A tire tread, comprising a tread pattern formed of groups of motifs arranged, in the transverse direction, in a number M of distributions at least equal to two and of average width Li, Lj, the total of the widths Li, Lj being at least equal to 80% of the width L of the tread, each distribution of groups of motifs being formed by a succession of a plurality of groups, at least two of said groups of motifs of the distribution in question having different longitudinal lengths, the ratio Ri between the longitudinal length of the smallest group of motifs and the largest group of motifs being strictly less than one, this tread being characterized in that for at least two distributions comprising respectively Ni and Nj motifs, with Ni<Nj, the following relationships are satisfied:0.20≦Tij≦0.50,0.60≦Rpg≦0.66                where Tij, which represents the amount of overlap between the distributions, is calculated by the following formula:

In order to reduce the running noise of a tire provided with a tread comprising a tread pattern, it is known to place in sequence, in the longitudinal direction of this tread, a succession of motifs derived from one and the same elementary motif, except for a scale ratio, so as to distribute the acoustic energy as homogeneously as possible over a wider range of frequencies.
It is also known, for example from EP 114 594, to construct a tread pattern comprising side by side at least two annular distributions each formed of a plurality of repeating motifs, the number of motifs of an annular distribution located on one half of the tread being of between 5% and 50% of the number of motifs of another annular distribution located on the other half of the same tread.
Although on average it makes it possible to improve the subjective perception of the occupants of a vehicle during travel, the latter construction technique in a certain number of cases leads to relatively poor-quality results in terms of noise inside the vehicle. It was therefore necessary to determine complementary rules for optimization of the construction of a tire tread pattern and in particular one for a passenger-vehicle tire.
Furthermore, documents EP 524 568 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,808,867 both propose tread patterns comprising a plurality of distributions without however laying down precise construction rules for the different distributions which make it possible to optimize the performance of the tread patterns.
The invention described here proposes providing a method for constructing a tire tread pattern having at least two different distributions with the aim of reducing the acoustic discomfort felt inside a vehicle.

Tire tread design and the construction method thereof

Abstract: Tij    =                  [                              Ni            Ri                    -                      Nj            ·            Rj                          ]                    [                              Nj            Rj                    -                      Ni            ·            Ri                          ]              ,                where Rpg, which designates an “estimated overall pitch ratio” between the M distributions, is obtained by the following formula:

Abstract: R    pg    =                                          Min                          i              =              1                        M                                          (                                          N                i                                                          R                i                                      )                                                Max                          i              =              1                        M                                          (                                          N                i                                            R                i                                      )                                .


There is provided a microscope device comprising: means for creating a collimated beam of light collected from a sample and comprising at least a first spectral range and a second spectral range, means for separating the collimated beam into a first beam containing a higher percentage of light of the first spectral range than light of the second spectral range and a second beam containing a lower percentage of light of the first spectral range than light of the second spectral range, means for reflecting the first beam, means for reflecting the second beam, means for combining the first beam and the second beam, a detector, and means for imaging the combined first and second beam onto the detector in order to create an image of the sample on the detector, wherein the means for reflecting the first beam and the means for reflecting the second beam are arranged in such a manner that the image created by the first beam and the image created by the second beam are shifted relative to each other on the detector, wherein the means for reflecting the first beam is adapted to invert handedness of the first beam, and wherein the means for reflecting the second beam is adapted to preserve handedness of the second beam.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microscope device, which is capable of producing images of a sample in different spectral ranges ("colors") or polarisations on a single detector.
2. Description of Related Art
In 1991 a method for separating a microscope image into two images of different color placed next to each other on a single camera chip was proposed (K. Kinosita et al., "Dual-View Microscopy with a Single Camera: Real-Time Imaging of Molecular Orientations and Calcium", J. Cell. Biol., 1991, 115(1), pages 67-73); see also U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,081). The commercial version of this concept was termed "w-View" because it not only provides a "double view" of the sample, but also because of the w-shape of the beam path it employs. (http://jp.hamamatsu.com/resources/products/sys/pdf/eng/e_aqfret.pdf). The design is used in all fields of microscopy where dual-emission images need to be recorded. Given that it allows recording two color images simultaneously rather than sequentially, the device is particularly suited for time-lapse studies, where switching of an emission filter would reduce time resolution.
A schematic of the W-view design as used in the prior art is shown in FIG. 1. A collimated image beam 10, originating from an intermediate image (which is not shown in FIG. 1) impinges onto a first dichroic beam splitter 12 and is separated into a first beam 14 and a second beam 16 of different color, i.e. the first beam 14 essentially consists of light of a first spectral range and the second beam 16 essentially consists of light of a second spectral range. The first beam 14, which is reflected by the first beam splitter 12, passes to a mirror 18 from where it is directed onto a second dichroic beam splitter 20, which has the same spectral characteristics as the first beam splitter 12. The second beam 16, which is transmitted by the first beam splitter 12, is reflected by a second mirror 22 and directed onto the second beam splitter 20, where the first beam 14 and the second beam 16 are "reunited" (or "combined") in their general direction. However, by adjusting the mirrors 18 and 22 in an appropriate fashion, the two beams 21, corresponding to the first beam 14, and 27, corresponding to the second beam 16, exhibit a slight angular offset relative to each other, i.e. they diverge relative to each other to a certain degree, so as to yield the desired spatial separation on the detector chip (not shown in FIG. 1).
According to this prior art concept, color separation takes place in an infinity space of the optical beam path, which could be the space between the objective lens and the tube lens. However, in order to avoid image overlap from adjacent areas, it is advantageous to create an intermediate image and to confine it within boundaries defined by a suitable field-stop. Such field-stop has to reduce the field of view seen by the camera of the detector to one half of its original size, in order to accommodate the two semi-images projected side by side. Having an intermediate image requires a second set of optics (relay-lenses), which create another infinity space where beam separation takes place. One major advantage of this design is that using a beam splitter not only for separating beams, but also for reuniting them, allows maintaining telecentric optics throughout, thus avoiding vignetting and asymmetrical light-cones which are different for different areas on the detector chip. Moreover, the fact that both beam paths are transmitted by the same optics warrants that both color channels experience identical magnification and need no resealing before being compared. This is particularly important in co-localization studies.
However, since no optical system is perfect, there are always aberrations and distortions, and their extent depends on the position of a given point within the field. Usually, aberrations are less pronounced in the center and increase towards the edges of the field. However, due to the spherical symmetry of the imaging optics, aberrations and distortions are generally symmetrical with respect to the central axis of the optics.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,479 a single dichroic beam splitter may be used for separating a collimated image beam originating from an intermediate image into two different color channels, which are imaged by a common lens onto a common detector chip in order to obtain spatially separated semi-images on the detector. Each of the color channels is reflected twice prior to being projected onto the detector, whereas according to the prior art system shown in FIG. 1, both color channels are reflected 3 times or, in the original Kinosita paper, one color channel is not reflected at all whereas the other one is reflected 4 times A similar system is known from JP 2004361391 A, wherein splitting of the two color channels and double-reflection in each channel occurs in the space between the projection lens and the detector. All prior art has in common that the number of reflections for the two beam-paths are such that both color channels have the same handedness on the chip.
It is an object of the invention to provide for a microscope device having dual emission capability, wherein detrimental effects of image-aberrations and -distortions are reduced.


