An integral strain measurement layer for use in an assembly printed circuit board to provide for strain measurement on the printed circuit board. The strain measurement layer includes an insulating layer having a top surface and a bottom surface, a strain sensitive layer of metallic foil adhered to the top surface of the insulating layer for measuring strain associated with the printed circuit board, and a copper coating disposed on the strain sensitive layer of metallic foil.

The present invention relates to a printed circuit board with an integral strain gage. Although the present invention addresses numerous problems, specific problems related to the manufacturing of printed circuit boards are discussed herein to provide a background of the invention.
During printed circuit board manufacturing, it is advantageous to measure strain associated with a printed circuit boards. Strain measurements can be used for stress analysis purposes. During the manufacturing processes printed circuit boards undergo a variety of operations that can be stressful. For example populating a board during one manufacturing operation may cause damage to connections made in a previous manufacturing operation. Locating and monitoring areas where strain is being produced on a printed circuit board is desirable. Knowledge regarding strain can be used to assess electronic component failure modes within a printed circuit board to thereby alter or improve the manufacturing process as necessary to reduce or eliminate defects and/or otherwise improve quality.
This problem has been addressed in the prior art by using conventional discrete strain gages attached to the surface of the printed circuit board with separate signal lead wires attached to the strain gage. In such an approach discrete strain gage sensors are glued to the top surface of the printed circuit board and attached to electrical circuitry via leadwires attached to the sensors.
In the case of prior art strain gages, there is a significant installation cost associated with placing a strain gage on a printed circuit board. This step is performed by a technician which is time-consuming and costly. This type of labor intensive installation process is not consistent with the goals of an automated assembly process or a high volume PCB manufacturing environment. Moreover, because an automated process is not used the results obtained from strain gages installed in this manner may not be as accurate or useful as desired due to inconsistencies between installations.
An alternative prior art approach has been to use strain-sensitive material applied by metal deposition directly to the board. This approach has allowed some use of printed circuit board manufacturing techniques, however there are significant disadvantages. In particular deposited metal does not provide the requisite strain-sensitive properties that may be required in more sensitive applications. Also, although printed circuit board manufacturing techniques are used, the use of a metal deposition step for the strain gage is a significant addition to the manufacturing process that may be cost prohibitive in particular applications.
A further problem is that with the prior art approaches there are numerous limitations as to where strain can be measured. Strain sensors can not be located in positions which are not readily accessible. Every place where it may be advantageous or appropriate to measure strain is simply not accessible with a discrete sensor.
Thus, despite these varying approaches used in the prior art, problems remain. Therefore, it is a primary object, feature or advantage of the present invention to improve upon the state of the art.
Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide for accurately and efficiently locating areas of stress in a printed circuit board.
It is a further object, feature or advantage of the present invention to provide a printed circuit board with an integral strain gage as opposed to a discrete strain gage.
It is a still further object, feature or advantage of the present invention is to provide an integral strain gage that does not require deposition of material directly on the printed circuit board.
Another object, feature or advantage of the present invention is to provide an integral strain gage that is compatible with a multi-layer printed circuit board.
Yet another object, feature or advantage of the present invention is to provide an integral strain gage for use in a printed circuit board that allows for flexibility with respect to where in the printed circuit board the strain gage is placed.
A further object, feature or advantage of the present invention is to provide an integral strain gage that does not require using discrete sensors attached to the top surface of the printed circuit board.
A still further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide an integral strain gage in a printed circuit board suitable for transducer purposes such as measuring deflection or force.
Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide an integral strain gage in a printed circuit board that is accurate.
One or more of these and/or other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims that follow.

Printed circuit board with integral strain gage


A board stacking apparatus having one or more movable supports having at least two arms each, a rear stopper and a power assembly operatively connected to the movable support to move the same according to a layer stacking routine. The layer stacking routine includes positioning the movable support at a receiving position, maintaining the movable support in the receiving position while the boards are dispensed thereon, and moving the movable support in a rearward direction. The board stacking apparatus further comprises abutment components located proximate to and slightly below a board dispensing mechanism of the apparatus to support the receiving end of corresponding arms when in the receiving position.

Over time, the mechanization of the processes in lumber mills has permitted an increase in the speed of the associated operations such as, but not limited to, sawing, edging, trimming, planning, stacking and bundling. However, as it is the case for every process including multiple operations, for the overall process to be effective, lumber need to flow smoothly between successive operations. If one of the operations is slower than the others, the entire production is slowed down accordingly. Nowadays, in many lumber mills, this bottleneck occurs at the stacking stage, the stacking of the boards being the most time consuming operation.
Stacking requires laying layers of boards or lumber on top of each other. The layers are formed of a fixed number of boards (normally having similar length and width). Layers can be spaced apart by sticks, which are placed perpendicularly to the boards and spaced apart horizontally. Sticks are usually placed either between each layers, as is most common for drying, or only at each N layers, where N is an integer smaller than the total number of layers in the stack, in order to increase the stability of the stack.
Conventional stacking apparatuses usually proceed by lifting a layer of boards formed on transfer chains and moving it forward over a forming stack, using mechanical arms or forks. Once the new board layer extends over the stack, the mechanical arms or forks are removed from under the board layer, in order to deposit the boards onto the stack. During this removal of the mechanical arms or forks, a stopper is usually provided in order to prevent the boards of the new layer from moving toward the transfer chains and keep them above the forming stack. Whenever sticks are needed, they are deposited on the top layer of the stack by a stick placing apparatus before the dropping of a new board layer.
Known stacking apparatuses can for example be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,613,827 and 4,384,814, as well as Canadian patents CA2,559,649, CA1,009,673, CA976,996, CA976,995, CA896,361, CA824,503 and CA578,589.
Typical mechanisms generally require the displacement of the mechanical arms or forks in upward, forward, downward and backward directions, which arms often need to be displaced over distances of several meters. Consequently, the speed of the overall process of stacking the boards is limited to the maximum pace of the arms or forks. This pace can be improved by providing multiple sets of arms or forks operating in an alternating manner, but such a set up also increases the number of mechanical components involved, and the overall complexity, space, and cost of the apparatus. As mentioned above, the maximum pace that can be reached by such apparatuses usually cannot cope with the pace of the other operations on the lumber mills chain of operations, all of which resulting in a bottleneck at this stage. Moreover, this process is power consuming as the mechanism constantly has to fight inertia in the course of its movements.
Hence, in light of the aforementioned, there is a need for an improved board stacking apparatus which, by virtue of its design and components, would be able to overcome or at least minimize some of the above-discussed prior art concerns.


An image display apparatus, such as a plasma display panel, suppresses dynamic false contours with gradation levels sufficiently retained. The image display apparatus has agitation constant adder for generating a plurality of agitation constants for a gradation level corresponding to an image signal, for selecting one agitation constant therefrom, and for adding the agitation constant to the image signal. As a result, dynamic false contours can not be visually perceived because their portions are dispersed by superimposing an agitation to each image signal.

An image display apparatus such as a PDP or a DMD, that performs a binary control of light emission and non-emission, typically uses a subfield method for intermediate gradation display. The subfield method uses a plurality of subfields weighted with the number of light emission or the amount of light emission to divide a single field by temporal decomposition, thereby performing a binary control of each pixel for each subfield. In other words, each subfield has its predetermined luminance weight, and the sum of the weights for emitting subfields determines the gradation level.
FIG. 12 shows an example configuration of a subfield in a conventional PDP. In this configuration, a single field is divided into eight subfields (SF1, SF2, . . . , and SF8), where respective subfields have luminance weights (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128). Each subfield is composed of setup period T1 for preliminary discharge, address period T2 during which data for light emission or non-emission is written for each pixel, and sustain period T3 during which pixels with light-emitting data being written are made to emit light all at once. Combining these subfields in various ways for emitting light can produces 256 level gradation of "0" level through "255" level. For example, gradation level "7" is presented by emitting SF1, SF2, and SF3 having luminance weights 1, 2, and 4, respectively, and gradation level "21" is presented by emitting SF1, SF3, SF5 having luminance weights 1, 4, and 16, respectively.
In such a display apparatus that uses the subfield method for displaying multilevel gradation, it is known that false contours (dynamic false contours) appear and deteriorate the image quality while motion pictures are displayed. The dynamic false contours are described hereinafter. In the same way as the above, a single field is assumed to be divided into eight subfields (SF1 through SF8) respectively weighted with (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128). AS shown in FIG. 13, a case is described where image pattern X moves on the screen of PDP 33 horizontally. Image pattern X has region P1 with gradation level "127" and region P2 with gradation level "128." FIG. 14 is a view in which image pattern X is developed to subfields, where a horizontal axis corresponds to a horizontal direction on the screen of PDP 33, and a vertical axis corresponds to a time direction. In addition, hatched areas in FIG. 14 show non-emitting subfields.
When image pattern X remains stationary, as shown in FIG. 14, a viewer's viewpoint is also fixed to screen position A, and thus gradation levels "127" and "128," which are pixel-original gradation, are perceived. However, when image pattern X moves to the left, the viewpoint also moves to the direction of screen position B-B′, and thus the non-emitting subfields in region P2 and region P1 are viewed. Consequently, gradation level "0", i.e., a dark line, is perceived. Reversely, when image pattern X moves to the right, the viewpoint also moves in the direction of screen position C-C′, and thus light-emitting subfields in region P1 and region P2 are seen, where gradation level "255," i.e., a bright line, is perceived. In either case, the gradation levels are largely different from the original gradation level "127" or "128", and thus are perceived as contours. In this way, false contours, in spite of their small change in gradation levels, occur where the pattern of light-emitting subfields largely changes. For example, if subfields weighted as above-mentioned are used, also in cases where the luminance gradation levels of the adjacent pixels are "63" and "64," "191" and "192," or the like, false contours are prominently observed. Such a phenomenon is called a false contour noise, causing image quality to deteriorate.
Conventional methods for suppressing dynamic false contours include the following.
For example, convert the gradation level of an image signal to a "first gradation level" where dynamic false contours are unlikely to occur, and to its "intermediate gradation level," and then diffuse an error caused by the conversion to the surrounding pixels to interpolate the skipping of gradation levels. Next, if the converted gradation level is "intermediate gradation level," round up or round down to the nearest "first gradation level." Repeat rounding-up and rounding-down alternately by dot, by line, and by field to present averagely "intermediate gradation levels."
However, such a method has the following problems. Namely, the number of gradation levels inevitably decreases near a gradation level at which large dynamic false contours occur. In other words, suppressing dynamic false contours decreases the number of gradation levels, causing a visually rough image, while securing a desired number causes dynamic false contours to occur.

