processing program is requested by a request source, the still image is retrieved from the cache and transmitted to the request source. In a case where a still image extracted by using a different version from the latest version of image processing program is requested by a request source, the still image is extracted from a moving image by using that version of image processing program and transmitted to the request source. In this case, the still image transmitted to the request source is stored into the cache. When the amount of data in the cache exceeds a given amount determined in advance, a still image with the earliest time of storage into the cache is erased from the cache.
However, according to the related art relating to the present invention, still images to be stored are determined without consideration for the cost of extraction of still images from a moving image, and therefore, a case will arise where still images with higher extraction cost among a plurality of still images extracted from a moving image are not cached. In other words, a case will arise where the cost of extraction of still images other than the stored still images is high.
Consequently, when there is a request for the still images other than the stored still images, it is difficult to extract the still images from the moving image at high speeds and at low load, and a response time is degraded.


An image forming method of imagewise exposing and heating a light-sensitive material is disclosed. The light-sensitive material comprises a support and a light-sensitive layer provided thereon. The light-sensitive layer contains silver halide, a reducing agent, an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable compound, a color image forming substance and a base precursor. The silver halide, the reducing agent, the polymerizable compound, the color image forming substance and the base precursor are contained in microcapsules which are dispersed in the light-sensitive layer. According to the present invention, the support is made of a thin polymer film having a thickness of not more than 75 .mu.m. The light-sensitive material is heated from the side of the support for 0.1 to 5 seconds.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,011 discloses a light-sensitive material comprising a support and a light-sensitive layer provided thereon which contains silver halide, a reducing agent, a polymerizable compound and a color image forming substance. The silver halide, the reducing agent, the polymerizable compound and the color image forming substance are contained in microcapsules (light-sensitive microcapsules) which are dispersed in the light-sensitive layer. The U.S. Patent corresponds to Japanese Patent Provisional Publications No. 61(1986)-275742 and No. 61(1986)-278849 and European Patent Provisional Publication No. 0203613A.
An image forming method using the light-sensitive material is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,011. The method comprises the steps of imagewise exposing the light-sensitive material, and heating the light-sensitive material. A latent image of the silver halide is formed by the exposure. The polymerizable compound is polymerized by heating within the area where the latent image has been formed. The light-sensitive material is then pressed on an image-receiving material to transfer the unpolymerized polymerizable compound with a color image forming substance to the image-receiving material to form a color image on the image-receiving material.
Further, a method of polymerizing the polymerizable compound within the area where the latent image of the silver halide has not been formed is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publications No. 61(1986)-243449, No. (1986)-260241, No. 2(1990)-141756 and No. 2(1990)-141757. The contents of the former two publications are described in European Patent Provisional Publication No. 0202490A.
The heating time for the development and polymerization reactions was usually from 1 second to 5 minutes, and preferably from 5 seconds to 1 minutes, as is described at column 23, lines 24-26 in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,011. Various heating means are disclosed at column 22, line 24 to column 23, line 13 in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,011. The light-sensitive material can be heated from the side of the support or from the side of the light-sensitive layer (cf., column 23, lines 10-13 in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,011).
By the way, an image recording apparatus for the above-described image forming method has recently been proposed (cf., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,737,822, No. 4,783,683, No. 4,797,710, No. 4,819,032 and No. 4,825,041). The size of the apparatus is proportional to the heating time as well as the size of the light-sensitive material. Accordingly, the heating time for the development and polymerization reactions should be shortened to construct a compact apparatus.
Further, the light-sensitive material used in the apparatus is preferably in the form of roll film. The roll of the light-sensitive material is continuously imagewise exposed to light, heated and pressed on an image-receiving material. In this case, the length of the light-sensitive material necessary for formation of one image is determined by the time of the longest process, namely the heating process. Accordingly, it is necessary for saving the roll of the light-sensitive material to shorten the heating time.
There are two ways to shorten the heating time. One way is to improve the light-sensitive material. The other is to improve the heating means.
The development and polymerization reactions smoothly proceed in alkaline conditions. Therefore, the light-sensitive material preferably contains a base precursor as an image formation accelerator to shorten the heating time. In order to more accelerate the development and polymerization reactions, it is preferred to incorporate the base precursor into light-sensitive microcapsules, as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,064 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 64(1989)-32251 and European Patent Provisional Publication No. 0301539A) and Japanese Patent Provisional Publications No. 1(1989)-263641, No. 2(1990)-14601 and No. 3(1991)-25444. The base precursor is composed of a salt of an organic base with a carboxylic acid, and is generally used in the form of solid particles.
With respect to the heating means, the efficiency of heat conduction has mainly been considered. Accordingly, the light-sensitive material has been directly heated from the side of the light-sensitive layer in the case that the heating time should be shortened.

