Apparatus and methods for diverting a portion of the drilling fluid that flows into a drilling assembly comprise diverting the drilling fluid into the annulus of a deviated wellbore at a flow rate corresponding to a velocity that is sufficient to transport cuttings to the surface while drilling progresses. The diverted drilling fluid is directed into the annulus at an angle to prevent erosion of the wellbore wall. The flow rate of the diverted drilling fluid is controlled to establish a fixed flow rate, or alternatively, a variable flow rate. Pressure is dissipated and fluid velocity is reduced as the diverted drilling fluid flows between a high fluid pressure within the drilling assembly to a lower pressure in the wellbore annulus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for removing cuttings from a deviated wellbore, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for diverting drilling fluid into a wellbore annulus to remove cuttings from a deviated wellbore as drilling progresses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Historically, oil and gas were produced from hydrocarbon formations by drilling a substantially vertical wellbore from a surface location above the formation to the desired hydrocarbon zone at some depth below the surface. Modern drilling technology and techniques allow for the drilling of wellbores that deviate from vertical. In particular, deviated or horizontal wellbores may be drilled from a convenient surface location to the desired hydrocarbon zone. It is also common to drill "sidetrack" boreholes within existing wellbores to access other hydrocarbon formations.
During such drilling operations, it may be economically infeasible to use jointed drill pipe. Therefore, tools and methods have been developed for drilling wellbores using coiled tubing, which is a single length of continuous, unjointed tubing spooled onto a reel for storage in sufficient quantities to exceed the length of the wellbore. A typical drilling operation is depicted in FIG. 1, which includes a coiled tubing system 100 on the surface 10 and a drilling assembly 200 shown drilling a subsurface deviated wellbore 170. The coiled tubing system 100 includes a power supply 110, a surface processor 120, and a coiled tubing spool 130. An injector head unit 140 feeds and directs the coiled tubing 150 from the spool 130 into the well 160. The drilling assembly 200, which includes a drilling motor 205 and a drill bit 210, connects to the lower end of the coiled tubing 150 and extends into the deviated wellbore 170 being drilled.
The drilling motor 205 operates the drill bit 210, which cuts into the wellbore wall 175, thereby creating cuttings 180 that tend to accumulate in the wellbore annulus 165 formed between the coiled tubing 150 and the wall 175 of the deviated wellbore 170. The drilling motor 205 is powered by drilling fluid pumped from the surface 10 through the coiled tubing 150. The drilling fluid flows through the drilling motor 205, out through the drill bit 210, and into the wellbore annulus 165 back up to the surface 10.
When using drill pipe that rotates during the drilling process, cuttings 180 do not tend to accumulate in the annular area 165 of the wellbore 170. The rotation of the pipe working against the cuttings 180 tends to stir up the cuttings 180 so that they are more easily carried away by the drilling fluid as it flows through the wellbore annulus 165 to the surface 10. However, when drilling using coiled tubing 150, which does not rotate, the cuttings 180 tend to accumulate in the wellbore annulus 165 and may even bury the coiled tubing 150. Therefore, when using coiled tubing 150 to drill a deviated wellbore 170, it is particularly important for the drilling fluid to flow through the wellbore annulus 165 at a velocity sufficient to lift the cuttings 180 and carry them back to the surface 10. However, the components of the drilling assembly 200 have smaller internal diameters than the coiled tubing 150, so excessive drilling fluid velocities must be avoided to prevent erosion or abrasion of the internal components of the drilling assembly 200.
Thus, one method for removing cuttings 180 from a deviated wellbore 170 is to periodically perform wiper trips. To conduct a wiper trip, drilling is halted, and the coiled tubing 150 is pulled to drag the drilling assembly 200 through the previously drilled wellbore 170 to stir up the cuttings 180 so that the drilling fluid can carry those cuttings 180 back to the surface 10. Wiper trips are undesirable because they consume valuable drilling time and can cause damage to the components of the drilling assembly 200, such as the drill bit 210.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,011 to Misselbrook et al., hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, discloses another method for removing cuttings from a deviated wellbore without using wiper trips. The method includes ceasing drilling, pumping fluid into the wellbore at a critical level of flow that exceeds the drilling flow rate, and valving at least a portion of the fluid to bypass the drilling motor, preferably in the vicinity of the drilling motor.
Misselbrook teaches that drilling is ceased so that additional cuttings are not generated while removing the existing cuttings from the wellbore. The critical level of flow is typically 3–5 feet/second, or at least 120% of the drilling flow rate, and possibly up to 150% of the drilling flow rate. At the critical level of flow, approximately 60 linear feet/minute can be cleared without drilling as compared to a wiper trip, which typically does not proceed at a rate greater than 50 feet/minute, and usually proceeds slower. Further, with drilling ceased, the weight-on-bit can be managed to cause the coiled tubing to helix or cork screw within the wellbore, thereby lifting substantial portions of the coiled tubing off the wellbore wall to enhance cutting removal. In summary, the Misselbrook method includes ceasing drilling, opening a valve, and increasing the flow rate to a critical level to bypass the drilling motor and sweep out any cuttings that have accumulated in the wellbore. The cutting removal phase may be enhanced by helixing the coiled tubing within the wellbore.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,572 to Boyd et al., hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, discloses a by-pass valving apparatus that enables removal of cuttings from a wellbore drilled using either conventional drill pipe or coiled tubing. The valving arrangement comprises an outer body with an inner spool mounted therein, motion control means to effect uni-directional rotation of the spool through pre-set positions, and a spring that biases the spool to a closed-off position. Fluid pumped through the drill string from the surface moves the spool against the spring, while simultaneously; the motion control means causes the spool to rotate to a pre-set position. Relieving the fluid pressure causes the spool to move axially with the spring and to rotate via the motion control means to the closed-off position. Subsequent pumping of fluid through the drill string causes the spool to move axially and to rotate to yet another pre-set position. In this way, the spool is selectively moved through a number of pre-set positions that close off flow, or direct fluid entirely or partially into the wellbore.
Boyd teaches that except during drilling, it is desirable to suspend operation of the drill motor and telemetry equipment to prolong its useful operating life. Therefore, the by-pass valving arrangement is positioned upstream of the motor and telemetry equipment so that fluid may be circulated into the wellbore while bypassing the drilling equipment. In circumstances where the bit might become stuck in the hole, the flow may be partially by-passed through the valving arrangement so that a reduced flow rotates the drill motor at a slower rate. Boyd states that use of the flow control tool allows for increased mud flow rates during circulating operations, thereby reducing the mud circulating time and increasing the removal efficiency of the cuttings. Further, use of the tool provides an increased motor life since not all of the mud flowing at the higher circulating rates must pass through the motor.
The apparatus and methods disclosed by Misselbrook and Boyd each eliminate the need for wiper trips, but each recommends disrupting drilling to sweep the wellbore clean of cuttings. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a cutting removal apparatus and method that does not disrupt drilling. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a continuous cutting removal apparatus and method that operates while drilling proceeds.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.

Method and apparatus for removing cuttings from a deviated wellbore


An image forming method is disclosed which comprises developing a silver halide photographic material with a developing solution containing an aromatic primary amine developing agent in the presence of an imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole type coupler represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group or an aryl group; R.sub.2 represents an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group or an amino group; R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group; and X represents a hydrogen atom or a group capable of being released upon coupling with an oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine developing agent.. The magenta coupler represented by general formula (I) is excellent in color reproducibility, sensitivity and color density.. A silver halide color photographic material containing the magenta coupler is also disclosed.

It is well known that an aromatic primary amine color developing agent oxidized by exposed silver halide as an oxidizing agent reacts with a coupler to form a color image.
Magenta color image forming couplers which have been widely used in practice and on which various investigations have been made are almost always 5-pyrazolones. However, it is known that dyes formed from 5-pyrazolone type couplers have an undesirable absorption of the yellow component in the region around 430 nm, which causes color turbidity.
In order to reduce the yellow component absorption, a pyrazolobenzimidazole nucleus as described in British Patent 1,047,612, an indazolone nucleus as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,447, a pyrazolo[5,1-c]-1,2,4-triazole nucleus as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,067, a pyrazolo[1,5-b]-1,2,4-triazole nucleus as described in JP-A-59-171956 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") and U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,654 and an imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole nucleus as described in JP-A-59-162548 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,630 have been proposed as a magenta color image forming coupler skeleton.
Among them, pyrazolo[5,1-c]-1,2,4-triazole type magenta couplers and pyrazolo[1,5-b]-1,2,4-triazole type magenta couplers (both types of couplers are generally referred to as pyrazolotriazole type couplers hereinafter) are particularly useful and have been practically employed in some silver halide color photographic materials.
Dyes formed from the pyrazolotriazole type couplers are superior to those formed from conventional 5-pyrazolones in view of the undesirable absorption of the yellow component and they are also preferred from a standpoint of color reproduction since their absorption spectra sharply decrease to zero on the longer wavelength side.
The inventors have found, however, that these pyrazolotriazole type couplers have the undesirable properties described below, although they have the above described excellent properties. When these couplers are used together with silver halide, which acts as an oxidizing agent for an aromatic primary amine developing agent necessary for a color forming reaction, and more specifically, when an emulsified dispersion of the couplers and a silver halide emulsion are mixed to form a coating and its photographic characteristics are evaluated, the silver halide emulsion does not have its original sensitivity, gradation or fog, and as a result the sensitivity may increase or decrease depending on the emulsion used and the resulting color density decreases. Such facts can be determined by a comparison of these results with those obtained by color development or black and white development of a coating prepared by incorporating a 5-pyrazolone type coupler under the same conditions. Also, some of these facts can be confirmed by a comparison with those results obtained by black and white development of a coating containing only the silver halide emulsion.
It is not essentially expected that the couplers used in silver halide color photographic materials have any effect on the silver halide emulsions used except for couplers having a specific function such as development inhibitor releasing couplers or developing accelerator releasing couplers. Particularly, it is undesirable to have an effect on a light sensitive process and cause sensitization or desensitization. With recent silver halide photographic materials in which rapid processing capability is required, it is strongly desired not to influence the silver halide emulsion.
The inventors have confirmed that pyrazolotriazole type couplers have stronger interaction with silver ion or silver halide in comparison with compounds having a 5-pyrazolone residue which have hitherto been widely used as magenta couplers, specifically to effect the formation of complex or adsorption. Further, it has been confirmed that such an interaction causes desensitization of the emulsion and a decrease in color reproduction.
The inventors have determined that the undesirable interaction of a pyrazolotriazole type coupler with silver is difficult to control and turned his attention to an imidazopyrazole nucleus for solving the problem. However, dyes formed from compounds having an imidazopyrazole nucleus are apt to have their spectral absorption in a shorter wave length region as compared with those formed from pyrazolotriazole type couplers and they are not preferred in view of color reproduction.

