Techniques are provided for extracting anomaly related rules from organizational data. One method comprises obtaining anomaly analysis data integrated from multiple data sources of an organization, wherein the multiple data sources comprise at least one set of labeled anomaly data related to anomalous transactions; extracting features from the integrated anomaly analysis data that correlate with an indication of an anomaly; training multiple machine learning models using the extracted features, where the machine learning models are trained using different combinations of the extracted features; evaluating a performance of the trained machine learning models; and extracting rules from the trained machine learning models based on the performance, wherein the extracted rules are used to classify transactions as anomalous. The trained machine learning models comprise a decision tree comprising paths to an anomaly classification. The extracted rules are optionally in a human-readable format.

Anomaly detection systems detect anomalous activity within organizations, often using machine learning techniques. A given transaction of a given organization may be classified as a suspicious transaction, for example, based on an assigned risk score provided by fraud detection systems, often from multiple vendors. In addition, an organization may employ a manually defined rule mechanism in combination with the fraud detection systems, where the rules in the rule mechanism are based on expert knowledge that integrates the results of the different vendors along with internal domain-specific features (e.g., variables and attributes).
A need exists for improved techniques for generating rules for anomaly detection.

Extraction of anomaly related rules using data mining and machine learning


A reversibly thermochromic light-shielding/light-transmitting laminate member. More particularly, the invention relates to a reversibly thermochromic light-shielding/light-transmitting laminate member which changes not only in color but in transmittance with temperature.

