A laterally stable foldable boat comprising a single sheet of corrugated plastic further comprising a first planar plastic substrate, a second planar plastic substrate, a plurality of elongate parallel ribs disposed between and joining the first and second plastic substrates, the plurality of elongate parallel ribs extend parallel along the entire length of the plastic substrates to form a plurality of open flute channels lengthwise through the substrates, a plurality of bend lines, a plurality of folding hinges located at each corner of the single sheet of corrugated plastic, and a stabilizing ballast, that further includes a first plurality of apertures centrally located in the hull area, wherein the first plurality of apertures are formed perpendicular to the sidewall bend lines and create at least one opening in the plurality of flute channels, wherein the first plurality of apertures allow water to enter or exit the plurality of flute channels running lengthwise through the foldable boat.

This invention relates specifically to a laterally stable corrugated plastic water craft, and to those water crafts specifically formed from a single unitary sheet of corrugated plastic material comprising a plurality of planar walls conjoined by a plurality of elongate channel defining ribs, wherein the hull's exterior surface includes a plurality of openings located between the craft's bow end and aft end.
There are a number of light-weight foldable boats available. Many of the commercially available light-weight boats that have a number of disadvantages. One of the major disadvantages to these boats is the number of pieces required to assemble the light-weight boat. In addition to the number of pieces required to assemble the light-weight boat, many fasteners or adhesives are necessary to hold the boat in its final assembled position. When the boat is disassembled the adhesives or fasteners must be removed to unassembled the boat. Another disadvantage of the light-weight foldable boats are available, is that these boats do not offer generally provide lateral stability, and can actually give a user a sense of vertigo if the person tries to walk from the aft end of the bow end.
In a water craft made from 10 mil corrugated plastic, where; the 10 mil describes the channels' wall thickness; there are approximately 64 individual flute channels located in a 27″ wide water craft's floor. Each individual flute channel's dimension is approximately 0.35 inch by 0.42 inch. Within an enclosed flute channel, a body of air between two bodies of fluid will take more time to assimilate and then flow, as when compared to only one body of fluid. This condition may be defined here as a randomly moving air pocket which creates slight turbulence within the water's flow by just the very presence of the body of air between the two bodies of fluid. When the flow of these bodies of fluid, and air, and then fluid are only moved by gravity, and a passenger's weight load upon the floor's fluid displacement mass, and the environment's surrounding fluid air pressure, the flow's speed is additionally affected by the enclosed channel's elongate dimensional length. In a water craft made from corrugated plastic turbulence of a randomly moving air pockets may be taking place in up to 64 different enclosed channels at the same time, and so gives even more importance to a quicker purging of any air pockets within the channels; and where timing is everything to retain a more consistent uniform lateral stability.
In a water craft formed from corrugated plastic, the craft's weight is around ten to fourteen pounds, or next to nothing as when compared to most water crafts. As a passenger steps toward the bow, the bow quickly sinks beneath the waterline, and so traps air within the flute channels to form one or more air pockets, or possibly 64 total air pockets as previously described. The air pockets then randomly flow back and forth between the craft's bow and stern. As the passenger steps back toward the stern, the multiple and randomly flowing air pockets may be just beneath their next foot step.
Any constant change between good lateral stability and less lateral stability can quickly create a beginning point of confusion of balance for the passenger; and where any over-correction or mistaken move to correct their balance may tend to escalate until all balance is lost. In aeronautical terms, it may be comparatively described as vertigo; or a situation where a pilot loses all their conscious senses of their known coordinates or bearings of balance and or location.
Timing is everything as a standing passenger waits for all air pockets to escape, and for the flute channels to re-fill before regaining the previous degree of lateral standing stability. Gravity propelled fluid takes time to travel. Gravity propelled fluids with turbulence creating air pockets between take even more time to travel. Both fluids with air between, or fluids without air between will take longer to purge any air pockets when the channels extend the entire length of a water craft's floor.
Therefore, there is an ongoing need for light weight, one piece, foldable boat having uniform lateral stability.

Stabilizing openings for corrugated plastic water craft floor


A cooling system for an industrial vehicle includes one or more heat radiation devices located in a containment. The one or more heat radiation devices may be configured to cool a plurality of components in the industrial vehicle. An air intake device may be configured to create airflow from outside of the industrial vehicle into the containment. The airflow passes through the one or more heat radiation devices. The cooling system may further include a control device operatively connected to the containment. The control device may be configured to selectively direct at least a portion of the airflow to the plurality of components in the industrial vehicle after the airflow passes through the one or more heat radiation devices.

Industrial vehicles by design may be used for a wide range of uses, duty cycles, and applications. In some operating conditions, industrial vehicles may be infrequently used to transport materials only when needed, e.g., in response to the occasional received shipment of goods. In other types of operating conditions, industrial vehicles may be used nearly around the clock in multiple shifts, with the only substantial down-time occurring during routine or required maintenance. Further, industrial vehicles may be exposed to a variety of environmental conditions ranging from near freezing temperatures in certain types of food handling/storage facilities, to very hot weather when operating in desert-like conditions. Some types of industrial vehicles, such as forklift trucks, may be tasked with having to frequently lift and lower heavy loads in addition to being driven and operated in the above described conditions. All of these activities may result in significant temperature variation to the engine, transmission, and other related components of the industrial vehicle at various stages of operation based, at least in part, on the workload and/or duration of work being performed.
Regardless of environmental temperatures, an internal combustion or diesel powered engine is generally considered "cold" prior to being started, and may need to be turned on for a period of time (typically some number of seconds) before it comes up to a predetermined operating temperature. At the predetermined operating temperature, the engine may be considered capable of efficiently generating power and/or of efficiently combusting fuel in order to limit the amount of emissions produced by the engine. However, the environmental temperatures can significantly affect the amount of time required to bring the engine up to operating temperature, and as a result the ability to operate the vehicle may be delayed.
When additional power demands are placed on the engine, such as when lifting or pushing heavy loads, the vehicle cooling system may not be able to adequately keep the engine and/or transmission sufficiently cool at all times. In some instances, one or more modes of vehicle operation may be restricted or prohibited in the event of engine or transmission overheating, which also impacts the availability of the vehicle to perform work. If the vehicle operating temperature becomes too high or is kept at an elevated value for a prolonged period of time, significant damage to the engine and/or transmission system may occur, potentially taking the vehicle out of service for an extended time.
This application addresses these and other problems.


A mobile phone having a touch screen display includes a touch screen lock which is activated during an ongoing call by contacting the touch screen a first time and pressing again within a predetermined time duration interval the touch screen lock remains active during subsequent pressing contacts. The touch screen lock is deactivated during an ongoing call in the absence of pressing contact with the touch screen surface for a time duration interval greater than or equal to a predetermined time duration interval.

Touch screens are well known in the art to provide a means for displaying graphics and text in electronic devices and to provide a user interface means to enter commands to control the device or to perform various other functions to carry out the operation of the device. Touch screens are now becoming increasingly popular for use as displays in mobile telephones, particularly cellular telephones having integrated PDA (personal digital assistant) features and other phone operation related features. The touch screen may be of any suitable type to carry out the intended function, for example, resistive touch screens such as film-on-glass or other touch screen technology now known or future developed. The touch screens, which may also be in color, are generally designed to operate and respond to a finger touch, a stylus tap or movement on the touch screen surface. Touch screens may be used in addition to, in combination with or in place of physical keys traditionally used in a cellular phone to carry out the phone functions and features. Touching or tapping a specific point on the touch screen display will activate a virtual button, feature or function found or shown at that location on the touch screen display. Typical phone features which may be operated by touching or tapping the touch screen display include entering a telephone number, for example, by tapping or touching virtual keys of a virtual keyboard shown on the display, making a call or ending a call, bringing up, adding to or editing and navigating through an address book, and other phone functions such as text messaging, wireless connection to the global computer network and other phone functions now known or future developed.
Cellular telephones, may also be used with touch screen displays. The virtual keys on touch screen are finger operated to control the phone and to carry out various desired phone functions, for example, increasing or decreasing the listening volume, starting or ending a call, accessing speed dialing, or other various features.
One problem generally associated with the use of touch screen displays in mobile telephones, particularly cellular telephones, in which call progression or invoking and activating phone features by touching or pressing the touch screen display at specific locations is the susceptibility to accidental or unintentional activation or deactivation of phone functions such as, for example, accidentally ending a call during the course of the ongoing call due to the user touching the display screen when the phone is held in the talking position or is carried when used with a headset. The design of a cellular phone also lends itself to "one-handed" operation.
It is an object of the present invention therefore to provide means to easily activate and deactivate the touch screen of the cellular phone to prevent accidental or unintentional operation during an ongoing call.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a touch screen lock that has an active mode to lock the touch screen from operation and a deactivated mode to make the touch screen active for operation.
It is a yet further object of the invention to provide means to alert the user that the touch screen lock is in an active state or a deactivated state.
It is a still further object of the present invention to solve the aforementioned problems and provide an apparatus and method in a touch screen mobile phone for activating and deactivating the touch screen of the mobile phone by pressing on the touch screen surface to cause the touch screen lock to be in an active state or deactivated state to prevent accidental or unintentional operation or allow phone feature operation during an ongoing call.

