The invention relates to a device for storing and dispensing a flowable composition. Said device comprises a first (1) and a second film (2), a dispensing zone (4), a first chamber (5), containing a first substance (A) and a second chamber (6), containing a second substance (B). Said chambers are interconnected by a transition zone (3) that can be selectively opened. At least one of the films is deep-drawn in the region of the chambers and at least one of the films is pre-formed in the region of the second chamber, in such a way that once the device has been activated by opening the transition zone, the first substance can to a great extent be completely transferred to a second chamber, increasing the volume of said chamber as a result.

The invention relates to a device for storing and dispensing a composition of least two components which is capable of flowing after mixing.
Small amounts of liquid can be stored and dispensed in receptacles in the form of blister packs. In the thermoformed part of the pack closed off by a removable film there are formed, for example, two recesses which are separate from each other. The first recess may contain a small amount of liquid, and a brush may be placed in the other recess.
International Patent Document WO-96/03326 describes, for example, a disposable receptacle which has depressions for storing a medicament and an applicator. Both depressions are protected from contamination by means of a peelable covering film. In one embodiment, by pressing on the depression containing the medicament, said medicament is transferred into the depression containing the applicator in order to wet the applicator. It is explained that this is possible only when the covering film is not bonded to the receptacle in the transition zone between the two depressions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,834 discloses a treatment kit which has two depressions in a main body, which contain a care substance on the one hand and a swab on the other hand. The main body containing the care substance and the swab is protected from contamination by means of a sealing film.
European Patent Document EP 0 895 943 A discloses a device for storing and dispensing a flowable substance, with a container made up of two films which are connected to each other to form two chambers for receiving substances and a pocket which is separate from the chambers and is used for removing the mixture of the two substances. The separation between one chamber and the pocket has a transition zone that can be selectively opened. For activating the device, first pressure is exerted on one chamber, whereby the substance located in it is transferred into the second chamber via the transition zone. As a result, a positive pressure builds up in the second chamber and leads to bulging of one of the films forming the chambers. To prevent the mixture from flowing back into the first chamber, it is necessary for the device to be bent in the zone between the two chambers. This does not eliminate the possibility of operator errors.
It is consequently a disadvantage of the devices known from the prior art that they are only suitable with reservations for dispensing homogeneous compositions which can be obtained by mixing two substances stored separately in the device. In particular, in the case of compositions with different volumes or states of aggregation of their individual constituents, a homogeneous and reproducible mixing result often cannot be ensured.
The prime object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for storing and dispensing mixtures.
A further object can be regarded as that of providing a device which makes it possible for even relatively large amounts of substance to be stored and dispensed without impairing the mixing result.
A further object can be regarded as that of providing a multi-chamber device which to a great extent prevents the mixture to be dispensed from flowing back into one of the chambers of the device during dispensing.
These objects are achieved by providing a device such as that described in the claims.
The terms "comprise" or "include" introduce a list of features which is not considered to be exhaustive. The fact that the word "a" is used in the claims before stating a feature does not exclude the possibility that the features stated may be present as a plurality, in the sense of "at least one".
The device makes it possible to store, mix and dispense flowable compositions of which the individual constituents can be stored separately from one another in the device before mixing. The device is activated by pressure being exerted on the first chamber, whereby the substance located in this chamber is transferred into the second chamber via the transition zone that can be selectively opened. The transition zone that can be selectively opened consequently represents, as it were, a kind of predetermined breaking point.
The mixing of the two substances takes place in the second chamber, in which the second substance is located.
If, by reason of its volume, the second chamber cannot receive the first substance, or only under more difficult conditions, as in the device according to European Patent Document EP 0 895 943 A, only part of the first substance can be mixed with the second substance. This is disadvantageous, since a reproducible mixing result is required, in particular in the medical sector. Mixtures with deviations in the concentration of individual constituents are in many cases unusable.
The present invention solves this problem, since, according to the invention, the second chamber is designed in such a way that it can receive not only a first substance but also a second substance, it being possible for the two substances to be mixed in the device without the device having to be opened beforehand, but opening being possible without any problem after mixing.
This is ensured by the volume of the second chamber constantly allowing itself to increase.
For this purpose, the at least one of the films forming the chambers of the device is pre-formed or plastically deformable in the zone of the second chamber.
The device according to the invention also makes it possible to follow the activation of the device by exerting pressure on the first chamber, in particular visually. The transfer of the first substance from the first chamber into the second chamber brings about a permanent increase in volume of the second chamber, which can be detected from outside during use.
The term "pre-formed" in the sense of the invention is to be understood as meaning a plastic, defined deforming or pre-forming of a film, it being possible for the film to be converted from this form into another form in a controlled and deliberate manner. This includes pre-forming both by peelable sealing with another film and seal-free zones. Pre-forming can be achieved, for example, by thermoforming a film by means of thermoforming molds.
Films in the sense of the invention are deformable, in particular plastically deformable, if, when they are exposed to an external force (for example by an internal pressure building up in a chamber when the device is activated), they yield to this force while deforming, for example by permanent expansion. Suitable films which can be deformed by the activation of the device preferably do not have any appreciable elasticity and consequently have no appreciable recovery.
A film is expandable in the sense of the invention if it can be permanently expanded or deformed by the internal pressure building up when the device is activated.
Since the volume of the second chamber increases only "when required" by activation of the device, the invention makes possible a minimal pack volume for the substances to be stored and to be mixed.
Furthermore, the substances can be filled into the chambers of the device with virtually no inclusion of atmospheric oxygen or other gases in the dead volume, since the additional volume required in the second chamber for mixing is automatically provided when the first substance is transferred from the first chamber into the second chamber.
The creation of a compressed gas cushion (air spring) in the second chamber by the transfer of the first substance from the first chamber into the second chamber, which would force one of the substances back into the first chamber, is consequently prevented to the greatest extent.
A similar effect can be achieved—albeit with high technical expenditure—by filling the device under vacuum. In this case, the volume not filled by the substance (dead volume) during filling is replaced by a vacuum, which after sealing of the device and subsequent exposure of the device to atmospheric pressure leads to corresponding shrinkage of the zones of the volume that are under vacuum. By combining the two possibilities, the dead volume can be reduced virtually completely.
The device is suitable, in particular, for storing, mixing and dispensing substances which are present in the device in different volumes.
To ensure that the substance with the smaller volume takes part substantially completely in the mixing operation and that instances of misapportionment are prevented during mixing, it is expedient to store this substance in the second chamber and to carry out the mixing in this chamber. The substance with the greater volume is in this respect expediently stored in the first chamber. In this way, a reproducible mixing result that is virtually independent of the user is ensured when the substance with the greater volume is transferred from the first chamber into the second chamber.
By bending the device in the zone between the chambers, the transition zone or zones that can be selectively opened can be closed again when required. Flowing back of the mixed substances into the other chamber is then virtually impossible, so that the mixed substances can be transferred into the dispensing zone by pressure being applied to the outer zone of the films forming the second chamber.
The volume of the first chamber usually lies in the range from 0.01 to 100 ml, preferably in the range from 0.05 to 50 ml.
The volume of the second chamber is preferably less than or equal to the volume of the first chamber, at least before the activation of the device, and lies in the range from 0.001 to 100 ml, preferably in the range from 0.01 to 25 ml.
A chamber has, for example, a diameter from 1 to 100 mm, preferably in the range from 5 to 50 mm. The total volume which can be applied usually lies in the range from 0.011 to 200 ml, preferably the range from 0.06 to 75 ml.
To achieve the increase in volume of the second chamber essential for the invention, different embodiments are conceivable.
The increase in volume can be achieved, for example, by a substantially concave formation of the base film and substantially convex formation of the covering film (from the view of the product filled into the chamber). The covering film is for this purpose likewise thermoformed somewhat in the area of the second chamber and connected to the second film in such a way that the thermoformed zone can bulge outward when the device is activated.
To reduce the resistance with which the thermoformed film opposes the pressure building up in the chamber when it is bulging outward, and to ensure a maximum increase in volume, the following method of production has proven to be advantageous:
The covering film is firstly thermoformed and subsequently inverted, so that the indentation in the film is located on the side opposite from the thermoformed mold. The material displacement occurring in the film during thermoforming, and the associated stress, are at least partly retained during the inversion, so that the film is, as it were, in a quasi prestressed state and can consequently be inverted outward more easily upon activation. The covering film produced in this way is finally sealed onto the likewise thermoformed base film. The inverted indentation in the covering film and the indentation in the base film in this case point in the same direction and form between them the volume of the second chamber in the storing state.
The description of the form of a film as "concave" or "convex" does not, however, exclude the possibility of the film changing its curvature characteristics, in particular in edge zones.
It is also conceivable to thermoform only the base film, to be precise in a form which makes it possible for the film to bulge when the device is activated. Such a form can be achieved for example by the initially convexly outward-bulged base film being at least partially pressed in again. This form can, however, also be achieved in a single step by providing a corresponding mold. Consequently, a film which is deformed in a more or less wave-shaped manner in cross section is obtained.
In a variant of this embodiment, the base film has, viewed in cross section, a number of wave peaks and wave valleys, it being possible for the film to be sealed with the covering film in a peelable manner in the area of a wave valley, so that the chamber is subdivided into a number of compartments.
The device is consequently suitable, if appropriate, for storing and mixing more than two substances. The second substance, expediently sealed in a peelable manner in the center of the second chamber, is initially surrounded without direct contact, in a channel-like manner, by the first substance transferred from the first chamber into the second chamber when the device is activated. With increasing pressure on the first chamber and transfer of an increasing amount of second substance, the sealing seam in the area of the wave valley begins to come apart, whereby the first substance begins to wet the second substance.
A further possibility is for the second chamber to be sealed in a peelable manner in an edge zone or the two films forming the chamber to be pressed one onto the other, lying flat, in this zone without sealing them in a peelable manner in this zone. This edge zone is adjoined by a non-peelable sealing zone, which in the end, and in particular, when the device is activated, seals off the chamber from the outside. This non-peelable (firmly sealed) sealing zone is only interrupted by a peelable transition zone at the point at which the second chamber opens into the dispensing zone and the connection between the first chamber and the second chamber is to be established. The increase in volume of the second chamber when the device is activated takes place by the covering film allowing itself to be detached or lifting off from the base film in this area.
It has been found that peelably sealed or unsealed edge zones may have a stronger recovering tendency after the increase in volume brought about by activating the device than films which are converted from a convex form into a concave form upon activation.
An increase in volume of the second chamber can also be achieved, for example, by at least one of the films forming the second chamber being deformable or expandable, in particular, plastically deformable. When the first substance is transferred into the second chamber, in this case the increase in volume takes place by the plastically deformable film allowing itself to expand, preferably without appreciable recovery.
The possibilities stated above can of course also be combined with one another.
The width of the peelably sealed edge zone can in principle be any width desired and depends on the desired increase in volume. A width in the range from 0.1 to 40 mm, preferably from 0.5 to 20 mm, has proven successful.
