A process for the preparation of supporting substrates which comprises heating a mixture of cyclic oligomers with degrees of polymerization of from about 2 to about 20 and a catalyst.

This invention is generally directed to imaging members and processes for the preparation thereof. More specifically, the present invention relates to layered photoconductive imaging members with excellent mechanical characteristics, and wherein undesirable curling of the the supporting substrates are avoided or minimized when, for example, the member is formed as a flexible belt. In addition to belts, strong light weight drums may also be formed. In embodiments, the present invention is directed to the preparation of supporting substrates for layered imaging members, which processes comprise the polymerization of macrocyclic oligomers to provide polycarbonate substrates where curling is minimized without the need for an anticurling layer as presently needed in many situations for layered imaging members. Curling of the substrate can result in adversely effecting the life of the imaging member, and can cause images of poor resolution. Curling is primarily caused by the mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients between the polyester substrates, such as MYLAR.RTM., with the resin polycarbonate binder of the charge transport layer. This can be substantially overcome by coating an anticurl-back-coating layer of polycarbonate onto the side of the polyester layer opposite the charge transport layer. The present invention avoids the need for the second coating by producing a substrate of polycarbonate which will possess a similar thermal expansion characteristic to the polycarbonate of the charge transport layer. By avoiding the need for the anticurl coating, there is avoided the need for an additional manufacturing step, and substantially no emissions of volatile organic compounds associated with the coating step. In addition, intrinsic internal stresses can also be created in the transport layer as a result of its inability to relax completely on drying when coated onto a polyester film. These stresses will influence the life of the photoreceptor and its failure modes, and this can be minimized when the supporting substrate is also a polycarbonate. These and other disadvantages can be avoided or minimized with the processes of the present invention. Also, in embodiments the present invention is directed to the fabrication of supporting substrates by the in situ polymerization of macrocyclic oligomers. The aforementioned photoresponsive imaging members can be negatively charged when the photogenerating layer is situated between the charge transport layer and the substrate, or positively charged when the charge transport layer is situated between the photogenerating layer and the supporting substrate. The layered photoconductive imaging members can be selected for a number of different known imaging and printing processes including, for example, electrophotographic imaging processes, especially xerographic imaging and printing processes wherein negatively charged or positively charged images are rendered visible with toner compositions of the appropriate charge. Generally, the imaging members are sensitive in the wavelength regions of from about 400 to about 850 nanometers, thus diode lasers can be selected as the light sources in some instances.
Layered imaging members with supporting substrates, such as aluminum, and polymeric materials, photogenerating and charge transport layers, including charge transport layers comprised of aryl diamines dispersed in polycarbonates, like MAKROLON.RTM., are known, reference for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,900, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. More specifically, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,900 there is illustrated an imaging member comprised of a supporting substrate, like aluminum or MYLAR.RTM., which have a tendency to curl, a photogenerating layer, and an aryl amine hole transport layer comprised of amine molecules dispersed in a polycarbonate. Examples of photogenerating layer components include trigonal selenium, metal phthalocyanines, vanadyl phthalocyanines, and metal free phthalocyanines. Additionally, there is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,121,006 a composite xerographic photoconductive member comprised of finely divided particles of a photoconductive inorganic compound dispersed in an electrically insulating organic resin binder. The binder materials disclosed in the '006 patent comprise a material which is incapable of transporting for any significant distance injected charge carriers generated by the photoconductive particles.
Similar photoresponsive imaging members with squaraine photogenerating pigments are also known, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,639. In this patent there is illustrated a photoresponsive imaging member with a substrate, a hole blocking layer, an optional adhesive interface layer, an organic photogenerating layer, a photoconductive composition capable of enhancing or reducing the intrinsic properties of the photogenerating layer, and a hole transport layer. As photoconductive compositions for the aforementioned member, there can be selected various squaraine pigments, including hydroxy squaraine compositions. Moreover, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,099 certain photosensitive hydroxy squaraine compositions.
The use of selected perylene pigments as photoconductive substances is also known. There is thus described in Hoechst European Patent Publication 0040402, DE3019326, filed May 21, 1980, the use of N,N'-disubstituted perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxyldiimide pigments as photoconductive substances and wherein the supporting substrate can be a metal like aluminum, or certain polymeric materials. Specifically, there is, for example, disclosed in this publication N,N'-bis(3-methoxypropyl)perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxyldiimide dual layered negatively charged photoreceptors with improved spectral response in the wavelength region of 400 to 700 nanometers. A similar disclosure is revealed in Ernst Gunther Schlosser, Journal of Applied Photographic Engineering, Vol. 4, No. 3, page 118 (1978). There are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,882 photoconductive substances comprised of specific perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid derivative dyestuffs. In accordance with the teachings of this patent, the photoconductive layer is preferably formed by vapor depositing the dyestuff in a vacuum. Also, there is specifically disclosed in this patent dual layer photoreceptors with perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid diimide derivatives, which have spectral response in the wavelength region of from 400 to 600 nanometers. Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,463, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there is illustrated a layered imaging member with a chloroindium phthalocyanine photogenerating layer. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,189, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there is illustrated a layered imaging member with a perylene pigment photogenerating component. Both of the aforementioned patents disclose an aryl amine component as a hole transport layer.
In copending application U.S. Ser. No. 537,714, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there are illustrated photoresponsive imaging members with photogenerating titanyl phthalocyanine layers prepared by vacuum deposition. It is indicated in this copending application that the imaging members comprised of the vacuum deposited titanyl phthalocyanines on supporting substrates such as certain polymeric materials and aryl amine hole transporting compounds exhibit superior xerographic performance as low dark decay characteristics result and higher photosensitivity is generated, particularly in comparison to several prior art imaging members prepared by solution coating or spray coating, reference for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,029 mentioned hereinbefore.
In copending patent application U.S. Ser. No. 905,697 the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there is illustrated a process for the preparation of photoconductive imaging members which comprises coating a supporting substrate with a photogenerator layer comprised of photogenerating pigments, and subsequently applying to the photogenerating layer a mixture comprised of charge transport molecules and cyclic oligomers, and wherein said mixture is heated to obtain a polycarbonate resin binder from said cyclic oligomers.
The disclosures of all of the aforementioned publications, laid open applications, copending applications and patents are totally incorporated herein by reference.