Method and apparatus for locking a mobile telephone touch screen


The present invention pertains to a process for sulfiding a catalyst composition comprising at least one hydrogenation metal component of Group VI and/or Group VIII of the Periodic Table, and an S-containing organic additive wherein the catalyst composition is contacted in two steps with hydrogen and a sulfur-containing compound in the gaseous phase, with the first step being performed at a temperature which is lower than that of the second step. Catalysts sulfided by the process according to the invention show a higher activity than the same catalysts which have been sulfided in a one-step process. It is preferred to carry out the process according to the invention ex situ, where it solves the problem of difficult start-up and the formation of undesirable side products in the hydrotreating unit. The S-containing organic additive preferably is a mercapto-compound, more preferably a mercaptocarboxylic acid represented by the general formula HSxe2x80x94R1-COOR, wherein R1 stands for a divalent hydrocarbon group with 1xe2x80x94 about 10 carbon atoms and R stands for a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, or a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to about 10 carbon atoms. The invention also pertains to the catalyst made by the above process and a process for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon feed by contacting the feed with the catalyst at hydrotreating conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for sulfiding a catalyst containing an S (sulfur)-containing organic additive, in particular a hydrotreating catalyst containing an S-containing organic additive.
2. Prior Art
Hydrotreating catalysts comprise hydrogenation metal components, generally a Group VI metal component such as molybdenum and/or tungsten and a Group VIII metal component, such as nickel and/or cobalt generally on an oxidic carrier. Before use, the hydrogenation metal components present in hydrotreating catalysts will generally be converted into their sulfides. This process is conventionally indicated as sulfidation or presulfidation. It is generally done before the catalyst is used in hydrotreating to ensure a stable reactor performance.
Hydrotreating catalysts containing S-containing organic additives are known in the art. The addition of the S-containing organic additive is often intended to preclude the necessity of a separate presulfiding step.
For example, European patent application 0 300 629 and European patent application No. 0 357 295 describe hydrotreating catalysts comprising a support impregnated with at least one member of molybdenum, tungsten, and/or Group VIII of the Periodic Table, and a mercapto-compound selected from mercaptocarboxylic acids, amino-substituted mercaptanes, di-mercaptanes, and thioacids. The S-containing additive is incorporated into the catalyst composition to obviate the necessity of presulfiding, or at least make the presulfiding less difficult. In particular, the S-containing additive is incorporated into the catalyst to obviate the necessity of dedicating the initial part of the reactor start-up to providing the catalyst with the amount of sulfur needed to attain equilibrium with the reaction environment, or to shorten the time necessary for doing so. Additionally, the necessity of spiking the feed with a sulfur-containing compound such as DMDS is lessened or obviated. Further, since all catalyst particles already contain S when they enter the unit, the homogeneity of the sulfided product will be improved.
European patent application No. 0 506 206 also describes a hydrotreating catalyst comprising an S-containing additive selected from the group of bi-mercaptanes, aminosubstituted mercaptanes, and thiocarboxylic acids. The S-containing catalyst is again intended to avoid the necessity of presulfiding. Some of the catalysts described in this reference are activated by a treatment with hydrogen at a temperature from room temperature up to 400xc2x0 C., preferably 100-300xc2x0 C.
Similar subject-matter is described in European patent application No. 0 338 788, and European patent application No. 0 289 211.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,990 describes a hydrotreating catalyst comprising a carrier and hydrogenation metal components which is treated with an aqueous medium comprising a water-soluble or water-miscible S-containing organic additive, followed by drying the resulting catalyst and activating it with hydrogen at a temperature of 100-600xc2x0 C.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,487 describes a hydrotreating catalyst comprising a support and a hydroxymercaptide of one or more metals, which may be the reaction product of a mercaptoalcohol and one or more metal compounds. The catalyst may be activated with hydrogen at a temperature of 66-316xc2x0 C.
European patent application No.0 496 592 describes a hydrotreating catalyst comprising a carboxylic acid and an organic sulfur compound which may be a mercaptocarboxylic acid. The amount of organic sulfur compound is so low that the catalyst still needs to be presulfided. No information is given as to how this presulfidation step should be carried out.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,518 describes a process in which a conventional hydrotreating catalyst is subjected to ex situ presulfiding followed by in situ presulfiding. Ex situ presulfiding is carried out by contacting the catalyst with a sulfur compound, e.g., by impregnation. The amount is 0.5-1.5 times the stochiometric amount. The sulfur compound may be present in a solvent, which may be water or an organic solvent, which may, e.g., be a gasoline fraction. The use of water-soluble sulfur compounds is preferred. After the impregnation there is a drying step to remove the solvent. The in situ sulfidation may be gas phase or liquid phase, with liquid phase being preferred.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,101 describes the preparation of a catalyst by incorporating metals into an alumina hydrogel, followed by shaping, drying, and calcination to prepare a catalyst. The catalyst is subsequently sulfided by a conventional sulfidation procedure, followed by activation at a temperature of at least 900xc2x0 F. (482xc2x0 C.). Conventional sulfidation procedures may include two-step sulfidation processes (col. 7, lines 55-62).
Although the activity of the catalysts containing an S-containing organic additive described in the above references is good, there still is room for improvement. Additionally, it has appeared that when the catalysts of the above references are brought into the hydrotreating unit, undesirable components such as acetic acid may be formed during the start-up. Additionally it was found that the start-up procedure is rather critical to obtain good results.
In one embodiment, our invention is a sulfidation process in which a catalyst composition comprising at least one hydrogenation metal component of Group VI and/or Group VIII of the Periodic Table, and an S-containing organic additive is contacted in two steps with hydrogen and a sulfur-containing compound in the gaseous phase, with the first step being performed at a temperature which is lower than that of the second step.
In a second embodiment, our invention is a catalyst obtained by the above process.
In a third embodiment, our invention is a process for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon feed by contacting the feed with the above catalyst at hydrotreating conditions.
Other embodiments of our invention encompass details about reactant compositions, process steps and conditions, etc., all of which are hereinafter disclosed in the following discussion of each of the facets of our invention.
The Sulfidation Process
It appears that catalysts with a higher activity may be obtained if the catalysts containing an S-containing organic additive are sulfided by way of the process of our invention.
In the process according to our invention, the catalyst is contacted in two steps with hydrogen and a sulfur-containing compound in the gaseous phase, with the first step being performed at a temperature which is lower than that of the second step.
The sulfur-containing compound is H2S and/or a compound which is decomposable into hydrogen sulphide under the conditions prevailing during the contacting of the catalyst with hydrogen and a sulfur-containing compound. Examples of suitable components decomposable into H2S are mercaptanes, CS2, thiophenes, dimethyl sulphide (DMS), dimethyl disulphide (DMDS), and suitable S-containing refinery outlet gasses. The use of H2S alone is preferred. The skilled person knows how to select a sulfur compound which will decompose under the conditions applied.
The total amount of sulfur-containing compound which is incorporated into the catalyst in the process according to the invention, including the amount of sulfur added by way of the S-containing additive is generally selected to correspond to about 50-300%, preferably about 70-200%, more preferably about 80-150%, of the stoichiometric sulfur quantity necessary to convert the hydrogenation metals into Co9S8, MoS2, WS2, and Ni3S2, respectively.
The concentration of sulfur-containing compound in the mixture of H2 and sulfur-containing compound is generally selected to be between about 1 and about 99 wt. %, preferably between about 10 and about 80%, calculated as H2S on the total of H2S and hydrogen. Of course, lower sulfur concentrations in this mixture will either lengthen the duration of the process or increase the required space velocity. The application of gas recycle may be attractive.
In the two-step presulfiding process according to the invention, the first step is generally carried out at a temperature of about 100-250xc2x0 C., preferably about 150-225xc2x0 C. The second step is generally carried out at a temperature of about 150-450xc2x0 C., preferably about 200-400xc2x0 C., more preferably about 225-400xc2x0 C. The gaseous mixtures of H2 and sulfur-containing compound applied in the two steps may be the same or different. If so desired, this process may also be carried out in more than two steps, e.g., in three steps or in a continuous mode, as long as the first step, or the start of the process, is carried out at a lower temperature than a further step, or later part of the process.
The total pressure during the process according to the invention is not critical. It will generally be between atmospheric pressure and about 300 bar, depending on where the process is carried out. If the process is carried out ex situ, the pressure may, e.g., be between atmospheric pressure and about 10 bar. If the process is carried out in situ, the pressure may be much higher, e.g., in the range of about 25 to about 300 bar.
The contacting in the gaseous phase with hydrogen and a sulfur-containing compound can be carried out in any suitable manner, including in fixed bed processes and moving bed processes. Since the sulfiding step may be exothermic by nature, it is important that the temperature of the catalyst is well-controlled. Generally, such control is easier in a moving bed process. In the context of the present specification, a moving bed process is intended to encompass all processes in which the catalyst moves relative to the reactor. Examples are ebullated bed processes and processes carried out in a rotary furnace. In the latter, the contacting can be done either co-currently or counter-currently, with counter-current operation being preferred.
The amount of sulfur incorporated into the catalyst with the S-containing compound in the gas phase will generally be between about 5 and about 95% of the stoichiometric sulfur quantity necessary to convert the hydrogenation metals into Co9S8, MoS2, WS2, and Ni3S2, respectively. It is noted that the amount of S-containing compound with which the catalyst is contacted in the gaseous phase will be much higher than the above-mentioned stoichiometric amount, but not all sulfur will be incorporated into the catalyst.
It is also noted that the S-containing compound present in the gas phase does not refer to decomposition products from the S-containing additive already present in the catalyst but refers to S-containing compound added extraneously to the hydrogen.
