A method for determining supply requirements for a motor control system includes determining a performance profile for each of a plurality of drive units. A power supply parameter for each drive unit is generated based on the performance profiles. The power supply parameters for the drive units are combined to generate a rating parameter for the motor control system. In some embodiments, instructions for implementing the method may be encoded on a program storage device or programmed into a processing device for execution.

The present invention relates generally to motion control systems, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for sizing a power processing device serving multiple drive units.
Motion control systems such as those employed in industrial environments typically require power from one or more power sources, in the form of primary and/or auxiliary power. Not uncommonly, different types or levels of power (e.g., DC or AC power), or powers having multiple different characteristics (e.g., different voltage levels, current levels, etc.) are required.
Typically, the power that is provided to the motion control systems is received from one or more power lines (e.g., a utility grid) and then converted into the desired forms of power. However, in certain embodiments, power can be received from power sources other than power lines, such as local power generation sources (e.g., local generators or batteries).
To provide the required forms of primary, control, and/or auxiliary power to the motion control systems based upon the received power, many different front-end circuit components are often required. These front-end circuit components not only can provide power conversion, but also can serve other purposes as well, for example, circuit protection to protect against power spikes. For example, the National Electric Code requires that branch circuit protection be provided in connection with the delivery of power to motor controllers/motor drivers.
Among the many different circuit components that can be utilized in any given system are power conversion components, switching components, such as contactors, protective components, such as circuit breakers and fuses, filtering components, and even additional power sources. Power processing circuitry may be implemented on an "ad hoc" basis when motion control systems are installed or specialized power processing devices may be implemented.
One factor that influences the complexity and cost of a power processing circuit or device is the current required to supply the served drive units. Some drive units may serve only a single axis machine, while other drive units may serve multiples axes. Typically, the power processing device is sized based on the maximum current ratings for the served drive units. The number of drive units that a particular power processing device can serve is thus limited by the sum of the maximum current ratings.
In actual operation, the current requirements for a given drive unit are typically much less than the rated current. Using rated current to size the power processing device reduces the number of drive units that be served by each power processing device, thereby increasing the number or rating of the installed power processing device, which increases the cost and complexity of the motor control system. Therefore, there is a need for a technique to size power processing devices serving one or more drive units that incorporates the actual demand requirements of the drive units.
This section of this document is intended to introduce various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention described and/or claimed below. This section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

Method and apparatus for sizing a power processing device serving multiple drive units


An analytical rotor which comprises a receptacle for receiving a post on a centrifuge and a sealed rigid container in the rotor body proximate to the receptacle is provided. The seal on the container is opened when the post is inserted in the receptacle, thereby releasing a liquid in the container. The seal is preferably opened through the displacement of the container caused by positioning of the rotor on the centrifuge post.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices and methods for optically analyzing biological fluids. In particular, it relates to the design and use of centrifugal rotors which allow release of a predetermined volume of a fluid in response to mounting the rotor in a centrifuge.
Blood plasma and other biological tests frequently require that predetermined volumes of liquids be quickly and completely mixed with a biological fluid for analysis in a variety of optical tests or assays. It is also desirable to separate potentially-interfering cellular components of the material from the biological fluid prior to testing. Such mixing and separation steps have heretofore been typically performed by centrifugation to separate, for instance, blood plasma from the cellular components, followed by manual or automated pipetting of predetermined volumes of the blood plasma into separate test wells for optical analysis. Such procedures are labor-intensive and time-consuming, and various automated systems and methods have been proposed for providing multiple aliquots of plasma suitable for testing in a more efficient manner.
Prior art rotors have frequently utilized complex designs which are difficult and costly to manufacture. Often, the rotors require various separable parts or components which are brought together or separated at different points in the centrifugation procedure. Previous centrifugal rotors have often been limited in the number of discrete samples and test wells which they can provide, and in some cases require the use of a separate displacement fluid to effect flow of blood and plasma through the system.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide improved centrifugal rotors and methods suitable for quickly and easily delivering a predetermined volume of liquid to a receiving chamber in the rotor. The methods should be simple and be capable of being performed in relatively short times. In particular, the methods should require relatively few steps and should be capable of being performed with little or no intervention or manipulation by the operator.
2. Description of the Background Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,304 discloses a centrifuge for separating constituents of fluids comprising a separate diluent chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,498 discloses devices which rely upon capillaries, chambers, and orifices to pump and mix fluids for optical analysis. U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,832 discloses an analytical rotor comprising a series of reagent chambers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,144 discloses a centrifugal rotor into which various reagents may be introduced. U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,883 relates to a centrifugal rotor comprising various reagents in a dry tabletized form. U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,558 is directed to a rotor having a plurality of storage chambers for liquid reagents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,973 discloses a rotor comprising a reagent container having an outwardly disposed tip. The tip is broken off and the container is opened by tilting the container. U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,164 discloses a rotor having a reagent contained within a carrier solid organic binder which is fixed within the rotor. European Patent Application No. 8,105,106.0 discloses a reagent container which is opened as the result of centrifugal force.


An original reading apparatus includes an original feeding unit for feeding the front and back sides of two-side originals in succession to a reading position, a reader unit for reading the original in the reading position, a memory unit for storing the image data of the original read by the reader unit, a read-out unit adapted to read the image data from the memory unit in the continuous order of pages, in case of reading a bundle of originals wherein the pages are so arranged that a side of the original bears the images of N-th and first pages and the other side of the original bears the images of (N-1)-th and second pages, and an output unit for successively outputting or transmitting the image data read by the read-out unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an original reading apparatus capable of controlling the order of pages of images in the originals to be read.
2. Related Background Art
Certain image forming apparatus such as the copying machine are equipped with a discharged sheet processing apparatus, such as sorter, for sorting, aligning and stapling the discharged image forming sheets, and such discharged sheet processing apparatus has a book binding function as one of its functions.
Such book binding function is, as shown in FIG. 18, to form the images of first and last pages on the back side of a recording sheet, to form the image of the second page and the image of the next-to-last page on the front side of the same recording sheet, to also form the images of other pages in a similar manner on both sides of the recording sheets, then, after the discharge of the recording sheets bearing images, to staple the center of the sheets in the superposed state and to fold the sheets in the center to obtain a book.
Also there is conducted page layout control in the image formation, for realizing such book binding function. In such page layout control, each recording sheet and the images formed on both sides thereof are so correlated that the images are positioned on the respectively required pages when the sheets are bound as the book.
Also in case of returning the originals, which are bound as a book with page layout by the above-explained book binding function, into the sheets divided into the original pages, there is employed a method of copying of each page of such bound originals or a method of cutting the bound originals in the center. However the former method is cumbersome and inefficient as the bound originals have to be placed on the original table for the copying of the image of each page. Also in the latter method, as the originals are cut apart, it is difficult to again bind such originals.
Also in case of facsimile transmission of such bound originals, there is employed a method of cutting the bound originals in the center and reading thus cut originals in the order of pages, or a method of copying the respective pages of the bound originals and reading thus copied originals. However, in the former method, it is difficult to bind the cut originals again, and, in the latter method, the copying operation is cumbersome and inefficient, and the copying sheets are wasted.