A valve assembly to dispense fluid from fluid containers including a member that is rotatably slideable in a tube between open and closed positions. The valve assembly utilizes sealing beads to provide seals so that fluid cannot be dispensed from the assembly when the assembly is in the closed position. The valve assembly also includes a tamper evident indicator to show a user whether or not the valve assembly has been previously actuated. The tamper evident indicator may include a tab that is broken when the valve assembly is first actuated. The tamper evident indicator may also include a skirt that either detaches from a knob or fractures when the valve assembly is first actuated.

This invention relates to valve assemblies utilized with containers that can control the flow of fluids being dispensed from such containers and specifically valve assemblies having tamper evident devices that show users that the valve assembly has either been previously actuated or tampered with.
Valve assemblies for dispensing fluid from containers, systems or other sources are known in the art. Such valve assemblies, for example, are widely used with containers for dispensing liquids such as wine, syrups, juices, teas and other like beverages. Trouble-free, easy-to-use and reliable valve assemblies are significant considerations in such dispensing applications. Additionally, as valve assemblies are typically disposed of along with their containers once the contained fluid has been consumed, it would be desirable for the valves to be recyclable. Moreover, since most of the valve assemblies are disposed after use, the cost of manufacturing the valve assemblies is a significant factor.
One type of valve assembly commonly used includes push body closures in which a cap or spout having a dispensing aperture is used to dispense fluid by applying a force to pull or push the aperture to a dispensing position. Some of those prior art valve assemblies generally include relatively complex and involved structures which are difficult to manufacture, such as by molding processes, and/or include fragile elements which are susceptible to breakage.
Another type of valve assembly known in the prior art utilizes a tap feature wherein a tap is rotated between open and closed positions to dispense fluid. Valve assemblies having such tap features generally have ridges or protrusions that mate with grooves and/or seats to provide seals that stop fluid from being dispensed when the valve assemblies are in the closed position. To ensure that those types of valve assemblies do not leak when used, the assemblies must be manufactured so as to provide a tight seal between the ridges and the grooves or seats. Thus, during manufacture great care is taken to make certain that the ridges and their respective grooves mate properly. Such efforts add to the costs of producing such assemblies as well as increasing the complexity of such designs. It is also a known disadvantage that such valve assemblies with the tap feature have a propensity to open during transportation either because of inadvertent actuation or vibration.
Moreover, all of the prior art valve assemblies present safety concerns. Neither the assemblies nor containers employ a feature or device to indicate that the containers have been tampered with or that some or all of the fluid has been lost by prior actuation of the valve assemblies.

Valve for controlling the flow of fluids


A fractional-N phase-locked loop (PLL) includes a phase detector, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a frequency divider and a frequency multiplier with a multiplication factor of a mixed number. The phase detector compares phase difference between a reference frequency and a divided signal from the frequency divider. The voltage-controlled oscillator generates the output frequency according to the phase difference. The frequency multiplier performs frequency multiplication on the output frequency to generate a multiplied signal, and the frequency multiplier comprises a second phase-locked loop, to form a second loop. The frequency divider performs frequency division on the multiplied signal to generate the divided signal. The divided signal and the reference frequency are compared by the phase detector to determine the phase difference.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a phase-locked loop (PLL), and more particularly to a nested fractional-N PLL.
2. Description of Related Art
A phase-locked loop (PLL) is a control system that uses a negative feedback to generate an output frequency that is phase-locked to a reference frequency. The PLL is widely used in a variety of applications, such as synthesizing a stable frequency or recovering a signal from a communication channel. The ratio of the output frequency to the reference frequency of the PLL may be a whole number, or may be a mixed number that is the sum of a whole number and a fraction. The former is commonly known as an integer-N PLL or synthesizer, and the latter is commonly known as a fractional-N PLL or synthesizer. A delta-sigma synthesizer with a delta sigma modulator (SDM) is a popular one among various types of fractional-N synthesizers. Nevertheless, the SDM generates quantization noise that incurs output clock jitter. In order to alleviate the clock jitter effect, a capacitor with large capacitance (e.g., more than thousands of picofarads (pF)) may be used to filter the quantization noise, but at a cost of increased circuit area and power consumption.
For the reason that conventional PLL could not effectively reduce the clock jitter in the delta-sigma synthesizer, a need has arisen to propose a novel scheme for filtering quantization noise in an effective manner without substantively increasing circuit area.


In an arcuate array of speakers (100) the wind component of air motion near each speaker is converted into sound because the wind is trapped within the arc, and therefore the bass response is improved. The array acts like a single large speaker, of diameter equal to the array diameter, when radiating bass sounds. A central baffle (10) also directs the wind and contributes to converting wind into sound. A semi-circular arc can be used along with a symmetry baffle (500) that further directs the wind, so that the number of speakers required is reduced. The symmetry baffle can be the floor, on which rests a cabinet (1) embodying the arcuate array.

