Microfluidic devices and systems that include keying, registration or indication elements that communicate a functionality of the microfluidic device to the instrumentation which is used in conjunction with these devices. Indicator elements include structural indicators, electrical indicators, optical indicators and chemical indicators. Different indicator elements are indicative of different functionalities, e.g., applications, new vs. used, and the like.

Microfluidic devices and systems have advanced rapidly from academic postulations to functioning commercial research products that are actively contributing to the research and development of pharmaceutical and other biotechnological and chemical products.
Examples of microfluidic devices and systems for performing a variety of different operations are described in, e.g., WO 98/00231, WO 98/05424, WO 98/22811, WO 98/46438 and WO 98/49548, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. Such microfluidic systems are generally configurable to perform virtually any operation, assay or experiment previously performed at the laboratory bench, but with a greater degree of accuracy, speed and automatability. Specifically, because microfluidic systems are performed in such small spaces, reagent quantities, an mixing times are substantially reduced. Further, because of the integrated nature of microfluidic systems, e.g., channel networks fabricated in a single chip, multiple different operations can be incorporated into a single device and controlled by an automated control and detection system. The availability of automated instrumentation, in turn, provides for unparalleled reproducibility as compared to bench scale operations, which rely upon measurements and judgements of human operators.
It is generally desirable to be able to automate more and more operations that are to be performed within a laboratory. While microfluidic systems, in general, contribute substantially to this automation desire, there exits a number of other operations that can be automated in conjunction with the use of these devices. The present invention provides apparatuses systems and methods that further contribute to this automation trend.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a microfluidic device comprising a body structure configured to interface with a base instrument. The body structure includes microfluidic elements and an indicator element fabricated into the body structure. The indicator element provides an indication to an instrument of a functionality of the microfluidic device.
Another aspect of the present invention is a microfluidic system comprising a controller instrument. The controller instrument is comprised of a microfluidic device nesting region having an interface array for operably coupling one or more of a material transport system and a detector disposed within the controller instrument with a microfluidic device placed in the nesting region. The system also includes a microfluidic device having a body structure. The body structure includes an indicator element. The indicator element provides an indication to the instrument of a functionality of the microfluidic device.

Indicator components for microfluidic systems


A side release buckle is disclosed to have a center lock formed of a hooked portion at the free end of the center bar of the male buckle member and a hook hole in the bottom wall of the female buckle member to reinforce the strength of the connection between the locking bars of the male buckle member and the respective side notches of the female buckle member. The locking bars each have a wedge block for lifting the free end of the center bar to unlock the center lock when the user squeezed the locking bars inwards to disengage the locking bars from the side notches of the female buckle member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a buckle and more particularly, to a side release buckle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Belts and straps are intensively used to collars, harnesses, baby cradles, backpacks, safety helmets, slippers, life vests, cargoes, vehicle seats, etc. For joining belts or the ends of a belt, a buckle may be used. Various buckles have been disclosed and commercialized.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a typical belt buckle. This design of belt buckle is called "side release buckle" because it is to be unlocked from the two opposite lateral sides. As illustrated, the side release buckle 50 is comprised of a male buckle member 51 and a female buckle member 52. The male buckle member 51 comprises two axially extended locking bars 53a,53b and a center bar 54 spaced between the locking bars 53a,53b. The female buckle member 52 comprises a receiving open chamber 55 for receiving the locking bars 53a,53b and the center bar 54, and two side notches 56a,56b respectively formed in the two opposite lateral sidewalls thereof for retaining the locking bars 53a,53b. When inserted the male buckle member 51 into the receiving open chamber 55 of the female buckle member 52, the locking bars 53a,53b are forced by their resilient material property into engagement with the side notches 56a,56b to lock the male buckle member 51 to the female buckle member 52. When the user squeezed the locking bars 53b,53b inwards with the fingers to disengage the locking bars 53a,53b from the side notches 56a,56b, the male buckle member 51 is unlocked from the female buckle member 52.
The male buckle member 51 and female buckle member 52 of the aforesaid side release buckle 50 are injection-molded from plastics. Because the side release buckle 50 is made of plastics, the tensile strength of the side release buckle 50 is not very high. In order to have the locking bars 53a,53b be easily disengaged from the side notches 56a,56b, the cross-sectional area of the locking bars 53a,53b must be limited. Due to a small cross-sectional area, the locking bars 53a,53b are the weakest part of the male buckle member 51. When the side release buckle 50 receives a pulling force surpassed the tensile strength of the locking bars 53a,53b, the locking bars 53a,53b will break.
As stated above, belts and straps may be used with a side release buckle in any of a variety of products. Some designs may have to receive a high pulling force, and some others may not. The side locking design of the aforesaid side release buckle is sufficient for most occasions of use. However, when the aforesaid side release buckle is used in a harness or collar for dog, the engagement between the locking bars of the male buckle member and the side notches of the female buckle member may be insufficient to support a sudden stretching force when the dog is frightened to run in a rash. In this case, the locking bars will break, and the frightened dog may be injured or may injure some other people.
Increasing the cross sectional area of each locking bar without changing material tensile strength will relatively improve the tensile strength of the side release buckle. However, increasing the cross sectional area of each locking bar simultaneously makes each locking bar relatively tougher, and the user shall have to employ much more effort to unlock the side release buckle. A side release buckle having tough locking bars is not suitable for children. Using material of high tensile strength can relatively increase the tensile strength of the side release buckle. However, the material change is not the concern of the present invention.


For each of a plurality of users having multiple connection to a specific time slot a synchronization window of a predetermined temporal length having a center corresponding to a synchronization position is set to disallow a subsequent signal reception outside the widow. Furthermore timings of transmission for users are controlled to prevent synchronization windows from overlapping or being too distant from each other in the time slot. Thus, synchronization positions can be prevented from approaching each other or having an inverted time relationship therebetween. This process is provided by a DSP in software.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to radio base station systems, synchronization window control methods and synchronization window control programs, and particularly to a radio base station system permitting path division multiple connection of a plurality of mobile terminal devices in a mobile communication system, and a synchronization window control method and a synchronization window control program for providing an appropriate timing of signal reception (a synchronization position) in such a radio base station system.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, in rapidly developing mobile communication systems (for example the personal handy phone system (PHS)) a path division multiple access (PDMA) system has been proposed to enhance radio wave frequency utilization efficiency. In this system, a single time slot of a single frequency can spatially be divided to allow path division multiple connection of mobile terminal devices of a plurality of users to a radio base station system. In the system, a signal from each user's mobile terminal device is separated and extracted by a well-known adaptive array process.
In a mobile communication system according to such a PDMA system, a reception timing at which a signal transmitted from each mobile terminal device arrives at a radio base station (hereinafter also referred to as a "synchronization position") varies for a variety of factors, such as a variation of the distance between the terminal device and the base station due to the movement of the terminal device, radio wave propagation characteristics variation, and the like.
In a mobile communication system of the PDMA system, when mobile terminal devices of a plurality of user are permitted to have path division multiple connection to a single time slot, the synchronization positions of signals received from mobile terminal devices, respectively, may vary for the aforementioned reasons and thus approach to each other or in some case have an inverted time relationship therebetween.
If synchronization positions approach each other too close, signals received from a plurality of mobile terminal devices would have a high temporal correlation. This results in low precision extraction of a signal for each user by the adaptive array process and consequently impaired speech characteristics for each user.
Furthermore in the PHS a signal received from each mobile terminal device includes a reference signal section for each frame. The reference signal section is formed of a known bit train shared by all users. If the synchronization positions of signals from the mobile terminal devices of multiple users match, the received signals would have their respective reference signal sections overlapping and the users cannot be identified or separated from each other, and inter-user interference (so-called "swap") would be introduced.

Radio base station system permitting path division multiple connection, and synchronization window control method and synchronization window control program therefor


A piezoelectric generator that includes a piezoelectric element having first and second surfaces on which a first electrode and a second electrode are disposed. A vibrating plate is bonded to the piezoelectric element such that the first surface is adjacent thereto. The vibrating plate includes a first bend disposed at a first side of a vibrating-plate main section to which the piezoelectric element is bonded and a second bend disposed at a second side thereof. A support member supports the vibrating plate at a location outside the first and second bends. A vibration body including the vibrating-plate main section and the piezoelectric element is supported at both ends.