The zones that can be selectively opened, or the peelably sealed zones, preferably open when a hydrostatic pressure in the range from 3 to 300 N/cm2, particularly preferably in the range from 15 to 150 N/cm2, is exerted by a flowable substance on this zone. The pressure to be applied for opening the zones that can be selectively opened may vary for each zone that can be selectively opened, depending on the embodiment. This makes possible a directed transfer of the substances to be mixed into the respective chambers as far as the dispensing zone.
Depending on the embodiment and films used, slight changes in geometry of the device may occur, in particular, in the area of the second chamber, when the device is activated. If appropriate, one of the films forming the chamber bulges slightly outward as the pressure increasingly builds up.
Preferably, the second chamber is also connected to the dispensing zone via a transition zone that can be selectively opened. This makes easier handling possible. The mixed composition can in this case be dispensed by exerting pressure on the second chamber, without further auxiliary means being necessary for opening the device. Expediently, when the flowable composition is being dispensed, the transition zone to the first chamber is closed by bending it over.
Dispensing zone in the sense of the invention is to be understood here as meaning the zone of the device via which emptying of the mixed composition takes place.
The dispensing zone is preferably shaped in such a way that dependable, uniform dispensing can be ensured.
In this respect, the introduction of flow barriers, as described in DE 19 962 436 A, has proven successful. Barriers of this type ensure that the composition is not spattered when it is dispensed.
By including flow barriers in the dispensing zone, the substance is influenced when it flows out through the dispensing zone in such a way that slow delivery from the dispensing zone is ensured at the mouth of the latter. Consequently, spattering of the substance caused by exerting high pressure on the second chamber when the transition zone suddenly opens is also prevented. The increase in the flow resistance, and consequently the hindering of the outflow of the substance, can be achieved by extending the flow path around the barriers, if appropriate with a change of direction, or by reducing the flow cross section by sealing points or sealing webs arranged in an offset manner.
Furthermore, an increase in the flow resistance can be achieved by a straight constriction of the flow cross section in the dispensing zone. In this case, a restriction by a factor of 1.5 to 5, preferably by a factor of 2, is envisaged. A device of this type is suitable, in particular, whenever low-viscosity substances are to be dispensed without further auxiliary means in a targeted, easy manner without spilling.
Furthermore, the device may have a dispensing zone which is geometrically arranged in such a way in relation to the transition zone that the longitudinal axis of the dispensing zone does not run through the transition zone. In this case, the dispensing zone may have an enlarged volume, in particular, in the part adjoining the transition zone. It is particularly preferred if the dispensing zone is formed as a pocket. In the case of this arrangement, it is advantageous that the substance is conveyed into the dispensing zone by pressure on the substance located in the chamber when the transition zone suddenly opens. In said dispensing zone, the substance experiences a change in direction of the outflow direction as a result of the arrangement of the longitudinal axis of the dispensing zone which does not intersect the transition zone. On account of this change in direction, a slow delivery from the dispensing zone is ensured at the mouth of the latter. If the dispensing zone is formed as a pocket, the substance suddenly flowing out is initially collected in this pocket. Then slow and directed dispensing is possible from this pocket.
To prevent the substances located in the second chamber after the activation of the device from flowing back into the first chamber, it may also be advantageous to fit a valve in the transition zone between the two chambers.
A suitable valve is represented for example by a flexible film (referred to hereafter as valve film), which is fastened in the transition zone between the two chambers, for example to the base film, and protrudes into the second chamber. The first substance can, as already described, be transferred from the first chamber into the second chamber. As soon as the first substance has been transferred completely into the second chamber through the now opened transition zone, the valve film prevents flowing back of the substances located in the second chamber, in that it blocks the transition zone.
Among the advantages provided by this embodiment is that the device does not need to be bent in the transition zone between the two chambers after activation to exclude the possibility of substance flowing back into the first chamber. In the case of this embodiment, it is also not necessary for the films forming the second chamber to be plastically deformable.
For production reasons, it may be advantageous if the valve film additionally lines the first chamber completely or partly and, if appropriate, reaches into the firmly sealed edge zone of the first chamber. In this case, it may be adequate if the valve film adheres on its upper side to the base film only in the transition zone.
The transition zone that can be selectively opened, in combination with the valve film can, for example, also be realized in the following way: the valve film is, for example, connected to the covering film in the area of the first and second chambers and in the transition zone. In the area of the first chamber, in the vicinity of the transition zone that can be selectively opened to the second chamber, the valve film has an opening which has, for example, been punched out from the valve film. The valve film has, furthermore, in the zone of the second chamber a tab or tongue, which can be formed, for example, by punching or cutting out a corresponding shape from the valve film. The residual zone of the valve film detached in the zone of the tab is in this case not removed, but remains in the zone of the second chamber. The valve film is sealed in a peelable manner with the covering film, preferably only in the transition zone.
When the device is activated, the substance is transferred from the first chamber into the second chamber through the opening in the valve film via the transition zone that can be selectively opened, with the tab of the valve film lifting up. As soon as substantially the entire amount of the first substance has been transferred into the second chamber, the tab is pressed against the covering film in the area of the second chamber, or into the existing punched clearance, by the internal pressure building up in the second chamber and pressure relief of the first chamber, and in this way prevents the flowing back of the substance into the first chamber.
In a further embodiment, a third chamber, which is filled with a third substance, may be located in the transition zone that can be selectively opened, between the first chamber and the second chamber. When the device is activated, in this case firstly the third chamber is opened and the first substance emerging from the first chamber is united with the third substance, located in the third chamber, before it finally enters the second chamber, in which the actual mixing operation takes place.
This arrangement is suitable in particular for intensive mixing of identical or different liquids, which are located in the first and second chambers, with for example a powder, which is located in the third chamber lying in between. The third chamber can be flushed through particularly intensively by repeated, alternating exertion of pressure on the first chamber or second chamber and the substances located therein. In this case, a volume reservoir located in the first and/or second chamber is advantageous.
The device is usually a disposable pack (unit dose). The device is suitable for storing and dispensing all substances for which reproducible mixing and apportioning, to a great extent independently of the user, is required.
In particular, the device has proven successful in the area of human and veterinary medicine and in the dental sector.
Substances to be stored are usually liquids, pastes and/or solids. The solids may in this case be in the form of powder, tablets or granules.
The device is preferably suitable for storing, mixing and dispensing compositions chosen from: human and veterinary medicaments, wound cleaning agents, dental products, adhesives, impression materials, paints, in particular, two-pack paints, foods to be stored separately or their constituents.
The device substantially comprises a first base or lower film and a second covering or upper film, which for their part may be formed as multilayer films.
Depending on the embodiment which is chosen to make possible the increase in volume essential for the invention, at least one of the films is plastically deformable, preferably thermoformable while deforming.
Preferably used as films are those which have adequate diffusion impermeability.
Depending on the nature of the substance to be stored, the films should also be resistant to aggressive substances, for example caustic substances and/or substances having the properties of solvents.
Depending on the application area and the desired deformability, the films are stretched or are in an unstretched state before the activation of the device.
The film constituents may be chosen from plastic films, metal foils and ceramic sheets.
Conceivable as plastic films are, for example: PE, PP, PTFE, PET, PA, PBT, PVC, EVA, PVF (polyvinyl fluoride).
Conceivable as metal foils are, for example: Al, Sn, Au, Ag, Fe, Pb.
Ceramic sheets are to be understood as meaning films which have, for example, a layer containing SiOx.
The film may, in principle, be of any desired construction and is based, inter alia, on the nature of the substances to be stored.
A film construction with the sequence from the outside inward of PET, Al, PET, PE or PP, Al, PET, PE, if appropriate also without a PET film as a middle film, has proven to be advantageous.
With the exception of the zones forming the chambers, the films are preferably connected to one another in surface-area contact.
The connection of the first film to the second film may take place, for example, by hot-sealing, cold-sealing, adhesive bonding and/or ultrasonic welding with sonotrodes.
A multilayer construction of the first and second films can be achieved by laminating, calendering, laminating of various layers comprising single films, if appropriate also by vapor-depositing, for example with metals.
To ensure that the substances, which are introduced into the device and can be applied, are protected from incident light, for example, the films are preferably configured in such a way that, in an area surrounding the chamber, they are connected to one another by two spaced-apart sealing seams.
The device can in principle be of any desired form, but is preferably adapted to the nature of the substances stored.
The chambers are preferably formed such that they are round (circular or oval) but, if appropriate, also angular (square, rectangular or triangular).
The transition zone is designed such that, in the storing state, it forms a sealed closure, both between the two chambers and with respect to the zone via which the composition is to be dispensed.
The transition zone that can be selectively opened, or the predetermined breaking point, can be achieved for example by cold-sealing, hot-sealing, ultrasonic welding or adhesive bonding, a different energy input, preferably lower energy input, taking place in the case of hot-sealing in comparison with the other sealing zones. This can be controlled by means of temperature, pressure and/or holding time.
Another possibility is to introduce adhesion-reducing foreign particles, such as punched pieces of peeling film or spots of hot-melt adhesive, between the first film and the second film in the area of the predetermined breaking point. In this case, firmly sealing films are preferably used as the upper and lower films.
The dispensing zone is preferably formed such that it is open toward one side, i.e. in pocket-like, and if appropriate formed such that a dispensing instrument or an applicator can even be introduced in the storing state. The dispensing zone may also serve as an application device itself if there is a correspondingly small diameter of the opening toward the outside, for example in the form of a cannula.
The separation between the chamber or chambers and the dispensing zone is configured with respect to the distance and also with respect to the strength of the adhesive bond such that there is a further predetermined breaking point.
The possibly present application instrument is preferably designed like a brush or a swab. An application instrument with a spherical tip bearing bristles or brush hairs has proven to be favorable. Furthermore, pipettes, cotton sticks, sponges, spatulas or spray heads sealed into the dispensing zone may also be used as an application instrument or as application devices.
Furthermore, it is favorable when using an application instrument if the dispensing zone is to a great extent sealed off from the outside by the application instrument.
A dispensing instrument located in the dispensing zone or only introduced into it at this or a later point in time is wetted when the device is activated and can subsequently be used for applying the released substance.
It is also conceivable for the application instrument to be moved in the direction of the second chamber, in order to release the transition zone that can be selectively opened. This likewise results in the dispensing instrument being wetted.
If repeated application of the released substance is necessary, the application instrument can be re-inserted into the pocket.
The dispensing zone or the application instrument is preferably designed in such a way that, when it is re-inserted, wetting of the outer portion of the application instrument does not take place.
This may happen, for example, by a channel-shaped formation of the dispensing zone and a matching formation of the application instrument.
It is also conceivable for one of the films to be designed in a dish-shaped or well-shaped manner in the dispensing zone, into which the substance is conveyed for repeated wetting of the application instrument without wetting the shaft by squeezing out the chamber in a way similar to in the case of tubes.
The device can be produced, for example, by the following method:                a) provision of a first film,        b) partial thermoforming of the first film, thereby forming two chambers,        c) filling of the two chambers with two substances to be mixed,        d) application of a second film,        e) connecting of the second film to the first film to a great extent in surface-area contact, leaving the chambers free and forming a transition zone that can be selectively opened between the two chambers and in the dispensing zone.
Depending on which embodiment is chosen for the increase in volume of the second chamber, further steps are to be applied.
The first film maybe sealed with the second film only in a peelable manner in the edge zone of the second chamber.
Alternatively, the second film is thermoformed in the area of the second chamber before application (step d)) and subsequently applied with the curvature in the direction of the thermoformed area of the first film from step b) and sealed, with a concave-convex chamber being formed.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below on the basis of the drawings. The representations in dashed lines show the device after activation.