Imaging members and processes for the preparation thereof


An automated meter reading system, communication and control for automated meter reading, a meter data collector, and associated methods are provided. The system includes at least one utility meter, at least one meter sensor interfaced with the utility meter, a meter data collector positioned adjacent the utility meter and positioned to receive data from the at least one sensor, and a remote automatic meter reading control center positioned to receive data from the collector such as through RF or other types of communication to gather and process usage reading data. Meter usage data is obtained by the collector from the meter sensor, date and time stamped, and stored in the collector until directly transmitted to the control center or a substation if within range and not blocked or impeded by a physical structure or other obstacle. If the collector is not in range, then the data is forwarded to another collector associated with a location closer to the control center or substation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of utility meters. More particularly, the present invention relates to automatic equipment, systems, networks, and software for remote reading of utility meters, such as electric, gas, water, or steam meters.
2. Description of Related Art
Utility companies and municipalities for many years have been burdened with the labor intensive and cumbersome task of manually collecting meter readings, managing data from the field into the accounting area, and managing the billing and collection of invoices. Typically each customer is provided with a mechanical utility meter for each individual service provided, for example, a meter for water, a meter for steam, a meter for gas, and a meter for electric power. A periodic reading of the utility meter is necessary to determine the usage and to bill the customer for the amount used. These meters are normally manually read using utility company or municipality employees physically visiting each meter at the customer's location, reading the meter, and recording the previous month's usage into a written route book for delivery to accounting personnel. This process is costly, is time consuming, and can involve various risks to personnel involved in manually collecting meter data. The process involves labor, motorized transportation, and numerous employee overhead-related costs. Once the readings from the meter are obtained, accounting personnel manually transfer the readings into a database for billing and collection of the invoices for service.
Manually reading the meters often results in numerous other expenses including those related to human error. For example, a high bill caused by an incorrect manual read or estimated read often motivates customers to pay later, resulting in increased working capital requirements and corresponding expenses for the utility. Additionally, the utility has to handle the customer complaints (a call center cost) and may have to read the meter again to verify the error. As the complaint progresses, the utility faces administrative costs associated with routing and processing the complaint from the call center to the meter department. An additional cost includes the potential loss of a customer who, even after resolution, feels the process was such an excessive burden as to prompt the customer to switch utility providers.
Recently, hand-held reading units have been developed that typically provide a data collection unit attached to the consumer's utility meter having some form of data transmitter. The unit or system has some form of receiver. There are different variations in methodology of receiving the data. One methodology of hand-held "local" collecting meter reading requires an operator having a meter or collection unit interrogation device to be in close physical proximity of the meter to obtain the meter reading and transport the data to a central computer such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,894 by Lubliner et al. titled "Automated Meter Inspection and Reading" and U.S. Pat. No. 5,856,791 by Gray et al. titled "Port Expander For Utility Meter Reading." For example, in a radio drive-by or walk-by unit, a utility service vehicle having a mobile receiver mounted in a service vehicle or a utility worker having a hand-held unit passes by the consumer's facility to receive the data from the meter. As the vehicle or hand-held unit passes near the electric meter, the receiver emits a signal to the collection unit, which causes the collection unit to transmit or send its meter reading data to the receiver. This consumption data is then stored and later entered into a billing system. This approach, however, still requires the manual visit to each meter location and time downloading the data to the billing system. Nevertheless, the physical meters can be read much more quickly which reduces manpower, vehicular, and soft costs. Also, the data is transferred from the mobile receiver to the database, which again reduces manpower and data handling. This methodology also has a benefit to the customer of preventing intrusion into the customer's premises and improved accuracy of the reading. Remaining system negatives, however, included prohibitive capital costs, i.e., vehicles, and software and hardware requirements, and providing a reliable and cost-effective power solution for the individual radio transmitter in the individual meters.
Recently, automatic meter reading ("AMR") has been developed. Automated meter reading has become more desirable than using meters that require manual reading and recording of the consumption levels. AMR consists of technologies and methods to remotely read a plurality of electric meters, such as a consumer base for an electric power supply company, into a billing database by installing or utilizing fixed networks that allow billing or meter usage data to be transmitted without human intervention to a host computer having the billing database. AMR produces many benefits and several companies such as Hunt Technologies, Schlumberger, CellNet, Itron, Amco Automated Systems, and Distribution Control Systems have developed AMR units. For the utility, reading meters without setting foot on customer's property substantially reduces risks associated with climbing over fences, slipping on ice and snow, dangerous animals, snakes, and spiders, and other types of risks which in turn, result in significant savings in liability insurance, disability benefits, and worker turnover/replacement. For the customer, reading meters without entering a customer's property provides a less intrusive service and reduces criminal activity such as when a criminal manages to gain entry into a customers property by posing as a meter reader. Moreover, the need for a higher frequency of meter reading is increasing, e.g., daily, hourly, or every 15 minutes, in order to take advantage of real time pricing. Also, the amount of data is increasing, due to the necessity to bill on more than just consumption, e.g., time of use. Thus, automated recording and reporting of the utility usage at customer sites is rapidly replacing the manually read utility meters.
AMR systems can use a dial-up modem in the collection unit to dial a remote billing system and transmit its reading data via telephone lines such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,602 by Hammond et al. titled "System and Method for Unified Telephone and Utility Consumption Metering, Reading, and Processing" and U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,988 by Cowell et al. titled "Telephone Switched Network, Automatic Meter-Reading System Based Upon Service Address." In the past, there have been on-site meter reading equipment having a modem capable of receiving telephone calls from a central office through the use of special equipment located at the telephone company, and there have also been on-site meters with modems which were capable of placing telephone calls to the central office. In general, these systems incorporate an auto-dial, auto-answer modem in each customer site to receive interrogation signals from the telephone line and to formulate and transmit meter readings via the telephone line to the utility company. These systems record information on utility usage and periodically dial into a central office to report the utility usage for recording and billing purposes. This methodology provides two-way communication and control between the meter and the central office. The modem shares the telephone line with the customer's normal usage, such as incoming and outgoing voice communications. Such sharing requires that the system be able to recognize when the telephone line is in use, and to delay demanding use of the telephone line until it is free. Steps must be taken to prevent the data communications system from interfering with other uses and to prevent other uses from corrupting the transmitted data.
A variation of this methodology includes using the power line as a carrier medium. This approach connects the meter through the power lines and relays the meter reading over the power lines to the utility company. This approach, however, can require a complicated infrastructure to be installed. Power lines operate as very large antennas and can receive a large amount of noise. Therefore, signal-cleaning filters must be installed periodically along the power lines to attenuate the noise. These filters can be very expensive. Also, the connections often are at line voltage, making it more dangerous and time consuming to install.
Another problem with expanding the use of control systems technology to such distributed systems are the costs associated with the sensor-actuator infrastructure required to monitor and control functions within such systems. A more modem approach to implementing control system technology is to install a local network of hard-wired sensors and actuators along with a local controller. Not only is there the expense associated with developing and installing appropriate sensors and actuators, but there is the added expense of connecting functional sensors and controllers with the local controller and the cost of the local controller. This methodology is also quite intrusive as the cables must be run to physically interconnect the various nodes in the network. An alternative variation includes interfacing the meter with a community cable television system. In addition to the high cost of installation, however, such a system is not useable in areas without access to a cable system. Moreover, networks that are interconnected with cables are subject to physical disruption of the cables.
Recently, wireless networks have been developed. These networks, typically installed in a point-to-point loop configuration, are used to collect information from and to disseminate information to individual nodes of the network. In conventional wireless networks using a point-to-point loop configuration, each node in the network is interconnected and communicates with two neighboring nodes. Information or commands are passed from node to node around the point-to-point loop until they arrive at a master node. The master node is used to communicate information that is gathered to a central station or to accept and distribute information received from a central station throughout the network. These conventional wireless networks, however, have limitations. For example, because these conventional wireless networks generally have a point-to-point loop configuration, when one node is disabled, the integrity of the entire network can be affected. Moreover, if the master node of such a conventional network is disabled, the network can become isolated.
Other variations in methodology include using data channels in wireless telephone systems to transmit usage data to a remote billing system via a wireless telephone network, such as PCS, satellite, or cellular. Other methodologies also include the use of low earth orbiting satellites. Building, launching and maintaining a fleet of satellites, however, is very expensive.
Yet another methodology includes the use of small RF transmitters. Because systems having sufficient range normally are subject to regulations and licensing requirements that are prohibitively expensive, however, the centralized wireless control systems for locally distributed devices using RF transmitters have not been widely utilized. Also, systems that are sufficiently powerful to be used in widely distributed installations are unnecessarily expensive in smaller installations. Additionally, there is limited availability of RF carrier frequencies, and potential interference with other nearby systems that might be operational.
Further AMR servers have been developed, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,659 by Kelley et al. titled "Automated Meter Reading System," in attempts to address the metering data management needs of entities involved in energy distribution. Such AMR servers use an open, distributed architecture that collects, loads, and manages system-wide data collected from energy meters and routes data automatically to upstream business systems. Although such AMR servers may address some meter data management concerns, these systems still fail to address communication concerns set forth above with respect to collecting billing or usage data and transmitting the data to a control center, e.g., perhaps having an AMR server.

Automated meter reading system, communication and control network for automated meter reading, meter data collector, and associated methods


In the disclosed absorbent article, in a first region, a first elastic member extends linearly in the widthwise direction, in a second region, a second elastic member extends linearly in the widthwise direction, the elongational stress of the first elastic member is greater than the elongational stress of the second elastic member, and the length in the widthwise direction of the joining region that is of both the main body of an absorbent body and a chassis in the first region is configured in a manner so as to be shorter than the length in the widthwise direction of the joining region that is of both the main body of the absorbent body and the chassis in the second region.

Conventionally, there are known a chassis having a front waistline portion, a rear waistline portion, and a crotch portion, and an absorbent article having an absorbent body provided from the crotch portion across the front waistline portion and rear waistline portion.
In such an absorbent article, there is known a technique in which by changing a level of extension stress for each of several types of elastic members to be arranged in the waistline portion, pressure on a wearer due to a tightening force is prevented while maintaining a force exerted to keep wearing the absorbent article (for example, see Latent Literature 1).


A learning management system may be configured to retrieve roster data from a roster database and determine from the roster data whether a pilot has a scheduled downtime during a flight or a layover time before the flight. The system may further retrieve flight data associated with the flight from the learning management system and determine a training concept associated with the flight. The system may also select a training exercise from multiple training exercises, where the training exercise is associated with the training concept. A notification may be sent to an electronic device associated with the pilot, where the notification includes an offer to perform the training exercise.

Recent technology has provided new ways to illustrate or simulate training scenarios, facilitating new training methods, improving training quality and effectiveness, and ultimately reducing training costs. These advancements enable training material to be delivered online to trainees, such as pilots, and reduce the amount of time required in conventional training programs, especially for recurrent training needs such as ground-school training programs.
Existing approaches to recurrent flight crew training and evaluation may include computer-based training (CBT) (usually in the form of digital slide presentations), aircraft part-task simulators, aircraft fixed-base simulators, and highly sophisticated and realistic full-motion flight simulators.
CBT is effectively a medium for presenting manuals, checklists, and other paper-based information in a digital slide pack. It typically includes no simulation that would allow someone to interact with the aircraft systems. Training may be enhanced with part-task trainers that enable subjects to practice skills in the operation of specific flight deck systems, however, these part-task trainers fail to provide a full picture of how the aircraft functions in given scenarios and cannot realistically simulate interactions between highly coupled aircraft systems. Fixed-base and full-motion simulators are a good medium for practicing physical maneuvers. However, they cannot evaluate whether the flight crew possess the requisite competencies to manage unusual/non-normal situations. They also cannot predict whether the flight crew understands the underlying mechanics of how the aircraft functions. Such understanding is crucial for correct decision making to occur.
Further, in order to attend recurrent training ground school (RTGS), pilots are typically taken off flying duties to attend classes and simulator training for several days each year. For an airline with more than 4,200 pilots, for example, this training may cost upwards of $50 million each year.

Embedded training for commercial aviation


A method of forming an RRAM cell structure is provided. The method includes forming dummy features over a substrate, and the dummy features have a gap therebetween. The method also includes depositing an oxide layer over the dummy features while forming a first V-shaped valley on the oxide layer. The method further includes partially planarizing the oxide layer while leaving the first V-shaped valley. In addition, the method includes forming a first electrode over the oxide layer while forming a second V-shaped valley on the first electrode. The method further includes forming a resistance variable layer over the first electrode in a conformal manner. The method still includes forming a second electrode over the resistance variable layer.