Traditionally, there are known piezoelectric generators that are vibrated by undergoing acceleration or distortion and generate electric power by the piezoelectric effect. When such piezoelectric generators are used as a power source, other power sources, such as batteries, are not necessary. Accordingly, these piezoelectric generators are suitably used as a power source for various sensors in applications subjected to vibration or distortion.
One example of the above piezoelectric generators is disclosed in PTL 1 below. FIG. 6 is a schematic partial cut-away front cross-sectional view that illustrates a piezoelectric generator described in PTL 1.
A piezoelectric generator 101 includes a substrate 102 made of silicon. A circular hole 102a is disposed in the upper surface of the substrate 102. An electrode 104 is disposed on the upper surface of the substrate 102. A discoid piezoelectric element 103 is fixed so as to close the circular hole 102a. The piezoelectric element 103 includes a piezoelectric plate 103a made of polyvinylidene fluoride, a first electrode 103b disposed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric plate 103a, and a second electrode 103c disposed on the lower surface thereof.
The second electrode 103c is electrically coupled to the electrode 104. An electrode 105 is disposed on the upper surface of the substrate 102 at a site spaced away from the electrode 104. The electrode 105 is electrically coupled to the first electrode 103b with a bonding wire 106.
A weight 107 is fixed to the upper surface of the piezoelectric element 103. When the piezoelectric generator 101 undergoes vibration accompanying acceleration or distortion, the portion to which the weight 107 is fixed vibrates in the directions indicated by the arrows. Charge based on this vibration is extracted from the first and second electrodes 103b and 103c.
PTL 1 also describes a both-end support type piezoelectric generator as a modified example of the above-described piezoelectric generator 101. Although not individually illustrated, the both-end support type piezoelectric generator is described as having substantially the same cross-sectional structure as that of the piezoelectric generator 101 illustrated in FIG. 6. That is, the piezoelectric generator 101 uses the piezoelectric element 103 having a circular planar shape so as to close the circular hole 102a, whereas, for the both-end support type piezoelectric element, both ends of a rectangular piezoelectric element are fixed in a similar way to that illustrated in FIG. 6 such that the piezoelectric element is supported at the both ends.
PTL 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-107752
Traditionally, a piezoelectric generator that includes a piezoelectric element supported by a cantilever is known. For that piezoelectric generator, there is a problem in that the resonance frequency of vibration when, for example, acceleration is applied tends to vary.
In contrast to this, a piezoelectric generator including a piezoelectric element supported at both ends is considered to be able to reduce variations in the resonance frequency of vibration. However, in reality, for a piezoelectric generator that has a cross-sectional structure illustrated in FIG. 6 and that is a structure in which a piezoelectric element is supported at both ends, the resonance frequency tends to vary depending on conditions of installation, and the power generation efficiency also tends to vary.


Arbitrarily setting display patterns of live pictures or reproduced pictures per monitoring area in accordance with the purpose of use. Video signals 41 of the picture shot by monitoring cameras installed in a plurality of locations are digitized per monitoring area using the predetermined standard and recorded on video recording apparatus 8. The video signals 41 are displayed on a monitor (not shown) as live pictures. In this practice, the signals undergo the multi-screen processing via multi-screen reproduce/decoding control means 11 and displayed on screens split by monitoring camera in a monitoring area or by monitoring area.

The present invention relates to digital recording/reproducing apparatus for surveillance which digitizes and records pictures shot by a plurality of monitoring cameras installed in a plurality of monitoring areas, and displays reproduced pictures of recorded pictures or pictures output from the monitoring cameras at that time (hereinafter referred to as live pictures).
Conventional digital recording/reproducing apparatus for surveillance digitizes and records on a hard disk the pictures shot by a plurality of monitoring cameras as well as displays the shot live pictures. The apparatus searches and reproduces shot pictures or displays live pictures by using the shooting time as a search key. The apparatus changes the recording conditions for videos when an alarm occurs.
The conventional digital recording/reproducing apparatus does not split the monitoring area into a plurality of areas for management nor record or reproduce shot pictures or display live pictures in a different way for each split area.

Digital recording/reproducing apparatus for surveillance

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A fuser comprises a substrate and a composite layer formed on the substrate. The composite layer comprises a fluoropolymer and at least one of (a) perfluorosulfonated polymer-treated, carbon nanotube-comprising particles, and (b) perfluorosulfonated polymer-treated, graphene-comprising particles. Methods of making a fuser and methods of fusing toner particles are also disclosed.

It is desirable to increase thermal conductivity of fuser coating materials to enable higher fusing speed, wider fusing latitude, lower fusing temperature and/or lower minimum fixing temperature. Various thermally conductive fillers have been disclosed for this purpose. As an example, carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been employed in topcoat materials, such as fluoropolymers, to form nanocomposite topcoats. Such materials have demonstrated the capability for increased speed and improved fuser service life. However, it is challenging to develop CNT-in-fluoropolymer composite coatings due to poor compatibility and dispersibility of the CNTs.
Another potential filler material that has recently garnered significant attention is graphene. Graphene is often described as a two dimensional sheet of sp2 bonded carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. Due to unique structural features, graphene possesses superior thermal and electrical conductivity, as well as high mechanical strength. Incorporation of graphene into fluoroplastics can improve thermal and/or electrical conductivity and mechanical robustness of the resulting composite material. Both individual graphene sheets and graphene platelets, which include a plurality of graphene layers, show enormous potential as fillers for composite applications. However, it is challenging to make uniform, well-dispersed graphene composite materials with fluoroplastics that are suitable for use in fuser applications. This is due, in part, to properties of graphene in nano-particle form and/or graphene's general incompatibility with fluoropolymers. Phase separations and graphene agglomerations are often associated with poorly dispersed composites, which hinder full utilization of the unique properties of graphene.
Conventional formulations with both graphene and carbon nanotubes include aqueous systems, or require complicated surface treatment processes to produce defect-free composite coatings.
Discovering a novel fluoropolymer composite fuser topcoat material and/or techniques for achieving well dispersed carbon nanotubes and/or graphene in fluoropolymer composities would be a desirable step forward in the art.

Carbon nanoparticle and fluorpolymer composite fuser coating


A method of assembling an offshore support system for use with a wind turbine. The method includes coupling a damper to a wind turbine tower. A counter-balance system is coupled to the damper for suspending at least a portion of the wind turbine above a water surface. The damper is positioned at least partially below a water surface to facilitate reducing movement of the wind turbine in at least one direction. The counter-balance system is positioned at least partially below the water surface to stabilize the wind turbine when subjected to wind and tidal forces.

The embodiments described herein relate generally to methods and systems for assembling a wind turbine and, more particularly, to systems and methods for assembling an offshore support system for use with a wind turbine located offshore.
Wind power is quickly becoming a growing energy source around the world. Conventionally, wind turbines are clustered together as wind farms in locations that have favorable wind conditions. However, placement of these wind farms is limited due to a desire to place the wind turbines in remote locations and a need to place the wind turbines in a location with favorable wind conditions to provide increased power output.
At least some known wind turbines are currently being sited at offshore locations. Offshore wind turbines are desirable because they provide additional locations to place wind turbines and they provide favorable wind conditions due to the lack of obstruction for wind currents. At least some known wind turbines include support systems that include support columns extending from a water surface to an anchoring system positioned at a bottom surface of a body of water. As such, the location of known offshore wind turbines is limited to relatively shallow water depths of between about 15 meters (m) to about 20 m. The cost of assembling known offshore support systems in water depths greater than 20 m becomes increasingly expensive due to the increased length of the support system required. Therefore, the location of known wind turbines in offshore locations is limited to relatively shallow depth locations.

Systems and methods for assembling an offshore support system for use with a wind turbine


A system and method for measuring quality-of-service in a federated application environment is described. One or more administrative domains are provided with each administrative domain being interconnected with at least one other administrative domain to form the federated application environment. One or more interconnected network nodes are situated within each administrative domain with each network node including at least one capsule interface within which a managed method is executed. Instrumentation is associated with each capsule interface of each network node with the instrumentation collecting performance data on the managed method being executed within the capsule interface. A count sensor determines a processing time with the instrumentation within the capsule interface for each managed method. A network sensor determines send and receive bandwidth demand information with the instrumentation within the capsule interface for each managed method. A demand sensor determines physical host resource demands as needed to satisfy invocations of the managed method with the instrumentation within the capsule interface for each managed method. An interval sensor determines response times with the instrumentation within the capsule interface for each managed method. A display displays the throughput metrics, bandwidth demand metrics, service demand metrics and response time metrics.

This invention relates generally to quality-of-service measurement in computer systems and more particularly to a system and method for continuously measuring quality of service in a federated application environment.
Federated application environments are characterized by independent computer systems in individual administrative domains that are loosely coupled by networks and cooperate to provide computing resources for a global application. The extent and capabilities of each administrative domain are usually determined by the network boundaries of each distinct supplier or service provider. Generally, cross-domain access by third parties is severely limited due in part to the lack of well-defined management interfaces and by security restrictions.
The inadequacy of present cross-domain access creates difficulties in identifying and diagnosing problems in distributed applications that must operate in a federated environment, such as Worldwide Web-based information servers and electronic commerce systems. The quality of service received by these applications depends upon many domain-dependent factors, including software subsystems, such as applications, operating system and middleware modules; hardware components, such as processors, clients, servers and disk subsystems; and networking infrastructures. However, cross-domain access restrictions preclude the impact of these factors from being adequately determined by an outsider.
A prior art technique for defining an efficient measurement infrastructure for a performance measurement system for heterogenous distributed environments, including federated environments, is disclosed in R. Friedrich et al., "Integration of Performance Measurement and Modeling for Open Distributed Processing," Int'l Fed. of Info. Proc., Brisbane, Australia (February 1995). The system as disclosed teaches a distributed management system architecture, but fails to define performance metrics or an approach to problem identification and diagnosis for federated environments.
Prior art network management systems are unable to identify and diagnose the causes of quality-of-service failures in federated environments. The primary reason is the unavailability of complete data for identifying and diagnosing problematic areas across administrative domain boundaries. Two management products capable of collecting restricted sets of data on network resource consumption, such as network links, routers and so forth, and on operating system resource consumption, including CPU, memory and disk usage, are the Open View Network Manager and Glance-Plus System Manager, respectively, both products of the Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, Calif. Moreover, neither of these technologies can provide correlated, end-to-end measurements of client-server or distributed applications and neither can access data collected in another administrative domain.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for identifying and diagnosing quality-of-service problems in distributed applications whose components reside in multiple administrative domains. There is a further need for a system and method for measuring quality of service in client-server and distributed applications operating in a federated application environment. There is also a need for a system and method for providing correlated quality-of-service information on local and remote application component performance spanning administrative domain boundaries.