Consider a small, sinusoidally-pulsating hemisphere on an infinite surface or baffle. It pushes on the air at its surface, causing the adjacent air to move along with the surface, and causing sound to radiate. This hemisphere is the approximate, but accurate, model of the cone of a loudspeaker mounted in a sheet of plywood that is driven with a sound signal. The back-and-forth motion of the air has a direction and a speed that is called "particle velocity" because it is the velocity of a small particle, like a dust mote, suspended in the air and moving with it. ("Particle velocity" is not to be confused with the "wave velocity" of sound, which is about 1100 feet per second, very much greater than the particle velocity.) The particle velocity is in the radial direction, in and out from the center of the hemisphere.
The pulsating motion also produces changes in the air pressure, and the particle velocity can be divided into two parts that differ in their relationship to the air pressure. I call these parts sound, and wind. The total particle motion of the air near the speaker surface is the sum of the sound motion and the wind motion, just as your velocity while walking in a moving train is the sum of the train velocity and your walking velocity. In the sound part of the air motion, the pressure and the particle velocity are in phase, and energy is carried away as sound; in the wind part, the pressure is 90° out of phase with the particle velocity and no energy is carried away (and therefore you can't hear it). Another way of saying this is that when the particle velocity is at all out of phase with the pressure, there is wind as well as sound; and when it is 90° out of phase, there is no sound, only wind. The wind is also referred to a "mass loading" because it results in a mass of air pulsating in and out, that affects the speaker like a weight glued to the speaker cone.
From physics I derived that the sound component of the particle velocity is proportional to 1/r, where r is the radius from the center of the pulsating hemisphere, but the wind component is proportional to 1/r2k, where k is the "wave number" of the sound having the same frequency as the frequency of vibration of the hemisphere (or speaker cone). The quantity k is defined as 2π/λ, where λ is the wavelength of the sound. Both r and k should be in the same units (e.g., r in feet and k in 1/feet, r in meters and k in 1/meters, etc.).
An example: at 30 Hz, the wavelength of sound is 36.6 feet and therefore the wave number is 0.17 ft−1. At that frequency, a 12-inch woofer (approximating a theoretical pulsating hemisphere of radius 0.5 ft) produces sound proportional to 2 (i.e., proportional to 1/r) and wind proportional to 23.5 (i.e., proportional to 1/r2k) right next to the speaker (i.e., at a distance of 0.5 feet). The total air motion is 23.6, which is calculated as the square root of [(2)2+(23.5)2]. The two particle velocity components are added "vectorially" this way due to the 90° phase difference, not because of the direction of particle speed is different for the sound and wind; as noted, all the particle motion is in the radial direction, in or out from the center of the hemisphere.
The proportion of air motion that is sound, which I call the "radiating efficiency," is then 2/23.6 or 0.085 (8.5%). Clearly, when a 12-inch speaker tries to radiate sound at 30 Hz, most of the speaker cone's action is wasted. Because of this inefficiency, a woofer cone must move through a very large displacement, and it creates a good deal of wind, so much so that light objects in front of the speaker cone can be seen to vibrate. But this motion of the air is almost all inaudible. This example illustrates the general rule of physics, that objects much smaller than a wavelength are not good wave radiators.
If the speaker were made larger, then the radius r and the radiating efficiency would increase. For example, if the speaker radius were 5.8 feet instead of 0.5 feet, then the radiating efficiency would be 50% at the same 30-Hz frequency (i.e. air motion of half wind and half sound), instead of 8.5%. But such a large speaker cone is entirely impractical, not only because of its size but because the sound quality deteriorates as speaker cone size increases. Due to decreased stiffness with increasing size, the cone flaps and oscillates instead of moving as a whole, and that causes sound distortion.
But a single large speaker can be approximated with an array of small speakers. If a large plane area were solidly tiled with speakers all moving in phase, then the radiating efficiency for low frequency would be good because the solid tiling is a close approximation to a single large vibrating area. But for this to work, the speakers must be close together. If there were no neighboring speakers, the wind would fall away as 1/r2 with the distance r from the center of the speaker. However, the other speakers prevent the wind from flowing outward, because the winds from neighboring speakers collide.
I studied this by way of the flux of wind passing through a cylindrical surface, of radius R, concentric with the speaker. I determined that the flux through this cylindrical surface is proportional to 1/R. In an array of hexagonally-spaced speakers (set along lines at 120°) the air pushed by each speaker is confined to a hexagonal cell, which is very close to a cylinder. Because of the neighboring speakers, then, virtually all the wind will be confined inside the cylinder (when it collides with the wind from neighboring speakers) and so the flow of piled-up air away from the baffle will be proportional to what would have gone out of the cylinder, i.e. the flux. Therefore, doubling the spacing between speaker centers will roughly halve the wind perpendicular to the baffle surface and therefore halve the radiating efficiency.
That speakers in an area array should be close for improved bass response was discovered experimentally by Doubt and described in his U.S. Pat. No. 2,602,860. Experimenting with various arrays of speakers, Doubt found no improvement in bass response over that of isolated speakers when the speakers were separated by one diameter, and found the most improvement when the speakers were set very close.
Doubt found that a larger array has a better bass response, and stated in his patent that doubling the size of the array improved the bass response by one octave. However, Doubt had no theoretical understanding, had no idea of how to group the speakers, and related the bass radiating efficiency to the number of speakers instead of to the diameter of the array.


The embodiments herein disclose a method and apparatus for mixing sludge retained in a digester. A jet nozzle assembly for mixing contents of a vessel is used. The jet nozzle assembly having a central outlet pipe terminating at a jet nozzle, a low pressure nozzle assembly disposed concentrically about the central outlet pipe, the low pressure low pressure nozzle having a plurality of openings disposed circumferentially about the low pressure nozzle assembly. The plurality of openings are an axial distance from the outlet jet nozzle.