There is a frequent demand for smaller devices with more memory. Some efforts have been initiated in using a resistance variable as a mechanism for creating more memory is less space. Resistive random access memory (RRAM) is a memory structure including an array of RRAM cells, each of which can change and maintain the value of its resistivity based on applied electrical conditions. Particularly, each of the RRAM cells includes a resistance variable layer, the resistance of which can be adjusted to represent logic "0" or logic "1".
From an application point of view, RRAM has many advantages. RRAM has a simple cell structure and CMOS logic compatible processes which result in a reduction of manufacturing complexity and cost in comparison with non-volatile memory structures. In addition, RRAM can be used in a lower power condition and has a faster timescale than other non-volatile memory structures.

Method for forming RRAM cell including V-shaped structure

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


There is disclosed a process for the electrodialysis of alkali sulfate-containing aqueous solutions in stages, by conducting these solutions through a plurality of electrodialytic cells operating in series. The electrodialytic cells include acid and base compartments and a cation exchange membrane. The alkali sulfate-containing aqueous solutions exclusively are conducted through acid compartments of the electrodialytic cells. The electrodialytic cells exclusively possess cation exchange membranes in their interiors and are delimited by bipolar ion exchange membranes.

Sulfate-containing aqueous solutions incur as waste products in the various chemical-industrial processes. Disposal of such solutions is necessary. At present, they usually are evaporated for this purpose, the salts being used in other applications, if possible, in the solid state after comprehensive purification and drying procedures.
With an environment-conscious process control, the chemical circulation ought to be closed by recycling the sulfates into the primary process. For instance, in the xanthogenate process, this would mean that the spent spin bath liquor must be re-processed to sulfuric acid and lye so as to be able to recycle the sulfuric acid to the preparation of fresh spin bath liquor and the lye to the production of xanthogenate.
Attempts have been made for years to develop an electrolytic process by which such processing is feasible in a cost-saving manner. In SU-A - 701 961, for instance, a process is described according to which the splitting of sulfate is effected by aid of a three-compartment electrodialyzer. That is an electrolytic apparatus subdivided into three compartments by an anion and a cation exchange membrane, in which Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 is electrolytically split into the splitting products H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 and NAOH, each in the form of an aqueous solution. The Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 solution is fed into the intermediate compartment and the more or less concentrated output solutions are drawn off the respective electrode space.
An electrodialyzer of similar structure is described in DE-A- 3 529 649, in which, however, no pure Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 solutions in water, but Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 and H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 -containing solutions, as they incur, e.g., in the viscose fiber industry, are electrolyzed. The Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 -containing solutions either are conducted in total into the intermediate compartment and from there into the anode compartment or are divided into two partial streams, which are fed into the two chambers simultaneously and then are united again.
However, the impurities contained in the spin bath liquor to be processed make both the membranes and the anodes last extremely short. Thus, for instance, the cathode-side membrane gets irreversibly damaged already within a few weeks due to a content of calcium ions that cannot be eliminated from the acidic solution by means of cation exchangers, which results not only in an increase in the voltage and a drop of the current efficiency, but also in a strongly growing permeability to sulfate ions.
Moreover, even the expensive electrocatalytic coating of the anode is attacked by a high concentration of organic impurities that cannot be removed to a sufficient extent, neither by commercially available activated carbons nor by adsorptive resins, which is reflected in an initially slow, then rapidly increasing rise in the voltage.
To electrolyze solutions containing Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 and alkaline earth ions, a process is known from EP-A 0 124 087, which is operated with a three-compartment cell consisting of two cation exchange membranes. In this electrolytical apparatus, the anode space is separated from the intermediate compartment by a cation exchange membrane and not by an anion exchange membrane as is the case with the above-described electrodialyzers. Electrodialysis is performed in a manner that the solution to be processed solely is fed into the anode chamber, while Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 solution free of alkaline earth ions is introduced into the intermediate chamber. However, because of the alkaline earth ions (mostly Ca.sup.2+ and Mg.sup.2+) containuously penetrating through the cation membrane from the anode side, the constant purification of this intermediate chamber solution, which serves as a buffer, is required. Such a purification step has proved rather expensive.
A special form of the electrodialysis of Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 solutions is described in EP-B - 0 096 239, according to which the water splitting basically required for salt splitting is effected not on electrodes, but on bipolar ion exchange membranes. These are laminates each comprised of a cation and an anion blocking layer, which allow for the progressive dissociation of water into H.sub.3 O.sup.+ and OH.sup.- ions in the electric field. Since this process does not involve the potential-consuming electrode procedures inherent in the simultaneous formation of H.sub.2 and O.sub.2, the bipolar membrane process is operated at a considerably lower current consumption than electrolysis.
In accordance with the mode of functioning of the bipolar membrane, the electrochemical cells are delimited by bipolar membranes instead of electrodes, the intermediate chamber, as in electrolysis, being subdivided into an acid, a base and, if desired, one or two salt compartments by at least one, if suitable, even two or three, ion exchange membranes.
A further development of the electrodialytical process described in the above-mentioned SU-A - 701 961 can be taken from SU-A - 916 601; yet, in order to achieve a better rate of decomposition of Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 into its decomposition products, five three-compartment electrodialyzers plus one two-compartment electrolyzer are connected in a manner so as to be consecutively passed by the electrolytic solutions, the Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 solution being conducted through the intermediate compartment of the electrodialyzers. Anion and cation exchange membranes are used as the membranes.
In addition to the desired increase in the decomposition rate from 40% with a single cell ) to 96-97%, also an increase in the current yield from 40-46% to 70% is automatically achieved.
All the electrodialytic processes known have the disadvantage that their current yield is relatively low and that damage to the membranes is frequent in the electrodialysis of alkali sulfate solutions containing alkaline earth ions, such as spent spin bath liquors from the xanthogenate process. Hence, the service lives of individual apparatus parts are undesiredly short.

Process and apparatus for electrodialysis of an alkali sulfate containing aqueous solution


The latching metallic piece (12) has a lever-like arm (20) that extends in the direction of receiving the flat-type cable C. The lever-like arm (20) has a latching claw (20A) at one end, a fulcrum section (22) at the middle point, and an extending section at the other end. A pressuring member (14) has a restricting section that does not contact with the extending section (20B) of the latching metallic piece (12) at the open position, and that prevents the displacement of the extending section at the closed position. When the pressuring member is at the open position, the lever-like arm (20) is in the state that it can be freely displaced so as to allow insertion/removal of the flat-type cable. When the pressuring member is at the closed position, the displacement of the lever-like arm relative to the latching section in the direction that increases the latching of the latching claw (20A) is prevented, and the displacement of the lever-like arm in the direction that reduces the latching is prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for a flat-type cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
For an electrical connector for a flat-type cable, such as a flat cable and a flexible circuit board, for example, a connector disclosed in Patent Reference 1 is known. In the connector of Patent Reference 1, a plurality of terminals formed by punching a metal sheet is arranged such that the sheet surfaces are parallel to each other. A latching metallic piece 20 having similar shape to that of the terminals as shown in the accompanying drawing, FIG. 3(A), is provided at the both ends of the arrangement.
As shown in the figure, each latching metallic piece 50 has generally H-shape, and has an upper arm 51 and a lower arm 52, which are connected by a connecting section 53. The upper arm 51 has flexibility to displace upward/downward, while the connecting section 53 works as the fulcrum, and has a latching claw 51A at its front end, and a pressuring section 51B at its rear end. When the latching metallic pieces 50 are inserted from the rear side (right side in the figure) to corresponding slits of the housing 54, each lower arm 52 is securely held by the housing 54. To secure this holding, each lower arm has latching protrusions 52A.
A cam section 56 having an oval surface is formed at each pressuring member 55 and located between the rear ends of the upper arm 51 and the lower arm 52, and contacts with the inner edges of those arms. Each pressuring member 55 makes rotational movement between the open position illustrated in FIG. 3(A) and the closed position illustrated in FIG. 3(B), having the cam section 56 as the center of the rotation. In this connector, terminals which are not illustrated in the figures have generally similar shape as that of the latching metallic pieces. In addition, each pressuring member has a cam section, which is similar to the cam section 56, for the terminals.
When the pressuring member is at the open position as illustrated in FIG. 3(A), the cam section is horizontally long, but once the flat-type cable F is inserted from the left side, the cable contacts with the contact section which is at the left end of the terminal, and then moves to a specified inserting position, while lifting the contact section. When each pressuring member is rotated to the closed position as illustrated in FIG. 3(B), and the cam section is moved and turned to be vertically long, the cam section 56 displaces so as to lift the right end of the upper arm of each terminal. The cam section that corresponds to each terminal also similarly displaces. As a result, since the cable does not have a latching hole to receive the left end of the upper arm of each terminal, the left end of the upper arm works like a lever and is deformed downward so as to increase the contact pressure to the cable.
As shown in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B), the flat-type cable F has latching holes F1 for the latching claws 51A to latch on, corresponding to the positions of the latching metallic pieces 50 that are provided at the both ends of the arrangement of the terminals. Similarly to the terminals, when the pressuring member 55 is at the open position as illustrated in FIG. 3(A), the cable can be easily inserted. Once it is inserted to a specified position, each latching claw 51A is latched onto the latching hole F1 of the cable F. Then, similarly to the terminals, once the pressuring member 55 is moved to the closed position of FIG. 3(B), the right end of each upper arm 51 is lifted by the cam section 56. Accordingly, the latching claw 51A displaces further downward, and the latching is increased. When the connector is in use, the right end of each upper arm 51 is lifted by the cam section.
[Patent Reference 1] Japan Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2005-078908
In the connector of Patent Reference 1, once the pressuring member is brought to the closed position, each latching claw is securely latched onto the latching hole, so that coming off of the cable is effectively prevented. However, the upper arm 51 of each latching metallic piece 50 always receives a force from the cam section when the pressuring member 55 is at the closed position. When the connector is in use, the pressuring member is at the closed position, and the length of time when it is at the closed position is extremely long. Therefore, the upper arms receive a force for long period of time, and can be damaged by fatigue due to the inner stress.
The connecting section 53 of each latching metallic piece 50 is formed relatively thin and long so as to be flexibly displaced. When each latching metallic piece 50 latches on, stress is applied to the connecting section 53. If a force such as a force to forcibly remove FPC is further applied under such condition, the connecting section may be plastically deformed receiving even more stress.