Original reading apparatus for controlling order of pages of original to be read


A method and apparatus for activating a web, such as a web of interconnected disposable absorbent articles. The web is fed in a first direction to an activation system which includes a central disc and at least one outer disc. The central disc has a top surface and a pair of opposing side surfaces. The side surfaces of the central disc have activation tools located thereon while the outer disc includes complementary activation tools, The web is folded about the central disc such that a first zone of the web is positioned adjacent the top surface and a second zone of the web is positioned adjacent one of the side surfaces. The activation tool of the outer disc is then engaged with the activation tool of the central disc. The activation tool of the outer disc is then disengaged from the activation tool of the central disc. The activated web is then removed from the central disc.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for activating a moving web, such as a web of interconnected disposable absorbent articles, including disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, adult incontinence products, sanitary napkins and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for activating a moving web at a low strain rate while maintaining the line speed of the moving web.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,741 issued to Sabee on May 30, 1989 discloses a single use garment, such a disposable diaper, comprising an untensioned elastomeric element secured between a pair of drawable elements in the waistband and legband portions. The elastic elements are affixed in the waistband portions of the diaper web while in a substantially relaxed condition to a drawable topsheet web, a drawable backsheet web or both. The portions of the diaper web containing the elastic elements are thereafter laterally stretched in the cross-machine direction by the meshing corrugations located on pairs of corrugated rolls. Simultaneously the coinciding portions of the drawable topsheet and backsheet webs in the area of the elastic element are incrementally stretched and drawn to impart a permanent elongation and molecular orientation thereto in the cross-machine direction. Because the corrugated rolls have their meshing corrugations aligned substantially parallel to the machine direction, the incremental stretching of the web takes place in the cross-machine direction. Accordingly, the fully processed waistband portions of the diaper web are thereafter elastically extensible in the cross-machine direction, at least to the point of initial stretching.
A similar operation is carried out with respect to the legbands, which include untensioned elastic elements, by passing the diaper web between another pair of meshing corrugated rolls. Because the corrugated rolls have their meshing corrugations aligned substantially parallel to the cross-machine direction, incremental stretching of the web takes place in the machine direction. Accordingly, the fully processed legband portions of the diaper web are thereafter elastically extensible in the machine direction, at least to the point of initial stretching.
While Sabee""s suggestion to use corrugated rolls to incrementally stretch a laminate web have been found to work reasonably well when the desired degree of stretching is relatively small, it has been found that for higher degrees of incremental stretching there is a tendency for the corrugated rolls to cause damage to the web. In some situations, this damage can even take the form of rupturing the web potentially rendering the product unsuitable for its intended use. This problem becomes more and more serious as the speed of web processing and the desired degree of incremental stretching increase.
EP 573 587 attempted to solve the aforementioned problem of rupturing the web by sequentially stretching the web during the incremental stretching process. The stretching operation is carried out in stages by passing the web between multiple pairs of meshing corrugated rolls, each pair of rolls exhibiting a greater degree of meshing than the preceding pair, to sequentially stretch the web while minimizing the damage to the web. The use of multiple roll pairs with progressively greater degrees of meshing imposes a lower strain rate on the web than would be the case for a single pair of meshing corrugated rolls having an amplitude and degree of meshing comparable to the final pair of multiple rolls. Minimizing the strain rate reduces the tendency to cause damage to the web.
The problem with both of the above described methods is that the strain rate on the web remains to high and does not permit the desired degree of incremental stretching.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for incrementally stretching a web, i.e., activating a web, to a greater degree while minimizing damage to the web.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for incrementally stretching a web to a greater degree with less damage than has previously been obtainable with the meshing corrugated rolls of the prior art operating at comparable web speeds.
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for activating a web, such as a web of interconnected disposable absorbent articles, such as disposable diapers. The web is fed in a first direction to an activation system comprising a central disc and at least one outer disc. Preferably, the system comprises a central disc and a pair of outer discs. The central disc has a top surface and a pair of opposing side surfaces. At least one of the side surfaces of the central disc comprises at least one activation tool while the outer disc comprises at least one complementary activation tool. Preferably, each of the side surfaces of the central disc comprises an activation tool, more preferably, each of the side surfaces of the central disc comprises a plurality of activation tools. Similarly, it is preferred that each of the outer discs comprise a plurality of complementary activation tools. The web is then folded about the central disc such that a first zone of the web is positioned adjacent the top surface and a second zone of the web is positioned adjacent the side surface. In some embodiments, it may be desired to fold the web about the central disc in a U-like configuration such that a pair of second zones of the web are positioned adjacent the side surfaces of the central disc. The activation tool of the outer disc is engaged with the activation tool of the central disc. The activation tool of the outer disc is disengaged from the activation tool of the central disc. The activated web is then removed from the central disc.
The activation tool of the outer disc may be engaged with the activation tool of the central disc by moving the activation tool of the outer disc inwardly toward the activation tool of the central disc. Alternatively, or in combination with the former, the activation tool of the outer disc may be engaged with the activation tool of the central disc by moving the activation tool of the central disc outwardly toward the activation tool of the outer disc.
The activation tool of the outer disc may be disengaged from the activation tool of the central disc by moving the activation tool of the outer disc outwardly away from the activation tool of the central disc. Alternatively, or in combination with the former, the activation tool of the outer disc may be disengaged from the activation tool of the central disc by moving the activation tool of the central disc inwardly away from the activation tool of the outer disc.
The activation tools preferably comprise corrugations or grooves. Of course other activation tools may be used.

Method and apparatus for activating a moving web


A lock link for locking variable stage stator vanes in a compressor includes a substantially planar body portion having a slot formed on one edge and a narrow neck portion extending away from an opposite edge, the narrow neck portion adapted to seat in a corresponding slot in an adjacent lock link attached to an adjacent vane; and a profiled opening in the substantially planar body portion adapted to receive a key provided on a vane stem to prevent relative rotation between the vane and the lock link.

This invention relates to turbine and/or compressor vanes and particularly to a mechanism by which all of the variable stator vanes in an annular row of such vanes can be locked in a desired angular orientation.
Variable stage vanes in multi-stage turbine compressors are used to address surge/stall conditions in the compressor. Typically, each vane is provided with a vane arm for rotating the vane, and the vane arms in the stage are connected to a sync or unison ring, bolted to the compressor case, that enables simultaneous rotation of all of the vanes in the stage. There are occasions, however, when testing establishes that the variable feature is not required for a particular stage of the multi-stage compressor. Converting a tested variable vane or airfoil arrangement in a selected stage to a fixed vane or airfoil arrangement in the same stage require another complete compressor test. This can be avoided, however, by locking the variable stage vanes from rotation in the respective stage, and several techniques have been utilized to effect the change from variable to fixed vanes.
For example, it has been proposed to use rigid links to lock the sync or unison ring but this approach is undesirable in that the heavy and cumbersome unison ring hardware is retained, thus also adding to the overall cost.
In order to save weight and eliminate some of the complexity of sync or unison rings, there have been attempts to eliminate the vane arm and sync or unison ring in favor of vane locks that join adjacent vanes and lock them in the selected position. See, for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,537. This approach is problematic in that the vanes have to be removed in order to install the vane locks, and to remove the vanes in the lower half of the turbine case, the rotor must be pulled from the case.
While there are many ways to lock a variable vane arrangement in place, there remains a need for a locking arrangement that does not alter the loaded condition of the vane during operation. In other words, the locking arrangement should load the vane in substantially the same manner as an unlocked vane during turbine operation. In addition, it would be advantageous to provide a single lock-link design for use with all vanes in the selected row of vanes.


The present invention provides a method for inlaying a design into a laminate sheet and bonding the inlaid laminate sheet to a core structure or core substrate. The method of the present invention includes the steps of die cutting a preselected inlay design out of a laminate sheet, die cutting a congruent insert to be placed in the aperture left by the die cut design, securing the insert into the die cut design aperture, laminating with heat and pressure the laminate sheet to a core material, and conducting a finishing operation such as trimming to clean the excess laminate sheet from around the edges of the core material.

Laminate sheets are useful in a variety of manufacturing processes. Laminate sheets may be bonded together to form a composite structure having layers of different materials. For example, foam core structures may have protective layers of laminated sheets attached to the outer surface thereof. Typical uses are again, snow sleds and bodyboards.

Laminate inlay process for sports boards


For use in a pipeline network search engine of a router, a path compression optimization system and method is disclosed for eliminating single entry trie tables. The system embeds in a parent trie table (1) path compression patterns that comprise common prefix bits of a data packet and (2) skip counts that indicate the length of the path compression patterns. The network search engine utilizes the path compression patterns and the skip counts to eliminate single entry trie tables from a data structure. Each path compression pattern is processed one stride at a time in subsequent pipeline stages of the network search engine. The elimination of unnecessary single entry trie tables reduces memory space, power consumption, and the number of memory accesses that are necessary to traverse the data structure.