The present invention relates to a reversibly thermochromic light-shielding/light-transmitting laminate member. More particularly, the invention relates to a reversibly thermochromic light-shielding/light-transmitting laminate member, which changes not only in color but in transmittance with temperature.
A laminate member which undergoes alternate color changes between a colorless transparent state and a colored opaque state with temperature is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,956. This laminate member comprises a substrate and formed thereon a reversibly thermochromic layer comprising a vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer resin matrix and dispersed therein a reversibly thermochromic composition comprising (a) an electron-donating color-forming organic compound, (b) an electron-accepting compound, and (c) a reaction medium determining the temperatures at which the color reactions of component (a) with component (b) take place.
The thermochromic composition contained in the reversibly thermochromic layer is not encapsulated, i.e., of the so-called non-capsule type. Because of this, not only the thermochromic layer has a factor contributing to chemical instability, but also the substrate is limited in material. With respect to thermochromic properties, the laminate member has such color-memorizing properties that it is wide hysteretic and memorizes and retains a color-changed state resulting from a temperature change.
An aim of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the known reversibly thermochromic laminate member which undergoes alternate color changes between a colorless transparent state and a colored opaque state. Namely, the aim is to provide a reversibly thermochromic light-shielding/light-transmitting laminate member which has a satisfactory thermochromic function and is free from the factor contributing to chemical instability inherent in the system employing a non-capsule type reversibly thermochromic composition.
The invention provides a reversibly thermochromic light-shielding/light-transmitting laminate member which comprises a substrate and formed thereon a reversibly thermochromic layer comprising a transparent resin and fixedly dispersed therein a reversibly thermochromic microencapsulated pigment containing a reversibly thermochromic composition comprising (a) an electron-donating color-forming organic compound, (b) an electron-accepting compound, and (c) a reaction medium determining the temperatures at which the color reactions of component (a) with component (b) take place, the reversibly thermochromic microencapsulated pigment being a deformable pigment which has an average particle diameter of from 0.1 to 5.0 xcexcm, the transparent resin having a tensile elongation at break of 350% or lower. In the laminate member of the invention, the proportion of the reversibly thermochromic microencapsulated pigment to the transparent resin is preferably from 1/0.5 to 1/20 (in terms of weight ratio on a solid basis) and the reversibly thermochromic layer preferably has a thickness of from 5 to 100 xcexcm. Furthermore, the transparent resin is preferably a resin selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate resins, acrylic resins, vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer resins, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer resins, saturated polyester resins, unsaturated polyester resins, butyral resins, polyurethane resins, polyamide resins, styrene resins, acrylic/styrene resins, ketone resins, and epoxy resins. In one embodiment of the invention, the laminate member has, formed over the reversibly thermochromic layer, a metallic glossy layer containing a metallic luster pigment having transparency. This metallic glossy layer preferably has a light transmittance of 5% or higher.
The laminate member of the invention, which undergoes alternate color changes between a colorless transparent state and a colored opaque state with temperature, is obtained based on a combination of a reversibly thermochromic microencapsulated pigment having an average particle diameter of from 0.1 to 5.0 xcexcm with a transparent resin having a tensile elongation at break of 350% or lower, as stated above.
More particularly, the reversibly thermochromic layer comprising a combination of a reversibly thermochromic microencapsulated pigment having an average particle diameter of from 0.1 to 5.0 xcexcm with a transparent resin having a tensile elongation at break of 350% or lower is presumed to undergo the following phenomena.
The microencapsulated pigment has different capsule shapes depending on whether the reversibly thermochromic composition contained therein is in a solid state, i.e., a colored state, or is in a dissolved state, i.e., a decolored state. Specifically, when the encapsulated composition is in a dissolved state (decolored state), then the capsules have a degree of freedom and are deformable because the reversibly thermochromic composition is liquid. However, when the encapsulated composition is in a solid state (colored state), the capsules have recesses in the surface thereof, which were formed upon solidification of the reversibly thermochromic composition, and are hard and less apt to be deformed.
On the other hand, the transparent resin used in the invention has an elongation as low as 350% or below and does not conform to capsule shape changes with temperature. In addition, the microencapsulated pigment is kept fixed while retaining a given shape. From these, the following can be presumed. When the encapsulated reversibly thermochromic composition is in a dissolved state (decolored state), the capsules have a degree of freedom in shape change and are dispersed while in close contact with the surrounding transparent resin. However, when the reversibly thermochromic composition is in a solid state (colored state), the capsules have recesses in the surface thereof, resulting in spaces between the capsules and the transparent resin which has been in close contact therewith or resulting in spaces inside the capsules. This change in combination with color changes produces the following effects. When the reversibly thermochromic composition is in a solid state, the reversibly thermochromic layer is in a colored state and is opaque due to a bleaching phenomenon caused by light scattering by the spaces. When the reversibly thermochromic composition is in a dissolved state, the reversibly thermochromic layer is in a decolored state and is transparent because the light-scattering phenomenon attributable to the spaces does not occur since the capsules are in close contact with the transparent resin.
Requirements for enabling the color changes to occur include the particle diameter of the capsules which is regulated to 0.1 to 5.0 xcexcm. The reasons for this are as follows. In case where the particle diameter of the capsules is smaller than 0.1 xcexcm, not only satisfactory thermochromic properties cannot be obtained, but also such capsules should have a reduced wall thickness and hence have poor durability in secondary processing, making it difficult to satisfy suitability for practical use. In case where the particle diameter thereof exceeds 5.0 xcexcm, the microencapsulated pigment itself has considerably reduced light transmission and, hence, the reversibly thermochromic layer in a decolored state has reduced light transmission. The particle diameter of the capsules is preferably from 0.3 to 3.0 xcexcm, more preferably from 0.5 to 2.0 xcexcm. Use of such capsules enables the reversibly thermochromic layer to show transparency and a sufficient color density in a colored state, be reduced in a residual color in a decolored state, and have excellent sharpness in color change. Namely, the reversibly thermochromic layer can have an excellent balance among thermochromic functions.
As described above, the invention is based on such an epoch-making technique that light transmission in a decolored state and opacity (hiding properties) in a colored state are attained respectively by using capsules having a reduced particle size and by using a combination of a transparent resin having a tensile elongation at break of 350% or lower with a microencapsulated pigment which is deformable.
The proportion of the microencapsulated pigment to the transparent resin in terms of weight ratio on a solid basis is preferably from 1/0.5 to 1/20, more preferably from 1/1 to 1/10. The thickness of the reversibly thermochromic layer is preferably from 5 to 100 xcexcm, more preferably from 30 to 60 xcexcm.
In case where the proportion of the microencapsulated pigment to the transparent resin in terms of weight ratio on a solid basis exceeds 1/0.5, the pigment content is so high that transparency is reduced and the reversibly thermochromic coating layer has a reduced strength. In case where the proportion thereof is lower than 1/20, i.e., the proportion of the transparent resin exceeds the upper limit, then an excessively large film thickness is necessary for obtaining a satisfactory color density and this leads to insufficient drying and to problems concerning coating period, etc. Thus, such too high proportions of the transparent resin are unsuitable for practical use.
Thicknesses of the reversibly thermochromic layer smaller than 5 xcexcm result not only in difficulties in obtaining a satisfactory color tone in a colored state but also in poor hiding properties. On the other hand, thicknesses thereof exceeding 100 xcexcm may impair the transparency of the layer in a decolored state.
The reversibly thermochromic composition comprises three ingredients, i.e., (a) an electron-donating compound, (b) an electron-accepting compound, and (c) a reaction medium determining the temperatures at which the color reactions between components (a) and (b) take place. As this composition can be used, for example, the compositions proposed by the applicant which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,028,118 and No. 4,732,810.
This composition changes in color at a given temperature (color change point) in such a manner that the composition is in a decolored state at temperatures not lower than the color change point and is in a colored state at temperatures lower than the color change point. At ordinary temperature, the composition exists only in specific one of the two states. Namely, the other state is maintained only during the period in which heat or cold required for the development of this state is kept being applied, and the composition returns to the original ordinary-temperature state upon removal of the heat or cold. This composition is a reversibly thermochromic composition of the heating decoloration type which shows such a thermochromic behavior in which the hysteresis range is relatively narrow.
Also usable is the thermochromic composition which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,301. This composition shows enhanced hysteresis. Namely, plotting the color density against temperature gives a curve showing that the composition changes in color along routes which differ considerably between the case where the composition is heated from a temperature on the lower-temperature side of the color change temperature range and in the reverse case where the composition is cooled from a temperature on the higher-temperature side of the color change temperature range. This composition is a thermochromic color-memorizing composition of the heating decoloration type in which the colored state in the range of temperatures not higher than the lower color change point and the decolored state in the range of temperatures not lower than the higher color change point can be alternately memorized and retained even after the heat or cold required for the color change has been removed.
Furthermore, a reversibly thermochromic composition of the heating coloration type can also be used which contains as an electron-accepting compound (b) a specific alkoxyphenol compound having a linear or branched alkyl group having 3 to 18 carbon atoms.
The reversibly thermochromic composition is microencapsulated and used as a microencapsulated pigment. This microencapsulation enables the composition to develop a bright color having a high density and satisfy practical properties such as homogeneity, dispersion stability, chemical resistance, and heat resistance.
For the microencapsulation, known techniques can be used. Examples thereof include interfacial polymerization, in-situ polymerization, in-liquid curing coating, phase separation from an aqueous solution, phase separation from an organic solvent, melt dispersion cooling, air-suspension coating, and spray drying.
Before the microencapsulated pigment is subjected to practical use, the surface properties of the microcapsules may be modified according to purposes.
The microencapsulated pigment is dispersed into a medium containing the resin to prepare a coloring material such as an ink or coating composition. This coloring material is applied to a substrate to thereby form a reversibly thermochromic layer.
Adding a non-thermochromic dye or pigment enables a color change from a colored opaque state (1) to a colored transparent state (2).
For forming the thermochromic layer, known techniques can be used. Examples thereof include printing techniques such as screen printing, offset printing, gravure printing, coater printing, tampon printing, and transfer printing and coating techniques such as brush coating, spray coating, electrostatic coating, electrodeposition, curtain coating, roller coating, and dip coating.
Examples of the material of the substrate include papers, synthetic papers, artificial leathers, natural leathers, plastics, glasses, porcelains and pottery, woods, stones, and metals.
The substrate may have a flat shape or may have recesses and protrusions.
Since the reversibly thermochromic layer of the laminate member of the invention undergoes alternate color changes between a colorless transparent state and a colored opaque state with temperature, the condition on the opposite side of the substrate can be perceived/hidden when the substrate is made of a transparent material. This laminate member can be applied, for example, to a reversibly thermochromic three-dimensional object comprising a three-dimensional substrate made of a transparent resin, the reversibly thermochromic layer formed on the substrate, and an appropriate shaped article enclosed in the three-dimensional substrate. In this reversibly thermochromic object, the shaped article placed inside can be perceived when the thermochromic layer is in a transparent state, and can be hidden when the thermochromic layer is in a colored opaque state.
Examples of the shaped article include dolls and toys modeled on, e.g., animals, vehicles, buildings, plants, foods, or stones.
The shaped article enclosed in the three-dimensional object is preferably in close contact with the three-dimensional object. Namely, the reversibly thermochromic three-dimensional object preferably has such a constitution that it has no space at the interface between the outer surface of the shaped article and the three-dimensional object. This is because the absence of spaces enables the shaped article to be clearly perceived.
The metallic glossy layer which may be formed on the reversibly thermochromic layer will be explained next.
The metallic glossy layer is a layer comprising a binder resin and, fixedly dispersed therein, a metallic luster pigment based on a transparent material, as a core material, selected from natural micas, synthetic micas, flat pieces of glasses, and flaky aluminum oxide.
The metallic glossy layer not only imparts any of various colors with a metallic luster to the reversibly thermochromic layer, but also functions as a light-shielding layer. Namely, due to its light-absorbing (or light-reflecting) function and light-shielding function, the metallic glossy layer absorbs or reflects at least part of ultraviolet and visible rays, which may adversely influence the functions of the reversibly thermochromic layer. Thus, the metallic glossy layer further has the effect of improving the light resistance of the reversibly thermochromic layer.
Effective metallic luster pigments based on a natural mica as a core material include one obtained by coating the surface of natural-mica particles with titanium oxide, one obtained by coating the surface of natural-mica particles with titanium oxide and then further coating the coated particles with iron oxide, and one obtained by coating the surface of natural-mica particles with titanium oxide and then further coating the coated particles with a non-thermochromic dye or pigment (preferably in an amount of from 0.5 to 10% by weight). Specific examples thereof include: a gold metallic luster pigment having a particle size of from 5 to 50 xcexcm obtained by coating the surface of a natural mica with 41 to 44% by weight titanium-oxide; a gold metallic luster pigment having a particle size of from 5 to 60 xcexcm obtained by coating the surface of a natural mica with 30 to 38% by weight titanium oxide and further coating the coated particles with 0.5 to 10% by weight non-thermochromic color pigment; a silver metallic luster pigment having a particle size of from 5 to 100 xcexcm obtained by coating the surface of a natural mica with 16 to 39% by weight titanium oxide; a metallic luster pigment obtained by coating the surface of a natural mica with 45 to 58% by weight titanium oxide; and a metallic luster pigment obtained by coating the surface of a natural mica with 45 to 58% by weight titanium oxide and then further coating the coated particles with 0.5 to 10% by weight non-thermochromic color dye or pigment. The xe2x80x9c% by weightxe2x80x9d used above is based on the total weight of the metallic luster pigment.
Metallic luster pigments based on a synthetic mica as a core material have a lower impurity content and a lower content of iron and other metal ions, which are a coloring factor, as compared with the metallic luster pigments based on a natural mica. Because of this, the pigments based on a synthetic mica have excellent transparency and is highly lustrous and glittering. Effective examples thereof include a pigment which is obtained by coating the surface of a synthetic mica with one or more metal oxides comprising titanium oxide as the main component and has an average particle thickness of from 0.1 to 5 xcexcm and an average particle diameter of from 2 to 1,000 xcexcm. This pigment has a metallic luster of a gold, silver, or another color depending on the degree of coating with the metal oxides. It is so transparent that the color tone of the underlying reversibly thermochromic layer can be clearly perceived.
Examples of the synthetic mica include ones represented by the following formula. One example is KMg3(AlSi3O10)F2.
xe2x80x83X1/3xe2x88x921Y2xe2x88x923Z4O10F2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
(In formula (1), X represents Na+, Li+, K+, Ca2+, Sr2+, or Ba2+; Y represents one or more members selected from Mg2+, Li+, Ni2+, Co2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, Al3+, Cr3+, and Ti3+; and Z represents one or more members selected from Al3+, Si4+, GE4+, and B3+.)
The shape of the mica is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include flat shapes and flaky shapes.
Examples of the metal oxides with which the surface of the synthetic mica is coated include oxides of metals such as titanium, zirconium, chromium, vanadium, and iron. However, it is preferred to use one or more metal oxides comprising titanium oxide as the main component.
The metallic luster pigments based on a synthetic mica as a core material are effective when the average particle thickness thereof is generally from 0.1 to 5 xcexcm and the average particle diameter thereof is generally from 2 to 1,000 xcexcm, preferably from 2 to 500 xcexcm, more preferably from 2 to 200 xcexcm. This average particle diameter means the average particle diameter which is determined by laser diffractometry and is the particle diameter corresponding to the 50% point in a cumulative median diameter distribution on a volume basis.
Specific examples of the metallic luster pigments comprising a synthetic mica whose surface is coated with a metal oxide include xe2x80x9cUltimicaxe2x80x9d (trade name) SB-100 (5-30 xcexcm; silver), SD-100 (10-60 xcexcm; silver), SE-100 (15-100 xcexcm; silver), SF-100 (44-150 xcexc; silver), SH-100 (150-600 xcexcm; silver), YB-100 (5-30 xcexcm; gold), YD-100 (10-60 xcexcm; gold), YE-100 (15-100 xcexcm; gold), YF-100 (44-150 xcexcm; gold), RB-100 (5-300 xcexcm; metallic red), RD-100 (10-60 xcexcm; metallic red), RE-100 (15-100 xcexcm; metallic red), RF-100 (44-150 xcexcm; metallic red), RBB-100 (5-30 xcexcm; metallic purple), RBD-100 (10-60 xcexcm; metallic purple), RBE-100 (15-100 xcexcm; metallic purple), RBF-100 (44-150 xcexcm; metallic purple), VB-100 (5-30 xcexcm; metallic violet), VD-100 (10-60 xcexcm; metallic violet), VE-100 (15-100 xcexcm; metallic violet), VF-100 (44-150 xcexcm; metallic violet), BB-100 (5-30 xcexcm; metallic blue), BD-100 (10-60 xcexcm; metallic blue), BE-100 (15-100 xcexcm; metallic blue), BF-100 (44-150 xcexcm; metallic blue), GB-100 (5-30 xcexcm; metallic green), GD-100 (10-60 xcexcm; metallic green), GE-100 (15-100 xcexcm; metallic green), and GF-100 (44-150 xcexcm; metallic green), all manufactured by Nihon Kokenkogyo K.K.
Examples of the metallic luster pigments obtained by coating the surface of flat glass pieces as a core material with titanium oxide include such metallic luster pigments which have a gold, silver, or another metallic color depending on the degree of coating with titanium oxide. Specific examples thereof include the pigments obtained by coating glass flakes with titanium oxide which are manufactured by Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. and sold under the trade name of xe2x80x9cMetashinexe2x80x9d RCFSX-5450TS(6041) (average thickness, 5xc2x12 xcexcm; average particle size, 450xc2x1145 xcexcm; gold), RCFSX-5200TS(6042) (average thickness, 5xc2x12 xcexcm; average particle size, 200xc2x170 xcexcm; silver), RCFSX-5140TS(6043) (average thickness, 5xc2x12 xcexcm; average particle size, 140xc2x145 xcexcm; silver), RCFSX-5080TS(6044) (average thickness, 5xc2x12 xcexcm; average particle size, 80xc2x130 xcexcm; silver), RCFSX-2080TS(6046) (average thickness, 2xc2x11 xcexcm; average particle size, 80xc2x130 xcexcm; silver), RCFSX-K120TS(6043) (average thickness, 20xc2x15 xcexcm; average particle size, 120xc2x120 xcexcm; silver), RCFSX-5090RC(8052) (average thickness, 5xc2x12 xcexcm; average particle size, 90xc2x130 xcexcm; gold), RCFSX-5090RC(8053) (average thickness, 5xc2x12 xcexcm; average particle size, 90xc2x130 xcexcm; metallic green), RCFSX-5090RC(8069) (average thickness, 5xc2x12 xcexcm; average particle size, 90xc2x130 xcexcm; metallic blue), RCFSX-5090RC(8070) (average thickness, 5xc2x12 xcexcm; average particle size, 90xc2x130 xcexcm; metallic purple), RCFSX-5090RC(8071) (average thickness, 5xc2x12 xcexcm; average particle size, 90xc2x130 xcexcm; metallic red), RCFSX-1040RC(9543) (average thickness, 1 xcexcm; average particle size, 40 xcexcm; silver), RCFSX-1040RC(9544) (average thickness, 1 xcexcm; average particle size, 40 xcexcm; gold), RCFSX-1040RC(9546) (average thickness, 1 xcexcm; average particle size, 40 xcexcm; metallic red), RCFSX-1040RC(9548) (average thickness, 1 xcexcm; average particle size, 40 xcexcm; metallic blue), RCFSX-1040RC(9549) (average thickness, 1 xcexcm; average particle size, 40 xcexcm; metallic green), RCFSX-1020RC(9550) (average thickness, 1 xcexcm; average particle size, 20 xcexcm; silver), RCFSX-1020RC(9551) (average thickness, 1 xcexcm; average particle size, 20 xcexcm, gold), RCFSX-1020RC(9553) (average thickness, 1 xcexcm; average particle size, 20 xcexcm; metallic red), and RCFSX-1020RC(9555) (average thickness, 1 xcexcm; average particle size, 20 xcexcm; metallic blue).
The metallic luster pigments obtained by coating the surface of flaky aluminum oxide as a core material with a metal oxide will be explained below.
Because the core material is flaky aluminum oxide, this kind of metallic luster pigment has a lower impurity content and is more lustrous than the pigments based on a natural mica.
Examples of the metal oxide with which the surface of the aluminum oxide is coated include oxides of metals such as titanium, zirconium, chromium, vanadium, and iron. However, it is preferred to use one or more metal oxides comprising titanium oxide as the main component. Examples of the metallic luster pigments include ones which have a gold, silver, or another metallic color depending on the degree of coating with the metal oxide.
These metallic luster pigments preferably have an average thickness of from 0.1 to 5 xcexcm and an average particle diameter of from 2 to 200 xcexcm.
By using a metallic luster pigment having a thickness and average particle diameter within the respective ranges shown above, it is possible to obtain a metallic glossy image which is evenly lustrous and a thermochromic image undergoing distinct color changes. This average particle diameter means the average particle diameter which is determined by laser diffractometry and is the particle diameter corresponding to the 50% point in a cumulative median diameter distribution on a volume basis.
Specific examples of the metallic luster pigments obtained by coating the surface of flaky aluminum oxide with a metal oxide include the pigment manufactured by Merck and Co., Inc. and sold under the trade name of xe2x80x9cXirallicxe2x80x9d T50-10 (10-30 xcexcm; silver).
The metallic luster pigments obtained by coating a core material selected from natural micas, synthetic micas, flat pieces of glasses, and flaky aluminum oxide with a metal oxide have transparency as well as a metallic luster. Of these metallic luster pigments, those obtained by coating a core material selected from synthetic micas, flat pieces of glasses, and flaky aluminum oxide with a metal oxide are suitable for use in the invention because they are superior in transparency.
The metallic glossy layer in the invention has a light transmittance of preferably 5% or higher, more preferably 10% or higher.
Such a light transmittance produces the following effect. When the reversibly thermochromic layer is in a colored state, the metallic glossy layer shows light-shielding properties and a metallic lustrous color is perceived. When the reversibly thermochromic layer is in a decolored state, no metallic lustrous color is perceived and the metallic glossy layer shows excellent transparency.
In the case where the substrate has transparency, an article placed inside or on the back side of the laminate member can be clearly perceived through the laminate member when the light transmittance of the laminate member itself is 5% or higher at the time when the reversibly thermochromic layer is in a decolored state.
In producing the reversibly thermochromic light-shielding/light-transmitting laminate member of the invention, a reversibly thermochromic ink is suitably applied to a substrate. The ink comprises a reversibly thermochromic microencapsulated pigment containing a reversibly thermochromic composition comprising (a) an electron-donating color-forming organic compound, (b) an electron-accepting compound, and (c) a reaction medium determining the temperatures at which the color reactions of component (a) with component (b) take place and a vehicle containing a transparent resin having a tensile elongation at break of 350% or lower. The resultant coating is dried to form a reversibly thermochromic layer, whereby the laminate member of the invention is obtained.
In the case where a metallic glossy layer is to be formed on the reversibly thermochromic layer, a metallic luster ink comprising a vehicle containing a metallic luster pigment is applied to the thermochromic layer to form the metallic glossy layer.