Electrical connector for a flat-type cable


A wireless communication device capable of restraining dispersion of a propagation environment index and thereby improving throughput. A reception controller receives a pilot signal, measures a propagation environment and detects a phase change of the pilot signal. A moving average processor obtains a moving average of propagation environment values. An index function setter generates a propagation environment index function indicative of the correspondence between the propagation environment value and a propagation environment index which is a propagation environment quality index. When the detected phase change is greater than a threshold, a slope corrector corrects the slope of the propagation environment index function by using the moving average as a reference point, and a propagation environment index transmitter obtains a propagation environment index corresponding to the measured propagation environment value by using the propagation environment index function whose slope has been corrected, and transmits the obtained index to a base station.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communication devices and methods of restraining dispersion of a propagation environment index. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wireless communication device for performing wireless communication such as W-CDMA (Wideband-Code Division Multiple Access) communication and a method of restraining dispersion of a propagation environment index used in such wireless communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, what is called HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), which is a wireless communication scheme based on the W-CDMA technology, has been actively researched and developed. HSDPA provides high-speed downlink packet transmission at a maximum of 14.4 Mbps (on average, 2 to 3 Mbps), which is three to four times faster than the downlink transmission rate of existing W-CDMA systems, and is standardized by the 3GPP Release 5 (3rd Generation Partnership Project Release 5).
FIG. 11 illustrates an overview of HSDPA. Mobile phones 111 to 113 and notebook computers 114 and 115 exist in the cell 100a of a base station 100. As illustrated, downlink packet transmission from the base station 100 to the mobile phone 111 and the notebook computer 114 is carried out according to the conventional W-CDMA scheme, while downlink packet transmission from the base station 100 to the mobile phones 112 and 113 and the notebook computer 115 is performed according to the HSDPA scheme.
In W-CDMA, packets are transmitted from the base station 100 at a uniform rate (maximum: 384 Kbps) regardless of where in the cell 100a the mobile phone 111 and the notebook computer 114 are located.
On the other hand, in HSDPA, the current radio wave reception states of individual terminals are detected and modulation schemes are switched so that the fastest modulation scheme may be selected. Accordingly, even though the terminals are located in the same cell 100a, available downlink transmission rates differ depending on the receiving conditions such as the distance from the base station.
For example, if the mobile phone 112 and the notebook computer 115 are located near the base station 100 and are in good receiving conditions without any obstacle therebetween, the mobile phone 112 and the notebook computer 115 can receive data at a maximum rate of 14.4 Mbps. On the other hand, if the mobile phone 113 is located near the border of the cell 100a far away from the base station 100 and is in bad receiving conditions, the mobile phone 113 receives data at a lower rate than 14.4 Mbps.
Thus, in HSDPA, adaptive modulation and coding process is carried out in accordance with the receiving conditions such that the downlink transmission rate is optimized. Specifically, the modulation scheme is switched between QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying: a modulation scheme in which only the phase of the carrier wave is changed to four states to transmit 2-bit information per symbol) used in the existing W-CDMA systems and 16 QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation: a modulation scheme in which the phase and amplitude of the carrier wave are changed to create 16 states, thereby transmitting 4-bit information per symbol).
In addition to the switching of modulation schemes, a channel format (number of codes allocated, etc.) for transferring data to mobile terminals is also adaptively set in accordance with the receiving conditions. Thus, HSDPA permits high-speed downlink packet transmission as stated above and is expected to become a promising technique enabling high-speed mobile communication services.
As conventional techniques for HSDPA, there has been proposed a technique in which a temporal fluctuation characteristic of the reception quality of a mobile station is estimated and a target error rate is switched in accordance with the estimated temporal fluctuation characteristic so that the highest possible throughput may be obtained (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-86304 (paragraph nos. [0025] to [0029], FIG. 1)).
Meanwhile, a base station for HSDPA carries out scheduling in accordance with radio wave receiving conditions, to select users to whom information is to be preferentially transmitted or to switch the modulation scheme or the channel format.
To perform the scheduling, the base station sends out a pilot signal with a certain carrier frequency, and mobile terminals present in the cell, such as mobile phones, receive the pilot signal.
When the pilot signal is received, each mobile terminal measures the current propagation environment and notifies the base station of a propagation environment index corresponding to the measured propagation environment. The base station transmits traffic data preferentially to mobile terminals in good propagation environments or selects suitable modulation schemes or channel formats.
Specifically, the propagation environment index denotes a CQI (Channel Quality Indicator) which is obtained by converting the SIR (Signal-to-Interference Ratio) of the pilot signal to one of 30 index values from "1" to "30" (indicative of the receive field strength). The CQI value "1" indicates the smallest SIR and thus the lowest receive level, and the CQI value "30" indicates the largest SIR and thus the highest receive level.
FIG. 12 illustrates a process flow from the reception of the pilot signal by a mobile terminal to the transfer of data from the base station.
S11: The base station transmits the pilot signal (CPICH: Common Pilot Channel).
S12: The mobile terminal receives the CPICH, then obtains a CQI of its own, and sends the obtained CQI back to the base station. When transmitting the CQI information to the base station, the mobile terminal uses a radio channel called DPCCH (Dedicated Physical Control Channel).
S13: The base station performs the scheduling in accordance with the received CQI.
S14: The base station sends control information obtained as a result of the scheduling, to the selected mobile terminal. When transmitting the control information to the mobile terminal, the base station uses a radio channel called SCCH (Shared Control Channel).
S15: In accordance with the received control information, the mobile terminal switches its transmit/receive function.
S16: Using the communication service set by the scheduling, the base station transmits data to the corresponding mobile terminal. In this case, the data is sent to the mobile terminal via a radio channel called PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel).
Since the mobile terminal is required to set its transmit/receive function after receiving the control information including the scheduling results, the base station sends the PDSCH after a lapse of a fixed time from the transmission of the control information so that the mobile terminal may be prepared for the reception of data.
FIG. 13 illustrates allocation of the PDSCH to mobile terminals. To allocate the PDSCH to mobile terminals, the base station divides the PDSCH into time slots so that one time slot (2 ms) may be used by a single mobile terminal or shared by two or more mobile terminals.
Also, each cell has a plurality of PDSCH channels, and in the case of HSDPA, there are 15 channels separated in the direction of spreading code (the 15 channels are distinguished from one another by their spreading codes). Thus, in the case of downlink data transmission, the PDSCH is shared in such a manner that the time slots arrayed in both the direction of time and the direction of spreading code are allocated to mobile terminals.
For example, where the time slots t1 of the PDSCH are used to carry data and a certain mobile terminal with high priority is selected by the scheduling, the time slot t1 of the PDSCH channel CH1 only or the time slots t1 of all the 15 PDSCH channels CH1 to CH15 are used to transfer the data to the selected mobile terminal (the scheduling also determines which and how many time slots to use and how many PDSCH channels to use).
In the aforementioned manner, the mobile terminal measures the CQI and transmits the measured CQI to the base station, which then carries out scheduling on the basis of the received CQI so that the scheduling results may be reflected in the data transmission from the base station to the mobile terminal via the PDSCH. The conventional HSDPA communication is, however, associated with the problem that the downlink throughput lowers if the accuracy in the CQI measurement by the mobile terminal is low.
While the mobile terminal remains stationary or is moving at low speeds, variation (dispersion) in the measured CQI value is small, but when the mobile terminal is moving at high speeds, the dispersion of the CQI is significantly great because of channel variation and the like attributable to fading (phenomenon wherein the radio wave receive level fluctuates with movement of the terminal or with time).
FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram of CQI dispersion characteristic, wherein the horizontal axis indicates the CQI and the vertical axis indicates the frequency (%) of occurrence of identical CQI. It is assumed here that an ideal CQI measured by the mobile terminal in a certain environment is "a" (1≦a≦30).
While the mobile terminal in the environment wherein the CQI is equal to "a" remains stationary or is moving at low speeds, the measured CQI shows a dispersion characteristic curve K1, indicating that the most frequently measured CQI is "a" and that the dispersion has a narrow width with respect to "a". In contrast, when the mobile terminal is moving at high speeds, the measured CQI shows a dispersion characteristic curve K2, which indicates that the CQI value "a" is measured less frequently and that the dispersion has a greater width with respect to "a".
Specifically, where the CQI is measured a plurality of times while the mobile terminal remains stationary or is moving at low speeds, an identical CQI value (in this case, "a") is measured most frequently and other measured values, though not identical with "a", are close to "a" (the ideal value "a" is measured on most occasions).
On the other hand, where the CQI is measured a plurality of times while the mobile terminal is moving at high speeds, an identical CQI value ("a") is measured less frequently and also the measured CQI values vary significantly (CQI values greatly different from the ideal value "a" are frequently measured).
Thus, while the mobile terminal remains stationary or is moving at low speeds, the ideal CQI (=a) matching the actual receiving environment is measured on most occasions, and therefore, lowering of the throughput does not occur. Even if CQI values different from the value "a" are measured, the measured CQI values are very close to the ideal value "a". Accordingly, such slightly different CQI values do not require the base station to greatly change the scheduling results to be reflected in the PDSCH, and a situation where the throughput significantly lowers does not occur.
While the mobile terminal is moving at high speeds, on the other hand, the throughput significantly lowers. Let us suppose that the CQI value "a1", for example, which is significantly smaller than the ideal value "a" as shown in FIG. 14, is measured and transmitted to the base station for the scheduling.
In this case, even though the actual receiving environment of the mobile terminal satisfies CQI=a and thus is better than the measured environment ("a1"), the base station performs the scheduling on the basis of the measured environment worse than the actual receiving environment of the mobile terminal. As a result, the base station sets a smaller PDSCH format for transferring data, so that the throughput significantly lowers.
Setting a smaller PDSCH format means decreasing the amount of data transferred. For example, in FIG. 13, when CQI=a, data is forwarded by using the time slots t1 and t2 of the ten PDSCH channels CH1 to CH10, and when CQI=a1, data is transferred by using the time slots t1 and t2 of the PDSCH channels CH1 to CH5 or by using only the time slots t1 of the PDSCH channels CH1 to CH10. Consequently, the throughput lowers because the amount of data forwarded from the base station is smaller than that which the mobile terminal can actually receive.
Let us suppose now that while the mobile terminal is moving at high speeds, the CQI value "a2", for example, which is significantly greater than the ideal value "a" as shown in FIG. 14, is measured and transmitted to the base station for the scheduling.
In this case, although the actual receiving environment of the mobile terminal just fulfills CQI=a and thus is worse than the measured environment ("a2"), the base station performs the scheduling on the basis of the measured environment better than the actual receiving environment of the mobile terminal. Consequently, the base station sets a larger PDSCH format for transferring data, and since retransmission frequently occurs as a result, the throughput significantly lowers.
Setting a larger PDSCH format means increasing the amount of data transferred. For example, in FIG. 13, when CQI=a, data is forwarded by using the time slots t1 and t2 of the ten PDSCH channels CH1 to CH10, and when CQI=a2, data is transferred by using the time slots t1 and t2 of all the 15 PDSCH channels CH1 to CH15 or by using the time slots t1, t2 and t3 of the PDSCH channels CH1 to CH10.
Consequently, the amount of data forwarded from the base station is greater than that which the mobile terminal can actually receive. Since the error rate of the mobile terminal increases, the mobile terminal frequently requests retransmission, with the result that the throughput lowers.
As explained above, the conventional HSDPA communication takes no account of the CQI measurement accuracy of mobile terminals. Accordingly, data transfer control not matching the actual receiving environment is often carried out, giving rise to a problem that the throughput lowers.