Silver halide photographic material containing imidazopyrazole type coupler and image forming method using said coupler


An exemplary calorimeter includes a body configured to capture radiation generated by a source of the radiation, such as without limitation a laser, and absorb energy from the captured radiation. The calorimeter is simple to manufacture, operate, and maintain and is compact, highly accurate, able to withstand high power beams, and self-calibrating. NIST traceable electrical wires are used for the measurement. No fluids are used during measurements of the input radiation. A simple built in fluid or gaseous cooling system may be used post-measurement to reset the calorimeter temperature back to ambient for repeated measurement capability.

Many modern devices, such as high-energy lasers and high powered-lamps like solar simulator lamps, are capable of putting out high levels of energy in the form of radiation. In certain circumstances, it is desirable to capture and absorb all or part of the output beam of such devices. For example, capturing a portion of the output beam may be desirable when the full output of the device provides too much energy for a desired application. Whether capturing all or part of a beam, if such a device simply captures and absorbs the output energy it is referred to as a beam dump.
In other applications, it may be desirable to capture the output energy in order to measure the output level of the device. Such a measurement may be used to verify a manufacturer's claimed output levels for a device or to verify the performance of new devices and designs. In this case, the radiation capturing, absorbing, and measuring device is used as a calorimeter or power meter.
The body of the calorimeter captures and absorbs the radiation, and causes the temperature of the body to rise. Precise knowledge of the thermal capacitance of the body allows the user to correlate the temperature rise of the calorimeter body to the energy absorbed. Thus, an accurate measurement of the temperature rise of the calorimeter body yields the energy content of the radiation. Care must be taken that the heat loss of the body due to conductive, convective, and radiative cooling is minimized and/or well characterized. In order to make an accurate measurement of the energy in the input radiation, the calorimeter must be capable of surviving the radiation (which may be high power) and must absorb substantially all of the input energy.
Most currently available calorimeters must be cooled to survive high power radiation. Cooling prevents damage to the calorimeter. Cooling also resets the calorimeter to a condition in which the calorimeter is ready to make further measurements.
In most currently known calorimeters that are designed for high energy beam measurements, cooling and measuring are both effected by water that is pumped through channels in the body of the calorimeter. Energy, in the form of heat, is transferred from the body of the calorimeter to the water, thereby heating the water and subsequently cooling the body of the calorimeter. A precision thermometer of some type measures the temperature rise of the water and a flowmeter with substantial accuracy measures the flow rate of the water flowing through the channels of the calorimeter. The temperature rise of the water together with the measured flow rate of the water is used to approximate the energy absorbed by the calorimeter body.
However, currently known calorimeters that use water to measure the temperature change of the body include drawbacks. For example, in an attempt to accurately measure substantially all of the energy, the surface area available for heat transfer between the water and the calorimeter body is desired to be large. In order to accomplish this, numerous intricate water channels are machined into the body of the calorimeter. This increases surface area for heat transfer from the body of the calorimeter to the water, but this also introduces a pressure drop in the water flow because of constriction of the channels. Therefore, a high pressure pump is used to pump water through the numerous intricate channels. The high pressure pump itself is expensive.
Because the water channels are usually small and intricate, it is desirable to keep the channels free of corrosion and contamination. Corrosion and contamination within the channels can reduce the amount of heat transferred to the water or prevent water flow by blocking the channels. However, maintaining water chemistry within desirable limits to reduce contamination and corrosion introduces further costs because water chemistry maintenance is extremely labor-intensive. Moreover, deionized (DI) water is used as the cooling liquid and is treated with fungicide to further reduce corrosion. Use of DI water and fungicide increases costs even further. Further, if channel blockages become severe enough, there may be areas of the calorimeter that experience restricted water flow, thereby causing inaccurate measurement and/or elevated local temperatures at which the equipment may fail.
Inaccuracies in measurements are also introduced by pumping high-pressure water through intricate channels. For example, water is subject to self-heating due to the friction of the water being pumped at high pressure through the intricate channels. This unintended self-heating of the water results in a temperature rise in the water that is not caused by the input radiation and therefore is a source of inaccuracy in the measurement of input radiation.
Inaccuracies in measurement of water flow rates also cause inaccuracies in measurements of the input radiation. For example, when water is forced under high pressure to flow through the calorimeter body, it can set up turbulence in the flow that will introduce false readings in the flow meter.
Furthermore, there is some energy left in the calorimeter body that is not transferred to the water and therefore is not measured by the thermometer. This residual energy will then introduce inaccuracies in the measurement of the total energy of the radiation source.
As a result, there is an unmet need in the art for a high energy calorimeter that is able to withstand high power radiation, accurately measures substantially all of the energy of the radiation, and is inexpensive to fabricate, operate, and maintain.

Simple high accuracy high energy calorimeter


This variety is distinguished from other apple tree varieties by the following principal features:. 1. A dwarf habit of growth with lateral branches conducive to trellising and greater tree densities per acre. PA0 2. A spreading spur type fruiting which enables easier picking and a large quantity per tree. PA0 3. A larger fruit of fairly uniform size averaging 3" in diameter, that is exceptionally sweet for dessert eating or cooking. PA0 4. This variety of "Eve's Apple" is a basically green apple with a slight blush and averaging a weight of 9 oz.

The present new and distinct variety of apple tree identified by the varietal name "Eve's Apple", was observed some distance from the inventor's orchard growing as a volunteer in the inventor's cultivated rose garden located in Porterville, Calif.
A number of plants of the present variety were asexually reproduced by bud grafting; the work was performed under a contract between the inventor and a commercial nursery namely, Sierra Gold Nurseries at 5320 Garden Highway, Yuba City, Calif. 95991 (copy of said contract enclosed). At maturity, asexual reproductions of the "Eve's Apple" variety proved to be stable and reproducible.
After 4 years of growth to a height of 11' and a spread of 8'8", I observed that this new variety could be termed as a dwarf variety with spurs at approximately every 2" along the branches. This observation was confirmed by the said nursery.


A method for forming an oxide superconducting material by preparing first a shaped magnetic shield comprising an oxide superconductor as a matrix, and then effecting CVD and further EVD to fill in the pores of the matrix with an oxide superconductor; more specifically, it comprises introducing an oxidizing gas to said shaped magnetic shield from either inside or outside the shaped magnetic shield while introducing a material gas of said oxide superconductor from the other side thereof, and then maintaining said shaped magnetic shield at this state under a high temperature.

1. Field of Application
The present invention relates to a method for forming a shaped article from a defect-free oxide superconducting material, more particularly, it relates to a process for producing a magnetic shielding container which utilizes Meissner effect.
2. Prior Art
Conventional processes for producing bulk materials from an oxide superconductor comprise, in general, packing a powder material and then sintering the resulting powder compact. It is also well known to conduct the sintering step by HIPping (Hot Isostatic Pressing) and the like to obtain a further densified material, or by melting a part of the composition (sometimes referred to as a "partial melting process") to increase the density of the bulk material.
As an improved process for powder sintering, there is known a process in which a paste, etc., obtained by dissolving the powder of an oxide superconductor to a pertinent dispersion medium, is utilized. The paste or slurry thus obtained may be directly shaped into a sheet by a doctor blade process and the like and sintered; otherwise, it may be applied to a base of a desired shape and sintered to obtain freely an oxide superconductor material of a desired shape.
Furthermore, study on a process involving chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and the like for coating a pertinent substrate or base with a thin film or a thick film of oxide superconductors is also in progress, particularly, for use in wire materials.
Although extensive studies are in progress, conventional processes for producing oxide superconducting materials are still far from being practical. The powder sintering process, for instance, allows almost no selection of shape and size; moreover, it accompanies technological difficulties in producing large scale sinterings, even if a material other than a superconducting material were to be sintered. Accordingly, it is next to impossible to sinter a large-scale superconducting material using this process. A HIPping process is advantageous in that it provides dense sinterings having high density, however, this process again, cannot be applied to the production of a large scale bulk material.
The process using a paste material and the like is superior in producing superconducting materials at a desired shape, and is now being applied to practical processes for manufacturing superconducting magnetic shields which are to be trial marketed. The superconducting materials produced by this process, however, result inevitably in porous sinterings because the organic matter and the like having incorporated in the dispersion medium escape during the sintering process. Thus, such superconducting materials often suffer insufficient quality for use as a magnetic shield.
The coating process using CVD and the like provides superconducting materials of best quality. However, the film which is obtained by the process is too thin to be used as a magnetic shield, because a certain volume as a bulk, i.e., a container having a wall with certain thickness, is necessary to yield a sufficient magnetic shielding effect. Thus, concerning the film deposition rate and other factors, the CVD process and the like at present cannot be applied to such products as magnetic shields.