Reversibly thermochromic light-shielding/light-transmitting laminate member


The present invention provides synthetic polymers having novel catalytic functions which mimic enzymatic reactions. The invention also provides a method for measuring glycated proteins such as glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and glycated albumin and for measuring their decomposition products fructosylamines, such as fructosylvaline, as well as assay reagents and sensors for use in the method.

Amino groups in the backbone and side chains of a protein can be non-enzymatically bound to a reducing end-group of a reducing sugar, such as glucose, to form an amadori compound, i.e. a glycated protein. In the blood, hemoglobin is glycated to form glycated hemoglobin (glycohemoglobin; HbA1c). The ratio of HbA1c to hemoglobin in patients with diabetes mellitus is higher than that in healthy persons, and the blood level of HbA1c reflects a blood glucose level over a period of past several weeks. Thus, the blood level of HbA1c is very important in diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and as an indicator of blood glucose level control in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus.
Fructosamine oxidases that act upon amadori compounds have been isolated from various species. It has been suggested that glycated albumin, HbA1c, and other glycated proteins and fructosamines can be assayed by the use of fructosamine oxidase (Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 61-268178, No. 61-280297, No. 03-155780, No. 05-192193, No. 07-289253, and No. 08-154672; Agric. Biol. Chem., 53(1), 103–110, 1989; Agric. Biol. Chem., 55(2), 333–338, 1991; J. Biol. Chem., 269(44), 27297–27302, 1994; Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 61(12), 4487–4489, 1995; Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 59(3), 487–491, 1995; J. Biol. Chem., 270(1), 218–224, 1995; J. Biol. Chem., 271(51), 32803–32809, 1996; J. Biol. Chem., 272(6), 3437–3443, 1997); Electrochemistry, 68(11), 869–871, 2000; and Marine Biotechnology, 3, 126–132, Sep. 5, 2001).
As fructosylamine oxidase is a protein, it is desirable to improve the stability of the enzyme.


A central vacuum cleaning system can include a vacuum unit, a plurality of inlet valves, an exhaust, a cleaning air path from the inlet valves through the vacuum unit to the exhaust, and a control unit. An example control unit can include a power input, a power output, motor control circuitry to control application of power from the power input to the power output, a first port, a second port, a conduit providing a conduit air path between the first port and the second, a heat sink in thermal contact with the conduit air path and a component of the motor control circuitry, wherein the control unit is connected through the first port and the second port in the cleaning air flow path between the inlets and the exhaust, and the power output is connected to a power input of the vacuum unit.

Many modern buildings have central vacuum cleaning systems. These systems have a vacuum unit incorporating a suction motor and impeller to create a vacuum in piping through the building. A user of the system connects a flexible hose to the piping. The hose has a handle for the operator to grasp. The handle is further connected to one or more cleaning accessories.
The motor is housed in a motor housing that typically forms part of a central vacuum unit, often referred to as a "central vacuum power unit". The vacuum unit also has a receptacle portion for receiving dust and other particles picked up through the cleaning accessories and transported by airflow generated by the vacuum unit through the hose and piping.
The vacuum unit is usually placed in a central location that is easily accessible for emptying the receptacle. The motor is typically powered by line voltage that is controlled by a motor control circuit in the motor housing.
Low voltage wires typically run beside, or form part of, the piping and hose between the canister and the handle. This permits the operator to control the motor by sending low voltage signals from the handle to the motor control circuit. In order to receive the low voltage signals, an opening is provided in the motor housing through which the low voltage wires can be connected to the motor control circuit.
Improvements to, or alternatives for, components in central vacuum cleaner systems, and methods related thereto, are desirable.