Image display apparatus for correcting dynamic false contours


An integrated circuit includes a single pole double throw switch including a transmitting and receiving port, a transmitting port, and a receiving port. A transmission switch is coupled between the transmitting port and the transmitting and receiving port. A reception switch is coupled between the receiving port and the transmitting and receiving port. The reception switch includes a field effect transistor having a gate, a drain and a source. A voltage generating circuit receives first and second power supply voltages. The first power supply voltage is greater than the second power supply voltage. The voltage generating circuit generates a third voltage lower than the second power supply voltage and applies the third voltage to the gate of the field effect transistor of the reception switch during transmission. As a result, the magnitude of the voltage difference between the gate and the source or the gate and the drain of the second field effect transistor is greater than the magnitude of the difference between the first and second power supply voltages. Accordingly, because of the increased electrical separation between the terminals of the field effect transistor, leakage current flowing to the receiving port during transmission is reduced.

In recent years, with the spread of small-sized portable telephones, mobile communications utilizing analog or digital modulation systems have been developed. In a small-sized portable telephone, a reduction in chip size and an increase in integration density of functional elements are very important.
Especially, a GaAs IC chip, i.e., an IC chip employing a GaAs substrate, used in an RF front end part is backward in integration compared with IC chips used in other parts. So, an increase in the integration density of the GaAs IC chip and a reduction in the chip size have been strongly demanded.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a structure of an RF front end part of a conventional portable telephone. In the figure, reference numerals 8a and 8b designate mixers, i.e., frequency changers (hereinafter referred to as MIX), numeral 1 designates a variable attenuator for transmission (hereinafter referred to as TX-ATT), numeral 6 designates a variable attenuator for reception (hereinafter referred to as RX-ATT), numeral 2 designates a power amplifier (hereinafter referred to as PA) using a GaAs field effect transistor (hereinafter referred to as FET), numeral 3a designates a band pass filter (hereinafter referred to as BPF), and numeral 4 designates a single pole double throw switch (hereinafter referred to as SPDT-SW). The SPDT-SW 4 has three terminals, and a signal input to one of the three terminals is selectively output from the remaining two terminals. Reference numeral 7 designates a low noise amplifier for reception (hereinafter referred to as LNA). Reference numeral 9 designates a negative voltage generator (hereinafter referred to as NVG) for supplying a negative voltage V.sub.GB to the PA 2 because the
2 comprising a GaAs FET needs a negative gate bias voltage. Reference numeral 10 designates a control logic circuit for controlling the TX-ATT 1, the RX-ATT 6, and the SPDT-SW 4 in response to a control signal CONT. Since a single power supply voltage V.sub.DD is used in this portable telephone, for a control signal output from the control logic circuit 10, the power supply voltage V.sub.DD is used as a high potential (hereinafter referred to as "H") and a ground voltage (hereinafter referred to as GND), i.e., 0V, is used as a low potential (hereinafter referred to as "L"). Reference numeral 11 designates a transmitted RF signal input port (hereinafter referred to as TX-IN), and numeral 14 designates a received RF signal output port (hereinafter referred to as RX-OUT). Reference numeral 5 designates an antenna port (hereinafter referred to as ANT), that is, an I/O port connected to an antenna 5a. Reference numeral 12 designates a V.sub.NVG input port (hereinafter referred to as V.sub.NVG -IN) receiving a signal V.sub.NVG which controls an output voltage from the NVG 9. The power supply voltage V.sub.DD is used as V.sub.NVG. Reference numeral 13 designates a control signal input port (hereinafter referred to as CONT-IN) receiving the control signal CONT which controls the operation of the control logic circuit 10. The control logic circuit 10 is a part of a base band IC comprising Si (not shown), and it is controlled by a control signal CONT that is output from a circuit in the base band IC other than the control logic circuit 10.
A description is given of the operation. The SPDT-SW 4 connects the ANT 5 to the TX-IN 11 during reception and connects the ANT 5 to the RX-OUT 14 during transmission, and the control circuit 10 controls the switching of the SPDT-SW 4 and controls the TX-ATT 1 and the RX-ATT 6. Further, during transmission, the NVG 9 generates a negative voltage V.sub.GB from a positive power supply voltage applied thereto and supplies the negative voltage V.sub.GB to the PA 2 as a gate bias voltage.
During transmission, an RF signal input to the TX-IN 11 is subjected to frequency conversion by the MIX 8a, and the frequency converted signal is input to the TX-ATT 1. In the TX-ATT 1, the signal is attenuated, as desired, in response to the power of the input signal. Then, the attenuated signal is amplified by the PA 2, and unnecessary frequency components are eliminated from the attenuated signal by the BPF 3a. Thereafter, the signal is transmitted through the SPDT-SW 4 and ANT 5 and output from the antenna 5a.
During reception, an RF signal received by the antenna 5a is transmitted through the ANT 5 and the SPDT-SW 4 to the RX-ATT 6. In the RX-ATT 6, it is attenuated, as desired, in response to the power of the input signal. Then, unnecessary frequency components are eliminated from the attenuated signal by the BPF 3b. Thereafter, the signal is amplified by the LNA 7 and subjected to frequency conversion by the MIX 8b. Finally, it is taken out from the RX-OUT 14.
In the circuit shown in FIG. 13, the MIXs 8a and 8b, the TX-ATT 1, the PA 2, the SPDT-SW 4, the RX-ATT 6, and the LNA 7 are integrated on a single GaAs substrate (not shown). However, the NVG 9 and the control logic circuit 10 are located outside the GaAs substrate. For example, the NVG 9 is constituted by an IC comprising an Si substrate for the IC only, and the control logic circuit 10 is constituted by a base band IC comprising an Si substrate. Therefore, the number of parts of the transceiver IC is increased, so that the fabrication process is complicated. Further, it is difficult to reduce the size of the transceiver IC.
In order to solve the above-described problems, it might be thought that all the constituents of the circuit, i.e., the MIXs 8a and 8b, the TX-ATT 1, the PA 2, the LNA 7, the SPDT-SW 4, the RX-ATT 6, the NVG 9, and the control logic circuit 10 might be integrated on a single GaAs substrate, and a switch and an attenuator having simple structures are employed. However, the integration of these constituents on a single substrate and the use of a simple switch and a simple attenuator adversely affect the transmission and reception characteristics of the switch and the attenuator as described hereinafter.
FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram illustrating a serial-parallel switch generally used as an SPDT switch in a circuit as shown in FIG. 13. In the figure, reference numerals 51, 52, 53, and 54 designate depletion type field effect transistors (hereinafter referred to as D-FETs), numerals 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, and 60 designate resistors having high resistances for bias application, numeral 61 designates a capacitor for grounding source electrodes of the FETs 52 and 54 for AC, and an end of the capacitor 61 is grounded. Reference numeral 62 designates a transmission side input port (hereinafter referred to as SW-TX), numeral 63 designates a reception side output port (hereinafter referred to as SW-RX), numeral 5 designates an antenna port, and numerals 64 and 65 designate control signal input ports. The control signal input ports 64 and 65 are connected to the control logic circuit 10 shown in FIG. 13 and receive control signals from the control logic circuit 10. The control signal input to the control signal input port 64 is an inverted signal, i.e., a signal opposite to the control signal input to the control signal input port 65. For the control signal, as described above, the power supply voltage V.sub.DD is used as "H" and the ground voltage, i.e., 0V, is used as "L". Reference numeral 66 designates a supply voltage port for raising potentials of transmission lines, i.e., potentials of sources and drains of the transistors 51 and 53, to operate the transistors 51 and 53, in response to the power supply voltage V.sub.DD and the ground voltage applied to the control signal input ports 64 and 65.
A description is given of the operation. During transmission, "H" (.apprxeq.V.sub.DD) is applied to the control signal input port 64 while "L" (.apprxeq.0V) is applied to the control signal input port 65, whereby the FETs 52 and 53 are turned on and the FETs 51 and 54 are turned off, and an RF signal input to the SW-TX 62 is output from the ANT 5. At this time, since the FET 51 is in the OFF state, no RF signal is output from the SW-RX 63. Even when the signal leaks from the FET 51, the leakage signal is reflected because the FET 52 is in the ON state, and leakage of a signal from the SW-RX 63 is suppressed.
At the reception, "H" (.apprxeq.V.sub.DD) is applied to the control signal input port 65 while "L" (.apprxeq.0V) is applied to the control signal input port 64, whereby the FETs 51 and 54 are turned on and the FETs 52 and 53 are turned off, and an RF signal input to the antenna port 5 is output from the reception side RF signal output port 63. At this time, since the FET 53 is in the OFF state, no RF signal is output from the SW-TX 62. Even when the signal leaks from the FET 53, the leakage signal is reflected because the FET 54 is in the ON state, and leakage of a signal from the SW-TX 62 is suppressed.
The serial-parallel SPDT switch shown in FIG. 14 has the advantage of reduced insertion loss and high isolation. Recently, an SPDT switch that can treat a high output voltage at transmission ranging from 24 dBm to 30 dBm, at a low operating voltage, for example, a control voltage of 3/0 V or 0/-3 V, has been realized by using an FET having two different pinch-off voltages or a dual gate FET. Such an SPDT switch is reported in "3V Single Bias Operating SPDT T/R MMIC Switches for PHP Using the Symmetrical MESFETs", TECHNICAL REPORT OF THE INSTITUTE OF ELECTRONICS, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERS, No. MW93-157 (February, 1994) or in "A 3V MMIC Chip Set for 1.9 GHz Mobile Communication Systems", 1995 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference.
However, since a serial-parallel SPDT switch as disclosed in these publications is usually as large as 1.times.1 mm, when the serial-parallel SPDT switch is used in an IC, the chip size of the IC is unfavorably increased.
Furthermore, in order to realize a single power supply operation between V.sub.DD and GND (0V), it is necessary to make the circuit open for DC and shorted for AC using the capacitor 61. For this purpose, however, a capacitance over ten pF is required for GHz band operation, and an element having such a high capacitance is large in size, resulting in an unwanted increase in the chip size.
FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram illustrating an SPDT switch that can solve the problems mentioned above. This SPDT switch has a relatively simple structure, i.e., the number of FETs is reduced to two and no capacitor is included, thereby to reduce the size of an IC chip including this SPDT switch. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those shown in FIG. 10 designate the same or corresponding parts. Reference numeral 4a designates an SPDT switch, numerals 70 and 71 designate D-FETs, numerals 72, 73, 74, and 75 designate resistors for bias application, and numeral 76 designates a resistor for raising potentials of transmission lines, i.e., potentials of sources and drains of the transistors 51 and 53, in response to the power supply voltage V.sub.DD.
A description is given of the operation. During transmission, "H" (.apprxeq.V.sub.DD) is applied to the control signal input port 64 and "L" (.apprxeq.0V) is applied to the control signal input port 65, whereby the FET 70 is turned on and the FET 71 is turned off, and an RF signal input to the SW-TX 62 is output from the antenna port 5. Since the FET 71 is in the OFF state, no RF signal is output from the SX-RX 63.
During reception, "H" (.apprxeq.V.sub.DD) is applied to the control signal input port 65 and "L" (.apprxeq.0V) is applied to the control signal input port 64, whereby the FET 71 is turned on and the FET 70 is turned off, and an RF signal input to the antenna port 5 is output from the SW-RX 63. Since the FET 70 is in the OFF state, no RF signal is output from the SW-TX 62.
Although an SPDT switch having such a simple structure as shown in FIG. 12 has the advantage of reducing the chip size, it has the following drawbacks.
The SPDT switch 4a shown in FIG. 12 is in the transmitting state when the FET 70 is in the ON state and the FET 71 is in the OFF state. In the transmitting mode of the SPDT switch 4a, when the gate to source voltage (gate to drain voltage) of the FET 71 is low, the OFF state of the FET 71 is not sufficient, and the pinch-off state of the FET 71 is not maintained against a high power. Thereby, signals leak at the SW-RX 63 with an increase in the power of signals input to the SW-TX 62. In recent years, a portable transceiver using a single power supply of about 3V is popular. However, when such a low power supply voltage is used, since the voltage for raising potentials of transmission lines, i.e., V.sub.DD, is equal to 3V, a difference between the gate voltage and the source voltage (drain voltage) of the FET 71 in the OFF state is as small as -3V (=GND (0V)-V.sub.DD (3V)). In this case, it is impossible to sufficiently prevent signals from leaking at the SW-RX 63 when the power of signals input to the SW-TX 62 is high. As a result, insertion loss of the SPDT switch 4a is increased, and isolation between the SPDT switch 4a and the RX-ATT 6 is degraded.
As described above, in the prior art IC equipped with a simple SPDT switch for reducing the chip size and operated with a single power supply, since the power supply voltage V.sub.DD is used as a high potential "H" and the ground voltage (=0V) is used as a low potential "L", when it is operated with a power supply voltage as low as 3V or with a control signal of 0V, insertion loss of the SPDT switch is increased and isolation between the SPDT switch and the RX-ATT 6 is degraded when the transmission power is high.