The process according to the invention can be carried out ex situ or in situ. In the context of the present specification, the term in situ means in the reactor in which the catalyst will eventually be applied to effect hydrotreating. Conversely, ex situ means outside said reactor. It is preferred to carry out the process according to the invention ex situ, because this generates less downtime for the hydrotreating reactor and simplifies the reactor start-up. Additionally, in ex situ operation, any less desirable side products formed by the decomposition of the S-containing additive will not be formed in the hydrotreating unit. The sulfidation unit may often be better equipped to handle undesirable gases.
If the process according to the invention is carried out ex situ, it may be desirable to passivate the sulfided catalyst prepared in this way, since sulfided catalysts may be self-heating. Passivation can be done by contacting the sulfided catalyst with an oxygen-containing compound under controlled conditions. The use of an oxygen-containing gas, such as air, is a well-known embodiment. Alternatively, the sulfided catalyst may be passivated by being contacted with an organic liquid, such as diesel, gas oil, white spirit, or lube oil. Passivation processes are known in the art. See, for example, EP-897 748 and NL 8900914, which describe the use of hydrocarbons, and V. M. Browne, S. P. A. Louwers, and R. Prins, Catalysis Today volume 10 number 3 pp 345-352 (1991) and S. P. A. Louwers, M. W. J. Craje, C. Geantet, A. M. van der Kraan, and R. Prins, Journal of Catalysis volume 144 number 2 pp. 579-596 (1993), both of which describe the use of oxygen.
The Additive-containing Catalyst
In principle, the additive-containing catalyst can be any catalyst which comprises a Group VIB hydrogenation metal and/or a Group VIII hydrogenation metal, and an S-containing organic additive, generally on a carrier. Catalysts comprising the combination of a Group VIB hydrogenation metal and a Group VIII hydrogenation metal are preferred. As will be evident to the skilled person, the metals may be present in any form. When they are incorporated into the catalyst composition they are often in the form of their salts or oxides. After calcination they are converted partly or wholly into their respective oxides. After sulfidation and during use the metals are at least partly present in the sulfidic form.
As Group VIB metals may be mentioned molybdenum, tungsten, and chromium. Group VIII metals include nickel, cobalt, and iron. Catalysts comprising molybdenum and/or tungsten as Group VIB metal component and nickel and/or cobalt as Group VIII metal component are the most common. The catalyst usually has a metal content in the range of 0.1 to 50 wt. % calculated as oxides on the dry weight of the catalyst not containing the additive. The Group VIB metal will frequently be present in an amount of 5-40 wt. %, preferably 15-30 wt. %, calculated as trioxide. The Group VIII metal will frequently be present in an amount of 1-10 wt. %, preferably 2-7 wt. %, calculated as monoxide. The catalyst may also contain other components, such as phosphorus, halogens, and boron. Particularly, the presence of phosphorus in an amount of 1-10 wt. %, calculated as P2O5, may be preferred.
The catalyst carrier may comprise the conventional oxides, e.g., alumina, silica, silica-alumina, alumina with silica-alumina dispersed therein, silica-coated alumina, magnesia, zirconia, boria, and titania, as well as mixtures of these oxides. As a rule, preference is given to the carrier comprising alumina, silica-alumina, alumina with silica-alumina dispersed therein, or silica-coated alumina. Special preference is given to the carrier consisting essentially of alumina or alumina containing up to 25 wt. % of other components, preferably silica. A carrier comprising a transition alumina, for example an eta, theta, or gamma alumina is preferred within this group, with a gamma-alumina carrier being especially preferred. Additionally, although at present less preferred, the catalyst may contain 0-60 wt. % of zeolite.
The catalyst""s pore volume (measured via N2 adsorption) generally is in the range of 0.25 to 1 ml/g. The specific surface area will generally be in the range of 50 to 400 m2/g (measured using the BET method). Generally, the catalyst will have a median pore diameter in the range of 7-20 nm, as determined by N2 adsorption. The figures for the pore size distribution and the surface area given above are determined after calcination of the catalyst at 500xc2x0 C. for one hour.
The catalyst is suitably in the form of spheres, pellets, beads, or extrudates. Examples of suitable types of extrudates have been disclosed in the literature (see, int. al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,227). Highly suitable are cylindrical particles (which may be hollow or not) as well as symmetrical and asymmetrical polylobed particles (2, 3 or 4 lobes).
The additive present in the catalyst may be any S-containing organic additive. In the context of the present specification the term organic additive refers to an additive comprising at least one carbon atom and at least one hydrogen atom.
Preferred compounds include organic compounds having at least one mercapto-group. Within the group of mercapto-compounds, mercaptocarboxylic acids represented by the general formula HSxe2x80x94R1-COOR, wherein R1 stands for a divalent hydrocarbon group with 1xe2x80x94 about 10 carbon atoms and R stands for a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, or a linear or branched alkylgroup having 1 to about 10 carbon atoms. Examples include mercaptoacetic acid (HSxe2x80x94CH2-COOH), beta-mercaptoprioprionic acid (HSxe2x80x94CH2CH2-COOH), methylmercaptoacetate (HSxe2x80x94CH2-COOCH3), ethyl 2-mercaptoacetate (HSxe2x80x94CH2-COOC2H5), ethylhexyl mercaptoacetate (HSxe2x80x94CH2-COOC8H17), and methyl 3-mercaptoproprionate ((HSxe2x80x94CH2CH2-COOCH3). Further compounds preferred within the group of mercapto-compounds include aminosubstituted mercaptanes represented by the general formula H2Nxe2x80x94R2-SH, wherein R2 stands for a divalent hydrocarbon group having 1xe2x80x94 about 15 carbon atoms. Examples of these compounds include 2-amino ethanethiol (H2Nxe2x80x94CH2CH2-SH), and 4-amino thiophenol (H2Nxe2x80x94C6H4-SH).
Additional compounds within the group of mercapto-compounds are the di-mercaptanes represented by the general formula HSxe2x80x94R3-SH, wherein R3 stands for a divalent hydrocarbon group having 1xe2x80x94 about 15 carbon atoms. Examples of these compounds include ethanedithiol (HSxe2x80x94CH2CH2-SH) and 1,4-butanedithiol (HSxe2x80x94(CH2)4-SH).
Preferred compounds also include thioacids of the formula R4-COSH, wherein R4 stands for a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1xe2x80x94 about 15 carbon atoms. Examples of these compounds include thioacetic acid (CH3-COSH) and thiobenzoic acid (C6H5COSH). Dithioacids of the formula HSOCxe2x80x94R5-COSH, wherein R5 is a divalent hydrocarbon group with 1xe2x80x94 about 15 carbon atoms may also be suitable. An example is dithioadipic acid (HSOCxe2x80x94C4H10-COSH).
Preferred compounds also include mercaptoalcohols of the general formula R6Sxe2x80x94R5-(OH)n, wherein R5 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms or a phenyl group, R6 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, and n is 1 or 2. Examples of these compounds include 2-mercaptoethanol, 2-(methylthio)ethanol, 2-(ethylthio)ethanol, 3-mercapto-2-butanol, 4-mercaptophenol, 2-(methylthio)phenol, 4-(methylthio)phenol, 2-(ethylthio)phenol, 3-mercapto-1,2,-propanediol, 3-methylthio-1,2, propanediol, and 3-ethylthio-1,2, propanediol. Other suitable compounds include sulphoxides of the formula R7-SOxe2x80x94R8, wherein R7 and R8 are hydrocarbon groups with 1-5 carbon atoms. An example is dimethyl sulfoxide (CH3-SOxe2x80x94CH3).
Ammonium thiocyanate and thiourea may also be useful compounds, as may be the various dithiocarbamic acids and the salts thereof, such as ethylene bisdithiocarbamic acid and its salts, and dimethyl dithiocarbamic acid and its salts. Other suitable compounds include mercaptodiathiazoles and their salts, such as 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4,-diathiazoles and its salts.
Other compounds which may be useful are polysulfides of the formula R9-Sxxe2x80x94R10, wherein x is a value of 1xe2x80x94 about 15 and R9 and R10 are alkyl groups, preferably branched alkyl groups, with 1xe2x80x94 about 30 carbon atoms. Related compounds are those with the formula HOxe2x80x94R11-Sxxe2x80x94R12-OH, wherein x is a value of 1-15 and R11 and R12 are alkyl groups with 1 xe2x80x94 about 8 carbon atoms.
At this point in time the mercapto-compounds, in particular the mercaptocarboxylic acids are considered preferred for reasons of catalyst activity. Other compounds, in particularly those which are soluble in or miscible with water may be preferred for environmental reasons (less smell and no organic solvent necessary).
A single compound as well as a combination of compounds may be used as additive.
The amount of additive present in the additive-containing catalyst depends on the specific situation. It was found that the appropriate amount of additive generally lies in the range of about 0.01-2.5 moles of additive per mole of hydrogenation metals present in the catalyst. If the amount of additive added is too low, the advantageous effect associated with its presence will not be obtained. On the other hand, the presence of an exceptionally large amount of additive will not improve its effect. Generally it is intended that the amount of sulfur incorporated into the catalyst by way of the additive is selected to correspond to about 5-200%, preferably about 50-200%, more preferably about 80-150%, of the stoichiometric sulfur quantity necessary to convert the hydrogenation metals into Co9S8, MoS2, WS2, and Ni3S2, respectively.
The way in which the additive is incorporated into the catalyst composition is not critical to the process according to the invention. The additive may be incorporated into the catalyst composition prior to, subsequent to, or simultaneously with the incorporation of the hydrogenation metal components. For example, the additive can be incorporated into the catalyst composition prior to the hydrogenation metal components by being added to the carrier before the hydrogenation metal components are. This can be done by mixing the additive with the carrier material before it is shaped, or by impregnating the shaped carrier material with the additive. This embodiment is not preferred at this point in time.
Alternatively, the additive can be incorporated into the catalyst composition simultaneously with the hydrogenation metal components. This can be done, e.g., by mixing the additive and the hydrogenation metal components with the carrier material before shaping or by impregnating the carrier with an impregnation solution comprising the hydrogenation metal components and the additive, followed by drying under such conditions that at least part of the additive is maintained in the catalyst.
It is also possible to incorporate the additive into the catalyst composition subsequent to the hydrogenation metal components. This can be done, e.g., by first incorporating the hydrogenation metal components into the catalyst composition, e.g., by mixing them with the carrier material or by impregnating the carrier with them, optionally followed by drying and/or calcining, and subsequently incorporating the additive, e.g., by impregnation, optionally followed by drying under such conditions that at least part of the additive is maintained in the catalyst.
Depending on the nature of the additive and the way in which it is incorporated into the catalyst composition, the additive may be used in solid form, in liquid form, or dissolved in a suitable solvent. It may be preferred for the additive to be incorporated into the catalyst dissolved in water.
Use of the Sulfided Catalyst Prepared According to the Invention
The catalyst sulfided by the process according to the invention can be used in the hydrotreating of hydrocarbon feeds. The hydrotreating generally takes place under conventional hydrotreating conditions, such as temperatures in the range of about 250-450xc2x0 C., pressures in the range of about 5-250 bar, space velocities in the range of about 0,1-10 hxe2x88x921, and H2/oil ratios in the range of about 50-2000 Nl/l. Examples of suitable feeds include middle distillates, kerosine, naphtha, vacuum gas oils, heavy gas oils and residues. Preferably, the hydrocarbon feed contains at least about 0.2 wt % of sulfur, calculated as atomic sulfur S. Examples of suitable hydrotreating reactions are (deep) hydrodesulfurisation, hydrodenitrogenation, hydrodearomatisation, and hydrodemetallisation. (Deep) hydrodesulfurisation, hydrodenitrogenation, and hydrodearomatisation are preferred.