Wireless communication device and method of restraining dispersion of propagation environment index


Disclosed are an Fe—Au barcode type nanowire and a method of manufacturing the same. The nanowire has a magnetic-optical multifunction and is suitable for adjusting magnetic intensity thereof. The Fe—Au nanowire has a multilayered structure, in which an iron layer and a gold layer are alternately and repeatedly formed, and is formed in a single plating bath through a pulse electro-deposition.

The present invention relates to a barcode nanowire and a method of manufacturing the same.
Metal nanopartieles are extensively applied to various fields, such as microelectronics, a light quantum technology, a catalyst reaction, a biotechnology, etc. Recently, various studies have been conducted in fields of a high density magnetoresistance memory and a giant magnetoresistance sensor to provide a method of synthesizing a nanowire using a nanotemplate because a size, a shape and crystallinity of a nanowire structure can be adjusted by using a nanotemplate structure. In addition to these studies, a multi-layer nanowire structure has been suggested not only to utilize inherent property of each layer, but also to create new applications through a synergy effect among the layers having different roles.
Especially, in a biotechnology field, studies based on Au, that is, studies for providing functions to an Au-based structure have been extensively conducted. In particular, since Au represents unique optical and chemical properties, studies have been performed to utilize Au in various medical applications, such as a high sensitivity-diagnostic analysis, an imaging and a medical treatment using the photonics, deliveries of drug and gene, a thermal ablation and a radiotherapy. A functional Au coating may provide a surface where nanoparticles can be provided together with a bio-marker or a bio-linker that is attachable to the Au surface.
Meanwhile, Fe has an advantage in terms of magnetic property. Especially, studies have been widely performed to control a movement of a nanostructure using the magnetic property in various fields including a contrast media of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), additives to a hyperthermia, a chemotherapy and a radiotherapy for malignant cells, a cell membrane control, a magnetic separation, a cell arrangement, a tracking of paths for a labeled cell and other biological material, a drug delivery, drugs applied to a specific region, a genetic treatment and a nuclear treatment, a nanoprobe and a bio-sensor that are regarded as potential life science applications and potential medicine applications.
The nanowire having the multi-layer structure has various advantages suitable for conditions (Au layer to provide functionality and Fe layer to provide magnetic property) required for the biotechnology in addition to a basic property of the nanowire obtained by synthesizing materials having biocompatibility. The synthesized nanowire is applicable for fields where the property of each material is utilized and may create new markets based on the synergy effect of the materials having various properties.
However, although the studies relating to a multi-layered nanostructure and a barcode nanowire have been extensively performed, a study for a nanowire having the biocompatibility and a magnetic-optical multifunction has not been performed yet. Especially, the size of the nanostructure is an important factor in the biomedical applications, so that the size of the nanostructure must be adjusted corresponding to a cell (10-100 μm), a virus (20-450 nm), a protein (5-50 nm), and a gene (width of 2 nm and length of 10-100 nm). Accordingly, it is necessary to perform a study to provide a barcode type biocompatible nanowire satisfying the above requirements.

Iron-gold barcode nanowire and manufacturing method thereof

KOREA UNIVERSITY, INDUSTRY & ACADEMY COLLABORATION FOUNDATION OF KOREA UNIVERSITY, INDUSTRY & ACADEMY COLLABORATION FOUNDATION


A permanent magnet canned motor pump features in its corrosion-protection housing which comprises a reinforced bracket, motor casing and a motor rear casing. The reinforced bracket is made of corrosion-resistance plastic and the motor casing and the motor rear casing are made of aluminum alloy. Accordingly, the corrosion-protection housing is capable of preventing the corrosion of the chemical liquid to the aluminum alloy components. Beside, the permanent magnet canned motor pump provides a heat dissipation mechanism while meeting the structural need of the corrosion-protection housing, so that the motor can dissipate heat in a sufficient rate.