A display system is described, comprising a display device (88) for generating a visual output in response to a plurality of data signals defining the data to be displayed, a display adapter circuit (92) for generating the data signals in a form specified by control data identifying the display device (88), an output port (94) for connecting the data signals from the display adapter circuit to the display device (88) and for connecting the control data from the display device (88) to the display adapter circuit (92), characterized in that the display system further comprises a non-volatile memory (9) located in the display device (88) for storing the control data in the form of a plurality of control codes, and communication logic (95) for communicating a control code between the memory and the output port (94) in response to a command signal (21) generated by the display adapter circuit (92). The communication logic comprises a serial data link (3) for communicating the control code between the display device and the output port, device logic (97) located in the display device for communicating the control code between the memory and the serial data link, and adapter logic (96) located in the display adapter circuit for communicating the control code between the serial data link and the display adapter circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a display system in which control data is communicated between a computer system and a display device.
2. Prior Art
The control data includes parameters for specifying the geometry and resolution of an image presented on the display device. In a display system comprising a raster-scanned display device such as a Cathode Ray Tuhre (CRT) display device, these parameters are determined by the rates and amplitudes of horizontal and vertical scan signals generated for producing the raster scan by electrical circuits in the display device. In order to generate the image, the scan signals are synchronised to video signals from a video source such as a computer system by synchronisation (sync) pulses also generated by the video source.
Some display devices can only operate in a single display mode in accordance with a single set of parameters. Other display devices can be configured to operate in any one of a number of display modes characterised by different sets of parameters. The latter will hereinafter be referred to as multiple mode display devices. In a display device controlled by a computer system it is desirable for the computer system to identify the type of the display device so that appropriate video and sync signals can be generated. Many examples of such computer systems, including the IBM PS 2 range, comprise a video graphics adapter (VGA) having an output port for connecting video and sync signals to a display device. The VGA also has logic responsive to the manner in which identification pins in the output port are terminated when connected to the display device. The logic identifies the type of display device connected to the VGA adapter from these terminations.
UK Patent No. 2,162,026 describes an example of a display system employing a multiple-mode display device receiving video and sync signals from a computer system display adapter. The display device can operate in any one of four display modes. The computer system can be instructed to provide sync pulses of either positive or negative polarities. Each polarity combination indicates a different display mode. The display device includes decoding logic for configuring the display device to operate in a particular display mode in response to predetermined sync pulse polarities.
The display systems of the prior art have the disadvantage that the display interfaces of the prior art can identify, and therefore generate appropriate control signals for, only a limited number of different display devices. This limitation arises because the number of pins available for display device identification and control is limited by the physical form of the output port.

International Business Machines Corporation


An object of the invention is to prevent differences in the flow rate and the specific gravity of a gypsum slurry from being caused between slurry discharge ports, to divide a current of the slurry into streams without a factor of stagnation of the slurry provided at a branch part, and also, to ensure a sufficient distance between the discharge ports.