Historically, anaerobic sludge digestion has been used for stabilization of primary clarifier sludge. More recently, it has been applied to various biological sludge formations and sludge mixtures containing significant industrial waste contributions. Anaerobic digestion is a collection of processes by which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen.
Wastewater treatment plants produce large volumes of biosolids that are settled, floated, or produced in the plant during the process of purification of the wastewater that enters the plants. The solids (sludge) must be processed to meet stringent standards prior to discharge into the natural environment. As used herein, the terms biosolids, solids, digesting sludge, sludge, and liquid sludge are used interchangeably to refer to the contents retained in a digester for undergoing anaerobic digestion. Sludge anaerobic digestion is one of the most efficient means for stabilizing the biosolids found in wastewater treatment plants and other types of plants that handle organic materials for ultimate disposal or re-use. In addition, anaerobic digestion has an additional benefit in that the digestion processes produce fuel known as biogas as a naturally occurring part of the digestion process. This emitted biogas, also known as digester gas, once collected, may be reused for various other purposes. For example, digester gas is often used as fuel for engines and turbines that are used to drive equipment or may also be used to produce electricity.
Digesters are the vessels used for retaining sludge (biosolids) for purposes of managed anaerobic digestion and collection of the gas produced from the digesting biosolids. For many years, a digester when found at an industrial site tended to be a cylindrically-shaped vessel, also known as silo shaped. Lately, more sites are using what are known as Egg-Shaped Digesters (ESDs), which are considered to provide greater mixing capabilities by virtue of their shape. Most ESDs include some degree of sloping of the sides, and have a circular or spherical middle section, with some conical sections being located either at the top or bottom of the digester, or both.
Anaerobic biosolids degradation requires proper mixing and effective temperature control to be properly managed. Anaerobic digestion involves a complex microbiological community in which various groups of organisms carry our initial, intermediate, and final stabilization steps. The groups of organisms work together in a symbiotic relationship. Not only is a constant temperature important but the food supply should be available on a steady state basis. This requires that the material within the digester be well mixed. Proper and effective mixing is also necessary because stagnation of material within the anaerobic digester can create process and operational problems. When material stagnates either at the top surface or at the vessel bottom, the digestion process slows substantially, reducing the amount of solids degradation and gas production. ESDs have a natural mixing advantage by eliminating the corners found on cylindrically-shaped vessels, which tend to form stagnant zones. Nevertheless, additional systems are necessary and implemented to mix the sludge and prevent stagnation. Most digesters are mixed in a turbulent manner, usually by generating a high-velocity flow that entrains surrounding fluid which is mixed primarily by the mechanism of turbulent diffusion.
Mixing performance in digesters is measured indirectly by a number of means, including digester volume turnover time, which is the vessel volume divided by the mixing pump flow rate, and unit power, which is mixing pump power divided by vessel volume. These ratios are used with rules-of-thumb to size mixing systems in digesters. However, they fail to differentiate between the effects that mixing flow patterns in the digester have on mixing performance. An alternative to indirect methods is the Coefficient of Variation (COV). The COV is a spatial measurement of mixing that indicates how homogeneous a fluid is at a particular time. The COV is defined as the standard deviation of concentration measurements divided by the mean concentration, and is often expressed as a percentage. The COV can be measured in computational fluid dynamics analysis or experiment by injecting tracer at the digester sludge inlet and measuring tracer concentration at a number of different locations in the digester. It is generally accepted in the industry that 10% COV represents complete mixing in a digester, though acceptable volatile solids reduction and gas production may be achieved at higher values of COV. By performing these measurements at various times after injection of the tracer the time to reach a target COV and the time to reach the steady state COV can be determined. A well-designed mixing system can achieve the target COV with less equipment, less pump power for a lower installed cost and lower operational cost and in less time. Another method to quantify mixing is by a residence time distribution (RTD). The RTD is a temporal measurement of mixing that describes how long particles injected into the digester will remain. In an actual digester particles injected at the same time will have a range of residence times, so the statistical distribution of residence times is necessary to characterize temporal mixing. As for the COV, the RTD can be measured in analysis or experiment by injecting tracer at the digester sludge inlet and measuring tracer concentration over time at the digester sludge drain. The residence time has practical meaning for digesters because the processing of biosolids by anaerobic digestion requires time, and the "volatile solids reduction" of biosolids by anaerobic digestion is correlated to the mean of the residence time distribution. A minimum value for the mean RTD is commonly specified by the purchasers of digesters and by regulatory authorities. A well-designed mixing system will maximize RTD.
Many existing digesters, including ESDs, utilize pumped mixing systems, where the pumps are located outside of the vessel. Pumped mixing systems typically have lower maintenance cost than mechanical mixers, which have moving equipment inside the vessel and can require seals where shafts penetrate the vessel. Often these pumped mixing systems incorporate multiple nozzles and a single low pressure nozzle at the side of the vessel to recirculate the vessel contents through the pump. Pumped mixing systems work by entraining surrounding fluid into a turbulent jet. Some pumped mixing systems incorporate draft tubes which utilize the Venturi effect to entrain fluid into the draft tube where it then mixes. Some draft tube systems incorporate nozzles at top and bottom of the draft tube and by closing and opening valves are operated sequentially in up mode, the flow is directed through the bottom nozzle upwards through the draft tube, followed by down mode, where the flow is directed through the top nozzle downwards through the draft tube. Some pumped mixing systems utilize free jets to entrain surrounding fluid. The mixing performance of each of these mixing systems can be quantified by the COV.
Existing pumped mixing systems have several drawbacks. The cost of the nozzles, draft tubes and piping required by these systems is high. It is difficult to locate and orient the nozzles in the optimal manner for mixing. To make up for suboptimal flow patterns higher pump flow rates are required, increasing the cost of equipment and operating costs. For systems with multiple flow modes the operational complexity is increased. If the cycle time for these modes is less than the time to reach the target COV then mixing may be inadequate. This increases the burden on the digester operator and the likelihood that the mixing system will be operated in a sub-optimal manner.
Another important issue in digester mixing is the handling of sediment, and in particular sediment containing heavy abrasive materials such as sand. This sediment is often referred to as grit. Grit that flows through the mixing system can accelerate wear. However, the remainder of sediment includes biosolids, which must be well mixed to allow break down through anaerobic digestion. Therefore, in digesters where there is a significant amount of heavy grit in the sludge it is advantageous to prevent the heavy grit from entering the mixing system, while still mixing biosolids, and allowing the heavy grit to settle to the bottom of the digester, where it can be flushed from the digester. Some existing digesters have nozzles for flushing sediment from the bottom, but existing mixing systems do not have a means to design for the settlement of heavy grit or to sense when sediment accumulates on the bottom of the digester. Some digesters have been known to accumulate large amounts of sediment which was only discovered when the vessel was emptied for maintenance. This accumulation reduces the operating volume of the vessel, which can lead to insufficient volatile solids reduction.

Method and apparatus for anaerobic sludge digestion mixing and heat exchange


Systems and methods are disclosed herein which that enable a first party, such as a child, to selected one or more items offered by an online retailer and to send a request to a second party, such as a parent or guardian, to request that the second party purchase the item or items for the first party. The systems and methods provide the second party with the ability to view requests received from the first party, to set limits on the number of requests and the amounts of the requests that the first party may make. The second party may also designate the parties to whom the first party may submit purchase requests. The child may also submit request to one or more non-parental contributors who may contribute money toward the purchase the one or more items for the child.

Electronic commerce ("e-commerce"), the buying and selling of products and services over the Internet has flourished with the widespread availability of Internet access. Online retailers (also referred to herein as "e-tailers") may be a traditional brick and mortar retailers with a physical presence such as a store where customers can shop in person that also have an online store. Customers may purchase products or services from both the retailer's brick and mortar stores and the retailer's online store Other online retailers maintain an online presence only and customers purchase goods or services from the online retailer's online store.
Customers select products or services that they would like to purchase, and the products and services are "placed" in an electronic shopping cart or shopping basket. The electronic shopping cart allows users to accumulate a list of products or services for purchase while browsing an online shop. A typical electronic shopping card also enables the customer to initiate an electronic payment transaction to pay for the selected goods or services. Online purchases are typically funded through various types of electronic financial transactions, such as through credit card or debit card transactions.
Many online retailers offer products and services that appeal to children, but children do usually do not have a credit or debit card with which to purchase these items. Instead, a child typically must ask a parent or guardian or a close relative, such as a grandparent, to go online and purchase a desired item for the child. Conventional online payment systems do not provide a mechanism for a child to request that parent or other related party pay for desired item for the child.


According to the present invention there is provided an IR radiation-sensitive imaging element comprising on a hydrophilic surface of a lithographic base an image forming layer comprising (1) a water insoluble, alkali soluble or swellable resin having a phenolic hydroxy group, (2) a latent Bronsted acid, and (3) an amino crosslinking agent capable of reacting with the water insoluble, alkali soluble or swellable resin under the influence of an acid, characterized in that said image forming layer comprises a carbon black pigment as infrared absorber.