System and method for continuously measuring quality of service in a federated application environment


A filter coefficient group computation device is configured from a means for performing inverse Fourier transform on a frequency characteristic inputted through an input means; a means for performing short-term Fourier transform on a numerical string obtained by the inverse Fourier transform; a means for performing windowing on a frequency domain signal, obtained by the short-term Fourier transform, using a function of which a window length shortens as frequency increases; a means for performing short-term inverse Fourier transform on the frequency domain signal after the windowing; a means for performing overlap addition on a numerical string obtained by the short-term inverse Fourier transform; and a means for determining a numerical string after the overlap addition as a filter coefficient group which forms a filter having the frequency characteristic inputted through the input means.

One of devices for changing a frequency characteristic of an inputted audio signal is a graphic equalizer. Generally, in the graphic equalizer, a plurality of adjustment points need to be adjusted one by one. Therefore, there is a problem that the operation burden for a user is large when there are many adjustment points.
For this reason, Japanese Patent Provisional Publications No. H11-112254A (hereinafter, "Patent Document 1") and No. 2004-62503A (hereinafter, "Patent Document 2") propose devices that can overcome the above problem. The devices disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 detect a path, on a screen of an equalizer, traced by a user using a stylus pen or a finger (hereinafter, "touch operation path"), and set a gain for each adjustment point (a central frequency of each band) on the basis of the detected touch operation path. The user can set gains of all the adjustment points by one operation that is by tracing the screen of the equalizer, without operating a plurality of adjustment points one by one separately and independently. However, in the graphic equalizer, since the central frequency of each band and the Q value (an adjustment band width) is fixed, adjustment flexibility is low. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately set a frequency characteristic of a filter (hereinafter, "filter characteristic") that the user desires using the graphic equalizers disclosed in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2.
One of devices similar to the graphic equalizer is a parametric equalizer. In the parametric equalizer, in addition to the gain for the central frequency of each band, the central frequency of each band and the Q value can be adjusted. Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. H5-175773A (hereinafter, "Patent Document 3") discloses an example of the parametric equalizer. The parametric equalizer disclosed in Patent Document 3 prepares in advance a plurality of filter coefficient groups of which the Q value changes in proportion to an absolute value of the gain for the central frequency of each band, reads out a filter coefficient group appropriate for a gain adjustment operation by a user from among the plurality of filter coefficient groups prepared in advance, and uses the read out filter coefficient group to adjust a filter characteristic to a gentle and continuous one as a whole. It could be considered that a filter characteristic that a user desires can be accurately set by applying the technique disclosed in Patent Document 3. However, in the parametric equalizer, since ripples remain in the filter characteristic, there is a problem that unnecessary reverberation components are detected when music or the like is played back.

Filter coefficient group computation device and filter coefficient group computation method


A solution polymerization process for the preparation of elastomeric ethylene propylene (diene) elastomers is characterized by the use of a) an unbridged catalyst having a cyclopentadienyl ligand and a monosubstituted nitrogen ligand; and b) a boron activator. High molecular weight elastomers may be inexpensively prepared by the process of this invention. The elastomers are suitable for the manufacture of rubber sheets or membranes and automotive parts such as seals, belts, hoses and tire sidewalls.