A gypsum board is known in the art as a board having a gypsum core covered with sheets of paper for gypsum board liner, and is widely used in various kinds of buildings as an architectural interior finish material, because of its advantageous fire-resisting or fire-protecting ability, sound insulation performance, workability, cost performance and so on. In general, the gypsum board is produced by a continuous slurry pouring and casting process. This process comprises a mixing step for admixing calcined gypsum, adhesive auxiliary agent, set accelerator, foam (or foaming agent), and other additives, admixtures and so forth, with mixing water in a mixer; a forming step for pouring a calcined gypsum slurry prepared in the mixer (referred to as "gypsum slurry" or "slurry" hereinafter) into a space between sheets of paper for gypsum board liner and forming them to be a continuous belt-like formation having a plate-like configuration; and a drying and cutting step for roughly cutting the solidified continuous belt-like layered formation, drying it forcibly and thereafter, trimming it to have a product size.
A thin type of circular centrifugal mixer is known in the art as the mixer for preparing the gypsum slurry by mixing the calcined gypsum, water and so forth. This type of mixer comprises a flattened circular casing and a rotary disc rotatably positioned in the casing. A plurality of material feeding ports for feeding the above constituent materials into the mixer are disposed in a center region of a top cover or an upper plate of the casing, and a slurry outlet port for delivering a mixture (a slurry) out of the mixer is provided on the periphery of the casing or on a lower plate (bottom cover) thereof. The ingredients to be mixed are supplied onto the rotary disc through the respective feeding ports, and they are mixed while being moved radially outward on the disc under an action of centrifugal force, and then, delivered out of the mixer through the slurry outlet port, which are positioned on the periphery or the lower plate (bottom plate). The mixer with this arrangement is disclosed in, e.g., International Publication of PCT Application No. WO00/56435 (Patent Literature 1).
As regards a method for delivering the slurry prepared in the mixer to the outside of the mixer, the following three kinds of methods are mainly known in the art:
(1) A vertical chute, which is also called as a "canister", is attached to a slurry outlet port provided on an annular wall of the casing, and the slurry on the rotary disc is delivered into the chute under the action of centrifugal force, so that the slurry flowing into the chute is gravitationally discharged onto the sheet of paper for gypsum board liner (International Publication of PCT Application No. WO2004/026550 (Patent Literature 2));
(2) A tubular passage for transporting the slurry is transversely connected to the slurry outlet port provided on the annular wall of the casing, so that the slurry is discharged onto the sheet of paper with use of a delivery pressure of the mixer (U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,609 (Patent Literature 3));
(3) A slurry delivery tubular passage is vertically connected to the slurry outlet port provided on the lower plate of the casing, so that the slurry is gravitationally discharged onto the sheet of paper through the tubular delivery passage (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-300933 (Patent Literature 4)).
In general, a quantity of foam or foaming agent is fed to the slurry in the mixer, in order to regulate or adjust the specific gravity of the gypsum board. Proper mixing of the foam or foaming agent with the slurry is considered to be essential for reduction in the weight of the gypsum board. Therefore, in the method for producing gypsum boards in recent years, a technique for properly mixing an appropriate quantity of foam or foaming agent with the slurry is considered to be especially important. As regards reduction in a supply amount of foam or foaming agent and uniform mixing of the slurry and the foam, it is considered that a relation is very important between a method for feeding the foam or foaming agent to the slurry and a method for delivering the slurry (Patent Literatures 2 and 3).
For instance, each of International Publications of PCT Applications Nos. WO2014/087892 and WO2004/103663 (Patent Literatures 5 and 6) discloses a technique intended to attain homogeneous dispersion and distribution of the foam or foaming agent in the slurry with use of a slurry swirling flow in a vertical chute.
The slurry delivered from the mixer in such a method for delivering the slurry is discharged onto an upper surface of the sheet of paper for gypsum board liner through a slurry discharge port of a slurry delivery conduit. The conduit configures, in general, a curved or L-shaped fluid passage. This kind of fluid passage is, in general, called as a "boot(s)", a "discharge boot(s)", or the like. The sheet of paper for gypsum board liner is a continuous belt-like material with a width of about 1 m, which is continuously conveyed on a production line of a gypsum board production apparatus in a relatively high speed. A bifurcation type or distribution type of boot is known in the art, which has a plurality of slurry discharge ports spaced apart from each other in a widthwise direction of the sheet, in order to pour and spread the slurry uniformly on the sheet throughout the overall width of the sheet. For instance, a "multi-leg discharge boot", which is disclosed in International Publications of PCT Application No. WO2013/063055 (Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2014-530779) (Patent Literature 7), is such a bifurcation type or distribution type of boot having a pair of left and right slurry discharge ports for discharging the slurry prepared by the mixer onto the sheet.
FIG. 10 includes a plan view and a side elevational view showing a structure of the conventional slurry delivery conduit. FIG. 11 includes a perspective view and a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V, which show a structure of the slurry delivery conduit as disclosed in Patent Literature 7.
A boot 100 as shown in FIG. 10 has a vertical tube 101 generally in a cylindrical form and a pair of left and right slurry delivery tubes 103. A center axis Z-Z of the tube 101 is oriented in a vertical direction. The tubes 103 are connected to the tube 101 at a lower part 102 reduced in its diameter. An opening at a terminal end of each of the tubes 103 defines a slurry discharge port 104 which discharges the slurry as shown by an arrow α. The ports 104 discharges the slurry onto an upper surface of the sheet of paper for gypsum board liner 110 (illustrated by one dotted chain lines), which runs in a direction of an arrow J. The conveying direction J of the sheet 110 is in parallel with the center axis X-X of the production line of the gypsum board production apparatus. Each of the tubes 103 is a rectilinear tube, which extends straightly in a direction at an angle θa/2 with respect to the center axis X-X of the production line of the apparatus as seen in the plan view (FIG. 10 (A)), and which extends straightly and obliquely downward from the lower portion 102 as seen in the side elevational view (FIG. 10 (B)). A divergent angle θa of the tubes 103 is set to be, e.g., an angle approximately ranging from 30 degrees to 60 degrees, and an inclination angle θb of the tubes 103 is set to be, e.g., an angle approximately ranging from 20 degrees to 25 degrees. As shown by the arrows α, the slurry discharge ports 104 discharge the slurry bilaterally symmetrically as seen in the plan view, in the directions of the angles θa, θb.
A boot 200 as shown in FIG. 11 has a vertical tube 201, a heel portion 202, a bifurcation part 205 and a pair of left and right slurry delivery tubes 203. The center axis Z-Z of the tube 201 generally in a cylindrical form is oriented in a vertical direction. The heel portion 202 curvedly extends from a lower end portion of the tube 201. The bifurcation part 205 is connected to a downstream end of the heel portion 202. The tubes 203 are connected to the bifurcation part 205. The bifurcation part 205 includes a bifurcating portion 206 which splits a slurry current Sa entering into the bifurcation part 205 from the heel portion 202. As shown in FIG. 11 (B), which is the cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 11 (A), a wall surface region 207 is formed inside of the bifurcating portion 206 (inside of a fluid passage). The wall surface region 207 is substantially perpendicular to the slurry current Sa. The tube 203 is a rectilinear tube, which extends straightly in a direction substantially parallel with the center axis X-X of the production line of the gypsum board production apparatus, as seen in its plan view, and which extends somewhat obliquely downward from the bifurcation part 205, as seen in its side elevational view. As shown by the arrow α, each of the slurry discharge ports 204, which is an opening at a terminal end of each of the tubes 203, discharges the slurry in the direction substantially parallel with the conveying direction J of the sheet 110, as seen in the plan view.

Slurry delivery conduit of mixer and slurry delivery method

Abstract: The slurry delivery conduit (10) has a rectilinear tube segment (14), a branch part (15) and branch tube segments (16). A tube-wall joint portion (20) of the branch tube segments configures a counter-flow splitting element (22) in a form of V-letter at the branch part. The slurry is introduced from a mixing area (51) into the rectilinear tube segment, which configures a straight rectilinear fluid passage. The rectilinear tube segment rectifies a flow of the slurry to be an axial or rectilinear current (S), and the axial or rectilinear current is split into branch streams (S1, S2) by the counter-flow splitting element.