Two-step process for sulfiding a catalyst containing an S-containing additive


In a series of reactions for power plant energy generation designed to make beneficial use of oil bearing sands, oil bearing shale and other starting materials containing silicon dioxide, the silicon dioxide starting materials are combined with a primary energy provider containing hydrocarbon to start a first reaction. During this first reaction, the silicon dioxide containing starting material is heated and crystalline silicon is produced. Then, the crystalline silicon is used in a second reaction which runs exothermically (i.e., releases heat). The heat produced from the second reaction is employed as a secondary energy to supplement the primary energy provider when heating the starting material in the first reaction and/or to supply at least one further reaction or series of reactions with the required energy, at the end of which a silicon compound is produced.

Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound made of carbon and oxygen. Carbon dioxide is a colorless and odorless gas. At low concentration, it is a natural component of air and arises in living organisms during cell respiration, but also during the combustion of carbonaceous substances with sufficient oxygen. Since the beginning of industrialization, the CO2 component in the atmosphere has significantly increased. The main reasons for this are the CO2 emissions caused by humans—known as anthropogenic CO2 emissions.
The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere absorbs a part of the thermal radiation. This property makes carbon dioxide into a greenhouse gas and is one of the causes of the greenhouse effect.
For these and also other reasons, research and development is currently being performed in greatly varying directions to find a way of reducing the anthropogenic CO2 emissions. There is a great need for CO2 reduction in particular in connection with energy production, which is frequently performed by the combustion of fossil energy carriers, such as coal or gas, but also in other combustion processes, for example, during garbage combustion. Hundreds of millions of tons of CO2 are released into the atmosphere every year by such processes.
The fuels required for producing heat generate CO2, as explained at the beginning. Up to this point, no one has arrived at the idea of using the sand provided in oil-bearing sands (SiO2), oil-bearing shale (SiO2+[CO3]2), in bauxite, or tar-bearing sands or shales, and other mixtures to reduce the CO2 discharge and, in addition, obtain new raw materials and above all energy from the products of such a novel method.
Instead of using naturally occurring mixtures of sand and oil in this novel method, industrial or natural wastes containing hydrocarbons, possibly after admixing with sand, may also be used. Using natural asphalt (also referred to as mineral pitch) instead of the oil component is also conceivable. A mixture made of asphalt with pure sand or with construction rubble which contains a sand component is especially preferable.
However, water glass, a mixture of sand with acid or base, may also be used, the water glass being admixed with mineral oils in order to provide the hydrocarbon component necessary for the present invention (microemulsion method).
The present invention may also be used particularly advantageously for cleaning beaches and sand banks contaminated after a tanker accident, for example. A vehicle is best suitable for this purpose, preferably a ship which is equipped with one or more reaction areas according to the present invention. Therefore, the contaminated sand, including heavy oil, may thus be processed on location and converted into valuable products without stressing the environment. Energy is obtained at the same time.
The reserves of oil-bearing sands (SiO2) and shales (SiO2+[CO3]2) are known to exceed the world oil reserves multiple times over. The technical methods applied for separating oil and minerals are currently ineffective and too costly. Natural asphalt occurs at multiple locations of the earth, but is currently mined at commercial scale primarily in Trinidad.
Sand occurs in greater or lesser concentrations everywhere on the surface of the earth. A majority of the sand occurring comprises quartz (silicon dioxide; SiO2).
However, silicon components are also present in gneiss, mica, granite, slate, and bauxite. Therefore, these rocks may also be used.
The object of the present invention is to provide such possible raw materials and describe their technical production. The chemical findings used in the method are characterized in that the silicon present in the sands and shales and other mixtures participate in a reaction, and a reversible hydrogen carrier is provided.
The cascaded sequence of individual reactions (also referred to here as energy-material cascade coupling or EMC2) is characteristic for the present invention. These individual reactions are coupled to one another in such a way that either the amount of energy released increases with each reaction step, or other (preferably higher-value or higher-energy) reaction products are provided with each reaction step. For this purpose, the individual reaction areas/zones in which partial reactions run are connected to one another thermally and/or for the transfer of reactants.
In addition, it is an object to provide alternative possible approaches for generating and providing energy in the form of reversible hydrogen carriers, which are transportable harmlessly, and providing the hydrogen at the consumer.
According to the present invention, in a first partial reaction in a power plant process, silicon is obtained from one or more of the following starting materials: oil sand, oil shale, bauxite, gneiss, mica, granite, or slate. The use of the number "1" is not to indicate that this partial reaction is executed first. A blend of one or more of the cited starting materials is possibly used in the scope of this first partial reaction, which is liquefied by adding an acid or base, to improve the transportability through pipes, for example. In this case, the acid or base may be reclaimed again by the heating using the primary energy providers.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention exploits, inter alia, the fact that silicon (e.g., as a powder at suitable temperature) may be reacted directly after ignition with pure (cold) nitrogen (e.g., nitrogen from the ambient air) to form silicon nitride, because the reaction is strongly exothermic. The heat arising may be used in reactors, for example, in power plant processes. This reaction of silicon to form silicon nitride is referred to here as the second partial reaction.
The silicon arising in the first partial reaction according to the present invention in power plant processes from oil sand, oil shale, bauxite, gneiss, mica, granite, and/or slate is surface-active and may be treated catalytically (e.g., using magnesium and/or aluminum as a catalyst) with hydrogen, so that monosilane results. This reaction of silicon to form monosilane is referred to here as the third partial reaction. This monosilane may be removed from the reaction chamber and subjected a further time to a catalytic pressure reaction in another location (fourth partial reaction). According to the equation
Si+SiH4→(Using catalysts such as Pt, etc.)→Si(SiH4)+SiHn(SiH4)m+SinHm long-chain silanes may be prepared, which may be used both in the technology of fuel cells and in engines. The silanes are a possible form of a reversible hydrogen carrier.
However, silicon (such as silicon powder) may also be nitrated in the process according to the present invention in nitrogen (N2) atmosphere at temperatures of approximately 1400° C. to form silicon nitride Si3N4. This type of reaction is a variation of the second partial reaction.
The silicon nitride may then be converted into NH3, for example, using hydrolysis. An example of the reaction running in such a hydrolysis is provided in the following equation:Si3N4+6 H2O→3 SiO2+4 NH3
Thus, NH3 and silicon dioxide arise in this reaction. NH3 is an outstanding hydrogen carrier. Because the hydrolysis of silicon nitride runs relatively slowly, the silicon nitride is used according to the present invention either as flakes, as a powder, or in porous form. A significantly larger surface thus results, which makes the hydrolysis of the silicon nitride much more efficient and rapid. This approach is based on the finding that in the hydrolysis of silicon nitride, surface hydrolysis plays an essential role. The hydrolysis thus becomes more efficient due to the intentional enlargement of the surface of the silicon nitride. The reaction of silicon nitride to form NH3 using hydrolysis is referred to here as the fifth partial reaction. The use of Si3N4 nanostructures or nanocrystals is especially effective here, which may be obtained from a sol-gel process, for example. The energy for the sol-gel process may in turn be taken from one of the partial reactions according to the present invention.
The silicon, the NH3, but also the silanes are outstanding energy providers, which may be conveyed to a consumer without problems, in order to cleave off hydrogen there. However, hydrogen peroxide is better suitable as an energy provider. The hydrogen peroxide may be generated in a further partial reaction according to the present invention, which is coupled to a power plant process or integrated in such a process. This is also true for the production of silicon, NH3, or silanes, which may also be integrated in such a power plant process or coupled to such a process.
Further details and advantages of the present invention are described in the following on the basis of exemplary embodiments.
Various aspects of the present invention are schematically illustrated in the figures of the drawing:

