This invention provides a method and apparatus for balancing a system including a salient pole rotor machine and an off-balance load. The illustrative embodiment of this invention provides a method and apparatus for balancing the system by positioning a balancing compound between the poles of the rotor of the machine.

Frequently, a salient pole rotor machine is used to drive a load that is not balanced with respect to the rotor's axis of rotation, such as a compressor. Proper balancing of the load can improve a machine's performance, reduce a machine's operating noise, and extend a machine's operating life.
Conventional salient pole rotor machines, such as switched reluctance machines or synchronous reluctance machines, contain a rotor which rotates continuously. If the mass of the load being driven by the machine is unevenly distributed relative to the axis of rotation, then the system may wobble and vibrate as the rotor rotates. Besides producing noise, this excess motion causes the machine to operate less efficiently. In addition, these structural vibrations can cause fatigue in the machine's components and in any structure coupled to the rotor, and this wear-and-tear may result in premature deterioration or reduced life of the machine.
Current methods of balancing the load on these machines typically involve coupling a weight out board to the rotor shaft with a screw, pin, or other means, with the weight being positioned such that it counterbalances the off-balance load on the machine. The weight will typically abut the rotor, although it may be spaced apart from the rotor as well. By coupling an additional weight to the shaft, these processes can result in a system that is larger and therefore more problematic. Adding weight to the shaft can produce a machine that is larger, a compressor that is therefore taller, and a larger distance between bearings. Because a rotor in a salient pole rotor machine is subjected to significant normal forces during operation, these longer distances will cause the shaft to deform further during operation and thereby produce a noisier machine. In addition, wear on the machine components is increased. Thus, to date, efforts to resolve the problem of balancing a load in a salient pole rotor machine have proven inadequate.
This invention provides a simple, efficient means of balancing a load in a salient pole rotor machine without these complications.

Method and apparatus for balancing a load with a salient pole rotor machine


The invention provides an optical transceiver which makes it possible to simplify a production process. An optical transceiver of the present invention includes an optical socket to mount an optical plug disposed at one end portion of an optical fiber); a light-condensing device; and an optical element to emit light in accordance with a supplied electrical signal and an optical element to generate an electrical signal in accordance with a received light signal; and a light-transmissive substrate to support the optical socket, the light-condensing device, and the optical elements so that the optical fiber, the light-condensing device, and the optical elements are aligned on an optical axis of the optical transceiver.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an optical transceiver used for transmission and/or reception using an optical fiber as a medium. The method also relates to a method of producing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical fibers can be used in the related art in, for example, local area networks (LANs), direct connectors to mutually connect computers, connectors to mutually connect computers and digital audio/video devices, etc. In these devices, an optical transceiver is used. The optical transceiver converts an electrical signal to a light signal, transmits the light signal to an optical fiber, and converts the light signal received from the optical fiber back into an electrical signal. For example, the optical transceiver includes a socket, a ball lens, and an integrated circuit (IC) substrate. The socket receives a plug that is mounted to one end of the optical fiber. The ball lens is disposed between the one end of the optical fiber and an optical element, such as a light receiver or a light emitter, and is used to focus light. The IC substrate is used to drive the optical element by converting a parallel signal into a serial signal, and to convert the serial signal back to a parallel signal by amplifying a received signal.
In a related method of producing such an optical transceiver, the following three steps are ordinarily carried out. In the first step, a laser diode (LD) chip is mounted in a can package, and the chip and a lead wire are bonded together. In addition, the ball lens is adhered to a light-exiting window of the can package, so that the can package with the lens is assembled. In the second step, the can package is inserted into one of the insertion holes of the optical socket, and a ferrule with a fiber is inserted into the other insertion hole of the optical socket. An electric current flows through the lead wire of the can package so that the laser diode emits light. The light quantity that allows coupling with the fiber is measured, and the can package and the optical socket are adhered to each other at a position where the coupling efficiency is optimal (active alignment). In the third step, the lead wire of the can package is soldered to the substrate.

Optical transceiver and method for producing the same


A piston includes a piston main body and a seal ring. The seal ring has a metal ring including a fitting tube portion fitted to a cylinder portion of the piston main body and a flange portion extending radially to axially oppose a pressure receiving portion of the piston main body, and a rubber-like seal main body provided on the metal ring. The seal main body has a first seal lip contacting an inner surface of a clutch cylinder, a second seal lip extending from an end of the flange portion to contact the pressure receiving portion, and an axial direction compression seal portion provided on the flange portion and compressed toward the pressure receiving portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a piston used in a hydraulic clutch of an automatic transmission of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
A hydraulic clutch in an automatic transmission of a vehicle is structured such that a piston (a clutch piston) moving in an axial direction within a cylinder by a hydraulic pressure transmits a power from a drive shaft to a driven shaft by bringing a drive plate in the drive shaft side in a multiple disc clutch into pressure contact with a driven plate in the driven shaft side, and shuts off the power transmission by canceling the pressure contact state. Further, this kind of clutch piston generally employs a seal integral type piston (also called as a bonded piston seal) in which a seal portion made of a rubber-like elastic material and brought into close contact with an inner surface of a clutch cylinder is integrally formed in a piston main body.
Since this kind of automatic transmission tends to have multiple stages in recent years, and a front-wheel drive (FF) system has a constraint on space with respect to an axial direction, the clutch piston tends to be enlarged in diameter particularly in the automatic transmission having a great capacity. However, in the case that the clutch piston is constituted by the seal integral type piston as mentioned above, a metal mold apparatus or the like for integrally forming a seal portion in the piston main body becomes large in size if it is intended to manufacture a seal integral type piston having a large diameter. An increase of a manufacturing cost is unavoidable.
Accordingly, there has been conventionally developed a technique of manufacturing a seal ring as an independent member from a piston main body and fitting the seal ring in a close contact manner to the piston main body (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-139249 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-2915).
However, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-139249 of the conventional arts, since a thin portion is formed in a fitting portion to a cored bar of a seal ring in a piston main body, and a step portion for providing a lip sealing between the cored bar and the piston main body is formed in an inner peripheral portion of the cored bar, a working cost becomes high. Further, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-2915, since a similar step portion is formed in an inner peripheral portion of a cored bar of a seal ring, there is a problem that a working cost becomes high. Further, since a fitting portion between the cored bar and the piston main body is sealed by only one stage, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-2915 has trouble with a sealing performance thereof.


A method for fabricating a solar cell generally comprises delivering a solar cell substructure to a chamber. Electromagnetic radiation is generated using a wave generating device that is coupled to the chamber such that the wave generating device is positioned proximate to the solar cell substructure. The electromagnetic radiation is applied onto at least a portion of the solar cell substructure to facilitate the diffusion of at least one metal element through at least a portion of the solar cell substructure such that a semiconductor interface is formed between at least two different types of semiconductor materials of the solar cell substructure.

Photovoltaic cells or solar cells are photovoltaic components for direct generation of electrical current from sunlight. Due to the growing demand for clean sources of energy, the manufacture of solar cells has expanded dramatically in recent years and continues to expand. Solar cells include a substrate, a back contact layer on the substrate, an absorber layer on the back contact layer, a buffer layer on the absorber layer, and a front contact layer above the buffer layer. The layers can be applied onto the substrate during a deposition process using, for example, sputtering and/or co-evaporation.
Semi-conductive materials are used in the manufacturing or fabrication of at least some known solar cells by being used as the material to form at least a portion of the absorber layer. For example, chalcopyrite based semi-conductive materials, such as copper indium gallium sulfur-selenide (CIGSS) (also known as thin film solar cell materials), are used to complete the formation of the absorber layer after the deposition process. Some techniques that are used for the formation of CIGSS or thin film solar cell materials include a selenization process of metal precursors and a sulfurization process that is conducted after the selenization (the entire process is referred to as sulfurization after selenization (SAS)).
A semiconductor interface, such as a p/n junction, is formed between at least two different types of semiconductor materials of the solar cell substructure. For example, the p/n junction can be formed between two layers of the solar cell such that the p/n junction is buried within the chalcopyrite based semi-conductive materials. Two methods are used to the enhance and/or to facilitate the formation of the p/n junction inside the chalocopyrite based semi-conductive materials. One method is to add a stage during the deposition process, such as during the last stage of the co-evaporation process, for the formation of a surface layer. The surface layer undergoes a copper cation diffusion process for the underlying copper-rich layer and forms a copper-poor layer at the surface. This diffusion process enables the surface layer to have increased cation vacancies that can be beneficial for the later cation diffusion process to form a buried p/n junction. The other method includes the dissolution of a copper metal component of an absorber and the diffusion of a cation, such as cadmium and/or zinc, during a chemical bath deposition (CBD) process.

Apparatus and methods for fabricating solar cells


Techniques facilitating causal reasoning for explanation of model predictions are provided. A system can generate one or more explanations of a machine learning model prediction. The one or more explanations can be based on causal relationships determined between feature data of a set of feature data and based on dataset point samples around a trace associated with the causal relationships.