Image forming method of exposing and heating light-sensitive material comprising light-sensitive layer provided on support


A high-performance and cost-effective cache memory system is provided for use in conjunction with a high-speed computer system. The cache memory system is used on a computer system having a central processing unit (CPU) of the type having a back-off function that can be activated to temporarily halt the CPU when receiving a back-off signal. The cache memory system is capable of enabling the back-off signal in the event that the data read request signal from the CPU is determined to be a miss. During the back-off duration of the CPU, the requested data are moved from the primary memory unit to the cache memory module. This feature allows the overall performance of the computer system to be high even though a low-speed tag random-access memory (RAM) is used in the cache memory system, allowing the computer system to be highly cost-effective to use with high performance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computers, and more particularly, to a cache memory system and a method for accessing this cache memory system, which allow the computer system to operate with high performance even though a low-speed tag RAM is used in the cache memory system.
2. Description of Related Art
In the use of computers, performance is a primary concern. A computer system's performance can be enhanced in various ways, such as by using a high-speed CPU instead of a low-speed one. In the past, the PC/XT-based IBM-compatible personal computers (PC) were driven by a system clock of only 4.77 MHz. Nowadays, however, most IBM-compatible PCs are running at 100 MHz or higher. The use of high-speed CPUs can undoubtedly increase the overall performance of the computer system. However, using a high-speed CPU also requires use of high-speed peripheral devices in conjunction with the high-speed CPU. If a low-speed peripheral device, such as a low-speed memory, is used in conjunction with high-speed CPU, the overall performance of the computer system is still unsatisfactorily low.
A computer system typically includes two types of memories: ROM (read-only memory) and RAM (random-access memory). The ROM is used to permanently store repeatedly used programs and data, such as the booting routines, while the RAM is used to store frequently updated or changed programs and data. ROMs are typically slower in speed than RAMs. Therefore, in operation, the programs stored in the ROM are customarily moved to the RAM after the computer has been booted. This scheme allows an increase in the performance of the computer system. Furthermore, there are two types of RAMs: SRAM (static random-access memory) and DRAM (dynamic random access memory). SRAMs are higher in speed than DRAMs. But since SRAMs are significantly smaller in packing density and more difficult to manufacture than DRAMs, DRAMs are more cost-effective to use than SRAMs. Therefore, although lower in speed, DRAMs are widely used as the primary memory on most computer systems.
Use of a high-speed CPU is used in conjunction with a low-speed DRAM gives rise to the problem of a performance bottleneck. A solution to this problem is to provide a so-called cache memory in addition to the primary memory. In this solution, low-speed DRAMs are used as the primary memory of the computer system, while high-speed SRAMs are used as the cache memory. The cache memory stores the most frequently accessed blocks of programs and data from the primary memory. When requesting data, the CPU first checks whether the requested data are stored in the cache memory; if not, the CPU then turns the request to the primary memory. The use of cache memory can significantly increase the overall performance of the computer system. However, since the cache memory is much smaller in capacity than the primary memory, the requested data may not be always found in the cache memory. It is called a hit if the requested data are currently stored in the cache memory and a miss if not. The term "cache hit rate" refers to the number of times that an operand requested by the CPU is found in the cache memory. Therefore, the cache hit rate is a measure of the performance of a cache algorithm. In the case of IBM-compatible PCs, if the cache memory is larger than 512 KB (kilobyte) in capacity, the cache hit rate can be higher than 90%, which can considerably help improve the overall performance of the computer system. Furthermore, the use of a new type of SRAM, called PBSRAM (pipelined burst static random-access memory), as the cache memory can further increase the overall performance of the computer system.