A combustion system is presented. The combustion system includes a hollow combustion chamber having a chamber head, chamber sidewalls, and a chamber bottom. Further, the combustion system includes a fuel injector coupled to the combustion chamber and configured to introduce a plurality of fuel droplets in the combustion chamber. Moreover, the combustion system includes a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on or about the combustion chamber such that an electromagnetic field is generated between the first electrode and the second electrode in response to an applied electric signal, and where the electromagnetic field is configured to control a trajectory of the plurality of fuel droplets within the combustion chamber.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are related to combustion engines, and more particularly to systems and methods for improving the efficiency of combustion engines.
In most vehicles or power generation systems, a combustible fuel is burned in an engine to generate thermal energy. The thermal energy may be converted into mechanical energy or electrical energy. Alternatively, the thermal energy may be utilized to provide a thrust to move the vehicle. For burning the fuel, the engine may include a combustion chamber or combustor into which compressed (i.e., high temperature and pressure) air is introduced. Further, a fuel injector may be employed to spray a fuel such as pulverized coal, natural gas, liquefied propane gas, diesel, kerosene, or petrol into the combustion chamber for ignition. In some systems, because of the high temperature and pressure of the compressed air within the combustion chamber, the fuel may self-combust. Alternatively, the combustion chamber may include an igniter such as a spark plug to ignite the fuel. Combustion of the fuel may expand the gases within the combustion chamber, thereby increasing the pressure of the gases and causing the gases to escape from an outlet of the combustion chamber with force. This force may be utilized to move various parts of the engine, provide the thrust required to push the vehicle forward, or generate electric power.
Engineers have attempted to optimize fuel spray characteristics such as spray trajectory, spray diameter, and spray velocity and/or the interaction of the fuel spray with the chamber sidewalls to improve the efficiency of the engine and reduce toxic emissions. If the fuel is sprayed such that the fuel clings onto the sidewalls of the combustion chamber, the ignition of the fuel or the expansion of the gases within the combustion chamber may not be optimal. Further, a relatively small diameter of the fuel spray may result in the fuel droplets clinging to one another and forming larger droplets, which may in turn cause the fuel droplets to ignite at different times instead of igniting simultaneously. The spray diameter is generally representative of the distance between the furthest fuel droplets along the furthest plane from the fuel injector. Presently available fuel injectors rely on the diameter of the nozzles in the fuel injector, the spacing and placement of the nozzles, or the placement of the injector to optimize spray characteristics.

Systems and methods for improved combustion


A D/A converter divides an input digital data into at least two overlapping digital ranges. The data in the two ranges are converted separately from digital to analog by a low-range and a high-range DAC. The resulting analog signals are then added with a weighting that maintains the proper loudness relationships in the final combined analog output. In a low range of amplitudes, only the low-range DAC performs D/A conversion. Above a predetermined amplitude threshold, some of the high significant bits to the low-range DAC are frozen, while a remaining low significant bits of the low-range DAC are permitted to vary with the input digital data. Above the predetermined amplitude threshold, a digital value is subtracted from the data fed to the high-range DAC. The subtracted value is equal to the frozen value in the low-range DAC. In some embodiments, one or more supplementary bits are developed to smooth the transition between ranges. In other embodiments, more than two DACs receive overlapping ranges of the input digital data. In some of the embodiments, positive and corresponding negative analog representations of the ranges are connected in push-pull.

The present invention relates to a digital analog converter for use in digital audio equipments such as compact disk (CD) players and digital audio tape (DAT) recorders. More particularly, the present invention relates to a digital analog converter having improved low-level output signal error.
Digital to analog converter circuits are generally manufactured to provide a nonlinear output error of no more than + or -1/2 LSB (least significant bit). However, DAC's used in audio equipments often do not meet that standard because of the weighting error in their more significant bits even though some correction is possible by means of laser trimming. While some error correction is possible, the DAC's presently in use are influenced by ambient external conditions such as temperature and humidity. At present, DAC's meeting the + or -1/2 LSB resolution requirement resolve only 14-16 bits or less.
To simplify circuit structure, most of the DAC's used in audio equipments are unipolar made bipolar by adding midpoint offsets to their outputs. In some equipments, because input data represent audio signals, data output as unipolar are made bipolar by capacitors or servo circuits that remove DC offsets from the analog outputs.
A DAC with improved error characteristics for low outputs is proposed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. 61-242421 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,355). This DAC, called a floating or exponent DAC, consists of data shift circuits, a mantissa DAC, exponent DAC's and so on. According to this DAC, low-level output error can be decreased by using a mantissa DAC to D/A convert the data while shifting it to more significant bits in accordance with the level of the analog signals represented by the digital data. However, the structure of the proposed DAC is complex and because the proposed DAC is a two step converter (an exponent digital to analog converter made to convert the output signals of a mantissa DAC), a glitch is inserted into the output analog signal. A glitch is defined as an undesired voltage spike occurring on a signal being DA converted. A glitch can occur, for example, on a major carry, such as when switching from 0111111111 to 1000000000 because there is an interim condition in which all bits are 0.


A relay for use particularly in motor vehicles has a stable ferromagnetic core, an excitation coil wound around the core, a movable assembly composed of at least one movable ferromagnetic armature, a flexible foil or leaf spring fixed at a determined point of the movable armature and a contact. The relay also includes a return spring to maintain a maximum air gap for the armature with respect to the core when the device is in a release condition. At least one closure and/or opening contact is activated by the movable armature, through its contact when it is drawn or released by the core. An intermediate support element for the flexible foil is provided on one of the elements of the movable assembly.

Relays of the type described are known.
Such relays have the drawback that, particularly in certain applications, such as in charging capacitors, the wear of the contacts is relatively high, which causes the useful life of the relay to be relatively short; the problem is increased by the mechanical working tolerances that determine a spread of the pressure characteristics with which the contacts become closed. Another drawback concerns the way with which the flexible foil is joined with the movable armature. The attachment is normally made through riveting, that creates only one binding point. This generates an imperfect joint that produces inconstancies on the real value of geometry in play.

Intermediate support relay for use particularly in motor vehicles


A device and a method for collecting blood and separating blood plasma as a liquid sample using a channel that absorbs the liquid sample by capillary forces. To obtain a uniform filling of the channel with the liquid sample and an effective separation, deaeration takes place in a transverse direction to the main filling direction or to the longitudinal direction of the channel, immediately downstream of a separation device in an inlet region of the channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to microfluidic systems and devices and, more particularly, to a device for collecting blood and separating blood constituents, such as blood plasma, as a sample liquid, in which capillary forces are used and are critical in particular for the function. The present invention also relates to a method of separating blood constituents and to uses of the device for determining an intracellular parameter or for detecting one or more blood constituents.
2. Description of Related Art
A device for separating liquid components is known from EP 1 013 341 A2, which constitutes the starting point for the present invention, wherein for example blood plasma as a sample liquid is separated from the blood in a filter or a membrane and is collected by capillary forces in a collecting chamber or channel for diagnostic purposes. The channel has a substantially rectangular cross-section. It is formed in a carrier by a corresponding recess covered at the top. In addition, the channel has wedge-shaped notches as guide elements to ensure total filling of the increasing cross-section channel with the sample liquid. However, the design for the channel still does not ensure optimum filling with the sample liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,439 and International Patent Application Publication WO 01/24931 A1 both disclose devices for separating blood plasma from blood, wherein a plurality of groove- or capillary-like individual channels are provided for collecting and carrying away the blood plasma. The disadvantage arises that the channels fill up with the sample liquid in the form of blood plasma at different rates or not at all. Accordingly, it is not possible to achieve a uniform liquid front. This is disadvantageous in terms of the diagnosis as there are no defined quantities available simultaneously or, for example, dry chemicals or the like cannot simultaneously be dissolved by the sample liquid to the desired or necessary extent.

Device for collecting blood and separating blood constituents, method for separating blood constituents and use of said device


An video decoding apparatus including a parser which obtains bit strings corresponding to current transformation coefficient level information by arithmetic decoding a bitstream based on a context model; a parameter determiner which determines a current binarization parameter by updating or maintaining a previous binarization parameter based on a comparison of a threshold and a size of a previous transformation coefficient; a syntax element restorer which obtains the current transformation coefficient level information by performing de-binarization of the bit strings using the determined current binarization parameter and generates a size of a current transformation coefficient using the current transformation coefficient level information, wherein the current binarization parameter has a value equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to video encoding and decoding, and more particularly, to updating a parameter that is used in entropy encoding and decoding of size information of a transformation coefficient.
2. Description of Related Art
According to image compression methods such as Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-1, MPEG-2, or MPEG-4 H.264/MPEG-4 advanced video coding (AVC), an image is split into blocks that have a predetermined size, and then, residual data of the blocks is obtained by inter prediction or intra prediction. Residual data is compressed by transformation, quantization, scanning, run length coding, and entropy coding. In entropy coding, a syntax element such as a transformation coefficient or a motion vector is entropy encoded and output as a bit stream. At a decoder's end, a syntax element is extracted from a bit stream, and decoding is performed based on the extracted syntax element.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Parameter update method for entropy coding and decoding of conversion coefficient level, and entropy coding device and entropy decoding device of conversion coefficient level using same


The polishing pad is useful for polishing magnetic, optical and semiconductor substrates. The pad includes a polishing layer having a rotational center and an annular polishing track concentric with the rotational center and has a width. The width of the annular polishing track is free of non-radial grooves. And the pad has a plurality of radial micro-channels in the polishing layer within the width of the annular polishing track with a majority of the radial micro-channels having primarily a radial orientation and an average width less than 50 μm.