The subject disclosure relates to deep learning and artificial intelligence computing and, more specifically, to facilitating explanations related to an outcome of the deep learning and artificial intelligence computing. As machine learning and deep learning models gain widespread adoption, understanding the reasons behind prediction is used to gain the trust of users of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. Several different frameworks (e.g. Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME), etc.) have been developed to provide explanations with regards to model predictions. These frameworks assume features used in the explanation are independent of one another. This is typically not the case in various processes that can have several features that are dependent on one other. Accordingly, treating features as independent of one another while accurate in some situations, are not useful in many other situations. Further, while frameworks such as LIME can highlight the main feature affecting the prediction, that main feature does not provide the causal reasoning behind it (due to the independence assumption).
For example, Hannula (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0108196) discusses "performing predictive analysis on an external index number describing quality of an information system based on a dynamic causal loop diagram of a plurality of quality meters describing the information system." See Abstract. As discussed in Hannula, "the [Quality Intelligence] QI tools 103 can be independent, each processing a measurement of the information system independently of the other tools." See paragraph [0032]. "This means that each tool can take a sample of the information flow and/or data flow of the information system." See id. Hannula, however, lacks the ability to provide one or more explanations on how a machine learning algorithm has reached its decision.

Causal reasoning for explanation of model predictions

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A rotary plug valve actuator comprising a mounting bracket, a ball screw mechanism pivotably mounted to the mounting bracket and a lever pivotably mounted to the ball screw mechanism. The ball screw mechanism includes a ball screw shaft and a ball nut. The ball nut moves axially on the ball screw shaft when the ball screw shaft is rotated. The lever converts the axial movement of the ball nut to rotary motion. In that way, rotation of the ball screw shaft will in turn actuate the rotary plug valve. An associated rotary plug valve assembly and an associated method of actuating a rotary plug valve are also provided.

This invention relates to an actuator for a rotary plug valve (or rotary ball valve) which utilizes a ball screw mechanism. An associated rotary plug valve having the rotary plug valve actuator and an associated method are also disclosed.
Rotary plug valves and rotary ball valves are well known and have wide application in the control of fluids in various industrial settings. The construction of the rotary plug valve usually takes the form of a cast valve body that defines an enclosed valve seat having both inlet and outlet ports. In a conventional ball valve, a spherical ball is rotatably placed in the valve seat, the spherical ball having a passageway through its diameter to provide for the flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet side of the valve. A plug valve is constructed similarly, only the plug is not spherical. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,652, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The ball or plug is rotated by means of an operator mechanism, sometimes called an actuator. One type of actuator is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,652 which simply provides a handle for applying torque to the ball or plug. For larger plug or ball valves, a mechanism is typically used to apply the torque. One known mechanism is a worm gear actuator. As is well known, the worm gear mechanism consists of a screw shaft ("worm") which is engaged by a rotating gear.
The worm gear mechanism, while effective in increasing the mechanical advantage of the actuator, has numerous disadvantages. A first disadvantage is that the worm gear mechanism involves sliding motion between the worm and the gear. This means that much of the torque applied to the gear is lost due to friction, thus making the worm gear mechanism, even when new, difficult to turn. Of course, as the worm gear mechanism ages and rusts, it is even more difficult to turn. A second disadvantage is that the worm and gear are often exposed to dust, dirt and moisture, making it difficult to keep lubricant thereon with the attendant greater difficulty in turning the worm gear mechanism.
A ball screw mechanism is a known mechanical device that consists of a rotatable shaft having disposed thereon a ball screw nut. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,628,397; Warner Electric Catalog (1983); and Noor Industries Catalog (1991), the disclosures of all three of which are incorporated herein by reference. The ball screw mechanism uses rolling contact (similar to ball bearings) instead of the sliding contact utilized in the worm gear mechanism. Thus, the ball screw mechanism is much more efficient than the worm gear mechanism.
Despite the long existence of the ball screw mechanism, no one, until now, has suggested its use in association with ball or plug valves.
Thus, there remains a need for a rotary valve actuator that is efficient and avoids the problems of the prior art worm gear mechanism.

Rotary plug valve actuator and associated rotary plug valve and associated method


A variable-capability compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger installed in an outdoor unit and indoor heat exchangers installed in each of a plurality of indoor units are connected by pipes so as to form a refrigerating cycle. The air-conditioning load on each of the indoor units is detected. The capability of the variable-capability compressor is controlled according to the sum of the air-conditioning loads on the respective indoor units. At the time of a heating operation, the refrigerant heat loss in each of pipes respectively connected to the indoor heat exchangers is detected. When the refrigerant heat loss in at least one of the pipes is a given value or more, the capability of the variable-capability compressor is enhanced to compensate for the refrigerant heat loss.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-type air conditioning apparatus for air-conditioning a plurality of rooms.
2. Description of the Related Art
In buildings with many rooms, use is made of a multi-type air conditioning apparatus in which a plurality of indoor units are connected to a single outdoor unit.
This type of air conditioning apparatus is equipped with an variable-capability compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger in the outdoor unit, and an indoor heat exchanger in each of the indoor units, the variable-capability compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchangers constituting a refrigerating cycle.
Each indoor unit is arranged to sense its air-conditioning load based on indoor temperature and inform the outdoor unit of the sensed air-conditioning load. The outdoor unit controls the capability of the variable-capability compressor in accordance with the sum of the air-conditioning loads on the indoor units.
Examples of this type of air conditioning system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,926,652, 4,932,220, and 5,074,120.
With such an air-conditioning apparatus, the pipe coupled to each indoor heat exchanger is made large in bore diameter so as to allow a sufficient amount of refrigerant to flow through the indoor heat exchanger.
However, when the air-conditioning load is so light that the amount of refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger is small, the heat loss of the refrigerant in the pipe increases. Further, the longer the pipe is, the further the heat loss increases.
The heat loss is represented by the product of the actual amount of heat loss and the capability of the variable-capability compressor. When the heat loss is great, the indoor unit becomes poor in air-conditioning capability, particularly in heating capability.

Air conditioning apparatus having a plurality of indoor units connected to an outdoor unit


There is described a method of characterizing a short laser pulse, the method comprising the steps of obtaining root-mean-square widths of the pulse through second order moments of the pulse; obtaining a spectral width of the pulse using the root-mean-square widths; obtaining a root-mean square temporal width of the pulse; and defining a Pulse Quality Factor proportional to a product of the spectral width and the temporal width. This approach does not require complete characterization of laser pulses and eliminates the need of any assumption to interpret autocorrelation traces. The method can be applied to pulses of arbitrary shape.