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the architecture of a conventional cache memory system used in conjunction with a computer system. The cache memory system here is the part enclosed in a dashed box indicated by the reference numeral 110. As shown, the cache memory system 110 includes a cache memory module 111, which includes a data RAM unit 113 and a tag RAM unit 114, and a cache control circuit 112. All of the constituent components of the cache memory system 110 are coupled via a common data bus 150 to the CPU 120 and the primary memory unit 140 of the computer system for data exchange. The cache control circuit 112 is used to control access to the cache memory module 111 in response to any read/write requests from the CPU 120. When a block of data in the primary memory unit 140 is placed in the cache memory module 111, the data values thereof are stored in the data RAM unit 113 while the tag values used to help map the addresses in the data RAM unit 113 to the primary memory unit 140 are stored in the tag RAM unit 114. Moreover, the tag RAM unit 114 stores a so-called "dirty bit" that is used to indicate whether the data currently stored in the data RAM unit 113 have been updated by the CPU 120.
The scheme for mapping the data and address values from the primary memory unit 140 to the cache memory module 111 is depicted in FIG. 2A. As mentioned earlier, when a block of data in the primary memory unit 140 is placed in the cache memory module 111, the data values thereof are stored in the data RAM unit 113 while the tag values are stored in the tag RAM unit 114. As shown in FIG. 2B, the physical addresses of this block of data can be determined by combining the tag values with the index values. When the CPU 120 references a particular address in the primary memory unit 140, the value of that address can be directly mapped by a direct mapping method to the cache memory module 111 so as to fetch the requested data from the mapped addresses in the cache memory module 111.
To determine whether the request from the CPU is a hit or a miss, the address values issued by the CPU 120 are compared with the contents stored in the tag RAM unit 114. If matched, the requested data are currently stored in the cache memory module 111; otherwise, the requested data are not stored in the cache memory module 111 and access is turned to the primary memory unit 140. The access speed to the tag RAM unit 114 is therefore one of the primary factors that affect the overall performance of the computer system.
FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing the procedural steps involved in a conventional cache read algorithm for reading data from the cache memory system 110. This algorithm is carried out by the cache control circuit 112 in response to a data read request signal from the CPU 120.
As shown, in the initial step 310, the CPU 120 issues a data read request signal to the cache memory system 110.
In the next step 311, the cache memory system 110 checks whether the data read request signal is a hit or a miss to the cache memory system 110.
If it is a hit, the procedure goes to step 320, in which the requested data are transferred from the cache memory module 111 to the CPU 120.
Otherwise, if it is a miss, the procedure goes to step 313, in which the cache control circuit 112 checks whether the data currently stored in the cache memory module 111 have been updated.
If not updated, the procedure goes to step 332 in which the data requested by the CPU 120 are moved from the primary memory unit 140 to the cache memory module 111, and subsequently transferred from the cache memory module 111 to the CPU 120. This completes the response to the request from the CPU 120.
Otherwise, if updated, the procedure goes to step 330 in which the updated data are moved from the cache memory module 111 to the primary memory unit 140. The procedure then goes on to step 331 in which the data requested by the CPU 120 are moved from the primary memory unit 140 to the cache memory module 111, and subsequently transferred from the cache memory module 111 to the CPU 120. This completes the response to the request from the CPU 120.
FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing the procedural steps involved in a conventional cache write algorithm for writing data into the cache memory module 111 in the cache memory system 110. This algorithm is carried out by the cache control circuit 112 in response to a data write request signal from the CPU 120.
As shown, in the initial step 410, the CPU 120 issues a data write request signal to the cache memory system 110. The data write request signal indicates that the CPU 120 has generated some new or updated data that are to be added back to the original data.
In the next step 411, the cache memory system 110 checks whether the data write request signal is a hit or a miss to the cache memory system 110.
If it is a miss, the procedure goes to step 430, in which the output data from the CPU 120 are written into the primary memory unit 140.
Otherwise, if it is a hit, the procedure goes to step 420, in which the output data from the CPU 120 are written into the cache memory module 111. The procedure then goes to step 421, in which the dirty bit is set to indicate that the data currently stored in the data RAM unit 113 have been updated.