Electronic communication networks comprise network routers that are capable of sending and receiving electronic data in packets. Each network router directs an incoming information packet to the next neighboring router that is on a route of the intended destination of the packet. Each network router has to perform prefix lookup operations on a routing table in order to determine the appropriate "next hop" address for the packet according to the destination IP (Internet Protocol) prefix of the packet.
The prefix lookup operations are done either by a network processor or, more commonly, by a separate device that is referred to as a Network Search Engine. The task of a network processor or a Network Search Engine is maintain and perform searches on a routing table that consists of destination prefixes and their associated "next hop" information. An exemplary prior art router system 100 is shown in FIG. 1. A packet enters an Ingress Unit 110 and is passed to a Network Processing Unit (NPU) 120. NPU 120 is coupled to Back Plane Unit 130 and to Network Search Engine (NSE) 140. NPU 120 sends a search key for the packet to NSE 140. NSE 140 performs a search of a routing table (not shown) within NSE 140 and returns the "next hop" information to NPU 120. NPU 120 then sends the packet to its "next hop" destination through Egress Unit 150.
Various types of network search engines exist that are capable of performing the task of searching a routing table. The present invention is directed to improvements in a network search engine of the type that is capable of using pipelined hardware that employs multiple banks of memories to implement bitmapped multi-bit trie algorithmic search algorithms. FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a prior art pipelined hardware bitmapped multi-bit trie algorithmic network search engine 200. Network search engine 200 comprises an input interface 210, an initial logic unit 220, a plurality of pipelined logic units (230, 240), a plurality of memory banks (250, 260, 270) and an output interface 280.
In a typical pipelined hardware network search engine such as that shown in FIG. 2 a search on a search key is done in stages. The pipeline logic in each stage of the pipelined logic units (230, 240) processes some portion of the search key. As the bits in the search key are examined, a decision is made (1) to terminate the search because either a final match is found or no match is found, or (2) to continue to the next stage. The search is continued to the next stage by generating and sending an address to an associated memory bank and performing a memory read.
If the decision is to continue the search, the data that is read from the memory is sent to pipeline logic unit of the next stage and the next portion of the search key is processed. The search process continues until either a final match is found or no match is found.
Various software algorithms have been developed to reduce the amount of memory that must be used to store the routing tables and to reduce the number of memory accesses that must be made during lookup operations. A "trie" is a digital search tree data structure and algorithm that represents binary strings in which the bits in a string determine the direction of the branches of the search tree. The term "trie" is taken from the middle four letters of the word "retrieval." A trie algorithm hierarchically organizes the destination IP prefixes (according to the numeric value of the prefixes) into an easily searchable tree structure.
A binary trie has at most two branches, while a multi-bit trie consumes multiple bits at a time and has several branches. Each branch of a multi-bit trie leads to the next level. The number of bits consumed in multi-bit trie is referred to as a "stride." A uniform width stride trie is a trie in which all of the strides have the same width (except for the last stride which is the remainder of the prefix length divided by the stride width.) A multi-bit trie algorithm works by storing and retrieving the prefixes in a uniform width stride trie or in a variable width stride trie.
The multi-bit trie bitmap algorithm groups all branches in the same level with the same "parent" stride value in a table. This is called a "trie table." If the prefix is divided into an array of n-bit strides, the maximum possible entries in the next level trie table is 2n. The next level trie table is sometimes referred to as a "child" trie table. The algorithm encodes all next level stride values from the same parent into a 2n-bit data field and stores it in the entry in the parent trie table, along with the base address of the next level ("child") trie table. The data structure storing this information is called a "trie-node."
Table compression is achieved by allocating memory for the actual number of entries that exist, instead of the maximum size of 2n. For the last stride of each prefix, a similar type of data structure is used, except in this case the pointer is pointing to a table containing "next hop" information, instead of a next level trie table. This type of entry is called an "end-node."
Routing table lookup is also performed in same width strides. The value in the next level stride is decoded and processed with the data field in its parent table entry. If it is determined that a stored route with the same stride value exists, an index is calculated using the information. The table pointer and this index form an address leading to the next level trie table entry and the search continues. If a match is not found, the search terminates without success. If a search reaches an end-node and a match is found, the search is a success and the associated "next hop" information is read from the "next hop" table.
In a typical routing table other prefixes with common high order bits (strides) will share parent trie tables. This reduces the amount of memory required to store the prefixes. Also in a typical routing table sometimes there are many single entry intermediate trie-tables (non-leaf tables). This happens when a number of prefixes share a string of high order bits (strides). During lookup operations, these series of trie tables are accessed, one after another, until a matching leaf entry is found or until an end of the link is encountered.
In a prior art software based packet lookup devices such as a network processor unit, a method called "path compression" is used to reduce the level of trie tables to be accessed in the case of single entry trie tables. Path compression works by replacing a series of non-leaf single entry trie tables with the actual prefix patterns (strides) that the bitmaps in the trie tables represent and put into one location, along with the binary lengths (skip counts) of the patterns. Therefore during the search the network processor unit can perform only one memory access to retrieve the prefix pattern and determine the matching status of a multiple "stride-ful" of bits, instead of doing multiple memory accesses to a series of trie tables to check the same number of strides. This approach, however, has not been used in a pipelined hardware based device because of its apparent inconsistency with the normal pipeline flow.
Consider a prior art pipelined hardware search engine that does not use "path compression." The method employed by such a search engine for handling single entry trie tables wastes memory space, memory bandwidth, and power. For example, consider that the content of a trie table typically comprises a table header and one or more table entries. The table header holds a backtrack pointer (an address of the parent trie table entry). In the case in which a single entry trie table exists, the parent entry that points to a single entry table holds a bitmap with only one set-bit. The child trie table consists of one table header and one data entry. In a series of single entry trie tables, each subsequent child table's bitmaps also has one set-bit. A prior art pipelined hardware search engine uses memory space, memory bandwidth, and power to handle these types of single entry trie tables. If these tables could be eliminated the memory accesses to the otherwise single entry tables would also be eliminated. This would result in a significant savings in memory space, memory bandwidth, and power.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an apparatus and method for optimizing path compression of single entry trie tables. There is a need in the art of an apparatus and method for saving memory space occupied by single entry trie tables and for saving memory bandwidth and power associated with accessing single entry trie tables in pipelined hardware network search engines.

System and method for path compression optimization in a pipelined hardware bitmapped multi-bit trie algorithmic network search engine


According to one embodiment of the present invention, a computer system updates a system including a plurality of server instances, and includes at least one processor. The computer system determines a level of configuration for each operating server instance. One or more sets of operational features are added to the system based on a comparison between the determined levels of configuration of the operating server instances and minimum levels of configuration associated with the one or more sets of operational features. Server operations are performed and one or more corresponding sets of operational features are applied to the server operations in response to the addition of those corresponding sets of operational features to the system. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product for updating a system including a plurality of server instances in substantially the same manner described above.

1. Technical Field
Present invention embodiments relate to system updates, and more specifically, to enabling system updates to be performed in an incremental fashion, thereby reducing or eliminating the time intervals in which the system becomes unavailable due to installation of the updates.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Customers utilizing large, mission-critical, globally-distributed enterprise content management systems have difficulty in identifying sufficient maintenance windows (or time intervals) for disabling the systems in order to perform even small system upgrade operations. This is due to various factors, including the critical nature of these systems, the large number of dependent users (which translates into a high cost for even small system downtime windows), and the constant activity resulting from users distributed across multiple geographies. Accordingly, implementation of system upgrades tends to be delayed for extended time periods.

Managing incrementally applied system updates

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for metallurgically bonding cylinder liners (12, 12') within a cylinder block 14 of an internal combustion engine. The liners (12, 12') are cleaned (16) and their outer surfaces coated (18) with a low melting point cooling material (20) such as molten zinc forming a metallurgical bond therebetween. The coating (20) is allowed to solidify forming an outer oxidized layer (24) on the coating (20). The oxidized layer (24) is subsequently removed to expose an unoxidized outer surface (26) of the coating (20). The coated liners (12, 12') are then disposed within a casting mold and molten aluminum-based cylinder block material (36) is poured into the mold and about the coated liners (12, 12'). The molten cylinder block material (36) remelts the coating (20) on the liners (12, 12') and causes the coating to further alloy with the cylinder block material (36), whereupon cooling the cylinder liners (12, 12') are metallurgically bonded to the cylinder block (14).

1. Technical Field
The subject invention relates to a method for metallurgically bonding a cylinder liner with a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
It is becoming more and more common in today's automotive industry to form the cylinder block of internal combustion engines out of aluminum rather than cast iron. The aluminum is much lighter than the cast iron and contributes to a more fuel efficient automobile.
These aluminum engine blocks are typically provided with cylinder liners made of cast iron or other suitable material for providing a high wear resistent surface to the cylinder walls of the engine block. In order to prevent the liners from moving and rendering the engine inoperable, it is important that the cylinder liners be securely joined to the cylinder block.
One common method for joining the liner to the block is to create a mechanical interference between the liner and the block. One known method involves pressing the preformed liner into the engine block under an interference fit. Another method involves casting the cylinder block around the cylinder liners to form a mechanical interlock between the liners and the cylinder block. Although these types of liners have enjoyed some commercial success, they are deficient in that a mechanically joined liner tends to loosen over time. This is caused by the continuous thermal cycling of the engine and the different coefficients of expansion of the liner and cylinder block materials. The loosened liner tends to warp and lose its cylindrical shape as well as decrease the ability of the liner to transfer heat to the cylinder block. An example of such a liner is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,209 to Bauer, granted Dec. 18, 1962.
Another method for securing the liner to the cylinder block is to metallurgically bond the liner to the cylinder block. Such a method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,710,136 to Angle et al, granted Apr. 23, 1929. Other examples include the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,165,983, granted Jan. 19, 1965 and corresponding divisional U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,082, granted Oct. 4, 1966, both to Thomas, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,469, granted Apr. 9, 1991 to Ohta.
Although the method disclosed in the Thomas '983 and '082 patents reportedly form a metallurgical bond between the cylinder liner and the cylinder block, practice has shown that a satisfactory metallurgical bond is not formed. Although Thomas pays particular attention to the surface preparation of the liner prior to coating the liner with the bonding material, Thomas does not address the problems of bonding the molten cylinder block material with the resultant coating on the liner. In particular, the coating materials, such as zinc, develop an outer oxidized layer or skin after the liner has been coated. This is particularly true when the coating is applied by dipping the cylinder liners in a bath of molten zinc. As the coated liner is withdrawn from the molten bath of zinc and the coating is solidifying, the outer surface of the coating oxidizes. When the coated cylinder is subsequently disposed in the casting mold and molten cylinder block defining material is poured into the mold, the oxidized surface of the coating greatly inhibits the ability of the coating to alloy with the cylinder block material, thus preventing the formation of a satisfactory metallurgical bond upon cooling. Thomas does not address the problems associated with an oxidized coating as it relates to the success or failure of forming a satisfactory metallurgical bond.