Method for forming an oxide superconducting material

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A system and method that monitors four wheel sensors of an automotive vehicle to determine changes in the effective rolling radii of any wheel and a low pressure tire condition. Certain vehicle operating conditions, such as excessive or very low speeds, driven wheel torque, braking, and turns, are determined from the sensor outputs and are used to prevent erroneous detection of changes in effective rolling radius. Data from the sensors that is determined to be acceptable is accumulated over time as displacement values for each wheel. When the displacement values exceed a predetermined value, a metric function is used to compare differences detected in accumulated displacement values for the front pair of wheels and for the rear pair of wheels. If the difference between compared pairs of wheels is excessive, as compared with a predetermined baseline metric value, a low tire condition is detected. Further accumulation of instances where the metric indicates a detected condition, provides confidence that the condition actually exists and a warning is provided to the vehicle operator. Resetting of the system and the baseline metric is performed when the low tire condition is corrected or when the tires are checked and properly inflated.

This invention relates to the field of low tire warning systems for automotive vehicles and more specifically to a warning system that derives information for determining when any particular pneumatic tire is low by monitoring the angular rotation of each wheel and axle torque of the driven wheels.
Several low tire detection systems have been described in the literature, including those that monitor tire pressure and profile height. More recent systems have been described which utilize effective rolling radius calculations to determine when the radius of one of the wheels varies. The generally employed principle of using the effective rolling radius relies on the fact that a wheel with a flat or low pressure tire has an incrementally smaller effective rolling radius than a nominally inflated tire. Often, wheel displacement sensors are used to measure the angular displacement of each wheel. Each of these measurements are related to the effective rolling radius. In this context, the effective rolling radius is defined as the ratio of the true forward distance traveled by the center of a wheel divided by the angular displacement measured over this distance.
A problem with relying on the effective rolling radius of a radial construction tire is that its radius is only weakly dependent on tire pressure. The large "hoop tension" in the tire belt keeps the tire rolling radius almost constant with respect to tire inflation. For example, tests indicate that a tire inflated to only 5 psi will have a rolling radius approximately 0.9% smaller than if it were inflated to its nominal pressure, 30 psi. However, very accurate measurement of rolling radius has become economically feasible due to the enhanced dynamic range of modern 16-bit microprocessors commonly used in Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) and which read the wheel revolution sensors.
Another challenge in detecting low tire pressure is that some tire characteristics have a larger influence upon wheel effective rolling radius than inflation pressure. Tire-to-tire manufacturing tolerances typically vary the effective rolling radius by up to 1.2%. Also, during the tire break-in period, approximately the first 100 miles, effective rolling radius typically can change up to 0.6%. Tread wear also significantly changes the effective rolling radius over the tire lifetime, typically up to 3.6%.
Vehicle operating conditions will also cause significant changes to the effective rolling radius. These conditions are those which cause wheel slippage, those related to the use of a "space-saver" spare tire, and those related to speed. Generally speaking, any maneuver which causes even slight to moderate wheel slippage will cause the effective rolling radius to change by an amount greater than that to be caused by pressure variation alone. Such maneuvers include accelerating, decelerating using brakes, steering through sharp turns, and any combinations of these.
There also are other vehicle operating conditions which influence wheel effective rolling radius in a way not related to tire slippage. These include vehicle operation with a space-saver spare tire, and vehicle operation at very high or very low speeds. The smaller space-saver spare tire has an effective rolling radius that may differ significantly (e.g. 10%) from the other wheels. However, in some performance cars with large diameter brakes, corresponding large diameter wheels, and low profile tires, the use of a space saver spare wheel and tire which is narrow, may have essentially the same effective rolling radius as the other wheels. Differentiating this spare from the other wheels is very difficult in this situation, and the space-saver might be misinterpreted as a low tire.
Vehicle operation at very high speeds, such as those well above the U.S. national legal limit of 65 mph (105 kph), will cause high centrifugal forces in the wheels which can tension the perimeters of the tires in such a way that a low tire will take on the same or larger effective rolling radius as a nominally inflated tire.
Vehicle operation at very low speeds (e.g. less than 6 mph or 10 kph) also poses several problems for effective rolling radius based systems. One is the increased likelihood of wheel slip due to acceleration, deceleration, and steering. This is because low speed operation is not a sustained operating point, but a transitional one during which the car is decelerating to stop, accelerating to normal driving speeds, or steering through sharp turns and corners. Also at low speeds, the wheel rotation sensors' signals drop to a very low amplitude level and become noisy or non-existent. This loss of signal at low speed is a characteristic of current level wheel rotation sensor technology.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,528 (Boesch et al.), assigned to the assignee of the present invention, a system and method was disclosed that monitors four wheel sensors of an automotive vehicle to determined changes in the effective rolling radii of any wheel and a low pressure tire condition.

Low tire warning system with axle torque signal


The present invention provides a pressure sensor device which is media compatible and very inexpensive.. A medium compatible device according to the present invention for sensing pressure comprising means for sensing pressure; means for providing an output in response to the pressure sensing means; and means for packaging the pressure sensing means and the output means, the packaging means including a non-adhesive means for combining the pressure sensing means and the output means.

Pressure sensors are currently used in various industries such as automotive, refrigeration, industrial, and agriculture. The main purpose of a pressure sensor is to measure pressure and to provide an electrical output. However, for many uses, it is important that the pressure sensor is compatible with the media in which it is used. A media compatible pressure sensor, sometimes referred to as a media isolated pressure sensor, may be required to work in harsh environments. For example, a media compatible pressure sensor may be used to measure brake fluid in a car. The area which touches the media needs to be inert to the media such as brake fluid, otherwise, the brake fluid may eat away at the material.
At times, the environment can be worse than the media in which the pressure sensor operates. For instance, a pressure sensor device may be located underneath a car which is continually exposed to salt and road dirt. Thus, it is critical to have the packaging for the pressure sensor to be able to withstand both the harsh environment and the media. Typically, many packages for pressure sensors include steel bodies which have laser welding and various other operations performed upon it to achieve the necessary durability. Because of the packaging costs, the conventional pressure sensor device is typically very expensive, ranging from $50-$500.
Another factor which adds to the cost of the conventional pressure sensor device is the inability to automatize the manufacture and testing of these devices due to conventional uses of batch mode processing.
The conventional pressure sensor device also utilizes various flex circuits to provide the necessary interconnects, sending of the output, and signal positioning. The use of flex circuits is typically very expensive and will also add additional interconnects which can perpetuate reliability problems.
Other factors which can create reliability problems include the use of epoxies to glue various components together. Additionally, various portions of the conventional pressure sensor device are typically soldered together which can also create reliability problems.
What is needed is a reliable, inexpensive pressure sensor device which avoids these problems. The present invention addresses such a need.

Media compatible pressure sensor device utilizing self-aligned components which fit together without the need for adhesives


A wiring substrate includes a first insulation layer containing insulating resin, a first through hole passing through the first insulation layer is the thickness direction, a pad formed within the first through hole, a second insulation layer containing insulating resin and laminated on a first surface of the first insulation layer, and a first wiring layer provided on the second insulation layer and connecting to the pad. A connecting surface of the pad that connects the first wiring layer includes a curved surface that curves in a protruding shape toward the first surface of the first insulation layer.

Wiring substrates with laminations (or multiple layers) of alternately arranged insulation layers of insulating resin and wiring layers of metal are known in the art. In these types of wiring substrates, for example, metal pads coupled to wiring layers over another insulation layers are embedded into the insulation layer that is positioned on the lowest layer. The pads embedded into the insulation layer are for example utilized as external connector terminals when bonding wiring substrates to other wiring substrates.
Pads are formed for example in the through holes in a reverse truncated cone shape formed in the insulation layer. Pads are formed for example by an electroplating method. The upper surface of the pad is electrically connected to a wiring layer on another insulation layer, by way of a via formed in another insulation layer installed adjacently above the insulation layer. The lower surface of the pad is exposed from the insulation layer and is electrically connected to another wiring substrate. A related technique is described in WO 2009-088000, for example.
However, when the inner wall surfaces of the through hole of the insulation layer, where the pad is formed, are formed in a linear shape, the upper surface of the pad includes a planar surface that is approximately parallel to the bottom of the through hole and is an inclined (or sloped) plane that extends to the inner wall surface of the through hole from the outer end of the planar surface toward the lower surface side of the pad. The upper surface of the pad therefore includes a corner at the boundary between the planar surface and the inclined plane.
When a via connects to the upper surface of the pad (wiring layer) including the corner in this way, an internal stress concentrates at the portion connecting the via wiring with the corner on the upper surface of the pad. For example, when bonding a wiring substrate to another wiring substrate, the stress that is applied to the pad from another wiring substrate concentrates at the portion connecting the via wiring to the corner of the upper surface of the pad. The possibility that the pad and via wiring will break consequently becomes high, causing the problem that the connection reliability between the pad and via wiring may deteriorate. Also, when contacting the corner of the pad with the insulation layer, stress concentrates at the corner so a crack may develop in the insulation layer with the corner as the start point.