Antibacterial CASE materials comprising a latex comprising polymer particles and a surfactant component. Also disclosed are components and methods for forming such materials.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to antimicrobial polymer latexes and the antimicrobial coating, adhesive, sealant and elastomer (CASE) materials derived therefrom, wherein the polymer latex is derived from various monomers and antimicrobial quaternary ammonium ethylenically unsaturated compounds. These antimicrobial quaternary ammonium ethylenically unsaturated compounds are generally derived from ethylenically unsaturated sulfonic, phosphoric and/or carboxylic acids or salts thereof, and substantially saturated antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compounds. More specifically, the invention relates to improved antimicrobial polymer latexes and CASE materials, which possess prolonged antimicrobial activity, wherein the polymers and resulting CASE materials are produced using emulsion polymerization processes which utilize antimicrobial quaternary ammonium ethylenically unsaturated compounds derived from substantially saturated antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compounds and ethylenically unsaturated alkylsulfonic acids, alkylbenzene sulfonic acids, alkyl olefin sulfonic acids, alkyl alcohol sulfuric acid esters, or alkoxylated alkyl alcohol sulfuric acid esters, fatty acids, and fatty phosphate acid esters, or salts thereof, or mixtures thereof
2. Description of the Related Art
The emulsion polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers to form discrete solid polymeric particles for use in coating, adhesive, sealant, and/or elastomer (CASE) applications is well known to the art. Surfactants are commonly used materials in the manufacture of polymer latexes and various CASE products, such as, for example paints, printing inks, adhesives and pressure-sensitive adhesives. These surfactants are often indispensable for the manufacture and/or stabilization of these products in terms of processability. However, after such CASE products are used for coating, printing, adhesion or pressure bonding, the surfactants are no longer necessary, nor desirable. Rather, if the surfactant remains in the CASE product, the surfactant tends to adversely affect the resistance of the CASE material to water and even oil in many instances.
Surfactants for use in emulsion polymerization to form latexes, which are then used to prepare CASE materials, include traditional anionic surfactants, such as sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate and nonionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether. However, CASE materials using polymer latex emulsions prepared using such traditional surfactants have the drawbacks of poor resistance to water and poor bond strength, typically because the surfactant remains in free form in the polymer latex and/or final CASE material. Additionally, these CASE materials often possess little or no antimicrobial activity, absent the addition of a separate antimicrobial material. When CASE materials are formulated to include such an antimicrobial material, the antimicrobial activity of the CASE material decreases realtively quickly with the passage of time and upon repeated exposure of the CASE material to various elements, including for example, water, washings with cleaning products, UV light, and the like.
CASE materials typically comprise, for example, paints (high-gloss, semi-gloss, and flat), caulks, and the like. CASE materials are typically applied to a variety of substrates, including for example, wood, metal, plastic, glass, ceramics, fiberglass, composite materials, cardboard, corrugated board, paper, textiles, non-woven materials, plastic, foam, tape or a combination thereof. Substrates can be virgin materials, i.e. materials which have not previously be treated or coated with a case material, or materials which have been previously coated or treated with a CASE material. CASE materials can be applied on top of or applied to a previously applied CASE material.
Conventional emulsion polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers employs one or more surface active materials to emulsify the monomers and to stabilize the resulting polymer products, i.e., the latex. The monomers used in emulsion polymerization reactions are generally water-insoluble, but in some cases may be water-soluble. During a typical emulsion polymerization, a surfactant is used to suspend small portions of monomer in a continuous or a semi-continuous aqueous phase. Typically, the monomer molecules are dispersed or suspended as small spheres in the aqueous phase, wherein the polymerization takes place within the small spheres. The surface active agents, i.e., surfactants, typically utilized in emulsion polymerization reactions are anionic, nonionic, and cationic surfactants or a mixture thereof.
The polymeric particles formed by the emulsion polymerization process are typically utilized to prepare coating, adhesive, sealant, and/or elastomer (CASE) materials. In a traditional emulsion polymerization reaction, the surfactant does not become chemically bonded to the polymeric particles by carbon-carbon bond formation, but rather remains absorbed on the polymeric particle product solution after the emulsion polymerization reaction is complete, i.e., once all of the monomer(s) is reacted. The unreacted surfactant can have a detrimental effect on the polymer product solution, as it can interfere with the performance of such polymerization products in CASE materials; the suspension of polymeric particles may become destabilized over time and undergo unwanted coagulation. In addition, the unreacted surfactant does not provide any desireable antimicrobial activity to the CASE material. The unreacted surfactant may cause unwanted peeling of a latex paint coating on a substrate, and decreased moisture and scrubability resistance in other various CASE applications. Residual surfactant can cause an undesirable xe2x80x9cbloomingxe2x80x9d that leads to surface irregularities in a resulting CASE material that is applied to a substrate. Additionally, residual surfactant may lead to undesirable decreases in adhesion of a particular CASE material. The traditional surfactants act as stabilizers before, during, and after polymerization, but they typically have a detrimental effect on the properties of a dry latex film, for example, due to their tendency to migrate, i.e., to leave their original positions at the latex particle surfaces and form areas of higher concentration both in pockets within the film and at the film/air and film/substrate interfaces.
Several proposals have been made in the prior art to employ a polymerizable surfactant as the surface active agent during an emulsion polymerization reaction. U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,883 (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) describes the use of ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable water-soluble nonionic surfactants formed by the reaction of a diallylamine compound with ethylene oxide, propylene oxide or butylene oxide, in emulsion polymerization reactions. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,475 (incorporated herein by reference) provides alpha-beta ethylenically unsaturated poly(alkylenoxy) polymerizable surface active compounds for use in emulsion polymerization. For additional examples of polymerizable surfactants for use in emulsion polymerization processes, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,377,185 and 4,049,608. Also see WO8912618, EP 747456 A2, and EP 770655 A2; all describing various ethylenically unsaturated surfactant approaches to producing CASE materials with reactive surfactants. However, none of these approaches have provided an alterative to improving the CASE material and at the same time, made the polymer latex and/or the resulting case material antimicrobial, i.e. resistant to bacteria, fungi, algae, viruses, and the like.
Non-polymerizable surfactant solutions to the traditional problems encountered in performing an emulsion polymerization process are numerous. U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,857 describes the use of epoxy resins which react with the residual anionic, cationic or nonionic surfactant. Polymerizable compounds such as allyl alcohol (and esters thereof) have been found to be ineffective due to the formation of undesirable high levels of coagulum in the final emulsion polymerization product. Additionally, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,224,455; 5,399,617; 4,075,411; 5,344,867; 5,296,627; 5,679,732, 5,536,811; 4,912,157; and 5,039,339; and WO 97/45495.
Quaternary ammonium salt formulations have been used as disinfectants for many years and these formulations have broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. These formulations are effecatious, at higher concentrations of quaternary ammonium salts, against certain gram positive and gram negative bacteria. These formulations have also been shown to show tuberculocidal activity. These formulations have been incorporated into latex formulations to prepare a blend of latex polymer particles and quaternary ammonium compounds, wherein the resulting formulation is applied to a substrate as a CASE material. These CASE materials and the substrates treated with the CASE materials often posses excellent initial antimicrobial activity. However, upon the passage of time, exposure to the elements, exposure to water, or repeated washings, the antimicrobial activity of the CASE and/or substrate decreases. This is generally due to a washing away or removal/leaching of the quaternary ammonium compounds present in the CASE material since these quaternary agents migrate to the surface.
It is known that on the surfaces of most substrates, micro-organisms develop grow, reproduce and or thrive. These micro organisms consist of a of organic materials, bacteria, algae, protozoa or other microorganisms, depending on the substrate and the type of exposure to the enviroment of the substrate. Numerous compounds termed biocides have been proposed and used for the treatment of such substrates to kill the micro organisms. Those most commonly employed in practice are halogens or halogenated inorganic or organic derivatives, such as chlorine, bromine, iodine, potassium chloride, hypochlorous acid and its sodium or calcium salts, hypobromous acid, the salts of dichloro- and trichloroisocyanuric acids, or halogenated hydantoins; however, these compounds have the disadvantage of being corrosive and of forming chlorinated compounds which are highly toxic. It has also been proposed to use peroxygenated derivatives, phenols and phenol derivatives, heavy metals or organic derivatives thereof, formaldehyde, benzoic acid and benzoates for treatments by contact with a substrate. However, many of these compounds are expensive, and/or they leave toxic or corrosive residues on the substrate. Generally, in order to be suitable for use in an appropriate fashion in a process for the treatment of microorganisms on a substrate, a biocidal compound must have the properties of: preventing the formation of the biological micro organisms, low toxicity to humans and animals that may come in contact with the biocidal compound and/or the substrate treated with such compounds, high fungicidal, algicidal and bactericidal activity.
Thus, there is a need for emulsion polymerization latexes and processes to prepare latexes comprising polymers and discrete polymeric particles that are well suited for use in antimicrobial CASE applications. There is a specific need for antimicrobial polymer latexes and CASE materials which comprise the polymer latex, wherein the final CASE material possess low water sensitivity, improved scrubability and/or improved adhesion properties. Additionally, improved antimicrobial CASE materials with prolonged antimicrobial activity, low animal toxicity, increased latex shear stability and lowered film yellowing tendencies are highly desirable. As will be more fully described hereinafter, it has been surprisingly discovered that incorporating antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compounds into the polymer latex particles by carbonxe2x80x94carbon bond formation provides an antimicrobial latex polymer which can subsequently be used to prepare antimicrobial CASE materials with prolonged antimicrobial activity, The antimicrobial activity remains even after the CASE materials and the substrates treated with the CASE materials are repeatedly exposured to the elements, exposured to water, or repeatedly washing many times; i.e., the antimicrobial activity of the CASE and/or substrate remains high for an extended period of time and there is generally no washing away or significant removal/leaching of the quaternary ammonium compounds present in the CASE material.
The present invention relates to antimicrobial polymer latexes and polymer solutions and CASE materials prepared from such materials, wherein the latexes and solutions are formed using a variety of monomers in combination with a group of compounds in the form of quaternary ammonium ethylenically unsaturated compounds derived from ethylenically unsaturated sulfonic, phosphoric and/or carboxylic acids or salts thereof, or mixtures thereof, and substantially saturated quaternary ammonium compounds, wherein the quaternary ammonium ethylenically unsaturated compounds display both surface activity, i.e. they are surfactants, and antimicrobial activity. The polymer latexes, and resulting antimicrobial CASE material produced therefrom, generally possess antibacterial activity (e.g., gram negative and gram positive bacteria). These materials may also act as fungicides, mildewcides, tuberculocides, mycobacterialcides, viralcides, and the like. It has been discovered that improved antimicrobial CASE can be prepared using such antimicrobial latexes based on these antimicrobial quaternary ammonium ethylenically unsaturated compounds which function as reactive surfactants, i.e. surface active agents in polymerization processes, particularly emulsion polymerization processes. The antimicrobial CASE materials of the instant invention are based on antimicrobial quaternary ammonium ethylenically unsaturated compounds (surface active agents) which are generally capable of co-polymerizing with other ethylenically unsaturated monomers of the type which are commonly employed in polymerization processes. The polymerizable surface active agents utilized in the present invention are prepared from readily available, economical raw materials, and generally, their preparation does not require any special handling or equipment. These polymerizable surface active agents are particularly well suited for use in the formation of polymer particles which in turn may be used to prepare a variety of antimicrobial CASE materials. Surprisingly, these materials impart prolonged antimicrobial activity to the CASE materials and may also improve many of the properties of various antimicrobial CASE materials, such as for example, improved water sensitivity (i.e. they become more hydrophobic), improved scrubability, improved adhesion, increased latex shear stability, lowered film yellowing tendencies, decreased paper discoloration, and improved wet strength in paper coatings.