Device for storing and dispensing flowable compositions


Techniques are described herein for predicting disk drive failure using a machine learning model. The framework involves receiving disk drive sensor attributes as training data, preprocessing the training data to select a set of enhanced feature sequences, and using the enhanced feature sequences to train a machine learning model to predict disk drive failures from disk drive sensor monitoring data. Prior to the training phase, the RNN LSTM model is tuned using a set of predefined hyper-parameters. The preprocessing, which is performed during the training and evaluation phase as well as later during the prediction phase, involves using predefined values for a set of parameters to generate the set of enhanced sequences from raw sensor reading. The enhanced feature sequences are generated to maintain a desired healthy/failed disk ratio, and only use samples leading up to a last-valid-time sample in order to honor a pre-specified heads-up-period alert requirement.

Disk drives are among the most failed components in a datacenter. Each failure could result in severe damages to businesses, ranging from short downtimes to severe data losses. While some disk drives failures are not foreseeable because they happen due to environmental or human factors, most of the failures are due to wear-and-tear and could be predicted by analyzing the data collected from disk drive sensors.
The disk drive sensors quantify operational conditions of a disk drive and log events that could indicate of failures. Similarly, some vendors even embed simple predictive threshold-based sensor reading analysis into the disk drives for signaling failures. These approaches are limited in their effectiveness as manufacturers conservatively tune error thresholds due to warranty conditions
Disk drive sensor datasets were very small in comparison to the scale of disk drive deployment in a datacenter, which may number in the several thousands and more. Some recent disk drive sensor data findings have indicated that a small set of disk drive attributes as playing a significant role in disk drive failures. These findings tend to be specific to certain disk drive brands and models. Furthermore, some of the findings regarding attributes indicative of disk drive failure tend to exhibit high false positive rates.
Furthermore, disk drive sensor datasets indicate that disk drive failure behavior is complex. Approaches that attempt to capture this behavior using simple thresholding techniques or with straightforward statistical modeling approaches find themselves limited in predicting failures in a datacenter scale deployment using multiple disk drive vendors and models that are employed within large-scale application scenarios.
Approaches described herein involve a framework for applying machine learning on time-series disk drive sensor data in order to automatically identify disk drive attributes that are indicative of disk drive failure without being limited by disk drive vendor, disk drive model, or disk drive attribute sensor monitoring.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Disk drive failure prediction with neural networks


A catalyst for synthesizing acrylonitrile that enables acrylonitrile to be synthesized at high yield, and a process for producing acrylonitrile using that catalyst, are provided. A catalyst for synthesizing acrylonitrile is used having a composition represented by FeaSbbCcDdTeeFfXxYyZzOg(SiO2)h. In the formula, component C represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni and Co, component D from the group consisting of Mo, W and V, component F from the group consisting of P and B, component X from the group consisting of Sn, Ti, Zr, Nb, Ta, Cr, Ru, Pd, Ag, Al, Ga, In, Tl, Ge, As, Bi, La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm, component Y from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Mn, Zn and Pb, and component Z from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs, and SiO2 represents silica, when a=10, b=5 to 60, c=0.1 to 8.0, d=0.1 to 4.0, e=0.1 to 5.0, f=1.3 to 5.0, x=0 to 5, y=0 to 5, z=0 to 2, h=10 to 200 and g is the atomic ratio of oxygen required to satisfy the valence of each of the elements excluding silicon, and f/d=1 to 5.

Methods for vapor phase ammoxidation of propylene by molecular oxygen and ammonia in the presence of a catalyst are widely known as methods for producing acrylonitrile. Various catalysts have been proposed thus far for use as catalysts used at that time.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a complex oxide catalyst of antimony, iron and at least one element selected from the group consisting of cobalt and nickel.
In addition, Patent Documents 2 to 8 disclose complex oxide catalysts containing, for example, iron, antimony and tellurium as well as vanadium, molybdenum and tungsten. Moreover, Patent Documents 9 to 11 disclose processes for preparing these catalysts containing iron and antimony.
In addition, Patent Documents 12 to 19 disclose complex oxide catalysts containing molybdenum, bismuth, iron and the like.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. S38-19111    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. S46-2804    [Patent Document 3] Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. S47-19765    [Patent Document 4] Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. S47-19766    [Patent Document 5] Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. S47-19767    [Patent Document 6] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. S50-108219    [Patent Document 7] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. S52-125124    [Patent Document 8] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H4-118051    [Patent Document 9] Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. S47-18722    [Patent Document 10] Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. S47-18723    [Patent Document 11] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. S59-139938    [Patent Document 12] Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. S38-17967    [Patent Document 13] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication S59-204163    [Patent Document 14] Japanese Examined Patent Application, Second Publication No. S61-13701    [Patent Document 15] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication H1-228950    [Patent Document 16] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication H7-47272    [Patent Document 17] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication H10-43595    [Patent Document 18] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication H11-169715    [Patent Document 19] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-114740

Catalyst for synthesizing acrylonitrile and process for producing acrylonitrile


An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry and control circuitry. The wireless circuitry may communicate using a 5G New Radio (NR) protocol. The wireless circuitry may have multiple bandwidth part configurations. The control circuitry may place the wireless circuitry in a first bandwidth part configuration where a first bandwidth part of a first component carrier is active and a second bandwidth part of a second component carrier is inactive. The control circuitry may switch the wireless circuitry from the first bandwidth part configuration to a second bandwidth part configuration in which the first bandwidth part is inactive and the second bandwidth part is active. The first and second component carriers may be intra-band contiguous, intra-band non-contiguous, or inter-band. The control circuitry may switch the wireless circuitry into other configurations for covering other bandwidth parts of any desired component carriers in any desired bands.