1. Technical Field
One of the sealless pumps is the permanent magnet canned motor pump, a device in which motor and pump are integrated as a complete unit, and an windings stator is isolated by corrosion-resistance containment shell, and an encapsulated inner rotor is directly in contact with the liquid to be transferred; another one is the magnetic pump driven by an induction motor, the sealless function is using a magnetic coupling to replace a mechanical seal; therefore, the sealless pump could meet the zero leakage requirement in industries, especially in high temperature, toxic, flammable and corrosive liquid transferred application. The invention focuses on a permanent magnet canned motor pump with a corrosion-protection housing, the corrosion-protection housing is comprised of an aluminum alloy motor casing, an aluminum alloy motor rear casing and a corrosion resistance plastic reinforced bracket, therefore, it will not damage the parts of the pump, even if there are some external chemical droplets dropping on the corrosion-protection housing, such as chemical liquid in the PCB manufacturing processes. The invention is also good for using in the filter tank system, the permanent magnet canned motor pump is installed under the filter tank, and is used to pressurize chemical liquid, so that while the filter is replaced, the problem of chemical liquid dropping on and corroding components of the motor of the pump is prevented. The plastic reinforced bracket is fixed on the pump casing of the pump, and thus keeping zero leakage on the sealing surface. Owing to the plastic reinforced bracket, the heat dissipating capacity of the outer surface of the aluminum alloy motor casing is limited. Accordingly, another object of the invention is providing a new heat dissipation mechanism to dissipate the heat generated by the motor at a sufficient rate.
2. Related Art
The permanent magnet canned pump is a device that integrates a motor and a pump, in tradition the permanent magnet canned pump has an outer shell comprised of an aluminum alloy motor casing with windings stator and an aluminum alloy motor rear casing, thereafter, called motor casing and motor rear casing respectively. Those components of the outer shell have cooling fins for providing sufficient heat dissipation capability, and with corrosion resistance material coating, (e.g. fluor-resin) for the operation in the environment in which corrosive drops may drop on. However, the performance of this solution for long term operation cannot resist corrosion well. Specifically, in the filter tank system used for filtering the chemical liquid, when the permanent magnet canned motor pump is installed under the tank used to pump chemical liquid, after a period of operation the cartridge filter inside the tank needed to take out and change the new, at this condition some chemical droplets may directly drop on the outer shell. And the capability of the outer shell for resisting the corrosive chemical liquid should be improved. One solution for improving the ability of the outer shell for resisting the corrosive liquid is that a motor guard made of corrosion-resistance plastic is placed on the permanent magnet canned motor pump. However, the motor guard is confined by the arrangement of the pipe lines, for example, the length of the motor guard is short and limited, and therefore, the metal parts exposed from the motor guard will suffer from the corrosion droplets of the chemical liquid.
The invention is focused on a corrosion-protection housing of the permanent magnet canned pump, in which the corrosion resistance plastic reinforced bracket protects an aluminum alloy motor casing, an aluminum alloy motor rear casing. In addition, the invention also provides a new heat dissipation mechanism for sufficiently dissipating heat that generated by the motor.
The followings are a conventional permanent magnet canned motor pump and a conventional magnetic drive pump, and none of them provide any effective solution to the chemical liquid droplet corrosion.
Taiwan Patent No. TWM369391 (hereinafter referred to as '391) which is issued in 2009 discloses an improved permanent magnet canned motor pump capable of operating at high temperature and resisting chemical corrosion.
This solution is focused on the shaft stiffness improvement of the pump, one of the features is a high stiffness cantilever stationary shaft of the motor, and the motor with a radial magnetic gap, too. Owing to the application, the encapsulation thickness in the '391 a 3 mm corrosion tolerance must be considered. That is the total width of the magnetic gap is at least 8 mm. The rigid composite stationary shaft is used to satisfy the working conditions are high temperature and high power requirements. The '391 shows that the structure of the permanent magnet canned motor pump of '391 is more concise than magnetic drive pump, since a magnetic coupler and an induction motor are replaced by a canned motor. As a result, the permanent magnet canned motor pump is more suitable for being installed in equipment which the size is limited. However, the '391 does not provide any solution to the problem of the corrosion caused by the dropped corrosive chemical liquid.
Another solution for the conventional filter tank system, please refer to FIG. 1, which is used for manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCB). The filter tank system 1 consists of a magnetic drive pump 12, a main frame 114 and a filter chamber 113. The magnetic drive pump 12 is assembled to the main frame 114, an inlet pipe 121 is connected to a tank of a PCB manufacture device, wherein the tank is used to contain chemical liquid; an outlet pipe 122 is connected to an inlet of the filter chamber 113 for outputting the pressured chemical liquid to the filter chamber 113. After passing through the filter, the chemical liquid flows back to the tank of the PCB manufacture device through the outlet 116. However, after a period of time, the filters in the filter chamber 113 need to be replaced by opening a top cover 115 of the filter chamber 115, and taking out the blockage filter, the chemical liquid droplets may drop out from the surface of the blockage filter. In order to prevent the chemical liquid from dropping onto the magnetic drive pump 12, a motor guard 123 is used. In practice, the main frame 114 has a limit in height, and the height of the outlet 116 must be matched up to the height of an inlet pipe of the tank of the PCB manufacture device. As a result, the motor guard 123 can not completely cover all metal components of the magnetic drive pump 12, for example, the bracket 124 in FIG. 1 is made of cast iron, and the motor guard 123 interferes with the tank exit 116 in height. Therefore, chemical liquid may drop onto and then corrode the bracket.
In view of the above, it is learned that the permanent magnet canned motor pump with the size of inlet and outlet of the pump meets a standard, it will have shorten the longitudinal length than the magnetic pump, and with this feature is easier installed inside the manufacture device. Besides, the area onto which chemical liquid may drop is reduced as well. However, demand for preventing the corrosion caused by the chemical liquid remains because the problem of the dropping chemical liquid can only be improved but can not be rooted out, furthermore, operator's oversight which causes the chemical liquid to drop out is unpredictable. Accordingly, the inventors recognize following problems needed to be overcome.
Problem 1: the heat dissipation of the motor.
Although the reinforced bracket made of corrosion resistance plastic can prevent the problem of the corrosion caused by the chemical liquid, the reinforced bracket also causes difficulties in arranging the cooling fins of the outer shell. Accordingly, a new heat dissipation mechanism for the motor is needed. The permanent magnet motor featuring in the high efficiency, which is higher than IE3 efficiency class of IEC60034-30 standard, can bring about dramatic reduction in the loading of heat dissipation, but the problem still remains.
Problem 2: the permeation of the chemical liquid.
The aluminum alloy motor casing of the '391 is connected to the pump casing and presses against the flange of the containment shell for preventing the leakage of the chemical liquid. However, the chemical liquid drops on the motor casing may permeate through the thread of the screw bolt into the tapped hole of the front flange of the motor casing. After that, the chemical liquid in the tapped hole may corrode and penetrate the aluminum alloy motor casing, and then the windings stator may be corroded.
The improvement of the invention can prevent middle-size and small-size permanent magnet canned motor pumps from the problem of corrosion of the dropping chemical liquid with reasonable cost. And the problem of the heat dissipation is overcome as well due to the improvement. As a result, the permanent magnet canned motor pump of the invention is more suitable for being assembled in manufacture device with confined interior space.

Permanent magnet canned motor pump with corrosion-protection housing


A system for winding a cross-wound bobbin has a rotatably supported tube holder that is intended to receive a tube. The yarn guide element that serves the purpose of shogging the yarn moves in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the tube and is made to execute the oscillating reciprocating motion with the aid of a work cylinder. The work cylinder has the advantage that for braking the kinetic energy at the turning point of the yarn guide element, no additional external energy must be applied. It suffices for the applicable cylindrical chamber to be blocked off. Moreover, the gas compressed in the process can be used to accelerate the piston in the opposite direction. The stored braking energy also can be used simultaneously as acceleration energy. Since in the creation of a cross-wound bobbin many thousand such changes of direction occur, the energy savings are substantial.

In the production of yarn, the resultant yarn, in ring spinning, is first wound up in the form of cops. These are small bobbins with a relatively small quantity of yarn. The cops are not suitable for paying out the yarn directly to a yarn-using machine, such as a loom. For that purpose, the yarn must be rewound into a cross-wound bobbin from which the yarn can be drawn off overhead. Drawing the yarn off overhead is necessary since only that assures a high yarn draw-off speed with starting and stopping.
German Patent Disclosure DE 121 963 discloses a bobbin winding system that is suitable for creating cross-wound bobbins. For that purpose, the system has a rotatably supported tube holder onto which the tubes on which the cross winding is created are slipped. For driving the tube or the cross winding formed on it, a roller or cylinder is provided that is oriented axially parallel to the axis of rotation of the tube holder. It is held in contact by frictional engagement with the outside of the particular cross winding formed. To make shogging or movement of the incoming yarn possible, a yarn guide element is provided which can be displaced parallel to the axis of rotation of the tube. The yarn guide element is seated on a cable that travels around three rollers. One of the rollers is driven, while the yarn guide element is moved back and forth between the other two rollers. By means of a microprocessor controller, which with a sensor detects the rpm of the tube holder, the drive motor is controlled such that the desired cross winding is created.
A high edge buildup on the face ends is intended to be avoided by suitable control of the motor and thus of the shogging stroke. The arrangement also is intended to prevent ribbon windings. In ribbon windings, the yarns in the next winding plus one, with the same winding direction, would rest directly on top of one another.
However, it has been demonstrated that the known arrangement requires considerable energy. At the end of the shogging stroke, the motor must be braked, and with the reversed direction of rotation it must be accelerated, leading to increased current consumption.

DITF Deutsche Institute fur Textil- under Faserforschung


A location based communications system uses a physical location system (PLS) or relative position system to determine a communication unit's location in two or three dimensions, and is configured for radiotelephonic calls through intermediary communications satellite systems, cellular systems or other mobile systems and land line systems, based on the location G# of the called telephone or on a caller-defined estimated area or space termed a G zone number GZ# surrounding the desired callee. The system is particularly advantageous for mobile communications, and may be interfaced with conventional stationary telephones, cellular phones and other communications devices. Multiple telephone units may be simultaneously contacted with messages in user-defined languages. Emergency features enable the location based communication system to locate and notify the nearest and/or best equipped party for assistance in the event of an emergency, issue warnings to all phones in a specific area of any size, calculate vehicle velocities and control traffic.