The conventional cache memory system described performs well, provided that it is used in conjunction with a low-speed CPU. If used in conjunction with a high-speed CPU, such as Intel's 100 MHz P54C CPU, the overall performance of the computer system is still very low. The reason for this is described in the following.
Since Intel's P54C CPU runs at 100 MHz, the period of the clock signal is 10 ns (nanosecond). In the prior art of FIG. 1, when the cache memory system 110 receives a data read/write request signal from the CPU 120, it first checks whether the request is a hit or a miss to the data currently stored in the cache memory module 111. However, the P54C CPU is designed to receive the requested data (in the case of a read request) or output the updated data (in the case of a write request) at the third clock period after the issuing of the request signal. Therefore, the cache memory system 110 should complete the hit/miss checking process in less than three clock periods; i.e., step 311 shown in FIG. 3 and step 411 shown in FIG. 4 should be completed in just one or two clock periods. The conventional cache memory system 110, however, is hardly able to achieve this. The reason is described in the following.
When the cache memory system 110 checks whether the request signal is a hit or a miss, it must first access the data currently stored in the tag RAM unit 114. The access time to the tag RAM unit 114 should therefore be less than two clock periods, i.e. 20 ns. Presently, the RAM products on the market that can be used to serve as the tag RAM unit 114, which comes with 7.2 ns, 8 ns, 10 ns, 12 ns, and 15 ns in access time. According to their nominal specifications, these tag RAM units are all less than 20 ns in access time. However, when actually used on a cache memory system, a number of delay times can be involved, which can add up to an overall access time of greater than 20 ns.
The term "valid delay" refers to the period from the time point when the address bus starts to change voltage states to the time point when the voltage states representative of the output address values are stabilized. In the case of the P54C CPU, the valid delay is 4 ns (which can be found in the operating manual of P54C CPU).
Moreover, it takes a delay time of about 2 ns to transfer the outputted address values from the CPU 120 over the common data bus 150 to the tag RAM unit 114. This delay time is generally proportional to the length of the printed data lines on the motherboard over which the address values are transferred.
In response to the request signal, it then takes a delay time of another 2 ns to transfer the outputted data from the tag RAM unit 114 to the cache control circuit 112.
Next, it takes a setup time of about 3.8 ns for the cache control circuit 112 to wait until the received data from the tag RAM unit 114 are stabilized in voltage states on the data bus.
Still further, although the cache control circuit 112 and the CPU 120 are driven by the same system clock signal, there exists a lag in synchronization that causes the cache control circuit 112 to receive the clock signal by a delay time of about 0.5 ns.
Assume that a fast tag RAM of 8 ns is chosen to serve as the tag RAM unit 114 in the cache memory system 110 of FIG. 1. Then summing up all the above-mentioned delay times, an overall delay time of 20.3 ns is obtained, which is greater than the allowed delay time of 20 ns. If an even faster tag RAM of 7.2 ns is chosen, the overall delay time can be reduced to 19.5 ns. Although this delay time is just a little less than the allowed delay time of 20 ns, it still considerably increases the implementation cost. The overall delay time can be further reduced by reducing the length of the printed data bus over which the data are transferred between the CPU and the cache memory system, but this solution can only provide a slight improvement on the access time which is insubstantial. A better solution is to alter the CPU specification in such a manner as to allow three waiting periods instead of two. This can increase the allowable time for response from 20 ns to 30 ns, thus allowing the use of a low-cost tag RAM with an access time of 10 ns, 12 ns, or 15 ns. However, since one additional waiting period is required, the overall performance of the computer system would be significantly reduced.
As a summary, the conventional cache memory system has the following disadvantages.
(1) First, when it is used in conjunction with a high-speed CPU, it can degrade the overall performance of the computer system in that the access to the tag RAM can cause a long waiting time for the CPU. PA1 (2) Second, the use of a high-speed tag RAM will cause the manufacturing cost of the cache memory system to be high, making the computer system less competitive on the market. PA1 (3) Third, the use of a low-speed tag RAM to save manufacturing cost will then cause the overall performance of the computer system to be low, making the computer system less appealing to the customers.