Cascaded power plant process and method for providing reversibly usable hydrogen carriers in such a power plant process


A biomimetic approach utilizing biomolecular self-assembly is described to form nanometer particle size composites for uses, such as, nonlinear optical media. Yeast tRNA was utilized as an ion-exchange/nucleation site within a polymeric matrix (polyacrylamide). Cadmium ion-exchange and subsequent sulfide precipitation resulted in formation of nanometer particle size composites. Illumination of samples with an Argon laster (514 nm) utilizing the Z-scan measurement method resulted in third order nonlinearity .chi..sup.3 values of +2.7.times.10.sup.-6 esu.

Nanometer size or so-called Quantum-dot size particle composites can exhibit large optical nonlinearities which make them of interest for many applications such as optically addressed switching and thresholding. They are also inexpensive and could support array addressing. An important advantage of these kinds of nonlinear media is that they can be produced in bulk and one has control over the particle type, size, shape and concentration. One can also select the host medium in which the particles are placed. Further, depending on the particular physical mechanism exploited for the bulk material's nonlinear properties, one has a choice of response times from picoseconds to seconds. Indeed, by engineering a material to have nonlinear properties arising from two different physical mechanisms, bistable behavior is expected. These many degrees of freedom permit the fine tuning of the optical nonlinearity in order to tailor it for specific applications. This produces a degree of flexibility not offered by alternative nonlinear media.
Biomolecular self-assembly holds the potential for developing advanced material properties in semiconductors and metals by controlling crystal structure, crystal size, and orientation of crystal growth. This control is important because many electrical and optical properties are highly anisotropic or size dependent. Biomineralization is one aspect of biomolecular self-assembly where there is a consensus among workers that general principles apply to most systems through the use of a polymer matrix and charged nucleation sites to control crystal growth. Shells, teeth, and bone are constructed in this manner. In mammalian teeth, calcium phosphate is organized as long thin needles in an acidic protein matrix. Biological control of inorganic nanoparticle formation has recently been shown to occur as a byproduct of cadmium detoxification in the yeasts Candida glabrata and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. An in vitro, process of producing nanoparticle CdS was demonstrated in 1990 utilizing short alpha linkage peptides (.alpha.-glutamic acid-cysteine).sub.4 -gly. These nanoparticles have been characterized and show a sharp blue-shifted absorption peak at 295 nm indicative of quantum confinement and particle uniformity. A major limitation of this biomolecular approach is the inability to tailor the particles for specific sizes and economic feasibility. Nanometer size particles have been found in polymers, glass and zeolites.
Two different methods have been developed to form nanometer-size particles within polymers. In the first method a soluble metal salt is co-dissolved in a suitable solvent along with a polymer which is then cast into a film. In the second method metal ions are ion-exchanged into a solid polymer. Precipitation within the polymer (H.sub.2 S, NaOH) generates nanoparticles. Cadmium and lead sulfide have been formed in Nafion using the ion-exchange technique. This basic process has been extended recently to the formation of .gamma.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 nanoparticles that resulted in transparent magnetic materials. Iron salts were ion-exchanged into commercial ion-exchange resins and subsequently precipitated by intermediate hydroxide formation and further oxidation. Each method results in a polydisperse nanoparticle distribution.
Borosilicate glass containing nanoparticles of CdS.sub.x Se.sub.1-x has been available commercially from Schott and Corning for many years. A rigid matrix inhibits particle coalescence that results in a polydisperse nanoparticle distribution.
The three-dimensional porous crystalline host, zeolites, have been utilized for nanoparticle formation. Particle size can be tailored by a change in zeolite chemistry which results in different size pore formation. Disadvantages include poor control of the fabrication process, instability in many solvents, and small crystal size which is unsuitable for Non-Linear Optical applications.
Much interest was aroused in nanoparticles several years ago, because it was realized that such particles no longer exhibit the optical properties of the bulk material, but have size dependent properties. One can assume that the electrons or excitons in the material have momenta confined in the same way as for an elementary quantum mechanical particle-in-a-box problem. Quantum confinement is thus expected when a particle's radius is smaller than the size of the Bohr radius of the electron in the material from which the particle is made. Bohr radii can range from 0.1 Angstroms in a hydrogen atom to 80 Angstroms in germanium.
Interest in the use of microparticles for optical nonlinear media originated from the work of Jain and Lind in 1983 (J. Opt. Soc. Amer., 73:647 (1983)). They found this nonlinearity present in commercially available sharp-cut-off filters (e.g. from Corning or Schott) which contained nanocrystals of CdS.sub.x Se.sub.1-x. These composite glasses have been found to have a third order nonlinearity, .chi..sup.3, of the order of 10.sup.-8 esu to 10.sup.-9 esu and response times of 1 ps to 0.1 ps. Several groups have reported larger nonlinearities from semiconductor copper chloride in glass with particle sizes ranging from 2.5 nm to 10 nm. Applications for such materials are to ultrahigh speed light controlled switching devices. Also, using metallic particles coated with or embedded in optically nonlinear dielectrics, each part of the structure has intrinsic nonlinearities and the one can be made to enhance the other, giving a predicted .chi..sup.3 as large as 10.sup.-2 esu.
The first theoretical investigations of quantum confinement in semiconductor microcrystallites were reported by Efros and Efros and by Brus in the 1980's. They promoted the idea that by controlling the band-gap in materials, one can tune the wavelength of light emitted or absorbed. The band-gap depends upon particle size and shape and the overall optical properties depend upon particle number density, particle material properties and host fluid properties. A detailed theoretical analysis to determine the linear and third order susceptibilities of a small metal sphere was derived in 1986 under the assumption that a quantum confinement effect would dominate the optical properties. A spherical box model was adopted for the potential and the one-electron Schrodinger equation was solved at absolute zero. The susceptibilities were calculated using the density matrix theory of Butcher and MacLean (Proc. Phys. Soc., 81:213 (1963)). Their final expression for .chi..sup.3 takes the form EQU .chi..sup.3 =.mu.(1/r.sup.3)(e.sup.4 /[m.sup.2 h.sup.5 w.sup.7 ]) (1-r/r.sub.0)
Note that this particular mechanism suggests that .chi..sup.3 increases as the cube of the inverse radius of the particle.
For this mechanism, the origin of the third order nonlinear susceptibility arises from the material's behavior as simple two level absorber. The absorption saturates when the upper state is half occupied and the refractive index becomes intensity dependent. One can associate an absorption profile for the material with a refractive index modulation, as determined by the Kramers-Kronig dispersion relations. With a limited number of participants in this absorption process, the absorption can be saturated and an intensity dependent refractive index variation will result. It is expected that this mechanism can become very large if the particle size distribution is small, leading to a very narrow absorption bandwidth and associated very large change in refractive index. Hence the wide interest in a method by which a monodisperse nanoparticle distribution can be fabricated.
As mentioned above, local field effects can provide a degree of feedback to the particle's behavior. By changing the refractive index of the particle, a further enhancement or reduction of the field within the particle occurs due to dielectric confinement variations. For small detunings from resonance, the field may be concentrated or expelled from the particle, depending on the change in refractive index. Hence the intensity inside the particle is modified which in turn changes the refractive index due to the nonlinearity. It is this feedback that can lead to regions of optical bistability. i.e. to intrinsic bistability.
These are effects which have not been explicitly observed, but are expected; once again, it is the lack of the very uniform size distribution of particles with a narrow absorption peak that is thought to be the experimental limitation. Consequently, a long standing need exists for a nanoparticle size particle composite with uniform particle size distribution and a narrow absorption peak.

Biomolecular synthesis of quantum dot composites


A resistance device for stabilizing a person's leg position relative to the ground includes an anchor configured for affixing to a stationary object, a first tether segment, a second tether segment, a first fastener configured for securing adjacent an upper portion of a person's leg, and a second fastener configured for securing adjacent a lower portion of the person's leg. The first tether segment extends between the anchor and the first fastener, and the second tether segment extends between the anchor and the second fastener.

Proper stabilization and driving force, particularly in the legs, is important to swinging a baseball bat or golf club in sports such as baseball, softball, and golf, and in other sports. In particular it is believed that a swing can be more powerful and efficient by keeping the player's weight on the back foot and hitting off the back foot. Many players have issues with keeping weight on the back foot, particularly younger players. Often, these players will move their feet and legs throughout the swing which affects the player's balance and produces less than desirable results.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a resistance device configured for improving the stabilization of a person's leg position during swinging and other activities.