This invention relates to a solution polymerization process for the preparation of ethylene propylene elastomers using a comparatively inexpensive single site catalyst system. The catalyst of the present process is an unbridged Group 4 organometallic complex having a cyclopentadienyl ligand and a monosubstituted nitrogen ligand. A boron activator is also required.
Ethylene propylene (EP) elastomers are widely available items of commerce which are prepared by copolymerizing ethylene, propylene and (optimally) a small amount of a diene monomer. Copolymers which contain at least 20 weight % of randomly distributed propylene units are substantially less crystalline than typical thermoplastic polyethylene or polypropylene homopolymers. A combination of low crystallinity and high molecular weight generally provides elastomeric properties in these polymers. These elastomers are used in many applications such as membranes (for roofing or for pond liners); blending components for the preparation of xe2x80x9ctoughedxe2x80x9d thermoplastics (such as xe2x80x9ctoughenedxe2x80x9d polypropylene and toughened nylon) and, in particular, automotive parts. Examples of automotive parts which are made from ethylene propylene elastomers include belts, seals, hoses and tire sidewalls.
Ethylene propylene elastomers may also include a small amount of a diene. This leaves residual unsaturation in the elastomer which may be usefully employed to prepare xe2x80x9cvulcanizedxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccuredxe2x80x9d compounds. Such elastomers are typically referred to as xe2x80x9cEPDMxe2x80x9d.
EP and/or EPDM elastomers generally require a weight average molecular weight (xe2x80x9cMwxe2x80x9d) of at least 60,000 in order to provide sufficient tensile strength for use in automotive applications. These elastomers may be produced in slurry and solution polymerization processes.
Slurry polymerization processes are particularly suitable for preparing extremely high molecular weight ethylene propylene (diene) elastomers.
Solution polymerization processes are somewhat less suitable for the preparation of high molecular weight ethylene propylene (diene) elastomers because the high solution viscosity of high molecular weight elastomers makes such solutions difficult to handle. This problem may be mitigated by increasing the solution temperature. However, the use of higher polymerization temperatures generally increases the rate of chain termination reactions and thereby lowers the molecular weight of the polymer.
Conventional EP and EPDM elastomers are typically prepared with a Ziegler catalyst system comprising a Group 4 or 5 metal and an alkyl aluminum (halide) cocatalyst. Vanadium is the generally preferred metal because it provides elastomers having high molecular weight. Exemplary vanadium compounds include vanadium halides (especially vanadium chloride), vanadium alkoxides and vanadium oxy halides (such as VOCl3). These vanadium compounds are inexpensive but are not particularly active.
More recently, the use of xe2x80x9csingle site catalystsxe2x80x9d such as metallocene catalysts has been proposed for the preparation of EP or EPDM elastomers. These catalysts are generally more expensive than the simple vanadium components described above. In particular, high catalyst costs are incurred due to the cost of synthesizing the organometallic catalyst complexes and/or when large amounts of alumoxane cocatalysts are used. Accordingly, high polymerization activity (as well as the capability to produce high molecular weight EP and EPDM polymers) is required if these new catalysts are to provide economically viable alternatives to the vanadium compounds.
Bridged metallocene catalysts (i.e. catalysts having a bridging group which is bonded to two cyclopentadienyl or indenyl or fluorenyl ligands) have been proposed for the preparation of EP elastomers. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,705 (Hoel; to Exxon), U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,478 (Floyld et al.; to Exxon) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,207 (Hoel; to Exxon).
The use of bridged metallocene is potentially desirable because such catalysts may be more stable (i.e. less prone to decomposition) than unbridged catalysts under ethylene propylene polymerization conditions. However, bridged metallocenes are comparatively difficult and expensive to synthesize. Moreover, such catalysts can lead to the formation of isotactic polypropylene sequences in ethylene propylene polymers (as disclosed in European Patent Application (EPA) 374,695; Davis et al; to Polysar Ltd.) which is not desirable for products that are intended for use as elastomers.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,213 (Schiffino et al.; to Exxon) teaches the preparation of EP and EPDM in a solution process using a cyclic monocyclopentadienyl Group 4 metallocene catalyst (i.e. a catalyst having a bridged (or xe2x80x9ccyclicxe2x80x9d) ligand in which the cyclopentadienyl group forms part of the xe2x80x9cbridgexe2x80x9d (or xe2x80x9ccyclicxe2x80x9d) ligand with another atomxe2x80x94such as a group 15 heteroatom being bonded both to the cyclopentadienyl ligand and the Group 4 metal so as to form the rest of the cyclic ligand. This patent also teaches the use of a bridged bis indenyl hafnium catalyst.
A process for the preparation of an elastomeric ethylene-propylene polymer wherein said process is characterized by being undertaken under solution polymerization conditions in the presence of a catalyst system which comprises:
1) an unbridged catalyst having a single cyclopentadienyl ligand and a monosubstituted nitrogen ligand; and
2) a boron activator;
wherein said catalyst is defined by the formula:
wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of:
ai) a phosphorus substituent defined by the formula:
wherein each R1 is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, C1-20 hydrocarbyl radicals which are unsubstituted by or further substituted by a halogen atom, a C1-8 alkoxy radical, a C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radical, an amido radical, a silyl radical of the formula:
xe2x80x94Sixe2x80x94(R2)3
wherein each R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C1-8 alkyl or alkoxy radical, C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radicals, and a germanyl radical of the formula:
xe2x80x94Gexe2x80x94(R2xe2x80x2)3
wherein R2xe2x80x2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C1-8 alkyl or alkoxy radical, C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radicals, and a germanyl radical; and
aii) a substituent defined by the formula:
wherein each of Sub1 and Sub2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyls having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; silyl groups, amido groups and phosphido groups.
Cp is a ligand selected from the group consisting of cyclopentadienyl, substituted cyclopentadienyl, indenyl, substituted indenyl, fluorenyl and substituted fluorenyl;
X is an activatable ligand and n is 1 or 2, depending upon the valence of M and the valence of X; and
M is a group 4 metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, hafnium and zirconium.
Preferred elastomeric polymers have a weight average molecular weight of at least 60,000 and a propylene content of at least 20 weight %.
As noted above, the process of this invention must employ a boron activator. As described later and illustrated in the examples, it is particularly preferred to use a small amount of the activator (especially an equimolar amount of the catalyst and activator). This can provide a cost advantage in comparison to the more conventional use of large molar excesses of alumoxane cocatalyst. In addition, whilst not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that large molar excesses of alumoxane may lead to the degradation of the catalysts of this invention under the conditions required for the solution polymerization of ethylene propylene elastomers. (More particularly, it is postulated that large molar excesses of alumoxane may lead to undesirable interactions or reactions with the metal-nitrogen bond of the catalysts of this invention, such as the formation of bridging groups and/or cleavage of the metal-nitrogen bond.)
The catalyst used in the process of this invention is a Group 4 organometallic complex which is characterized by having a cyclopentadienyl ligand, a monosubstituted nitrogen ligand (which is a phosphinimine ligand or a ketimide ligand) and at least one activatable ligand. Each of these ligands is described in detail below.
The catalyst preferably contains a phosphinimine ligand which is covalently bonded to the metal. This ligand is defined by the formula:
wherein each R1 is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, C1-20 hydrocarbyl radicals which are unsubstituted by or further substituted by a halogen atom, a C1-8 alkoxy radical, a C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radical, an amido radical, a silyl radical of the formula:
xe2x80x94Sixe2x80x94(R2)3
wherein each R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C1-8 alkyl or alkoxy radical, C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radicals, and a germanyl radical of the formula:
xe2x80x94Gexe2x80x94(R2xe2x80x2)3
wherein R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C1-8 alkyl or alkoxy radical, C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radicals, and a germanyl radical.
This ligand contains a xe2x80x9cmonosubstituted nitrogen atomxe2x80x9d in the sense that there is only one phosphorus atom (doubly) bonded to the nitrogen atom.
The preferred phosphinimines are those in which each R1 is a hydrocarbyl radical. A particularly preferred phosphinimine is tri-(tertiary butyl) phosphinimine (i.e. where each R1 is a tertiary butyl group).
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cketimide ligandxe2x80x9d refers to a ligand which: (a) is bonded to the transition metal via a metal-nitrogen atom bond; (b) has a single substituent on the nitrogen atom, (where this single substituent is a carbon atom which is doubly bonded to the N atom); and (c) has two substituents (Sub 1 and Sub 2, described below) which are bonded to the carbon atom.
Conditions a, b and c are illustrated below:
This ligand also contains a monosubstituted nitrogen atom in the sense that only one carbon atom is (doubly) bonded to the nitrogen atom.
The substituents xe2x80x9cSub 1xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cSub 2xe2x80x9d may be the same or different. Exemplary substituents include hydrocarbyls having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; silyl groups, amido groups and phosphido groups. For reasons of cost and convenience it is preferred that these substituents both be hydrocarbyls, especially simple alkyls and most preferably tertiary butyl.
As used herein, the term cyclopentadienyl ligand is meant to broadly convey its conventional meaning, namely a ligand having a five carbon ring which is bonded to the metal via eta-5 bonding. Thus, the term xe2x80x9ccyclopentadienylxe2x80x9d includes unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl, substituted cyclopentadienyl, unsubstituted indenyl, substituted indenyl, unsubstituted fluorenyl and substituted fluorenyl. An exemplary list of substituents for a cyclopentadienyl ligand includes the group consisting of C1-10 hydrocarbyl radical (which hydrocarbyl substituents are unsubstituted or further substituted); a halogen atom, C1-8 alkoxy radical, a C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radical; an amido radical which is unsubstituted or substituted by up to two C1-8 alkyl radicals; a phosphido radical which is unsubstituted or substituted by up to two C1-8 alkyl radicals; silyl radicals of the formula xe2x80x94Sixe2x80x94(R)3 wherein each R is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C1-8 alkyl or alkoxy radical C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radicals; germanyl radicals of the formula Gexe2x80x94(R)3 wherein R is as defined directly above.
The catalyst used in the process of this invention must also contain an activatable ligand. The term xe2x80x9cactivatable ligandxe2x80x9d refers to a ligand which may be activated by the boron activator (or a combination of the boron activator with a small amount of alumoxane) to facilitate olefin polymerization. Exemplary activatable ligands are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C1-10 hydrocarbyl radical, a C1-10 alkoxy radical, a C5-10 aryl oxide radical; each of which said hydrocarbyl, alkoxy, and aryl oxide radicals may be unsubstituted by or further substituted by a halogen atom, a C1-8 alkyl radical, a C1-8 alkoxy radical, a C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radical, an amido radical which is unsubstituted or substituted by up to two C1-8 alkyl radicals; a phosphido radical which is unsubstituted or substituted by up to two C1-8 alkyl radicals.
The number of activatable ligands depends upon the valency of the metal and the valency of the activatable ligand. The preferred catalyst metals are Group 4 metals in their highest oxidation state (i.e. 4+) and the preferred activatable ligands are monoanionic (such as a hydrocarbyl groupxe2x80x94especially methyl). Thus, the preferred catalyst contain a phosphinimine ligand, a cyclopentadienyl ligand and two chloride (or methyl) ligands bonded to the Group 4 metal. In some instances, the metal of the catalyst component may not be in the highest oxidation state. For example, a titanium (III) component would contain only one activatable ligand.