The present invention relates to a radiation sensitive material for making a lithographic printing plate. The present invention further relates to a method for preparing a printing plate from said radiation sensitive material.
Lithography is the process of printing from specially prepared surfaces, some areas of which are capable of accepting lithographic ink, whereas other areas, when moistened with water, will not accept the ink. The areas which accept ink form the printing image areas and the ink-rejecting areas form the background areas.
In the art of photolithography, a photographic material is made imagewise receptive to oily or greasy ink in the photo-exposed (negative working) or in the non-exposed areas (positive working) on a hydrophilic background.
In the production of common lithographic plates, also called surface litho plates or planographic printing plates, a support that has affinity to water or obtains such affinity by chemical treatment is coated with a thin layer of a photosensitive composition. Coatings for that purpose include light-sensitive polymer layers containing diazo compounds, dichromate-sensitized hydrophilic colloids and a large variety of synthetic photopolymers. Particularly diazo-sensitized systems are widely used.
Upon imagewise exposure of such light-sensitive layer the exposed image areas become insoluble and the unexposed areas remain soluble. The plate is then developed with a suitable liquid to remove the diazonium salt or diazo resin in the unexposed areas.
On the other hand, methods are known for making printing plates involving the use of imaging elements that are heat sensitive rather than photosensitive. A particular disadvantage of photosensitive imaging elements such as described above for making a printing plate is that they have to be shielded from the light. Furthermore they are less suited for computer-to-plate imaging. The trend towards heat sensitive printing plate precursors is clearly seen on the market.
For example, EP-A 952022871.0, 952022872.8, 952022873.6 and 952022874.4 disclose a method for making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of (1) image-wise exposing to light a heat sensitive imaging element comprising (i) on a hydrophilic surface of a lithographic base an image forming layer comprising hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles dispersed in a hydrophilic binder and (ii) a compound capable of converting light to heat, said compound being comprised in said image forming layer or a layer adjacent thereto; (2) and developing a thus obtained image-wise exposed element by rinsing it with plain water.
EP-A 625728 discloses a lithographic plate with an image forming layer which is UV- and IR-sensitive which can be as well positive as negative working. Said image forming layer comprises (1) a resole resin, (2) a novolac resin, (3) a latent Bronsted acid and (4) an IR absorber. By exposing with UV or IR (830 nm) light followed by a baking (60 seconds at 100xc2x0 C.) before the development step a negative working printing plate is obtained. The method for obtaining a positive working plate is not disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,925 discloses a positive working printing plate comprising a light sensitive composition comprising (1) an alkalisoluble novolac resin and an onium-salt and optionally an IR spectral sensitizing dye. By exposing with UV, visible or IR light followed by a development step with an alkali solution there is obtained a positive working printing plate. Said plate is sensitive to room handling.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an imaging element being infrared light and heat sensitive to facilitate digital imaging by exposure to infrared radiation or a thermal printing head.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an imaging element being insensitive to visible radiation so as to facilitate room-light handling.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for obtaining in a convenient way a positive working lithographic printing plate of a high quality using said imaging element.
Further objects of the present invention will become clear from the description hereinafter.
According to the present invention there is provided an IR radiation-sensitive imaging element comprising on a hydrophilic surface of a lithographic base an image forming layer comprising (1) a water insoluble, alkali soluble or swellable resin having a phenolic hydroxy group, (2) a latent Bronsted acid, and (3) a crosslinking agent capable of reacting with the water insoluble, alkali soluble or swellable resin under the influence of an acid, characterized in that said image forming layer comprises a carbon black pigment as infrared absorber.
According to the present invention there is also provided a method for obtaining a positive working lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of:
(a) image-wise or information-wise exposing to IR light or heat an imaging element as described above;
(b) heating said exposed imaging element to provide reduced solubility in the unexposed areas;
(c) developing said exposed and heated imaging element with an aqueous alkaline developing solution in order to remove the exposed areas and thereby form a lithographic printing plate.
It has been found that imaging elements which are recordable with UV and IR radiation and heat and which yield lithographic printing plates of high quality can be obtained according to the method of the present invention using an imaging element as described above.
To utilize it as a positive working plate requires the steps of imagewise exposure to activating radiation, heating of the plate to provide reduced solubility in unexposed areas and contact with an aqueous alkaline processing solution to remove the exposed areas. The use of both a water insoluble, alkali soluble or swellable resin having a phenolic hydroxy group and a crosslinking agent is essential.
While applicants do not wish to be bound by any theoretical explanation for the manner in which their invention functions, it is believed that it is based upon an acid-catalyzed chemical amplification mechanism which occurs upon heating of the unexposed areas of the plate. This mechanism reduces the solubility of the unexposed areas by hardening the mixture of resins.
In the exposed areas the mechanism is not fully understood. An unknown interaction of the acid being formed as a result of the infrared light exposure with the carbon black is suggested.
The functioning of the plate as a positive working plate is critically dependent upon the use of a mixture of a crosslinking agent and a water insoluble, alkali soluble or swellable resin having a phenolic hydroxy group since the use of either compound alone does not provide a useful developed image.
The carbon black pigment renders the composition sensitive to infrared radiation and makes the printing plate useful as a direct laser addressable plate which can be imaged by exposure to a laser which emits in the infrared region. As carbon black pigment all common types can be used which absorb in the infrared wavelength region. The carbon pigment may be as well in the amorphous as in the cristalline state. Preferably the number average diameter of the carbon black pigment ranges from 0.01 to 1 xcexcm, more preferably from 0.1 to 0.5 xcexcm. Examples of commercially available carbon black pigments are CORAX L6, FARBRUSS FW 200, SPECIALSCHWARZ 4A, SPECIALSCHWARZ 250 and PRINTEX U.
Suitable crosslinking agents according to the invention are melamine-phenol-formaldehyde resins, phenol-formaldehyde resins and resole resins. These resins are commercially available from Occidental Chemical Corporation and Ashland-Sud Chemie, Gmbh.