The present invention relates generally to the field of polishing pads for chemical mechanical polishing. In particular, the present invention relates to conditioned polishing pads useful for chemical mechanical polishing magnetic, optical and semiconductor substrates.
In the fabrication of integrated circuits and other electronic devices, multiple layers of conducting, semiconducting and dielectric materials are deposited onto and removed from a surface of a semiconductor wafer. Thin layers of conducting, semiconducting and dielectric materials may be deposited using a number of deposition techniques. Common deposition techniques in modern wafer processing include physical vapor deposition (PVD), also known as sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and electrochemical plating, among others. Common removal techniques include wet and dry isotropic and anisotropic etching, among others.
As layers of materials are sequentially deposited and removed, the uppermost surface of the wafer becomes non-planar. Because subsequent semiconductor processing (e.g., metallization) requires the wafer to have a flat surface, the wafer needs to be planarized. Planarization is useful for removing undesired surface topography and surface defects, such as rough surfaces, agglomerated materials, crystal lattice damage, scratches and contaminated layers or materials. Planarization is measured at the wafer scale in terms of uniformity. Typically, thin film thickness is measured at tens to hundreds of points on the surface of the wafer, and the standard deviation is calculated. Planarization is also measured at the device feature scale. This nanotopography is measured in terms of dishing and erosion, among others. Typically nanotopography is resolved at higher frequency, but measured over a smaller area.
Chemical mechanical planarization, or chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), is a common technique used to planarize or polish workpieces such as semiconductor wafers. In conventional CMP, a wafer carrier, or polishing head, is mounted on a carrier assembly. The polishing head holds the wafer and positions the wafer in contact with a polishing layer of a polishing pad within a CMP apparatus. The carrier assembly provides a controllable pressure between the wafer and polishing pad. Simultaneously, a slurry, or other polishing medium flows onto the polishing pad and into the gap between the wafer and polishing layer. To effect polishing, the polishing pad and wafer typically rotate relative to one another. The wafer surface is polished and made planar by chemical and mechanical action of the polishing layer and polishing medium on the surface. As the polishing pad rotates beneath the wafer, the wafer sweeps out a typically annular polishing track, or polishing region, wherein the wafer's surface directly confronts the polishing layer.
Important considerations in designing a polishing layer include the distribution of polishing medium across the face of the polishing layer, the flow of fresh polishing medium into the polishing track, the flow of used polishing medium from the polishing track and the amount of polishing medium that flows through the polishing zone essentially unutilized, among others. One way to address these considerations is to provide the polishing layer with a grooved macro-texture. Over the years, quite a few different groove patterns and configurations have been implemented. Typical groove patterns include radial, concentric-circular, Cartesian-grid and spiral, among others.
In addition to distribution and flow of polishing medium, groove pattern and configuration affect other important aspects of the CMP process, and ultimately wafer planarity, such as polishing rate, edge effect, dishing and others. Furthermore, groove pattern and configuration affect wafer planarity through a phenomenon known as "groove pattern transfer." The result of this phenomenon is that certain groove patterns result in the creation of coherent structures on the surface of the wafer corresponding to the pattern of the grooves on the polishing pad. Importantly, circumferential grooves (grooves which make small angles with a line tangent to polishing pad velocity), i.e. circular grooves, circular x-y grooves or spiral grooves, produce a more pronounced groove pattern transfer effect than x-y grooves or radial grooves.
Polishing pad conditioning is critical to maintaining a consistent polishing surface for consistent polishing performance. Over time the polishing surface of the polishing pad wears down, smoothing over the micro-texture ("glazing") of the polishing surface. Additionally, debris from the CMP process can clog the micro-channels through which slurry flows across the polishing surface. When this occurs, the polishing rate of the CMP process decreases; and this can result in non-uniform polishing between wafers or within a wafer. Periodic or continuous "in situ" conditioning creates a new texture on the polishing surface useful for maintaining the desired polishing rate and uniformity in the CMP process.
Conventional polishing pad conditioning is achieved by abrading the polishing surface mechanically with a conditioning disk. The conditioning disk has a rough conditioning surface typically comprised of embedded diamond points. The conditioning disk is brought into contact with the polishing surface either during a break in the CMP process, or while the CMP process is underway. Typically the conditioning disk is rotated in a position that is fixed with respect to the axis of rotation of the polishing pad, and sweeps out an annular conditioning region as the polishing pad is rotated. The conditioning process as described creates uniform conditioning in the conditioning region with the micro-channels typically having a circumferentially biased orientation because the linear velocity of the polishing table exceeds that of any point on the conditioning disk.
Non-uniform conditioning has been disclosed in the prior art to increase the flow of polishing medium on the polishing surface. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,843, Breivogel et al. disclose a polishing pad having circumferential macro-grooves and radial microgrooves created by a diamond point conditioning process. The polishing pad of Breivogel et al., however, contains circumferential grooves that suffer from the undesirable effects of groove pattern transfer. This groove pattern transfer can produce non-uniform wafers having undesirable coherent structures that amount to under-polished wafer regions. Being typically tens of nanometers or greater in height, the coherent structures resulting from groove pattern transfer will be unacceptable for the future manufacture of semiconductor wafers.
There is a need for a polishing pad that will control distribution and flow of polishing medium in the CMP process and produce uniform wafers with a greater degree of planarity.

Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings, Inc.


A hand held temple massager having a handle and two spaced-apart arms extending in substantially the same plane from an end of the handle. Each arm includes a distal portion and a proximal portion, the latter integrally connected to the handle. The distal portion of each arm includes means to capture and retain a pressure member with temple-engaging portion for applying pressure directly to the temple area of a user to treat and prevent a tension headache. The massager includes pressure adjustment means disposed between said first and second arms to tailor the pressure applied by the massager, and may also include a small vibrating motor powered by batteries.

It is well known that tension headaches can be alleviated, at least in part, by massaging the scalp and/or the temples. However, self-massage is almost always inferior to massage by another, as the muscular effort required to elevate the arms and exert pressures on the temples can actually increase tension in the neck and shoulders, which is as often as not the very cause of a tension headache. Furthermore, it is also difficult to find a person sufficiently skilled, sympathetic, and available to massage one's temples when it would be helpful to reduce a headache. Accordingly, a number of devices have been conceived to provide a headache sufferer the means to apply headache-reducing pressure to his or her own temples. Among the exemplary devices are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,743 to Guest, discloses a clamping apparatus for applying constant pressures to the temple areas of a user's head. It comprises a C-shaped frame which fits over the top of the user's head such that each end of the frame member is generally aligned with one of the user's temples. Each end of the frame includes a threaded head contact assembly which is screwed inwardly to engage a temple area. Pressure can be increased or decreased by adjusting the contact assemblies. The device also includes a height adjustment assembly coupled to the top of the C-shaped frame member which allows the user to adjust the height of the frame relative to the temple areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,980 to Robbins, et al., shows a massage device for the head or scalp having flexible, metallic prongs or fingers extending from a handle to form a space of substantially uniform circumference. The flexible, elongated members are bendable and have free ends which are used to contact and apply stimulating sensations to a body portion.
U.S. Design Pat. No. D477,406 to Schroer, teaches a head clamp having two arcuate arms pivotally connected at one end and having arcuate extensions pivotally connected at the other. The extensions have an inwardly disposed pad at their respective terminal ends. The device is collapsible and may be stored in a small pocket, but when deployed offers a head clamp that bears a resemblance to contemporary headphones.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,482,838 to Carlson, discloses a massaging device for self-massage that comprises a frame and two spring-loaded L-shaped members that are pressed against the forehead. The user moves the frame back and forth, toward and away from the forehead, and while doing so the L-shaped members exert a pressure against the forehead and temple areas.
The foregoing patents reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.


A particle analyzer in which tagged particles to be analyzed are drawn through a suspended capillary tube where a predetermined volume in the capillary tube is illuminated. The illumination scattered by said particles is detected by a detector to count all particles. The fluorescent illumination emitted by tagged particles is detected and the output signals from the fluorescent detectors and scatter detector are processed to provide an analysis of the particles.

The detection and analysis of individual particles or cells is important in medical and biological research. It is particularly important to be able to measure characteristics of particles such as concentration, number, viability, identification and size. Individual particles or cells as herein defined include, for example, bacteria, viruses, DNA fragments, cells, molecules and constituents of whole blood.
Typically, such characteristics of particles are measured using flow cytometers. In flow cytometers, particles which are either intrinsically fluorescent or are labeled with a fluorescent marker or label, are hydrodynamically focused within a sheath fluid and caused to flow past a beam of radiant energy which excites the particles or labels to cause generation of fluorescent light. One or more photodetectors detect the fluorescent light emitted by the particles or labels at selected wavelengths as they flow through the light beam, and generates output signals representative of the particles. In most cytometers, a photodetector is also used to measure forward scatter of the light to generate signals indicative of the presence and size of all of the particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,849 describes a scanning imaging cytometer wherein an unprocessed biological fluid sample is reacted with a fluorescently labeled binding agent. The reacted sample undergoes minimal processing before it is enclosed in a capillary tube of predetermined size. The capillary tube with the enclosed sample is optically scanned and the fluorescent excitation is recorded from a plurality of columnar regions along the capillary tube. Each columnar region is generally defined by the spot size of the excitation beam and the depth dimension of the capillary tube. A spacial filter of sufficient pinhole diameter is selected to allow simultaneous volumetric detection of all fluorescent targets in each columnar region. The cellular components or particles are identified as is their concentration.


In one embodiment, a mechanism for coding a non-increasing sequence of values is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a sequence of values to encode, the sequence of values being non-increasing, encoding a first value of the sequence using a number of bits that are required for fully representing the first value in an encoded format, and for each subsequent value in the sequence, encoding the subsequent value using a number of bits required for a minimal bit encoding of a previous value in the sequence.