A very accurate rotational phase detection system is disclosed having first and second disks that are encoded with a 31-digit pseudo-random M-sequence, the first and second disks being attached to rotationally-coupled members. In the disclosed embodiment, the encoding is accomplished by dividing the disks into 31 sections and contouring the periphery of the disks such that sections corresponding to “1” have a larger radius and sections corresponding to “0” have a smaller radius. Sensors—for example, inductive proximity sensors—are positioned near the periphery of the first and second disks that detect the encoded pseudo-random sequences and are periodically sampled (for example, at 50 kHz) to generate first and second detected sequences. The first and second detected sequences are processed to remove noise and to range between +1 and −1, and are then cross-correlated to determine the rotational phase relationship between the attached rotating members.

Modern industrial machinery such as manufacturing and processing equipment frequently relies upon very precise coordination and/or control of various aspects of the machinery in order to achieve a desired functionality. However, such machinery must be constructed within certain manufacturing tolerances that limit the achievable precision between the cooperative actions of various components of a complex machine. Also, normal wear and tear on a machine can cause variations from design parameters that can affect the precision of relationships and interactions between different machine components. Another source of uncertainty is the dynamic response of components to loads experienced during operation. Failure to achieve a desired level of coordination between various components can have serious consequences ranging from a loss of quality in the final product to catastrophic failure of the machinery.
In some instances, computerized detection and control systems are employed to achieve and/or maintain a desired level of precision of relative action between different components of an apparatus. The effectiveness of such systems is limited, however, by a number of factors including the ability of the detection systems to accurately and rapidly detect and compare the status or functioning of the relevant components during operation of the machine, thereby precluding the user from determining if the desired accuracy in the operational parameters is achieved.
Often the desired functionality of a machine is achieved by the cooperative actions of related components that include and/or are controlled by co-rotating shafts or other rotating components. For example, rotating shafts may directly drive particular related components or the shaft may include cranks, cams, or eccentric portions that act on other components through connecting hardware. When different co-rotating shafts are driving different cooperating machine components, the co-rotating shafts typically must maintain a particular rotationally-phased relationship with each other. The accuracy of the phased relationship can be critical to proper operation of the overall machine.
It will be appreciated that in large mechanical systems, particularly in applications involving large and/or rapidly changing loads, achieving a high degree of precision in the phase relationship between rotating shafts can be a challenge. While the design of machinery to produce a desired phase relation between components is typically straightforward for the ideal machine, in the real machine the phase relation between components may vary due to a number of factors including, for example, (i) manufacturing tolerances and, in particular, the accumulation of such tolerances; (ii) elasticity in the components under the applied loads, including temperature-related changes in such properties; (iii) changes in dimension and material properties due to temperature variations; and (iv) wear and tear in the equipment over time. Accurately determining the rotational phase between components may be important for machine design, proper set-up, control, and/or detection of problems.
There is a need, therefore, for systems and methods for determining the phase relation between rotating components in mechanical systems.


The invention relates to a coating composition for making a porous inorganic oxide coating layer on a substrate, the composition comprising an inorganic oxide precursor as binder, a solvent, and a synthetic polyampholyte as pore forming agent. The size of the pores in the coating can be advantageously controlled by the comonomer composition of the polyampholyte, and/or by selecting conditions like temperature, pH, salt concentration, and solvent composition when making the composition. The invention also relates to a method of making such coating composition, to a process of applying a coating on a substrate using such composition, and to such coated substrate showing a specific combination of optical and mechanical properties.

A porous inorganic oxide coating is considered to be a relatively thin coating layer—for example of less than 1 micron thickness—which substantially consists of an inorganic oxide and has certain porosity. Such coatings, like those based on silica, can be used for different purposes, and are increasingly applied to a transparent substrate to reduce the amount of light being reflected from the air-substrate interface, and thus increase the amount of light being transmitted through the substrate. Such coatings can be used as single layer or as part of a multi-layer coating (or coating stack). Typical single layer AR coatings based on thin porous silica layers have been described in e.g. EP0597490, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,830,879, 5,858,462, EP1181256, WO2007/093339, WO2008/028640, EP1674891, WO2009/030703, WO2009/140482, US2009/0220774, and WO2008/143429.
A single layer AR coating on a transparent substrate typically should have a refractive index between the refractive indices of the substrate and air, in order to reduce the amount of light reflected. For example, in case of a glass with refractive index 1.5 the AR layer typically should have a refractive index of about 1.2-1.3, and ideally of about 1.22. A porous silica (or other inorganic oxide) layer having sufficiently high porosity can provide such a low refractive index and function as AR coating, if its layer thickness is about ¼ of the wavelength of the light; meaning that in the relevant wavelength range of 300-800 nm the thickness preferably is in the range 70-200 nm. This of course means that the size and geometry of pores in such coating should be compatible with said layer thickness.
Such porous inorganic oxide coatings are typically made from a solvent based coating composition comprising inorganic oxide precursors and a pore forming agent. Typically a sol-gel process, also known as chemical solution deposition, is used for making such a (porous) inorganic oxide layer starting from a precursor compound in solution or colloid (or sol) form, for forming an integrated network (or gel) of either discrete particles or network polymers. In such process, the sol gradually evolves to a gel-like diphasic system containing both a liquid and solid phase. Removing remaining liquid (drying) is generally accompanied by shrinkage and densification, and affects final microstructure and porosity. Afterwards, a thermal treatment at elevated temperature is often applied to enhance further condensation reactions (curing) and secure mechanical and structural stability. Typical inorganic oxide precursors are metal alkoxides and metal salts, which can undergo various forms of hydrolysis and condensation reactions. Metal is understood to include silicon within the context of this description.
Such coating composition contains solvent and organic ligands from organo-metallic precursors, which compounds as such will induce some porosity to the inorganic oxide layer. The further presence of a pore forming agent in the coating composition helps in generating suitable porosity in the final AR layer to provide the desired refractive index. Suitable pore forming agents, also called porogens, known from prior art publications include organic compounds, like higher boiling solvents, surfactants and organic polymers, and inorganic particles having sub-micron particle size, i.e. inorganic nano-particles.
Organic compounds and polymers as pore forming agent in such coating compositions may in initial stages after applying the coating to a substrate be present in dissolved, dispersed or other form. After drying the coating, these organics can be removed by known methods; for example by exposing the coating to a solvent for the compound or polymer and extracting it from the coating. Alternatively a compound or polymer can be removed during thermally curing the coating by evaporation, for example at temperatures above the boiling point, or above the decomposition temperature of an organic polymer (i.e. by pyrolysis or calcination). Suitable temperatures are from about 250 to 900° C. A combined treatment of dissolving and degrading/evaporating the compound or polymer may also be applied.
Suitable polymers as pore forming agent can be removed from the coating, and provide a desired pore size of below 200 nm. Examples include organic polymers derived from a.o. styrenic, acrylic and olefinic monomers, including homopolymers and copolymers. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,171 use of various organic polymers is described, including PMMA, nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate butyrate, polyvinyl alcohol, and a hydroxyl-functional acrylic copolymer. Polyvinyl acetate is applied in U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,462. In EP0835849, EP1181256 and US20080241373 polyethylene oxide is used as porogen.
Inorganic nano-particles are also used to induce porosity in the coated layer; pores in this case resulting from spaces between non-ideally packed agglomerated particles not being completely filled by the inorganic oxide matrix or binder, as in a.o. U.S. Pat. No. 2,432,484, EP1430001 and W02009/14082. In this last publication a coating solution containing silica nanoparticles of primary particle size 40 nm, an acid having pKa≦3.5, and optionally a coupling agent like tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) is used to make a uniform AR coating layer.
Porous, hollow, and core-shell inorganic nano-particles represent a special group of inorganic particles. In US2009/0220774 an AR coating composed of mesoporous silica nano-particles is described, which coating typically comprises pores of diameter 2-10 nm within the mesoporous particles, and pores of diameter 5-200 nm between said particles. The mesoporous silica particles of diameter of 200 nm or less preferably have a porous structure with hexagonally arranged mesopores, and are made with a combination of a cationic and a nonionic surfactant.
WO2008/143429 describes a method of making an AR coating, wherein porous silica particles having particles size of 10-100 nm are produced by a) mixing organic solvent, surfactant and colloidal silica of size 2-50 nm to form silica reversed micelles, b) surface treating the reversed micelles with a silane derivative, and c) removing solvent and surfactant. As surfactant preferably anionic or nonionic surfactants are used. Core-shell inorganic-organic nano-particles are particles with a metal oxide shell and an organic core, which core can be removed—similarly to the organic polymer during curing of a coating as described above—to result in porous or hollow particles embedded in the binder. The organic core can be an organic polymer, like those described above. Such core-shell particles have been described in numerous publications, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,100,471, 6,685,966, WO2008028640, WO2008028641, and WO2009030703, and documents cited therein.
Optimum pore size in an AR coating is not only depending on the coating layer thickness as mentioned above, but also on other desired performance characteristics. For example, pore size should not be too large, to minimise light scattering and optimise transparency. On the other hand, if the layer contains very small pores, this may result—under ambient conditions—in non-reversible moisture up-take via capillary condensation; affecting refractive index and making the coating layer more prone to fouling with other components. Such capillary condensation effects have been reported for so-called meso-porous silica, especially having pores in the range 1-20 nm. Too large pores may also deteriorate mechanical strength of the coating, e.g. reduced (pencil) hardness and abrasion resistance. Ideally, pore size can be controlled and selected within a 10-200 nm range to optimize various properties of the AR coating, which is difficult to obtain with prior art systems.
There thus remains a need in industry for a coating composition for making an anti-reflective coating based on a porous inorganic oxide, which provides improved control of pore size and structure, as a tool to improve coating performance in use.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide such an improved coating composition.
The solution to above problem is achieved by providing the coating composition as described herein below and as characterized in the claims. Accordingly, the present invention provides a coating composition for making a porous inorganic oxide coating layer on a substrate, the composition comprising an inorganic oxide precursor as binder, a solvent, and an organic polymer as pore forming agent, wherein the organic polymer comprises a synthetic polyampholyte.