Resistance device for improving swing and stabilizing leg position


An antenna is provided. The antenna has a ground element, a radiator and a conductive element. The radiator has a body, wherein the body has a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge, and the first edge is parallel to the third edge, a length of the first edge is shorter than a length of the third edge, the first edge is close to the ground element, the second edge connects the first edge and the third edge, a fourth edge connects the first edge and the third edge, and a first slot is formed on the radiator. The second edge and the fourth edge extend separately from the first edge to the third edge. The conductive element connects the ground element and the radiator.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an antenna, and more particularly to an antenna with increased bandwidth.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,892, U.S. Pat. No. 7,161,543 and U.S. Pat. No. 6.891.504 disclose three conventional antennas, wherein the conventional antennas have narrow bandwidths, and cannot satisfy present transmission requirements. For example, FIG. 1a shows a conventional antenna 1 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,892, which has a ground element 10, a conductive element 20 and a radiator 30. The conductive element 20 is connected to the ground element 10. The radiator 30 is connected to the conductive element 20. A coaxial cable 40 is electrically connected to the ground element 10 and the conductive element 20. The radiator 30 has a first section 31 and a second section 32. The first section 31 transmits a high frequency signal, and the second section 32 transmits a low frequency signal.
FIG. 1b shows signal transmission of the conventional antenna 1, wherein the bandwidth of the antenna 1 (bandwidth is defined as signals having voltage standing wave ratio less than 2) is between about 2.39 GHz to 2.53 GHz and between 4.84 GHz to 5.80 GHz. The conventional antennas have narrow bandwidth, and cannot satisfy present transmission requirements.


A board game includes a board having a playing area to be filled by a plurality of playing pieces. Playing pieces of different geometric configurations are provided, with each geometric configuration being formed of a whole number multiple of a basic geometric shape. At least one indicating means is provided to identify each of the different geometric configurations. The indicating means is actuatable to randomly identify at least one geometric configuration of a playing piece to be placed on the playing area and/or removed from an opponent's playing area, with the geometric configuration being identified as a whole number multiple of the basic geometric shape. A number of embodiments of the above-described board game are part of the present invention as well as methods of playing the board games.

Computer controlled games have become quite popular in recent years. NINTENDO presently offers a wide variety of games playable on its stationary and hand-held units; one of the more popular games being a puzzle game emanating from the Soviet Union, and identified as TETRIS. In the TETRIS game seven different shaped blocks, each including four square units in the design, fall or move down a game field, one after the other. The object of the game is to keep the blocks from piling up to the top of the game field. To do this a player must control the movement of the blocks to the left and right, and rotate them as they fall. When a horizontal line is completely filled in, that line disappears from the board, and points are given to the player. If the blocks pile up to the top of the game field, the game ends.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,800, issued to Samansky, a foldable board game is disclosed, wherein individual segments of the board are foldable to provide a box for a plurality of tetrahedral playing pieces. In this game there are three groups each of five playing pieces. The playing pieces in each group are the same color, but the color of the playing pieces in each group differs from the color of the playing pieces in every other group. In accordance with an illustrative game the various playing pieces are moved along the board in a desired manner to capture the playing pieces of an opponent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,538, issued to Ambrose, discloses a pyramid building game employing individual game boards for each of the players, a plurality of playing pieces having geometric configurations and a die 20. The object of the game is to assemble the various playing pieces to form a completed pyramid, and the die 20 indicates the number of building blocks which each player can assemble during his or her turn.
There are a variety of other games employing a game board with pieces adapted to be moved or positioned thereon. Representative games of this type are disclosed in the following United States patents:
______________________________________ 1,165,688 (Maris) 2,450,829 (Hayes) 1,315,483 (Edwards) 2,703,713 (Moyer) 2,307,609 (Stenberg) 3,887,190 (Ameri) 2,313,303 (Szatrow) 3,929,337 (Hayes) 2,342,899 (Sands, Jr.) 4,213,615 (Price) 2,400,644 (Hoffman) 4,415,161 (Westell) 2,414,165 (Paschal) 4,527,800 (Samansky) ______________________________________
Other games, which do not necessarily employ a board, but which do involve the manipulation of a plurality of geometrically shaped pieces in the playing of the game, are also known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 282,990 and 3,547,444 are representative of these latter games.
While there are a number of desirable and entertaining games employing a board and multiple playing pieces, and also employing playing pieces of different geometric shapes, there always is a need for new, different, interesting and challenging games. It is to such new board games that the present invention is related.

Construction board game with chance device


A reduced calorie fat comprising at least about 15% by weight triglycerides selected from the group consisting of MML, MLM, LLM, and LML triglycerides, and mixtures thereof; wherein M=fatty acids selected from the group consisting of C.sub.6 to C.sub.10 saturated fatty acids, and mixtures thereof, and L=fatty acids selected from the group consisting Of C.sub.17 to C.sub.26 saturated fatty acids, and mixtures thereof is disclosed. The fat also has the following fatty acid composition: (a) from about 15% to about 70% C.sub.6 to C.sub.10 saturated fatty acids; (b) from about 10% to about 70% C.sub.17 to C.sub.26 saturated fatty acids; (c) not more than about 10% fatty acids selected from the group consisting of C.sub.12:0 and C.sub.14:0, and mixtures thereof; (d) not more than about 20% fatty acids selected from the group consisting of C.sub.18:1, C.sub.18:2, C.sub.18:3, and mixtures thereof; and (e) not more than 4% C.sub.18:2 fatty acids.

Typical vegetable oils and animal fats used in foods contain fatty acids which are predominantly 16 or 18 carbons long and contain zero to three double bonds. These are generally referred to as long chain triglycerides. Some oils such as rapeseed oil contain fatty acids having 20 or 22 carbons or higher.
Medium chain triglycerides (MCT's) are triglycerides made with saturated C.sub.6 to C.sub.10 fatty acids. These shorter chain triglycerides are metabolized differently from long chain triglycerides by the body because they are more water-soluble than long chain triglycerides. Because they hydrolyze rapidly and are absorbed via the portal vein, they provide a source of quick energy.
Several references disclose triglycerides containing medium chain and long chain fatty acids. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,964 of Seiden, issued Nov. 21, 1967, discloses a margarine oil made from corandomized triglycerides containing saturated short chain fatty acids having 6-14 carbon atoms and saturated long chain fatty acids having 20-22 carbon atoms. The triglycerides, a corandomized blend of hydrogenated rapeseed oil with coconut and/or palm kernel oil, are high in lauric acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,052 of Mendy et al., issued Aug. 19, 1986, discloses triglycerides of the formula: ##STR1## where R represents an acyl fragment of a polyunsaturated fatty acid containing 18 to 22 carbon atoms, the acyl fragment being capable of being oxidized, and where n represents an integer varying from 2 to 16. The triglycerides are used as nutritional supplements to provide a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
A synthetic therapeutic oil is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,819 of Babayan et al., issued Jun. 17, 1969. The oil is useful for treating humans suffering from malabsorption of fat. The oil comprises triglycerides having a major portion of medium chain (saturated C.sub.6 to C.sub.12) fatty acids, and a minor portion of essential fatty acids. The essential fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids, primarily linoleic (C.sub.18:2), linolenic (C.sub.18:3), and arachidonic (C.sub.20:4).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,197 of Blackburn, issued Jul. 9, 1985, discloses a composition for enhancing protein anabolism in an hypercatabolic mammal. The composition is made of a nutritionally sufficient source of amino acids, carbohydrates and lipids, the lipids comprising a controlled triglyceride source which, on hydrolysis, yields both long chain fatty acids and medium chain fatty acids. One such fatty acid source disclosed is a structured lipid containing medium chain fatty acids (saturated C.sub.8, C.sub.10, and C.sub.12), and essential fatty acids.
Mok et al., "Structured Medium Chain and Long Chain Triglyceride Emulsions are Superior to Physical Mixtures in Sparing Body Protein in the Burned Rat", Metabolism, Vol . 33, No. 10, pp. 910-915, October 1984, describe an emulsion consisting of triglycerides composed of medium chain and long chain fatty acids in similar proportions used for sparing body protein in burned rats. The triglycerides were made from capric acid (C.sub.8:0), caprylic acid (C.sub.10:0), linoleic acid (C.sub.18:2), and other long chain fatty acids.
Maiz et al., "Protein Metabolism During Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) in Injured Rats Using Medium Chain Triglycerides," Metabolism, Vol. 33, No. 10, pp. 901-909, October 1984, disclose a lipid emulsion made from triglycerides containing 60% medium chain fatty acids and 40% long chain fatty acids said to improve protein utilization in injured rats. The medium chain fatty acids used are saturated C.sub.8 through C.sub.12, and the long chain fatty acids are derived from sunflower or safflower oil (which consist primarily of mixed triglycerides of linoleic and oleic fatty acid moieties).
European Patent Application 216,419 of Jandacek et al., published Apr. 1, 1987, relates to a nutritional fat suitable for use in enteral and parental products, consisting essentially of from about 50% to about 100% by weight of triglycerides having the formula: ##STR2## The R.sup.1 groups consist of saturated medium chain fatty acids with chain lengths of 7-11 carbon atoms, and the R.sup.2 group consists of 0-90% saturated C.sub.7 -C.sub.18 fatty acids, 0-90% oleic (C.sub.18:1), 10-100% linoleic (C.sub.18:2), and 0-10% linolenic (C.sub.18:3).
U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,056 of Drew, issued Feb. 17, 1959, discloses a triglyceride composition useful in margarines. The triglyceride is made from a combination of medium chain fatty acids (C.sub.8:0 through C.sub.12:0) and palmitic acid (C.sub.16:0).
The Captex 810 series of oils (Capital City Products, Dept. TR, P.O. Box 569, Columbus, Ohio 43216) contains random structure triglycerides that are made from mixtures of various ratios of long and medium chain fatty acids. The fatty acid compositions of these oils are as follows:
______________________________________ Fatty acid composition (weight %) of the Captex 810 series Linoleic Octanoic and Decanoic Captex series (C.sub.18:2) (C.sub.8:0 & C.sub.10:0) Other ______________________________________ 810A 10 80 10 810B 25 60 15 810C 35 46 19 810D 45 32 23 ______________________________________
None of these references discloses or suggests the reduced calorie fats of the present invention, or the benefits associated therewith. For example, the Seiden patent discloses a margarine oil high in lauric acid. The object is improved eating quality and heat resistance, not calorie reduction. Additionally, lauric acid is metabolized differently from the medium chain (saturated C.sub.6 to C.sub.10) fatty acids used in the present invention.
Moreover, the references by Mendy et al., Babayan et al., Blackburn, Jandacek et al., etc., relate to fats useful as nutritional supplements. The fats of the present invention, on the other hand, combine a calorie reduction benefit with good taste. The prior references also have fatty acid compositions different from those of the present invention.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide fat compositions that are reduced in calories when compared to typical chain length triglycerides.
It is another object of the present invention to provide reduced calorie fats that can be used to make food and beverage products having excellent textural and organoleptic properties.
These and other objects of the present invention will become evident from the disclosure herein.
All parts, percentages, and ratios used herein are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