Mode-locked lasers are now capable of generating pulses whose duration can be as short as a few femtoseconds (one femtosecond=10−15 sec.). There is a broad variety of mode-locked lasers emitting pulses from nanosecond (one nanosecond=10−9 sec.) to femtosecond duration. Short laser pulses can be amplified in laser amplifiers; they can also be temporally compressed externally to laser systems using the combination of spectral broadening in a nonlinear medium, and propagation in a dispersive material. The peak power of the pulses emitted by ultra-fast laser systems can be as low as one watt in mode-locked semiconductor diodes, and can reach the petawatt range (one petawatt=1015 watts) in the highest power systems.
Pulses of laser radiation need to be characterized in both the spectral and temporal domains. The full characterization of pulses would require knowing the pulse intensity and phase in at least one domain (the pulse distribution in the other domain would be given by a Fourier transform). In practice, it turns out that phase information is difficult to obtain, but the intensity information is accessible through the measurements done with various instruments. Phase information, though, is crucial for pulse characterization; it defines the frequency chirp (the drift of laser frequency during the short pulse). Frequency and phase are interrelated; frequency is the derivative of the phase. The phase distribution of a pulse contributes to define the pulse duration; when the phase of a laser pulse is constant throughout the pulse, it is then that the pulse duration is minimum.
In the spectral domain, one uses various types of optical spectrometers (usually grating spectrometers) to obtain directly the power spectral density of the laser pulses,
In the time domain, one does not have detectors fast enough to directly monitor the pulse shape, if the pulse duration is below 10 picoseconds (one picosecond=10−12 sec.). This situation is due to the fact that electronic detectors, in combination with sampling oscilloscopes, can measure optical signals of duration down to 10 picoseconds; this approach does not allow to go much below that limit. There is one exceptionally fast detector, that allows to record the direct pulse shape: it is the streak camera. However this detector is a very expensive instrument (cost>$300,000) that has a limited response time (slightly under one picosecond) and that has a limited sensitivity in the near-infrared, the spectral range used for optical telecommunications.
The limitations of conventional electronic detection systems have forced the users of ultra-fast lasers to investigate indirect methods based on nonlinear optics to obtain information about the pulse shape. In general, for temporal measurements down to the femtosecond range, one uses autocorrelators. These instruments take advantage of an optical non-linearity (second-harmonic generation, two-photon absorption) to produce the correlation of the pulse intensity with itself. Typical autocorrelator setups involve splitting a pulse into two replicas with a variable delay (for instance, with a Michelson interferometer); the two pulses travel in parallel but do not overlap spatially. The pulses are focused in the nonlinear material. The autocorrelation signal is obtained from the second harmonic signal or the photocurrent generated by two-photon absorption.
Autocorrelators are found in every laboratory involved with short pulse lasers. Despite their general use, autocorrelators have a number of drawbacks, the most important being that they do not provide access to the real pulse shape, but to its intensity autocorrelation. The data obtained with autocorrelators can be fitted with various pulse shapes; in practice one cannot discriminate between different pulse shapes. Their use has some practical relevance (easy implementation, commercial availability of autocorrelators) but the information they produce is incomplete. Qualitative information about frequency chirp can be obtained using what is called interferometric autocorrelation; the difference between conventional (intensity) autocorrelation and interferometric autocorrelation is that the two replicas of the pulse under study travel on parallel, distinct axes in the first type of autocorrelators, and travel along the same axis for the second type.
The most often quoted parameter describing short laser pulses is their duration. One generally defines pulse duration as the Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) of the pulse intensity distribution in the time domain. This definition of pulse duration leads to some arbitrariness, especially if there are pedestals before or after the pulse, or if the pulse shape is not smooth but exhibits some bumps. For such pulse shapes the duration defined in terms of FWHM is not representative of the entire pulse shape. It should be pointed out that autocorrelation measurements do not provide a direct reading of the pulse FWHM, unless autocorrelation data are fitted with a certain function representative of the pulse shape. But again this procedure leads to arbitrariness in the choice of the fitting function.
In the spectral domain, the pulses are often characterized by their spectral width defined as the FWHM of the power spectral density of the pulses (to shorten the notation we will use "pulse spectrum" as a short hand for "power spectral density of pulses"). Optical spectrometers allow to record directly the pulse spectrum; hence the estimation of the FWHM in the spectral domain does not involve any data fitting with a selected functional form (as for the case of temporal measurements with autocorrelators). Still the relevance of the FWHM can be questioned whenever the pulse spectrum exhibits pedestals or multiple peaks.
It has become a common practice to quote the time-bandwidth product of a pulse. The time-bandwidth product is given by the product of the pulse FWHM's in the time and spectral domains. For a given pulse shape, this parameter assumes a minimum value when the pulse phase is constant (no frequency chirp). The problem with the use of that parameter is that temporal measurements made with autocorrelators are indirect, hence one never knows if the assumed pulse shape is really representative of the true pulse shape.
Advanced diagnostics have recently been developed to remove the arbitrariness behind the interpretation of autocorrelation measurements. The two most quoted methods are labeled FROG (Frequency Resolved Optical Gating) and SPIDER (Spectral Phase Interferometry for Direct Electric field Reconstruction.). These two methods are somewhat more complex than conventional autocorrelators. The interpretation of FROG (D. J. Kane and R. Trebino, IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 571 (1993)) measurements necessitates a complex inversion algorithm; the interpretation of SPIDER (C. laconis and I. A. Walmsley, Opt. Lett. 23, 792 (1998)) measurements does not require such a complex numerical procedure, but the experimental implementation of SPIDER involves splitting the pulse under study into three replicas, one of which would be stretched in time due to an imposed frequency chirp.
Even though these two diagnostics provide a full characterization of laser pulses (at least, in principle), they do not provide any guideline as to how the pulses are going to be modified when they travel through a dispersive material. Any transparent material (various dielectrics such as glass, optical fibers, optical waveguide, etc . . . ) has an index of refraction that changes with optical wavelength (or frequency); this phenomenon is called dispersion. Dispersion has profound effects on the shape of laser pulses propagated in dielectric materials; since the different spectral components (or frequencies) constituting the pulses are traveling at different speeds. Dispersion leads to pulse stretching for input pulses with no chirp. Dispersion can lead to pulse compression if the input pulse possesses a certain chirp, and the dispersive material has a dispersion such that it produces a chirp of opposite sign. To predict how the shape of pulse evolves in a dielectric, one needs to use a numerical algorithm to simulate pulse propagation. Only in exceptional cases, such as Gaussian pulses, one can rely on a purely analytical approach to predict the changes of the pulse parameters; in general, however, this is not possible.

Method for characterization of laser pulses using pulse quality factor


A copier or printer is pivotably attached to a finisher module, such as for stapling. A pivotable mount is disposed toward the back of the copier, so that an opening can be formed toward the front of the copier, exposing an interface between the copier and the finisher module. A latch is used to hold the finisher module to the copier in a closed position.

Digital printers and copiers are familiar in offices. Many models of such printers and copiers (broadly, "output devices," meaning any machine which outputs a sheet) are designed to work with "finishing modules" which accept and finish (e.g., collate, staple, fold, hole-punch, etc.) sheets emitted by the printer. The finishing module is typically an optional, add-on device, i.e., the printer itself is capable of functioning without the finishing module.
The transfer of a sheet output by the printer and acceptance of the sheet by the finishing module must be made with minimal risk of damage to the sheet. Thus, the physical interface between the printer and the finishing module must be designed carefully. Further, if there is a jam or other malfunction in or near the interface, it is desirable to design a configuration which allows easy opening of the interface, so that a jammed sheet may be removed, and a reliable re-closing of the interface.

Finishing module with a pivotable mount, for use with a copier or digital printer


The invention relates to a dielectric composition including at least one polyarylalkane oligomer of formula: ##STR1## in which n.sub.1 and n.sub.2 =0, 1 or 2, with the proviso that n.sub.1 +n.sub.2 =1 or 2, x=0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 and that the said composition has, in particular, a breakdown voltage increasing with the temperature.

The present invention relates to a dielectric composition based on polyarylalkanes which has improved dielectric properties and to its use in electrical equipment operating at high temperature, especially distribution transformers.
A trend nowadays is to employ distribution transformers in respect of which attempts are made to increase the power while maintaining the same dimensions.
This increase in power per unit volume results in an increase in the operating temperatures, which may run from 60.degree. C. -80.degree. C. in the case of conventional transformers, to 150.degree. C. or 200.degree. C. in the case of so-called "high temperature" distribution transformers.
For this new type of equipment, liquids are being sought which have good dielectric properties even at high temperature, a good heat stability, as well as low vapor pressure and a viscosity that is sufficiently low for removing the thermal energy.
The insulating oils commonly employed, such as mineral oils, silicone oils and pentaerythritol esters have a relatively mediocre high-temperature behaviour. In the case of silicone oils in particular, a lowering of the breakdown voltage was observed when the temperature rose (study performed by General Electric Co. for the U.S. Department of Energy--report HCP/T-2115 published in February 1979--FIG. 3.3, page 35) .
This behaviour appears to be general, because it has also been observed in synthetic liquids such as hexane (IEEE Trans. Electr. Insul. vol. E1-13, No. 4, August 1978, p. 263) and in mineral oils ("Insulating Materials for Design and Practice" by Franck M. Clark, page 151--Publ. John Wiley and Soils, Inc.).
This introduces in particular the disadvantage of not being able to keep the same distances between the conductors if it is desired to increase the power of the equipment and, consequently, results in an increase in its size.
Furthermore, mineral oils and silicone oils exhibit limited heat stabilities.
In addition, silicone oils are poor heat transfer agents.

Dielectric composition based on polyarylalkanes which have improved dielectric properties


An exemplary embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for knowledge extraction, transfer and use of stored data, wherein data files in a computer system are checked. The method includes: providing a knowledge base for a data file type, the data file being of the data file type; applying the knowledge base to the data file; and; providing output data indicative of a result of the applying the knowledge base to the data file. This output data may then be printed or otherwise displayed. The computer system may also automatically correct the data file based on this output data.

The invention relates generally to a method of processing stored data, e.g., text type data, and, more particularly, to a method of knowledge extraction, transfer and use of such stored data.
When generating documents and drawings repeatedly that are directed to a common subject, such as for example an engineering drawing. Certain types of errors commonly reoccur. Checklists have been used to detect reoccurring errors in many applications, such as in engineering drawings. These checklists are workable when they are kept to a reasonable length, whereby only the most common reoccurring errors are detected by use of such a checklist. However, many types of errors do not occur often enough to be included in the checklist, whereby such errors are often missed.
Such errors include, but are not limited to, the result of an improper entry into the computer system, i.e., human error. It would be advantageous to utilize the processing power of the computer to analyze and provide correction for such errors, particularly in such electronically stored documents and drawings that are of the type that are repeatedly generated.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention a method of knowledge extraction, transfer and use of stored data is provided. With electronic data files, e.g., documents and drawings, the items in the documents and on the drawings are associative and dependent. More specifically, there are groups of items that are always seen together, and these groups are dependent on the document or drawing type. Using known computer program techniques, such as are available with, e.g., xe2x80x9cper15xe2x80x9d programming language, it is possible to extract knowledge (rules) from groups of documents or drawings and apply the extracted rules to a new document or drawing without the need to reprogram. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method (program) of checking a data file in a computer system comprises: providing a knowledge base (similar correct files) for a data file type, the data file (being checked) being of the data file type; applying the knowledge base to the data file; and; providing output data indicative of a result of the applying the knowledge base to the data file.
The program can learn what is correct, from groups of similar documents or drawings and apply that knowledge to new documents or drawings. The Program can also tailor or target, tests and outputs without a programmer. In addition to such rules extraction and use, the program can be made to be robust, portable, user friendly, versatile and may be used as a stand alone or embedded in another program.