Electronic devices often include wireless communications circuitry. For example, cellular telephones, computers, and other devices often contain antennas and wireless transceivers for supporting wireless communications.
It may be desirable to support wireless communications in millimeter wave and centimeter wave communications bands. Millimeter wave communications, which are sometimes referred to as extremely high frequency (EHF) communications, and centimeter wave communications involve communications at frequencies of about 10-300 GHz. Operation at these frequencies may support high bandwidths but may raise significant challenges. For example, the allocation of millimeter wave spectrum globally faces significant challenges in terms of region-specific and nation-specific regulatory requirements. In addition, it can be difficult to allocate millimeter wave spectrum in a manner that can be efficiently and flexibly supported by the wireless communications circuitry.

Supplemental use of millimeter wave spectrum


A computer system and method for aligning blocks within source program image in accordance with alignment constraints. The source program image is divided in pages. The alignment system receives an indication of which of the blocks are accessed during each time interval while the source program image is executed. The alignment system determines from the received indications which of the pages are accessed during each time interval. The alignment system then identifies the first block of the source program image that has an alignment constraint and repeats the following until all blocks have been aligned. The alignment system identifies a group of contiguous blocks that are adjacent to the identified block such that the identified blocks can be rearranged without increasing the number of pages that are accessed during each time interval. The alignment system then determines an arrangement of the blocks that tends to minimize the amount of padding that is needed to satisfy the alignment constraints. The alignment system then stores the rearranged blocks along with the padding in a destination program image.

Many conventional computer systems utilize virtual memory. Virtual memory refers to a set of techniques that provide a logical address space that is typically larger than the corresponding physical address space of the computer system. One of the primary benefits of using virtual memory is that it facilitates the execution of a program without the need for all of the program to be resident in main memory during execution. Rather, certain portions of the program may reside in secondary memory for part of the execution of the program. A common technique for implementing virtual memory is paging; a less popular technique is segmentation. Because most conventional computer systems utilize paging instead of segmentation, the following discussion refers to a paging system, but these techniques can be applied to segmentation systems or systems employing paging and segmentation as well.
When paging is used, the logical address space is divided into a number of fixed-size blocks, known as pages. The physical address space is divided into like-sized blocks, known as page frames. A paging mechanism maps the pages from the logical address space, for example, secondary memory, into the page frames of the physical address space, for example, main memory. When the computer system attempts to reference an address on a page that is not present in main memory, a page fault occurs. After a page fault occurs, the operating system copies the page into main memory from secondary memory and then restarts the instruction that caused the fault.
One paging model that is commonly used is the working set model. At any instance in time, t, there exists a working set, w(k, t), consisting of all the pages used by the k most recent memory references. The operating system monitors the working set of each process and allocates each process enough page frames to contain the process' working set. If the working set is larger than the allocated page frames, the system will be prone to thrashing. Thrashing refers to very high paging activity in which pages are regularly being swapped from secondary memory into the pages frames allocated to a process. This behavior has a very high time and computational overhead. It is therefore desirable to reduce the size of (i.e., the number of pages in) a program's working set to lessen the likelihood of thrashing and significantly improve system performance.
A programmer typically writes source code without any concern for how the code will be divided into pages when it is executed. Similarly, a compiler program translates the source code into relocatable machine instructions and stores the instructions as object code in the order in which the compiler encounters the instructions in the source code. The object code therefore reflects the lack of concern for the placement order by the programmer. A linker program then merges related object code together to produce executable code. Again, the linker program has no knowledge or concern for the working set of the resultant executable code. The linker program merely orders the instructions within the executable code in the order in which the instructions are encountered in the object code. The computer program and linker program do not have the information required to make an optimal placement of code portions within an executable module. This is because the information required can in general only be obtained by actually executing the executable module and observing its usage of code portions. Clearly this cannot be done before the executable module has been created. The executable module initially created by the compiler and linker thus has code portions laid out without regard to their usage.
As each code portion is executed, the page in which it resides must be in physical memory. Other code portions residing on the same page will also be in memory, even if they may not be executed in temporal proximity. The result is a collection of pages in memory with some required code portions and some unrequired code portions. To the extent that unrequired code portions are loaded into memory by this process, valuable memory space is wasted, and the total number of pages loaded into memory is much larger than necessary.
To make a determination as to which code portions are "required" and which code portions are "unrequired," a developer needs execution information for each code portion, for example, when the code portion is accessed during execution of the computer program. A common method for gathering such execution information includes adding instrumentation code to every code portion. The execution of the computer program is divided into a series of time intervals (e.g., 100 milliseconds). Each time the code portion is executed during execution of the computer program, instrumentation code causes a flag to be set for that code portion for the current time interval. Thus, after execution of the computer program, each code portion will have a temporal usage vector associated with it. The temporal usage vector has, for each time interval, a bit that indicates whether that code portion was executed during that time interval. The temporal usage vectors therefore reflect the temporal usage pattern of the code portions.
After the temporal usage patterns have been established, a paging optimizer can rearrange the code portions to minimize the working set. In particular, code portions with similar temporal usage patterns can be stored on the same page. Thus, when a page is loaded into main memory, it contains code portions that are likely to be required.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a sample program image that has been rearranged by a paging optimizer. The program image spans four pages (i.e., page 0-page 3) and contains 16 code portions (i.e., code portion 0-code portion 15). Current paging optimizers typically store the code portions in the program image without regard to the alignment constraints of the code portions. An alignment constraint of a code portion means that the code portion must be positioned at an address that is an integral multiple of the alignment constraint. For example, a code portion with an alignment constraint of 16 needs to be stored at an address that is an integral multiple of 16 (i.e., 0, 16, 32, 48, etc.). These alignment constraints can be required by the architecture of the processor or can be imposed to improve the performance of the computer program. In addition, data portions of a computer program can also have alignment constraints. (In the following, the term "block" is used to refer to both data portions and code portions.) For example, a floating point number may have an alignment constraint of 4 and an array of 32-byte elements may have an alignment constraint of 32. Blocks 1, 8, 11, and 14 of FIG. 1 have alignment constraints, however, the paging optimizer typically generates the program image without consideration to alignment constraints. Therefore, the blocks with alignment constraints are not necessarily properly aligned.
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a typical technique for ensuring that the alignment constraints of a program image are satisfied. FIG. 2A illustrates the program image as output by the paging optimizer. Memory locations 0-127 are shown in the horizontal direction with blocks 2A01-2A15 arranged in memory by the paging optimizer. The horizontal width of a block indicates the size of the block. For example, block 2A01 has a size of 8 bytes (i.e., from address 1 to address 8), and block 2A08 has a size of 12 bytes (i.e., from address 52 to address 63). The vertical height of each block indicates its alignment constraint, as does the number within the block. For example, block 2A01 has an alignment constraint of 8 and block 2A02 has an alignment constraint of 16. Thus, the vertical height of block 2A02 is twice the vertical height of block 2A01 because the alignment constraint of block 2A02 (i.e., 16) is twice the alignment constraint of block 2A01 (i.e., 8).
FIG. 2B illustrates the program image after the alignment constraints have been satisfied. A typical technique for satisfying the alignment constraints simply scans the program image and when a block is encountered that is not properly aligned, the technique adds appropriate padding to align that block. The padding may be bytes that contain NOP instructions. Since block 2A01 has an alignment constraint of 8 and was positioned by the paging optimizer at address 1, it is not properly aligned. Therefore, the technique would add 7 bytes of padding, 2A01a, to the destination program image. (In the following, the term "source" program image refers to the program image whose alignment constraints have yet to be satisfied, and the term "destination" program image refers to the program image whose alignment constraints are satisfied.) The technique would then retrieve block 2A01 from the source program image and store it in the destination program image starting at address 8 and continuing through address 15. The technique would then retrieve block 2A02 and determine that its alignment constraint is 16 and that the next address, 16, in the destination program image is an integral multiple of 16. Therefore, the technique stores block 2A02 starting at address 16 and continuing through address 31 in the destination program image. The technique similarly stores blocks 2A03-2A04 in addresses 31-45 of the destination program image. The technique would then retrieve block 2A06, which has an alignment constraint of 8. Since the next address in the destination program image is address 46, which is not an integral multiple of 8, the technique adds 2 bytes of padding, 2A06a, so that the next address is an integral multiple of 8. The technique then stores block 2A06 starting at address 48 and continuing through address 57 in the destination program image. The technique continues in a similar way to process each block in the source destination image.
Such a technique to satisfy alignment constraints has several problems. First, the adding of padding increases the overall size of the program image. Second, and more importantly, such a technique does not take into consideration page boundaries. In particular, the paging optimizer arranged the blocks to reduce the working set, however, when padding is added, blocks stored on a certain page in the source program image may be stored on two different pages in the destination program image. Thus, when executing those blocks, both pages would need to be in memory and thus the working set would be increased.
Because of recent developments in processor architecture, the imposing of certain alignment constraints on blocks of a program image can result in significant improvements in performance. In particular, as processors have become faster, main memory access has become the bottleneck to overall increased performance. Therefore, in order to improve performance, memory caching schemes have been adopted to lessen the effect of the main memory bottleneck. The PENTIUM processor, for example, employs one such memory caching scheme that uses a very fast primary cache and a fast secondary cache. When the processor needs to read data from memory, the processor first checks the primary cache to locate the data. If the requested data is found in the primary cache, it is returned to the processor without accessing main memory. If the requested data is not found in the primary cache, then the secondary cache is checked, which has a slower access time than the primary cache, but is still much faster than main memory. If the data is located in the secondary cache, the data is returned to the processor and the line ("cache line") of the secondary cache that stored the data is copied into the primary cache. Data is stored in both the primary cache and the secondary cache in terms of 32-byte cache lines. The primary cache is 8 KB in size, so it can store 256 cache lines. The secondary cache is typically 64 KB to 512 KB, so it can store between 2,048 to 16,384 cache lines.
If after checking the secondary cache the data is still not found, main memory is accessed which has a significantly slower access time than the secondary cache. When main memory is accessed, not only the requested data, but an entire memory line of 32 bytes is returned. The processor receives the requested data, and both the primary and secondary caches receive the entire 32-byte memory line. The 32-byte memory line is stored in the caches in the hope that when the processor needs to read data from memory, the data will be found within this cache line. The memory line that is returned has a starting address that is an integral multiple of 32. That is, if data is accessed at address 42, then the memory line that is returned includes addresses 32 through address 47. To put the costs of memory access in perspective, it takes 1 processor cycle to access the primary cache, 4-12 processor cycles to access the secondary cache, and 50 processor cycles to access main memory. The PENTIUM processor's caching scheme is described in greater detail in Anderson and Shanley, Pentium Processor System Architecture, 2d ed., Addison-Wesley, 1995, pp. 35-60, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
It would be desirable to have a technique for satisfying the alignment constraints that would minimize the amount of padding that is added and would also minimize the effect on the working set of the computer program.