Cache memory system and method of a computer


A process for emulsion-polymerizing unsaturated monomer(s) is disclosed. When a hydrazine derivative having at least two hydrazine residues per molecule is added to the polymer dispersion obtained by said emulsion polymerization process, a polymer dispersion composition capable of forming a film which is excellent in blocking resistance, adhesiveness to an alkyd resin film, water-resistant adhesiveness to an alkyd resin film and water-resistant anti-whitening can be obtained.

The present inventors previously proposed an emulsion polymerization process which comprises: (A) employing as a dispersant a water soluble carbonyl group-containing copolymer comprising (a) 0.5 to 99.5% by weight of a carbonyl group-containing monomer unit having at least one aldehyde or keto group and a polymerizable double bond per molecule; (b) 99.5 to 0.5% by weight of a monomer unit selected from among a monoolefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 5 carbon atoms, an amide of said unsaturated carboxylic acid, an N-alkyl and/or N-alkylol derivative of said unsaturated carboxylic acid amide and a monoolefinically unsaturated sulfonic acid; and (c) 0 to 70% by weight of a monomer unit selected from among an alkyl (meth)acrylate an alkyl moiety of which has 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a vinyl aromatic compound, a vinyl halide, ethylene, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitirle, a saturated carboxylic acid vinyl ester and a 1,3-diene, with the total amount of the monomer units as defined in (a) to (c) being 100% by weight and (B) emulsion-polymerizing, including copolymerizing, unsaturated monomer(s) having polymerizable double bond(s) (cf. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 104902/83). However, subsequent studies have revealed that a film of a polymer dispersion composition, which is prepared by adding a hydrazine derivative having at least two hydrazine residues per molecule to the polymer dispersion as obtained by the above process, is unsatisfactory in water-resistant anti-whitening, water-resistant adhesiveness and rust resistance, though said film is excellent in blocking resistance, solvent resistance and adhesiveness to an alkyd resin film.


Provided is a linear voltage regulator and method of use thereof which controls the voltage input to an integrated circuit such as a digital signal processor (DSP) or a processor. The method includes the sequential steps of generating a first ramping voltage to a load connection when the load is in a start-up phase, and generating a second operating voltage to the load connection when the load is in an operational phase. The linear voltage regulator includes a control circuit and a regulation circuit that implements the method.

As integrated circuit (IC) devices and IC circuits (collectively, IC circuitry--such as digital signal processors (DSPs) and mixed signal analog circuits, for example) continue to shrink in size and increase in complexity, more precise control of input voltages and input currents to IC circuitry is required. To control input voltages, modem IC circuitry utilize voltage regulators to insure that a relatively constant input voltage is maintained on the input to the IC circuitry. However, the miniaturization of IC circuitry has progressed to the point where constant input voltage regulation alone is not sufficient to insure the integrity and performance of the IC circuitry.
For example, when an IC circuitry starts-up, if the operational (steady-state) input voltage of the IC circuitry is immediately placed on the IC circuitry input, the IC circuitry may experience an excessive input current. This excessive input current may bum out transistors (called high in-rush current and may cause "over-voltage condition"), place undesired biases in the IC circuitry, and inject free electrons into the substrate of the IC circuitry. To limit the problems caused by an excessive input current, and to control other damaging effects of start-up operation, some regulators use two different regulation states (these are known as dual-mode voltage regulators). For example, one dual-mode voltage regulator uses current sources to place one fixed voltage on the input to the IC circuitry for a brief period of time, called a start-up phase. Then, after the start-up phase is complete, the dual-mode voltage regulator places a second fixed voltage (the operational voltage of the IC circuitry) on the input to the IC circuitry.
Unfortunately, the performance of prior-art voltage regulators, including dual-mode voltage regulators, is unsatisfactory and suffers from numerous disadvantages. For example, even small sudden changes in the input voltage can inject noise into the IC circuitry. In addition, though dual-mode voltage regulators reduce the damage caused by placing an operational voltage source directly on an IC circuitry, over-voltage conditions may still occur, free electrons may still be injected into the substrate, and the forwarding of back diodes can still occur. Also, the addition of the start-up phase in dual-mode voltage regulators increases the time it takes for an IC circuitry to become operational, which decreases the performance of the IC circuitry. Furthermore, dual-mode voltage regulators occupy a relatively large amount of IC wafer space. All of these factors contribute to reducing the performance and efficiency of the IC circuitry.
Therefore it is desired to have a voltage regulator circuit and a method for implementing a voltage regulator that provides safe start-up operations, increases start-up speeds, increases IC circuitry efficiency, prevents over-voltage conditions, and reduces the likelihood of noise injection in the IC circuitry, and electron injection into the substrate. The present invention provides such a device and method.