Method of electronic knowledge extraction, transfer and use


Circuitry for measuring a propagation delay in a circuit path. The circuitry includes a one-shot edge triggered element that can be connected in a loop with the circuit path. An edge signal propagating through the circuit path triggers the one-shot element to output a pulse. The pulse propagates around the loop, again triggering the one-shot element to produce a pulse, creating a repeating series of pulses. The period between these pulses is influenced by propagation time of an edge through the loop such that a difference in the period with the circuit path connected and not connected in the loop indicates propagation delay in the circuit path. Such circuitry can be configured to independently measure, and therefore calibrate for, propagation delays associated with rising and falling edges. Calibration to separately equalize propagation delays for rising and falling edges can increase the timing accuracy of an automatic test system.

Electronic components, such as semiconductor devices, are frequently tested, sometimes multiple times during their manufacture, using automatic test equipment. To perform these tests, automated test equipment may include instruments that generate or measure test signals such that a range of operating conditions can be tested on a particular device. An instrument, for example, may generate or measure a pattern of digital signals to enable testing of digital logic within a semiconductor device.
Modern semiconductor devices may have large numbers of test points, possibly hundreds or even thousands. Accordingly, the test system may have multiple channels, each designed to independently generate or measure a signal for a test point. The specific value to be generated or measured at each test point may be dictated by a test program that controls all of the channels of the test system. In addition to specifying the value of a test signal, the test program may specify a time at which the test signal is to be applied or measured. Being able to control the timing of test signals is important for thorough testing of a semiconductor device because a device that produces an expected value, but at the wrong time, can nonetheless cause a system using that semiconductor device to malfunction.
The time at which a test signal is to be applied or measured at one test point may be specified in relation to the time at which a test signal is applied or measured at another test point. Accordingly, it is frequently necessary that the test signals in multiple channels be coordinated. Test systems are designed to synchronize the generation of signals within different channels. Though, merely synchronizing the times at which signals are generated may not be adequate to ensure the test signals are coordinated at the test points of the device under test. Differences in propagation delay can change the relative timing of signals, thereby affecting the accuracy of test results. To increase testing accuracy, it is known to calibrate a test system. Calibration may entail measuring relative propagation delays through channels of the test system. The propagation delay through the channels can then be adjusted. Such calibration may be done at various times, including when a test system is manufactured or, once a test system is installed, on a periodic schedule or at times depending on an amount of use.


This invention described a synthesis method of bupropion hydrochloride. m-chloropropiophenone was brominated directly with bromine, then aminated with t-butylamine and finally reacted with HCl to obtain crude product of bupropion hydrochloride. Pure product was obtained after recrystallization. This method is convenient and suitable for commercial manufacturing because of low cost of production, high yield, less byproducts and being environmental friendly.

Bupropion hydrochloride, whose chemical name is (±)-1-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-[(1,1-dimethylethyl)aminol]-1-propanone hydrochloride, is a medicine for depression developed by Glaxo Wellcome. Processes for preparing Bupropion hydrochloride have been reported in the literature, such as Chen Ke, et al. described in Chinese Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 13, No. 5, 2003 that bupropion hydrochloride can be prepared from 3-chloropropiophenone by chlorination with cupric chloride, amination with t-butylamine, acidification with hydrogen chloride-isopropanol. Even though this method is highly selective and easy to operate, it is costly to treat the waste residue produced by chlorination, which causes environmental problems. This restrains industrial production.
A method reported by Xia Min, et al. for preparation of Bupropion hydrochloride used m-chlorobenzoyl chloride as starting material, after bromination and N-alkylation, bupropion hydrochloride was obtained. N-Bromo succinimide was used for bromination to avoid direct bromination with bromine. The yield of bromination was increased. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was used as phase-transfer catalyst (PTC) in the N-alkylation reaction to achieve high yield. But this method is not suitable for mass production because of the high cost of the bromination reagent.
As Xu Ziao, et al. described in the Journal of Anhui University, m-chlorobenzoyl chloride was used for raw material. After acylation, Grignard reaction, bromination, and N-alkylation, bupropion hydrochloride was obtained. Although this method is convenient and the total yield is high, the raw material hydrolyzes easily and its quality is not stable, which affects yield and quality of finish product. Therefore, commercial production becomes impractical.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,706 introduced a method for preparation of using m-chlorobenzonitrile as raw material. After Grignard reaction, bromination and amination with t-butylamine, the objective product was obtained. Grignard Reaction requires anhydrous operation, and bromination is hard to control and results in excessive byproducts which are hard to removed in post processing and decrease yield.
The Patent WO2004024674 described that bupropion free base was obtained from m-chloropropiophenone via bromination in the presence of t-butylamine, and then reacted with hydrochloric acid to obtain bupropion hydrochloride. Because t-butylamine is a solvent as well as a reactant in bromination step, this method increases side reactions and cost of production therefore restrains commercial manufacture.
As David L. Musso described (Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letter, Vol. 7, No. 1. pp. 1-6, 1997), m-chlorobenzoic acid was used as starting material, in the presence of thionyl chloride, ammonium hydroxide and 1,4-dioxane to produce m-chlorobenzonitrile Benzonitrile, then Grignard reaction, bromination and substitution, the target product of bupropion was obtained. This preparation had a long process, complicated operations, high pressure on environment and low yield, also had strict requirements for operations. Therefore, it is not suitable for large scale production.
The methods of prior art for producing bupropion hydrochloride generally have high cost of production, low yields, high requirements for safety, high pressure on environment and long cycle of production.

Process for preparing bupropion hydrochloride

Zhejiang Apeloa Medical Technology Co., Ltd.


An aircraft passenger seat base frame including spaced left and right spreaders cooperatively supporting a seat bottom and a seatback, spaced front and rear transverse beams interconnecting the left and right spreaders, spaced left and right leg assemblies each including a front leg and a rear leg, an in-flight entertainment component position in a space below the seat bottom, and a life vest container positioned below a front end of the seat bottom.

The present invention relates generally to an aircraft passenger seat frame arrangement, and more particularly, to a seat base frame layout for an aircraft passenger seat in which in-flight entertainment components are located over one of the front and rear beams, allowing a life-vest container to be positioned below or in front in an area with low passenger space impact.
Aircraft passenger seats are typically configured with in-flight entertainment ("IFE") equipment such as video, media, internet, communications and audio equipment for use during a flight. Such equipment often requires supporting hardware, cabling, wire harnesses, etc., referred to collectively herein as "IFE components," that must be located in proximity to the WE equipment. Because the area beneath the seat is typically reserved for legroom and luggage storage, particularly in economy seating classes, it has been necessary to locate IFE components apart from the seats that they serve, resulting in long cable lengths, complexity and cost. Therefore, it would be desirable to configure a seat frame such that it is possible and practical to locate IFE components beneath the seats, without having to relocate life vest containers or consuming space reserved for passenger use.


A reactor device formed by containing a reactor body comprising a plurality of cores joined with each other within a case in a floating state. The reactor body is placed on a case by using leaf spring bodies and a movement of the reactor body in the horizontal direction is allowed, thereby absorbing a difference in expansion resulting from a difference in the thermal expansion coefficient between the reactor body and the case due to a heat stress. Further, a resin mold is inserted into a concave portion of the case so as to allow the movement in the horizontal direction so that the movement of the reactor body along a slope surface can be achieved, thereby absorbing the difference in expansion.

In the case of configuring a reactor device by winding coils around cores made of a magnetic material, joining of a plurality of cores is performed in order to form a closed magnetic circuit. In this case, if the reactor which is contained in a case by being attached thereto operates and the temperature rises, there is a possibility that stress may act on the joint portion of the cores due to a difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between the case material and the core material.
The following Patent Literature 1 discloses a structure for fixing a reactor body to a case by using a leaf spring. FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a structure of a conventional reactor device. FIG. 5 is a cross sectional structural view of a reactor device, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of the reactor device.
A reactor device 10 is configured by including a case 12, a reactor body 30, and leaf spring bodies 20 and 22 for mounting the reactor body 30 to the case 12. The case 12 containing the reactor body 30 is filled with a potting resin 14. The reactor device 10 has a floating structure in which the lower side of the reactor body 30 is attached to the case 12 via the leaf spring bodies 22 and 22.
The reactor body 30 is formed by winding coils 36 and 38 around an element which is formed by molding, with an appropriate resin, an annular core body including combinations of a plurality of cores arranged in an annular shape as a whole. The element formed by molding the annular core body from a resin is composed of one-side body 32 and the other side body 34, as illustrated in FIG. 6.
The one-side body 32 is formed of a plurality of cores and gap plates, which are integrally adhered together using an adhesive, and the other-side body 34 is also formed of a plurality of cores and gap plates, which are integrally adhered together using an adhesive. The end surface of the one-side body 32 and the end surface of the other-side body 34 are integrally adhered with the gap plate being disposed therebetween by using an adhesive.
The coils 36 and 38 are annular coils molded in a hollow shape such that the one-side body 32 and the other-side body 34 formed by molding the annular core body from a resin can be inserted into the coils. One end of each of the coils 36 and 38 is externally led out as a lead line 37, 39 and the other ends are connected with each other. More specifically, the coil 36 which is wound in an annular shape with the lead line 37 being one end is formed, and, after the coil 38 is formed by winding in an annular shape with the other end of the coil 36 being the other end of the coil 38, one end of the coil 38 is led out to serve as the lead line 39. The lead lines 37 and 39 are connected to external bus bars 8 and 9, respectively, at their ends.
The leaf spring bodies 20 and 22 are used to attach the reactor body 30 to the case 12. The leaf spring body 20 is used to attach one end of the reactor body 30 to the case 12, and the leaf spring body 22 is used to attach the other end of the reactor body 30 to the case 12. The leaf spring bodies 20 and 22 are plate members molded by bending the members in an L shape. One side of the L shape has holes for fixing, which are used to fix the leaf spring bodies 20 and 22 to the case 12 by means of bolts 24 and 25 and bolts 26 and 27, respectively, by fastening. The other side of the bent shape is attached to the end of the reactor body 30, by fitting the leaf spring body 20, 22 into a groove provided in the end of the reactor body 30 and fixing them with an appropriate adhesive.