Both of the xe2x80x9cphosphiniminexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cketimidexe2x80x9d ligands have been discovered to provide high molecular weight EP and/or EPDM elastomers under solution polymerization conditions with surprisingly good activity when activated with a boron activator. The xe2x80x9cphosphiniminexe2x80x9d catalysts are preferred because of their particularly good activity and for reasons which will be apparent upon consideration of the data in the Examples. More particularly, the most preferred catalysts are Group 4 organometallic complex in its highest oxidation state having a phosphinimine ligand, a cyclopentadienyl-type ligand and two activatable ligands. These requirements may be concisely described using the following formula for the preferred catalyst:
wherein: (a) M is a metal selected from Ti, Hf and Zr; (b) Pl is a phosphinimine ligand defined by the formula:
wherein each R1 is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, C1-20 hydrocarbyl radicals which are unsubstituted by or further substituted by a halogen atom, a C1-8 alkoxy radical, a C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radical, an amido radical, a silyl radical of the formula:
xe2x80x94Sixe2x80x94(R 2)3
wherein each R2xe2x80x2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C1-8 alkyl or alkoxy radical, C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radicals, and a germanyl radical of the formula:
xe2x80x94Gexe2x80x94(R2xe2x80x2)3
wherein R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C1-8 alkyl or alkoxy radical, C6-10 aryl or aryloxy radicals, and a germanyl radical; (c) Cp is a ligand selected from the group consisting of cyclopentadienyl, substituted cyclopentadienyl, indenyl, substituted indenyl, fluorenyl, substituted fluorenyl; and (d) X is an activatable ligand, and wherein: m is 1, n is 1 and p is 2.
The boron activators used in this invention, also referred to those skilled in the art as, xe2x80x9cionic activatorsxe2x80x9d and are well known for use with metallocene catalysts. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,401 (Hlatky and Turner) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,380 (Stevens and Neithamer).
Whilst not wishing to be bound by any theory, it is thought by those skilled in the art that xe2x80x9cionic activatorsxe2x80x9d initially cause the abstraction of one or more of the activatable ligands in a manner which ionizes the catalyst into a cation, then provides a bulky, labile, non-coordinating anion which stabilizes the catalyst in a cationic form. The bulky, non-coordinating anion coordinating anion permits olefin polymerization to proceed at the cationic catalyst center (presumably because the non-coordinating anion is sufficiently labile to be displaced by monomer which coordinates to the catalyst). Preferred boron activators are described in (i)-(iii) below:
(i) compounds of the formula [R5]+[B(R7)4]xe2x88x92 wherein B is a boron atom, R5 is a aromatic hydrocarbyl (e.g. triphenyl methyl cation) and each R7 is independently selected from the group consisting of phenyl radicals which are unsubstituted or substituted with from 3 to 5 substituents selected from the group consisting of a fluorine atom, a C1-4 alkyl or alkoxy radical which is unsubstituted or substituted by a fluorine atom; and a silyl radical of the formula xe2x80x94Sixe2x80x94(R9)3 wherein each R9 is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom and a C1-4 alkyl radical; and
(ii) compounds of the formula [(R8)t ZH]+[B(R7)4]xe2x88x92 wherein B is a boron atom, H is a hydrogen atom, Z is a nitrogen atom or phosphorus atom, t is 2 or 3 and R8 is selected from the group consisting of C1-8 alkyl radicals, a phenyl radical which is unsubstituted or substituted by up to three C1-4 alkyl radicals, or one R8 taken together with the nitrogen atom may form an anilinium radical and R7 is as defined above; and
(iii) compounds of the formula B(R7)3 wherein R7 is as defined above. [Note: B(R7)3 is not an ionic compound. Whilst not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that compounds of the formula B(R7)3 abstract an activatable ligand (L) from the catalyst species, thus forming a non coordinating anion of the formula [B(R7)3L]xe2x88x92 wherein L is an activatable ligand as previously described herein.
In the above compounds preferably R7 is a pentafluorophenyl radical, R5 is a triphenylmethyl cation, Z is a nitrogen atom and R8 is a C1-4 alkyl radical or R8 taken together with the nitrogen atom forms an anilinium radical which is substituted by two C14 alkyl radicals.
Whilst not wishing to be bound by theory, it is postulated that the boron activator may abstract one or more activatable ligands so as to ionize the catalyst center into a cation but not to covalently bond with the catalyst and to provide sufficient distance between the catalyst and the ionizing activator to permit a polymerizable olefin to enter the resulting active site.
Examples of boron activators include:
triethylammonium tetra(phenyl)boron,
tripropylammonium tetra(phenyl)boron,
tri(n-butyl)ammonium tetra(phenyl)boron,
trimethylammonium tetra(p-tolyl)boron,
trimethylammonium tetra(o-tolyl)boron,
tributylammonium tetra(pentafluorophenyl)boron,
tripropylammonium tetra(o,p-dimethylphenyl)boron,
tributylammonium tetra(m,m-dimethylphenyl)boron,
tributylammonium tetra(p-trifluoromethylphenyl)boron,
tributylammonium tetra(pentafluorophenyl)boron,
tri(n-butyl)ammonium tetra(o-tolyl)boron,
N,N-dimethylanilinium tetra(phenyl)boron,
N,N-diethylanilinium tetra(phenyl)boron,
N,N-diethylanilinium tetra(phenyl)n-butylboron,
N,N-2,4,6-pentamethylanilinium tetra(phenyl)boron,
di-(isopropyl)ammonium tetra(pentafluorophenyl)boron,
dicyclohexylammonium tetra(phenyl)boron,
triphenylphosphonium tetra(phenyl)boron,
tri(methylphenyl)phosphonium tetra(phenyl)boron,
tri(dimethylphenyl)phosphonium tetra(phenyl)boron,
tropillium tetrakispentafluorophenyl borate,
triphenylmethylium tetrakispentafluorophenyl borate,
benzene(diazonium)tetrakispentafluorophenyl borate,
tropillium phenyltrispentafluorophenyl borate,
triphenylmethylium phenyltrispentafluorophenyl borate,
benzene(diazonium)phenyltrispentafluorophenyl borate,
tropillium tetrakis(2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl)borate,
triphenylmethylium tetrakis(2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl)borate,
benzene(diazonium)tetrakis(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)borate,
tropillium tetrakis(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)borate,
benzene(diazonium)tetrakis(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)borate,
tropillium tetrakis(1,2,2-trifluoroethenyl)borate,
triphenylmethylium tetrakis(1,2,2-trifluoroethenyl)borate,
benzene(diazonium)tetrakis(1,2,2-trifluoroethenyl)borate,
tropillium tetrakis(2,3,4,5-tetrafluorophenyl)borate,
triphenylmethylium tetrakis(2,3,4,5-tetrafluorophenyl)borate, and
benzene(diazonium)tetrakis(2,3,4,5-tetrafluorophenyl)borate.
Commercially available boron activators include: N,N-dimethylaniliniumtetrakispentafluorophenyl borate, triphenylmethylium tetrakispentafluorophenyl borate, and trispentafluorophenyl borane.
The boron activator is preferably added to the reactor on a roughly equimolar basis to the transition metal of the catalyst. Mole ratios of from 0.5/1 to 2/1 may be used, with 1/1 to 1.2/1 being especially preferred. It would be permissible (but wasteful and expensive) to use large molar excesses of the boron activator.
Alumoxanes may not be used as the sole cocatalyst in the process of this invention (because of the comparatively poor activity under ethylene propylene solution polymerization conditions, as shown in the Examples). However, alumoxanes may be used as a (second) cocatalyst and/or as a poison scavenger.
The alumoxane may be of the formula:
(R4)2AlO(R4AlO)mAl(R4)2
wherein each R4 is independently selected from the group consisting of C1-20 hydrocarbyl radicals and m is from 0 to 50, preferably R4 is a C1-4 alkyl radical and m is from 5 to 30. Methylalumoxane (or xe2x80x9cMAOxe2x80x9d) in which each R is methyl is the preferred alumoxane.
Alumoxanes are also readily available articles of commerce generally as a solution in a hydrocarbon solvent.
The alumoxane, when employed, is preferably added at an aluminum to transition metal (in the catalyst) mole ratio of from 20:1 to 1000:1. Preferred ratios are from 5:1 to 250:1.
Furthermore, whilst not wishing to be bound by any theory, it is believed that the metal-nitrogen bond of the catalysts of this invention may be susceptible to degradation/cleavage by acidic poisons under the polymerization conditions of this invention. These poisons may be present in the solvent, monomers or even in the alumoxane solution (such as residual alkyl aluminum). Accordingly, it is also preferred to use a minor amount of a base as a scavenger for these poisons. It is particularly preferred that this base be sterically bulky. Sterically bulky amines and/or sterically bulky alcohols are preferred.
The data provided in the Examples show a surprising activity increase when an alumoxane is used in combination with the boron activator (in comparison to the boron above, and in particular, in comparison to the poor activity obtained when the alumoxane is used above). However, it has not been conclusively established whether this desirable result is caused by the catalyst-alumoxane xe2x80x9cactivatingxe2x80x9d influence, or from the mitigation of the deleterious effects of catalyst poisons or some combination thereof.
Description of Solution Polymerization Process
Solution processes for the polymerization of ethylene propylene elastomers are well known in the art. These processes are conducted in the presence of an inert hydrocarbon solvent such as a C5-12 hydrocarbon which may be unsubstituted or substituted by a C1-4 alkyl group such as pentane, methyl pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane and hydrogenated naphtha. An example of a suitable solvent which is commercially available is xe2x80x9cIsopar Exe2x80x9d (C8-12 aliphatic solvent, Exxon Chemical Co.).
The process of this invention is undertaken at a temperature of 10xc2x0 C. to 150xc2x0 C., such as 20xc2x0 C. As previously noted, the use of a high polymerization temperature will generally reduce the solution viscosity (which is desirable) but also reduce molecular weight (which may be undesirable). The preferred polymerization temperature is less than 100xc2x0 C., where a surprising combination of excellent polymerization activity and excellent molecular weight may be obtained.
The present invention is a process which is used to prepare elastomer co- and ter-polymers of ethylene, propylene and optionally one or more diene monomers. Generally, such polymers will contain about 50 to about 80 weight % ethylene (preferably about 50 to 60 weight % ethylene) and correspondingly from 50 to 20 weight % of propylene. The elastomers of this invention may also be prepared with a small amount of diene monomer so as to facilitate crosslinking or vulcanization of the elastomerxe2x80x94as is well known to those skilled in the art. The diene is preferably present in amounts up to 10 weight % of the polymer and most preferably is present in amounts from about 3 to 7 weight %. The resulting polymer may have a composition comprising from 40 to 75 weight % of ethylene, from 50 to 15 weight % of propylene and up to 10 weight % of a diene monomer to provide 100 weight % of the polymer. More than one type of diene monomer may be included. Preferred but not limiting examples of the dienes are dicyclopentadiene, 1,4-hexadiene, 5-methylene-2-norbornene, 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene and 5-vinyl-2-norbornene, especially 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene and 1,4-hexadiene.
The monomers are dissolved/dispersed in the solvent either prior to being fed to the reactor (or for gaseous monomers the monomer may be fed to the reactor so that it will dissolve in the reaction mixture). Prior to mixing, the solvent and monomers are generally purified to remove potential catalyst poisons such as water, oxygen or metal impurities. The feedstock purification follows standard practices in the art, e.g. molecular sieves, alumina beds and oxygen removal catalysts are used for the purification of monomers. The solvent itself as well (e.g. methyl pentane, cyclohexane, hexane or toluene) is preferably treated in a similar manner.
The feedstock may be heated or cooled prior to feeding to the polymerization reactor. Additional monomers and solvent may be added to the second reactor (if employed) and it may be heated or cooled.
Generally, the catalyst components may be premixed in the solvent for the reaction or fed as separate streams to each reactor. In some instances premixing it may be desirable to provide a reaction time for the catalyst components prior to entering the reaction. Such an xe2x80x9cin line mixingxe2x80x9d technique is described in a number of patents in the name of DuPont Canada Inc. (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,555, issued Dec. 31, 1996).
The residence time in the polymerization reactor will depend on the design and the capacity of the reactor. Generally the reactors should be operated under conditions to achieve a thorough mixing of the reactants. If a dual reactor polymerization process is employed, it is preferred that from 20 to 60 weight % of the final polymer is polymerized in the first reactor, with the balance being polymerized in the second reactor. On leaving the reactor the solvent is removed and the resulting polymer is finished in a conventional manner.
It is also within the scope of this invention to use more than two polymerization reactors.