Non-increasing sequences of values may be encountered in many areas of computer science. In particular, non-increasing sequences of values may be generated by a variety of compression techniques to represent different facets of the compression technique. For example, traditional entropy encoding compression algorithms may generate non-increasing sequences of values to model escape code counts, as described below. A mechanism to efficiently code these non-increasing sequences of values would be beneficial.
Traditional entropy encoding compression algorithms (such as Huffman coding, adaptive Huffman coding or arithmetic coding) depend on having a statistical model of the input stream they are compressing. The more accurately the model represents the actual statistical properties of symbols in the input stream, the better the algorithm is able to compress the stream. Loosely speaking, the model is used to make a prediction about what input symbol will come next in the input stream.
The probability model can be static (i.e., unchanging for the duration of a compression process) or adaptive (i.e., evolving as the compressor processes the input data stream). An adaptive model typically works by matching the current input symbol against its prediction context, and if it finds the current input symbol in its context, generating a code representing the particular probability range that the input symbol represents. For example, if the current input symbol is 'e' and the model predicts that the probability of 'e' is in the range 0.13 to 0.47, then the compressor would generate an output code representing that probability range. This "code and update" cycle is repeated until there are no more input symbols to compress.
When the compressor encounters a new symbol for which its model has no prediction, it must do something else. Consequently, a solution to address new symbols by the model includes encoding a special "escape" symbol to signal to the decompressor that the next symbol is a literal value. The escapes are used because the other option of including every possible symbol in every context leads to a poor performance (including possible data expansion).
Techniques have been discovered to determine optimal sequences of escape counts to assign to compression algorithm models to minimize the total number of bits generated for the coding stream. However, this optimal sequence of escape counts needs to be communicated between the various components of the compression algorithm model, and can lead to inefficiencies that nullify any gains obtained by determining the optimal sequence of escape counts. Many times, this sequence of escape counts is a non-increasing sequence of values. A mechanism to code a non-increasing sequence of values in an efficient manner for communication would be beneficial.

Mechanism for coding a non-increasing sequence of values


One example provides a fluidic die including a nozzle layer disposed on a substrate, the nozzle layer having an upper surface opposite the substrate and including a plurality of nozzles formed therein, each nozzle including a fluid chamber and a nozzle orifice extending through the nozzle layer from the upper surface to the fluid chamber. A conductive trace is exposed to the upper surface of the nozzle layer and extends proximate to a portion of the nozzle orifices, an impedance of the conductive trace indicative of a surface condition of the upper surface of the nozzle layer.

Fluidic devices, such as fluidic dies, for example, include a nozzle layer (e.g., an SU8 layer) disposed on a substrate (e.g., silicon). A plurality of nozzles are formed in the nozzle layer, with each nozzle including a fluid chamber formed within the nozzle layer and a nozzle orifice extending from a surface of the nozzle layer to the fluid chamber and from which fluid drops may be ejected from the fluid chamber. Some example fluidic devices may be printheads, where a fluid within the fluid chambers may be ink.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and the size of some parts may be exaggerated to more clearly illustrate the example shown. Moreover the drawings provide examples and/or implementations consistent with the description; however, the description is not limited to the examples and/or implementations provided in the drawings.

Fluidic die with surface condition monitoring

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A gamma-ray detector (42, 52, 72, 92) comprising a large-area plastic scintillation body (44, 64, 74, 94) and a photon detector (38, 58, 68, 78) optically coupled to the scintillation body to receive and detect photons (P1, P2, P3) generated by gamma-ray interactions. Selected portions of the scintillation body surface are provided with a reflective layer (46, 60, 80) in planar contact with the scintillation body. Other regions are not provided with a reflective layer. Thus specular reflection is promoted in at the surfaces provided with the reflective layer, while total internal reflection may occur in the regions which are not provided with a reflective layer, hi a scintillation body generally in the form of a plank, the photon detector is coupled to one end, and the regions provided with the reflective layer are the edges of the plank. The scintillation body may be shaped so that it reduced in cross section in a direction away from the photon detector. The spectrometer may include photon detectors coupled to both ends of the scintillation body.

The invention relates to plastic scintillator-based gamma-ray detectors. In particular, the invention relates to surface finishes applied to, and the shape of, plastic scintillation bodies in gamma-ray detectors.
In most commonly-used inorganic (crystal) scintillation counters, the volume of the scintillation body is typically less than 1 liter. For the largest of these detectors, a large diameter photomultiplier tube (e.g. around 8 cm diameter) is used to maximise the collection of photons from gamma-ray interaction events in the scintillation body. The surface finish of such scintillation bodies is typically a finely roughened surface with the crystal packed either in a highly reflective powder (eg MgO), or diffusely reflecting white paper or plastic.
Different surface finishes are generally required for plastic scintillator-based gamma-ray detectors. Plastic scintillators are frequently used in applications where large sensitive areas are required, e.g., on the order 1 m2. The scintillation bodies are often not more than a few cm thick. Large area and relatively flat scintillation bodies such as this are sometimes referred to as scintillator planks. For a generally rectangular plank, the sides having the largest surface may be referred to as faces, the sides having the next largest surface area may be referred to as edges, and sides with the smallest surface area may be referred to as ends.
Most large area plastic scintillation counters are cast between two float-glass plates. This provides the faces of the scintillator plank with a near-optical quality finish. As a consequence, total internal reflection (TIR) readily occurs at these surfaces. The edges of the scintillator planks are typically machined, e.g. using a diamond milling tool, and then polished with a view to providing a similar optical quality surface. Because TIR has a better reflectivity than any other known surface finish, the use of reflecting powders or other diffusively scattering material of the kind used with inorganic scintillation bodies is avoided for large plastic scintillators.
FIG. 1A schematically shows a cross-section view of a gamma-ray detector 2 based on a conventionally packaged plastic scintillation body 4. The scintillation body 4 is made of NE-102 plastic scintillator and has dimensions 150 cm×25 cm×4 cm. The view of FIG. 1A is taken in a plane through the centre of the plastic scintillation body 4 and parallel to its faces. One end surface of the scintillation body 4 is coupled to a photo-multiplier tube (PMT) 8 for detecting photons generated in gamma-ray interactions in the scintillator.
The other surfaces of the scintillation body 4 (i.e. its two faces, two sides, and the end not coupled to the PMT) are wrapped in a layer of aluminium foil 10. Conventional aluminium foil of the kind used in cooking is typically used. The aluminium foil layer is "crinkled" so that it is not in direct contact with the scintillation body over most of its surface. This helps to reduce the effect of the aluminium foil on TIR occurring at the scintillation body surface. The perceived benefit of the aluminium foil is in helping to reflect photons that have exited the scintillation body (i.e. photons that did not undergo TIR) back into the scintillation body. The aluminium foil 10 is wrapped in a layer of a black vinyl 12 for protection and to help to ensure the assembly is light-tight so as to prevent photons not associated with gamma-ray interactions within the scintillator from reaching the PMT.
FIG. 1B is a curve showing the modelled light collection efficiency (LCE) for the detector 2 shown in FIG. 1A. The LCE is shown as a function of distance D from one end of the scintillation body (the end coupled to the PMT) to the gamma-ray interaction site. The LCE is the fraction photons generated in a typical gamma-ray interaction which subsequently reach the sensitive area of the PMT.
As can be seen from FIG. 2, the maximum LCE is around 45%. This is for interactions occurring towards the end of the scintillation body 4 which is nearest to the PMT 8. For gamma-ray interactions occurring at the other end of the scintillation body, the LCE is just over 30%.
In a scintillator-based gamma-ray detector such as shown in FIG. 1A, the energy deposited by gamma-rays (i.e., the energy loss spectrum) is determined from the light energy recorded at the PMT as a result of each gamma-ray interaction. An estimate of the incident gamma-ray spectrum is then derived from the energy loss spectrum by taking account of how the detector responds to incident gamma-rays. It is therefore important to measure the energy loss spectrum (i.e., the energy deposited by gamma-rays in the scintillation body) as accurately as possible if the best possible estimates of the incident gamma-ray spectrum are to be obtained. In an ideal detector, a given deposition of energy in the scintillation body will lead to a given signal from the PMT. Thus a measured output signal can be converted to an estimate of the energy lost in the scintillation body by an incident gamma-ray. Accordingly, the LCE, and its variance with interaction position, plays an important role in determining the energy resolution of a gamma-ray spectrometer based on a scintillator detector. Firstly, a poor LCE leads to poor counting statistics with a corresponding uncertainty in the output signal measured by the PMT. Secondly, in addition to this statistical noise, the variation in LCE with position means that an interaction near to the PMT in FIG. 1A leads to an output signal from the PMT that can be as much as 50% higher than that from an interaction at the other end of the scintillation body. If a linear relationship between PMT output signal and incident gamma-ray energy is assumed, this variance can lead to a 50% uncertainty in an incident gamma-ray photon's energy.
Most applications for large area/volume plastic scintillator detectors are as triggering devices in charged particle detectors. For these applications the significance of the LCE and its variance are frequently not of concern. However, there has been recent interest in using large area plastic scintillator-based detectors as relatively low-resolution gamma-ray spectrometers [1]. In these cases there is a need to improve the LCE and reduce variations in response as much as possible because of the influence of these factors on the energy resolution of such spectrometers.
FIG. 2A schematically shows a cross-section view of another known gamma-ray detector 22. This detector 22 employs a known technique for increasing LCE and reducing its variance [1]. Features of the detector 22 shown in FIG. 2A which are similar to, and will be understood from the corresponding description of, features of the detector 2 shown in FIG. 1A are identified by the same reference numerals. Thus the detector again comprises a 150 cm×25 cm×4 cm NE-102 scintillation body 4 coupled to a PMT 8 for detecting photons generated in gamma-ray interactions in the scintillator. However, in addition to this PMT 8, the detector 22 comprises a second PMT 28. The second PMT 28 is at the opposite end of the scintillation body to the first PMT 8. Thus photons can be detected at both ends of the scintillation body 4. The exposed sides of the scintillation body 4 (i.e. its two faces and two edges) are wrapped in a layer of aluminium foil 30 with an overlying layer of a black vinyl 32 in the same way as described above for the detector 2 in FIG. 1A.
FIG. 2B is a curve showing the modelled LCE as a function of position D measured from the left-hand end of the scintillation body 4 (for the orientation shown in FIG. 2A). FIG. 2B is similar to, and will be understood, from FIG. 1B. However, three curves are shown in FIG. 2B. The curve marked LEFT shows the modelled LCE for the PMT 8 at the left-hand end of the scintillation body 4. The curve marked RIGHT shows the modelled LCE for the PMT 28 at the right-hand end of the scintillation body 4. The curve marked SUM shows the modelled LCE obtained by summing the outputs from both PMTs 8, 28.
The curve marked LEFT is similar to the curve shown in FIG. 1B, but shows a slightly lower LCE. This is because photons that would have been reflected from the end of the scintillator body opposite the PMT 8 in FIG. 1A, are not reflected in the detector 22 of FIG. 2A, but are instead coupled out of the scintillation body to the second PMT 28. Due to the symmetry of the detector the curve marked RIGHT is in effect a mirror image of the curve marked LEFT.
It can be seen from the curve marked SUM in FIG. 2B that by summing the signals from both PMTs 8, 28, the LCE is increased to a relatively uniform level of around 40% over the central 70% or so of the length of the scintillation body. However, more than half the photons are still being lost, and the LCE still varies considerably over the last 15% or so of the length of the scintillation body towards the ends. The LCE is around 25% higher for gamma ray interactions near to an end compared to interactions near the centre. With an assumed linear relationship between PMT output signal and incident gamma-ray energy, this leads to a 25% uncertainty in incident energy.
Accordingly, there is a need for large area plastic scintillator-based detectors having improved LCE and reduced variation in LCE along their length.