A securing unit is for securing a lamp shade to a bulb socket. The lamp shade includes a shade frame, and a coupler connected to the shade frame. The bulb socket is to be disposed in the lamp shade. The securing unit includes a connecting member and a securing member. The connecting member has an upper mounting segment, and a lower connecting segment disposed below the upper mounting segment and configured for connection to the bulb socket. The securing member includes a base part having opposite first and second surfaces, an engaging part extending from the first surface and engaging the upper mounting segment of the connecting member, and a resilient holding part extending from the second surface and configured to hold the coupler.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lamp device, more particularly to a lamp device including a securing unit for securing a lamp shade to a bulb socket.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional lamp device 9. The lamp device 9 includes a lamp shade 91 and a bulb socket 92 disposed in the lamp shade 91 for connecting to a light bulb. The lamp shade 91 includes a shade frame 911, a coupler 912 connected to the shade fraise 911, and a shade body 913 covering the shade frame 911. The coupler 912 is for securing the bulb socket 92, and therefore, the coupler 912 must be shaped to fittingly engage the bulb socket 92.
However, both the coupler 912 of the lamp shade 91 and the bulb socket 92 that are commercially available come with a variety of respective size specifications. As a result, when one of the lamp shade 91 and the bulb socket 92 needs to be replaced, the user is limited to employ replacement part having specifications corresponding to the to-be-replaced part. For example, when a replacement lamp shade 91 is found to be unfit for the original bulb socket 92, the result may be an unstable engagement between the lamp shade 91 and the bulb socket 92, or even the need to replace the bulb socket 92 as well.


An areaway drain cover with a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral edge surface with a plurality of passages passing from the top surface to the bottom surface which allow water to pass through the passages while preventing leaves and debris from clogging the drain. The bottom surface also comprises a plurality of protrusions projecting downwardly from the bottom surface so that when the drain cover is placed over a drain, the protrusions allow the drain cover to be spaced horizontally above the surface on which the drain cover is resting so as to allow water to pass.

Areaway drains can get clogged with leaves, debris, and other items that prevent water from draining effectively. This can cause the water level to rise, eventually entering the house through the back door, basement or below grade. The prior art discloses drain covers that can prevent leaves and debris from clogging drains, but these drain covers must be checked and cleaned every time it rains to prevent the drains from clogging.
Some known drain covers are made of heavy and bulky products like metal, which can make them heavy and difficult to transport. For example, the drain cover disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,337,694 necessarily includes a handle to facilitate transport of the drain cover. Also, many known drain covers, like the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,337,694 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/828,389 are elevated off the ground, which may cause a person to trip while walking by or over the drain cover.
The storm drain cover disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,043,498 contains projections extending upward from the top surface of the drain cover, impeding the passage of debris. This causes the drain cover to collect debris within the bumpy top surface, which is therefore difficult to clean. It is difficult to clean this drain cover, especially while in place over a storm drain, because the projections on the top surface hold the debris, making it difficult to remove collected debris, such as leaves, by sweeping.


The control voltage for a VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) is produced in a phase locked loop which in turn is controlled by a computer (40) including an integrated analog circuit (42). First the oscillator control voltage is set to a predetermined value. Then, voltage varying steps are performed. For performing these steps, the circuit includes a main frequency divider and a reference frequency divider both functioning as counters. The beginnings of the counting of each divider are synchronized with each other. The oscillator control voltage is increased by a predetermined voltage difference or increment when the reference divider completes its counting period prior to the main divider completing its counting. The oscillator control voltage is decreased by a predetermined voltage difference or decrement when the main divider finishes its counting period prior to the reference divider finishing its count.

European Patent Publication EP 993,122 describes a method and circuit as mentioned above. So-called phase locked loops (PLL), are used for generating, with the aid of frequency synthesizers, defined frequency signals for frequency mixers. In connection with transceiver systems it is necessary that the rated frequency of the oscillator output signal varies significantly within a short period of time. For example, in connection with the global packet radio services (GPRS) it is required that a frequency jump of about 150 MHz takes place within about 150 μs to 200 μs with an average frequency of about 2 to 2.4 GHz. The precision with which the rated frequency is supposed to be adjusted within this time, also referred to as settling time, is within the range of a few kHz.
In order to reduce the settling time, the above mentioned European Patent Publication 993,122 teaches to provide a voltage which corresponds to the rated value of the output voltage of the loop filter in the phase locked loop following settling. For this purpose a rated control voltage value is calculated with the aid of a digital-to-analog converter which uses programmed counter output counts of the phase locked loop. These counter output counts provide numbers of periods of a frequency divider input signal at which the frequency divider varies its output signal level. That suggestion requires an additional memory in which calibrated data for the voltage controlled oscillator are stored in order to compensate for manufacturing tolerances of the oscillator. These data are also required to operate the phase locked loop with voltage controlled oscillators. Such oscillators have different voltage-frequency characteristics. In this context it is further required, when the phase locked loop is installed in an apparatus, to perform a programming cycle for describing the memory. Additionally, it is necessary to provide a reference voltage or a reference current for the digital-to-analog converter. This reference voltage or current must be stabilized relative to temperature changes and relative to changes in the supply voltage. Particularly, the generation of stabilized reference values is difficult in connection with realizing the phase locked loop in accordance with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technologies (CMOS).
However, it is basically desirable that a circuit arrangement for producing a control voltage for a voltage controlled oscillator can be integrated into a CMOS-circuit. It is also desirable to realize such a CMOS circuit without an expensive digital-to-analog converter and without the above mentioned memory. Such a circuit realized as a CMOS circuit is independent of a temperature drift and of a supply voltage drift. Another advantage is seen that no calibration of the voltage controlled oscillator is required.