Process to prepare ethylene propylene elastomer


A monitoring method is disclosed which provides for inducing an active pulse in a blood volume of a patient. The induction of an active pulse results in a cyclic, and periodic change in the flow of blood through a fleshy medium under test. By actively inducing a change of the blood volume, modulation of the volume of blood can be obtained to provide a greater signal to noise ratio. This allows for the detection of constituents in blood at concentration levels below those previously detectable in a non-invasive system. Radiation which passes through the fleshy medium is detected by a detector which generates a signal indicative of the intensity of the detected radiation. Signal processing is performed on the electrical signal to isolate those optical characteristics of the electrical signal due to the optical characteristics of the blood.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to noninvasive systems for monitoring blood glucose and other difficult to detect blood constituent concentrations, such as therapeutic drugs, drugs of abuse, carboxyhemoglobin, Methemoglobin, cholesterol.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, many systems have been developed for monitoring blood characteristics. For example, devices have been developed which are capable of determining such blood characteristics as blood oxygenation, glucose concentration, and other blood characteristics. However, significant difficulties have been encountered when attempting to determine blood glucose concentration accurately using noninvasive blood monitoring systems such as by means of spectroscopic measurement.
The difficulty in determining blood glucose concentration accurately may be attributed to several causes. One of the significant causes is that blood glucose is typically found in very low concentrations within the bloodstream (e.g., on the order of 100 to 1,000 times lower than hemoglobin) so that such low concentrations are difficult to detect noninvasively, and require a very high signal-to-noise ratio. Additionally, with spectroscopic methods, the optical characteristics of glucose are very similar to those of water which is found in a very high concentration within the blood. Thus, where optical monitoring systems are used, the optical characteristics of water tend to obscure the characteristics of optical signals due to glucose within the bloodstream. Furthermore, since each individual has tissue, bone and unique blood properties, each measurement typically requires calibration for the particular individual.
In an attempt to accurately measure blood glucose levels within the bloodstream, several methods have been used. For example, one method involves drawing blood from the patient and separating the glucose from the other constituents within the blood. Although fairly accurate, this method requires drawing the patient's blood, which is less desirable than noninvasive techniques, especially for patients such as small children or anemic patients. Furthermore, when blood glucose monitoring is used to control the blood glucose level, blood must be drawn three to six times per day, which may be both physically and psychologically traumatic for a patient. Other methods contemplate determining blood glucose concentration by means of urinalysis or some other method which involves pumping or diffusing body fluid from the body through vessel walls or using other body fluids such as tears or sweat. However, such an analysis tends to be less accurate than a direct measurement of glucose within the blood, since the urine, or other body fluid, has passed through the kidneys (or skin in the case of sweat). This problem is especially pronounced in diabetics. Furthermore, acquiring urine and other body fluid samples is often inconvenient.
As is well known in the art, different molecules, typically referred to as constituents, contained within the medium have different optical characteristics so that they are more or less absorbent at different wavelengths of light. Thus, by analyzing the characteristics of the fleshy medium containing blood at different wavelengths, an indication of the composition of the blood in the fleshy medium may be determined.
Spectroscopic analysis is based in part upon the Beer-Lambert law of optical characteristics for different elements. Briefly, Beer-Lambert's law states that the optical intensity of light through any medium comprising a single substance is proportional to the exponent of the product of path length through the medium times the concentration of the substance within the medium times the extinction coefficient of the substance. That is, EQU I=I.sub.o e.sup.-(pl.multidot.c.multidot..epsilon.) ( 1)
where pl represents the path length through the medium, c represents the concentration of the substance within the medium, .epsilon. represents the absorbtion (extinction) coefficient of the substance and I.sub.o is the initial intensity of th light from the light source. For optical media which have several constituents, the optical intensity of the light received from the illuminated medium is proportional to the exponent of the path length through the medium times the concentration of the first substance times the optical absorption coefficient associated with the first substance, plus the path length times the concentration of the second substance times the optical absorption coefficient associated with the second substance, etc. That is, EQU I=I.sub.o e.sup.-(pl.multidot.c.sbsp.1.sup..multidot..epsilon..sbsp.1.sup.+pl.multid ot.c.sbsp.2.sup..multidot..epsilon..sbsp.2.sup.+etc.) ( 2)
where .epsilon..sub.n represents the optical absorption (extinction) coefficient of the n.sup.th constituent and c.sub.n represents the concentration of the n.sup.th constituent.

Active pulse blood constituent monitoring method


The invention includes several devices for readily transferring patients from one platform to another by one attendant. A first system of horizontal transfer of patients is adapted to use existing transfer sheets and cart appropriately modified. A transfer sheet is attached to a clamping device that has a releasable catch that holds the sheet in a cavity. A plurality of straps are attached to the clamping device. The other ends of the straps are attached to reels that are part of a winch. Activation of the winch winds the straps onto the reels. The invention also includes improved bed jackets that can be attached to a winch for lifting a patient either to re-position them on a surface or to transport them. The invention also includes devices with very low friction surfaces to assist with the transfer process.

Health care workers at hospitals, nursing homes, and home care programs face the challenge of moving partly or completely incapacitated patients. A typical patient weighs between 45 and 90 kilograms, although many others weigh much more. Consequently, at least two to four health care workers are usually needed to move the patient. These activities often create unacceptable risks of injury, almost without regard to the number of health care workers used in the patient transfer. The risks are particularly high when a sufficient number of workers is not available to assist in a patient transfer. For example, injuries to workers' backs account for approximately 50% of worker's compensation costs for workplace injuries in the health care industry in the United States, and thus are a particularly vexing problem.
Patient transfers can be placed in several broad categories. A first category includes the horizontal transfer of a patient from one flat surface to another. A second category involves upright transfers where a patient is moved from a horizontal position to an upright or sitting position in a wheelchair, chair or commode, and the return of the patient to the horizontal position from an upright or sitting position. A third category of transfer relates to the positioning or movement of patients in order to change their position in a bed or chair, for example pulling the patient up in the bed or rolling the patient from side to side. Although many attempts have been made to devise improved systems for patient transfer, almost all of these transfers continue to be manually performed.
Current healthcare guidelines typically recommend that four health care workers participate in a patient transfer. Two workers are at the bed side and two workers are at the cart side. Each worker grabs an edge of a draw sheet, which is positioned under the patient. The patient is then transferred between the bed and the cart through a combination of lifting, pulling, and pushing. An elongated plastic sheet is often placed beneath the patient to reduce friction or drag. Since a health care worker has to bend over at the waist to accomplish these patient transfers, the stresses encountered are magnified well beyond what would otherwise be expected for a maximum recommended lift of approximately fifty pounds. Normally this recommended maximum lift is measured with the lift at or near the worker's center of mass. Extremes in a health care worker's height, either taller or shorter than average, or any weakness in either the arms or legs further exaggerate these risks.
Many hospitals have swing-type mechanical lift devices to assist in certain patient transfers. However, these devices are not widely used because they are often cumbersome and time-consuming to set up and operate. Depending on the lift required, the devices may also be inappropriate.
The upright transfer and positioning categories provide similar difficulties, especially if the patient is unable to cooperate. For example, weak and elderly patients reclining in a semi-erect position tend to slide down. These patients must be returned to a position more toward the head of the bed. To do so, two health care workers usually grasp the patient by the upper arms to hoist the patient toward the head of the bed after the bed has been lowered to a more horizontal position. This manual transfer often causes strain on the workers' upper and lower backs and possible contact bruises on the patient. Similar difficulties occur with upright transfers.
Given these formidable difficulties, there have been other attempts to mechanize the patient transfer process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,665,432 (Butler), describes a cart with a manual crank connected to an extensive pull unit. The pull unit has a large number of straps which connect at an edge by hooks to a transfer sheet. Rotation of the crank winds the pull unit onto a roller. The size of the pull unit presents many difficulties including its attachment at many locations to the sheet and the awkwardness of winding it on the roller. The pull unit must be placed under the patient just prior to transfer, since it would not normally be kept there otherwise. Also, no means are provided for transferring the patient off the cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,827,642 (Huff) describes a similar system mounted to the head of a bed and designed to move a patient from the foot toward the head of the bed. The '642 Patent does not describe the process of moving a patient laterally from one horizontal surface to another.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,738 (Cole) discloses another patient transfer system which employs a manual crank and self-locking gear system. This system has an advantage over the system described in the '432 patent in that the transfer is reversible. Rotating the crank drives a belt system, which is attached to a semi-rigid transfer apron. The apron is thereby transferred horizontally while supporting a patient. This system has the disadvantage that the apron must be first positioned under the patient before the patient can be transported from a bed onto a cart. Another disadvantage is that the transfer support alone does not provide sufficient support for the patient or the transfer system. Because of the complexity of its design, considerable operator interaction would be required for the transfer support to be mounted to a cart and then operated to transfer a patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,733,452 (Tanney) describes a transfer system that uses a motorized pulley to transfer a patient on a metal-reinforced transfer sheet. The transfer sheet has metal grommets in its corners for attachment to cables. A motor is used to wind the cables onto reels thereby resulting in the transfer of the sheet and the patient thereon. However, the patient must first be moved onto the transfer sheet before being moved from a bed to the cart. Moreover, this invention fails to provide support beneath a patient being transferred thereby.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,747,170 and 4,868,938 (both to Knouse) reveal a motorized winch-type transfer system. This transfer system has apparent advantages over the transfer system of the '452 patent, which include a more secure transfer sheet gripping mechanism and the use of a transfer sheet which does not need grommets or other similar devices. Though more secure, the gripping system is difficult and awkward to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,424 (Carter et al.) teaches a system for reciprocally transferring a patient between a bed and a cart. This system employs a pliable transfer web wound about two detachable, cylindrical rollers and a drive motor mounted on the bed and the cart. In use, the bed and cart are positioned side-by-side and the web is placed beneath the patient. The roller adjacent the cart or bed onto which the patient is to be transferred is detached. While unwinding a sufficient length of transfer web wound thereon, the roller is extended to the opposite side of the bed or cart onto which the patient is to be transferred, and there connected to the drive motor. The drive motor is then activated, thereby rewinding the transfer web onto the roller and transporting the patient disposed thereon. Thus, while enabling reciprocal transfer, the system of the '424 patent is time consuming and awkward to set up. Moreover, as in the previous inventions discussed hereinabove, the patient is not supported adequately while being transferred.
While considerable effort has gone into developing horizontal patient transfer systems, all of the systems previously developed have significant drawbacks. These drawbacks primarily relate to the significant difficulties encountered in set-up and operation.
The patent described hereinabove primarily relate to systems for transferring patients from one horizontal surface to another horizontal surface. By partial contrast, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,700,415 and 4,837,873 (both to DiMatteo et al.) teach a system for transferring patients between a reclined wheelchair and a bed. The bed is equipped with a sheet wound about a right side roller and a left side roller, the sheet positioned beneath a patient reclining thereupon. The right and left side rollers are positioned laterally on each side of the bed, usually slightly below the plane of the patient. Two corner rollers are situated above the right side and left side rollers and approximately level with the top surface of the bed. The reclined wheelchair is equipped with two articulated rollers. Extending between these rollers is a sheet, the sheet including three bands. The lateral edges of the sheet may be joined or separate. If the lateral edges are to be joined, the sheet spans above and below the wheelchair upper surface. If the lateral edges are free, the sheet spans the wheelchair upper surface, its ends wound about the two rollers. The separate transfer systems for the bed and wheelchair must be powered such that both sheets rotate with equal velocities. In use, the patient reclining upon the bed is conveyed laterally by the bed transfer system. Upon encountering the wheelchair transfer system, the patient is thereupon further conveyed onto the wheelchair. The wheelchair may then be further adjusted, allowing the patient to assume a sitting position.
While the system of DiMatteo allows for transfer to or from a reclining wheelchair and for adjusting the wheelchair between sitting and reclining positions, its shortfalls include the complexity of its design, the need to retrofit beds with the rollers and sheet provided, and the possibility of pinching the patient or catching clothing in the gaps between the bands.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,774 (Warren) describes a harness and winch mechanism for raising a patient reclining upon a bed. The winch is mounted to a post attached to the head of the bed and is operated by a hand crank. The harness loops under the patient's armpits such that excessive stress may be applied thereto during operation of the device.