Method and system for alignment of blocks in a program image


The invention relates to a method for connecting a first component, in particular a lancing means, to a second component, in particular a syringe body, in order to produce a product for medical or cosmetic purposes, by means of adhesion, having the following steps: (a) providing the first and the second component; (b) tempering at least one first contact surface of the first component and/or at least one second contact surface of the second component to a temperature T1; and (c) applying an adhesive to at least one portion of the first contact surface and/or to at least one portion of the second contact surface, wherein the adhesive is at a temperature T2, wherein temperatures T1 and T2 differ only by a tolerance deviation, wherein the tolerance deviation is at most 10° C.

It is often desirable for syringes to be supplied with a lancing means, for example a needle or a cannula. Pre-filled syringes in particular are preferably supplied with a lancing means. The pre-filled syringes (syringe bodies), which can be made of glass or plastic, are manufactured, packaged, sterilized and made ready for filling directly in the bottler's clean room by the primary packaging manufacturer. They can then be used for filling without any further treatment steps. The pre-filled syringes are filled by the filler from the proximal side or the flange side.
The lancing means is usually fastened with an adhesive in the syringe, or in a lancing means channel in the distal end section of the syringe. A lancing means can be a needle, a cannula, or a similar device. The difficulty lies in adequately wetting the corresponding contact surfaces of the lancing means and the syringe body with the adhesive. To ensure this, the lancing means channel is designed with a larger diameter. However, a lancing means channel of this size also requires a larger amount of adhesive in order to fill it. This entails additional financial expenditure. A lancing means channel with a larger diameter also harbors the risk that the adhesive gets into the reservoir for the medium. With some drugs or vaccines, contact with the adhesive can lead to unwanted interactions that can render the substance unusable. Furthermore, an excessively large diameter of the lancing means channel can lead to the holding forces of the adhesive not being sufficient. The specified requirements for corresponding pulling forces can therefore not be met.
The use of very low-viscosity adhesives is also disadvantageous, since they tend to form droplets, which makes handling these adhesives difficult. There is also a risk in this case that the adhesive will pass through the lancing means channel and get into the reservoir.
The problems mentioned at the outset with regard to the bonding of a lancing means in a syringe body can also be transferred to similarly arranged arrangements or bonding of other first components in corresponding receiving volumes of the second component.
An important goal of the present invention is accordingly to provide a method by means of which the disadvantages mentioned above can be overcome.

Method for connecting a first component to a second component


An image processing device includes: a demosaicking unit which converts a bayer image from a camera sensor into red, green image and blue images; a first color space conversion unit which converts first camera RGB data into first display R′G′B′ data using a first color space conversion matrix; and a display unit which displays an image using the first display R′G′B′ data, where the first color space conversion matrix is calculated from a relationship in which the product of the first color space conversion matrix and a transpose of a first N×3 matrix is a transpose of a second N×3 matrix, where the first N×3 matrix represents camera RGB data of N number of colors, and the second N×3 matrix represents display R′G′B′ data of the N number of colors calculated by measuring the N number of colors displayed in the display unit using a spectrophotometer.

(a) Field
Exemplary embodiments of the invention relates to a device and a method for processing an image. More particularly, the invention relates to a device and a method for processing an image, in which a color of an image that is photographed in a camera in a display is substantially accurately reproduced.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In order for a display device to accurately reproduce a color of an image that is photographed in a camera of a mobile phone, a digital camera and a camcorder, the camera and the display device are desired to have the same color gamut. In order for a color gamut of the camera to correspond to a color gamut of the display, a standardized sRGB color gamut under daylight 6500K ("D65") is typically used as a color gamut to use for storage and reproduction of an image. This corresponds to 70% color gamut based on a national television system committee ("NTSC").
However, an organic light emitting display typically has a wide color gamut (110% color gamut based as an NTSC), compared with the sRGB color gamut under D65. Therefore, an image that is generated using an sRGB color gamut under D65 as a standard may not be substantially accurately displayed by an organic light emitting display. That is, when displaying an image that is photographed in a camera having a narrow color gamut in an organic light emitting display having a wide color gamut, a color of the image may be exaggeratingly viewed further than an actual color.

Device and method for processing image for substantially accurately reproduced color images from a camera


A method of controlling a vehicle drive system is provided for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, free-wheeling steerable front wheels, driven rear wheels, an infinitely variable transmission (IVT) transmitting torque from the engine to the rear wheels, and a control unit for controlling the IVT as a function of sensed parameters and supplying a speed command to the IVT for commanding a speed of the rear wheels. The method includes sensing a steering angle of the front wheels, sensing a front wheel speed, sensing a rear wheel speed, generating a corrected estimated vehicle speed as a function of the front wheel speed and the sensed steering angle, and increasing the speed command in response to a comparison between the corrected estimated vehicle speed and the rear wheel speed. The infinitely variable transmission is preferably embodied by a hybrid electric drive system. The estimated vehicle speed value is determined as a function of a gear ratio of a rear wheel drive, the front wheel speed, a rolling radius of the front wheel, a rolling radius of the rear wheel, and the steering angle of the steerable front wheels. The speed command is increased when the rear wheel speed is less than 90% of the corrected estimated vehicle speed.