Method and circuit for producing a control voltage for a VCO


The present invention relates to methods and compositions for the control and prevention of helmintic, arthropod ectoparasitic and acaridal infections, in warm-blooded animals, such as meat-producing animals, and poultry, by administering to said animals a therapeutically or prophylactically-effective amount of new agents designated LL-F28249.alpha., .beta., .gamma., .delta., .epsilon., .xi., .eta., .theta., .iota., .kappa., .lambda., .mu., .nu. and .omega., or mixtures thereof. The invention also relates to methods for the control of plant nematode infestations and other insecticidal activities. These novel agents are produced via a controlled conditioned microbiological fermentation using Streptomyces cyaneogriseus ssp. noncyanogenus, designated LL-F28249 and having deposit accession number NRRL 15773.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for preventing, treating or controlling helmintic, arthropod ectoparasitic and acaridal infections in warm-blooded animals by administering thereto an effective amount of the agents (compounds) designated LL-F28249.alpha., .beta., .gamma., .delta., .epsilon., .xi., .eta., .iota., .kappa., .lambda., .mu., .nu. and .omega., or mixtures thereof, such as the fermentation broth, or whole mash or the pharmaceutically and pharmacologically-acceptable salts thereof. Plant nematodes also are effectively controlled by use of these agents, mixtures and/or salts. Further, these agents are effective as insecticidal agents, as well.
The diseases described above cause not only devastating effects but also serious economic problems and losses for farmers raising meat-producing animals such as swine, sheep, cattle, goats, rabbits, and poultry. Further, such diseases are a source of great concern for companion animals such as horses, dogs and cats. Although these diseases have been recognized for many years and drugs exist for the treatment and/or prevention of such diseases, the present invention utilizes an entirely new set of active agents, isolated from a previously unknown microorganism, for the prevention, treatment or control of those diseases.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,360, Aoki et al, Apr. 13, 1976, discloses certain antibiotic substances obtained by culturing a Streptomyces microorganism, said compounds being useful as insecticides and acaracides. But as seen from the characteristics identifying such microorganism, the present microorganism is distinct, and its active components are derived from totally different microorganisms. Further, an entire series of U.S. patents relates to certain compounds produced by the fermentation of Streptomyces avermitilis, a distinct organism from the present one (U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,314, Chabala et al, Oct. 16, 1979; U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,569, Chabala et al, Apr. 22, 1980; U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,205, Mrozik et al, Jun. 3, 1980; U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,519, Albers-Schonberg, Jan. 12, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,925, Buhs et al, Jun. 8, 1982). U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,209, Mrozik, Dec. 27, 1983 relates to the process of converting some of these less desirable components to more preferred ones. However, the present active agents identified as LL-F28249.alpha., .beta., .gamma., .delta., .epsilon., .xi., .eta., .theta., .iota., .delta., .lambda., .mu., .nu. and .omega., are derived from the fermentation of a newly discovered and previously uncultivated microorganism. Also, the present compounds and/or the fermentation broth or whole mash of microorganism Streptomyces cyaneogriseus ssp. noncyanogenus NRRL 15773, plus the pharmaceutically and pharmacologically-acceptable salts thereof (collectively referred to as active ingredient), exhibit excellent and effective treatments and/or prevention of these serious diseases of warm-blooded animals.
The full name of the microorganism LL-F28249, NRRL No. 15773, in terms of genus, species, and subspecies is Streptomyces cyaneogriseus noncyanogenus; however, for brevity it is referred to as above written throughout the specification and claims.
The strain is assigned to the genus Streptomyces based upon morphology and cell chemistry (content of the L isomer of diaminopimelic acid). The strain's morphology and physiological data place it close to S. cyaneogriseus, as represented by ISP 5534 (ATCC 27426) . Then, comparisons of the formation of gray aerial mycelium soluble pigments on media (Table A) and coiled chains of smooth conidia (3-25 spores per chain) were made. The present strain is negative for blue soluble pigment wherein the comparison strain, ISR 5534, is positive. The strains have similar reactions in the ISP carbohydrate utilization tests indicating positive for arabinose, fructose, glucose, rhamnose and xylose, while indicating negative for inositol, mannitol, raffinose and sucrose (ISP 5534 slightly positive). However, the strains differ in several characters (Table B) out of 53 in the Gordon tests. These differences support the creation of a subspecies of S. cyaneogenseus for the present microorganism.
TABLE A ______________________________________ Comparison of F 28249 and ISP 5534 on ISP Morphology Test Media (Numbers are from NBS-ISCC) Medium F 28249 ISP 5534 ______________________________________ Yeast-Malt .sup. A.m..sup.1 Medium gray Light to medium (ISP 2) (265) gray (264-265) V.m. Light tannish (75) Light tannish-white Deep yellow-brown to blackish-blue (188) S.p. Light brown Light brown Inorganic A.m. Light olive-gray Medium gray (265) salts (112 to medium gray starch (265 (ISP 4) V.m. Deep gray to black Gray-purplish-blue (266-267) (204) S.p. Grayish-yellowish- None brown Glycerol- A.m. 263 (white) to 263 (white) to Asparagine yellowish-gray (93) light gray (264) (ISP 5) V.m. Black (267) to light Gray-purplish-blue olive brown (96) (203-204) S.p. Slight brownish Light yellowish- gray Oatmeal A.m. Yellow-gray (93) None (ISP 3) V.m. Colorless Colorless S.p. Slight yellowish None ______________________________________ .sup.1 = A.m., aerial mycelium; V.m. = vegetative mycelium; S.p. = Soluble pigment
TABLE B ______________________________________ Comparison of Lederle F 28249 with ISP 5534 (Gordon Tests) F28249 ISP 5534 ______________________________________ Growth on/at Salicin .+-. - 10.degree. - + 45.degree. + - Production of + - Urease Decarboxylation of - + Mucate Acid Production Raffinose - + Sucrose - + ______________________________________ Both strains have the following reactions: Positive Hydrolysis of casein, hypoxanthine, xanthine, tyrosine, adrenine, potato starch, gelatin, and esculin; Production of phosphatase Sensitivity to lysozyme Decarboxylation of acetate, citrate, lactate, malate, oxalate and propionate Acid production from arabinose, cellobiose, dextrin, fructose, galactose, glucose, glycerol, lactose, maltose, mannose, .alpha.-methyl Dglucoside, rhamnose, salicin, trehalose. Negative Production of nitrate reductase Decarboxylation of benzoate and tartrate Acid from adonitol, dulcitol, erythritol, inositol, mannitol, sorbitol, .beta.-methylD-xyloside. Growth on 5% NaCl

Method and compositions for helmintic, arthropod ectoparasitic and acaridal infections with novel agents


Described is a device for producing filled, sealed tubular pouch packaging from a filled flexible tube (5). The filled flexible tube is compressed to form the ends of two successive tubular pouch packagings. The entire compressed area of the flexible tube is closed with two interspaced closing clips. Two groups of compression sheets (1-4) on two opposite sides can be displaced on the area of the tube to be compressed. Means for cutting and bending the wire (42) for the closing clips (85) and a conveyor device for the U-shaped closing clips (85) to convey the latter to the compression zone are provided. The compression sheets (1-4) and the cutting bending devices can be driven by a common drive shaft (14) by means of disc cams (21, 26, 22, 27).