Composition and process for making a porous inorganic oxide coating


Control valve assemblies for regulating the parking/emergency spring brakes of a tractor trailer air brake system which include valve components for insuring that the spring brakes are not released until pressurization of the system's service reservoir is achieved and which components are operable to exhaust the spring brakes to atmosphere upon the failure of the supply pressures within the system to thereby automatically apply the spring brakes. In one embodiment, the valve components permit pressure to be supplied to release the spring brakes under circumstances when it is not possible to pressurize the service reservoir.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in air brake control systems for controlling the braking function of multi-axle heavy duty vehicles, including tandemly towed vehicles, and, more particularly, relates to an improved parking/emergency spring brake control valve for use with a trailer, or trailers, being towed behind a tractor. The emergency control valve of the present invention prevents release of the spring brakes during initial charging of the braking system's service reservoir until such time as the pressure within the reservoir has reached a predetermined minimum and wherein upon a failure of the supply pressure within the braking system, the pressure within the spring brakes will be permitted to exhaust to atmosphere thereby causing immediate application of the spring brakes. In one embodiment of the present invention, the emergency control valve assembly permits pressure to be applied or bled directly to the spring brake chambers to thereby release the spring brakes and allow emergency towing of a trailer when it is not otherwise possible to pressurize the trailer's service reservoir.
2. History of the Related Art
The present emergency control valve is designed to provide control of a trailer's spring brakes as required by DOT (Department of Transportation) FMVSS No. 121 as modified by Docket No. 90-3, Notice No. 2. This Notice eliminated the requirement for a "protected tank" for release of the spring brakes of a tractor trailer air brake system in emergency situations. The notice also required that no single leakage type failure in the service system, such as a rupture of the service reservoir, would result in supply line pressure falling below a threshold pressure of 70 psi. The regulations further required that spring brakes not provide any drag when the supply line pressure is 70 psi or greater. One type of spring brake control valve system is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/830,672 filed Feb. 4, 1992 in the name of Edward Sell and entitled "Air Brake Control Valve System".
In conventional tractor trailer air brake systems, pressurized air is supplied from the tractor to the trailer braking system by way of a service brake (control) line and an emergency brake (supply) line. The control line is connected through a relay valve to pneumatically operate service brakes associated with each wheel of the trailer. In order to assure that the service system has adequate volume to provide for repeated service brake applications, the braking system further includes a service reservoir or tank which is connected through the relay valve so that pressure may be supplied to the service brakes from a relatively large storage volume. The reservoir is pressurized through the supply (emergency) pressurization system which also provides pressure to the emergency or parking brakes of the vehicle. The emergency or parking brakes are generally spring operated with the force of the springs being offset to release the brakes by the use of pressure within the emergency supply system.
In the aforementioned U.S. application Ser. No. 07/830,672, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,958, control of supply air to the emergency/parking brakes is provided by special control valve situated between the parking brakes and the service reservoir. The control valve functions to regulate service and supply air to insure maximum air pressure being delivered to the spring brakes and to allow filling of the system's reservoir during normal operation of the air brake system. The control valve further regulates the release of air pressure in the spring brake system when pressure in the supply system drops below a predetermined minimum isolation pressure and prevents compounding of forces in the brake system by venting service air to atmosphere when the spring brakes are applied. The system was designed to meet each of the requirements set forth by the Department of Transportation. As a result of meeting such requirements, under circumstances when the service reservoir of a trailer is being initially pressurized, such as after the reservoir has been intentionally de-pressurized to remove contaminants or when it has become de-pressurized due to leakage when the system is not in use, the parking brakes are released momentarily (for a few seconds) prior to the service reservoir being pressurized to a minimum threshold level. During this period of time, the service brake system of the towing tractor provides braking for the tractor and trailer. Some tractor trailer operators believe that it is important that the spring brakes must not be released, at all, until the pressure within the service reservoir reaches an operable level, even if this would require the mechanical release of spring brakes by caging techniques.
If the air pressure which has been employed to release the emergency brakes is lost, such as when an accident involves the disruption of the air supply to the trailer, the brakes are automatically applied by spring pressure. Common causes of such failures are damaged air connectors or gladhands, damage to the air lines from the connectors to the supply reservoir, damage to the reservoir, failure of a brake chamber, and the like. Under each of these conditions, the brakes are automatically set by spring pressure preventing the vehicle from being moved without mechanically caging the springs by use of a special tool.
To alleviate the problem of mechanically caging the brakes to allow emergency movement of a vehicle under circumstances where the service reservoir is unable to retain pressure, the aforementioned U.S. application Ser. No. 07/830,672 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,958 discloses a control valve which enables supply air to be utilized to disengage the emergency or spring brakes allowing a disabled vehicle to be quickly moved from a dangerous location. The valve functions to prevent air supply from flowing into the system's reservoir at any pressure lower than the pressure required to release the spring brakes. Therefore, whenever air is supplied through the control valve, the air is simultaneously made available to the spring brake chambers. There are those however, who do not desire a direct supply of air to the spring brakes prior to providing sufficient reservoir pressure. However, under circumstances where the reservoir has itself been punctured or damaged, emergency towing has not been provided for utilizing conventional systems.


The invention relates to the field of traditional Chinese medicine, in particular to provides traditional Chinese medicine compositions for the treatment of psoriasis, their preparations and their preparation methods. The Chinese medicine compositions of the invention are consisted of 20-80 parts of Rumex madaio, 20-80 parts of Radix sophora flavescens, 10-50 parts of Herba Siphonostegiae, 10-40 parts of Chinese pulsatilla chinensis, and 5-30 parts of Acacia catechu, by weight. The invention also includes the preparation methods of the traditional Chinese medicine compositions and the preparations containing the traditional Chinese medicine compositions and method for preparing the same. The pharmacological experiments and clinical experiments proved that the traditional Chinese medicine compositions of the invention have remarkable curative effects on psoriasis vulgaris, high cure rate, no toxic and side effects of hormones, and is suitable for the characteristics of psoriasis having long-term use due to the long-course of the diseases.