More preferred are amino crosslinking agents. An amino crosslinking agent according to the invention is a compound obtainable by the condensation of an amino group containing substance and formaldehyde. Said amino crosslinking agent has paired functional groups attached to the amino nitrogens. The three, most common paired groups may be represented as follows
xe2x80x94N(CH2OR)2, xe2x80x94N(CH2OH)CH2OR , xe2x80x94N(H)CH2OR
where R is generally a low molecular weight alkyl group such as methyl, ethyl, butyl or isobutyl.
Most preferably said amino crosslinking agent is a compound selected from the group consisting of melamine-formaldehyde resins, (thio)urea-formaldehyde resins, guanamine-formaldehyde resins, benzoguanamine-formaldehyde resins and glycoluril-formaldehyde resins. Some of said compounds are comercially available under the registered trade marks CYMEL or DYNOMIN from Dyno Cyanamid and NIKALAC from Sanwa Chemical Co, Ltd.
Suitable resins having phenolic hydroxy groups for use in an image forming layer in connection with this invention are for example synthetic novolac resins such as ALNOVOL, a registered trade mark of Reichold Hoechst and DUREZ, a registered trade mark of OxyChem, synthetic polyvinylfenols such as MARUKA LYNCUR M, a registered trade mark of Dyno Cyanamid and phenolic hydroxy functionalized derivatives of poly(meth)acrylates, which can be synthesized starting from e.g. hydroxyethyl(meth)acrylate.
The fourth essential ingredient of the radiation-sensitive composition of this invention is a latent Bronsted acid. The term xe2x80x9clatent Bronsted acidxe2x80x9d refers to a precursor which forms a Bronsted acid by decomposition. The Bronsted acid is believed to catalyze the matrix-forming reaction between the crosslinking agent and the resin having phenolic hydroxy groups. Typical examples of Bronsted acids which are suitable for this purpose are sulphonic acids e.g. trifluoromethane sulphonic acid and hexafluorophosphoric acid.
Ionic latent Bronsted acids are suitable for use in this invention. Examples of these include onium salts, in particular iodonium, sulfonium, phosphonium, selenonium, diazonium and arsonium salts.
Useful ionic latent Bronsted acids include those represented by the formula:
X+R1R2R3R4 Wxe2x88x92
When X is iodine then R3 and R4 are electron lone pairs and R1 and R2 each independently are aryl or substituted aryl groups. When X is S or Se then R4 is an electron lone pair and R1, R2 and R3 each independently can be an aryl group, a substituted aryl group, an aliphatic group or a substituted aliphatic group. When X is P or As, then R1, R2, R3 and R4 each independently can be an aryl group, a substituted aryl group, an aliphatic group or a substituted aliphatic group. W can be BF4, CF3SO3, SbF6, CCl3CO2, ClO4, AsF6, PF6, or any corresponding acid whose pH is less than three.
Any of the onium salts described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,925 can be utilized as the latent Bronsted acid in this invention. These include iodonium, sulfonium, phosphonium, bromonium, chloronium, oxysulfoxonium, oxysulfonium, sulfoxonium, selenonium, telluronium and arsonium salts.
Use of diazonium salts as latent Bronsted acids is particularly preferred in this invention.
Specific examples of particularly useful onium salts include:
diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate,
triphenylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate,
phenylmethyl-ortho-cyanobenzylsulfonium trifluoromethane
sulfonate, and
2-methoxy-4-aminophenyl diazonium hexafluorophosphate
Non-ionic latent Bronsted acids are also suitable for use in this invention. Examples of these include compounds of the formula:
RCH2X, RCHX2, RCX3, R(CH2X)2 and R(CH2X)3
wherein X is Cl, Br, F, or CF3SO3 and R is an aromatic group or an aliphatic group.
Further suitable non-ionic latent Bronsted acids are haloalkyl-substituted s-triazines as disclosed in EP-A 672954, o-quinone diazides, photo acid generating agents having an o-nitrobenzyl type protective group as described in Polymer Sci., by S. Hayase et al, 25, 573 (1987); the compounds which are subjected to a photodecomposition to generate a sulfonic acid, represented by iminosulfonates as described in Polymer Preprints Japan, by M. Tunooka et al, 35 (8), by disulfon compounds described in JP-Pi 61-166544, by xcex1-sulphonyloxy ketones, by xcex1-hydroxymethylbenzoine sulphonates, by nitrobenzyl sulphonates, by xcex1-sulphonyl acetophenones and by sulphonyl imides, the preparation of these last compounds being well known in the literature; the compounds which are subjected to a photodecomposition to generate a phosphonic acid, a partly esterified phosphoric acid or phosphoric acid, represented by nitrobenzylphosphates or phosphonates as described in Tetrahedron Letters, by M. Rubinstein et al., 17, 1445 (1975), by benzoine phosphates or phosphonates, as described in J. Org. Chem. by M. Pirrung and S. Shuey, 59 , 3890 (1994), by pyrenemethylphosphates or phosphonates, by iminophosphates or phosphonates and by imidophosphates or phosphonates, the preparation of these last compounds being well known in the literature.
Further, compounds in which the above photosensitive acid precursors are introduced into a primary chain or a side chain of a polymer can be used. Examples thereof include the compounds described in e.g. J.Am.Chem.Soc., by M. E. Woodhouse et al, 104, 5586 (1982); J.Imaging Sci., by S. P. Pappas et al, 30 (5), 218 (1986); etc..
As explained hereinabove, the four essential ingredients of the radiation-sensitive composition of this invention are a crosslinking agent, a resin having phenolic hydroxy groups, a latent Bronsted acid and a carbon black pigment. Other ingredients which can optionally be incorporated in the composition include colorants, stabilizers, additional sensitizers, exposure indicators and surfactants.
The thickness of the image forming layer in the printing plates of this invention can vary widely. Typically, a dry thickness in the range of from 0.25 to 10 micrometers, more preferably from 0.75 to 5 micrometers is suitable.
To form the radiation sensitive imaging element, the crosslinking agent, the resin having phenolic hydroxy groups, the latent Bronsted acid and the carbon black pigment are dissolved or dispersed in a suitable solvent in appropriate proportions and coated on the support using such well-known coating techniques as spin coating or hopper coating. Preferred solvents include acetone, methylethylketone and 1-methoxy-2-propanol.
The crosslinking agent is preferably incorporated in the coating composition in an amount of from 0.5 to 10 percent by weight, more preferably from 1 to 6 percent by weight, and most preferably from 1.5 to 4.0 percent by weight.
The resin having phenolic hydroxy groups is preferably incorporated in the coating composition in an amount of from 1.0 to 20 percent by weight, more preferably from 3.5 to 9 percent by weight, and most preferably from 5.0 to 7.5 percent by weight.
The latent Bronsted acid is preferably incorporated in the coating composition in an amount of from 0.1 to 2 percent by weight, more preferably from 0.25 to 0.9 percent by weight, and most preferably from 0.35 to 0.70 percent by weight.
The carbon black pigment is preferably incorporated in the coating composition in an amount of from 0.1 to 5.0 percent by weight, more preferably from 0.5 to 3.5 percent by weight, and most preferably from 1.0 to 2.5 percent by weight.