The invention concerns a mechanism to produce filled, sealed tubular bag packages from a filled tube whereby the filled tube is constricted to form the ends of two sequential tubular bag packages, and the constricted area of the tube is sealed by two surrounding, separated bent wire closures whereby two groups of constricting plates may be pressed from both sides against the area of the tube to be constricted, and whereby devices to cut and bend the wire used as bent wire closures, and a transport mechanism for the U-shaped bent wire closures used to seal the constricted area, are provided, whereby the cutting and bending mechanisms each feature a bending stamp and a cutting block outside on the constricting plates of one group and fixed counterpieces, and are driven with the constricting plates, and whereby the transport mechanism is arranged between the constricting plates of one group and is formed by one of the rods running in the groove, distinguished by the facts that the constricting plates together with the cutting and bending mechanisms may be driven by a common drive shaft via cam disks rotating around the common drive shaft, and that two bi-directionally operating cam disks are provided for each group of constricting plates, and one additional bi-directionally operating cam disk is provided for the transport mechanism.
The European Patent No. EP 0 685 397 C1 contains a description of a mechanism intended to produce filled, sealed tubular bag packages from a filled tube in which the drive for individual moving parts of the mechanism is provided by various pneumatic cylinders. This drive mode has enjoyed wide acceptance, but is not well suited for high output, e.g., more than 45 cycles per minute. Additionally, it is characterized by high energy consumption and sound levels.
The published German Patent Application No. DE-AS 11 40 851 published the principle of providing drive for the mechanism""s moving parts by means of linear moveable cam templates. This, however, results in the problem that the movement must be symmetrical to the axis of the tubular bag package so that the tube is not displaced. The published design requires a double drive that must be synchronized. This causes the mechanism to be large and expensive.
A mechanism for the packaging of sausage for which the parts necessary to seal the sausages are driven by rotating cam disks is known from the published German Patent Application No. DE-AS 11 01 997. The design is also rather expensive, however, since a large quantity of components is required to support and drive the cam disks.
The German Patent No. DE 36 10 010 C2 describes a mechanism intended to divide tubular shells in which the moving parts are also driven by rotating cam disks. This design is characterized by high manufacturing expense since the cam disks must act in two directions.
The German Patent No. DE 296 13 336 U1 features a mechanism intended to seal tubular bags for which cam disks are used from one side to move the clamping tools. The tubular bags are separated before clamping by means of a constricting plate operated by a lever mechanism that may be rotated. This design also requires many parts that move in various manners, and is therefore expensive.
Further, the known mechanisms feature difficulties during the sealing of tubular bags with a simple bent wire closure that is placed around the end of the constricted bag since the tubular bag material may slip out of the clamp.
The principal object of this invention is to provide a mechanism, of the type described above that avoids these disadvantages, and particularly which allows higher output.
This object as well as other objects and advantages which will become apparent from the discussion that follows, are achieved by the invention in that the constricting plates and that the bending and cutting mechanisms are driven by a common drive shaft via cam disks, and that two bi-directionally operating cam disks are provided for each group of constricting plates, and one bi-directionally operating cam disk is additionally provided for the transport mechanism.
The mechanism with central cam disk drive based on the invention allows a synchronous procedure without stop times. During this procedure, individual functions are coordinated for mutual compatibility so that they may be performed in series or parallel without stop times. The overall time from the production of the bent wire closure to the completed, sealed package is thereby shortened, allowing the desired increased output rate.
Significant improvements achievable by this invention include:
Priceworthy manufacture of the mechanism;
Reduced energy consumption and thereby reduced operating costs;
Simple construction and low maintenance;
Simple, easy disassembly and reduced cleaning expense, which is of particular advantage when daily cleaning is required; and
High level of functional and operational safety.
A mechanism based on this invention can perform the following functions:
Measured extraction of the bent wire closure wire from a supply roll and insertion into a cutting station;
Cutting the closure wire;
Shaping the bent wire closure;
Transporting the bent wire closure;
Constricting the tubing material so that the product packaged in the tubular bag package is excluded from the clamping area;
Affixing and securing the bent wire closure;
Rolling the bent wire closures, i.e., sealing the constricted area with two clamps, one at the end of the finished package and one at the beginning of the next package; and
Cutting, i.e., separating the packages by cutting between the two closed bent wire closures.
A mechanism based on this invention may be so constructed that all movements are passed radially and parallel to the functional elements via pushrods, thus saving space.
This elaboration also preferably provides, as shown in the aforementioned European Patent No. EP 0 685 397, that the completed bent wire closures be pushed from the cutting and bending mechanism through openings in the external constricting plates by plungers driven by rocker arms and additional cam disks.
A cutting mechanism intended to separate the tubular bag packages also requires a drive in the direction of the constricting plates positioned opposing it, but offset in time from it. An additional cam disk for this drive may be avoided by the advantages of the mechanism in accordance with the invention by the fact that at least one of the cam disks provided for the group of external constricting plates features an additional cam lobe used to operate the cutting mechanism.
Movements of the cam disks and the functional elements of the mechanism based on the invention are a closed system, i.e., they are balanced and adjusted with respect to one another so that no oscillations or vibrations are passed to the support to which the mechanism based on the invention is attached.
Another advantageous embodiment of the invention includes the fact that the wire advancing mechanism may be driven by a chain drive connected with the common drive shaft, and two clamping mechanisms may be provided which open alternately, whereby one of the clamping mechanisms may be moved by a cam disk back and forth in the direction of wire travel. This establishes an advantageous drive for the wire being moved perpendicular to the overall movement direction that is synchronous with the other motions of the mechanism based on the invention.
A compact and space-saving design is achieved by another advantageous embodiment of the invention by including two extended strips in the direction of constricting plate motion, as described in the European Patent No. EP 0 685 397. The ends of these strips are connected to a frame, and act for most of their length as guides for supporting blocks that hold the constricting plates, and which also feature a support for the common drive shaft whereby the strips preferably are provided with slots for the wire cutting and bending mechanisms.
The mechanism based on the invention is preferably so configured that one rotation of the common drive shaft provides one cycle of the constricting plates, transport and closing of the bent wire closures, and separation of the tubular bag packages.
The mechanism based on the invention preferably features a continually adjustable rotational speed of the common drive shaft particularly in order to provide synchronization of the pre- and post-function devices.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is envisioned whereby the cam disks are so shaped that that the time during which the constricting plates are open exceeds the time for which they are closed. This offers the possibility of integrating the time required to fill the bag, during which the filled bag is fed between the opened constricting plates into the overall procedure of the sealing mechanism without interrupting the continuous operation of the sealing mechanism. In this manner, the sealing mechanism may operate in a continuous, energy-saving manner. Thus, it would no longer be necessary that the portioning mechanism positioned before the sealing mechanism operate in sequence with the sealing mechanism, that is, the sealing mechanism might begin to operate after the portioning procedure.
Using the mechanism based on the invention, filled tubular bags are preferably sealed in such a manner that the filling material is forced out of the constricted area of an already filled bag by the constricting plates, producing an air-free filling. This is possible for almost all filling products such as foodstuffs, or other highly viscous products such as caulking material, which are smooth, slippery, and viscous, and which do not contain high-friction components.
This is not possible for filling materials such as mortar which feature corundum, quartz sand, glass, silica, or other high-friction components, since these granular components would only partially slide out of the constricted area during constriction of the filled tube, leaving a remainder clamped in the folds of the constricted tube, thereby perforating the tube during the constricting or sealing procedure. The tubular bag package would therefore leak in this area, allowing at least the less-viscous components of the filling to escape. In order to prevent these disadvantages, existing filling devices leave the closure area free of filled material, which means that the tubular bag package is not completely filled.
In order to prevent these disadvantages and to ensure that even bags containing granular materials are completely filled and are capable of being sealed with bent wire closures, a further embodiment of the invention might feature displacement along the longitudinal direction, in contrast to tubular bag packages fed from above, and cam disks shaped so that the constriction begins above the fill height, is continued during lowering of the mechanism, and the seal is completed using bent wire closures when the constriction has reached the fill height.
Such a further improvement has the advantage that the tubular bag packages can be completely filled with granular material without damaging the shell material. During lowering of the mechanism, the area to be constricted is already partially constricted, but the air still located above the filling material may be forced out of the tubular bag package. Only then would the constrictors close completely and the bent wire closure be affixed. The movement required by this improved embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1 designated with a double arrow.
The mechanism based on the invention creates bent wire closures automatically from continuous wire, i.e., the wire is inserted a predetermined distance into the cutting station where it is cut. Damaged, dull, or poorly-adjusted cutting knives allow the danger that the contact interface, i.e., the edge of the bent wire closure in contact with the filled portion of the package might not be clean and smooth, but rather sharp and jagged. Since the bent wire closure is pressed tight against the package material when it is rolled shut, damage to the material cannot be excluded.
In order to prevent this hazard, a further development of the mechanism based on this invention might include a notching element to align the wire to its subsequent position at the interface before cutting which is so arranged that the edge of the bent wire closure in contact with the filled portion of the package is provided with a smooth, rounded surface.
A particularly advantageous further development of the mechanism based on this invention includes notching tools integrated into the holding jaws of the wire supply feed mechanism. The holding jaws of the wire supply feed mechanism would thus be equipped with notching tools, and the closing force might be so adjusted that the sealing wire may be pre-shaped at the desired place.
Closed bags sealed with the bent wire closures are often subjected to over-pressure after production, e.g., from pressure induced by stacking on pallets for storage whereby the weight of upper-layer packages is supported by those in the lower layers. Over-pressure may also be caused by thermal post-processing of foodstuff packages, e.g., sausages being preserved (boiling, smoking, etc.). These heating processes may create increased internal pressure. This may lead to release of the bent wire closure and thereby destruction of package integrity, particularly when a slippery or greasy packaging material is involved.
In order to prevent such damage and to achieve a reliable seat for the bent wire closure onto the packaging material, use of bent wire closures featuring a profile on the interior surface is known, e.g., from Austrian Patent No. AT 171 031 or German Patent No. DE 38 11 978 C1.
An advantageous mechanism used to bend and cut the bent wire closures may also be employed in the mechanism based on this invention in that it may employ a stamp to produce a high-friction profile on the contact surface of the sealing wire while it is being shaped. This allows simple production of the high-friction profile, also known as a gripping pattern, without requiring a previous functional step to impress the profile onto the wire, and without allowing the bending process to damage or destroy the profile. Such damage has been prevented according to the German Patent No. DE 38 11 978 C1 by selecting a gripping pattern consisting of comprehensive depressions, since these are not subject to damage under high pressure.
Using a mechanism based on the invention, other profiles could be stamped that are selected for their improved gripping characteristics, particularly gripping profiles featuring raised bumps. Such a mechanism based on the invention could be improved to include arrangement of the bumps in several rows, with the bumps in each row symmetrically offset from each other. For this, the bumps might be lens-shaped, triangular pyramid-shaped, or square pyramid-shaped, and/or the pattern might include a center row of bumps consisting of several bead-shaped bumps arranged along the longitudinal direction of the gripping profile.
For a full understanding of the present invention, reference should now be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Device for producing filled, sealed tubular pouch packaging


Processes for producing olefins include integration of steam cracking with a dual catalyst metathesis process. The processes include steam cracking a hydrocarbon feed to form a cracking reaction effluent containing butenes, separating the cracking reaction effluent to produce a cracking C4 effluent including normal butenes, isobutene, and 1,3-butadiene, subjecting the cracking C4 effluent to selective hydrogenation to convert 1,3-butadiene in the cracking C4 effluent to normal butenes, removing isobutene from a hydrogenation effluent to produce a metathesis feed containing normal butenes, and contacting the metathesis feed with a metathesis catalyst and a cracking catalyst directly downstream of the metathesis catalyst to produce a metathesis reaction effluent. Contacting with the metathesis catalyst causes metathesis of normal butenes to produce ethylene, propene, and C5+ olefins, and contacting with the cracking catalyst causes C5+ olefins produced through metathesis to undergo cracking reactions to produce additional propene, ethylene, or both.

Ethylene, propene, butene, butadiene, and aromatics compounds such as benzene, toluene and xylenes are basic intermediates for the petrochemical industry. These compounds can be produced through steam cracking (thermal cracking or steam pyrolysis) of petroleum gases and distillates such as naphtha, kerosene, or even gas oil. These compounds are also produced through refinery fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) process where classical heavy feedstocks such as gas oils or residues are converted. Typical steam cracking feedstocks range from hydrocracked bottoms to heavy feed fractions such as vacuum gas oil and atmospheric residue; however, these feedstocks are limited.
The worldwide increasing demand for light olefins remains a major challenge for many integrated refineries. In particular, the production of some valuable light olefins such as ethylene, propene, and butene has attracted increased attention as purified olefin streams are considered the building blocks for polymer synthesis. The production of light olefins depends on several process variables, such as the feed type, operating conditions, and the type of catalyst. Despite the options available for producing a greater yield of propene and light olefins, intense research activity in this field is still being conducted.