Spectrometer with plastic scintillator provided with a specular reflector


A high-resistance silicon wafer is manufactured in which a gettering ability, mechanical strength, and economical efficiency are excellent and an oxygen thermal donor is effectively prevented from being generated in a heat treatment for forming a circuit, which is implemented on the side of a device maker. A heat treatment for forming an oxygen precipitate nucleus is performed at 500 to 900° C. for 5 hours or more in a non-oxidizing atmosphere and a heat treatment for growing an oxygen precipitate is performed at 950 to 1050° C. for 10 hours or more on a high-oxygen and carbon-doped high-resistance silicon wafer in which resistivity is 100 Ωcm or more, an oxygen concentration is 14×1017 atoms/cm3 (ASTM F-121, 1979) or more and a carbon concentration is 0.5×1016 atoms/cm3 or more. By these heat treatments, a remaining oxygen concentration in the wafer is controlled to be 12×1017 atoms/cm3 (ASTM F-121, 1979) or less. Thus, there is provided a high-resistance, low-oxygen and high-strength silicon wafer in which resistivity is 100 Ωcm or more and an oxygen precipitate (BMD) having a size of 0.2 μm is formed so as to have high density of 1×104/cm2 or more.

Recently, a demand for high-resistance substrate is increased along with the widespread use of a high-frequency communication device used in a short-distance wireless LAN. Conventionally, a compound semiconductor such as GaAs has been mainly used for a support substrate of a RF (Radio Frequency high frequency) which requires high resistance. However, the compound semiconductor substrate is very expensive.
Meanwhile, a silicon CMOS requires a large amount of power, so that it has been considered that it is not suitable for the RF circuit. However, because of recent considerable miniaturization and development of designing, it can be applied to the RD circuit. Therefore, a high-resistance silicon wafer which is excellent in RF characteristics and excellent in economical efficiency such as a mirror-surface silicon wafer or a SOI (Silicon On Insulator) wafer using high-resistance crystal grown by the Czochralski method (hereinafter referred to as the CZ method) has attracted a lot of attention instead of the substrate of the compound semiconductor such as GaAs.
However, since a quartz crucible is used when a silicon single crystal is manufactured by the CZ method, oxygen is contained in the crystal in an oversaturated state. Since a thermal donor is formed by this oxygen in a heat treatment in the process of forming the circuit of the device, there is a big problem such that resistivity of the wafer unstably varies on the side of a device maker.
FIG. 1 is a graph showing a relation between the thermal donor and the wafer resistivity. In a case of the normal low-resistance wafer to which a dopant is added, since the thermal donor slightly affects the resistivity of the wafer, there is no problem in a real operation. However, in a case of the high-resistance wafer in which the dopant is limited, when it is an n type, the resistivity is considerably reduced as the thermal donor is increased. When it is a p type, although the resistivity is considerably increased along with the increase of the thermal donor at first, if the thermal donor is kept increasing, the p type is converted to the n type, so that the resistivity is considerably decreased.
In order to solve the above problem such that the resistivity considerably varies along with the increase of the thermal donor, there is taken measures to prevent the thermal donor from being formed by using a low-oxygen silicon wafer which is manufactured using a special crucible in which oxygen is prevented from being fused by a MCZ method or an inner face SiC coating. However, the low-oxygen silicon wafer which needs to use the MCZ method or the special crucible is surely expensive as compared with the general-purpose silicon wafer having a relatively high oxygen concentration which is manufactured by the normal CZ method. In addition, oxygen lowering has a technical limitation. That is, in general, it is considered that concentration of 6×1017 atoms/cm3 is difficult and a degree of 8×1017 atoms/cm3 or less is a limit in a wafer of 300 mm. In addition, in the silicon wafer having a low oxygen concentration, there is a problem of slipping and the like because of the lowering of mechanical strength caused by reduction in oxygen concentration.
In order to solve the above problem, International Publication WO 00/55397 pamphlet discloses technique in which a silicon single crystal rod having resistivity of 100 Ωcm or more and initial interstitial oxygen concentration of 10 to 25 ppma [JEIDA] (7.9 to 19.8×1017 atoms/cm3 [Old-ASTM]) is grown, and a heat treatment for oxygen precipitation is performed on a silicon wafer cut from the above single crystal rod so as to limit the remaining interstitial oxygen concentration in the wafer to 8 ppma [JEIDA] (6.4×1017 atoms/cm3 [Old-ASTM]) or less.
According to this technique, the manufacturing cost of the initial wafer becomes low because the general-purpose silicon wafer having high initial oxygen concentration is used. Although the general-purpose silicon wafer having high initial oxygen concentration is used, since the oxygen precipitating heat treatment is performed on the silicon wafer, the remaining oxygen concentration is lowered. Therefore, an oxygen donor is effectively prevented from being generated in a heat treatment for forming a circuit which is performed on the side of a device maker. In the process of lowering the oxygen concentration in the wafer, a large amount of oxygen precipitate (BMD) is generated. Therefore, a gettering ability of the wafer is improved.
However, according to the technique disclosed in the above pamphlet, it is necessary to generate a large amount of oxygen precipitate (BMD) using a high-resistance primary substrate having high-oxygen concentration, and to sufficiently lower the remaining oxygen concentration of a product silicon wafer by generating the large amount of oxygen precipitate (BMD) However, this causes the following problems.
First, to lower the remaining oxygen concentration in the product silicon wafer causes the mechanical strength of the wafer to be lowered. This is clear from the fact that slip dislocation generated from a wafer supporting part in the heat treatment is fixed by oxygen and as a result, a slip length is lowered as the oxygen concentration is increased [M. Akatsuka et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 36 (1997) L1422]. Meanwhile, the oxygen precipitate (BMD) is a factor of affecting the strength. The influence of BMD to the strength is complicated. For example, when the heat and stress of one's own weight added to the wafer is not so large, the movement of the slip dislocation is prevented and the strength is improved (patent document 1), but when the heat and the stress of one's own weight is large, the BMD itself becomes a source of the slip dislocation, so that the strength is lowered and the wafer is probably warped (K. Sueoka et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 36 (1997) 7095). The heat and the stress of one's weight applied to the wafer in the real device process depend on a device structure or a thermal sequence, and it is expected to be increased in some cases.
The second problem is resistance variation along with hydrogen annealing or argon annealing for removing COP [Crystal Originated Particle: aggregation of holes and a void defect surrounded by (111) surface]. In general, when an oxidation heat treatment is performed on a CZ silicon wafer, a ring-shaped oxidation-induced stacking fault called OSF is generated at a part in the crystal diameter direction. It is known that the position where the ring is generated depends on a crystal pulling speed and properties are different between the outer side and the inner side of the ring.
FIG. 2 is a lateral sectional view showing a general distribution of crystal defects in the diameter direction, and FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing positional variation of the crystal defect distribution when the crystal pulling speed is varied. According to the normally grown CZ silicon wafer, a no-defect region exists on the inner side of the ring-shaped OSF developing region and its inside becomes a CCP developing region. Meanwhile, an oxygen precipitation accelerating region and an oxygen precipitation suppressing region exist on the outer side of the ring-shaped OSF developing region and its outside is a dislocation cluster defect developing region. Since the COP and dislocation cluster defect are introduced in the crystal in the crystal growing process, they are called grown-in defect also. Thus, a region from the no-defect region on the inner side of the ring-shaped OSF developing region to the oxygen precipitation suppressing region on the inner side of the dislocation cluster defect developing region is a perfect no-defect region in which the COP or dislocation cluster does not exist.
Here, the ring-shaped OSF developing region shifts toward the center of the crystal as the pulling speed is lowered and finally it disappears in the center. At this time, the vertical sectional configuration of the OSF developing region becomes V shape or U shape which curves downward in the convex direction. Therefore, it is difficult to manufacture the crystal having perfectly no defect on the whole region in the diameter direction with high yield. Thus, in view of productivity also in the real operation, the growing conditions are selected such that the OSF developing region may be positioned at an periphery of the wafer outside of the device forming region in many cases. As a result, since there are many harmful COP on the whole surface of the wafer and on such wafer, it is normal to perform argon annealing or hydrogen annealing in order to eliminate the COP from the surface of the wafer which is used as a device region.
However, since the argon annealing and the hydrogen annealing are basically technique for performing heat treatments on the wafer at high temperature for a long time in a reducing atmosphere (argon has a reducing property at high temperature), the wafer could be contaminated with heavy metal impurities from a heat treatment furnace. When the high-resistance wafer is contaminated with heavy metal impurities, the resistivity of the wafer extremely varies even with a little contamination. Therefore, the argon annealing and the hydrogen annealing are not desirable.
In addition, according to the hydrogen annealing, the dopant on the surface of the wafer is diffused outward by hydrogen reduction, so that the resistivity on the wafer surface tends to be increased. As a result, it is difficult to manufacture a high-resistance wafer having a predetermined resistivity range, with high precision. Meanwhile, according to the argon annealing, since the reducing action is not so strong as in the hydrogen annealing, there is no problem such that the dopant on the wafer surface outwardly diffuses and the resistivity of the wafer surface becomes high. However, a natural oxidation film on the wafer surface is removed in the heat treatment and dopant impurities contained in the removed natural oxidation film are diffused in the wafer, so that the resistivity of the wafer surface tends to being lowered.
Thus, when the high-resistance wafer is manufactured, the argon annealing and the hydrogen annealing for eliminating the COP are undesirable technique.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-resistance silicon wafer in which a gettering ability is excellent, an oxygen thermal donor is prevented from being generated in a heat treatment for forming a circuit which is implemented on the side of a device maker and mechanical strength is high, and its manufacturing method.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high-resistance silicon wafer in which a gettering ability is excellent, an oxygen thermal donor is prevented from being generated in a heat treatment for forming a circuit which is implemented on the side of a device maker and resistance variation caused by argon annealing or hydrogen annealing for eliminating COP can be avoided, and its manufacturing method.