Controlled linear start-up in a linear regulator


An apparatus for correcting a faulty microcode contained in a control store of a microprogrammed processor. The apparatus comprises two functional parts; namely, the detection circuit for detecting operational codes that correspond to faulty microinstructions in the main control store ROM of the system and a programmable array which is used as the storage area for substitute microinstructions. The detection circuit is a circuit which operates as a logic NOR circuit and is utilized to detect valid operational codes of macroinstructions that correspond to microcode sequences that contain errors or faults. The programmable array consists of two loadable RAM's which contain error free microcode to replace the faulty microcode. The detection and correction occurs in parallel with the instruction decoding so that it does not have any impact on system cycle time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement for the detection of errors associated with the implementation of a processor instruction, and more particularly, to a small programmable array for the detection and correction of errors associated with instructions having an invalid microcode sequence.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The programming language utilized to program microprocessors or processors in general is commonly referred to as assembler language or assembly language. Each individual assembler instruction is referred to as a macroinstruction, and each macroinstruction usually consists of a plurality of microinstructions. Microinstructions are the basic or primitive instructions that the microprocessor or processor can perform. The macroinstructions are a higher level language then the microinstructions and typically require several states to complete execution. Depending on the particular microprocessor or processor, the microinstructions required to implement a specific macroinstruction will vary.
A microprocessor or processor system consists basically of three main modules; namely, the microcontrol logic module, the control memory logic module, and the data path module. The two major functional areas of concern are the microcontrol logic module and the control memory logic module. The data path module is responsible for the manipulation of data through the system. The microinstructions are stored in the control memory and are collectively referred to as the system or processor firmware. Each microinstruction consists of a plurality of fields including one field which is used in conjunction with the processor control flags and the operation code of the macroinstruction to determine the next sequential microinstruction to be executed. The other primary field is used to control the data path. The macroinstruction operation code is read by the microcontrol logic and determines which microroutine to execute next.
In high speed processors, the control memory is usually constructed of bipolar ROMS and PROMS and by replacing the particular ROM, the entire macroinstruction set can be changed. In conventional processors, ROM is widely used for implementing an on-chip control store (control memory). As compared with an off-chip control store, this approach eliminates chip-crossing in the critical path and offers a very large data width, both of which are crucial for the high speed performance of the system. ROM is chosen because it has a density which is approximately 10 times better than that of static RAM. However, ROM can only be programmed with mask levels during fabrication which becomes a major disadvantage during the system development stage. A simple microcode error can block the whole system development effort for a significant amount of time. It is therefore desirable to detect and correct instructions without having to reprogram to ROM.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,539 to Sato discusses a variety of earlier conventional circuit arrangements for processing a fault or an error occurring in a control memory. One such circuit arrangement for the detection and correction of errors associated with incorrect instructions comprises an error detecting circuit and an error correcting circuit together with a control memory loaded with a plurality of microinstructions. The error detecting circuit is for detecting an error of each microinstruction read out of the control memory while the error correcting circuit is for correcting the error to obtain a correct microinstruction. With this structure, each microinstruction is always sent from the control memory through both the error detecting circuit and the error correcting circuit even when an error is not detected by the error detecting circuit. Therefore, an increase of a machine cycle is inevitable.
In another conventional circuit arrangement, the error detection alone is normally carried out for each microinstruction read out of a control memory by the use of an error detection circuit. An error correction circuit is operated only when an error is detected by the error detection circuit. With this structure, it is possible to shorten the machine cycle as compared with the above-mentioned circuit arrangement. However, the error correction circuit corrects an error of each microinstruction each time an erroneous portion of control memory is accessed. Therefore, it takes a long time to process each microinstruction read out of the erroneous portion. This lengthens the average time of executing the microinstructions when the hardware error occurs in the control memory.
Both of the above described prior art circuit arrangements carry out not only error detection but also error correction on occurrence of an error. In order to enable the error correction, each microinstruction should be formed by an error correcting code. Although the error detection alone is simply possible by addition of one or more parity bits, such as error correcting code requires extra redundant bits greater in number than the parity bit or bits, as is well known in the art. Thus, use of the error correcting code results in the control memory of an increased bit capacity. In addition, neither of the above described prior art circuit arrangements can correct microcode errors resulting from programming mistakes.
One embodiment for correcting errors in microcode is disclosed by Chang et al. in IBM Tech. Dis. Bal. 31,11 (April 1989), which uses a programmable instruction detection circuit. When there is an error associated with the implementation of an instruction, the detection circuit can be programmed to recognize the op code, and the instruction can be treated as an un-implemented instruction. Software emulation can be written to execute the instruction and bypass the problem. However, this system cannot verify the correctness of the revised microcode.
Japanese Patent No. 58-16349 discloses a memory extension substituting system to facilitate the substitution of faulty instructions with error free instructions. In this patent, the implementation of the system is based on the detection of a particular address of the microinstruction rather than on the detection of a particular operational code of the instruction. When a particular address is detected, a substitute address pointing to an area of memory which has error free microinstructions is provided. A no-op cycle for timing purposes has to be inserted when the microinstruction is invalidated by the system. This no-op state can happen in the middle of the execution of an instruction, which can make the design and debugging of the system more difficult.
Japanese Patent No. 58-16350 also discloses a memory extension substituting system. In this patent, when the specific address of a microinstruction with a fault is detected by a coincidence means, a substitute instruction is provided. Basically, to correct n microinstructions, the detection circuit detects and generates replacement addresses for n microaddresses. However, it is only feasible to implement a system capable of handling n microinstructions, where n is limited to small numbers due to the limitation on the size and performance of the detection circuits.
Japanese Patent No. 59-85545 discloses a correcting and processing system for the contents of a system ROM. In this patent, the system disclosed provides for a technique which involves the bypassing of errors in the system ROM containing the system program, and not errors in the control store ROM which contains the microcode.