This invention relates to a drive system for a vehicle.
Certain current production tractors include infinitely variable transmissions which provide an infinitely variable ratio between the engine speed and the driven wheel speed. When such a tractor is pulling a heavy trailer and is on a down slope or is decelerating, the load from the trailer must be countered by traction forces from the tires. Traction forces result in wheel slip, and large values of wheel slip reduce the ability of the tires to provide directional control or steering forces. As wheel slip increases, the tire loses its ability to provide steering force and thus the tractor loses directional stability. Thus, such an overrunning load can cause loss of directional stability.
To prevent this loss of directional stability on some current production tractors with IVT's, the rear wheel slip is limited by increasing the rear wheel speed when excessive slip is detected.
To accomplish this, the rotational speed of the front axle is sensed and this sensed speed is used as to compute a vehicle speed estimate. The front wheels are free wheeling when pulling a trailer at highway speeds, and therefore, front tire slip is negligible, and the front axle speed is a good indication of vehicle speed. Similarly, a second vehicle speed is estimated from the rear axle speed. This second speed estimated is affected by wheel slip resulting from the generation of traction forces. The rear wheel slip is calculated by computing the ratio of the speed estimates based on the rear and front wheel speeds. Because of the geometry of the tractor axles in a conventionally steered, rear wheel driven tractor, the front wheel speed increases when turning, therefore, the ratio of the rear axle to front axle drive speed is decreased when turning, and if the front axle speed is used to estimate true vehicle speed in calculating tire slip with an overrunning load, the calculated slip would be excessive and the wheel slip control algorithm would overcorrect.
Vehicle electric drive systems or AC electric traction drives have been proposed, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,023 issued 22 Oct. 1996 and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,492,785, issued 10 Dec. 2002. Such an electric drive system typically includes an engine-driven 3-phase electric motor/generator coupled to an inverter/rectifier, which, in turn, is coupled to a DC buss. The buss feeds an inverter/rectifier which supplies power to a traction motor/generator which drives an axle or a wheel. The inverter/rectifiers invert the DC current on the buss to 3-phase AC current at a frequency to drive the wheels at the speed directed by the operator. It would be desirable to apply a steering responsive slip limiting function to such a vehicle electric drive system.

Steering compensated speed override for vehicle drive system


An anti-corrosion support device includes a post and a post protector that is disposed about a bottom portion of the post. An interior surface of the post protector is sized and shaped to fit tightly over an exterior surface of the bottom portion of the post. The anti-corrosion support device also may include an adjustment foot that passes through an aperture formed through a bottom portion of the post protector into an attachment member mounted to the post. An anti-corrosion support system includes several of the anti-corrosion support devices, shelf supporting means, and one or more shelves.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to support structures that can be used to carry or support desired items. More particularly, the present invention relates to an anti-corrosion device and system for supporting items.
2. Description of Related Art
Various shelving systems are known in the art. Just as examples, each of U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,111 (Maslow); U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,705 (Maslow); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,818 (Sudimak et al.) disclose shelving systems having a plurality of corner posts, sleeves mountable on each corner post, and collars associated with a shelf that mate with a sleeve in turn mounted on a post. In this way, the shelf can be mounted on the posts. The disclosure of each of these patents is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
Shelving systems such as those described above may be used for numerous applications in many different environments, including corrosive environments. Exemplary corrosive environments include coolers, kitchens, laboratories, and the like. Some shelving systems are substantially corrosion-proof; however, others are merely corrosion-resistant. When corrosion-resistant shelving systems are used in wet or otherwise corrosive environments, corrosion is delayed rather than prevented. In some cases, bottom portions of corner posts of these shelving systems develop significant corrosion, which may be caused by washing of floors that support the corner posts, for example. Conventionally, only corrosion-proof corner posts have been used in these corrosive environments.
For these and other reasons, the shelving devices and systems of the prior art are not entirely satisfactory. A need exists for an improved shelving device and system in which corrosion of corner posts is substantially prevented.

System and device for preventing corrosion on shelving corner posts


A bentonite clay-based polymerization catalyst is manufactured by adhering together a plurality of smaller acid-activated bentonite clay particles, using a strong mineral acid, such as H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, as a binder. An acid-activated bentonite clay having a particle size below about 60 mesh, U.S. Sieve Series, preferably calcium bentonite, having calcium as a predominant exchangeable action, is mixed with a strong mineral acid, preferably H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, and water to form the catalyst. The mixture is subjected to intensive mixing, curing and drying to form strong particles capable of grinding to a desired particle size distribution, e.g., -6 mesh to +60 mesh, U.S. Sieve Series, to form the catalyst. Fines resulting from the grinding step are completely recycled to the intensive mixing stage of the process to achieve 100% yield. Some adjustment of acid content of the mix may be needed to take into account the acid carried into the mix by recycled fines.

Aromatic hydrocarbons, particularly benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX), are a by-product formed in the production of gasoline in an oil refinery. The separation of BTX from other hydrocarbons, for example, using a catalytic reformer and an extraction device, results in a BTX mixture containing contaminants, particularly reactive contaminants, such as olefins and diolefins. These contaminants must be removed from the aromatics to obtain the aromatic hydrocarbons in a useful form, particularly for nitration-grade aromatics.
One of the specifications of nitration-grade aromatics is called an Acid Wash Color Test. This involves washing the sample with concentrated sulfuric acid and comparing the resultant color produced with a set of standards. The darker the color, the greater the concentration of impurities, particularly diolefins. This test was introduced in the days when benzene was made from coal tar, by treating it with sulfuric acid. A low Acid Wash Color indicated that the manufacturer had used a sufficiently large quantity of sulfuric acid to remove all the unwanted, highly reactive contaminants.
Olefins are objectionable in aromatic hydrocarbon, e.g., BTX, products for the following reasons: they are reactive and produce undesirable co-products in downstream processing, such as colored materials, such as benzene sulfonates; olefins in xylenes in the production of various xylene derivations, e.g., trimethylxylene occupy sieve capacity thereby adversely affecting performance; and olefins can cause fouling in high temperature equipment, such as a xylene column reboiler.
Another test for detecting the presence of olefins in hydrocarbons, e.g., aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures, is Bromine Index or Bromine Number. Specifically, the Bromine Index is a measure of the milligrams of bromine consumed by 100 grams of sample under given conditions, and Bromine Number is a measure of the grams of bromine consumed by 100 grams of sample. A comparison of the different bromine tests is shown in Table I.
TABLE I ______________________________________ BROMINE INDEX/BROMINE NUMBER METHODS ASTM ASTM ASTM ASTM D 1159 D 1491 D 1492 D 2710 ______________________________________ Analysis: Number Index Index Index Title: Bromine Bromine Bromine Bromine Number of Index of Index of Index of petroleum Aromatic Aromatic Aromatic distillates hydro- hydro- hydro- and commer- carbons by carbons by carbons by cial aliphatic potentio- coulometric electro- olefins by metric titration metric electrometric titration titration titration Definition: grams Br per milligrams milligrams milligrams 100 grams Br per 100 Br per 100 Br per 100 sample grams per grams grams sample sample sample Catalyst None Chloride (HG): Acetate None Reaction 0-5 Ambient Ambient 0-5 Temp. .degree.C.: Titrant 0.5N 0.02N Glacial 0.05N (Bromide/ Acetic Bromate): Methanol KBr, HgAc Titration (CCl.sub.4 / CCl.sub.4 C.sub.2 H.sub.3 Cl.sub.3 Solvent C.sub.2 H.sub.3 Cl.sub.3 (CCl.sub.4 / C.sub.2 H.sub.3 Cl.sub.3) ______________________________________
For example, olefinic compounds are present in hydrogenated, steam-cracked naphtha. The olefin concentration is higher at the end of the hydrogenation processing, whereas at the start of hydrogenation, the Bromine Index of a hydrogenated, steam-cracked naphtha is typically in the range of 100 to 200 (milligrams bromine per 100 grams of sample).
Olefins will always be present in the catalytic reformate, product of a catalytic reformer that is operated under severe conditions (i.e., low pressure). Although the concentration of diolefinic compounds in catalytic reformate are so low as to be hardly traceable by modern laboratory techniques, they are sufficient in quantity to render the Acid Wash Color Test of the aromatic products off-specification. The Bromine Index of catalytic reformate is typically 1000 to 2000 (milligrams bromine per 100 grams of sample), having a Bromine Number of one or two.
The great majority of olefins entering as an extractor feed, together with other reformate products and selective extraction solvents, e.g., triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol (TEG) and SULFOLANE (tetrahydrothiophene), are removed from the extractor with raffinate and sent to storage. The raffinate from catalytic reformate feed is typically in the range of 5000 to 8000 milligrams bromine per 100 grams of sample, or a Bromine Number of five to eight. Olefins, and in particular diolefins, are somewhat polar and are, therefore, partly extracted along with the aromatics and leave with the extract product. The quantity of olefins in the hydrocarbon extract is very small in comparison to the olefin content in the raffinate or extractor charge. The Bromine Index of a hydrocarbon extract product from catalytic reformate feed is typically in the range of 50 to 100 milligrams bromine per 100 grams of sample. This would be sufficient to render the Acid Wash Color Test of the product aromatics off-specification. It is, therefore, necessary to treat the extract product derived from extracting raffinate for removal of these olefinic compounds. A comparison of the bromine indices of extractor feed to bromine index of extract and aromatic product is shown in Table II wherein the extract product and aromatic products were derived from catalytic reformates and hydrogenated steam-cracked naphthas.
TABLE II __________________________________________________________________________ BROMINE INDEX VALUES OF TYPICAL SULFOLANE UNIT STREAMS (LABORATORY FRACTIONATIONS UNTREATED EXTRACTS EXTRACTOR BENZENE TOLUENE XYLENE HEAVY REFINER FEED EXTRACT PRODUCT PRODUCT PRODUCT AROMATICS __________________________________________________________________________ Catalytic Reformate Feed (UOP Platforming) U.S. Gulf Coast 79 7 32 85 145 U.S. Gulf Coast 121 46 112 135 320 U.S. Gulf Coast 1700 60 20 50 70 U.S. Gulf Coast 1300 90 20 60 Hydrogenated Steam-Cracked Naphtha Feed Japan 150 20 12 24 17 Japan 200 30 16 46 17 Japan 450 10 30 100 Japan 700 10 50 100 Japan 100 6 6 11 7 90 __________________________________________________________________________
It has been found that there are only two practical methods for improving the Acid Wash Color of the aromatic products resulting from solvent extraction of a reformate product (from catalytic reformation of light hydrocarbons, e.g., C.sub.1 -C.sub.4): hydrotreating the extractor feed; and bentonite clay catalyzing the extract stream to polymerize the olefins for separation of olefins from the aromatic hydrocarbons. Hydrotreating the catalytic reformate saturates the olefins and diolefins. However, hydrotreating is too expensive to be employed in actual practice since it requires a catalyst, a high pressure reactor vessel and other associated equipment. In addition, a source of hydrogen makeup is required which may or may not always be available.
A more attractive and less expensive method is the percolation of the extract product from reformate over an acid-activated clay. The clay partly absorbs the olefinic materials and partly acts as an acidic catalyst to polymerize the mono-olefins into higher boiling polymeric, e.g., dimeric, compounds, which are eliminated in subsequent fractionation steps.
The present invention is directed to a method of manufacturing a bentonite clay-based catalyst, in granule form, by acid binding smaller (fine) clay particles such that the bound clay particles, in the form of acid-bound granules, have sufficient breaking strength and structural integrity to perform as a olefin polymerization catalyst, with substantially increased yield (.apprxeq.100%) due to the capability of recycling all fine clay particles produced in grinding.