Examples of antimicrobial CASE materials of the instant invention include, among others, interior and exterior coatings, e.g., latex paints, container, paper and paperboard coating, e.g., can coatings, adhesives, such as water-born adhesives and pressure sensitive adhesives, sealants, industrial coatings, waxes, automotive coatings, textile coatings and binders, floor finishes, water-based inks, films, and binders and coatings for non-woven materials such as carpet backing.
The polymerizable surface active agents utilized in the instant invention may be prepared in a batch mode or a continuous mode. They may be prepared by contacting the ethylenically unsaturated acid, or a salt thereof, with a substantially saturated quaternary ammonium compound, or vise versa. The result of such contacting typically produces acid and/or salt formation, whereby such acid and/or salt may be removed by a variety of techniques know to those skilled in the art, including for example, extraction, filtration, distillation, or a combination thereof. By contacting it is meant that the ethylenically unsaturated acid(s) or salt(s) is added to the substantially saturated quaternary ammonium compound, or vise versa, and the components are mixed to effectuate the formation of an ethylenically unsaturated quaternary ammonium compound and and acid(s) or salt(s). Typically, upon mixing, the proton, or cation of the acid salt (i.e. ammonium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and alkanolamines) and the anion of the substantially saturated quaternary ammonium compound (i.e. chloride, bromide, iodide, sulfate) exchange, with their respective counter ions to form acids and/or salts and the resulting antimicrobial ethylenically unsaturated quaternary ammonium compound.
In a less preferred embodiment, the ethylenically unsaturated quaternary ammonium compounds of the instant invention my also be derived from primary, secondary and tertiary amines and known ethylenically unsaturated quaternizing agents, such as for example, vinyl chloride. Generally, such quaternizing agents include those agents which possess ethylenically unsaturated halides, ethylenically unsaturated alkyl sulfates, and the like, which are capable of effectuating a quaternaization of an amine to produce an ethylenically unsaturated quaternary ammonium compound with antimicrobial activity.
Accordingly, an improved method is provided for forming antimicrobial CASE materials and/or polymers, utilizing antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agents detailed herein. Generally, the improved method for preparing an antimicrobial CASE material comprising:
a) preparing a mixture comprising:
i) at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer;
ii) at least one antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agent;
wherein the antimicrobial polymerizable, surface active agent is a ethylenically unsaturated quaternary ammonium compound derived from:
a) at least one acid, wherein the acid is a sulfonic acid, a carboxylic acid, or a phosphoric acid, or a salt thereof, or a mixture thereof, wherein the acid or the salt thereof contains at least one ethylenically unsaturated moiety; and
b) at least one substantially saturated antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compound;
b) polymerizing the mixture to form a latex or mixture of polymer particles;
wherein the antimicrobial polymerizable, surface active agent is capable of polymerization with the ethylenically unsaturated monomer or co-polymerization with a partially polymerized polymer particle. Somewhat preferably, the heteroatom of the acid is linked covalently, directly or indirectly, to the ethylenically unsaturated moiety of the acid. The method may further comprise the addition of optional ingredients as detailed herein, to produce a final antimicrobial CASE product.
The polymers prepared utilizing the polymerizable surface active agents of the present invention may be used as the primary resin component or a minor resin component of a resin mixture which is used to prepare antimicrobial latexes, coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, binders, inks, floor finishes and the like. A polymer is defined herein as a product produced by polymerizing two or more monomers, which may be the same or different. Additionally, the polymer may have incorporated into it, surface active agent monomers and/or homopolymeric surface active agents. The various final antimicrobial CASE materials, compositions, applications and polymer products described herein may contain various optional ingredients such as fillers, pigments, colloids, colorants, solvents, plasticizers, antioxidants, curing agents, thickeners, non-polymerizable surface active agents (surfactants), preservatives, wet strength additives, and the like.
The present invention provides an improved polymerization process for forming polymers, wherein the polymerizable surface active agent used in the polymerization reaction does not interfere with the quality of the antimicrobial CASE materials. In many cases, the quality of the antimicrobial CASE materials is improved by the use of the antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agent.
The present invention provides an improved polymerization process, wherein antimicrobial CASE materials that are formed, using the polymers of the present invention, remain uniform and stable upon the passage of time and/or exposure to moisture at ambient or elevated temperature, once the CASE material is applied to a substrate. Additionally, the antimicrobial CASE materials possess extended antimicrobial activity, over long period of time and exposure to various deleterious elements, such as for example, water, solvents, washings with cleaning products, UV light, and the like.
The present invention provides antimicrobial polymers suitable for use in antimicrobial coating, adhesive, sealant and/or elastomer (CASE) materials. The polymers may be in a variety of forms, such as, for example, solids, flakes, powders, semi-solids, thick pastes, flowable/pumpable pastes (i.e. G-phase pastes), liquids, gels, xe2x80x9cringingxe2x80x9d gels, dilute or concentrated solutions and the like. The polymers may be spray dried, flaked, extruded, or the like.
The present invention additionally provides antimicrobial homopolymeric surface active agents comprised of polymerized, polymerizable surface active agents or blends of polymerizable surface active agents. These antimicrobial homopolymeric surface active agents are useful in the polymerization processes and antimicrobial CASE materials detailed herein. The present invention further provides antimicrobial homopolymeric surface active agent/polymerizable surface active agent blends comprised of partially polymerized, polymerizable surface active agents and non-polymerized, polymerizable surface active agents. These antimicrobial homopolymeric/polymerizable surface active agent blends are also useful in the polymerization processes and antimicrobial CASE materials detailed herein.
The improved polymerization process for forming antimicrobial CASE materials of the present invention preferably does not require the use of a surfactant which contains residual formaldehyde or other low molecular weight volatile organic compounds. However, while not desirable, low molecular weight volatile organic compounds, solvents and/or residual formaldehyde may be present in the polymerization products of the present invention. Further, the polymerization process of the present invention provides latexes useful in antimicrobial CASE materials with extended antimicrobial activity. Additional benefits of improved shear stability, improved pH stability, improved shelf storage stability and improved ease of viscosity modification may also be provided.
The antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agent may be added to the emulsion polymerization mixture in a batch mode (i.e. all at once), a continuous mode (i.e. by addition of an amount of the polymerizable surface active agent throughout the polymerization) or in a semi-continuous mode (i.e. addition of portions of the polymerizable surface active agent at various times during the polymerization). In a less preferred embodiment, the antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agent may be prepared in situ in the emulsion polymerization mixture, by adding at least one acid, wherein the acid is a sulfonic acid, a carboxylic acid, or a phosphoric acid, or a salt thereof, or a mixture thereof, wherein the acid or the salt thereof contains at least one ethylenically unsaturated moiety, to the mixture, followed by concurrent or step-wise addition of at least one substantially saturated antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compound, wherein the polymerizable surface active agent is formed in the mixture, with subsequent acid/salt formation.
The antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agents utilized in the present invention are generally formed by combining at least one acid, wherein the acid is a sulfonic acid, a carboxylic acid, or a phosphoric acid, or a salt thereof, or a mixture thereof, wherein the acid or the salt thereof contains at least one ethylenically unsaturated moiety; and at least one substantially saturated antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compound. The antimcrobial polymerizable surface active agents of the present invention are preferably in the form of quaternary ammonium compounds. The surface active agents of the present invention are prepared from readily available, economical raw materials, and generally, their preparation does not require any special handling or equipment.
The antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agents and blends of these surface active agents may be prepared in a variety of forms, including but not limited to, liquids, solutions, solids, powders, flakes, semi-solids, gels, xe2x80x9cringingxe2x80x9d gels, G-phase liquids, hexagonal phase solids, or thick pastes. The antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agents may be spray dried, flaked, extruded, and the like. Although not critical to the present invention, the antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agents may be prepared xe2x80x9cneatxe2x80x9d or in a conventional solvent such as water, low molecular weight alcohol or hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof, to produce a solution of the surface active agent. The present invention encompasses antimicrobial surface active agents as quaternary ammonium compounds in dry form and as aqueous solutions. The antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compounds may be isolated by drying a solution of the surface active agents; a solution of surface active agents may be prepared by dissolving the quaternary ammonium compound in water, low molecular weight alcohol or hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof.
Individual antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agents of the present invention may be prepared and mixed together to produce a surface active mixture comprising xe2x80x9cneatxe2x80x9d surface active agents or an aqueous surfactant blend. Additionally, neat or aqueous blends of the antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agents may be prepared by contacting a blend of two or more ethylenically unsaturated acids or salts thereof with one substantially saturated antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compound, or by contacting a blend of two or more substantially saturated antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compounds with a blend of 2 or more ethylenically unsaturated acids or salts thereof. Conversely, blends of the antimicrobial surface active agents may be prepared by contacting a blend of two or more ethylenically unsaturated acids or salts thereof, with one substantially saturated antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compound, or by contacting a blend of two or more ethylenically unsaturated acids or salts thereof, with a blend of two or more substantially saturated antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compounds. The antimicrobial polymerizable surface active agents useful in the present invention to form latexes, when used in a antimicrobial CASE material, such as for example, paint, printing ink, adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive, generally act as surfactants in the course of manufacture, storage or even processing thereof and, then, ceases to function as surfactants in due course thereafter. Furthermore, the antimicrobial polymerizable surfactants of the invention can be used not only as emulsifiers for emulsion polymerizations, but also as dispersing agents for suspension polymerization, dispersing agent for dyes and pigments, emulsifiers for waxes, finishing agents for fibers, emulsifier-dispersants for agrochemicals, antistatic agents for synthetic resins, and so on. In these and other applications, the aforementioned adverse effect of a residual traditional surfactant can be drastically reduced and/or eliminated.
These and other objects and advantages, as well as the scope, nature, and utilization of the claimed invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and claims.