Method for metallurgically bonding cylinder liners to a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine


A balanced suspension system for a surgical investigative instrument, such as a surgical microscope, is configured so that the amount of force to move the microscope in any direction is approximately equal, and when the suspension system is unlocked to move the microscope no residual forces will spontaneously move the microscope. The suspension system comprises a generally vertical support structure, a levered assembly extending out therefrom, a gimbal mount assembly connected adjacent one end of the levered assembly. The gimbal mount assembly includes a bracket arm having a first joint member at one end thereof and an instrument bracket, for holding the microscope, connected to a second end thereof by a second joint member. The instrument bracket includes a third joint member, so that the center of mass of the microscope lies within the three planes of motion permitted by the first, second and third joint members.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suspension system for use with a surgical microscope and, more particularly, to such a suspension system that maintains the surgical microscope in a balanced state for ease of motion.
2. Setting of the Invention
In the field of medical technology there exists a need for a mobile surgical microscope suspension system that permits the rapid and nearly effortless movement of the microscope when desired, as well as the firm fixation of the microscope when desired. Ideally, such a suspension system would have minimal mass and dimensions, a maximal number of positions for the microscope, uniformity of applied force for movement in all directions, reliable fixation in desired positions, and absence of spontaneous motion in an unlocked state.
Existing surgical microscope suspension systems are of relatively large size to provide desired mass and rigidity. However, this mass results in an increased moment of inertia so movement is difficult to precisely control. Usually, these surgical microscope suspension systems include costly and complex arrangements of counterbalances and springs. These systems have a problem of differences in the amount of force that need be applied to move the microscope in different directions, and a problem of spontaneous spring-induced movement when the system is unlocked.
Examples of prior types of suspension systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,762,797 and 3,891,301. These systems include a massive base and relatively large counterweight system used to provide stability to the microscope when in the unlocked position. In order to move the microscope in various directions, various amounts of force are required and a significant inertial force interferes with the precise positioning of the microscope.
The Olympus OME 5000 includes a massive base and a plurality of levers to maintain the microscope in a given position when the system is in the unlocked state. Again, various amounts of force are required to move the microscope in various directions.
Another type of microscope suspension system is disclosed in Soviet Union Scientific Research Institute of Governmental Patent Expertise, No. 0142 (1990), "Microscope For Neurosurgery" developed by the inventor hereof. This system still has the disadvantage of the differences of the amount of force needed to move the microscope in various directions. Other suspension systems are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,973,748; 4,523,732; 4,741,607; 4,815,832; 4,881,709 and 4,953,822.

Balanced suspension system for surgical microscope


The fluid transfer apparatus has an outer composite body having end sealing lips that are adapted to sealingly engage the surface surrounding the spaced passages between which fluid is to be transferred. The transfer apparatus has a central member having a uniform cross section adapted to transfer fluid between these passages and also has two end members which engage within and align with the passages to permit continued fluid transfer in view of slight longitudinal misalignments of the first and second passages.

In many fluid systems, such as power transmissions, there is a need to transfer hydraulic fluid between adjacent components which are movable relative to each other to a slight degree. For example, a fluid transfer tube might be located between a transmission control housing and the main transmission housing or between the control pump and one or more elements within the transmission casing. These elements do not move relative to each other during power transmission; however, their alignment is somewhat indeterminate during assembly. Therefore, the passages are not always perfectly aligned longitudinally.
To accommodate this misalignment, it is common practice to use a composite tube having an oversized inner diameter which will seal at a diameter substantially greater than either of the passage diameters such that the misalignment of the components is within this overlapped degree and therefore are sealed in assembly to prevent leakage. However, this does require significantly more material within the construction of the tube than is actually required if the passages are not misaligned.
The prior art tubes are a composite structure having rubber components molded about a rigid component in a manner that will permit the rubber components to seal against the surfaces of the two transmission components which contain the passages between which the fluid is transferred.


A subsurface flow constructed wetland treats a variety of flowing wastewater effluents, provides pre-treatment clog-reducing wastewater sludge disintegration, and adds pre-treatment nutrients to wastewater so as to enhance microbial growth therein for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of wastewater treatment. The constructed wetland includes a wastewater treatment system having a flow intake, a pre-treatment nutrient addition chamber, and a wastewater flow divider. The flow divider further has a compressed air aerator in the bottom thereof. The constructed wetland includes one or more treatment cells having a soil, fine stone, organic and/or synthetic material substrate cap covering a further substrate media accommodating the wastewater to be treated. The substrate cap is populated by natural plants having root systems extending within the substrate. The plant root systems extend from the substrate downward into the wastewater being treated, and the roots serve to physically and/or biologically mediate the removal of undesirable components from the wastewater so as to cleanse and thus treat the wastewater. The constructed wetland includes a treated water discharge conduit for discharging the flowing water into a desired after treatment water utilization modality, such as to discharge to the ground or to a body of water.

Constructed wetland treatment technology is presently being used world-wide for the efficient and cost-effective treatment of a variety of wastewater effluents Present applications include treatment of municipal and industrial wastewaters, urban stormwater, acid mine drainage (AMD), landfill leachate and agricultural runoff However, as an emerging technology, much remains to be done to enhance performance and provide long-term and reliable operation As noted in Roux, "Constructed Wetlands", informational brochure, 2 pages, 1996, two categories of constructed wetlands treatment technology are currently recognized These are Free Water Surface (FWS) Systems which are similar to a natural marsh, and Subsurface Flow (SSF) Systems which are constructed in excavated and lined trenches back filled with an organic or inorganic treatment media Treatment in an subsurface flow (SSF) system occurs within the media matrix below the surface of the bed. The subsurface flow (SSF) type systems are generally much more efficient, require less space, do not present odor or vector problems and are not subject to freezing They are also aesthetically pleasing Present disadvantages of subsurface flow (SSF) type systems include limited dissolved oxygen transport to the subsurface environment and sludge accumulation and clogging of the treatment media matrix The combination of these factors has resulted in reduced and erratic system performance
The prior art is replete with inventions relating to the treatment of wastewater effluents. The following United States patents are not directly related to the use of constructed wetlands but deal with a variety of problems related to wastewater treatment Mulder et al. U.S. Pat. No. (5,518,618) discloses a system and process for purifying wastewater which contains nitrogenous compounds. Using an apparatus with a first aerated chamber and a second oxygen depleted chamber, wastewater is treated with a sludge containing microorganisms. Stuth U.S. Pat. No. (5,200,081) describes a secondary sewage treatment system using a tank with buoyant media to be interposed between a septic system and a drainfield. Stuth '081 uses aerators to recirculate wastewater to mixing zones, where the wastewater is mixed with the buoyant media in a turbulent fashion. Yamamoto et al. U.S. Pat. No. (5,336,402) relates to a sewage treatment apparatus consisting of an aeration chamber and a settling chamber into which aerated water is introduced from the aeration chamber for sedimentation of sludges. The second chamber has a hopper unit for the discharge of sludge. Vigneri U.S. Pat. No. (5,520,483) discloses a method and system for remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated subterranean body of groundwater. It involves the use of a plurality of wells to induce the desired chemical reaction of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide resulting in the generation of hydroxyl free radicals for oxidizing the contaminants. Scraggs et al. U.S. Pat. No. (5,411,665) describes the use of a multi-stage, recirculating series of treatment tanks with oil-consuming microorganisms for reducing and separating emulsions and homogeneous components from contaminated water. Semprini et al. U.S. Pat. No. (5,302,286) describes a method and apparatus for in situ groundwater remediation. Using a well with a venturi section, recirculated water is passed through permeable sections where aeration as well as gaseous or liquid biological nutrients are added.
Herkenberg U.S. Pat. No. (5,451,325) discloses the use of oleophilic substrates to absorb oil from off-shore oil slicks. Winkler U.S. Pat. No. (5,378,355) describes the use of periodically spaced aeration diffusers placed along a linearly extending air distributor conduit. The air diffusers are used to treat wastewater, as well as for a method for in-situ cleaning of the diffusers by supplying liquid or gaseous cleaning fluids to the diffusers The wastewater is treated in a tank.
McGuire U.S. Pat. No. (5,407,572) describes a tertiary wastewater treatment facility using adsorption and filtration. Losack U.S. Pat. No. (5,368,411) discloses a treatment method for treating oil contaminated soil by breaking up the soil, and mixing it with water and a detergent to produce a slurry, and ultimately separating the cleaned soil from the slurry.
Saab U.S. Pat. No. (4,952,315) teaches the use of a method to treat hydrocarbon contaminated water or soil with emulsifiers and bacteria in a closed tank environment Brown U.S. Pat. No. (4,591,443) discloses oxidation of subterranean contaminants from leaking tanks. The oxidation agents are injected directly into the subterranean environment
Ehrlich U.S. Pat. No. (5,549,828) describes in-situ treatment of water bodies by means of an artificial, submerged chamber having air diffusers for forcefully guiding water through filtering media and through rafted or floating vascular plants. Similarly, Hondulas U.S. Pat. No. (5,337,516) discloses treating polluted water using wetland plants in a confined, floating environment
More closely related to constructed wetlands, the following three patents are concerned with various aspects of wastewater treatment.
Grounds U.S. Pat. No. (5,554,289) discloses an apparatus and method for increasing the capacity of a wastewater pond treatment facility including the use of a porous baffle placed in the pond so as to divide the pond into two sections. In the first section, biological solids are treated with aeration and the use of concentrated bacteriological growth, while the second portion is used to accommodate high rates of wastewater flows from storms A microprocessor is used to control the use of various electromechanical subsystems
Horsley et al. U.S. Pat. No. (5,549,817) describes a stormwater treatment system/apparatus designed to collect the first flush of stormwater runoff (which contains the majority of pollutants) and to treat this effluent using sedimentation, filtration and constructed wetlands The apparatus is designed as a self-contained integrated module amenable to mass productions It includes the sedimentation tank surrounded by a ring shaped tank which houses the subsurface flow (SSF) type constructed wetland Multiple modules can be used for larger capacity installations
Morrison et al. U.S. Pat. No. (5,156,741) discloses a wastewater treatment system and method incorporating a subsurface flow (SSF) type constructed wetland utilizing turf grass as the vegetation for bioremediation of secondary treated municipal wastewater. A recirculatory system is used for the subsurface wastewater along with aeration of the subsurface water throughout the bed to enhance turf grass root growth down into the treatment media
However, the prior art does not provide a remedy for the general problems of up-front sludge removal and passive nutrient addition in subsurface flow (SSF) type constructed wetlands