Small programmable array to the on-chip control store for microcode correction


An exposure time control device for a camera which measures the light reflected from a surface of a leading shutter curtain and/or a surface of a film can determine exact exposure time even if difference exists between reflection factors of the surfaces, by means of a simple construction including no special light measuring circuit other than a light measuring circuit originally provided for the exposure time control purpose. A first memory or storage capacitor memorizes logarithmically compressed output of the light measuring circuit fed through a first switch when the first switch is opened in conjunction with start of the leading shutter curtain travel while a second storage or memory capacitor memorizes the output fed through a second switch when the second switch is opened in conjunction with completion of the leading shutter curtain travel. An operational circuit combines the output of the light measuring circuit at a time of full shutter opening with the output in the second memory capacitor subtracted by the output in the first memory capacitor, producing a corrected output. A time count circuit controls timing of trailing shutter curtain release in accordance with the corrected signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera exposure time control device which permits exposure time control in response to the measurement of light reflected from a surface of a shutter curtain and/or a surface of a film.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With this type of exposure time control, if a surface of a first or leading shutter curtain and a surface of a film differ in reflection factor, a difference occurs in the light measurement output around the time when the shutter curtain starts travelling, causing an error in exposure time control. Since it is practically impossible to make the surface of the shutter curtain compatible in reflection factor with surfaces of all films available on the market, a light measurement output requires some correction during exposure control operation to ensure correct exposure time control at all times.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. Sho 53-46725 and Sho 54-151029, for example, disclose a correction method, in which in addition to a light measuring circuit originally included in an exposure time control circuit is provided another light measuring circuit to detect a difference in reflection factor between a surface of a leading shutter curtain and a surface of a film. However, this method is disadvantageous in that the additional light measuring circuit makes an entire exposure time control circuit complex.


The present disclosure relates generally to two-stage biomass pyrolysis systems configured to maximize pyrolysis vapor yield from a lignocellulosic biomass while being conducive to commercial-scale throughput of lignocellulosic biomass. The system includes a reactor first stage comprising at least one auger pyrolyzes a lignocellulosic feedstock at a temperature and residence time that produces pyrolysis vapors derived predominantly from cellulose and hemi-cellulose fractions of the feedstock. A reactor second stage is configured to partially-pyrolyzed feedstock from the reactor first stage at a higher temperature for an additional residence time to produce additional pyrolysis vapors that are predominantly derived from of lignin. Certain embodiments arrange multiple reactor first stages around a single reactor second stage.