Suitable conditions for drying the layer involve heating for a period of from 0.5 to 10 minutes at a temperature in the range of from 20xc2x0 C. to 150xc2x0 C.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the lithographic base can be an anodised aluminum support. A particularly preferred lithographic base is an electrochemically grained and anodized aluminum support. According to the present invention, an anodized aluminum support may be treated to improve the hydrophilic properties of its surface. For example, the aluminum support may be silicated by treating its surface with sodium silicate solution at elevated temperature, e.g. 95xc2x0 C. Alternatively, a phosphate treatment may be applied which involves treating the aluminum oxide surface with a phosphate solution that may further contain an inorganic fluoride. Further, the aluminum oxide surface may be rinsed with a citric acid or citrate solution. This treatment may be carried out at room temperature or can be carried out at a slightly elevated temperature of about 30 to 50xc2x0 C. An interesting treatment involves treating the aluminum oxide surface with polyvinyl phosphonic acid as disclosed in DE-OS 2,607,207. A further interesting treatment involves rinsing the aluminum oxide surface with a bicarbonate solution. It is further evident that one or more of these post treatments may be carried out alone or in combination.
According to another embodiment in connection with the present invention, the lithographic base comprises a flexible support, such as e.g. paper or plastic film, provided with a cross-linked hydrophilic layer. A particularly suitable cross-linked hydrophilic layer may be obtained from a hydrophilic binder cross-linked with a cross-linking agent such as formaldehyde, glyoxal, polyisocyanate or a hydrolysed tetra-alkylorthosilicate. The latter is particularly preferred.
As hydrophilic binder there may be used hydrophilic (co)polymers such as for example, homopolymers and copolymers of vinyl alcohol, acrylamide, methylol acrylamide, methylol methacrylamide, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate or maleic anhydride/vinylmethylether copolymers. The hydrophilicity of the (co)polymer or (co)polymer mixture used is preferably the same as or higher than the hydrophilicity of polyvinyl acetate hydrolyzed to at least an extent of 60 percent by weight, preferably 80 percent by weight.
The amount of crosslinking agent, in particular of tetraalkyl orthosilicate, is preferably at least 0.2 parts by weight per part by weight of hydrophilic binder, preferably between 0.5 and 5 parts by weight, more preferably between 1.0 parts by weight and 3 parts by weight.
A cross-linked hydrophilic layer in a lithographic base used in accordance with the present embodiment preferably also contains substances that increase the mechanical strength and the porosity of the layer. For this purpose colloidal silica may be used. The colloidal silica employed may be in the form of any commercially available water-dispersion of colloidal silica for example having an average particle size up to 40 nm, e.g. 20 nm. In addition inert particles of larger size than the colloidal silica can be added e.g. silica prepared according to Stxc3x6ber as described in J. Colloid and Interface Sci., Vol. 26, 1968, pages 62 to 69 or alumina particles or particles having an average diameter of at least 100 nm which are particles of titanium dioxide or other heavy metal oxides. By incorporating these particles the surface of the cross-linked hydrophilic layer is given a uniform rough texture consisting of microscopic hills and valleys, which serve as storage places for water in background areas.
The thickness of a cross-linked hydrophilic layer in a lithographic base in accordance with this embodiment may vary in the range of 0.2 to 25 xcexcm and is preferably 1 to 10 xcexcm.
Particular examples of suitable cross-linked hydrophilic layers for use in accordance with the present invention are disclosed in EP-A 601240, GB-P-1419512, FR-P-2300354, U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,660, U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,705 and EP-A 514490.
As flexible support of a lithographic base in connection with the present embodiment it is particularly preferred to use a plastic film e.g. substrated polyethylene terephthalate film, cellulose acetate film, polystyrene film, polycarbonate film etc. The plastic film support may be opaque or transparent.
It is particularly preferred to use a polyester film support to which an adhesion improving layer has been provided. Particularly suitable adhesion improving layers for use in accordance with the present invention comprise a hydrophilic binder and colloidal silica as disclosed in EP-A 619524, EP-A 620502 and EP-A 619525. Preferably, the amount of silica in the adhesion improving layer is between 200 mg per m2 and 750 mg per m2. Further, the ratio of silica to hydrophilic binder is preferably more than 1 and the surface area of the colloidal silica is preferably at least 300 m2 per gram, more preferably at least 500 m2 per gram.
The lithographic printing plates of this invention can be exposed with a laser diode which emits radiation in the near-infrared region of the spectrum. Such laser diodes provide the advantage of both low cost and low energy consumption.
A particularly suitable exposing device is a laser or laser diode with a maximum output between 750 and 1500 nanometers. Such a device is typically capable of decomposing the latent Bronsted acid in the exposed areas and thereby rendering it by heating ineffective for crosslinking. The products from the decomposition of the latent Bronsted acid by heating are mainly strong acids which are effective in crosslinking the resins in the unexposed areas, thereby altering the solubility in aqueous alkaline developing solution.
As described hereinabove, the imagewise-exposed plate is heated in a step that is referred to as a post-exposure bake or PEB. The heating step is conducted at a temperature which is high enough to induce thermal crosslinking in the non-exposed areas. This temperature depends on the thermal stability of the latent Bronsted acid and the nature of the water insoluble, alkali soluble or swellable resin having a phenolic hydroxy group and the nature of the crosslinking agents. Typically this temperature is in the range of from 70xc2x0 C. to 200xc2x0 C. for a period of from 15 to 300 seconds. More preferably, the heating is for a period of from 30 to 90 seconds at a temperature in the range of from 80xc2x0 C. to 150xc2x0 C. After the PEB is completed, the plate is then either hand processed or machine processed in an aqueous alkaline developing solution until the exposed areas are removed. This typically requires 30 to 120 seconds. A preferred aqueous alkaline developing solution is a silicate solution such as a six percent by weight aqueous solution of sodium meta-silicate. A suitable commercially available silicate solution for this purpose is KODAK AQUA-IMAGE POSITIVE DEVELOPER MX-1406-1 which is sold by Eastman Kodak Company or Fuji PS-plate developer DP-5 which is sold by Fuji Company. After contact with the aqueous alkaline developing solution, the plate is usually treated with a finisher such as gum arabic.
The number of printing impressions obtainable is primarily dependent upon use of a post development baking step. If no such baking step is used, the plate typically provides 60000 to 70000 impressions, whereas post development baking for 5 minutes at 250xc2x0 C. typically provides 300000 to 350000 impressions. The number of impressions that can be attained before wear is detected can also be increased by increasing the coating weight.
Since the printing plate of this invention is infrared light sensitive, digital imaging information can be conveniently utilized to form continuous or halftone images using a suitable source of infrared radiation such as a laser diode emitting in the infrared region.
The following examples illustrate the present invention without however, limiting it thereto. All parts, percentages and ratios are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