Enhanced subsurface flow constructed wetland


A reservoir body (101) contains a product (102) and is provided with at least two openings, one (P) of these openings being provided with a part (103) for increasing the pressure, and the other opening (R) being provided with a part (110) for braking and retaining the product (110). This device permits easy manipulation, allows a controlled dispensing, and optionally precise dosing, while ensuring a good preservation of the product over time.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a dispensing bottle permitting a controlled and optionally metered dispensing of its contents while offering a comfortable grip. Moreover, the bottle may be provided with a sealing system which prevents degradation, in particular by air, of the product during its storage and/or between uses.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the pharmaceutical or cosmetic field, gels and creams are usually stored in pots provided with a simple lip and are taken up by dipping the finger directly in the pot. This practice has two drawbacks, i.e., microbial contamination introduced into the stored product, and the lack of precise metering of the product.
The use of a dropper bottle for metered dispensing of a liquid product is known. A dropper bottle usually comprises a reservoir having a squeezable bulb at one of its ends and a constricted opening at the other end. Air is expelled from the reservoir by actuating the bulb, the end having the constricted opening is immersed in a bottle containing the product to be metered, and the product enters the reservoir upon relaxation of the bulb. The product is subsequently dispensed by actuating the bulb.
Such dropper bottle systems are not suitable for the dispensing of products with a creamy consistency such as gels, or viscous products in general. Indeed, products of this consistency can only rise with difficulty through the constrictor, since air bubbles are drawn into the reservoir at the same time as the product, and a proportion of the product inevitably remains stuck on the outer wall of the dropper bottle. Moreover, with each use of the dropper bottle it must be assumed that the bottle has previously been opened, and hence that the product has been placed into contact with the oxygen of the air.
Bottles with deformable walls and a constricting end are also known, offering a metered dispensing of the contained product by simple pressure on the walls. These bottles, being manually compressed, have the drawback that they do not afford very precise dosing. Moreover, since their walls are deformable, they can only be carried in luggage with certain precautions, i.e., being protected from pressure and shocks. Although the addition of a leakproof closing system to the constrictor makes it possible to avoid accidental leakages, there still remains the risk of the walls of the bottle yielding under unduly high pressure. Furthermore, such bottles tend to become deformed in the course of time, in particular to keep the concave shape imparted by the manual pressure. The deformable plastic materials of which these bottles are made are not suitable for the packaging of luxury products for which more rigid materials are preferred. Moreover, the expensive products are dispensed in small quantities, and it is not known how to make bottles of a small size with deformable walls and offering a complete return of excess dispensed product.
For example, devices are known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,145,879, FR-A-733446, FR-A-1248664, FR-A-2411140, FR-A-1164796 and FR-A-771150 which comprise a reservoir cavity filled by a product to be dispensed, one end of the cavity comprising a pressure-increasing means, the other a braking system. However, none of these documents mentions any sealing device for single or semi-permanent use.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,305 there is known a sealing device for single use applied to the top of the neck of a bottle. This device consists of an aluminum foil cover and a tip which can pierce this cover foil before the first use. However, this document does not suggest in any way the use of such a device in any application other than on the neck of a bottle.
FR-A-2656240 describes a semipermanent sealing device for the filling and dispensing a product contained in a reservoir formed by a flexible pouch. This document neither describes nor suggests the application of such a device to an application other than the filling and dispensing from a reservoir.


Systems and methods are provided to measure the similarity between a first and second data sample. The method can include creating a plurality of k-mers from the first data sample, each k-mer having a first length; generating a first vector from the plurality of k-mers by processing the plurality of k-mers with a plurality of hash functions; calculating a similarity level between the first and second data sample by comparing the first vector to a second vector, the second vector representing the second data sample; and based on the similarity level, determining a maliciousness level of the first data sample.

For many years, the computing world and the cyber-security industry within it have been heavily relying on tests of exact matching between entities (usually using a cryptographic hash function) for various purposes, such as malware detection and verification of authenticity. While useful, exact matching also has various limitations. Its "all or nothing" approach prevents it from being used for measuring the degree of similarity between entities. Such a measurement can prove extremely useful in many computing tasks and especially for purposes of cybersecurity. However, while some methods for calculating degrees of similarity exist, no such method has proven robust, efficient and practical enough to be widely adopted by the cybersecurity community.
Similarity between entities is useful in many scenarios. Its advantage lies in introducing flexibility into any analysis involving matching entities, thus providing a set of powerful tools such as neighbor querying and clustering. These, in turn, allow for many higher-level practical uses, such as detecting malicious entities by their similarity to a database of malicious content, grouping entities for display or analysis purposes, and assisting in the process of artifact analysis by identifying similar artifacts to those analyzed previously. It is also applicable to many types of entities, such as executable programs, document files, textual scripts, domain user profiles, log entries, network packets, web pages and memory buffers.
In many of these scenarios, and especially for cybersecurity applications, the similarity between entities can play a meaningful role. This is due to the realization that creation of samples (e.g., malware samples) is rarely done from scratch. For example, development of malicious code is often based on previous versions, existing libraries, etc. This is also the case when organizing a malicious campaign which is not reliant on code (e.g., a phishing campaign)—some parts tend to be reused between instances. It simply takes a lot of work to completely "reinvent the wheel" for each new sample. It is therefore expected that samples which are similar may share some characteristics, such as both being created by the same malicious agent or group, having common functionality or objective, having a common 'ancestor', or being roughly contemporaneous. Common parts can be, for example, resources such as icons, fragments of text or even code segments. Moreover, identifying these similar parts can serve as a means of identifying such agents or groups and attribute the malicious sample to them.

Systems and methods for determining measurements of similarity between various types of data


The invention relates to a digester for a liquid medium, comprising a container, a dividing wall between two spaces, and a device for injecting gas into the lower part of one of the spaces. The gas creates an upflow of the mixture of liquid medium and injected gas in said space, and a downflow in the other space. The dividing wall is equipped with at least one device for establishing a fluid communication between the spaces, so that the fluid communication configuration is automatically varied between a first open configuration in which fluid can flow freely from one space to the other, and a second closed configuration in which the flow of fluid is blocked fully or partially by the aforementioned device.

It is known that a fermenter is an apparatus in which a fermentation of the liquid medium is carried out. This device, also known as bioreactor or propagator, allows multiplying microorganisms (yeasts, bacteria, microscopic fungi, algae, animal and plant cells). It allows monitoring the culture conditions such as temperature, pH or gasification, providing a high reliability of the collected information.
Two categories of solutions exist conventionally for stirring the liquid medium during the fermentation process.
The first category of solutions for stirring the liquid medium, which is the most commonly used one, uses motorized means that impose a circulation of the liquid medium, for example with one or several motor(s), particularly via mechanized stirrers.
This solution has the advantage of being able to operate at various levels of liquid medium inside the container. In case of foaming or uncontrolled evaporation of the liquid medium, the latter is still stirred, allowing to avoid a cessation or a significant decrease in gas exchanges. But this solution has yet the disadvantage of being complex and expensive. It requires using motorized systems and closing means associated with the shafts of these motors, which implies the addition of parts, and requires human intervention.
A second category of solutions for stirring the liquid medium provides the use of stirring means by circulating a gas injected into the lower part of the liquid medium, this technology being conventionally known under the terminology "air lift". The invention that will be described concerns a solution falling within this second category.
This solution has the advantage of not using a mechanical system as previously described. But this solution generally requires a constant-level operation of the liquid medium in the container. The foam and the evaporation phenomena are therefore very problematic because, in case of drop in the level of the liquid medium in the container, there is a risk of poor descending circulation and the gasification is no longer effective in a large part of the fermenter. The stirring and the gas exchanges will decrease dramatically in this part of the fermenter. The micro-organisms could die and sediment.
Conventionally, an "air lift" technology fermenter comprises a container containing the liquid medium and at least one partition wall, for example constituted in an inner tube, positioned in the container in order to delimit on either side thereof a first volume and a second volume. A device for injecting gas is arranged in the lower part of one of these two volumes in order to create an ascending circulation of the mixture between the liquid medium and the gas injected into this volume and a descending circulation of this mixture in the volume not supplied with gas by the injection device.
Whatever the height of the inner tube, the system is likely to be deactivated as soon as the liquid medium is in static equilibrium at a given level located below the discharge area.
In order to limit as much as possible the risks of deactivation of the circulation in the fermenter in case of a decrease in the level of liquid medium, in particular in case of foaming or uncontrolled evaporation, there are solutions where the inner tube comprises openings and means for closing these openings controlled manually, just like the solution described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,744A1. But this solution relies on the human factor and is not reliable. It would also be possible to provide an inner tube having a variable height depending on the level of the liquid medium but this solution would not be easily achievable.

Fermenter for a liquid medium with gas circulation stirring, comprising an automatic device for establishing a fluid communication between the ascending circulation and the descending circulation volumes depending on the height of the medium


A modular element for distributing pressurized gas comprising a housing containing at least one tank of pressurized gas, the at least one tank having an outlet orifice coupled, via a pressure reducing valve, to a gas distribution circuit, characterized in that the modular element includes a cover for the housing, the cover selectively closing an open face of the housing and forming a support for a first gas duct and a second gas duct forming at least part of the gas distribution circuit, the first gas duct having a first free extremity and a second free extremity each fitted with a fluid coupling member, the second gas duct having a first free extremity fitted with a fluid coupling member coupled in a selectively removable manner to an inlet receiving expanded gas from the reducing valve of the at least one tank and a second extremity coupled to the first duct, between the two extremities of said first duct.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modular element for distributing pressurized gas as well as a corresponding installation.
More specifically, the invention concerns a modular element for distributing pressurized gas comprising a housing containing at least one tank of pressurized gas, the at least one tank having an outlet orifice coupled, via a pressure reducing valve, to a gas distribution circuit.
The invention particularly concerns the ducting of gas between high-pressure gas tanks (usually racks of hydrogen cylinders at 200 or 700 bar) and an application using this gas at low pressure (for example a fuel cell using the gas at 300 mbar).
2. Related Art
Known gas distribution elements currently use switchover systems that transferred gas from several cylinder racks to the application.
However, these known systems are poorly adapted to isolated sites lacking prepared infrastructure, i.e. sites where it is either not desirable (temporary installation, land to be restored to original condition) or not possible (too costly in budget or too time-consuming in schedule) to build such infrastructure.
Furthermore, the known systems are relatively complex to install and difficult to adapt to different gas usage configurations.

Modular element for distributing pressurized gas and corresponding installation

L'Air Liquide Société Anonyme Pour L'Étude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude


The present invention provides an improved method for recovering high purity olefins from cracked gas effluents or other parafin/olefin gaseous mixtures by use of a chemical absorption process.

The processes for converting hydrocarbons at high temperature, such as for example, steam-cracking, catalytic cracking or deep catalytic cracking to produce relatively high yields of unsaturated hydrocarbons, such as, for example, ethylene, propylene, and the butenes are well known in the art. See, for example, Hallee et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,789; Woebcke, U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,955, DiNicolantonio, U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,055; Gartside et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,067; Cormier, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,679; Rabo et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,682; Rosinski et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,403; Gartside et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,067; Li et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,053; and Yongqing et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,465.
It is also well known in the art that these mono-olefinic compounds are extremely useful in the formation of a wide variety of petrochemicals. For example, these compounds can be used in the formation of polyethylene, polypropylenes, polyisobutylene and other polymers, alcohols, vinyl chloride monomer, acrylonitrile, methyl tertiary butyl ether and other petrochemicals, and a variety of rubbers such as butyl rubber.
Besides the mono-olefins contained in the cracked gases, the gases typically contain a large amount of other components such as diolefins, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and paraffins. It is highly desirable to separate the mono-olefins into relatively high purity streams of the individual mono-olefinic components. To this end a number of processes have been developed to make the necessary separations to achieve the high purity mono-olefinic components.
Plural stage rectification and cryogenic chilling trains have been disclosed in many publications. See, for example Perry's Chemical Engineering Handbook (5th Edition) and other treatises on distillation techniques. Recent commercial applications have employed technology utilizing dephlegmator-type rectification units in chilling trains and a reflux condenser means in demethanization of gas mixtures. Typical rectification units are described in Roberts, U.S. Pat. No. 2,582,068; Rowles et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,042, Rowles et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,940, Rowles et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,825; Rowles et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,598; and Gazzi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,571. Especially successful cryogenic operations are disclosed in McCue, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,347; McCue, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,732; and McCue et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,170.
In a typical conventional cryogenic separation process, as shown in FIG. 1, the cracked gas in a line 2 is compressed in a compressor 4. The compressed gas in a line 6 is then caustic washed in washer 8 and fed via a line 10 to dryer 12. The dried gas in a line 14 is then fed to the chilling train 16. Hydrogen and methane are separated from the cracked gas by partially liquefying the methane and liquefying the heavier components in the chilling train 16.
Hydrogen is removed from the chilling train 16 in a line 18 and methane is removed via a line 20, recompressed in compressor 24 and recovered in a line 26.
The liquids from the chilling train 16 are removed via a line 22 and fed to a demethanizer tower 28. The methane is removed from the top of the demethanizer tower 28 in a line 30, expanded in expander 32 and sent to the chilling train 16 as a refrigerant via a line 34. The C.sub.2 + components are removed from the bottom of the demethanizer tower 28 in a line 36 and fed to a deethanizer tower 38. The C.sub.2 components are removed from the top of the deethanizer tower 38 in a line 40 and passed to an acetylene hydrogenation reactor 42 for selective hydrogenation of acetylenes. The effluent from the reactor 42 is then fed via a line 44 to a C.sub.2 splitter 46 for separation of the ethylene, removed from the top of splitter 46 in a line 48, and ethane, removed from the bottom of splitter 46 in a line 50.
The C.sub.3 + components removed from the bottom of the deethanizer tower 38 in a line 52 are directed to a depropanizer tower 54. The C.sub.3 components are removed from the top of the depropanizer tower in a line 56 and fed to a C.sub.3 hydrogenation reactor 58 to selectively hydrogenate the methyl acetylene and propadiene. The effluent from reactor 58 in a line 60 is fed to a C.sub.3 splitter 62 wherein the propylene and propane are separated. The propylene is removed from the top of the C.sub.3 splitter in a line 64 and the propane is removed from the bottom of the C.sub.3 splitter in a line 66.
The C.sub.4 + components removed from the bottom of the depropanizer tower 54 in a line 68 are directed to a debutanizer 70 for separation into C.sub.4 components and C.sub.5 + gasoline. The C.sub.4 components are removed from the top of the debutanizer 70 in a line 72 and the C.sub.5 + gasoline is removed from the bottom of the debutanizer 70 in a line 74.
However, cryogenic separation systems of the prior art have suffered from various drawbacks. In conventional cryogenic recovery systems, the cracked gas is typically required to be compressed to about 450-600 psig, thereby requiring 4-6 stages of compression. Additionally, in conventional cryogenic recovery systems, four tower systems are required to separate the olefins from the paraffins: deethanizer, C.sub.2 splitter, depropanizer and C.sub.3 splitter. Because the separations of ethane from ethylene, and propane from propylene, involve close boiling compounds, the splitters generally require very high reflux ratios and a large number of trays, such as on the order of 100 to 250 trays each. The conventional cryogenic technology also requires multi-level cascaded propylene and ethylene refrigeration systems, as well as complicated methane turboexpanders and recompressors or a methane refrigeration system, adding to the cost and complexity of the conventional technology. It has also been studied in the prior art to employ metallic salt solutions, such as silver and copper salt solutions, to recover olefins, but none of the studied processes have been commercialized to date.
For example, early teachings regarding the use of copper salts included Uebele et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,514,488 and Tyler et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,972. Uebele et al. '488 taught the separation of olefinic hydrocarbons such as ethylene from mixtures of other materials using absorption on and desorption from a copper complex resulting from the reaction of (1) a copper(II) salt of a weak ligand such as copper(II) fluoroborate, (2) a carboxylic acid such as acetic acid and (3) a reducing agent such as metallic copper. Tyler et al. '972 taught the use of trialkyl phosphines to improve the stability of CuAlCl.sub.4 aromatic systems used in olefin complexing processes.
The use of silver salts was taught in Marcinkowsky et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,353 wherein an aqueous silver salt stream was employed in a process for separating olefins from hydrocarbon gas streams. Likewise, Alter et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,382 taught the use of a silver salt solution such as silver trifluoroacetate in an olefin absorption process.
More recently, Brown et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,521 taught the selective absorption of C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkenes from C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkanes with a liquid extractant comprising dissolved copper(I) compounds such as Cu(I) hydrocarbonsulfonate in a one-column operation to produce an alkene-depleted overhead, an alkene-enriched side stream and an extractant rich bottoms.
Special note is also made of Davis et al., European Patent Application EP 0 699 468 which discloses a method and apparatus for the separation of an olefin from a fluid containing one or more olefins by contacting the fluid with an absorbing solution containing specified copper(I) complexes, which are formed in situ from copper(II) analogues and metallic copper.
However, none of the prior art absorption processes have described a useful method of obtaining relatively high purity olefin components from olefin-containing streams such as cracked gases. The use of silver nitrate solutions while good at separating olefins from non-olefinic hydrocarbon gases has generally proved to be impractical at separating the olefins from one another. Moreover, the hydrogen contained in the process stream has proven to be detrimental due to the chemical reduction of the silver ions to metallic silver in the presence of hydrogen.
Regarding the copper absorption processes, none of the processes disclosed to date have proven sufficient to provide the high olefin purities for the petrochemical industry, i.e., polymer grade ethylene and propylene.
In a recently filed patent application assigned to the same assignee as the present application, Ser. No. 08/696,578, attorney docket no. 696-246, a system especially suited for the use of cuprous salts with buffering ligand (although silver salts and other metallic salts were also disclosed in connection therewith) was disclosed. Although the cuprous salt system provided several advantages over the prior art, the use of a system especially suitable for employing silver ions has certain further advantages. For example, unlike silver+1! ions, cuprous ions are not stable and require a buffering ligand. Accordingly, various systems are required for preparing the buffered cuprous salt solution and for containing and recovering the ligand. Additionally, cuprous salts are not as soluble as silver salts, such as silver nitrate, thereby requiring a greater solution circulation rate and larger equipment. Although silver nitrate is considerably more expensive than its copper counterparts, it is contained in the system and can readily be recovered from spent solution.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to provide a economical system which is especially suitable for the use of silver salts as the chemical absorbent.