Systems and processes integrating steam cracking with dual catalyst metathesis for producing olefins


Systems and methods include audio encoders having improved coding of harmonic signals. The audio encoders can be implemented as transform-based codecs with frequency coefficients quantized using spectral weights. The frequency coefficients can be quantized by use of the generated spectral weights applied to the frequency coefficients prior to the quantization or by use of the generated spectral weights in computation of error within a vector quantization that performs the quantization. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

In transform-based audio codecs employing vector quantizers, artifacts are commonly introduced when coding strongly harmonic signals. Strongly harmonic signals include such signals as recording of music notes played on instruments such as harmonica, violin, trumpets, etc., or a sustained vowel sound in a speech utterance or singing segment. The spectrum of these signals can include several harmonics, often related to each other or being multiples of a fundamental frequency. Because of the nature of the instrument, some of these harmonics are stronger in amplitude than others. In addition, there is natural amplitude fluctuation in time. The artifacts can be in the form of missing or broken harmonics. This results in audible distortion as weak harmonics are poorly quantized and reproduced. In typical transform-based audio codecs, an input audio signal is windowed and transformed into frames of frequency coefficients prior to quantization and encoding. The phrase "audio signal" is a signal that is representative of a physical sound. Typically, a modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) is used with a changing time-frequency resolution, depending on whether frames are stationary or transient.
The MDCT spectrum is commonly divided into subbands, according to a perceptual scale and the coefficients of each band are normalized according to an energy or a scale factor-based scheme. The normalized coefficients are quantized using a scalar or vector quantization (VQ) scheme. An example of a vector quantizer is a Pyramid Vector Quantizer (PVQ). The PVQ uses a minimum-mean-square error (MSE) approach to code as many coefficients as possible, given the number of available bits. Bits allocated to various bands are converted into a number of pulses, which are then assigned to selected MDCT coefficients.
There are several techniques used to mitigate this problem of properly coding harmonic signals. One technique includes extracting a few main harmonies or tonal components and coding them separately. Another technique uses side information to transmit the temporal and spectral properties of these components to allow the decoder to recreate them. While in general these techniques are good they are not always efficient. For example, when there are multiple harmonics and the side information technique is used, a large number of bits are required to send the side information.
FIG. 1 is a representation of typical processing using transform-based audio codecs. Input audio samples are provided to an audio encoder 104 for time domain processing 105, which provides an input for a frequency transform 110. Results of frequency transform 110 are provided to a vector quantizer 115 to generate quantized coefficients. Pulses assigned to these quantized coefficients are packed into a bitstream 125 for transport to an audio decoder 131. The transport can be conducted over a communication network. Audio decoder 131 receives input from bitstream 125 and provides the input to a vector de-quantizer 133 that provides an input to an inverse frequency processing 137. Inverse frequency processing 137 provides a time domain signal for time domain processing 139. For MDCT coefficients used for vector quantizer 115, the inverse frequency processing can be an inverse modified discrete cosine transform (IMCDT). Time domain processing 139 outputs audio samples representing the audio samples input to encoder 104 that are output from decoder 131 for use by audio devices.
FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of a typical transform-based encoder 204. Encoder 204 includes a number of operational units that can be realized as a combination of communication hardware and processing hardware to encode audio signals into a bitstream for transmission to a device having a decoder to decode the encoded audio signals to generate a signal representing the original audio signal received by encoder 204. An audio signal can be received as input audio samples by encoder 204, and an operational unit can perform time domain processing 205 and another operational unit can provide a window 207 to a frame of time samples of the input audio samples. Time samples from the window 207 can be provided for an operational unit to apply MDCT 210 to provide frequency samples. A band energy unit 211 can be used to provide band boundaries to divide the MDCT spectrum into bands and/or subbands. An operational unit to generate normalized MDCT coefficients 212 from the frequency samples provides input to a vector quantizer 215 that can assign pulses to selected MDCT coefficients. Vector quantizer 215 uses input from an operation unit for band bit allocation 214 that allocates bits to various bands using input from band energy unit 211. Vector quantizer outputs pulses for representing the input audio samples received by encoder 204 to an operational unit for parameter encoding and packing 218. Parameters from operation associated with each of time domain processing 205, band energy unit 211, and band bit allocated 214 are provided to the operational unit for parameter encoding and packing 218. These parameters can be encoded and packed with the output of vector quantizer 215 into a bitstream for transmission from encoder 204.

Coding of harmonic signals in transform-based audio codecs


A Class AB voltage-to-current converter includes a primary transconductance stage, secondary transconductance stage, and a biasing circuit. The biasing circuit generates a primary bias voltage that is greater than a generated secondary bias voltage. As such, the primary transconductance stage 12 becomes active before the secondary transconductance stage 14 with respect to the magnitude of a differential input voltage 18, thereby allowing the transconductance of the secondary transconductance stage to be added (or subtracted) from the transconductance of the primary stage to improve the overall transconductance of the Class AB voltage-to-current convert.

This invention relates generally to analog circuitry and more particularly to power amplifiers.
Open loop amplifiers are known to be used in a wide variety of high-frequency applications. For instance, an open loop amplifiers may be used as buffers, amplifiers, power amplifier drivers, et cetera and are used in such forms in an almost endless list of electronic devices. For example, open loop amplifiers are readily used in radio devices, televisions, telephones, wireless communication devices, entertainment equipment, et cetera.
When an open loop amplifier is employed as a power amplifier driver, it is typically required to drive heavy loads (e.g., 50 Ohms) with a reasonably small amount of power consumption, perform linearly, and provide a desired level of gain. Often, the linearity of a power amplifier driver is determined by the linearity of its voltage-to-current converter (i.e., the transconductance (gm) stage). Given a fixed amount of current, a differential pair of MOSFET transistors linear performance increases by increasing the amount of its Vgsxe2x88x92Vt (=Vgt). However, this results in lower gain for a given bias current and it is also subject to velocity saturation limits.
Many schemes have been traditionally used to linearize a transconductance stage as compared to that obtained from a standard differential pair, which is shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the transconductance stage includes a pair of transistors operably coupled to receive a differential input voltage and, based on the current provided by the current source, produces a differential output current. However, the linearization of the transconductance stage shown in FIG. 1 is limited.
FIG. 2 illustrates a transconductance stage that improves linearity, with respect to the transconductance stage of FIG. 1. In this implementation, resistors are added in series with the input transistors. This increases the linear operation range of an amplifier through the local series feedback but at the expense of reduced gain, reduced headroom, and increased noise. One solution to compensate for the reduction in gain is to add additional transconductance stages, which consumes more current and increases the non-linearity and consumes more power.
FIG. 3 illustrates an alternate transconductance stage that includes inductors in series with the input transistors. This transconductance stage is an improvement over the transconductance stage of FIG. 2 in that it requires less operating voltage and does not contribute extra noise to the output current. However, it still has an effective reduction of the gain and works over a narrow frequency range.
FIG. 4 illustrates yet another known implementation of a transconductance stage. In this instance, the input transistors are operably coupled to an effective ground wherein the inputs are AC coupled and biased to a particular bias voltage. This implementation results in a fundamentally different large signal transfer function than that of the differential pair amplifiers illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3. This transfer function is typically more linear in nature than that of the standard differential pair amplifier of FIGS. 1 through 3. Furthermore, this embodiment requires less headroom than that of a standard differential pair and has no degeneration noise penalties. However, this embodiment provides a limited amount of improvement in linearity performance as compared to that of the differential pairs of FIGS. 1 through 3. Such limited linearity in many systems is unacceptable.
Therefore, a need exists for a transconductance stage that operates from low supply voltages, has good noise performance, and has good linearity performance.

Class AB voltage current convertor having multiple transconductance stages and its application to power amplifiers


A solid-state image sensing device includes a pixel unit, analog-to-digital converter, controller, and adder. In the pixel unit, cells are two-dimensionally arranged on a semiconductor substrate. An output analog signal from the pixel unit is converted into a digital signal by the analog-to-digital converter and output. The controller controls the pixel unit and analog-to-digital converter, and causes the analog-to-digital converter to digitize a plurality of analog signals different in storage time in the pixel unit during the storage period of the electric charge of one frame. The adder adds digital signals corresponding to the analog signals different in storage time and output from the analog-to-digital converter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state image sensing device applied to a CMOS image sensor for use in, e.g., a cellphone with an image sensor, a digital camera, or a video camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional methods of increasing the dynamic range of a CMOS image sensor are proposed in, e.g., Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-189893 (Patent Publication 1 hereinafter) and Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-23044 (Patent Publication 2 hereinafter). The method of Patent Publication 1 is applied to an incomplete transfer type photodiode and may produce afterimages or white defects, so the image quality is difficult to improve. By contrast, the method of Patent Publication 2 corresponds to a complete transfer type, so neither afterimages nor white defects form unlike in Patent Publication 1. However, since the dynamic range is increased by using a detector, the leak from this detector may produce dark nonuniformity or KTC noise and degrade the image quality by factors different from those in Patent Publication 1. In addition, both the methods add a long-storage-time signal and short-storage-time signal and output the sum. This makes it difficult to separate the long-storage-time signal and short-storage-time signal.

CMOS image sensor having wide dynamic range


Superhydrophobic coatings to reduce deposit formation of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) within selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems.

Internal combustion engines such as those found in cars and trucks may produce combustion byproducts and/or products of incomplete combustion which may exist in the engine exhaust and emit into the environment. Per emissions regulations, the exhaust may be treated to reduce the concentration of such products and, therefore, reduce pollution. Although spark ignition (i.e., gasoline) engines may use three-way catalytic converters to satisfy emissions regulations, compression ignition (i.e., diesel) engines typically employ two-way catalytic converters which may not efficiently reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx). Accordingly, diesel engines may include selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems in order to seek reduction in nitrogen oxide concentrations. Improving performance of such systems remains an ongoing area of research and development.

Superhydrophobic coatings for deposit reduction in selective catalytic reductant systems