Psoriasis is commonly referred to as cattle-skin lichen. The cattle-skin lichen in the Chinese medicine concept comprise a group of skin diseases in western medicine clinic, and also comprise neurodermatitis and eczematous skin diseases etc. it is not specifically referred to as Psoriasis. The record of psoriasis-like skin diseases in the motherland medicine was first seen in the "Treatise on the Causes and Manifestations of Diseases" of Chao Yuanfang in the Sui Dynasty, it was called "chronic eczema" and "white ringworm"; In the medical books of the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties, it was also called "corporic tinea", "Pine bark ringworm", "white mange" etc. It is essentially inaccurate that cattle-skin lichen is named Psoriasis, because the "stubborn and firm" rash is just one of the manifestations of psoriasis, but many characteristic rash manifestations of psoriasis, and histopathology, pathogenesis and genetics thereof, and so on, these aspects are fundamentally different from other skin diseases belonging to Psoriasis. The history of written records of Psoriasis is for more than 1400 years in China. So far, the basic cause of the disease is not still fully clear in the worldwide, and it is impossible to solve the problem of complete eradication and no longer relapse of the disease.
There are three main clinical features of psoriasis with diagnostic value, comprising: 1. wax drop phenomenon: the primary eruption is inflammatory papules or maculopapule having a size of from pinhead to hyacinth bean, being light red in color, and the papules can gradually expand or fuse with each other to form a plaque, having a clear boundary, mild redness at the periphery, and the surface covered with multiple layers of silvery-white scales which can be scraped off lightly as wax drops; 2. thin film phenomenon: after lightly scraping off the scales, there is a layer of reddish and light translucent film; 3. point-like bleeding phenomenon: after re-scraping off the thin film, the scattered small bleeding points may appear. Psoriasis has a long course of disease, rendering it impossible to quickly resolve the skin lesions, and leading to slow effect, and it is mostly heavy in winter and light in summer. The disease can occur throughout the whole body, and the predilection sites are the elbows, knees, head and extension of limbs, and which happens in a symmetry way. Epidermal hyperplasia and angiogenesis in the dermal papilla layer are the main pathological features of psoriasis, and genetic factors and environmental stimuli are the two major factors leading to paroxysm. The psoriasis has complex clinical manifestations, and is a multi-gene hereditary disease, involves some genetic polymorphisms of the immune system and keratinocyte abnormalities; its pathogenesis involves the following four major cell types: keratinocytes, lymphocytes, endothelial cells, and neutrophils, the former two are the most critical among them. It is considered by most scholars that psoriasis is a T cell-mediated chronic inflammatory disease, activated T lymphocytes have been confirmed to be present in the epidermis and dermis of psoriatic lesion, the activated T cells can release inflammatory factors and thus the inhibition of T cell activation may directly inhibit the formation of psoriatic lesions in normal skin; the immune-mediated theory based on T cells has become a hot spot for the studies of many scholars today.
The incidence of psoriasis increase in recent years, which is closely related to the environmental pollutions today, especially invading young adults, so it has a great impact on physical health and mental health of the patents. No radical cure for psoriasis has become a world problem in current dermatology, due to its high incidence, being difficult to cure during the long course of decades, easy relapsing after regression, and even lifelong enduring. Currently it becomes a world problem in dermatology that Psoriasis cannot be cured.
Psoriasis is easy to diagnose in the clinic. The current treatment methods mainly include three categories: external medicine, systemic treatment and physical therapy.
Professor Zhizhong Zheng, director of the dermatology department of Huashan Hospital of Fudan University considered that: external treatment of psoriasis vulgaris (which is about 95% of psoriasis) is dominant. Professor Ping Tu, dermatology department of Peking University First Hospital, also believed that topical treatment of psoriasis is the safest first-line treatment. The American Academy of Dematology (AAD) published the "Guidelines for the Treatment of Psoriasis by External Drugs" in 2009, indicating that the conditions in 80% of patients with psoriasis are mild to moderate, and higher efficiency and safety rate can be achieved by the treatment of external drugs only. The external drug is directly applied to the lesions through skin via plaster therapy, and the drug is absorbed into the blood circulation through the skin, thereby avoiding the adverse effects of first pass effect in liver and inactivation in gastrointestinal tract which may occur by oral administration, thereby improving the therapeutic effect. Currently most of the external drugs used in the treatment of psoriasis are western medicines, including: 1. glucocorticoid ointment preparations: halomethasone, betamethasone dipropionate, fluocinolone, mometasone furoate (Eloson), halcinonided, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone butyrate, etc.; 2. vitamin D3 derivative ointment preparations: calcipotriene, tacalcitol, calcitriol, etc.; 3. retinoid gel or emulsion: all-trans retinoic acid, 13 cis-retinoic acid, tazarotene, etc.; 4. immunomodulators: methotrexate cytotoxic drugs, triptolide ointment and cyclosporin; 5. Tars: 1-5% coal tar, 5% pityrol, 6. cytotoxic drugs: 0.05% chlormethine hydrochloride solution; 7. anti-tumor drugs such as Aminopterin, methotrexate, Azathioprine, ethylenediamine etc. In addition, there are auxiliary therapeutic drugs such as emollients, keratoplastics, keratolytics, or the like. Although these drugs, especially glucocorticoids have an effect on psoriasis and some have a strong and fast effect, long-term and excess external use may cause systemic adverse reactions due to absorption of the drugs, in which some are very serious, such as skin atrophy, telangiectasia, secondary infections such as bacterial and fungi infections, even make skin lesion rebounding, aggravating, and converting into pustular psoriasis, and causing damages to the hematopoietic system and the liver. The traditional medical science in China is very broad and profound, and a task of top priority focuses on the development of excellent Chinese traditional medicines for the treatment of psoriasis. Up to now, pure traditional Chinese medical external preparations for the treatment of psoriasis which has the medicine permission number approved by the Center for Drug Evaluation of China Food and Drug Administration is precious few, drugs in clinical use are mostly hospital pharmacy preparations.
The Chinese traditional medicine is a great treasure house, it is believed in Chinese medicine that pathogenesis of psoriasis is mainly caused by the attack of foreign wind toxin and pathogenic factor due to internal factors such as blood-dryness, blood-heat, blood-insufficiency, blood-stasis. The modern times skilled doctors mostly venerate the views of the Ming and Qing dynasties, for example, Bingnan Zhao, Renkang Zhu, Mingqi Zhou and other famous veteran doctors of TMC believe that the blood-heat is the key factor in the paroxysm of psoriasis; overabundance of yang in the body combined with external assault by wind cause the paroxysm; and the long-lasting disease reduces the Yin-blood, resulting in yin deficiency and blood-dryness, as well as malnutrition of skin. There are internal therapies in the rehabilitation treatment of this disease: cleaning up tinea poison, driving away pathogen, driving out pathogen, harmonizing yingfen and weifen; external therapies: killing tineavenom, to fortify defenses and raze the fields (idiom). Nowadays, there are many Chinese medicine preparations for oral administration. "Keyin Pills" and "Keyin Formula" of well-known veteran doctors of TCM Professor Zhu Renkang, "Liangxue Jiedu Decoction" of Professor Bingnan Zhao, "Xiaoyin Mixture" of Professor Zhizhong Zheng, etc. Part One of Chinese Pharmacopoeia in 2005 Edition and 2010 Edition contained "Xiaoyin Tablets" and "Yinxie Capsules" successively, while in clinic, external Chinese medicine preparations approved by the Center for Drug Evaluation of China Food and Drug Administration are rarely found. It is a task of top to research and develop the traditional Chinese medicines for external use in accordance with the etiology and pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Traditional Chinese medicine composition for treating psoriasis and method for preparing the same

Beijing Zhendong Guangming Pharmaceutical Research Institute Co., Ltd.


An image reading apparatus, including a transparent plate, a positioning member which is provided on the transparent plate so as to define, on one of opposite sides of the positioning member, a reading place where a sheet having an image is placed, and which positions the sheet placed on the reading place, an image taking device, a housing which supports the transparent plate and accommodates the image taking device such that the image taking device is movable below, and along, the transparent plate, and a reading control portion which controls the image taking device to take, through the transparent plate, the image from the sheet placed on the reading place, while the image taking device is moved below, and along, the transparent plate. The positioning member is detachably attached to the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus that optically reads, with an image taking device, an image on a sheet, e.g., an original.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There has conventionally been known an image reading apparatus including a glass plate defining a reading surface or place on which an original having an image is placed; an image taking device that is provided below the glass plate and optically takes the image; and an image processor that produces image data based on the image taken by the image taking device. There has also been known another image reading apparatus additionally including an original feeding device (i.e., an automatic document feeder, ADF) that feeds an original to be read, to a reading place.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication P2001-358907A1 discloses a double-reading-place (DRP) image reading apparatus including an image king device and an original feeding device, and having a first reading place and a second reading place. In this image reading apparatus, the image king device, positioned below the first reading place, is moved to read an image on an original placed by a user on the first reading place. The oil feeding device is used in such a manner that an original placed on a sheet-supply tray of the original feeding device is fed to the second reading place and, when the original is fed through the second reading place, the image taking device, positioned below the second reading place, reads an image on the original.
Generally, a DRP image reading apparatus including an original feeding device has many functions common to those of a single-reading-place (SRP) image reading apparatus not including an original feeding device. Therefore, many common components or parts can be used to produce the two sorts of image reading apparatuses.


A semiconductor memory device equipped with a write-per-bit function includes a data-in circuit, a write-per-bit decision circuit, and a write buffer circuit. The data-in circuit and the write-per-bit decision circuit are connected to the write buffer circuit through a single common signal bus line, whereby an output signal from the data-in circuit and an output signal from the write-per-bit decision circuit are supplied to the write buffer circuit through the single signal line. The chip size as well as the number of signal lines can be reduced through such common use of the single signal line.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly to a dynamic random access memory device (DRAM) equipped with a write-per-bit function.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a dynamic random access memory device equipped with a write-per-bit function has a data-in circuit and a write-per-bit decision circuit that enables writing data of a particular one data input/output line selected from a plurality of data input/output lines. A conventional random access memory device having such a write-per-bit function, to which the present invention relates, is shown in FIG. 1. As shown therein, the random access memory device comprises: a data-in circuit 400 to which a signal from an input/output terminal I/O and a write enable signal WE are inputted in parallel; a write-per-bit decision circuit 401 to which a row address strobe signal RAS is supplied in addition to the signal from the I/O terminal and the write enable signal WE; and a write buffer circuit 403 which writes an input data RWBS from the data-in circuit 400 in a memory cell 402 in accordance with a control signal WHSK from the write-per-bit decision circuit 401.
As shown in the timing chart of FIG. 2, the conventional dynamic random access memory device enters into its write-per-bit function mode if the write enable signal WE is low when the row address strobe signal RAS changes from high to low. At this time, which one of the plurality of data input/output terminals is subjected to the data writing operation depends on the levels of the data input/output terminals at the time when the row address strobe signal RAS changes from high to low. Specifically, if the input level at the data input/output terminal I/O is high (for example, I/Om, in FIG. 2), the write operation can be performed. On the other hand, if the input level of the data input/output terminal is low (for example, I/On, in FIG. 2), the write operation is prohibited. In this way, the data from the selected data input/output terminal I/O can be written in the memory cell 402.
There are problems in the conventional random access memory devices provided with a write-per-bit function. Namely, there is a problem that the chip area and number of signal lines increase in a dynamic random access memory device that has a large number of data input/output terminals I/O, since it is necessary to supply the output signal RWBS from each of the data-in circuits 400 and the control signal WHSK from each of the write-per-bit decision circuits 401 to the write buffer circuit 403. These are problems to be solved by the invention, in the conventional DRAM with a write-per-bit function.