Reduced calorie fats made from triglycerides containing medium and long chain fatty acids


In order to provide a highly reliable organic EL element, a first step in which a deposition material is heated and vaporized in a deposition chamber in which the pressure is reduced and a second step in which a layer included in an EL layer is deposited in the deposition chamber are performed while exhaustion is performed and the partial pressure of water in the deposition chamber is measured with a mass spectrometer. Alternatively, the deposition chamber in the deposition apparatus includes a deposition material chamber and is connected to an exhaust mechanism. The deposition material chamber is separated from the deposition chamber by a sluice valve, includes a deposition material holding portion including a heating mechanism, and is connected to a mass spectrometer and an exhaust mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a light-emitting element using an organic electroluminescence (EL) phenomenon (hereinafter such a light-emitting element is also referred to as an organic EL element). The present invention also relates to a deposition apparatus used for manufacture of the organic EL element.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic EL element has been actively researched and developed. In a fundamental structure of the organic EL element, a layer containing a light-emitting organic compound (EL layer) is interposed between a pair of electrodes. The organic EL element has attracted attention as a next-generation flat panel display element owing to characteristics such as feasibility of being thinner and lighter, high speed response to input signals, and capability of direct current low voltage driving. In addition, a display using an organic EL element has a feature that it is excellent in contrast and image quality, and has a wide viewing angle. Further, the organic EL element has been attempted to be applied as a light source such as a backlight of a liquid crystal display and a lighting device because the organic EL element is a plane light source.
It is known that an organic compound or a metal material used for the organic EL element easily reacts with impurities such as moisture and oxygen and easily deteriorates. The organic compound or the metal material reacts with the impurities, whereby the lifetime of the organic EL element is largely shortened.
Therefore, in the case where an organic EL element is formed, a technique by which a process of removing moisture and the like on a surface of a lower electrode, forming an EL layer and an upper electrode thereover, and sealing is performed without exposure to the atmosphere is required. For example, a multi-chamber or in-line thin film formation device by which formation of an EL layer, formation of an upper electrode, and sealing can be performed is known (Patent Document 1).

Method for manufacturing light-emitting element and deposition apparatus

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


The present invention relates to an isolation film in a semiconductor device and method of forming the same.  An isolation film is formed in a doped region of a peripheral region, in which the doped region is isolated from a deep well region of a cell region and the isolation film is thicker than an isolation film of the cell region so that a parasitic transistor is not generated and a leakage current can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, and more specifically, to an isolation film in a semiconductor device and method of forming the same.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Generally, as the size of a NAND flash memory device shrinks, it is required that a depth of an isolation film in a cell region and a depth of an isolation film in a peripheral region be different in the process of forming the isolation film.
An isolation film has a dual depth at a boundary portion of the cell region and the peripheral region. If an isolation film having a dual depth is formed at a well boundary portion in a NAND flash memory, the following problems occur.
First, lots of well leakage is generated due to dislocation of a semiconductor substrate. Holes are formed in the well structure due to damage generated in an etch process for forming an isolation film having a dual depth or damage generated because of shortage of thermal budget. Accordingly, if a voltage is applied to the structure, a leakage path can be formed, which may degrade the voltage.
In view of the characteristics of a NAND flash memory, word lines within a cell array are connected up to a X-decoder. If a high bias voltage is applied to the word lines, a parasitic transistor can be formed at a boundary portion of an isolation film having a dual depth. This can degrade the performance of the operation of the memory.
Accordingly, there is a need for technologies capable of solving the problems generated since an isolation film having a dual depth is formed at a boundary portion of a cell region and a peripheral region.

Isolation film in semiconductor device and method of forming the same


Disclosed is a system and methodology for recognizing when an Information Transfer Request (ITR) should be modified, for creating such a modified request and for processing such a modified information transfer request to produce a desired response. Also disclosed is a client side component that can identify when an information transfer request in a particular format may not produce a desired response, a client side component that can reformat an information transfer request from one that may not produce a desired response to one that may produce a desired response and a server side component that can recognize reformatted information transfer requests and process those requests to produce the desired response.

With the growth of computer networks, it is now possible for computers to make large numbers of information transfer requests to many other computer systems. A common information transfer request ("ITR") provides for receiving all or portions of files from another computer. For example, the Hypertext Transfer Protocol ("HTTP"), an application-level protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems, has been in use since 1990 and includes methods for requesting and transferring information. An early version of HTTP, the 0.9 version, provided a protocol for raw data transfer across the Internet. Subsequently, HTTP versions 1.0 and 1.1 have appeared.
When a computer sends an ITR to another computer, the ITR may traverse data communication systems that may include one or more servers and one or more proxy servers. Not all of the servers or proxy servers may support the same data communications protocol, however. For example, some servers may support HTTP 1.1 while others may support HTTP 1.0. Generally, newer versions of protocols are backwards compatible with older versions of protocols and thus can successfully process ITRs formatted in the older versions. A problem arises, however, when an ITR formatted in a newer protocol arrives at a server supporting an older protocol. The effects on the ITR formatted in the newer protocol when processed by the server supporting the older protocol may be unpredictable and unwanted. For example, HTTP 1.1 supports a byte range specification in an ITR and thus a portion of a file, specified by the byte range, may be requested, however HTTP 1.0 does not support a byte range specification. Thus, when an HTTP 1.1 ITR with a byte range specification is processed by a server supporting HTTP 1.0, the HTTP 1.0 server may discard the byte range specification or may even discard the entire ITR. Thus, there exists a need for a system that can recognize when an ITR has not successfully traversed data communications systems and for reformatting the ITR in order that the ITR may successfully traverse the data communications systems and generate a desired response.

System and method for modifying an information transfer request


A new and distinct Malus domestica plant that produces apples having a red flesh color and good eating quality.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of apple tree botanically classified as Malus domestica and known by the varietal name 'Luregust'. The new variety was discovered in September of 2006 in Buchs, Switzerland. The new variety is the result of planned breeding program, in which Malus domestica 'LubA793' (female parent, unpatented) was crossed with Malus domestica 'LubA264' (male parent, unpatented). The purpose of the breeding program was to develop red-fleshed apples having an improved eating quality. The new variety exhibits similar sugar content and scab resistance to its female parent, but has larger fruits. The new variety exhibits similar red flesh and level of acidity to its male parent, but has a sweeter taste. The red flesh color combined with good eating quality of 'Luregust' distinguishes the new variety from other Malus domestica varieties known to the inventor. Its red flesh color and high acidity content are similar to Malus domestica 'Luresweet' (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/544,112, concurrently applied-for herewith). However, 'Luregust' has more perfume and less sugar than 'Luresweet'.
The new variety has been trial and field tested and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics and remain true to type through successive propagations.