Conventional fast pyrolysis of biomass entails rapid heating of a biomass feedstock in a hypoxic environment to produce a combination of non-condensable gases (C1-C4), condensable pyrolysis vapors and solid carbonaceous char. Conventional fast pyrolysis of biomass typically mixes biomass with a heated solid particles (i.e., "heat carrier") to facilitate rapid heating of the biomass to a temperature ranging from 315° C. to 600° C. The resulting thermal-cracking of the heated feedstock produces non-condensable light gases, a solid carbonaceous char, and condensable pyrolysis vapors that can be converted to biofuels.
A major barrier to commercial implementation of this pyrolysis technology for production of biofuels is that the condensable pyrolysis vapors include many highly-reactive intermediate compounds comprising radicals. These compounds rapidly react to form secondary compounds that are difficult to upgrade to transportation fuels. One strategy to prevent this has been to minimize residence time of these primary pyrolysis vapors within the reactor to less than a few seconds, as increasing residence time directly correlates with an increase in undesirable products that negatively impact the yield of upgradable vapors. However, a total residence time of 45-60 sec or longer is often required to ensure complete pyrolysis of all cellulosic biomass components and to maximize vapor yields. Therefore, a short vapor residence time and long solids residence time are competing goals in a conventional biomass pyrolysis process.
Certain pyrolysis systems and processes have attempted to increase the yield of upgradeable pyrolysis vapors by minimizing the residence time of these vapors in the reactor. This has typically been achieved by either employing a small-volume pyrolysis reactor or increasing the throughput of a sweep gas to quickly move pyrolysis vapors out of the reactor. However, neither of these options is conducive to the design of a large, commercial-scale pyrolysis system. Small-volume pyrolysis reactors have a shorter vapor residence time that helps prevent secondary reactions of the pyrolysis vapors that can prevent subsequent upgrading. Unfortunately, small volume reactors often lack sufficient residence time to completely pyrolyze the feedstock, thereby lowering efficiency and yield beneath commercially-viable levels. Alternatively, increasing the throughput of sweep gas (or sweep gas rate) also decreases efficiency by: 1) excessively diluting the pyrolysis vapors, making subsequent catalytic upgrading less efficient, 2) requiring more energy to heat the larger volume of sweep gas, and 3) potentially increasing char entrainment in the pyrolysis vapors leaving the reactor.
A commercial scale process and system for biomass pyrolysis must increase the throughput of biomass while remaining efficient and maximizing the yield of upgradeable pyrolysis vapors. One conventional strategy for increasing biomass throughput is to employ a reactor comprising a mechanical device (e.g., an auger) that facilitates biomass movement through the reactor. Unfortunately, auger-type reactors become progressively less efficient as their size is increased to a commercial-scale throughput. For example, increasing the diameter or cross-section of an auger-type reactor leads to progressively less efficient mixing, and thus, less efficient heating of the feedstock. This decreases pyrolysis vapor yield. Alternatively, increasing the reactor length to achieve increased biomass residence time (thereby increasing pyrolysis vapor yield) simultaneously decreases efficiency by increasing the volume of heated sweep gas required to minimize pyrolysis vapor residence time (leading to the problems discussed above). The disadvantages of not providing sufficient biomass residence time include decreased yield (via incomplete pyrolysis) and the potential for clogging of the pyrolysis system due to continued pyrolysis of the biomass following its removal from the reactor.
Certainly, there is a need to improve fast pyrolysis processes and systems to allow the efficient pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass at commercial scale, and to facilitate commercial-scale rapid upgrading of biomass-derived pyrolysis vapors into products that are fungible with current petroleum-derived liquid hydrocarbon fuels.


A process and apparatus for controlling the strip run (4) of a metal strip (10) through a floating furnace (3). The strip run (4) is controlled contact-free with the aid of an electromagnetic device (1) that generates a Lorentz force acting transversely to the strip run.

The present invention is directed to a process for controlling the strip run of a metal strip through a treatment device.
The treatment device is a floating furnace through which the metal strip is guided horizontally on air cushions, where the strip run is controlled inside the floating furnace. In conventional plants, the strip is usually guided by means of movable guide rolls that can be used to correct the strip run. However, a strip guiding device of this type is problematical in annealing furnaces because the guide rolls can damage the soft-annealed metal strip. Thus, the strip is currently guided by means of guide rolls arranged before and after the furnace.
The metal strip is conveyed through the furnace and along the subsequent cooling line while floating on air cushions. Modern horizontal floating furnaces including a cooling line can easily reach lengths in excess of 130 meters. Even if the metal strip is guided into the floating furnace in the center, there may be lateral drift inside the furnace. If the soft strip touches the wall of the furnace, it will be damaged. One possible solution would be to build the furnace much wider than the metal strip so that it can drift to the side to a certain extent without touching the walls. However, this would not make good use of the furnace capacity. Another possibility would be to mount mechanical limits on the furnace wall, but these limits could bend the sides of the metal strip upwards.
DE 1205291 describes a device for avoiding contact with the wall by means of a specially designed air cushion underneath the strip that centers the metal strip automatically. However, the strip run cannot be influenced actively.