Semiconductor memory device with write-per-bit function


The invention detects loft time and/or speed during activities of moving and jumping. A loft sensor utilizes a spectrum of information to detect leaving the ground and returning to the ground. A microprocessor subsystem converts the sensed information to determine a loft time. A display shows the recorded loft time to a user of the system. In addition, a speed sensor can detect the vehicle""s speed for selective display to the user, and height may also be determined during airtime.

The invention relates generally to the measurement of the loft time and speed of a vehicle relative to the ground. Such measurements are particularly useful in sporting activities like skiing and mountain biking where users desire information relating to their speed and/or loft, or xe2x80x9cairxe2x80x9d time.
It is well known that many skiers enjoy high speeds and jumping motions while traveling down the slope. High speeds refer to the greater and greater velocities which skiers attempt in navigating the slope successfully (and sometimes unsuccessfully). The jumping motions, on the other hand, include movements which loft the skier into the air. Generally, the greater the skier""s speed, the higher the skier""s loft into the air.
The interest in high speed skiing is apparent simply by observing the velocity of skiers descending the mountain. The interest in the loft motion is less apparent; although it is known that certain enthusiastic skiers regularly exclaim xe2x80x9clet""s catch some airxe2x80x9d and other assorted remarks when referring to the amount and altitude of the lofting motion.
The sensations of speed and jumping are also readily achieved in other sporting activities, such as in mountain biking. Many mountain bikers, like the aforementioned skiers, also crave greater speeds and xe2x80x9cairxe2x80x9d time.
However, persons in such sporting activities typically only have a qualitative sense as to speed and loft or xe2x80x9cairxe2x80x9d time. For example, a typical snowboarding person might regularly exclaim after a jump that she xe2x80x9ccaughtxe2x80x9d some xe2x80x9cbig sky,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cbig airxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cphat airxe2x80x9d without ever quantitatively knowing how much time really elapsed in the air.
It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide apparatus and methods for determining the xe2x80x9cairxe2x80x9d time of participants in sporting activities such as skiing and mountain biking.
It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus and methods for determining the speed of participants in sporting activities such as skiing and mountain biking.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide improvements to sporting devices which are ridden by sporting participants, and which provide a determination of speed and/or loft time of the device.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in the description which follows.
The invention concerns the detection and display of loft, or xe2x80x9cairxe2x80x9d time and/or speed of vehicles such as sporting vehicles, including skis, bikes, and snowboards. The invention thus provides a visual and quantitative measure of how much xe2x80x9cairxe2x80x9d time and, in certain aspects, how fast a user moves in a particular activity.
The invention provides, in one aspect, apparatus for determining the loft time of a moving vehicle off of a surface. A loft sensor senses a first condition that is indicative of the vehicle leaving the surface, and further senses a second condition indicative of the vehicle returning to the surface. A microprocessor subsystem, e.g., a microcontroller, determines a loft time that is based upon the first and second conditions, and the loft time is thereafter displayed to a user of the apparatus by a display, e.g., a LCD or LED display. Preferably, a power module such as a battery is included in the apparatus to power the several components. In addition, a housing preferably connects and protects the microprocessor subsystem and the user interface; and further such that the housing is attachable to the vehicle.
According to another aspect, the invention includes memory for storing information representative of at least one of the following: (i) the first and second conditions, (ii) the loft time, (iii) a speed of the vehicle, (iv) successive records of loft time, (v) an average loft time, (vi) a total loft time, (vii) a dead time, (viii) a real activity time, and (ix) a numerical ranking of successive records.
One preferred aspect of the invention includes a speed sensor, connected to the microprocessor subsystem, which senses a third condition that is indicative of a velocity of the vehicle. In this aspect, the microprocessor subsystem includes means for converting the third condition to information representative of a speed of the vehicle. Accordingly, the apparatus provides a user with both loft time, e.g., xe2x80x9cairxe2x80x9d time, and a speed of the vehicle.
In yet another aspect, the display of the invention can display selective information, including one or more of the following: the loft time; a speed of the vehicle; a peak loft time; an average loft time; a total loft time; a dead time; a real activity time; an average speed; an indication that loft time is being displayed; an indication that speed is being displayed; an indication that dead time is being displayed; an indication that real activity time is being displayed; successive records of loft information; successive records of speed information; a distance traveled by the vehicle; a height achieved by the vehicle off of the surface; and an indication of a number of a successive record relative to all successive records.
In still another aspect, the invention includes a user interface for providing external inputs to the apparatus, including one or more of the following: a start/stop button for selectively starting and stopping the acquisition of data by the apparatus; a display-operate button for activating the display means selectively; a speed/loft toggle button for alternatively commanding a display of loft time information and speed information of the vehicle; means for commanding a display of successive records of loft time information selectively; means for commanding a display of successive records of speed information selectively; means for commanding a display of information corresponding to average loft time; means for commanding a display of information corresponding to average speed; means for commanding a display of total loft time; means for commanding a display of dead time; means for commanding a display of distance traveled by the vehicle; means for commanding a display of height achieved by the vehicle off of the surface; and means for commanding a display of real activity time.
Preferably, the microprocessor subsystem of the invention includes a clock element, e.g., a 24-hour clock, for providing information convertible to an elapsed time. Accordingly, the subsystem can perform various calculations, e.g., dead time, on the data acquired by the apparatus for display to a user.
In another aspect, the loft sensor is constructed with one of the following technologies: (i) an accelerometer that senses a vibrational spectrum; (ii) a microphone assembly that senses a noise spectrum; (iii) a switch that is responsive to a weight of a user of the vehicle; (iv) a voltage-resistance sensor that generates a voltage indicative of a speed of the vehicle; and (v) a plurality of accelerometers connected for evaluating a speed of the vehicle.
In a preferred aspect, the loft sensor of the invention senses a spectrum of information, e.g., a vibrational or sound spectrum, and the microprocessor subsystem determines the first and second conditions relative to a change in the spectrum of information. Further, the microprocessor subassembly interprets the change in the spectrum to determine the loft time.
For example, one aspect of a loft sensor according to the invention includes one or more accelerometers that generate a vibrational spectrum of the vehicle. In such an aspect, the first and second conditions correspond to a change in the vibrational spectrum. By way of another example, one loft sensor of the invention includes a microphone subassembly that generates a noise spectrum of the vehicle; and, in this aspect, the first and second conditions correspond to a change in the detected noise spectrum. Because these spectrums are influenced by the particular activity of a user, e.g., standing in a ski line, a microprocessor subsystem of the invention preferably includes means for assessing boundary conditions of the spectrum and for excluding certain conditions from the determination of loft time. Accordingly, if a skier is in a lift line, such conditions are effectively ignored. One boundary condition, therefore, according to an aspect of the invention, includes an elapsed time between the first condition and the second condition that is less than approximately 500 ms; such that events that are within this boundary condition are excluded from the determination of loft time. One other boundary condition, in another aspect, includes an elapsed time between the first condition and the second condition that is greater than approximately five seconds; such that events that are outside this boundary condition are excluded from the determination of loft time. Because these boundary conditions are important in the aspects of the invention which utilize a spectrum of information, the apparatus preferably utilizes a user interface for providing selective external inputs to the microprocessor subsystem and for adjusting the boundary conditions selectively.
In still another aspect of the invention, the microprocessor subassembly includes means for determining a pitch of the spectrum by determining a best-fit sine wave to a primary frequency of at least part of the spectrum and means for correlating the pitch to a vehicle speed. Accordingly, the invention can detect spectrum information and correlate that information to a speed of the vehicle. Typically, a higher pitch frequency corresponds to a higher vehicle speed and a lower pitch frequency corresponds to a lower vehicle speed. However, in another aspect, the selected pitch frequency can be calibrated relative to a selected vehicle and speed.
The invention also provides, in another aspect, means for storing information including look-up tables with pitch-to-speed conversions for a plurality of vehicles. This is useful because different vehicles have different associated noise and/or sound spectrums associated with the vehicle. Accordingly, the invention in this aspect includes memory for storing the respective calibration information of the different vehicles (typically in a look-up table format) so that a user can utilize the invention on different vehicles and still determine speed accurately. Specifically, a particular pitch is associated with a particular speed for a particular vehicle; and that association is selectively made by the user.
The vehicles which are preferably used, according to the invention, include (i) a snowboards, (ii) snow skis, (iii) water skis, (iv) skis for ski jumping, and (v) skis for ski flying. However, in certain aspects of the invention, a human vehicle can be used; although the processing power required to accurately process speed and/or loft information in this aspect is significantly increased.
In several aspects of the invention, the microprocessor subassembly includes one or more of the following: means for selectively starting and stopping the acquisition of data by the apparatus; means for responding to an external request to activate the display means; means for responding to an external request to alternatively display the loft time and a speed of the vehicle; means for calculating a speed of the vehicle; means for responding to an external request to display successive records of loft time information; means for responding to an external request to display successive records of speed information; means for determining an average speed; means for determining a total loft time; means for determining a dead time; means for responding to an external request to display information corresponding to an average loft time; means for responding to an external request to display information corresponding to an average speed; means for responding to an external request to display a total loft time; means for responding to an external request to display a dead time; means for responding to an external request to display a distance traveled by the vehicle; means for responding to an external request to display a height achieved by the vehicle off of the surface; and means for responding to an external request to display a real activity time.
The invention also provides certain improvements to sporting vehicles of the type ridden by a user on a surface (e.g., sporting vehicle such as (i) snowboards, (ii) snow skis, (iii) water skis, (iv) skis for ski jumping, and (v) skis for ski flying). The improvements include, in one aspect, a speed sensor having (i) a voltage-measuring circuit including a pair of conductors arranged to contact the surface so that the surface is part of the circuit, and (ii) an electromagnet for selectively generating a magnetic field on the circuit, wherein a voltage generated by the circuit is proportional to a speed of the vehicle. In such an aspect, the microprocessor subsystem determines a speed of the vehicle that is based upon the voltage, and that speed is displayed to a user.
The invention also provides certain methodologies. For example, in one aspect, the invention provides a method for determining the loft time of a moving vehicle off of a surface, comprising the steps of: (1) sensing the vehicle leaving the surface at a first time; (2) sensing the vehicle returning to the surface at a second time; (3) determining a loft time from the first and second times, and (4) displaying the loft time to a user of the apparatus.
The invention is next described further in connection with preferred embodiments, and it will be apparent that various additions, subtractions, and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