A variety of wireless communications systems are used to provide voice and data transmission to and from subscriber telephonic units within a prescribed geographic area. Analog cellular systems such as those designated as AMPS, ETACS, MMT-450 and MMT-900 have been deployed throughout the world. Subsequently, digital cellular systems have become common, and include the so-called personal communications system (PCS) including those denoted as IS-95m OCS-1900, PACS, DCS-1800, DECT, PHS and other names. PCS systems generally utilize a radio frequency band of about 2 gigahertz (Ghz) for both voice and data transmission.
In a conventional terrestrial wireless communication system, wireless mobile terminals, i.e. cellular phones may communicate with a plurality of cells served by base stations and a mobile telephone switching office. Communication is enabled between mobile telephones and between a mobile telephone and a land line terminal, e.g. conventional telephone or computer.
Celestial wireless communications systems are known, and comprise typically a plurality of earth satellites that serve as transponders or relays for radio communications between earth stations and wireless satellite mobile terminals. Such cellular systems may utilize a single antenna beam covering the entire area served by the system, or alternatively, the system may produce multiple beams (with minimal overlap), each beam serving a distinct geographic coverage area within the service region. Thus, a satellite and beam coverage serve the same purpose as a base station and a cell of a non-satellite cellular communications system.
Various systems for locating one's earth position are in place including the well-known Global Positioning Satellite System (GPS). In this application, electronic position locating systems will be referred to generically as physical location systems (PLS) of which GPS is one version.
Various methods and apparatus for integrating a physical location system (PLS) such as a global position satellite system (GPS) with a satellite communications system are described in the patent literature, as noted below.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,623 of Wiedeman et al., a satellite communications system is disclosed having a network of gateways which interface with a terrestrial communications system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,618 of Agre et al., describes a mobile telephone system employing a fleet of communications satellites and a set of gateway ground stations arranged around the globe for handling communications to and from mobile subscriber units. The location of a mobile unit is determined using a GPS satellite system, and the mobile unit transmits the location to a gateway. The disclosure presents methods for selecting which service provider will handle a call made by a mobile unit, and ways for directing emergency calls to the proper authorities. In addition, methods for handling a mobile unit call to a nearby phone which is far distant from the calling unit's home area are disclosed, wherein the call is handled as a local call irrespective of whether a long distance area code or trans-country prefix is dialed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,041 of Bradley et al. discloses a satellite phone for direct communication with a communications satellite system. The phone may be stationary or mobile, and generates a highly directed antenna beam which is continuously controlled regardless of the position of the phone, using GPS determined coordinates of both the phone and a communications satellite.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,514 of Lemelson et al., a system is described for monitoring a person's location. A few standardized warning messages may be transmitted to the person, and a few emergency messages may be transmitted from the person's unit to a command center. The person's location is calculated from GPS signals, and the communications are transmitted via a terrestrial cellular system or via communication satellites.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,222 of Horton et al. describes a wireless mobile terminal having a communication transceiver and a GPS transceiver. The two transceivers share a common frequency reference signal which is used for signal demodulation and processing. The reference indicates utility in an advanced "911" system whereby an emergency call by e.g. an accident victim would include the GPS location of the victim. It is also indicated that radio communications from a communications satellite could be highly directed (in "pencil beams") if the mobile terminal's location is accurately known. This would save considerable transmission energy.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,336 of Krasner, a GPS receiver having a communications link is described. A precision carrier frequency is used to calibrate the local oscillator such that its output is modified by a reference signal generated from the precision carrier frequency signal. More particularly, satellite almanac data are transmitted to a remote GPS receiver unit from a base station. The remote GPS receiver unit uses the almanac data to determine approximate Doppler data for the satellite in the "view" of the receiver unit.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,561 of Alanara et al., a mobile station within the geographic limits of a "cell" receives a signal from the cellular base station indicating the location of the base station. The location data are stored in the mobile station and transmitted in calls made therefrom.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,363 of Krasner, a cellular mobile unit is disclosed which has a GPS receiver for determination of the unit's location. The circuitry for GPS receiving/calculating operations and cellular communications operations are shared, requiring that both operations cannot be used simultaneously.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,092 of Kato et al. describes a navigation system for vehicles wherein direction of movement (heading) is calculated using a geomagnetic sensor, steering sensor, gyro, or the like. The heading data is combined with GPS position data to determine the route and velocity of a vehicle.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,257 of Boling et al., a "panic button" cell phone may be activated to receive GPS signals and calculate its position. The phone may be used to call to an emergency response center (ERC) which is given the phone's position. In addition to a sound alarm, a low-range radio may be used to activate a household alarm system.
A cellular communications device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,082 of Enmei in which its position is calculated from GPS signals, and transmitted in communications (voice, facsimile and data) made from the device.
In the current state of the art, each cellular telephone unit has a unique identification code. Radio signals (initiated by other units) which present that code will initiate a response from the called unit, as long as the called unit is "switched ON" and is within radio range to receive the radio signals. Cellular telephone communication with ships at sea is non-existent unless the ship is in port or near land having a nearby cellular tower.
Currently, radio communications at sea require a person to maintain a radio ON and listen to various parties communicating on the same channel. In proper use, the radio must be kept ON and audible. Because it is tiresome to continuously listen to conversation which is not specific to the listener's vessel, radios are generally ignored, and often are turned OFF. Thus, a call from another vessel is unsuccessful. Often, distress (SOS) transmissions from nearby ships or boats are missed, and the vessel passes the troubled ship without any knowledge of the emergency situation. Plans are underway to abandon the present maritime communications system in the near future because of these and other inherent problems. In a proposed system, a ship in trouble may dial a sighted vessel (if its "telephone" number is known), and an emergency button may be activated to radio-transmit the GPS position of the calling "phone" and a MayDay Message to the sighted vessel. Only short range "line-of-sight"VHF radio is in view, and the phone number of the rescue vessel must be known. Thus, a satisfactory and comprehensive communications system for providing enhanced safety considerations has not yet been announced.


An adjustable light beam device for an aimable vehicle lamp assembly is provided. The adjustable light beam device includes a lamp housing having a channel member with an outer portion and an inner portion. A tube component is positioned within the interior portion of the channel member. The tube component is adjustably movable along the inner portion of the channel member.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to vehicle lamp assemblies, and in particular, to vehicle lamp assemblies that are aimable to position a lamp which provides illumination in a designated area.
2. Background Art
Automotive vehicles use fixed and aimable lamp assemblies to provide light within the interior of a vehicle. Conventional aimable lamps have employed a trim bezel assembly which has been used to contain movement of components housing an interior lamp or light source. Other lamp assemblies turn a lens about a fixed light source to aim light coming from the light source. Such conventional assemblies often require a significant number of components resulting in increased packaging space requirements and increased costs. Additionally, conventional lamp assemblies have housing members positioned at fixed locations relative to a light source thereby limiting the ability to adjust the width of a light beam emanating from the light source through an opening of the housing.

Adjustable light beam device for aimable vehicle lamp assembly and method


The present invention provides compounds represented by general formula (I):

Sympathetic β-adrenoceptors have been classified into β1-, β2- and β3-subtypes. The β-adrenoceptors are each distributed in specific tissues and have different functions.
β1-adrenoceptors are located predominantly on the heart, and stimulation of β1-adrenoceptors invokes increases in heart rate and potentiation of cardiac contractility. β2-adrenoceptors are found abundantly on smooth muscles of blood vessels, bronchi and the uterus, and stimulation of β2-adrenoceptors leads to vasodilation, bronchodilation and inhibition of uterine contraction. A variety of β1- and β2-adrenoceptor stimulants have been developed so far and utilized as cardiotonics, bronchodilators, prophylactic agents for threatened abortion or premature labor and the like.
It has been reported that β3-adrenoceptors are located in adipocytes, the brain, gall bladder, prostate, urinary bladder, intestinal tract and the like (see nonpatent literatures 1, 2, 3 and 4), and stimulation of β3-adrenoceptors promotes lipolysis, increased thermogenesis, hypoglycemic activities; hypolipidemic activities such as triglyceride lowering activities, hypocholesterolemic activities, HDL-cholesterol increasing activities and the like; antidepressive activities; urinary bladder relaxing activities; suppression of intestinal motility and the like (see nonpatent literatures 2, 5, 6 and 7). Accordingly, β3-adrenoceptor agonists are expected to be useful for treating or preventing obesity, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, depression, urinary dysfunctions, diseases caused by biliary tract hypermotility, or diseases caused by intestinal hypermotility.
Recent studies on β3-adrenoceptor agonists have been focused mainly on developing an anti-obesity or anti-diabetic agent. However, many of such β3-adrenoceptor agonists have been accompanied with adverse reactions such as increased heart rate, muscle tremors, hypokalemia and the like, which result from stimulation of β1- and/or β2-adrenoceptors. It has also been reported that activities of β3-adrenoceptor agonists differ markedly among species, and some compounds exhibit less potent stimulating activities on human β3-adrenoceptors than on those of a rodent such as rat β3-adrenoceptors (see nonpatent literature 8). Accordingly, it has been greatly desired to develop novel agents exhibiting potent stimulating activities on human β3-adrenoceptors with less adverse reactions caused by stimulation of β1- and β2-adrenoceptors.
Donaldson K. H. et al disclose compounds represented by the following general formula:
wherein Ra is a phenyl group optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxy, C1-6 alkoxy, C1-6 alkyl, nitro, cyano, hydroxymethyl, trifluoromethyl, —NRfRf and —NHSO2Rf in which Rf is hydrogen or C1-4 alkyl; Rb is hydrogen or C1-6 alkyl; Rc is cyano, tetrazol-5-yl or —CO2Rg in which Rg is hydrogen or C1-6 alkyl; Rd and Re are independently hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl, —CO2H, —CO2C1-6 alkyl, cyano, tetrazol-5-yl, halogen, trifluoromethyl or C1-6alkoxy (see patent literature 1). However, these compounds have unsatisfactory stimulating activities and selectivity on β3-adrenoceptors.Nonpatent Literature:    1. Berkowitz D E. et al, "Eur. J. Pharmacol.", 1995, vol. 289, p. 223-228;    2. Howe R., "Drugs of the Future", 1993, vol. 18(6), p. 529-549;    3. Ponti F D. et al, "Pharmacology", 1995, vol. 51, p. 288-297;    4. Rodriguez M. et al, "Brain res. Mol. Brain res." 1995, vol. 29(2), p. 369-375;    5. Simiand J. et al, "Eur. J. Pharm.", 1992, vol. 219, p. 193-201;    6. Igawa Y. et al, "The Japanese Journal of Urology", 1997, vol. 88(2), p. 183;    7. Igawa Y. et al, "Neurourol. Urodyn.", 1997, vol. 16(5), p. 363-365;    8. Furutani Y., "Endocrinology & Diabetology", 2001, vol. 12(4) p. 416-422Patent Literature:    1. International Publication No. WO99/65877 pamphlet

Amino alcohol derivatives, medicinal composition containing the same, and use of these

Abstract: a prodrug thereof, or pharmaceutical acceptable salts thereof, wherein R1 is hydrogen or lower alkyl; each of R2 and R3 is independently hydrogen or lower alkyl; each of R4, R5 and R6 is independently hydrogen, halogen, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy; R7 is hydrogen or lower alkyl; R8 is hydrogen, halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, etc; R9 is —COR10, -A1-COR10, —O-A2-COR10, etc; Ar is optionally substituted phenyl or heteroaryl; and A is a bond, —OCH2—, etc, which exhibit potent and selective β3-adrenoceptor stimulating activities. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions containing said compound, and uses thereof.