The invention relates to a dye composition for dyeing human keratin fibres and more particularly the hair, comprising a particular direct cationic hydrazone dye of formula (I)

It is known practice to dye human keratin fibres, and in particular the hair, with dye compositions containing oxidation dye precursors, which are generally known as oxidation bases. These oxidation bases are colourless or weakly coloured compounds, which, when combined with oxidizing products, give rise to coloured compounds by a process of oxidative condensation.
It is also known that the shades obtained with these oxidation bases may be varied by combining them with couplers or coloration modifiers. The variety of molecules used as oxidation bases and couplers allows a wide range of colours to be obtained.
This oxidation dyeing process consists in applying to keratin fibres oxidation bases or a mixture of oxidation bases and of couplers with an oxidizing agent, for example aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution, leaving the agents on the fibres and then rinsing the fibres. The colorations resulting therefrom are permanent, strong and resistant to external agents, especially light, bad weather, washing, perspiration and rubbing. This process, which is generally applied at basic pH, makes it possible simultaneously to dye and lighten the fibre, which is reflected in practice by the possibility of obtaining a final coloration that is lighter than the original colour. In addition, lightening of the fibre has the advantageous effect of generating a unified colour in the case of grey hair, and of bringing out the colour, i.e. making it more visible, in the case of naturally pigmented hair.
It is also known practice to dye human keratin fibres with a direct dye. The process conventionally used in direct dyeing consists in applying to the keratin fibres direct dyes, which are coloured and colouring molecules that have affinity for the fibres, leaving the dyes on the fibres and then rinsing the fibres.
It is known practice, for example, to use nitrobenzene, anthraquinone, nitropyridine, azo, xanthene, acridine, azine or triarylmethane direct dyes.
The colorations resulting therefrom are colorations that are temporary or semi-permanent since the nature of the interactions linking the direct dyes to the keratin fibre, and their desorption from the surface and/or core of the fibre are responsible for their poor dyeing power and their poor fastness with respect to washing or perspiration. These direct dyes are also generally light-sensitive due to the poor resistance of the chromophore with respect to photochemical attack, and lead over time to fading of the coloration of the hair. In addition, their light-sensitivity is dependent on their uniform distribution or their distribution as aggregates in the keratin fibre.
It is known practice to use direct dyes in combination with oxidizing agents. However, the direct dyes are generally sensitive to the action of oxidizing agents such as aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution, and reducing agents such as sodium bisulfite, which makes them generally difficult to use in lightening direct dyeing compositions based on aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution and based on a basifying agent, or in oxidation dye compositions in combination with precursors such as oxidation bases or couplers.
Moreover, it is known practice to use, for the dyeing of keratin fibres, dyes containing a hydrazone unit, in particular in documents EP 1 166 757, EP 1 142 559, EP 1 153 599 and EP 1 155 679. In these documents, the dyes are of a different type from those that are useful in the present invention. Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,238,198 also discloses hydrazone dyes of the same type as those that are useful in the present invention. However, these compounds are not described for dyeing human keratin fibres.
There is a real need to find chromatic direct dyes that allow human keratin fibres to be dyed, under mild conditions, as strongly as oxidation dyes, which are just as light-fast as the latter dyes, and which are also resistant to bad weather, washing and perspiration, and also sufficiently stable in the presence of oxidizing and reducing agents to be able simultaneously to obtain lightening of the fibre or to be combined with oxidation dyes.
In addition, there is a need to provide dyes that show good harmlessness and that show less selectivity compared with standard dyes.

Dye composition containing a particular cationic hydrazone direct dye, dyeing process, use and multi-compartment devices

Abstract: and also to processes for dyeing human keratin fibres using such a composition.


A voice server for hosting telephony services can include a stack interface configured to exchange telephony signaling information with a circuit-switched to packet-switched interface and a plurality of core clients, each having a call model stored therein. Each core client can be configured to select and execute at least one voice service associated with a call. The voice server further can include a speech processing system configured to convert speech to text and to convert text to speech for processing the call as well as a core processor. The core processor can be configured to distribute the telephony signaling information to the core clients and coordinate operation of the core clients and the speech processing system. The core processor also can exchange telephony signaling information with the circuit-switched to packet-switched interface via the stack interface.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the field of telecommunications and, more particularly, to an architecture for providing voice services in or to a telecommunications network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Telecommunication companies continually create new telephony services and/or features (hereafter "voice services") to be offered to subscribers. Voice services are a blend of voice processing technology, call control, and enterprise applications. Voice processing technology is used to recognize both spoken inputs and touch tone inputs from users over a telecommunication link. These inputs direct how a user call is to be handled by the voice service. The inputs also can determine whether a call will be and subsequently is provided to one or more enterprise applications.
Voice servers implement interactive voice response technology with telephony call control. A voice server can execute voice services which can interact with a caller and also redirect calls responsive to user inputs. Accordingly, many businesses rely upon these solutions to direct incoming calls to various locations within an office. Similar to conventional voice response unit (VRU) type systems, more sophisticated voice server solutions can incorporate enterprise data. For example, an inbound call to an employee can be redirected automatically to a telephone number listed in the electronic calendar of the employee.
Although voice servers mark a significant improvement over VRU technology, still, conventional voice servers do have disadvantages. Conventional voice servers utilize an architecture wherein high bandwidth data such as speech is routed throughout the voice server, including to voice and telephony services, thereby requiring the voice server to handle a significant amount of bandwidth throughout the internal communication channels of the voice server. For example, conventional voice servers utilize an architecture which includes a core processor that interacts with a core client. The core client serves as an interface to one or more telephony services. Within such voice server architectures, high bandwidth data typically is routed between the core client and the core processor. The significant amount of bandwidth necessary to route speech data throughout the voice server can place a heavy load on the voice server.
Another disadvantage of conventional voice servers is that such systems are commonly viewed as a single entity comprised of both the voice processing hardware and software components. In consequence, conventional voice servers locate both telephony services and call control including signal routing within the same software component. As a voice processing system expands beyond a single voice server, each added voice server implements and supports its own individual and single call model, resulting in multiple call models. An expanded system architecture of multiple voice servers, however, can become less reliable as the system is unlikely to function as expected, that is as a single, unified entity.
Another disadvantage of conventional voice server architectures, is that the core processor includes the call model. This configuration can reduce operational efficiency as well as complicate expandability of the voice server. More particularly, when multiple core clients are introduced into the voice server, complex call model and communication facilities must be included in the voice server architecture to coordinate and manage the core clients and other components of the voice server.

International Business Machines Corporation


An intermittent fluid flow controller including a main body that houses an inlet in controlled fluid communication with an outlet, a mechanical timing mechanism including a rotatable member that rotates during an operation of the timing mechanism, and a first valve operated by the rotatable member. The first valve is disposed in the main body such that a rotational movement of the rotatable member actuates the first valve to intermittently permit and restrict a fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet over a pre-selected period of time determined by the operation of the timing mechanism.

There is a recognized need for timer valve assemblies that permit flow of water for certain periods of time. The current examples of such valves typically include a timer, a water inlet and an outlet. A water source, such as a spigot, is connected to the inlet while a hose or other watering device is coupled to the outlet. The valve assembly is controlled by a timing device which will open the valve and keep it open to allow water flow to the outlet. In such a manner, a user simply sets the timer for a pre-determined period of time. The user does not need to return to the valve assembly to shut off the water flow to prevent over-watering.
Various timer mechanisms have been used in the past. For example, an electronic timer has been used. Electronic timers may be analog or digital and may also use electrical power to actuate the on-off valve. Such timers are very accurate, but suffer from several shortcomings. If the electrical power is supplied by a battery, the timer has a limited life. Further, the timer must be constructed to protect the battery from outside elements, thereby increasing the weight of the device and the number of component parts. Alternatively, the electrical power may be supplied through a standard electrical outlet. However, this limits the effective range of the valve as it must be placed in proximity to an electrical outlet in order to function. Also, electrical devices cause some safety concerns due to a risk of electric shock and moisture-related "shorting."
Another type of timer which has been used is a water-driven mechanical timer. One example of such a timer includes an impeller interposed between the inlet and the outlet of the valve. The impeller is rotated by the water flow. A gearing system is coupled to the impeller to activate the valve after some time period to stop the water flow. The impeller-based timer is self-running and thus does not require an independent power source. However, this type of timer suffers from inaccuracy because the rotational speed of the impeller depends entirely on the rate of water flow which may not be constant from source to source. In addition, if the water flow is of a sufficiently low pressure, the valve may not shut off.
A variety of valve assemblies have used mechanical wind-up timers. These timers typically operate using a spring which is wound up and gradually released such that the valve closes and shuts off water flow when the timer has run out. However, because such timers have a timing mechanism that does not directly couple to the valve assembly, additional torque must be generated by the spring to activate a separate mechanism to open and/or close the valve assembly, and thus the valve assembly is not as efficient. The complexity and size required of the mechanisms in many such prior art designs increase the manufacturing costs.
For certain soil and vegetation types, it is advantageous to water in intermittent increments over a pre-determined length of time. Such a watering scheme can serve to prevent short-term saturation and excess watering by limiting both the timing of a on/off watering cycle and the total length of watering time (e.g., water on for five minutes then off for ten minutes, over a three hour period). It can also help to conserve water by allowing a finite overall watering period and by allowing water from an "on cycle" to be absorbed during an intermittent "off cycle" rather than accumulating on a watering surface where it is more likely to be lost to evaporation and/or runoff. Some complex mechanical timer/valve designs and some electronic timer/valve designs have been used in an attempt to address this need. However, current wholly mechanical (i.e. non-electrical) timer valves do not presently offer an efficient design for intermittent timed watering over a set watering time, and the available electronic intermittent timers suffer from the disadvantages discussed above.
Thus, there is a need for a mechanical timer in which the mechanical components are coupled with the valve assembly to conserve space while providing increased mechanical efficiency. There is a further need for a mechanical timer which is accurate but requires no outside power source. There is also a need for a mechanical timer that includes a less complex assembly and which provides an accurate, efficient intermittent watering feature throughout a pre-determined watering cycle time.

Mechanical intermittent timer flow controller