Process of acid binding fine smectite clay particles into granules


An end effector assembly for use with an electrosurgical instrument is provided. The end effector assembly includes a pair of opposing jaw members configured to grasp tissue therebetween, at least one jaw member adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy to seal tissue disposed between jaw members during a sealing process. At least one of the jaw members includes an activator configured to selectively impart mechanical perturbations to the at least one jaw member during the sealing process.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electrosurgical instruments used for open and endoscopic surgical procedures for sealing or fusing tissue. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a bipolar forceps for sealing vessels, vascular tissues and soft tissues by applying mechanical vibrations and/or acoustic vibrations to destroy vessel walls and facilitate extraction of collagen and elastin during an electrosurgical procedure.
2. Background of the Related Art
Open or endoscopic electrosurgical forceps utilize both mechanical clamping action and electrical energy to effect hemostasis. The electrode of each opposing jaw member is charged to a different electric potential such that when the jaw members grasp tissue, electrical energy can be selectively transferred through the tissue. A surgeon can cauterize, coagulate/desiccate and/or simply reduce or slow bleeding, by controlling the intensity, frequency and duration of the electrosurgical energy applied between the electrodes and through the tissue.
Certain surgical procedures require more than simply cauterizing tissue and rely on the combination of clamping pressure, electrosurgical energy and gap distance to "seal" tissue, vessels and certain vascular bundles. More particularly, vessel sealing or tissue sealing utilizes a unique combination of radiofrequency (RF) energy, clamping pressure and precise control of gap distance (i.e., distance between opposing jaw members when closed about tissue) to effectively seal or fuse tissue between two opposing jaw members or sealing plates. Vessel or tissue sealing is more than "cauterization", which involves the use of heat to destroy tissue (also called "diathermy" or "electrodiathermy"). Vessel sealing is also more than "coagulation", which is the process of desiccating tissue wherein the tissue cells are ruptured and dried. "Vessel sealing" is defined as the process of liquefying the collagen, elastin and ground substances in the tissue so that the tissue reforms into a fused mass with significantly-reduced demarcation between the opposing tissue structures.
Energy based vessel sealing consists of a few steps. During a vessel sealing procedure, opposing vessel walls are moved closer together. Then, the inner layer of the vessel walls that normally prevent adhesion of the vessel walls are destroyed. Elastin and collagen are released, mixed and exposed to energy to seal the vessel. Moving the vessel walls together, destruction of the inner layer of the vessel walls and releasing and mixing of collagen are traditionally achieved by pressurizing vessels between jaws. Destruction of the inner layer of the vessel wall requires application of a significant amount of force. If the vessel is located in a relatively thick layer of the tissue, the significant amount of force may damage and even break the upper tissue layers before sealing is completed.

Destruction of vessel walls for energy-based vessel sealing enhancement


A cascaded amplifier including a pre-amplifier stage having a pair of first transistors, each of the first transistors having a first gate terminal coupled to a first input voltage, a trans-conductive (gm) amplifier stage having a pair of second transistors, each of the second transistors having a second gate terminal coupled to a drain terminal of one of the first transistors, and an integrator amplifier stage having a pair of third transistors, each of the third transistors having a third gate terminal coupled to a drain node of one of the second transistors, each of the third transistors having their drain terminals coupled to an output voltage.

The present invention relates generally to signal amplifiers and applications thereof. The accuracy of many electronic systems is degraded if critical amplifiers cannot supply currents that are sufficient to accurately amplify input signals. For example, signal amplifiers are often required to drive loads which partially or wholly comprise a capacitive load. To generate an accurate amplified version of an input signal across these capacitive loads, an amplifier provides high currents which can accurately alter the output signal's amplitude.
An example amplifier is an amplifier in a multiplying digital-to-analog converter (MDAC) of a pipelined analog-to-digital converter system. Such systems are configured with successive converter stages which each convert an analog input signal to respective digital bits of a final digital code that corresponds to the analog input signal.
Integrated circuit MDACs are often configured with capacitors that are switched in a first portion of each sample period to receive a charge from the residue signal of the preceding converter stage and switched in a second portion of each sample period to transfer this charge to an output capacitor. These charging and transferring processes are generally accomplished with the aid of an MDAC amplifier and the accuracy of these processes is dependent upon the ability of this amplifier to provide high-level currents to the MDAC capacitors.
In general, NMOS devices have higher trans-conductance than PMOS devices for the same current density and relative parasitic capacitance values. As a result, NMOS devices are desirable as the gain devices in an amplifier. Although PMOS devices can also be used, PMOS devices are more often used as passive devices, such as current sources for biasing the NMOS gain devices. In a 65 nmLP process, the PMOS devices have slightly lower intrinsic gain, 6.6 vs. 7.5, as their NMOS counterparts and their trans-conductance is about 50% lower.
In order to increase the intrinsic gain of a stage, the output impedance of the PMOS current source, relative to the NMOS device, is high. An output resistance of 15 kilo-ohms can reduce the NMOS gain by 10%. If a single device were used, then the PMOS intrinsic gain would need to be 51, which would require a prohibitively large gate length and associated device parasitic capacitance. As such, the PMOS current sources can be cascoded. If the desire is to stay within the supply rail of the process, then the output swing would be severely compromised. To overcome this problem, the amplifier's current sources are typically cascoded and operate from supplies greater than the supply rail of the process. However, this causes an increase in power and has the undesirable challenge of making sure all devices stay within their operating breakdown voltage during start-up, shutdown, and overdriven conditions.
Prior designs have also used extended supply voltages to cascode devices, calibration, and miscellaneous gain enhancement techniques. While the latter two are desirable for fine line CMOS MDAC amplifiers designs where the intrinsic gains of the devices are small, using the extended supply voltage increases power and reduces reliability. Accordingly, an amplifier that achieves sufficient open loop gain, while still maintaining closed loop bandwidth, is needed.