High resistance silicon wafer and its manufacturing method


The present invention is to provide an aromatic vinyl-diene copolymer which exhibits excellent mechanical properties and wear resistance when being formed into a tire, a method for producing the aromatic vinyl-diene copolymer, and a rubber composition containing the aromatic vinyl-diene copolymer. The aromatic vinyl-diene copolymer of an embodiment of the present invention is an aromatic vinyl-diene copolymer which is a copolymer of an aromatic vinyl and a diene, wherein the content of a repeating unit derived from an aromatic vinyl is 18 mass % or greater, among repeating units derived from a diene, a proportion of a vinyl structure is 8 mol % or less, a proportion of a 1,4-trans structure is 75 mol % or less, and a proportion of a 1,4-cis structure is from 17 to 90 mol %, and a glass transition temperature is −60° C. or lower.

As rubber materials used in tires and the like, diene polymers, such as butadiene homopolymers (BR) and styrene-butadiene copolymers (SBR) have been conventionally known.
Note that the diene polymers are produced mainly by emulsion polymerization or solution polymerization. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a method for producing a conjugated diene polymer in which a monomer formed from a conjugated diene or a conjugated diene and an aromatic vinyl compound is polymerized in an inert organic solvent by using a catalyst composition containing (a) a dialkoxy barium compound, (b) an organoaluminum compound, (c) an organolithium compound, (d) an amine compound represented by general formula (I) or a diamine compound represented by general formula (II), as a method for producing a diene (conjugated diene-based) polymer by solution polymerization.

Aromatic vinyl-diene copolymer, method for producing aromatic vinyl-diene copolymer, and rubber composition


An improved high-throughput system for screw-capping a continuous supply of bottles with a continuous supply of screw-caps. The system generally comprises a conveyor having opposed parallel gripper belts for ushering bottles single-file along a continuous supply and transporting them to a capping station for screw-capping (the spacing of said gripper belts being adjustable to accommodate bottles of various sizes), an adjustable-incline cap feeding chute for delivery of caps to the capping station, a capping head for receiving bottles and caps from said conveyor and feeding chute, respectively, and for applying the caps onto the bottles with programmable torque. The capping head is fully adjustable and comprises a programmable logic controller (PLC) for controlling operation of the entire capping system. Indexed readouts for calibration are provided at all primary adjustment points. In conjunction with the digital readouts, the programmable logic controller (PLC) is programmed to provide a user interface with a series of guidance menus to guide a technician through the changeover process, step-by-step identifying a component to be adjusted and providing a calibrated adjustment value to the technician. This configuration improves throughput and makes changeovers between runs (of different bottles and caps) as effortless as possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automated high-volume capping of bottles and containers and, more particularly, to an improved high-throughput system for screw-capping a continuous supply of bottles with a continuous supply of screw-caps.
2. Description of the Background
The filling and capping process generally entails supplying bottles, containers, or cases containing bottles/containers along a conveyor, automatically filling them at a filling station, and automatically capping them at a capping station. Various testing and control functions may be performed along the way, for instance, testing and control of fill volume, cap torque, conveyor velocity, etc. The apparatus which performs the process must be capable of accommodating a wide variety of containers since they can vary in size, shape, neck angle, etc.
There are a variety of capping machines currently utilized in the packaging industry. Perhaps the most common is the "continuous rotary motion screw capper" in which a supply of screw caps are fed into a star wheel. Similarly, a supply of filled containers are fed into a second star wheel. The system lifts screw caps from the cap star wheel and screws them onto the threaded neck of a corresponding container.
Examples of prior art capping systems include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,301 to Kitamoto shows a capping apparatus 1 including a torque sensor 12 which detects an output torque when a chuck 7 is driven for rotation by a motor 9.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,804,929 to Kemnitz shows a rotary capping apparatus and feedback control apparatus for regulating torque applied to screw-on type caps for containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,603 to Nerve shows automatic capping equipment comprising a rotary screwing head.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,564,529 to Reinecke shows a bottle-capping machine with a conveyor to move the bottles through a fitting station.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,519,913 to Higashizaki et al. shows a screw capper including a capping head which comprises a chuck for holding a cap, a motor for driving the chuck for rotation, a cam mechanism for elevating the chuck, and an air cylinder for imparting a load to the chuck.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,046 to Resterhouse et al. shows a self-adjusting capping chuck for use in association with a filler and/or capper.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,678 to Spether shows a capping head with a spindle mounting collar and a clutch housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,992 to Bankuty et al. shows a pre-capping machine and method for pre-capping containers that are advanced along a predetermined path by standard conveyor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,343 to Grove et al. shows a capping machine with a rotatable turret and a rotatable cap chuck which grips the cap and positions the cap on the container. The cap chuck is rotated by a spindle driven by a servo motor at adjustable and reversible rotation. The torque imparted to the cap is monitored by a torque monitor
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,910 to Lubus et al. shows a machine for attaching threaded caps to containers continuously moving in a longitudinal path and having endless belts disposed at opposite sides.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,918,442, 5,669,209 and 5,915,526 to Dewees et al. shows a straight line capping machine in which the cap tightening discs and the container grasping mechanism are synchronized to a predetermined relationship so as to prevent cocked caps, loose caps and/or scuffed caps.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,654 to van den Akker et al. shows a cap chute which is particularly suitable for applying a press-on twist-off cap having a tamper-evident ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,932 to Peronec et al. shows a star-wheel capping machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,806 to Larson et al. shows a rapid changeover apparatus for rapid interchanging of different ramping mechanisms for capping equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,031 to Bankuty et al. Shows a capping machine with at least one spindle assembly slideably carried by a support frame for movement generally parallel to the vertical axis of the spindle assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,564 to Humphries et al. shows a capping machine with rotary chuck for holding a cap above the capping position, forward and reverse rotary drive means coupled to the chuck for rotating such a cap in both a clockwise sense and an anticlockwise sense, rotary movement monitoring means constructed and positioned to monitor rotation of the chuck, linear motion means coupled to the chuck to move the chuck both downwardly and upwardly,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,897 to McKee et al. shows a rotary capping machine is disclosed for application of screw-on closure caps to bottles, jars, or other containers. The machine includes a guiding mechanism which insures that a cap is held in a proper position on a transfer mechanism of the machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,617 to Lewis et al. shows a system to cap in succession containers transported in serial order on a conveyor belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,824 to Goslin shows a chute for delivering caps in succession, one at a time, to a distributor for application to the tops of containers. The force against the bottom cap is reduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,153 to Wozniak shows an apparatus for applying container caps of different sizes to containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,806 to Haslam et al. shows a capping machine for applying removable closures to bottles, jars using a capping head that is infinitely variable by simple adjustment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,683 to Harrington shows a coupling mechanism for interconnecting a drive spindle and a capping chuck
More recently, belt-wheel type (or "spindle") capping machines have been introduced which improve the throughput. With belt-wheel cappers, the bottles enter in a straight line, the caps are fed in to meet the bottles, and the caps are engaged by one or more capping heads that screw the caps onto the bottles continuously, with high efficiency and minimal user oversight. Available belt-wheel capping systems are capable of production speeds ranging from 50 to 200 bottles/minute.
FIG. 1 is an example of an existing belt-wheel type (or "spindle") capping machine that is a fully automatic, straight line, six spindle capper. Very generally, the bottles enter in a straight line as indicated, the caps are fed from a hopper down a tangential chute to meet the bottles, and the caps are engaged by one or more capping heads that screw the caps onto the bottles continuously, efficiently, and with very little user oversight. This particular device employs six spindles (arranged in two parallel sets of three) to engage and progressively tighten caps as they progress through the spindles, and two sets of clutches to adjust the torque applied by each set of spindles. The entire system is supported on a heavy duty stainless steel frame. Unfortunately, the capping heads can be complex, utilizing magnetic clutch(es) that may be adjusted for torque adjustment. Adjustment usually requires each capping head to be disassembled and adjusted using tools, and this extends the downtime associated with setting up a capping machine of this sort to run a specific type/size of bottle.
There is a tremendous need for higher efficiencies and increased productivity in general, and perhaps the most effective way to achieve this is to simplify and coordinate the changeover process associated with setting up a belt-wheel type capping machine for each new production run of bottles and caps, thereby minimizing the level of expertise needed to accomplish each changeover and minimizing downtime between each changeover.