A process is disclosed for manufacturing N-methyl-N-phenylaminoacrolein of formula (I)

Fenal is used as starting material for the preparation of compounds having HMG-CoA reductase inhibiting activity, such as Fluvastatin (CAS Registry number 93957-54-1), whose chemical formula is reported here-below:

More in details, compound (I) can be converted into Fenal, by reaction with compound (IV)
in acetonitrile in the presence of POCl3, as disclosed in WO 84/82131 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,073.
Methods for manufacturing (I) are for instance disclosed in J.O.C., 57, 3250–3252 (1992), GB-945536, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,853. More in details, the J.O.C.'s article discloses a method in which N-methylformanilide is reacted in dichloromethane with ethyl vinyl ether in the presence of POCl3; GB-945536 discloses a method in which N-methylformanilide is reacted in dichloroethane with ethyl vinyl ether in the presence of phosgene; U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,853 discloses a method in which N-methylformanilide is reacted in dichloromethane with ethyl vinyl ether in the presence of oxalylchloride.
All the above methods are however characterized by the use of low boiling chlorinated solvents which, for well known safety reasons, are normally avoided in industrial processes. The purpose of the present invention is therefore that of finding an alternative method for manufacturing Fenal which is devoided of the drawbacks of the known methods and which may possibly afford higher yields.

Abstract: which comprises reacting N-methylformanilide and an alkyl vinyl ether of formula (III)

Abstract: wherein R is a C3–C4 alkyl, said process being characterized in that the reaction between N-methylformanilide and said alkyl vinyl ether of formula (III) is carried out in the presence of phosgene, diphosgene or triphosgene in a solvent selected from dioxane, acetonitrile and/or chlorobenzene.

Clariant Life Science Molecules (Italia) S.p.A.


An extendable conductor stand allowing for rapid alignment and installation. The conductor stand having capacity to accept a BOP to protect against all blowouts, including behind the casing blowouts.

Drilling for oil or gas is a complicated and dangerous endeavor where drillers must blend both technology and experience to create a working well. The early stages of the well development are the most critical and due to the lack of blow-out protection, it is also the most hazardous period for the crew working the rig.
Setup for drilling an oil or gas borehole will vary depending upon location and ground conditions. However, in most circumstances, the first step is to install a relatively short string of large diameter conductor pipe. The conductor pipe will act as a drilling guide and prevents unconsolidated surface material from collapsing into the borehole. The pipe may be 120 feet long for an on surface development or a much longer string in an underwater drilling. In other applications, where the surface material has allowable cohesive properties, the operator will first drill an oversized hole using an auger prior to inserting the conductor pipe into the hole and then cementing the space between the outside of the conductor pipe wall and original hole. Once the conductor pipe is in place, the operator will prepare and level the pipe end by cutting and/or grinding. Additional sections of pipe will be welded onto the conductor to properly position the top flange with the drilling platform and to accept a top-drive head. A drilling fluid flow line attached to the conductor string must also be properly aligned to allow connection with a corresponding system on the drill platform. Leveling and positioning the top of the conductor pipe is call "nippling up"; the process is time consuming, typically requiring 12 to 14 hours.
The next step is to "drill for surface" or drill a smaller hole through the conductor pipe, preparatory for setting the borehole casing. The depth of the surface hole will vary depending on the depth of the ultimate target, ground conditions and other factors. However, this step may be the most perilous; and the shallower the bore, the greater the danger to the men and equipment. During the drilling process it is common for the drill hole to intercept gas pockets of methane or hydrogen sulfide in the rock or the coal formation being penetrated, the gases can be under extremely high pressure and are flammable. Drilling fluid or drilling "mud" is a mixture of water, clay and myriad other ingredients; the mud is injected under pressure down the center of the drill string, and as the mud recirculates back to the surface, on the outside of the drill string, the mud carries the rock cuttings out of the hole and serves to condition and seal the walls of the bore. Additionally, a driller may adjust the specific density of the drilling mud to increase hydrostatic pressure and help to control the flow of formation gas to the surface. However, if gas is encountered at shallow depth and the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling fluid in the vertical bore column is insufficient to overcome the pressure of the formation gas, the gas will blowout the top of the borehole at high speed, potentially causing equipment damage and injury, and if the gas is flammable, the danger of an explosion and fire is also present.
Once "surface" has been set, a casing string will be inserted, through the conductor, into the borehole and cemented into place. The cement will fill the void between the casing and the borehole and the space between the casing and the conductor. The casing can then be fitted with a BOP or blowout preventer. The BOP, as commonly known in the art, may be a ram or shear arrangement that blocks the well bore in the case of escaping gas or fluid. However, a BOP will not protect the drilling platform and crew until the casing is installed and they cannot protect the crew in the situation of a "behind casing blowout".
A behind casing blowout occurs when gas escapes towards the drill platform between the casing and conductor. This may occur because the pressure wave from the escaping gas shocks the casing wall, fracturing or separating the cement between the casing and the conductor. It is also postulated that the differential of thermal expansion between the steel and cement creates separations or channels where high pressure gas can pass through.
What is needed, is a device that can be quickly installed, that will protect the drill platform and crew during the early startup stages, and can protect against a behind the casing blowout.

Extendable conductor stand having multi-stage blowout protection


A method of controlling a frame-relay module includes steps of outputting a control-information frame from a control unit connected to an ATM switch, the control-information frame containing data specifying a frame-relay interface circuit as well as a processing command, assembling the control-information frame into an ATM cell and sending the ATM cell, via the ATM switch, to a frame-relay module in which the specified frame-relay interface circuit is present, restoring the ATM cell to a control-information frame by an ATM interface circuit and a cell assembly/disassembly circuit contained in the frame-relay module, causing the specified frame-relay interface circuit to accept the control-information frame, and executing processing, which conforms to the command contained in the control-information frame, in the frame-relay interface circuit.