A cleaning mechanism for an image forming apparatus has a cleaning roll that contacts an intermediate transfer body under pressure with a predetermined load and rotates with the intermediate transfer body for removing residual ink, toner or impurities on the intermediate transfer body after a transfer process. A sheet member is urged onto the cleaning roll for slip contact with a predetermined load.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaning mechanism for an image forming apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a cleaning mechanism for an image forming apparatus for cleaning an intermediate transfer body used upon formation of an image in an electrophotographic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electrophotographic apparatus or the like, a toner image is electrostatically carried on a transfer member. After transfer, a substantial amount of toner resides on a surface of a photoconductor (transfer ratio is about 80 to 90%), thereby lowering image density. On the other hand, since the toner is transferred electrostatically, it is not possible to completely prevent flying toner that may degrade the clearness of the image or contaminate the inside of the apparatus. For avoiding such defects, there has been proposed a pressure type transfer means. This type of apparatus employs appropriately 200 kg/cm2 of pressure for transferring and fixing the image. It is difficult to directly transfer the toner image on the surface of the photoconductor onto a medium to be printed and it is necessary to transfer the electrostatic latent image to a dielectric layer as an intermediate transfer body. Therefore, the apparatus can become bulky and the mechanism can be complicated. Also, when transferring the electrostatic latent image, the resolution image can be lowered.
On the other hand, there has been proposed an apparatus for developing the latent image formed on the photoconductor and transferring the developed image to an intermediate transfer body having a silicon rubber layer, and then transferring the transferred image onto a medium to be printed, which medium will be hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cprinting mediumxe2x80x9d. However, such apparatus requires a large amount of heat energy for transferring and fixing the image. Also, the heat inherently elevates the temperature of the photoconductor via the intermediate transfer body, and thus the characteristics of the photoconductor may possibly be degraded.
A conventional cleaning mechanism of an image forming apparatus will be discussed in detail with reference to FIG. 6.
FIG. 6 is a side elevation showing the first prior art disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Showa 62-286082. In FIG. 6, an intermediate transfer body 503 is in belt form which is formed by coating a surface of a rigid roll of stainless or the like with a silicon rubber or the like.
The intermediate transfer body 503 is clamped between a cleaning roll 501 heated by an internal heater and a pressure roll 507 positioned in opposition to the cleaning roll 501 and is fed therethrough. Thus, a residual toner 508 on the intermediate transfer body 503 is melted by the cleaning roll 501 and deposits thereon. On the cleaning roll 501, a cleaning blade 504 which is formed with a thin plate of stainless steel or phosphor bronze, is contacted under pressure exerted by a spring 505 for removing the toner depositing on the surface thereof. The toner thus scraped is received in a waste toner box 509. On the other hand, in order to prevent the waste toner from scattering, a sheet 506 formed with a heat resistant resin film, such as polyimide film or the like, is urged onto the cleaning roll 501.
The toner on the intermediate transfer body 503 is softened to a certain extent by heat and pressure applied from the cleaning roll 501. Furthermore, since a surface free energy of the surface of metal is greater than that of the silicon rubber, softened toner is efficiently deposited on the surface of the metal of the cleaning roll 501. Furthermore, the softened toner is removed by pressure after passing through a nip portion between the cleaning roll 501 and the pressure roll 507 to be quickly hardened to be easily removed by the metallic cleaning blade 504.
One employing a cleaning belt in place of the cleaning roll 501 for removing residual ink or stains or dirt on the surface of the transfer body may possibly cause fluctuations in pressure when the cleaning belt contacts the transfer body. Also, for low absorbing speed ink, fluctuation may be caused in removal of residual ink or stains or dirt on the surface of the transfer body to form a stain on the printed product.
FIGS. 7A and 7B are a perspective view and a side elevation of the second prior art disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Heisei 04-016978, for example.
A cleaner 613 is constructed with a cleaning puff 610, a cleaning roll 622 and a take-up roll 631. A cleaning agent supplier 609 is formed with a plurality of conduits or one or more grooves to impregnate a cleaning agent stored therein into the cleaning puff 610. The impregnating method of the cleaning agent in the cleaning puff 610 may be capillary force, a pressure difference between inside and outside of the cleaning agent supplier 609, difference of concentration of the cleaning agent, heating by an electric heater, ultrasonic vibration or pumps.
The cleaning puff 610 impregnated with the cleaning agent is pressed onto a photoconductor drum 606 by the cleaning roll 622 in the vicinity of an ink absorbing portion 620. The cleaning puff 610 absorbing contaminants is taken up by the take-up roll 631. After absorbing contaminants, the cleaner 613 may rewind the almost dried cleaning puff 610 to the cleaning agent supplier 609 for reuse. Furthermore, when the same image is to be printed for a plurality of sheets simultaneously, cost may be saved by performing cleaning at a given interval or by reducing the impregnating amount of the cleaning agent.
The cleaning puff 610 may be formed with fabric paper, cloth, or plastics. However, by containing metallic or ceramic fiber, removal of static electricity or removal of solid deposits may be expected. On the other hand, the cleaning puff 610 may be formed from a porous sheet or sheet working into a particular pattern.
The cleaning agent is made of a material which may solve an ink to be used for printing. For example, in case of water soluble ink, a mixture prepared by adding a surface active agent and an antioxidant to solution of higher alcohols or glycol esters is taken as a primary component. In addition, depending upon composition of the ink, amines, ethyl""s or other esters may be used.
On the other hand, when a dispersion type ink which is prepared by dispersing a pigment into a liquid component, a solvent having the same polarity as the dispersed particle or solvent easily solving the pigment may be used.
The conventional cleaning mechanism of the image forming apparatus set forth above employs the roll form cleaning means. The conventional roll type cleaning means merely removes the residual ink on the intermediate transfer body by coating the ink component on the roll for removing the ink utilizing the fact that binding power between the ink component on the cleaning roll and the residual ink on the intermediate transfer body is greater than that between the residual ink and the surface of the intermediate transfer body. However, on the surface of the cleaning roll, impurities other than the ink, substances contained in the ink component and degrading transfer performance, paper dust from the printing paper and so forth may deposit to lower cleaning performance. On the other hand, even assuming that the substance deposited on the surface of the cleaning roll is only ink, the ink amount is not uniform over the axial direction of the roll in some images. This forms irregularities on the surface of the cleaning roll and causes a loose fit between the cleaning roll and the intermediate transfer body resulting in cleaning failure.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning mechanism for an image forming apparatus which can assure stable cleaning performance, and constantly maintain surface conditions of an intermediate transfer body and a photoconductor to obtain satisfactory quality of printed products.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a cleaning mechanism of an image forming apparatus which transfers an ink or a toner image formed on a photoconductor to a roll form intermediate transfer body and then transfers to a printing medium for obtaining a printed product, the cleaning mechanism comprises:
a cleaning roll being contacted with the intermediate transfer body under pressure with a predetermined load and rotated with firm contact with the intermediate transfer body for removing residual ink, toner or impurity on the intermediate transfer body after a transfer process; and
a sheet member being urged onto the cleaning roll for slip contact with a predetermined load.
In the construction set forth above, a relative speed may be provided between the cleaning roll and the sheet member for slip contact to transfer ink or impurity from a surface of the cleaning roll to the sheet member.
According to another aspect of the invention, a cleaning mechanism of an image forming apparatus which transfers an ink or a toner image formed on a photoconductor to a roll form intermediate transfer body and then transfers to a printing medium for obtaining a printed product, the cleaning mechanism comprises:
a cleaning roll being contacted with the intermediate transfer body under pressure with a predetermined load and rotated with firm contact with the intermediate transfer body for removing residual ink, toner or impurity on the intermediate transfer body after a transfer process; and
a back-up roll arranged in opposition to the cleaning roll;
a sheet member being inserted between the back-up roll and the cleaning roll and slip-contacting with the cleaning roll;
a feeding roll feeding the sheet member wound thereon;
a take-up roll taking up the sheet member;
a housing receiving the back-up roll, the sheet member, the feeding roll and the take-up roll; and
an actuator connected to the housing and driving the sheet member toward and away from the cleaning roll for establishing and releasing slip contact therebetween.
A heat source, such as a halogen lamp or the like may be built into the cleaning roll for differentiating a surface temperature of the cleaning roll from a surface temperature of the intermediate transfer roll for providing large binding force with an ink for the cleaning roll.
Liquid supply means for supplying a liquid serving as a lubricant and a cleaning aiding agent to a sheet member, may be arranged within the housing. The liquid may be one of water, isopropyl alcohol and an insulative agent.
The sheet member may be in endless form.

Cleaning mechanism for an intermediate transfer body in an image forming apparatus