System and method for determining loft time, speed, height and distance


A method for defeating or reducing the effectiveness of efforts to detect, track or target a naval vessel by means of its characteristic underwater and electrical fields. In this method, a wave form which mimics the characteristic electrical field produced by a particular type of naval vessel is first ascertained. A decoy which is able to produce, amplify and transmit this wave form which mimics the characteristic electrical field produced by said particular type of naval vessel is then deployed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to decoys and more particularly to decoys for use in naval warfare.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
For many years, submarines and other submersible vessels have enjoyed the advantage of being relatively difficult to detect. In recent years, the navies of the world have begun to explore the possibility of detecting, tracking and targeting submarines and other submersibles as well as other vessels by detecting and measuring underwater electrical fields which may be produced by such vessels.
A need, therefore, exists for a means to reduce or delay the ability to detect, track, and target vessels by detecting and measuring characteristic underwater electrical fields produced by such vessels.

BAE Systems Information And Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


A cultivating machine has a structure arranged to be mounted on ground engaging wheels for movement in a line of travel. At least one tool support is mounted on the structure so as to be moveable with respect thereto, and a drive is also mounted on the structure for driving the tool support. The tool support has a body having two end portions, the first end portion being driven in use in a circular path by the drive. The second end portion is connected to the structure through a link arm pivotably attached to the tool support and to a swing arm, which in turn is pivotably attached to the structure, the swing arm being biased toward a median position and the second end of the tool support carrying at least one cultivating tool.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cultivating machine and more particularly, although not exclusively to a cultivating machine of the type used to cultivate turf such as used for golf courses, sports arenas, bowling greens and the like. More specifically, the invention is concerned with a cultivating machine of the type described in Australian Patent Application No. 73500/87.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The specification of the aforementioned Patent Application describes a machine having a wheeled frame on which is mounted a tool support means. The tool support means is power driven and carries a cultivating tool, and the manner in which the support means is driven causes the cultivating tool to reciprocate in a substantially vertical plane. When the machine is moved along the ground in use the cultivating tool is caused to repeatedly penetrate the ground thereby aerating and improving the condition of the ground. The specification of Patent Application No. 73500/87 is included herein by way of reference.
It will be appreciated that repeated penetration of the ground by the cultivating tool will place a substantial strain on the components and linkages which comprise the machine. This is particularly so where the machine is used over hard ground or where the cultivating tool strikes a sub-surface rock or the like. Machines manufactured in accordance with the aforementioned specification have in operational conditions had components breaking during use which causes delay and can be costly.
A similar type of machine is described in Australian Patent Application 41609/89. This machine is less susceptible to damage during use, but does not make a fully satisfactory hole in the ground. For general purposes, the edges of a hole made by a cultivating machine need not be particularly even; the length of the grass or turf is such that a hole with rough edges or a slightly larger hole than the hole making tool is unimportant. However, on golfing or bowling greens and the like where the vegetation is short, a hole with rough edges or too large a hole can cause spot erosion, resulting in an undesirable dimple in the ground surface. This effect is aggravated when the forward movement of a cultivator is faster than the speed of the hole making tool over the ground, causing the hole making tool to "rake" the ground surface. Since some cultivators are powered by a link to a prime mover, such as a tractor, it is very hard to synchronise the speed of the hole making tool with the speed of the tractor, given the different gear ratios between the driving wheels of the tractor and the power link. This tends to aggravate any problem in forming neat holes.
To ensure as neat a hole as possible, it is important that the tines of the hole making tool remain as near to vertical as possible whilst they are in contact with the ground. One means of achieving this is depicted in Australian Patent Application 41609/89 wherein a hole making tool is attached to one end of support means, the other end of the support means being driven in a circular motion by drive means. The support means is kept substantially vertical by a rigid link near the hole making tool, wherein the link is pivotably connected to both the support means and the frame of the cultivating machine. As previously mentioned, this type of machine was not entirely satisfactory for applications where a neat hole is required.
A similar type of machine is also depicted in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,753,298 and 4,867,244. In these machines, a pivotable rigid link is connected between the support means and a swing arm pivotably connected to the frame of the machine, allowing for greater variation in the forward speed of the cultivator over the ground compared with the forward speed of the hole making tool. In these machines the swing arms are linked in pairs, either by further links to a rocker shaft or by intermeshing teeth adjacent the pivot of each swing arm with the machine frame, so that adjacent pairs of hole making tools are linked to reciprocate forward and back as alternate tools contact the ground. Besides being mechanically more complex and therefore more expensive to produce and more liable to break downs, these machines also create a less than satisfactory hole.
The present invention aims to alleviate or overcome one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages.

Bi-directionally biased vertical cultivating machine


A closure for a container is disclosed having a body portion, a top portion, and a plurality of sealing rings. The body portion has an open bottom formed of a skirt and an end wall defining an opening. The top portion has a flap that is movable from a closed position where the opening is covered to an open position where the opening is at least partially uncovered to allow for matter to be dispensed. The plurality of sealing rings are within the skirt beneath the end wall and comprise (1) a first ring with a sealing surface provided a first radial distance from the skirt and a first axial distance from the end wall and (2) a second ring with a sealing surface provided a second radial distance from the skirt and a second axial distance from the end wall. The first radial distance is different than the second radial distance and the first axial distance is different than the second axial distance. The sealing surface of the first ring is configured to fit over a mouth of a receptacle having a first diameter and the planar sealing surface of the second ring is configured to fit over a mouth of a receptacle having a second diameter.

It is generally known to provide covers or closures on plastic containers used for storing and dispensing particulate matter (e.g., granulated, powdered, etc.) or other materials, particularly foodstuffs, seasonings, etc. such as those displayed and sold in supermarkets. Such known closures typically have several openings, particularly several shaker openings, on one side of the closure and a spoon opening on an opposite side of the closure. Such known closures generally include a hinged flap for the shaker openings and a hinged flap for the spooning opening that are configured to close or seal these openings.
Such known closures may be made in a single molding operation (e.g., integrally-formed) which may require a relatively complex mold formation to obtain the desired structural features for the body, the top portion, and the flaps of the closure. Molding equipment for such single molding operations may be relatively costly to design and develop, and may require a longer molding duration, which tends to reduce the number of closures that could otherwise be produced in a given time period. Such known closures also typically include a sealing surface or ring on the inside of the closure that is configured to compress a liner or other sealing material between a mouth of the receptacle and the sealing ring to provide an air-tight seal.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a closure for a container that may be produced using a relatively simple molding operation to improve production rates. It also would be advantageous to provide a closure for a container that may be produced as two separate portions. It would be further advantageous to provide a closure for a container having two portions that may be easily coupled together. It would be further advantageous to provide a closure for a container that has a closure structure or system for holding the flaps closed. It also would be advantageous to provide a closure for a container that minimizes "sifting" or other leakage of the contents of the container from the closure when the flaps are in a closed position. It would be further advantageous to provide a closure for a container that reduces the possibility of moisture contaminating the contents of the container.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a closure for a container providing any one or more of these or other advantageous features.