This invention relates to a method of controlling a frame-relay module, as well as a high-speed switching system. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of controlling a frame-relay module, as well as a high-speed switching system, in which predetermined processing is executed upon transmitting/receiving a control-information frame, via an ATM switch, between a control apparatus and the controller of a frame-relay interface circuit.
A frame relay (FR) is a transmission/switching technique suited to applications in which a large quantity of data is communicated in instantaneous fashion, namely applications in which data is communicated in bursts. A frame relay is especially suited to transmission/switching of data between LANs, which serve as fast busses. Further, since identification of a party in frame units and multiplex communication are realized, a communication line can be utilized very efficiently. More specifically, control information (a data link connection identifier, abbreviated to "DLCI") for identifying a frame is added to the header of an FR frame. Since a network is informed of a destination using the DLCI in each frame, frames having DLCIs of different values can be sent in continuous fashion, whereby a frame multiplex function is realized.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a high-speed switching system having frame-relay modules. This is an example in which frames are transmitted via an ATM network. The system includes an ATM switch (ATM-SW) 11, an ATM terminal 12 and an ATM interface circuit (ATM-INF) 13. The ATM interface circuit 13 has a routing table (not shown). When an ATM cell enters the ATM interface circuit 13 from an incoming line 12', the circuit 13 replaces the VCI (virtual channel identifier) of the ATM cell based upon the routing table, adds routing information and then sends the ATM cell to the ATM switch 11. Further, the ATM interface circuit 13 removes routing information that has been added to an ATM cell inputted from the ATM switch 11 and then outputs the ATM cell to the line 12' on the side of the ATM terminal.
An ATM signaling unit (SIG) 14 is provided in the exit port of the ATM switch 11, and a processor (CC) 15 executes call processing as well as other processing. A bus line 17 connects the SIG 14 and the CC 15. A serial interface circuit (SSR) 18 allows a serial exchange of data with an FR interface circuit, described later. Each ATM terminal 12 (only one is shown in FIG. 8) is set beforehand to a signal VCI. In addition, the routing table within the ATM interface 13 is set to routing information, in correlation with the signal VCI, for routing a cell having this VCI to an outgoing line 14'.
When the ATM terminal 12 performs a call operation for calling a terminating terminal, a cell assembling unit within the ATM terminal 12 subdivides data, which includes the originating number, the terminating number, the type of terminal and attributes, etc., into cell units, produces a signal cell upon attaching a signal VCI to each item of subdivided data and applies the signal cell to the ATM interface 13. The latter adds routing information, which is for routing the cell to the outgoing line 14', and then sends the cell to the ATM switch 11. When the signal cell is sent to the ATM switch 11, the latter routes the signal cell to the outgoing line 14' based upon the routing information, whereby the signal cell is fed into the signaling unit 14. Upon receiving the signal cell, the signaling unit 14 assembles (forms into a frame) the information contained in the signal cell and informs the processor 15. The latter executes call processing such as caller service analysis, billing processing and terminating-numeral translation processing. The processor 15 also decides a virtual path identifier (VPI) and virtual channel identifier (VCI) and sends connection information, which includes the originating number, the terminating number, the VPI, VCI and other data to a trunk ATM exchange (not shown) via a signal network (not shown). The trunk exchange subsequently performs similar processing. A path to the ATM exchange to which the terminating terminal has been connected is eventually established and the data cell from the ATM terminal 12 is transmitted to the ATM terminal on the terminating side via the path established.
Numerals 21a, 21b, 21c . . . denote fast busses, e.g., LANs (local area networks), and numerals 22a, 22b, 22c, . . . denote FR routers (R). Each FR router refers to an internal protocol address (IP address) contained in the frame sent from the terminal accommodated by the LAN, obtains the DLCI and adds the DLCI to the frame. Further, the FR router eliminates the DLCI attached to a frame that enters from the side of a frame-relay module, described later, and outputs the frame to the LAN side.
Numerals 31, 32 . . . denote frame-relay modules provided between the FR routers and the ATM switch 11. The frame-relay modules are identically constructed. Each module includes frame-relay interface circuits (FR-INF) 41, 42 . . . . Each FR-INF adds logical-path information to the frame that enters from the FR router (R). Further, each FR-INF accepts a frame sent to it via the ATM switch 11 and sends the frame to the FR router. A fast bus 51 interconnects the plurality of FR interface circuits 41, 42, . . . , each of which is assigned a predetermined port address (PA). A bus controller (BC) 52 performs contention control (control of the right to use the bus) of the bus, a buffer (assigned a port address 0) 53 is connected to the fast bus 51, and a CLAD (cell assembly/disassembly) circuit 54 assembles a frame into a cell and disassembles an ATM cell into a frame. An ATM interface circuit 55 replaces the VCI of an ATM cell that has entered from the CLAD circuit 54, adds routing information to the cell and inputs the cell to the ATM switch 11. Further, the ATM interface circuit 55 eliminates routing information from an ATM cell that has entered from the ATM switch and then inputs the cell to the CLAD circuit 54.
The FR interface circuits 41, 42 are constructed as shown in FIG. 9. Specifically, each FR interface circuit includes a bus interface 61, a reception buffer (B-BF) 62, a transmission buffer (S-BF) 63, a transmitter/receiver (T/R) 64 for performing an exchange of frames with the FR router, a processor (CTL) 65, a direct memory access controller (DMA) 66, a memory (M) 67, a serial interface circuit (SSR') 68 and a bus 69. A logical-path setting table LPT is stored in the memory 67.
As shown in FIGS. 10(a), (b), the logical-path setting table LPT has a first table LPT.sub.1 showing the correlation between DLCI values appended to frames entered from the FR router and logical path data (PA, VPI/VCI, DPA, LA), and .noteq. a second table LPT.sub.2 storing the correspondence between link addresses LA, which contained in frames sent from a party via the ATM switch, and DLCI values.
In the first table LPT.sub.1, "PA" represents the port addresses (the port address of a buffer is 0) of the FR interface circuits 41, 42, . . . and buffer 53 within a frame-relay module on the originating side; "VPI/VCI" represents a virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier; "DPA" represents a destination port address specifying an FR interface circuit within a frame-relay module at the destination; and "LA" represents internal information (link address) which, when a frame has reached a party, is for achieving linkage with regard to the particular DLCI value to which a conversion is to be made. In the second table LPT2, "LA" represents a link address contained in a frame sent from a party via the ATM switch.
In a case (intra-FRM connection) where a frame is transmitted to another LAN without the intermediary of the ATM switch 11, VPI/VCI and DPA corresponding to the DLCI value of the frame are both made 0 (see , .noteq.) and the port address PA is made a port address #a, #b, . . . of the FR interface circuit corresponding to the LAN of the frame destination. On the other hand, in a case (external FRM connection) where a frame is transmitted via the ATM switch 11, the port address PA is made 0 (port address of buffer 53).
When the processor 65 receives a frame with an attached DLCI value from the FR router, the processor 65 refers to the first table LPT.sub.1 to obtain the logical path data, removes the DLCI of the frame, adds the logical path data obtained and then transmits the frame. More specifically, in the case of the intra-FRM connection, as shown in FIG. 11(a), solely the port address PA and link address LA are added on. In the case of the external FRM connection, as shown in FIG. 11(b), the port address (=0), VPI/VCI, destination port address DPA and link address LA are added on.

Method of controlling frame-relay module, and high-speed switching system


An embodiment of a vehicle step assembly includes a brace defined, at least in part, by a generally horizontal surface. The generally horizontal surface selectively transmits the weight of a user to the vehicle. The assembly further includes a fascia having an aperture. The brace is positioned, at least partially, at a generally lateral side portion of the vehicle rearward of a rearmost operational wheel. The fascia at least partially encloses a portion of the lateral side portion.

Numerous step and running board assemblies are provided for vehicles. Typically, these assemblies assist a user to access the interior portions or upper portions of the vehicles, for example, items stowed above the vehicle roof. In order to transmit the weight of a user to the vehicle, the assemblies are typically secured directly to the frame of the vehicle. Typically, body mounting locations have not been found to be acceptable for many vehicles due to, for example, difficulty of mounting, and stability of the step when not mounted to a vehicle frame.
A typical vehicle side step is located between the operational wheels of the vehicle. With the desired utility of a vehicle increasing, there exists a need to locate a vehicle step at locations other than between the operational wheels. Many newer vehicles include front and rear fascia that are typically constructed of injection molded plastic. The aerodynamics and aesthetically pleasing aspects of a molded fascia have discouraged mounting a step with a fascia.
While these prior art steps perform adequately for their intended purposes, steps are an area of continuous innovation to provide lighter, less expensive, and more aesthetically pleasing components.

Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.


A bow stabilizer according to the present invention includes a body for attachment to the bow which defines an internal chamber. A guide rod is supported by the body within the internal chamber. The guide rod carries a movable part and a pair of biasing members arranged to apply opposing biasing forces to the movable part. A pair of stabilizer arms are removably connected to the movable part and extend external to the internal chamber through openings in the body. Each stabilizer arm carries a removable stabilizer weight. The movable part moves forwardly and rearwardly along the guide rod against the biasing forces of the biasing members, carrying the stabilizer arms forwardly and rearwardly within their respective openings, to counteract the bow vibration created by launching an arrow.

The present invention relates generally to archery bow accessories and specifically to a stabilizer attachment for an archery bow.
An archery bow moves or vibrates in response to the forces generated upon release of the bow string from its drawn position to fire an arrow. According to well known principles of physics, as the string and arrow move toward the target, the bow tends to move in the opposite direction toward the archer. Similarly, when the bow string reverses direction immediately following departure of the arrow, the bow tends to move in the direction of the target. Such reactive forces have a tendency to cause the bow to tip slightly upwardly and downwardly since the center of mass of the bow is typically located above the archer's grip on the riser. Obviously, any tipping of the bow during release of the arrow undesirably deflects the arrow from its intended trajectory toward the target. Thus, it is desirable to provide an archery bow stabilizer to counteract and minimize the undesirable effects of these physical reactive forces.
One embodiment of the present invention provides an archery bow stabilizer which includes a hollow body adapted for attachment to a standard mounting location provided on the forward facing surface of a bow riser so as to project from the riser toward the target. The body houses a guide rod which also extends toward the target. A movable part is biased into a resting position on the guide rod by a pair of opposing springs. A pair of stabilizer arms connected to the movable part extend outwardly from the movable part through openings in the outer wall of the hollow body. The stabilizer arms are removable so that a variety of paired arms of different weights and sizes may be used interchangeably. The ends of the stabilizer arms are threaded or otherwise adapted to removably receive stabilizer weights.
Before the drawn bow string is released, the movable part is substantially stationary in its resting position on the guide rod under the opposing biasing forces of the springs. When the string is released, the movable part responds to the reactive forces exerted on the bow by moving forward and backward on the guide rod against the biasing force of one or the other of the pair of springs, carrying the stabilizer arms with it through their respective outer wall openings, thereby damping the overall vibrational movement of the bow.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the movable part includes extensions which project through the outer wall openings to removably receive the stabilizer arms. Additionally, the stabilizer arms are hollow to concentrate the mass of the arms at the stabilizer weights disposed at the distal ends of the arms.
Other features of the present invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following description of exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings.