A residual gas analyzer can be used as a deposition rate monitor. A deposition rate monitor is based on the detection of growth precursors and reaction byproducts of the thin film growth in deposition equipment such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) systems. The growth precursors and byproducts are identified and quantified by using a residual gas analyzer (RGA). The ion current from gas species associated with the growth rate is then empirically correlated with the thickness of the film. The specific chemical species detected by the RGA is unique to the material that is deposited and to the technique in which the material is deposited.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to measurements of thin films deposited during a chemical vapor deposition. In particular, the invention relates to measuring a gaseous environment during deposition. The invention is used as a quality control monitor during the deposition process.
2. Description of the Related Art
The integrated circuit industry uses thin films of titanium nitride (TiN) for many applications. One application of TiN films is as a diffusion barrier, and glue layer for submicron contacts and vias. It prevents the inter-diffusion of silicon and aluminum in an aluminum plug process. TiN also serves as a glue layer for the tungsten plug process and it prevents WF.sub.6 from attacking the underlying metal or silicon during tungsten deposition. As contact and via windows shrink, physical vapor deposition techniques for depositing TiN are being replaced by chemical vapor deposited (CVD) TiN to meet step coverage requirements for contacts and vias below 0.35 .mu.m.
The CVD deposited TiN films provide better step coverage than sputtered TiN films for via and contacts opening below 0.5 microns. The CVD TiN process studied in this application resulted from the thermal deposition of tetrakis (dimethylamido) titanium (TDMAT), optionally followed by post deposition plasma treatment.
Deposition rate monitoring techniques often are performed by reiterative techniques and require test wafers. In typical film deposition processes, one or more test wafers are measured to determine if the process is within normal parameters. In most cases the parameters of interest are measured after the film has been deposited on the substrate. If the measured parameters are not within the desired tolerances, the process parameters are adjusted and more test wafers are measured to assure process compliance. The qualification procedure is generally repeated periodically to assure stable performance, in some cases on a weekly or daily basis. Between the qualification tests, the process tool must be assumed to be stable.
However, the reiterative technique described above has a number of disadvantages. It is time consuming and inefficient compared to real time deposition rate monitoring techniques. Reiterative techniques require test wafers to be created instead of product wafers. Test wafers cannot be sold and therefore displace the revenue stream generated by the production of product wafers.
In addition to the down time of the deposition chamber while the test wafers are being made, the deposition chamber must remain idle while conformance measurements are made on the completed test wafers.
Furthermore, test wafers allow the detection of errors only once the test wafers have been made and measured. If the test wafer process is performed only once every twenty-four hours, and the deposition chamber defect has occurred twenty-three hours ago, then approximately 96% of the production wafers made that day are defective.
These problems suggest that real time, in situ process monitoring should be used instead of the test wafer reiterative monitoring process. With optical in situ monitoring, either the detector itself must be within the deposition chamber or it must have a window. However, when the deposition is performed, deposited films also coat other things within the chamber, including the detector or the inside surface of the window. This obscures the optical measurements. Thus, there is a need for non-optical in situ process monitoring.
Furthermore, there is a need to monitor the input gases of the deposition process to ensure that the mass flow controller is working properly.

Method of quality control for chemical vapor deposition


An electronic vector based graphics design application may automatically introduce a variation to a property of a vector based graphic object, existing ones or those to be created using one of the vector object creation tools, by specifying a variation through any suitable set of one or more user interfaces. The variation targeted against one or more properties in the attributes may be defined by one or more variation parameters including any combination of range, percentage, randomness, category of values, and the like. Such targeted properties may be varied based on the variation parameters in any suitable manner, such as randomly, sequentially or other deterministic way. The variation of the property value(s) may be applied to the vector object as it is generated by a vector object creation tool, or may be applied to one or more existing vector objects post-generation.

Producers of graphic content for display using an electronic graphics design application want to create rich graphic contents which can be manipulated for different uses. Graphic content can take the form of a collection of analytical graphic objects, often referred to as "vector objects", in a vector document. A vector object is an abstract graphic entity such that its appearance, position, and orientation in the picture space are described analytically through geometrical formulae and other attribute information (e.g., color, gradient, fill type, stroke type, stroke width and the like).
Many electronic graphics design applications allow a user to create vector graphic objects using various vector object creation tools which may include a freehand pen tool, a Bezier pen tool, a rectangle tool, curve creation tools and the like. The attributes of the vector graphic objects created by such tools may take up a set of attributes set up by the user before using the creation tools. The attributes of graphic objects may also be modified subsequent to the initial rendering of the vector object, typically through individually manipulating each property value through a user interface device such as a menu and/or dialog box.


The present invention provides 5-amino-4-aryl-2-perfluoroalkyl-1,3-oxazole derivatives, a method for the preparation of said derivatives and their use as a key intermediate in the manufacture of insecticidal, acaricidal and nematocidal arylpyrrole compounds.

Arylpyrrole carbonitrile compounds are highly effective insecticidal, acaricidal and nematocidal agents with a unique mode of action and a broad spectrum of activity. In particular, 2-aryl-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrrole-3-carbonitrile compounds demonstrate effective control across a wide array of pests and can control resistant pests such as pyrethroid-, organophosphate-, cyclodiene-, organochlorine-, organotin-, carbamate-, and benzophenylurea-resistant biotypes of Helicoverpa/Heliothis spp., Spodoptera spp., Trichoplusia spp., Pseudoplusia spp. and Tetranychus spp. Because there is no apparent cross-resistance, 2-aryl-5-trifluoromethylpyrrole-3-carbonitrile compounds and their derivatives have potential for use in resistance management programs. Further, said pyrroles have little effect on beneficial species making them excellent candidates for integrated pest management programs, as well. These programs are essential in today's crop production.
Therefore, methods to prepare said pyrroles and intermediates to facilitate their manufacture are of great value. Among the present methods to prepare 2-aryl-5-trifluoromethylpyrrole-3-carbonitrile compound on a manufacturing scale is the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 3-oxazolin-5-one with 2-chloroacrylonitrile (U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,735).
It is an object of this invention to provide 5-amino-4-aryl-2-perfluoroalkyl-1,3-oxazole derivatives useful as key intermediates in the manufacture of insecticidal, acaricidal and nematocidal pyrrole compounds.
It is another object of this invention to provide a facile method of preparation of said oxazole intermediates.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an alternate source of important intermediate compounds and manufacturing routes for the production of a new class of highly effective pesticidal compounds.

Oxazole amines as intermediates in the manufacture of insecticidal pyrroles


A device to support a passenger in a vehicle, where that device includes a U-shaped frame having a member extending outwardly from a first end of said frame, a securing mechanism extending outwardly from the frame to engage a portion of a passenger seat in the vehicle, and a cushion attached to the member.

Passengers in a vehicle, particularly young children, routinely fall asleep while traveling. When asleep, the passenger's head and/or upper body tend to slouch to one side or the other resulting in an uncomfortable, contorted sleeping position. Such slouching by the sleeping passenger may disturb other passengers as the sleeping passenger leans on other passengers, or the slouching may irritate the sleeping passenger themselves as they lean upon other parts of the vehicle, such as the door, window, armrest, etc for extended periods of time. Moreover, if there is no other passenger or parts of the vehicle to lean against, the sleeping passenger may completely slouch to one side, placing severe strain upon the sleeping passenger's back, side, neck, etc. Thus, the sleeping passenger cannot rest comfortably and upon waking, finds themselves amidst irritated passengers or with a sore neck, back, arms, etc. This unsupported slouching may, at an extreme, even cause injury.
It is generally well known that children's car seats often come equipped with side head rests/supports, which are one part of the child car seats many safety features and act to prevent injury to the child during a side impact. These side head rests also advantageously act to support a child's head should they fall asleep. However, as the child outgrows the car seat and moves to a booster seat or traditional adult restraint system, such as a lap and shoulder belt, there is no longer a side headrest to act as support while asleep. Thus, there is a long felt need for a vehicle passenger head support device to alleviate the shortcomings as described. Moreover, there is a need for a passive support device because, unlike active support devices in the prior art, a child will not generally permit an active support device such as, a head/neck support pillow, head straps, and the like to be coupled directly to the child.

Passive head support device for a vehicle passenger


Disclosed is an electronic apparatus for assisting an aircraft pilot. The aircraft includes avionics equipment implementing operational capacities and a monitoring system configured to determine monitoring information from operational capacities and operating parameters of the avionics equipment. The assistance apparatus includes in an acquisition module configured to acquire the monitoring information and an anomaly detection module configured to detect at least one anomaly from among a breakdown of an avionics equipment and a failure of an operational capacity, from monitoring information and anomaly detection rules contained in a predefined database. The assistance apparatus includes an inference module configured to identify, for each anomaly, one or several causes that may have caused the anomaly, based on relationships between breakdowns and failures, the relationships being contained in the database.

When certain avionics equipment break down or certain operational capacities fail, the anomaly or anomalies are detected by avionics systems responsible for monitoring them. These equipment breakdowns or operational capacity failures are communicated to the pilot using an alert system, such as a Crew Alerting System (CAS) or a Flight Warning System (FWS), depending on the aircraft builders.
The pilot must next interpret the breakdown or failure messages presented by the alert system, such as the FWS, and the various instruments of the dashboard.
The pilot must then first perceive the received information, then understand it by using his memory, and lastly react by using his experience.
The understanding of the situation is based on the recognition of the signature of the breakdowns or failures that he may have recorded during his training or experience. "Signature of a failure" refers to all of the observable effects of an operational capacity failure or avionics equipment breakdown.
This signature recognition mechanism is effective when the failures are simple and their effects are easily recognizable and unambiguous. The effects of a failure are ambiguous when several failures have the same effects.
However, once several breakdowns and/or failures are present at the same time, whether independently of one another or caused by one another, then the signatures of these breakdowns and/or failures become superimposed, such that it is very difficult for a pilot always to adopt an appropriate reaction.

Electronic apparatus and method for assisting an aircraft pilot, related computer program


A network server provides control functions for gambling devices of the type which provide intermittent monetary payments to players at a point-of-play. The point-of-play includes an interactive display device for displaying messages to the player and for receiving player responses which are then transmitted to a network server. Memory at the network server stores product and product purchase information and customer profile data. The network server causes transmission of product and product purchase information to the interactive display device and monitors each of the gambling devices to detect an occurrence of a player win that requires a monetary payout. The network server is responsive to the detection of the player win and to an entry from the player which indicates the purchase of a product (as offered by a locally displayed advertisement), to credit the purchase price of the product against the anticipated monetary payout. The network server is also controlled to display selected subsets of product and product purchase information in accord with player characteristic data that is input by the player at the gambling device.

Slot machines provide an important source of income for the gaming industry. For that reason, gaming establishments constantly search for marketing strategies to appeal to slot machine players and to distinguish their slot machines from competitive installations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,613, entitled "Casino and Entertainment System", describes a slot machine installation wherein gaming devices are provided with audio/video communication equipment that is connected to a central control station. The control station selectively engages in both voice and video communication with the players at each individual slot machine. Various promotions can be offered to the players through the video and audio communication facilities and live sporting events and even daytime soap opera television can be displayed.
It is well known that advertisers integrate advertising messages into video games. For instance, the billboards in some car-racing games are paid advertisements, in much the same manner as advertisers pay to have their messages displayed on billboards at a real race track.
Direct response advertising is well known and widely practiced. A direct response advertisement aims to elicit an order or inquiry upon the message being shown to a potential consumer. The response mechanism is often the return of a physical order coupon or the placing of a toll-free call to the direct response advertiser. Direct response advertising is now being attempted through electronic networks where the consumer can respond, electronically, from a computer terminal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,411 entitled "Interactive System for a Closed Cable Network" provides an example of a prior art direct response advertising system. There, a closed cable network is described which includes means for transmitting and receiving telephone messages. As an example, the network is installed in a hotel and provides hotel guests with facilities for catalog shopping. Media information is fed to the guest's room via a television monitor. The guest can then select from a number of shopping sources by interacting with a catalog order desk which then bills the guest's room directly. The billing can occur through the hotel's account computer or can be charged to a credit card transaction. A receipt is then printed at the front desk of the hotel and the goods are delivered either to the hotel or the home address of the guest.
Modern slot machines are often networked, via a local area network, and are centrally controlled from a server (i.e., a computer operating under control of server software/firmware). Such a system is capable of handling any kind of digital information, both from the server to the individual slot machines and vice-versa. Since a slot machine has a coin acceptor, it is capable of receiving payment, measuring the amount of payment received and communicating such amount to the server. Many of the more modern slot machines display video reels instead of the well known mechanical reels. For slot-style gaming devices, such as video poker, and video blackjack, the card faces are all video.
There is a continuing desire on the part of gaming establishments to increase the services that are provided to players at each gaming device. Further, there is a desire to provide such services, based upon intelligent conclusions regarding characteristics of the player and a matching thereof to offered products and services.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a gaming system wherein advertising can be provided to slot-style gaming devices and which allows a player to respond to and benefit from such advertising messages.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a system for provision of advertising/product/pricing information to slot machine players, wherein the information is intelligently chosen based upon conditions at the slot machine and characteristics of the player.

Slot machine advertising/sales system and method


A system and method that evaluates privacy policies from web sites to determine whether each site is permitted to perform operations (e.g., store, retrieve or delete) directed to cookies on a user's computer. Various properties of each cookie and the context in which it is being used are evaluated against a user's privacy preference settings to make the determination. An evaluation engine accomplishes the evaluation and determination via a number of criteria and considerations, including the cookie properties, its current context, the site, the zone that contains the site, and any P3P data (compact policy) provided with the site's response. The user privacy preferences are evaluated against these criteria to determine whether a requested cookie operation is allowed, denied or modified. A formalized distinction between first-party cookies versus third-party cookies may be used in the determination, along with whether the cookie is a persistent cookie or a session cookie.

The Internet, which in essence includes a large number of networked computers distributed throughout the world, has become an extremely popular source of virtually all kinds of information. Increasingly sophisticated computers, software, and networking technology have made Internet access relatively straightforward for end users. For example, conventional browser software allows a user to request information such as a web page from a web site on one or more remote computers. To this end, the user provides the address of the web page (e.g., a uniform resource identifier, or URI) in some manner to the browser software, and the browser software transmits the request using a well known communication protocol such as the HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP). The request is then routed to the destination computer or web site based on the address.
When the request is received, the remote web site evaluates the request and returns an appropriate response, which may include the information requested in some formatted content, e.g., a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) format. The browser software parses and interprets the returned content to render a page or the like upon the user's computer display.
When accessed, some web sites attempt to store information on the user's computer, in a small text file referred to as a cookie. Many times this is desirable to the user, e.g., so that the user does not have to repeatedly resubmit information manually to the remote computer hosting the web site, but instead can automatically provide the information as stored in the cookie. For example, a user can allow cookies to be stored on his or her computer so as to be able to view some web sites, and/or to take advantage of desirable customization features, such as local news and weather, or stock quotes. Such a cookie is likely a persistent cookie, which remains on the user's computer when the browsing software is closed, so that the cookie can be read by the web site that created it when that site is later revisited. Alternatively, a temporary or session cookie may be stored on a user's computer only for the current browsing session. Such a cookie is deleted from the computer when the browsing software is closed.
While some cookies are thus valuable to users, other cookies allow abuse of the user's privacy, essentially by allowing access to personally identifiable information that may be used for a secondary purpose, without the user's consent or knowledge. For example, less-than-trustworthy web sites can invade a user's privacy by tracking other web sites that the user has visited. Such a site may do this by storing a cookie on the user's machine, and then having advertisements or the like embedded in other web sites. When such other web sites are visited, the embedded web site can retrieve its cookie, identifying the user, along with the name of the web page the user is trying to access, and thereby obtain information indicating that the user visited the specific site. Over time, this information may be collected and analyzed to profile a user's web surfing habits across a set of web sites. Such information may be used for many purposes even though a user would not want that information known. For example, the information may be used for targeted advertising, resold to others, and so forth.
In sum, cookies are widely used in data collection, but simply disabling cookies is impractical because many users benefit from legitimate ones upon which applications depend. A solution such as prompting the user before allowing any cookie storage (or recall) is undesirable because such prompting interrupts and annoys many users. At the same time, however, many web users are increasingly concerned that web sites can use cookies or the like to locate them in the physical world, profile them in the virtual world, and/or correlate this information to obtain an essentially complete user identity picture. Many web users also express concerns over web sites sharing their personal data with other parties, such as for online behavior analysis. Still further, many other users are unaware of such data collection practices, or at least the extent of it and the specific details being collected, and thus are uncertain as to what actions can be taken to counter such activity and reasonably protect personal privacy.

Method and system for protecting internet users' privacy by evaluating web site platform for privacy preferences policy


An airborne network system (ANS) on a member aircraft receives incoming geo-referenced atmospheric data regarding atmospheric conditions from other member aircraft and can re-transmit the data to other members. An air data system senses local pressure and temperature conditions. A navigation system calculates geo-referenced aircraft position. An inertial data system senses member aircraft attitude, angular rates and accelerations. A data processing system (DPS) generates the member aircraft's perspective of the atmospheric conditions, based on input data from the above-mentioned systems. Network directed DPS output atmospheric data is provided to the ANS to be transmitted to other airborne network systems positioned on other member aircraft. An airborne display system is adapted to receive crew directed DPS output atmospheric data and in response thereto display desired atmospheric forecast conditions. An airborne caution/advisory system receives the crew directed DPS output atmospheric data and alerts the pilot(s) of hazardous flight conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to turbulence detection systems and more particularly to an atmospheric data aggregation and forecasting system that utilizes a network of member aircraft for collecting and sharing data to be used as inputs to atmospheric and turbulence forecasting tools and methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
In today's environment, the flight crew has limited access to tactically relevant atmospheric information needed to improve efficiency and safety of flight operations. Most of the information that is available is strategic in nature (long range forecasts covering large areas). This approach tends to be overly restrictive and conservative due the dynamic behavior of the atmosphere. The flight crew also has access to turbulence reports from other aircraft that have been reported to the air traffic control system. At the other extreme are turbulence and windshear warning systems that literally provide last second warnings.
The focus of current solution strategies involves the following:                1) The aircraft provides limited wind and turbulence reports to an operations center by voice or ACARS (primarily winds aloft information).        2) This information is collected and analyzed by the operations center.        3) Updated wind and turbulence information is provided to the Flight Crew (by voice communications or by ACARS). However, the bandwidth of current communications systems is limited. Furthermore, communications costs are high and the time lag for data reporting, data analysis, and weather forecasting does not always allow timely information to be provided to aircraft already enroute.
New communications channels are being introduced into service that provide higher bandwidth at potentially lower costs. This allows more weather data to be transmitted between the aircraft to the operations center. More complete or detailed data from airborne sensors can be collected and transmitted to the operations center. More complex weather information can be provided in return to the aircraft. These higher bandwidth channels support the delivery of graphical weather information to the aircraft in addition to, or instead of, the current text-based weather data.
Maritime Applications have similar limitations. Limited weather information is gathered from buoys, ships, and platforms. The weather information is collected and analyzed at an operations center. Updated weather conditions and forecasts are provided to remote users via radio systems or satellite communications.
Remote Land-Based Applications have similar limitations. Updated weather conditions and forecasts are provided to remote users via radio systems or satellite communications.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,756, issued to Bateman et al, entitled "Aircraft Weather Information System," discloses a system and method for downlinking weather data, generated by existing weather and data sensors, to a ground station. The ground station utilizes data from multiple aircraft to form refined weather information, and uplinks the refined weather information to the aircraft. The refined weather information is stored at the aircraft and picture generating equipment, such as an existing onboard ground proximity terrain picture and symbol generator, generates pictorial information depicting weather. The pictorial information is displayed, for example by an existing EFIS or weather radar display, in the form of polygons.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,392, issued to Gremmert et al, entitled "Aircraft Weather Information System" is related to U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,756, discussed above. The '392 patent discloses a similar system and method.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,667,710, issued to Cornell et al, entitled "3-D Weather Buffer Display System", discloses a system, method, and computer program product for generating various weather radar images. A weather radar display system includes a database, a display, and a display processor coupled to the database and the display. The display processor includes a first component configured to store radar return data in a three-dimensional buffer in the database based on aircraft position information, a second component configured to extract at least a portion of the data stored in the three-dimensional buffer based on aircraft position information, and a third component configured to generate an image of the extracted return data for presentation on the display.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,751,532, issued to H. Inokuchi, entitled "Wind Turbulence Prediction System" discloses a wind turbulence prediction system for an aircraft that measures the speed of remote three-dimensional air flow by mounting a laser wind speed indicator utilizing the Doppler effect on an aircraft, irradiating laser light while scanning same in a cone shape, and then receiving scattered light from wind turbulence regions forward of the aircraft body in flight. The system expresses wind turbulence by breakdown of the same into turbulent flow strength and average wind.
U.S. Ser. No. 11/014,118, still pending entitled, "Weather Data Aggregation and Display System For Airborne Network of Member Aircraft," filed concurrently herewith, by co-applicants, P. McCusker and E. Anderson, and assigned to the present assignee (bearing Rockwell Collins Internal Docket No. 04CR173/KE), discloses a weather data aggregation and display system for displaying weather radar information to a pilot of a member aircraft of an airborne network of member aircraft. The weather data aggregation and display system includes an airborne network system (ANS) positioned on the member aircraft adapted to receive incoming geo-referenced weather data regarding Significant Meteorological Systems (SMS) from associated airborne network systems positioned on other member aircraft. A data processing system (DPS) is coupled to the airborne network system for generating the member aircraft's perspective of the SMS, based on the incoming weather data and the member aircraft's navigation and attitude information. The DPS provides DPS output weather data. An airborne display system (ADS) is positioned on the member aircraft and coupled to the data processing system. The airborne display system is adapted to receive the DPS output weather data and in response thereto display desired weather imagery of the Significant Meteorological Systems. The ANS is adapted to re-transmit the incoming geo-referenced weather data to associated airborne network systems positioned on other member aircraft. This co-filed patent application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Atmospheric data aggregation and forecasting system


A dental guide for locating suitable positions at which bores are to be drilled in teeth for receiving a dental retaining splint, the guide being formed of a material which is detectable under x-rays. The guide includes a continuous rod shaped into a configuration having a U-shaped front section for overlying the labial surface of the teeth. The legs of the U-shaped front section extend into laterally disposed arms for overlying the occlusal surface of the teeth, and the arms terminate in downwardly extending pins. Each of the pins respectively is disposed in a common plane with an associated one of the legs of the U-shaped front section. With the pins positioned in drill guides, an x-ray taken of the teeth will reveal the location of the legs of the U-shaped section with respect to the teeth, so that a proper orientation of the bores to be drilled can be determined.

This invention relates to dentistry in general, and more particularly to a dental guide for locating suitable positions on teeth at which bores are to be drilled for receiving a dental retaining splint.
The use of splints for reinforcement and retention of dentition is known in the field of dentistry. However, the use and application of such splint structures has been complex and difficult, and accordingly, has been restricted to specific locations in the mouth. For example, some splint structures are restricted for use only on the lingual surfaces of posterior teeth. Other splint structures require special equipment in order to assure the required horizontal paralelisms.
A procedure for overcoming and simplifying the use of dental splints has been provided in the aforementioned co-pending parent application. In such application, there are described dental retaining splints having an elongated bar-like member with a plurality of upwardly extending tubular members. The tubular members have axial openings extending therethrough which serve as drill guides. In the dental procedure, the splint is first temporarily held in a channel provided in adjacent teeth in a conventional manner, with the tubular members extending upwardly. The tubular members function as guides for a drill to thereby form pilot holes in the teeth. After the pilot holes are formed, the splint is removed and the pilot holes function as lead holes for the formation of enlarged bores. Subsequently, the splint is replaced in the channel so that the tubular members are disposed in the bores, and then an inlay fills in the channel to cover the splints.
In utilizing such splints, the bores must be drilled through the occlusal surfaces of the teeth and into the teeth enamel. However, it is preferable that the bores be drilled with such an orientation as to avoid penetrating the pulp tissue contained in the tooth. Since the dental splint straddles at least two adjacent teeth, if properly placed, it is possible to drill the bores in such a manner that they are spaced inwardly of the pulp tissue. However, the problem is that until the bores are drilled, it is generally not known whether the bores will penetrate the pulp tissue or not.


A method for synthesizing small crystals of silicoaluminophosphate-34 (SAPO-34) molecular sieves with high structural purity. The method includes forming a first slurry and a second slurry which are aged separately to form a first aged slurry and a second aged slurry. The first slurry includes a first source of phosphorus, a first source of aluminium, a first source of silicon, and at least one first organic structure directing agent. The second slurry includes a second source of phosphorus, a second source of aluminium, a second source of silicon, and at least one second organic structure directing agent. Then, the first aged slurry and the second aged slurry are combined to form a mixture of aged slurries. Finally, crystallization of silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves comprising the SAPO-34 molecular sieves is induced from the mixture of aged slurries.

Silicoaluminophospate (SAPO) is a material having a three-dimensional microporous crystal framework structure of PO2+, AlO2−, and SiO2 tetrahedral units, and whose essential empirical chemical composition in the as-synthesized form and on an anhydrous basis can be represented as follows:mR:(SixAlyPz)O2 wherein "R" represents at least one organic structure directing agent present in the intracrystalline pore system; "m" represents the moles of "R" present per mole of (SixAlyPz)O2; and "x," "y," and "z" represent respectively the mole fractions of silicon, aluminium, and phosphorus present in the oxide moiety.
Light olefins are traditionally produced from hydrocarbon feed stocks via thermal cracking of natural gas liquids or petroleum based naphtha and/or fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) of petroleum based feedstocks. With the increasing demand of light olefins, especially ethylene and propylene, alternate routes have been widely explored. Catalytic conversion of alcohols such as methanol to light olefins on molecular sieves is one of the most promising alternative routes to produce ethylene and propylene. This is especially true because methanol may be made from syngas derived from coal, methane, or biomass.
Catalytic conversion of methanol (and other light alcohols) to light olefins using microporous crystallite SAPO molecular sieves has been described by Kaiser (U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,327). The crystal structure, the silicon content and distribution, and the crystal size of the SAPO molecular sieves are among important features of the SAPO molecular sieves for maximizing the selectivity of catalytic conversion to light olefins.
There are a number of different structures of SAPOs which are represented by different framework types. These SAPOs include SAPO-5, SAPO-11, SAPO-18, SAPO-34, SAPO-35, SAPO-41, and SAPO-56. Of these structures, SAPOs represented by framework type CHA (as described in Atlas of Zeolite Framework Types, 2007, 6th Edition, page 96) are known to be selective for the methanol-to-olefins (MTO) reaction (Kaiser, U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,327). In particular, SAPO-34, a CHA framework type with a pore opening of about 4 A and cylindrical cages within the structure of about 10×6.7 Å, is highly selective for the MTO reaction. However, the presence of other SAPOs such as SAPO-5 or SAPO-11 with SAPO-34 tends to produce undesired products (Stud. Surf. Sci. Catal., 61, 429 (1991). Hence, it is very important to produce SAPO-34 molecular sieves with high structural purity for the MTO reaction.
Furthermore, SAPO-34 molecular sieves with low silicon content and uniform distribution are important for maximizing the selectivity to light olefins in the MTO reaction (Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 29, 117-126 (1999); Microporous and Mesoporous Materials 53, 97-108 (2002)). Small crystals of SAPO-34 molecular sieves are important to reduce undesired coke formation and improve lifetime of the catalyst (Microporous and Mesoporous Materials 29, 191-203 (1999)). Moreover, features such as flammability, boiling point, toxicity, and amount of the structure directing agent as well as filterability and yields of solid SAPOs recovered during the synthesis have important practical implications for commercial production of SAPO-34 molecular sieves.
During the synthesis of SAPOs, structure directing agents, which are also called templates, are typically used to direct the formation of particular types of framework structures. However, the structure directing agents' effect on the final crystalline structure of SAPOs varies. As a result, it is very difficult to produce relatively pure SAPO-34 structure using structure directing agents currently known to make SAPO-34. Lok et al describe the synthesis of SAPO-34 molecular sieves (along with other SAPO structures) with respect to various structure directing agents and synthesis conditions in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,871. While certain structure directing agents direct or initiate formation of SAPO-34, other crystalline structures such as SAPO-5 are also formed during the synthesis.
Furthermore, those structure directing agents that are currently known to be more specific for making SAPO-34, such as tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH), diethylamine (DEA), triethylamine (TEA), or morpholine, have other practical implications. For example, Juan Tan et al discloses that TEA may be used to manufacture small crystal sizes of SAPO-34 (Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 53 97-108, 2002). However, TEA is volatile, toxic, and relatively noxious, and therefore difficult to use in the commercial production of SAPO-34.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,243 discloses a method for synthesizing SAPO-34 using tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) as a structure directing agent. While the major phase of the recovered crystalline product is SAPO-34, the product contains other structural impurities. Moreover, this method produces very small crystals of SAPO-34 (less than 1 micron), which are difficult to separate. In addition, TEAOH is also an expensive chemical which limits its practical use in the commercial production of SAPO-34.
US 2012/0203046 A1 also discloses a method for synthesizing SAPO-34 using two structure directing agents, TEAOH and DEA. However, no experimental data is disclosed regarding the structural purity of the solid product separated from the slurry comprising crystallized SAPO-34. Moreover, DEA is volatile, toxic, and relatively noxious, and therefore difficult to use in the commercial production of SAPO-34.
Furthermore, alkanolamines (also named aminoalcohols) either alone or in combination with other structure directing agents are disclosed as suitable to synthesize various types of SAPO frameworks. Alkanolamines have high boiling points, high flashpoints and are relatively less toxic. However, the disclosed synthesis methods using alkanolamines as structure directing agents do not produce SAPO-34 or produce SAPO-34 with low structural purity. For example, Chae et al disclose using N,N-diethanolamine to form SAPO-5, an AFI type of structure. Moreover, Chae et al disclose using triethylamine to form a mixture of SAPO-5 and SAPO-34 (Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 10, 195-202, 2010). However, there is no mention of relative structural purity of SAPO-34.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,440 describes that ALPO-5, an analogue of SAPO-5, is prepared using triethanolamine, N,N-dimethylethanolamine, N,N-diethylethanolamine, N-methyldiethanolamine, and N-methylethanolamine as structure directing agents. However, there is no mention of synthesis of SAPO-34.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,858 discloses a method of synthesizing SAPO-34 using N-methylethanolamine as a structure directing agent at a temperature of 170° C. for 20 hours to 14 days with a SAPO-34 yield of 4.2%. The SAPO-34 yield increases to 27.1% when HPF6 is added as the fluorine source for the synthesis.
European patent application No. 0993867 discloses that SAPO-34 may be prepared using diethanolamine at 200° C. for 60 hours. However, no purity, yield, or physical properties are disclosed. It is also noted that this patent application discloses making SAPO-5 from the same components and the same method by just using different amounts of diethanolamine. In addition, there are no details provided on structural purity or yield of SAPO-5.
Therefore, as discussed above, structure directing agents currently known to form SAPO-34 have limited practical use due to the properties such as high toxicity, low boiling points, and low flashpoints (hence high pressures generated during synthesis). Other structure directing agents, such as alkanolamines which have high boiling points and high flashpoints and are relatively less toxic, do not yield SAPO-34 with high structural purity. Additionally, the methods described in literature do not yield small and highly uniform SAPO-34 crystals necessary for practical use.

Method for synthesizing silicoaluminophosphate-34 molecular sieves


A method for producing a resin composition is provided. The method includes melting and kneading a thermoplastic resin having a transition temperature of less than 200° C. and a powder with a twin-screw kneading extruder. The powder is an inorganic filler having an apparent density of 0.1 to 1.5 g/ml. The resin is supplied from a supply port to the extruder, and the powder is supplied from a gravimetric feeder to the extruder through a screw type side feeder. A transport capacity of the side feeder is 2 times or more an effective volume of the powder per unit time. In the extruder, melting and kneading are performed under conditions in which resin pressure in a first kneading zone is 1 MPa or more, and resin pressure in a second kneading zone is less than 3 MPa, and gas is removed from a vent port.

Resin compositions filled with powder reinforcement materials such as inorganic fillers overcome many problems of thermoplastic resins such as rigidity, heat resistance, and dimensional stability with the progress of technical development in recent years, and performance improvement is steadily promoted, and the resin compositions are widely used as industrial members typified by automobile parts. Resins in which the resins after polymerization are powdery and bulky like polyphenylene ether and polyphenylene sulfide are also compounded by kneading machines and utilized in various applications because of their excellent properties.
When a powder thermoplastic resin, or a powder raw material including a large amount of a powder reinforcement material, is melted and kneaded with an extruder, to produce a resin composition, such a powder raw material is poor in biting properties into the extruder because the apparent density is low compared with that of a raw material in a pellet form. Therefore, the output rate achieved is low, and there are many cases where the productivity is low.
For productivity improvement techniques for the method for melting and kneading a powder raw material, those like the following are known.
For example, in Patent Literature 1, a method for producing a resin composition with a twin-screw extruder in which screws having a configuration in which a single-thread screw having wide flight width and kneading disks having a particular twist angle are combined are housed in a barrel, for the purpose of improvement in the productivity of a resin composition containing a filler component at high concentration is described.
In Patent Literature 2, a method fix producing a resin composition with a twin-screw extruder comprising screws having a configuration in which a single-thread screw and particular kneading disks are combined, for the purpose of productivity improvement in the production of a resin composition using a powder raw material is described.
In Patent Literature 3, an extrusion method in which a synthetic resin is melted and kneaded with, for the purpose of an increase in the output rate during the extrusion of a synthetic resin material including a fine powder raw material or a fine powder in a large amount a twin-screw extruder in which an opening that discharges air contained in the above material is provided downstream from the material supply port of a barrel, and without providing such a pressure rise region as to apply strong compression between the material supply port and the opening is described.
In Patent Literature 4, a method for producing a resin composition, in which raw materials are melted and kneaded with a twin-screw kneading extruder under conditions in which the resin pressure in a plasticization region is 1 MPa, or less, for the purpose of improvement in the productivity of a resin composition containing a polypropylene-based resin and an inorganic filler is described.
In Patent Literature 5, a method for producing a resin composition including powdery polyphenylene ether and a thermoplastic resin other than the powdery polyphenylene ether, in which for the purpose of improvement in powdery polyphenylene ether transport capacity, powdery polyphenylene ether is supplied to a molten thermoplastic resin transport region from a side of a twin-screw extruder with a forced side feeder is described. In addition, it is described that in order to prevent a decrease in powdery polyphenylene ether transport capacity, it is preferable to provide an opening hole for gas venting on the upstream side of the upper cover of the extruder barrel at the site where the forced side feeder is connected, and perform gas venting from the opening hole.
However, in all the above production methods, the productivity improvement effect is not sufficient.


A spool driving type automatic loading camera with a claw spool includes at least one claw portion and a projecting step portion. The claw portion is formed on an outer circumferential surface of a film winding spool and engages with a perforation of a leader portion of a film. The projecting step portion is formed at a portion other than the claw in a circumferential direction and outside the claw.

The present invention relates to an automatic loading camera capable of automatically loading 35-mm film (J135 roll film).
An automatic loading camera employs two types of film feeding systems. One system is a sprocket driving system in which a sprocket gear meshing with perforations of a film is driven to feed the film toward a spool mounted in a camera so that the film is wound on the spool. The other is a spool driving system in which a spool is driven to wind the film at the same time the film is fed.
In the sprocket driving system, a spool must wind a film at a speed corresponding to the feed speed of the film fed by a sprocket gear. Therefore, in order to respond to an increase in winding diameter, a known slipping mechanism utilizing friction must be located between the spool and a spool shaft, resulting in a complicated mechanism. In addition, since a large rotating force must be transmitted to the spool shaft to overcome the friction, a power loss is increased.
On the contrary, the spool driving system does not require the above slipping mechanism nor a sprocket driving mechanism. Therefore, a structure of the system is simplified, and a rotating force to be transmitted to the spool can be relatively small. For this reason, the spool driving system is suitable for a small and inexpensive compact camera.
Systems for winding a film on a spool can be classified into two classes: a friction system for winding a film by utilizing a frictional force; and a claw system in which a claw is formed on a spool and meshes with a perforation of a film. In the friction system, since an urging member having a large urging force is required to satisfactorily utilize a frictional force between a film and a spool, a power loss is larger than that in the claw system. Therefore, the claw winding system is generally used in combination with a spool driving system. A combination of the two systems will be referred to as a spool driving system hereinafter.
In the claw-type spool driving system, however, a perforation of a film leader portion must be engaged with and fixed to a claw formed on a spool circumferential surface. Precision of such a film loading operation depends on an operator's skill. Therefore, film winding is sometimes started while the film leader portion is incompletely fixed.
Even when a film is completely engaged with the claw, a film leader portion floating from the spool circumferential surface is pushed by the surface of the film to be subsequently wound for a second turn when the spool rotates once. As a result, the perforation is easily disengaged from the claw.
Even when the claw is not disengaged from the perforation, the film floats from the spool circumferential surface to cause a so-called loose winding state. As a result, the film extends in a film winding chamber and rubs against wall surfaces of the chamber, thereby disabling film winding.

Automatic loading camera with claw spool


A liquid resistant barrier for structural openings such as doors, windows, vents, or the like for use during floods or storms is disclosed. A barrier frame is placed within and about the periphery of the opening, with a gasket located on the structural side, to form a seal. A barrier frame cover, with a corresponding barrier frame cover gasket, is placed over the barrier frame and compression fittings used to hold them together. The gaskets form a seal that is impermeable to liquids and the barrier frame cover prevents damage by flotsam or dynamic pressure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to liquid barriers and, more specifically, to a impermeable covering mountable on a structure, specifically for an aperture, such as door, window, vent, or other opening to prevent liquid passage through the aperture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other barrier devices designed to prevent the ingress of fluids into a structure. While these barrier devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they where designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
It is thus desirable to provide an aperture barrier for a structure having a frame and gasket mountable over a structural aperture to provide a watertight seal between the frame and the structure and also to provide a rigid impermeable cover releasably mountable to the frame with a closed cell gasket between the liquid impermeable cover and the frame.
It is further desirable that the rigid impermeable cover be manufactured from a material selected from the group of wood, plastic and metal.


Liquid fuel is burned by feeding a mixture of a liquid together with liquid fuel which has been pre-gasified by rapid heating into a combustion zone. The liquid fuel is gasified by contact with a hot body. An internal combustion engine comprises a heated chamber having a heater, an air inlet and a fuel inlet. The mixture of gasified fuel and air is then introduced into the inlet manifold of the engine. Atomized liquid fuel and air is also inducted into the engine in a conventional manner, such as via a carburettor.

Liquid fuels have for many years been the source of energy in internal combustion engines. The liquid fuel is inducted into the cylinder in the form of a mixture of atomised fuel droplets and air. One of the problems facing Automotive Engineers is that of ensuring even distribution of fuel within the air, and of ensuring complete combustion of the fuel within the cylinder. Incomplete combustion leads to poor fuel economy and increased pollutant exhaust emissions. However, liquid fuel has the advantage of being easily storable and having a high energy content per unit volume. It is also known to run internal combustion engines on gaseous fuels such as methane, propane, butane and hydrogen. Combustion processes tend to be improved and pollutant emissions are reduced. However, the handling and storage of compressed or liquified gases poses substantial difficulties and is hazardous. In fact, special pressurised storage vessels are required, which are generally bulky.
It is an object of the present invention to mitigate these disadvantages.


A low voltage electric power cable includes at least two insulated conductors arranged together in a bundle, at least one foil extending around the bundle, and an outer sheath extending around the at least one foil. A recess is formed between two insulated conductors. The low voltage electric power cable includes an elongated member, the elongated member being arranged between the at least one foil and the outer sheath, and extending adjacent to the at least one foil along the recess. The elongated member is arranged with a clearance fit underneath the outer sheath.

An electric power cable comprises at least one electrical conductor which is surrounded by an insulating material. An outer jacket surrounds the at least one electrical conductor. Further cable members may be arranged underneath the outer jacket, such as an electrical shielding, enforcing wires, etc.
Low voltage electric power cables are utilised in various different electric power distribution applications. A voltage of up to 1 kV is referred to as a low voltage in connection with electric power cables and power distribution.
Suitably an electric power cable is bendable in order to facilitate handling of the electric power cable, at least prior to and during installation of the electric power cable. Traditionally, a low voltage power cable is provided with twisted conductors and a shield wire made from braided wires or wires twisted around the conductors.
EP 2431980 is concerned with improved roundness and improved bending capabilities in a cable. The cable includes a shell comprising a tube-shaped tape of a material selected from a group of materials consisting of cellulose, synthetic resin or a combination thereof, a sheath of synthetic resin enclosing the shell, and a cable body comprising twisted conductors inside the shell. The shell has a resilience capable of yieldably resisting a compressive force from the sheath when the sheath is shrinking during forming thereof, to thereby maintain a predetermined clearance to the cable body and/or a resulting roundness of the sheath once the sheath has been hardened.


The invention is an improved fence made of plastic materials and comprising four parts. A central post, removable cap for the post, fence portions and adapter portions for connecting the fence portions with the central post. The adapter portions have bolt holes oriented in three directions to provide a securing arrangement for the fence and post portions.

The invention relates to the field of fences and, in particular, to a plastic fence of four part construction that may be used to join plastic fence posts to the fence portions themselves. In light of the cost of wooden fences, and costs associated with upkeep and deterioration the use of plastic fences is highly desirable. It is thought that plastic fences will be virtually maintenance free and longer lasting than wood fences. With a simple design plastic fences may be manufactured that can be set up quickly and at low cost.


A combined generator device for use in a satellite capable of generating electrical power and thrust from an optical solar image. The combined generator includes a first receiver positioned to receive and store the outer, low-intensity region of the optical solar image. An electrical power generator thermally coupled to the first receiver uses the stored thermal energy to produce electricity. The combined generator also includes a thrust generator having a second receiver. The second receiver is positioned to receive and absorb the inner, high-intensity region of the optical solar image. A heat exchanger of the combined generator transfers the thermal energy from the second receiver into a supply of propellant which is vented to a nozzle to produce thrust.

The present invention relates to the use of generators to produce electrical power or thrust in aerospace craft, and more particularly, to generators for converting solar power to electrical power or thrust for a satellite.
Satellite systems typically have to operate a range of electrical devices and generate thrust in order to perform the various tasks laid out for them in a mission. For instance, a supply of propellant must be heated to produce the thrust necessary to move the satellite, or to change the attitude of the satellite. In addition, electrical devices used for various tasks require a supply of electricity. It is highly desirable to conserve satellite size and mass due to the need to place each satellite into orbit via an expensive launch vehicle. Therefore, the use of readily available solar power is typically desired over launching batteries, or other heavy and bulky power storage equipment. Prior art satellite systems have disclosed separate power and thrust generation systems which generally present a less efficient use of the limited size and mass payload capabilities of launch vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,996 to Malloy, III et al. discloses a satellite system that uses the same thermal storage device for alternatively generating thrust or electrical power. The satellite system includes a pair of mirror assemblies 50 that focus sunlight through a pair of windows 36 defined by a receiver 30. The receiver includes a hollow thermal storage drum 32 that defines an internal wall of the receiver, as shown in FIG. 2 of Malloy, III et al. The thermal storage drum absorbs radiant energy from sunlight entering through the windows, converts the radiant energy into thermal energy and subsequently retains the thermal energy for generation of electrical power or thrust. The thermal storage drum is encased by a removable diode insulation sleeve 40 which is retractable over the outer periphery of the thermal storage drum. An energy conversion medium 42 is located at the outer periphery of the insulation sleeve and converts the radiant energy stored in the thermal storage drum into electrical power when the insulation sleeve is retracted, as shown in FIG. 4 of Malloy, III et al.
During an alternative thrust mode, the insulation sleeve is returned to its original (unretracted) position, as shown in FIG. 3, which halts the production of electrical power. Propellant from a propellant supply is routed through the tubes 22 at the bottom of the receiver so that the propellant removes heat produced and stored by the thermal storage drum. The heated propellant is routed out of the receiver and into a nozzle 28 at the top of the receiver so as to produce thrust. Although advantageously reducing the mass of the satellite by combining thrust and electrical power generation in a single receiver, the satellite system disclosed by Malloy, III et al. does not generate thrust and electrical power simultaneously.
It would be advantageous to have a combined thrust and electrical power generation device for a satellite system. Further, it would be advantageous if the combined generation device were capable of simultaneously generating both thrust and electrical power for a satellite system. Such a simultaneous generation of thrust and electrical power would allow full operation of the satellite""s electrical devices even during movement of the satellite, or changes in its attitude. It would be further advantageous if the generation device used ambient solar radiation to generate the thrust and electrical power, reducing the need to carry additional fuel or power storage devices during launch of the satellite system into orbit.
The present invention addresses the above needs and achieves other advantages by providing a combined generator device for use in a satellite capable of generating electrical power and thrust from an optical solar image. The combined generator includes a first receiver positioned to receive and store the outer, low-intensity region of the optical solar image. An electrical power generator thermally coupled to the first receiver uses the stored thermal energy to produce electricity. The combined generator also includes a thrust generator having a second receiver. The second receiver is positioned to receive and absorb the inner, high intensity region of the optical solar image. A heat exchanger of the combined generator transfers the thermal energy from the second receiver into a supply of propellant which is vented to a nozzle to produce thrust.
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a combined generator device for use in a satellite. The combined generator device is capable of generating electrical power and propulsion from an optical solar image having a high-intensity region and a low intensity region. A solar concentrator of the combined generator device is configured to direct and focus the two regions of the optical solar image onto a focal plane. Positioned at the focal plane is a first receiver that includes a first radiant energy absorbing member. The first radiant energy absorbing member is positioned so as to receive the focused low-intensity region of the optical solar image. The first receiver further includes a thermal storage medium operably connected to the first radiant energy absorbing member so as to be able to store the thermal energy absorbed by the first radiant energy absorbing member. An electrical power generator of the combined generator device is thermally coupled to the first receiver, receives thermal energy from the first receiver, and is configured to convert the thermal energy into electrical power. The combined generator device also includes a propulsion generator having a second receiver and a propellant supply. The second receiver includes a second radiant energy absorbing member positioned at the focal plane so as to receive the high-intensity region of the optical solar image. The propellant supply is thermally coupled with the second receiver and receives thermal energy from the second receiver which heats the propellant to produce thrust.
The first radiant energy absorbing member may define a first cavity having an aperture positioned at the focal plane. In such a case, the second radiant energy absorbing member of the second receiver is positioned within the first cavity. Preferably, the first cavity defined by the first radiant energy absorbing member is a cylindrical cavity, wherein the second receiver is concentrically positioned within the first cavity. The second radiant energy absorbing member may also define a cylindrical cavity. The thermal energy storage medium, such as graphite, is layered around an outer surface of the first radiant energy absorbing member. The first and second radiant energy members are constructed of a refractory material, such as rhenium.
The thrust generator may include a heat exchanger thermally coupled with the second radiant energy absorbing member and in fluid communication with the propellant supply. Propellant passing through the heat exchanger is heated by the second radiant energy absorbing member so as to produce thrust. To aid in the production of thrust, the propellant may be pre-heated by a pre-heat exchanger thermally coupled with the first radiant energy absorbing member. The pre-heat exchanger is also connected in fluid communication with the propellant supply, but upstream of the heat exchanger. After heating, the propellant is typically directed by a thrust nozzle this in fluid communication with the propellant supply and is downstream from both the pre-heat exchanger and the heat exchanger.
The present invention has several advantages. The combined thrust and power generator can simultaneously generate thrust and electrical power by using the high-intensity and low-intensity regions of the solar image. Such use of the naturally varying intensity of the ambient solar image optimizes the efficient use of radiant heat generated by the solar image. In other words, the low-intensity region of the solar image is not wasted, but is directed to electrical power generation which does not require the thermal energy associated with the higher temperature, while the high intensity region of the solar energy is directed to thrust generation which prefers the thermal energy associated with the higher temperature. In addition, the combination of functions reduces the size and mass of the generator, which reduces the expense of launching the satellite. No moving parts are required to alternate between two different power and thrust generation modes, increasing the reliability of the combined generator. A circular first and second radiant energy absorbing members of one advantageous embodiment match the circular solar image, thereby reducing any loss of the solar image that fails to hit an energy absorbing member. Pre-heating of the propellant reduces the thermal energy needed to achieve a target propellant temperature for the production of thrust.

Combined thrust and power generator for a satellite


The reorganization method of DB2 data files explores parallel processing, and asynchronous I/O to a great extent. It includes means to estimate an optimum configuration of system resources, such as storage devices (DASD devices), memory, and CPUs, etc, during reorganizations. The method mainly consists of four components, (1) concurrent indexing, (2) concurrent unloading of data file partitions, (3) efficient reloading of DB2 data pages and DB2 space maps, and (4) means to reduce access constraints to the DB2 recovery table.

The present invention relates to a method for efficiently reorganizing databases that are stored in a computer system.
1.1 Databases
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a database file typically includes "records" that are divided into "fields". A record in a database file may be thought of as a row in a table, containing, for example, all the information for a client. Fields may be thought of as columns in a table. For example, one field in a database may correspond to the name of a client, another field of the same record may correspond to the client's company.
Fields commonly have specific sizes that are determined when the database file is constructed. For example, a field containing dates may have two character positions each for the day and for the month, and four character positions for the year (a character position corresponds to a letter of text, numerical digit or punctuations etc.). Variable size fields may also be implemented in the database. These fields may acquire additional character positions as required. For example, a field containing comments about a client may contain a short phrase or a complete paragraph of text.
Records in a database may be rearranged into a desired order, by sorting, whereas fields are fixed with respect to the record. Hence, the fields are common to the database, even though the field contents are not.
It is often desired to be able to retrieve information quickly from the database. If a database is randomly organized, in no specific order, it may be necessary to check all data, in "linear search" to find the desired information.
If the data in a database are organized on a specific field, for example, on the name of a client, it is necessary to search only a small portion of the database to find the desired client. This corresponds to the normal use of, e.g., a dictionary or telephone directory. One possible approach to perform a search would be to divide the directory into two equal halves, and then determine which half contains the desired information. The half that does not contain the information is excluded, and the remaining half is again divided into two equally sized portions. The process continues until the information is found. This process might seem slow, but an item in a list of a thousand items will be located with ten or fewer process steps. Many computers perform a searches as described above.
1.2 Database Indexes
Most databases contain "support" files, in addition to the data files (data files store the actual information that is of interest to the user or his clients etc.). The "support" files may include "index" files. An index file works like the index in a book; it contains a key (corresponds to a word or phrase in the index of the book) and a pointer (corresponds to the page number in the index of the book).
for more efficient access to the data, indexes are used. Indexes are nothing more than an ordered set of key/pointer pairs stored in a separate file. The key is composed of one or more columns and the pointer identifies where to find the associated data row in the data file. Like the data file, the index file is made up of pages. Non-leaf pages contain information to access leaf pages and leaf pages contain the key/pointer pairs for accessing the data rows.
An index file typically contains "key/pointer" pairs that are related to a few fields in the database (i.e. a database may be arranged according to client names and telephone numbers). Each pointer is associated with a key, i.e., a copy of a data field from the original database. The pointer keeps track of where the associated record is stored in the data base. Naturally the index file has to be sorted when information is added or removed from the database, but the index file is much smaller than the database and is therefore quicker to sort. Furthermore, the organization of an index file may be based on a pointer structure (e.g., the well-known B-tree or B-plus tree organization).
1.3 Database Disorganization
The continual insertion, deletion, and updating of databases, IBM's DATABASE 2 (DB2) for mainframe computers in particular, causes data in the database to become disorganized. Disorganization can take the form of fragmented free space, data indirection, out-of-order data, and out-of-order index pages.
Fragmented free space is caused by repeated insertions and deletions of data rows such that some or all of the deleted space is not or cannot be used. This wasted space may cause files to grow unnecessarily large.
Data indirection is caused by updating a data row such that it no longer fits on the same page. In this case, a pointer is left on the original page that points to a new page containing the updated row. Data indirection always causes one additional I/O operation.
Out-of-order data is caused by repeated insertions such that the data rows are not in key sequence as defined by one of the indexes. This causes non-sequential and possibly random I/O to the data file when accessing large portions of data through the index.
Out-of-order index pages is caused by repeated insertions. The leaf pages containing successive key values are not adjacent to each other, causing non-sequential and possibly random I/O operations to the index file.
In general, disorganization causes more file storage to be used, more I/O operations to be performed, and less efficient I/O operations to be performed.
1.4 Overview of DB2 REORG and its Related Environments
IBM developed a product, DB2 REORG, that can reorganize existing DB2 data and index files. The result is a database with reduced diorganization. However, no user access to the database is allowed during reorginization. Hence, it is usually very desirable to perform the reorganization at a minimum amount of time as well as to be able to predict the time required.
In addition, it is necessary to record that a reorganization has been performed for recovery purposes. Information about execution of a utility is kept in one of the database managers special catalog tables. These tables (in normal operation) cannot be updated directly by a user. The database manager maintains these tables.
1.5 Multitasking and Multiprocessor Environments
Prior art "multitasking " facilities enable different programs to coexist in main memory simultaneously. Only one program at a time is able to run. However, when one program waits for, for example, its I/O (input and/or output) to complete, another program may run. I/O is usually directed by a separate controller, for example a disk drive controller. I/O is usually a slow process, compared to, for example, executing a program. Multitasking is often used to maximize the use of CPU (Central Processing Unit) time.
Prior art "multiprocessor" machines have two or more CPUs. When multiple CPUs are utilized, programs may be executed in parallel, one program per CPU. This concept can be used for simultaneous execution of programs that are independent of each other (e.g., programs that do not need data from one another during their respective operations).
Multitasking may of course be combined with multiprocessor arrangements to further enhance performance. Furthermore, programs running in multitasking and/or multiprocessor environments may be designed to communicate with each other. This enables processes that are not independent of each other to execute in parallel.
1.6 DB2 Tables
As illustrated in FIG. 2, a DB2 defines its own environment where data structures and file I/O are unique. A database may contain several "table spaces" and "indexes". A table space is a group of tables, and a table is a collection of data records (a table is what is generally termed database). The database may be stored an a single storage device or on multiple storage devices (disk drive, tape etc.) depending on whether a table is "simple", or "partitioned", or "segmented".
A simple table appears to the user as if it is stored linearly on a storage device (adjacent storage locations) even though its records may be mixed with other tables.
A partitioned table is divided into small groups, each group having adjacent storage locations. The groups, or partitions, can be located on different storage devices. Although the table is divided into groups, its behavior is as if it were a single table.
A segmented table is a table that is divided into groups (segments) that reside on the same storage device. Segmented tables are similar to simple tables, but cannot have records from different tables mixed within segments.
Segmented or partitioned tables may provide enhanced performance when accessing large data sets, since only a portion of the table has to be involved.
1.7 DB2 Indexes
A DB2 index is a set of pointers to data in a table. The index is stored separately from the table, but in the same database. The index is maintained by DB2, but can be checked, repaired, or reorganized by a user.
A "clustering index" defines the order in which records of a table are stored. Each table can have only one clustering index. The clustering sequence is the fastest sequence in which a table can be accessed.
Each index occupies its own index space (similar to table spaces), which is created simultaneously with the index. If a clustering index is created for a table in a partitioned table space, the index will also be partitioned into multiple index spaces.
1.8 DB2 I/O
A DB2 storage group is a set of volumes on a "direct access storage device" (commonly known as a DASD device). A DASD device can be a disk drive, a tape drive etc. A "volume" is a portion of DASD device that is referenced separately from the rest of the DASD device. A DASD device can have one or more volumes.
I/O is handled by DB2 in data units called "pages". A table space is divided into several equal sized portions (pages). DB2 reads and writes (I/O) data one page at a time.
Several pages are grouped together. A group of pages is preceded by a space map that contain information about the pages.
1.9 The DB2 Catalog Table
DB2 uses several database tables to track information about user databases, and for its own internal operation. DB2 limits access to these tables, in order to prevent users from accidentally changing vital information.
One of DB2's internal tables tracks the "access path" to database tables. An access path is a set of descriptors of what databases a program access and is allowed to access. This table is updated by DB2 as users enter new applications and tables into the DB2 environment and prevents users from accidentally altering DB2 system files.
Other essential DB2 system tables are a set of "catalog tables", one of which is the "recovery table" (e.g., SYSIBM.SYSCOPY) which is the table file being modified. It maintains information necessary to recover damaged data. However, there are cases when the tables inside the catalog table cannot be modified.
When the prior art REORG program is run, it updates the recovery table to reflect that some tables have been reorganized. Hence, it is vital that a program or routine that reorganizes one or more tables in the DB2 environment be able to update the table. Reorganizing DB2 tables without updating the recovery table will not allow the affected tables to be recovered correctly in the event of damage.
1.10 Internal Operation of DB2 REORG
IBM's DB2 REORG is mainly composed of six parts:
The INITIALIZE routine handles initialization of parameters used by UNLOAD, RELOAD, SORT, and BUILD.
UNLOAD reads all data from a data file on storage media and RELOAD writes the data back to the storage media and creates an index work file. SORT sorts the index work file, and BUILD builds the final index file. TERMINATE terminates program execution and releases resources like disk drives, main memory etc.
The UNLOAD routine reads one data row at the time from the data file using a sequential scan (i.e., data rows are read in the order they are stored on the storage medium, except in the case of indirect references) or by utilizing one of the cluster indexes. Partitions are unloaded one at a time. UNLOAD utilizes existing features of the DB2 environment, such as data and buffer managers.
The execution speed of the UNLOAD routine is highly dependent on the amount of I/O required (input or output operations). The amount of I/O is, in turn, dependent on the amount of disorganization of the database. Disorganization results in an increased amount of I/O operations and possibly very inefficient ordering of these operations.
RELOAD writes the data rows back to the data file in an organized manner during which new pointers or RIDs (Row Identification Numbers) are assigned, index keys are extracted, and an index work file is created, composed of key/RID pairs. Partitions are reloaded one at a time.
The SORT routine sorts the index work file by the key/RID values. It groups the entries together by which index they belong to.
The BUILD routine builds indexes from the sorted index work file, one index at a time.
Execution of the program parts that make up IBM's DB2 REORG is sequential, which means that program execution starts with INITIALIZing parameters and continues with execution of the other program parts in sequence, one at a time.
Most methods of doing things involve a sequential order, i.e., the second floor of a building is constructed before the third floor. However, portions of a sequential method may be performed in parallel.
Similar principles could be applied to software and the DB2 reorganization process in particular; albeit many problems need to be resolved.
The above routines, UNLOAD, RELOAD, SORT, and BUILD, do not utilize parallelism. Significant performance improvements may be realized with the proper synchronization scheme and software (or software equivalent hardware), running on a machine with multitasking and/or multiprocessor facilities. Most machines that run DB2 do provide multitasking and multiprocessor facilities.
1.11 Problems with DB2 REORG
The execution speed of the prior UNLOAD routine is highly dependent on the amount of I/O required (input or output operations). The amount of I/O is, in turn, a function of the amount of disorganization of the data base. Disorganization results in an increased amount of non-sequential I/O. Performance may be further degraded by using one of the indexes to unload data, depending on the amount of "out-of-orderness". If the index is severely disorganized, many additional non-sequential I/O cycles may be required to resolve indirect pointer references.
The extent of partitioning of tables also affect the performance of UNLOAD since they are unloaded one at a time.
The prior UNLOAD utilizes existing DB2 system components, the data and the buffer managers, to perform the actual I/O of tables and indexes. These system components do not perform at an optimum level. Partitions could actually be loaded in parallel since DB2 runs on machines that provide multitasking as well as multiprocessing (multiple CPUs). Furthermore, the buffer manger (a routine that handles I/O between application programs and DASD devices) does not organize data pages and space maps for maximum performance.
Data pages are written to the DASD device consecutively until the last data page of a set. At that point, I/O stops, the space map associated with that range of pages is updated, and a new space map is initialized for the consecutive set of data pages. The new space map, followed by the data pages for that set, resumes the I/O process.
Initialization of I/O to DASD devices is a slow process, where mechanical parts, read and write heads, must be positioned to a specific location of the disk or tape etc. (the precise location of data to be read or written). Common practice to minimize DASD initializations includes writing large sets of data at a time.
Similar constraints apply to the prior RELOAD routine, because it is involved with partitions and I/O in analogous ways.

Databases system for permitting concurrent indexing and reloading of data by early simulating the reload process to determine final locations of the data


An atherectomy catheter includes a catheter body having a cylindrical housing at its distal end. The cylindrical housing includes an elongate cutting aperture on one side thereof and a mechanism for severing atheroma which enters within the opening. In a first embodiment, the cutting mechanism comprises a circular cutting blade which is advanced over an elongate guide member which defines a path for the blade. Use of the guide means helps assure that the cutting blade will not be lost from the housing during use. In a second embodiment, a rotatable helical cutting blade is mounted within the housing. In that particular embodiment, the helical cutting blade can serve as the guide member for the circular cutting blade.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the construction and use of vascular catheters. More particularly, the invention relates to atherectomy catheters having means for severing atheroma at their distal ends.
Arteriosclerosis, also known as atherosclerosis, is a common human ailment arising from the deposition of fatty-like substances, referred to as atheroma or plaque, on the walls of blood vessels. Such deposits occur both in peripheral blood vessels that feed the limbs of the body and coronary blood vessels which feed the heart. When deposits accumulate in localized regions of a blood vessel, blood flow is restricted and the person's health is at serious risk.
Numerous approaches for reducing and removing such vascular deposits have been proposed, including balloon angioplasty where a balloon-tipped catheter is used to dilate a region of atheroma, atherectomy where a blade or other cutting element is used to sever and remove the atheroma, and laser angioplasty where laser energy is used to ablate at least a portion of the atheroma. Of particular interest to the present invention are atherectomy devices and methods where a cutting blade is advanced past an opening in a housing at the distal end of a vascular catheter. By positioning the housing so that at least a portion of the atheroma passes through the opening, the atheroma can be severed by advancing the cutting blade. Typically, such cutting blades are circular and are rotated and advanced simultaneously to effect the desired cutting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,469, and European patent application EPA 163 502, each illustrate exemplary atherectomy devices of the type just described, where the cutter housing is typically a rigid metal cylinder. Rigid cutter housings, however, are problematic when the catheters are being used in small, tortuous blood vessels where the catheter tip must pass through curves having small radii. Moreover, difficulties have been encountered in containing the circular cutting blade within the housing. It has generally been necessary to limit the area of the opening in the housing in order to assure containment and smooth travel of the blade. Such an approach is disadvantageous, however, since it limits exposure of the blade to the atheroma and the amount of atheroma which may be severed in a single pass of the blade. While designs which provide for travel of the blade over a movable guide wire ameliorate the problem somewhat, they still require limitations on the window opening and do not provide the smoothness of travel which is desired.
To overcome the limitations inherent in the rigid housing design, the use of flexible cutter housings has been proposed. See, U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,186, describing the construction of atherectomy catheters having flexible cutter housings which may comprise a slotted metal or metal braid configuration. While the use of flexible housings provides an improvement in the ability to position the distal end of the catheter within tortuous portions of the vascular system, such flexible housings exacerbate the problems with guiding the cutting blade within the housing. In particular, the window openings in flexible cutter housings will tend to deform as the housing is flexed. To the extent the opening is widened, the risk of losing the cutter blade is substantially increased. The use of a guide wire is of no substantial benefit since it is unlikely that the curvature of the guide wire would match that in the housing. Thus, the guide wire will be unable to guide the cutting blade along the desired arc.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide methods and devices to facilitate the guiding of cutting blades within the distal housings of atherectomy catheters. In particular, it would be desirable to provide guide mechanisms which allow a circular cutting blade to follow the arc of a flexible housing while it is undergoing flexing stress while in use. Alternatively, it would be desirable to provide other cutting mechanisms within the distal housing which provide for severing the atheroma and which are inherently contained within the housing and which conform to bending of the flexible housings during use.
2. Description of the Background Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,669,469 and 4,781,186, and European patent application EPA 163 502, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, are described above. U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,258, describes an angioplasty catheter having distal drilling head which circumscribes and is attached to a helical drive shaft. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,653,496, and 4,745,919, each of which are incorporated herein by reference, describe helical cutting blades having sharpened tips which may be introduced into blood vessels to remove stenotic lesions.

Atherectomy device having helical blade and blade guide


An insulated bag having a hollow enclosing wall and one open and one covered end is disclosed. The enclosing wall and the covered end include a multilayered structure made of an inner layer of heat resistive material, an intermediate layer, filled with air or other flexible heat insulating material disposed over said inner layer, and an outer layer of a metalized polyethylene material disposed over said intermediate layer. The covered end includes a heat sealed removable disc that when removed provides an opening in said covered end.

There have been many attempts to keep beverage or food dispensers cold for a sufficient period of time. In particular, beverage kegs such as beer kegs require to remain cold for a long period of time. Such kegs are typically chilled in ice baths in washtubs, trash barrels, or the like. These chilling methods are usually messy, unsightly, and require substantial storage space.
Several cooling storage shells that have been specifically designed to keep a keg cold, also contain rigid and inflexible parts, such as rigid bottom floors or sidewalls to encase a keg in ice. As such they share the same problems as above-mentioned washtubs or trash barrels with regard to size, expense and availability.
Other cooling storage shells that are collapsible contain many different parts and therefore, tend to have high manufacturing cost. Furthermore, these collapsible cooling shells, with thin walls, are not as efficient as the rigid shells and permit heat transfer to occur at a fast rate.
Thus, there is a need for a flexible and yet inexpensive and thermally efficient cooling storage shell that permits a keg to remain cold for a long period of time.


This invention comprises a personal cleansing stamped synbar with improved processing based on an ultra mild, good foaming, alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate and a co-surfactant acyl isethionate processing aid.

Personal cleansing with mild surface-active cleansing preparations has become a focus of interest. Some of the problems associated with mild bars comprised of synthetic detergents (synbars) are bar processability, firmness, lather and rinsing. The problems of formulating synbars are not limited to the performance characteristics of the finished bar. Most synbars which are made with certain mild surfactants are very difficult to fabricate. In contrast, the fabrication of "soap" bars is a well-worked-out engineering procedure involving milling, plodding and molding. Soap becomes quite plastic when warmed and can be easily plodded and molded under relatively low pressures. Most synthetic detergents and detergent-filler combinations do not become plastic and the machinery for fabrication must be specially designed. See U.S. Pat. No. 2,678,921, J. A. V. Turck, Jr., issued May 18, 1954. Ideal synbar processing should be fast and problem free in terms of milling, plodding and molding toilet bar formation. Most synbar processing falls short in this respect.
The development of soap-synthetic bars (synbars) dates back to World War II. U.S. Pat. No. 2,432,169, Hoyt, describes a bar having soap and alkyl benzene sulfonate as the active and a substantial proportion of corn starch as a binder; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,988,511, Mills and Korpi, issued Jun 13, 1961, describes a nonsmearing bar comprising alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate, soap and binder. U.S. Pat. No. 2,982,735, Blinka and Grounds, Jr, issued May 2, 1961, discloses a detergent milled bar comprising soap, anionic detergent and starch. U.S. Pat. No. 2,987,484, Lundberg and Blinka, issued Jun 6, 1961, discloses a closed die injection molded detergent bar comprising alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate and acyl isethionate. Some other uses and procedures for making alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,094,489, Hulter, issued Sep. 28, 1937; 2,427,576, Smith, issued Sep. 16, 1947; 2,427,577, Smith, issued Sep. 16, 1947; 2,989,547, Whyte, issued Jun 20, 1961; 2,999,068, Pilcher et al., issued Sep. 5, 1961; and 3,024,273, Whyte et al., issued Mar. 6, 1962, all of said patents incorporated herein by reference.
It is noted that surfactant mildness can be measured by a skin barrier destruction test which is used to assess the irritancy potential of surfactants. In this test the milder the surfactant, the less the skin barrier is destroyed. Skin barrier destruction is measured by the relative amount of radio-labeled water (.sup.3 H-H.sub.2 O) which passes from the test solution through the skin epidermis into the physiological buffer contained in the diffusate chamber. This test is described by T. J. Franz in the J. Invest. Dermatol., 1975, 64, pp. 190-195; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,525, Small et al., issued Jun 16, 1987, and in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 294,832, Small et al., filed Jan. 9, 1989.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,894,912, Geitz, issued Jul 14, 1959, for "Isethionate Detergent Bar," discloses a detergent bar consisting essentially of from 30-70% of water-soluble alkali metal detergent salts of esters of isethionic acid with mixed aliphatic fatty acids having from 6 to 18 carbon atoms and an iodine value of less than 20, of which mixed acids at least 75% have from 12 to 18 carbon atoms and up to 25% have from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, from 2-10% of at least one water-soluble suds-boosting detergent salt selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and organic amine higher aliphatic fatty alcohol sulfates, alkyl aryl sulfonates, and higher aliphatic fatty acid taurides, from about 1% to about 9% water, from about 2.5% to about 25% of water-soluble higher fatty acid soap, and from 10-40% of at least one higher fatty acid having from about 12 to about 25 carbon atoms as a binder and plasticizer, said bar having a pH within the range from 6 to 8, measured as a 10% aqueous solution of the bar composition at 35.degree. C.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,470, Tokosh et al., issued Dec. 25, 1979, discloses a method for making improved 30-70% acyl isethionate detergent bars with from 2-6% of sodium alkoxy hydroxy propane sulfonate (a synonym for alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate) with alkyl chains of from 8 to 22 carbon atoms in conjunction with a small amount of sodium chloride. C.sub.18 alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate at 5% is used in an example. The added alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate and salt are used to improve bar wear rate without adversely affecting its lathering characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,464, Morshauser, issued Nov. 18, 1980, for "Detergent Bar Composition and Binder Therefor," discloses a detergent bar in Example 6 which comprises: 45% sodium cocoyl isethionate, 5% alkyl amide, 37.5% stearic acid, 5.0% hydrogenated tallow glycerides, and 1% Polymer JR. Morshauser teaches that his detergent bars can contain up to 5% soap "without substantial detriment."
U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,341, Orshitzer et al., issued Mar. 15, 1977, for a "Unique All Synthetic Detergent Shampoo Bar," discloses a bar comprising a mixture of anionic and nonionic detergents. The Examples are primarily based on sodium lauryl sulfate, which is an unacceptable primary surfactant for the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,418, Parran, Jr., issued Sep. 25, 1973, for "Detergent Compositions Containing Particle Deposition Enhancing Agents," discloses detergent compositions including a bar, which main surfactant is alkyl sulfate, which is unacceptable for the mild skin cleanser of the present invention.
Major drawbacks of most synthetic surfactant toilet bar formulations are poor processability due to stickiness, harshness, poor lather, or poor rinse feel. The use of high sudsing anionic surfactants can yield acceptable lather volume. Unfortunately, the highest sudsing anionic surfactants are, in fact, poor in processabilty. While the prior art mild blends of sodium coconut/tallow alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate are relatively good in lather potential, they are not so easy to process because of their stickiness or hygroscopicity. It will be appreciated that processability, mildness, lather, and rinsability make surfactant selection for mild synbars a delicate balancing act. Thus, it will be appreciated that rather stringent requirements for formulating mild synbars limit the choice of surfactants, and final formulations represent some degree of compromise. Mildness is often obtained at the expense of processability, effective cleansing, lathering, or rinsing, or vice versa. Needless to say, a superior processable synbar formulation with good mildness, good lather potential and good tinsability is hard to formulate.

Personal cleansing stamped synbar containing alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate and acyl isethionate