Chemical absorption process for recovering olefins from cracked gases


A charging bench includes three coils that partially overlap, in superposed planes. An electrical feed makes it possible to supply the coils with an AC current from the mains. A portable device to be charged is placed on the upper side of this charging bench. This device includes a winding intended to receive the electrical charging, and a ferrite protective screen. One of the coils (Bb) is selected to emit the magnetic charging flux toward the mobile phone. The selection is carried out via the emission of a series of pulses by at least one of the coils and comparison of return signals with a reference threshold. This comparison also enables one of the other coils (Ba, Bc) to be selected or both of these other two coils (Ba, Bc) to be used to receive a flux for communicating information originating from the portable device to be charged.

Primary inductive charging devices are recent developments. The use of inductive charging is becoming more widespread, since, because there is no need for a specific connection interface, it enables wireless charging and can be adapted to many applications including, in particular, a "charging bench" surface which is used to simultaneously recharge a number of portable devices. Furthermore, it enables charging to be combined with a billing function for billing for the electrical power supplied. Inductive charging is becoming a universal charging standard.
Inductive charging makes use of the electrical phenomena of magnetic coupling between two windings, that of the primary device and that of the secondary device, which enables the electromagnetic transfer of voltage. An AC current in the winding of the primary device produces a variable magnetic field, the field lines of which transect the winding of the secondary device. This transection of the secondary winding by field lines of varying intensity induces a current in this winding. The voltage created by this current can then be used to power the secondary device or to charge its battery. The efficiency of the transfer depends on the quality of the coupling between the two windings.
Inductive charging requires a communication function that is specific to it, in order to control charging based on reception, by the primary device, of information relating to the charge level, the charging rate, or the bill for the power supplied. The primary device then processes the information in order to deduce therefrom possible actions to take: stopping of the charging, whether completely or temporarily, triggering of a billing process, etc.
Many ways of improving inductive charging have been provided recently, such as those published in patent documents U.S. 2010/0066305, U.S. 2011/0025265 or U.S. 2011/0285348.
Document U.S. 2010/0066305 in particular describes various operations that must be carried out in order to charge a secondary device, especially: placing the winding of the secondary device opposite that of the primary device; providing control and contactless communication functions in order to monitor charging of the secondary device; and stopping the charging once it is complete. One of the drawbacks of this type of device lies in the need to stop the charging in order to carry out the indispensible steps of communication and in order, in particular, to verify the charge level of the secondary device. The charging is interrupted so that the communication can be transmitted without interference or parasitic noise.
Document U.S. 2011/0025265 describes a primary device equipped, in addition to the winding provided for the electrical charging, with a second antenna for proximity wireless communication with the secondary device, and a secondary device also equipped with a second antenna. This second antenna is mainly dedicated to communication between the primary device and the secondary device. Nevertheless, during the communication phase, the charging is stopped, otherwise this charging interferes with the communication via harmonic noise. In addition, the constraint imposed on the secondary device, namely the use of a specific second antenna, deprives the wireless charger of its universal nature.
As for document U.S. 2011/0285348, it relates to improvements to the manufacture of the winding of the secondary device; it is formed by molding in one of the constituent layers of the secondary device. A winding molded in this way has two advantages: durability and thinness.
However, these devices do not enable, in good conditions, charging of the secondary device by the primary device simultaneously with communication between these two devices. Such simultaneity allows the charge level to be monitored in real time and the power emission to be decreased or stopped as soon as the secondary device signals that it is fully charged.
In these prior-art devices, the charging flux and the communication flux combine together as an amplitude modulation. The modulation index, which expresses the ratio of the amplitude of the information to the amplitude of the carrier, remains extremely small, about 1%, because the emitting antennas exhibit strong resonance, in order to increase their quality factor, and continuous emission. This small modulation index makes decoding the communication difficult and uncertain. In addition, the communication interferes with the charging flux, decreasing resonance between the two windings and therefore decreasing the efficiency of the transmission of energy between them.

Method and charging bench via magnetic coupling


A ceramic composition comprising a binary system solid solution represented by the formulae: (1-x)(Sr1-yBiy)TiO3+x(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 and                (1-x)(Sr1-1.5yBiy)TiO3+x(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3, wherein 0<x<1 and 0<y≦0.2.