Antimicrobial polymer latexes derived from unsaturated quaternary ammonium compounds and antimicrobial coatings, sealants, adhesives and elastomers produced from such latexes


A control device for an engine includes an air-fuel ratio detector detecting an air-fuel ratio of an exhaust gas of the engine. A feedback controller performs a feedback control of an amount of a fuel injection of mixed fuel including alcohol so that the air-fuel ratio detected by the air-fuel ratio detector is come close to a target air-fuel ratio, the mixed fuel supplied from a fuel feeder. A concentration estimator estimates a concentration of the alcohol in the mixed fuel based on the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas and a correction amount for the amount of the fuel injection controlled by the feedback control. A malfunction determiner determines that the fuel feeder has a malfunction when the correction amount is greater than or equal to a value for a period which is longer than a first period in a second period. The second period is from a first time point when the feedback controller starts to perform the feedback control.

The present invention relates to a control device for an engine capable of using fuel into which alcohol is mixed.
Although an engine for a vehicle such as an automobile generally uses gasoline as a fuel, an engine which can use fuel into which alcohol is mixed is also well-known. A vehicle which mounts an engine capable of using fuel into which alcohol is mixed at an arbitrary mixing ratio is generally referred to as a FFV (Flexible Fuel Vehicle).
An engine for such an FFV is also, in the same manner as the gasoline engine, subject to a control where an exhaust air/fuel ratio is detected based on oxygen concentration in an exhaust gas using an oxygen sensor or an LAFS (linear air/fuel ratio sensor), and a fuel feed quantity is feedback-controlled such that the exhaust air/fuel ratio approximates a target air/fuel ratio.
Here, in the FFV, it is necessary to properly perform a control of fuel injection quantity by taking the difference in properties of both fuels such as the difference in theoretical air/fuel ratio between gasoline and alcohol into consideration. That is, it is necessary to properly grasp alcohol concentration of fuel into which alcohol is mixed and to perform a proper fuel-feed quantity control corresponding to the alcohol concentration. Here, to properly grasp the alcohol concentration, it is necessary to suitably learn alcohol concentration corresponding to a state where alcohol concentration is changeable as in the case of feeding fuel into a vehicle.
There has been known an internal combustion engine which detects properties of fuel based on a displacement amount between a basic fuel injection time which is set corresponding to a running state and an actual fuel injection time (for example, Patent Document 1).
On the other hand, there has been also proposed a technique which detects a malfunction of a fuel feeding system represented by clogging of a fuel injection valve or the like based on a change of a correction amount of a feedback control. In this case, a state where an exhaust air/fuel ratio is continuously maintained in a lean state in spite of a control of a correction amount so as to allow the exhaust air/fuel ratio to have a stoichiometric amount of air is determined as the occurrence of clogging of a fuel injection valve.
[Patent document 1] Japanese Patent No. 2956237
However, in the state of the art, it is difficult to accurately distinguish whether a change of correction amount in the feedback control is brought about by an actual change in alcohol concentration due to feeding of fuel or the like or by the displacement between a basic fuel injection quantity and an actual fuel injection quantity attributed to an malfunction of a fuel feeding system or the like. Accordingly, there may be a case where the alcohol concentration of mixed fuel cannot be accurately learnt. Since the fuel injection quantity is subject to the feedback control based on the exhaust air/fuel ratio as described above, even when the exhaust air/fuel ratio is changed due to a factor other than a change of alcohol concentration of a mixed fuel, an actual fuel injection quantity is changed. For example, even when a fuel injection quantity is decreased due to the occurrence of clogging in a fuel injection valve, an actual fuel injection quantity is increased and becomes larger than a basic fuel injection quantity.
When alcohol concentration of the mixed fuel is detected based on merely a correction amount of a fuel injection quantity, there exists a possibility that a change of the correction amount attributed to clogging in the fuel injection valve is also erroneously determined as a change of alcohol concentration. When such erroneous determination is made, the alcohol concentration of the mixed fuel cannot be accurately learnt so that there exists a possibility that the air/fuel ratio cannot be properly controlled.

Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


Tools and techniques are described to automate triage of security and operational alerts. Insight instances extracted from raw event data associated with an alert are aggregated, vectorized, and assigned confidence scores through classification based on machine learning. Confidence scoring enables heavily loaded administrators and controls to focus attention and resources where they are most likely to protect or improve the functionality of a monitored system. Feature vectors receive a broad base in the underlying instance values through aggregation, even when the number of instance values is unknown prior to receipt of the event data. Visibility into the confidence scoring process may be provided, to allow tuning or inform further training of a classifier model. Performance metrics are defined, and production level performance may be achieved.

Cybersecurity tries to reduce or prevent attacks that damage desirable qualities of data and computing resources, such as confidentiality, availability, integrity, and privacy. Sometimes a cyberattack is focused on a particular quality, e.g., a distributed denial of service attack is typically focused on eroding or eliminating the availability of data and transactional services. At other times, an attack is directed at multiple qualities, e.g., a man-in-the-middle attack reduces confidentiality and privacy, but it may also introduce spurious or modified data, thereby attacking data integrity. Cyberattacks take many forms, including social engineering efforts such as phishing, compute-intensive attacks such as brute force attacks on passwords, open attacks such as adware and ransomware, hidden attacks such as rootkits and data leaks, attacks focused on particular resources such as computing power (creating a zombie army of bots) or storage (hijacking web server storage to hold illegal materials), attacks that target specific kinds of data (e.g., medical histories, credit card data), and many other forms of attack.
Some of these tools or techniques automatically monitor events in a computing technology system, either as the events occur or by later inspection of event logs. Some tools or techniques merely log or report events, whereas others may raise an alert in order to direct attention to particular events that are deemed suspect or otherwise deemed more important to ensure proper operation of the computing technology. The monitored events may be security-related events, or they may relate to operational health, or both. Many different kinds of events can be monitored, including for example device operation result codes, firmware-generated errors, failed or successful attempts to login, attempts to open or create or modify or delete a file, attempts to change directories, attempts to change access privileges, acts such as scanning ports, rebooting, cloning, sending or receiving network communications which fit a specified pattern, and so on.

Enhancing cybersecurity and operational monitoring with alert confidence assignments


A drive chain adjustment mechanism for simplifying the tension adjustment work of a drive chain of an all terrain vehicle. The drive chain is wound around a driven sprocket connected to the rear wheels of the vehicle. The mechanism includes a case to which the driven sprocket is coupled; a cam which moves the case in a fore and aft direction with respect to a vehicle body frame; and a bolt which is located rearward of a shaft portion of the driven sprocket, and which attaches the cam and the case to the vehicle body frame. When the case is moved in the fore and aft direction of a vehicle body, the tension of the drive chain is adjusted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive chain adjustment mechanism of a chain-driven vehicle, and particularly, to a drive chain adjustment mechanism of a chain-driven vehicle, which is capable of easily adjusting tension of a drive chain.
2. Description of Background Art
In a chain-driven vehicle in which rear wheels are driven with a drive chain and a driven sprocket around which the drive chain is wound, tension of the drive chain is sometimes changed depending on running conditions and the like. When such a change occurs, it is necessary to adjust the tension of the drive chain by moving the sprocket with respect to a vehicle body. As a technology regarding the drive chain adjustment mechanism of the chain-driven vehicle, which is as described above, there is one in which a housing which supports the driven sprocket and is attached to a vehicle body side by plural bolts is moved with respect to the vehicle body by loosening the plural bolts, and the tension of the drive chain is thus adjusted, and thereafter, the plural bolts are tightened again (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. S63 (1988)-82893).
However, in the technology described in to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. S63 (1988)-82893, it is necessary that the plural bolts be loosened to perform the tension adjustment of the drive chain and that the plural bolts be tightened again, resulting in a problem that work of the tension adjustment is extremely burdensome.