The invention provides a method of selectively etching a Hemispherical Silicon Grain (HSG) layer during deep trench capacitor fabrication. A substrate having a pad structure and a deep trench is provided. A buried oxide layer is formed on the upper sidewall of the deep trench and a HSG layer and an ASG layer are formed in the deep trench sequentially. A mask layer is filled into the deep trench and recessed; the exposed ASG layer is then removed. The HSG layer is doped to form a plasma doping layer on the upper portion of the deep trench, which is removed without damaging the silicon substrate. After the mask layer is removed, a cap oxide layer is formed on the deep trench, and the substrate is subjected to a thermal treatment to form a buried plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a method of a deep trench capacitor fabrication, and in particular, to a method of selectively etching a HSG (hemispherical Silicon Grain) layer in a deep trench capacitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
DRAM capacitors generally consist of two electrodes isolated by an insulating material. The electrical charge capability of DRAM is determined by the thickness of the insulating material, the surface area of the electrodes and the electrical properties of the insulating material. As ICs become more compact, semiconductor designs have reduced device dimensions which increase density to accommodate a large number of memory cells. Conversely, memory cell electrodes must provide sufficient surface area for electrical charge storage. Furthermore, high dielectric constant (high k) dielectric materials are adopted to increase the capacitance of the memory cells, in addition, as DRAM becomes more compact, deep trench type capacitors are widely used to increase surface area. Hence, HSG technology is used to increase the surface area of the electrode plate of the trench capacitor. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,177,696, 6,537,872 and 6,555,430 disclose applications for forming HSG on a trench-type capacitor.
In FIG. 1A, a semiconductor substrate 10 having a pad oxide layer 12, a pad nitride layer 14, a deep trench DT, a collar dielectric layer 16 on the upper sidewall of the deep trench DT, and an etch stop layer 15 on the sidewall and bottom of the deep trench, such as an oxide layer is provided.
Next, in FIG. 1B, an amorphous silicon (α-Si) layer 17 is formed on the etch stop layer 15. In FIG. 1C, a doping dielectric layer is formed on the α-Si layer 17, with the proper concentration, flow rate and time. The α-Si layer 17 then forms a HSG layer 22 in-situ, increasing the surface area of the trench DT.
Subsequently, in FIG. 1D, a first resist layer 26 is filled into the deep trench DT, and recessed to a predetermined depth of the lower of the deep trench DT. Then, using the recessed resist 26 as an etching mask, the HSG layer 22 in the upper portion of the deep trench is etched. Since the etching selectivity of the deep trench silicon substrate to the HSG layer is very low, when etching the HSG layer 22, the etch stop layer 15 is required as a buffer to insulate and protect the deep trench silicon substrate. Next, in FIG. 1E, the etch stop layer 15 in the upper portion of the deep trench DT is etched, and the first resist layer 26 is then removed from the deep trench DT.
Next, in FIG. 1F, an ASG layer 28 is formed on the bottom and sidewall of the deep trench DT, then a second resist layer 30 is formed on the ASG layer 28 and recessed to a predetermined depth in the lower portion of the deep trench DT. Subsequently, in FIG. 1G, using the recessed second resist layer 30 as an etching mask, the ASG layer 28 in the upper portion of the deep trench DT is etched, and the second resist layer 30 is then removed.
In FIG. 1H, a cap oxide layer 32 is formed in the bottom and on the sidewall of the deep trench, subsequently, In FIG. 1I, a thermal process is performed to diffuse the As+ out of the ASG layer 28 to the lower area of the deep trench DT, forming an n+-type diffusion area 34 to serve as a buried plate 34 of the deep trench capacitor 36. Finally, the ASG layer 28 and the cap oxide layer 32 are etched and removed from the deep trench DT, accomplishing fabrication of the deep trench capacitor 36 with HSG layer.
The above described conventional fabrication steps are complicated, requiring not only two steps of resist coating/recessing, but also an additional etching stop layer to insulate the HSG layer and the deep trench silicon substrate. The purpose of the above processes is to prevent direct formation of the HSG layer on the upper sidewall of the deep trench, such that the HSG layer and the silicon substrate of the deep trench do not make contact. The reason being the single crystal silicon substrate is very similar to the HSG layer in physical properties, so that the etching selectivity of the both is nearing the same, resulting in damage to the silicon substrate when the HGS layer is etched, and further, extending the deep trench, resulting in sub-threshold voltage (sub-Vt) leakage.
The above process uses an etching stop layer formed between the silicon substrate and the HSG layer to overcome the problem, however, the process is too complicated, and, the etching stop layer will form a parasitic capacitance within the buried plate at the lower of the deep trench, impacting the capacitance of the capacitor as a result.

Method of selectively etching HSG layer in deep trench capacitor fabrication


A tire 2 includes beads 10, a carcass 12, and an insert 18. The carcass 12 includes a carcass ply 36. An inner part 34a of each bead 10 includes an inner core 46a and an inner apex 48a that extends almost outward of the inner core 46a in the radial direction. An outer part 34b of each bead 10 includes an outer core 46b and an outer apex 48b that extends almost outward of the outer core 46b in the radial direction. A ratio of a complex elastic modulus Ea of the inner apex 48a to a complex elastic modulus Eb of the outer apex 48b is less than or equal to 0.3. A ratio of the complex elastic modulus Ea to a complex elastic modulus Ec of the insert 18 is greater than or equal to 1.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pneumatic tires.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, run flat tires that include inserts (also referred to as load support layers) inward of sidewalls have been developed, and are becoming widespread. Such run flat tires are referred to as side-reinforcing type run flat tires.
In the side-reinforcing type run flat tire, when an internal pressure is reduced due to puncture, the weight of the vehicle is supported by the inserts. This run flat tire enables running over a certain distance also in a punctured state. An Automobile having the run flat tires mounted therein need not have a spare tire on a constant basis. In a case where the run flat tire is used, change of tires in an inconvenient place can be avoided. An example of the side-reinforcing type run flat tire is disclosed in JP2005-126555.
The tire includes beads. Each bead includes a core, and an apex extending outward of the core in the radial direction. The apex is tapered outward in the radial direction, and is formed from a highly hard crosslinked rubber.
The apex is formed from a single rubber composition in general. Components contained in the rubber composition and contents of the components are adjusted to adjust a characteristic of the apex.
For example, a crosslinked rubber having a high elastic modulus may be used for the apex. The tire including the apex is excellent in steering stability. However, the apex is likely to transmit vibration caused due to unevenness of a road surface. The apex may deteriorate ride comfort exhibited by the tire.
The apex is disposed inward of an insert in the radial direction. As in the tire disclosed in JP2005-126555 described above, the insert may be joined to the apex. In this case, in a case where an internal pressure of the tire is reduced due to puncture, stress is concentrated on a boundary face between the insert and the apex. In particular, in a case where an apex having a high elastic modulus is used, the concentration of the stress becomes significant. The significant concentration of the stress affects durability (also referred to as run flat durability) of the tire in the case of an internal pressure of the tire being reduced due to puncture.
An object of the present invention is to make available a pneumatic tire excellent in ride comfort and run flat durability.


A kit structure arranged to include a support container having various components for gold plating a workpiece, to include a fluid container or beaker, with a battery operative through a voltage regulator, wherein the voltage regulator is adjustable to permit selective limited or unregulated voltage control from an associated battery to a gold anode plate and to a workpiece within a solution of sodium cyanide and gold chloride.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to gold plating structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved gold plating kit apparatus arranged to effect the electrolytic plating of a workpiece.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,913,787; 4,497,696; 4,310,391; and 3,963,455 are prior art examples of gold plating structure and methods associated therewith.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for various components in a kit form to permit ease of gold plating of a workpiece and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


The present invention is directed to a hair cutting apparatus (600), such as a shaver, which is enabled to detect whether hair is currently being cut in a robust way. Such apparatus has a motor (102) for driving a cutting element. The motor current (106) is evaluated by filtering and amplifying it in such a way that a time derivative of the motor current (106) is processed and other parts of the motor current (106), such as noise and DC-5 parts, are eliminated. An evaluator determines whether the time derivative of the motor current is above a predefined threshold value.

Such hair cutting apparatuses are known and include shaving and grooming devices. Such hair cutting apparatuses may have a sensor to sense whether the apparatus, more precisely the cutting element, is currently cutting hair. The sensing results can be used to control the hair cutting apparatus. One possibility to identify such hair-cutting actions of the cutting element is to detect and analyse the motor current. The motor current, i.e. the current powering the motor driving the cutting element, usually rises whenever a hair is being cut.
One possibility to evaluate the motor current in order to identify hair-cutting actions is to measure the voltage drop across a sense resistor. The sense resistor voltage drop is measured by a microcontroller's AD converter. The measured value of the AD converter, which is often a 10 bit value, is input to measure with Ohm's law the absolute motor current. Based on this absolute motor current value a microprocessor can identify hair-cutting actions.
However, when the motor load changes, e.g. due to wear or by using a different interchangeable shaving unit, the absolute value of the motor current will change as well. A hair-cutting action can e.g. be detected by identifying peaks in the motor current. This could be done by providing a threshold for the motor current, but setting a threshold for the motor current data to detect current peaks will not be robust enough to compensate for torque changes over time. The absolute value of the motor current may change, and using a constant threshold value may lead to different and unreliable results.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,599 A is directed to an electric shaver in which motor rotational speed is controlled according to beard thickness. That document suggests to process the current waveform for one shaving session and to judge the user's beard thickness.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,399 discloses a method to determine the quantity of hairs cut and, thereby, the degree of soiling of an electric shaver by detecting fluctuations of the motor current associated with hair-cutting actions. A control circuit of the shaver counts the number of pulses of the motor current. Alternatively, a total length of the pulses is determined, or the pulses are integrated. The counted number of pulses, the cumulative length of the pulses or the integrated area of the pulses are compared with a reference value corresponding to a predetermined quantity.
JP H08 33778 A discloses a hair cutting device having a first cutting head for cutting long hairs and having two second cutting heads for cutting short hairs, wherein the first cutting head is arranged between the two second cutting heads. The device comprises an actuator to displace the first cutting head into a retracted position relative to the two second cutting heads. The actuator is controlled by a control unit comprising a motor current sensor which is arranged to detect a current flowing through the motor which drives the first and second cutting heads. The control unit compares the average value of the detected motor current per unit time with a comparison value representing the average value per unit time of the motor current when the hair length is not more than a predetermine value. When the detected average value of the motor current per unit time satisfies the comparison value, the control unit determines that no long hairs are left on the skin and controls the actuator such that the actuator displaces the first cutting head into the retracted position relative to the two second cutting heads.

Hair cutting apparatus comprising a current detector