The present invention is directed to ferroelectric and electrostrictive ceramic materials, especially those being lead-free and showing very strong remnant polarization and massive pure electrostriction, especially in (Sr,Bi,Na)TiO3 solid solutions. The composition of the present invention is further directed to a solid state solution of bismuth-sodium titanate and bismuth-strontium titanate.
Ferroelectric materials show that the permanent electric dipole moment of materials can be reoriented by the application of an external electric field. The piezoelectric effect can be described in a simple way: electricity is generated when mechanical pressure is applied. Inversely, by applying an electric field to a piezoelement, a mechanical deformations result. This is referred to as the inverse piezoelectric effect. The inverse piezoelectric effect has sometimes been confused with the electrostrictive effect which occurs in solid dielectrics. The two effects differ in two important respects. The piezoelectric strain is proportional to the electric-field intensity and changes sign with it, whereas the electrostrictive strain is proportional to the square of the field intensity and therefore independent of its direction. Further, the piezoelectric strain is usually larger by several orders of magnitude than the electrostrictive strain, and the electrostrictive effect occurs simultaneously with the piezoelectric effect but may be ignored for practical purposes in many cases.
In some materials, the electrostrictive effect is significant and can be used for practical applications. For example, Pb(Mn1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PMN) and its solid solutions Pb(Mn1/3Nb2/3)O3—PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) exhibit a high electrostrictive strain level of ˜0.1% at 70 kV/cm, with the electrostrictive coefficient Q11=˜0.02 m4C−2. PMN, often, is referred to as an "Electrostrictive Ceramic". Compared with the piezoelectric effect, the electrostrictive effect has several unique advantages, such as less or no hysteretic loss up to high frequencies, being temperature-stable, and exhibiting a fast response time.
Currently, thousand tons of lead-containing ferroelectric/electrostrictive materials, such as PbZrO3—PbTiO3 (PZT), Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3—PbTiO3 (PMN-PT), and Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3—PbTiO3 (PZN-PT), are produced every year for a large range of applications. Due to the toxicity of lead, alternative lead-free materials are highly desirable for environmental reasons. New environmental legislation enacted by the European Union (EU) will take effect on Jul. 1, 2006 (Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the council of 27 Jan. 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment). The Restrictions on Hazardous Substances directive limits the use of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium and two brominated fire retardants. It is expected that USA and Japan will also have similar restrictions in near future. Therefore, substitutes for the toxic lead containing materials are highly desirable for electronic industry.
In the last two decades, great effort has been made to search for high performance lead-free materials. For instance, (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3-based, Bi4Ti3O12-based, SrBi2Ta2O9-based, and BaTiO3-based systems have been extensively studied. However, the remnant polarization and electrostrictive properties of these lead-free materials are still far below those of the currently used lead-containing materials. Some examples are listed are barium titanate BaTiO3 materials and bismuth sodium titanate (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 materials
Bismuth sodium titanate (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3 (BNT) is more similar to PZT, with a Tc at ˜230° C., and room temperature dielectric constant (∈=2500˜6000). Some modified BNT ceramics manifest reasonable ferroelectric/piezoelectric properties, which make the material promising as a substitute for PZT. Since the late 1980s, efforts have been made to study the possibility of substitution of lead-free BNT for PZT. Simple perovskite compounds, like BaTiO3, PbTiO3, SrTiO3, etc., were used to modify the ferroelectric/piezoelectric properties of BNT. Nagata and Takenaka ("Effect of substitution on electrical properties of (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3-based lead-free ferroelectrics"; Proc. of 12th IEEE Int. Symp. on Applications of Ferroelectrics (ed. Streiffer, S. K., Gibbons, B. J. and Trurumi, T.); vol. I, pp 45-51; Jul. 30-Aug. 2, 2000; Honolulu, Hi., USA.), for example, obtained the highest remnant polarization Pr value of 33.7 μC/cm2 reported for (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 systems, which appears to be one of the best result to date published in the literature for BNT-based materials.
Very high strain (up to ˜1%) has been observed in a series of ferroelectric/piezoelectric/electrostrictive materials (single crystals and ceramics), such as, tetragonal BaTiO3 single crystals, and (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3-based materials. However, the strain versus electric field profile exhibits large hysteresis at a reasonable frequency (for example, at 1 Hz) due to the piezoelectric effect. The material does not exhibits a pure electrostrictive effect. This becomes a critical disadvantage when the displacement of actuators needs to be precisely controlled.
A number of patents and patent applications have disclosed attempts at establishing a non-lead dielectric ceramic composition. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,542 to Takenaka teaches a binary system, solid solution represented as (1-x) BNT-xNN, wherein BNT is (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3 and NN is NaNbO3 as constitute to the solid solution. U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,474 to Takenaka et al. teaches a lead-free piezoelectric material represented by the formula x[Bi1/2NA1]TiO3-y[MeNbO3]-(z/2)[Bi2O3.Sc2O3], where Me is K or Na. Other lead-free piezoelectric ceramic compositions using BNT are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,514,427 to Nishida et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,531,070 to Yamaguchi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,291 to Kimura et al.; US Patent Application 2004/0127344 to Sato et al.; and US Patent Application 2003/0001131 to Takase et al. Chiang et al in US Patent Application No. 2002/0036282 teaches a perovskite compound which functions as an electromechanically active material and may possess electrostrictive or piezoelectric characteristics. The compound is an alkali bismuth perovskite composition in which lead can be a part.

Lead-free ferroelectric/electrostrictive ceramic material


An electrical connector comprises a plurality of contacts (6) held in respective housings (5) in an insulating body (4), interconnections being provided to electrically interconnect respective lengths (7) of the contacts (6) that are electrically insulated from the respective contact bodies. The interconnections comprise contact rings (8) surrounding the respective contact lengths (7) and made of an elastically-deformable conductive material, each of the rings being helically wound over at least half a winding turn around the corresponding length and being resiliently clamped thereon; two rigid plates (9) at least one of which is made of a conductive material and which are pierced by a multiplicity of holes (10) through which the contacts (6) of the connector can slide freely, the plates being disposed on either side of the contact rings; and clamping means (11, 12) for clamping the two plates together and resiliently compressing the contact rings in the longitudinal direction of the contacts.

When an electrical interconnection is desired between all of the respective contact lengths (e.g., for grounding purposes), the interconnection is obtained by means of a metal plate (referred to as the ground plate) which is pierced by holes each having a contact passing therethrough. Each hole is lined by a plurality of spring blades that are pushed away from the face of the plate and that define a passage that is narrower than the diameter of the contact: these lips thus bear resiliently against the contact length where it passes through the hole.
That solution has the advantage of being easy to manufacture since the plate is obtained by a cutting out and embossing operation which is cheap.
However, that solution suffers from a significant drawback relating to the fact that the blades that are curved in the contact insertion direction (generally from the back towards the front) of the supporting insulating body bear resiliently against the contact-like catches that tend to prevent the contact from being withdrawn from the insulating body (generally from the front towards the back). When it is necessary to extract a contact (e.g., in order to replace it), such extraction gives rise to irreversible deformation, thereby irremediably damaging the lip blades, thus requiring the plate to be replaced as well since it has become unusable. Consequently, withdrawing a single contact requires all of the contacts to be disassembled and the grounding plate to be replaced with all of the contacts then being reassembled, which operation is lengthy, cumbersome, and expensive.

Electrical connector provided with an electrical interconnection between respective portions of its contacts


A system, method and program product for processing borehole images to delineate between natural fractures and induced fractures. A system is disclosed that includes: an image analysis platform that inputs a noisy image from a borehole, processes the image using a set of filtering strategies, and renders a set of suggested filtered images via a user interface, the user interface including a mechanism for allowing a user to choose a selected filtered image from the set of suggested filtered images that best delineates between natural fractures and induced fractures, and wherein the image analysis platform further includes a feedback system for packaging and outputting the noisy image and selected filtered image as feedback; and a learning platform having a knowledge registration system that collects and stores training data and the feedback and in a knowledgebase, and a machine learning system that generates filtering strategies.

Oil and gas remains an important source of energy for most of the world. However, because exploration largely remains an inexact science, the costs associated with locating sources of petrochemicals under the ground are significant. The more precisely geological features can be understood, the greater the likelihood of success.
One common approach utilized in exploration is to analyze image data collected from wells to understand the geological structure and identify potential reservoirs. One particularly useful type of information is the identification of natural fractures. A natural fracture is any separation in a geologic formation, such as a joint or a fault that divides the rock into two or more pieces. A fracture will sometimes form a deep fissure or crevice in the rock. Fractures are commonly caused by stress exceeding the rock strength, causing the rock to lose cohesion along its weakest plane. Fractures can provide permeability for fluid movement, such as water or hydrocarbons. Highly fractured rocks can make good aquifers or hydrocarbon reservoirs, since they may possess both significant permeability and fracture porosity. US20180088252A1 entitled "System, method and computer program product for fracture pattern characterization in naturally fractured reservoirs," filed on Sep. 27, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference, provides techniques for characterizing natural fractures from image data.
Unfortunately, image data collected from drilled wells often include noise, e.g., fractures that occur during the actual drilling process. These noisy patterns complicate the detection and characterization of relevant fracture patterns, thus limiting the usefulness of the collected image data.

Identification of natural fractures in wellbore images using machine learning