Drive chain adjustment mechanism of chain-driven vehicle


A transportation management system for a tank container allowed to be placed on a container freight car, the tank container including a vessel capable of accommodating liquefied natural gas and a frame body which supports the vessel, the transportation management system includes a vessel management device and a transportation management device to communicate with the vessel management device. The vessel management device includes a vessel information detection unit to detect vessel information of the vessel included in the tank container, and a vessel management device-side communication unit to transmit the vessel information detected by the vessel information detection unit to the transportation management device. The transportation management device includes a transportation management device-side communication unit to receive the vessel information from the vessel management device, and an output control unit to output warning information based on the vessel information received from the vessel management device, to an output unit.

In recent years, interests of developing countries on the use of a natural gas which is clean and cheaper than oil increase. In the related art, pipelines or lorry trucks are used for gas transportation. However, in developing countries in which the infrastructure is lack, laying long-distance pipelines and long-distance transportation roads, which require negotiations with many landowners are not easy and hinder the promotion of gas use. However, the railway network is well developed in the developing countries. For this reason, if a liquefied natural gas (LNG) can be transported by rail, individual customers can use the gas without the need for long-distance pipelines or long-distance transportation roads.
In order to safely transport the LNG by rail in developing countries, it is necessary to assume situations, for example, in which collection of an LNG tank container is forgotten, mistakes in collecting the LNG tank container occur, the LNG tank container is stolen, or delays in railways occur significantly. Thus, it is necessary to establish a management method for handling such situations. For such reasons, research and development of technologies related to LNG transportation are being performed.
In this regard, a monitoring system of monitoring a tank container in which the LNG is accommodated among tank containers transported by a railway vehicle (refer to Patent Document 1 as mentioned below).

Transportation management system for railway transportation of LNG tank containers and transportation management device


An overlay for a wall jack adapted to receive a telephony plug of a specific type. The overlay comprises a housing, as well as a telephony plug and a telephony socket on opposite faces of the housing. The telephony socket is adapted to receive a telephony plug of the specific type, and is equipped with a first physical lock mechanism for keeping the telephony plug of the specific type connected to the telephony socket. Also provided is a high-speed connector integrated to the housing, for connection to a mating connector leading to a digital apparatus, the high-speed connector being equipped with a second physical lock mechanism for keeping the mating connector connected to the high-speed connector. The second lock mechanism is designed to be more resistant to tension-induced disconnect than the first lock mechanism.

The ability for healthcare users to interact with a hospital information system while at the point of care (POC), e.g., at a patient's bedside, is recognized as having the potential to dramatically reduce the incidence of certain medical complications.
Specifically, studies estimate that significant benefits are likely to arise through the provision of "computerized physician order entry" (CPOE), which consists of allowing healthcare users (e.g., doctors, nurses, orderlies, etc.) to place orders (e.g., prescription, blood test, clean towel, etc.) via a bedside location in the vicinity of the patient being treated. This simple yet elusive paradigm, dubbed "CPOE at the POC", has the potential effect of reducing human error due to temporary memory loss and mistakes in transcription. In addition, when coupled with real-time decision information support tools (DIST), CPOE provides healthcare users with an additional level of assurance that their diagnosis or treatment plan falls within generally accepted parameters.
For background reading on the CPOE-at-the-POC paradigm and its predicted impact, the reader is referred to the following references, hereby incorporated by reference herein:                Clinical Decision Support—Finding the Right Path, by J. Metzger, D. Stablein and F. Turisco, First Consulting Group, September 2002        Computerized Physician Order Entry: Costs, Benefits and Challenges—A case Study Approach, by First Consulting Group for Advancing Health in America and the Federation of American Hospitals, January 2003        Leapfrog Patient Safety Standards—The Potential Benefits of Universal Adoption, by J. D. Birkmeyer, The Leapfrog Group, November 2000        Computerized Physician Order Entry: A Look at the Vendor Marketplace and Getting Started, by J. Metzger, F. Turisco, First Consulting Group, December 2001        A Primer on Physician Order Entry, by First Consulting Group for the California Healthcare Foundation, Oakland, Calif., September 2000
Conventionally, hospitals have attempted to deploy CPOE at the POC by providing multiple POC access points throughout the hospital in communication with the core hospital network. In some implementations, the POC access points are wired directly to the core hospital network. However, it is apparent that the addition of hundreds of high-speed wiring connections throughout an existing hospital is a highly intrusive exercise, causing the shutting down of rooms or entire wards until installation is complete, due to the need to open unclean areas such as ceilings, wall interiors, etc. to place and pull new data network cables.
Clearly, there remains a need in the healthcare industry for implementing a CPOE-at-the-POC solution in a relatively non-disruptive manner.

Overlay to permit delivery of telephony and mission-critical data services to hospital-wide points of care


The engine protection device affects the engine operation when a low oil level is sensed by releasing substantially all of the compression pressure in the combustion chamber to prevent engine starting, to stop a running engine, or to reduce engine speed. The engine protection device includes a paddle or float whose movement is responsive to the crankcase oil level, an arm connected to the paddle or float, and a pivotable, yoke-type mechanical compression release mechanism that pivots in response to the movement of the arm. The compression release yoke has a first cam member that engages a valve tappet surface. When a low oil level is sensed, the paddle or float pivots the arm and the first compression release member, causing the first cam member to engage the tappet surface to substantially open the intake or exhaust valve. The invention may include a second, easy start compression release member that partially releases the compression pressure to promote engine starting. The second compression release member may be integrally formed with the first compression release member, or it may be a separate member.

This invention relates to engine protection systems. More particularly, this invention relates to such systems which prevent the starting or operation of an engine when a low oil condition is sensed.
Many ways are known for stopping an internal combustion engine when a low oil level or low oil pressure is sensed during engine operation. Some of these devices cut off the fuel to stop the engine. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,259,047 issued Oct. 14, 1941 to Scott, Jr., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,316 issued Jul. 25, 1978 to Valbert. Other prior art devices interrupt engine ignition to shut off the engine when a low oil pressure condition is sensed. See U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,319 issued Feb. 8, 1950 to Lillquist.
These engine shut off devices typically require expensive valves or switches and additional wiring.
However, it is also desirable to prevent the engine from starting altogether to minimize engine damage if a low oil condition is sensed. Several techniques are known for preventing the starting of the engine under these circumstances. One typical prior art technique is to use a float, having an electrical contact, that floats in the engine crankcase oil. When the oil level becomes too low, the contact on the float makes an electrical connection with an electrical contact attached to the engine frame to ground the ignition pulses.
Such float-type oil level sensors are expensive since they contain several mechanical parts, additional wiring, and an electrical switch.
It is therefore desirable to provide a simple, inexpensive low oil sensor that prevents engine starting or engine operation when the oil level is below a predetermined level.

Low oil sensor using compression release to affect engine operation


Embodiments include an apparatus and methods for removing unwanted plants or weeds from an area such as an agricultural plot or lawn. The apparatus includes a three-dimensional imager configured to capture plant images and locate plants; an image processor configured to distinguish between wanted and unwanted plants based upon the captured plant images; at least one laser device configured to emit a laser beam having power sufficient to damage the unwanted plants; a laser beam controller configured to direct at least one laser beam toward the unwanted plant; and a chassis configured to support the three-dimensional imager, the laser device, and the laser beam controller. The chassis is configured to be moved across the area.

Removal of undesirable plants or weeds is a problem that has been plaguing agriculture and horticulture for a long period of time. Typically, unwanted plants or vegetation can be removed physically, for example, by a hoe or cultivator; chemically, for example, by the use of herbicides; or biologically, for example, by a bio-agent such as an introduced insect or fungus that can target the unwanted vegetation. Physical removal of unwanted plants or vegetation can require human intervention which can be expensive or time-consuming. Chemical removal of unwanted plants or vegetation can require the use of chemical agents that can contaminate drinking water, have long term environmental consequences, and can be otherwise unfriendly to the environment. Biological removal of unwanted plants and vegetation can be hard to control and is not always effective and efficacious.
The use of laser radiation during early stages of plant development to promote plant destruction is known. In order to be effective, it is desirable that the laser radiation be tightly focused on specific areas of the unwanted plant. Additionally, the use of laser radiation can be hampered by the high cost of lasers, the low electrical to optical efficiency of the lasers, the need for a large power management system for the lasers, the need for a sophisticated laser-target imaging system, the need for a computer vision system for target selection, and very small throughput of plant destruction due to the small spot size of the lasers—millimeters, for example.


A toothbrush includes an elongate handle stem and a brush head which is connected to the handle stem. The brush head carries a bristle array which contains a plurality of bristle bundles which, in order to improve the cleaning effect, in particular in the interdental spaces, have a plurality of bristle bundles attached to an outer edge of the bristle array, which have a diameter of between 0.8 and 1.2 mm and/or are formed from microfilaments with a diameter of 4 to 6 mils, the usage end of which tapers to a tip.

The present invention refers to a toothbrush with an elongate handle stem and a brush head connected to the handle stem, which carries a bristle array containing a plurality of bristle bundles.
Such brushes are generally known. There are various designs of bristle arrays, each of which should be optimized with regard to the desired cleaning effect.