IR radiation-sensitive imaging element and a method for producing lithographic plates therewith


An arcuate-shaped ring guard for use in combination with a circular finger ring for reducing the interior circumference of the finger ring. The arcuate-shaped ring guard includes an arcuate ring reducer member being substantially crescent shaped. The ring reducer member includes an outer curved perimeter wall surface, and an interior wall surface, and opposing side wall surfaces for forming the ring reducer member. The arcuate-shaped ring guard further includes a pair of offset adjustable flange members that are attached to each of the opposing side wall surfaces of the ring reducer member in a spaced-apart and in an offset manner. Each of the offset adjustable flange members includes a first end and a second end. Each of the second ends of the offset adjustable flange members are placed adjacent to and in contact with the exterior band surface of the finger ring and are wrapped around the exterior band surface of the finger ring. The outer curved perimeter wall surface is placed adjacent to and in contact with the interior band surface of the finger ring. The interior wall surface is placed adjacent to and in contact with the skin on the under surface of the wearer's finger in order to provide a snug fit.

Ring guards are well known in the prior art, as these ring guards, ring inserts, or ring sizers are placed on ring bands to reduce the size of a wearer's ring. Also, the ring guard secures the ring from movement along the wearer's finger. The wearing of a ring having an inside diameter larger than the diameter of the finger presents several problems: e.g. the ring can twist or rotate about the finger and thus be uncomfortable to the wearer and/or displayed in an unsightly manner, or the ring may become so loose that it may slip off the finger and become lost. Most ring guards solve the aforementioned problems which occur with over-sized finger rings. But not all ring guards are able to properly fit on a ring band having a larger band width or thickness than a normal engagement ring-type band thickness.
There remains a need for an arcuate-shaped ring guard having offset adjustable flanges for attachably securing the ring guard to various sized rings having different band thicknesses and allowing the user to wear a larger sized diameter finger ring over a smaller wearer's finger in order to obtain a snug fit on the wearer's finger. Additionally, there is a need for the offset adjustable flanges to be easily manipulated and bent to fit on the different sized band thicknesses.

Ring guard having offset adjustable flanges


The semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell array region in which a plurality of storing MTJ elements capable of changing resistance depending on a direction of magnetization are arranged on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor storage device includes a resistive element region in which a plurality of resisting MTJ elements are arranged on the semiconductor substrate along a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. An area of a first cross section of the resisting MTJ element parallel with an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate is larger than an area of a second cross section of the storing MTJ element parallel with the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Conventional semiconductor storage devices, such as MRAM, need to have a resistive element in the circuit design.
For example, a typical resistive element led using an active area or gate wiring of a memory cell array has a low sheet resistance, a high parasitic capacitance or bad temperature characteristics. For such reasons, the resistive element is often out of circuit design specifications.
Thus, there is a need for a newly developed resistive element that has a desired sheet resistance, temperature characteristics or the like.
This leads to an elongated development period and an increase of the manufacturing cost due to an additional process.

Semiconductor storage device and method of manufacturing the same


A guiding shaft structure for a chain connector includes a black shaft and a guiding bolt. The black shaft comprises a passage with a threaded section therein and a first protruding ring, a second protruding ring and a third protruding ring on an outer surface thereof. The guiding bolt comprises an insertion section and a guiding section. The insertion section comprises grooves, a circular flange and a guiding surface. The guiding section comprises a threaded portion. The black shaft and the guiding bolt are secured with each other to form a one piece and to provide a secure connection.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a guiding shaft structure for a chain connector, in particular to one that has a guiding section of a guiding blot connecting to a passage of a black shaft to provide a secure connection.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional connecting pin, as shown in FIG. 5, comprises a connecting element C and a guiding element D. The connecting element C has a through hole C1. The through hole C1 is provided with a stopping portion C2 at the center thereof and a locating section C3. The guiding element D has an insertion end D1 and a pin D2. The pin D2 is inserted and located in the locating section C3. This connection depends on merely the pin D2 and the locating section C3, which is very weak and may be shaken to loosen easily.
When the connecting element C is hammered, the connection of the pin D2 and the locating section C3 may be loosened, causing the locating section C3 to dislocate from a chain. When the insertion end D1 is inserted into a through hole of the chain, the insertion end D1 is flush with the inner wall of the through hole and the burr on the inner wall of the through hole may damage the inner wall, causing unstable connection of the connecting element C within the through hole of the chain.

Guiding shaft structure for chain connector


A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to embodiments includes an executing unit, an informing unit, a detecting unit, and a determining unit. The executing unit executes a pulse sequence to collect data of a subject at a constant cycle. The informing unit informs the subject of a timing of breathing in synchronization with the cycle at which the pulse sequence is executed. The detecting unit detects a breathing level or a respiratory cycle of the subject. The determining unit determines, when the pulse sequence is executed, whether to use the data collected by the pulse sequence for image reconstruction in accordance with the breathing level or the respiratory cycle of the subject.

As a conventional imaging method to prevent deterioration of image quality by breathing in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, known is breathing-synchronous imaging in which imaging is performed in synchronization with the breathing of a subject. Furthermore, to keep a respiratory cycle constant in such breathing-synchronous imaging, known is a method that informs the subject of the timing of breathing by a guiding voice during imaging.


An alkanediol and a dialkyl carbonate are prepared in a process comprising:    (a) reacting an alkylene carbonate and an alkanol feedstock in a reaction zone under transesterification conditions to obtain a product mixture of dialkyl carbonate, unconverted alkanol, the alkanediol, and unconverted alkylene carbonate;    (b) separating dialkyl carbonate and unconverted alkanol from the product mixture to obtain a bottom product stream containing alkanediol and unconverted alkylene carbonate;    (c) recovering the dialkyl carbonate; and    (d) separating alkanediol from the bottom product stream to leave a recycle stream comprising unconverted alkylene carbonate,wherein the recycle stream comprising unconverted alkylene carbonate is split in at least two portions, and at least one portion is recycled to the reaction zone and another portion is subjected to hydrolysis to yield alkanediol and carbon dioxide.

Such a process is described in e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,118. The patent discloses a process in which di(C1-C4 alkyl) carbonates are prepared by transesterification of an alkylene carbonate with a C1-C4 alkanol. The alkylene carbonate and an alkanol feedstock are reacted countercurrently in a column with the aid of a catalyst. The catalyst is usually homogeneous, although the use of heterogeneous catalysts is also suggested. The alkylene carbonate is introduced into the upper part of the column and trickles down from above. The alkanol feedstock comprising a pure alkanol and a stream, comprising the alkanol and also the dialkyl carbonate, is fed into the column at a lower part. The alkanol flows upward and reacts countercurrently with the alkylene carbonate to obtain dialkyl carbonate with unreacted alkanol as the top effluent and the alkanediol with any entrained alkanol as the bottom effluent. The top effluent is subjected to distillation to yield an alkanol-rich stream comprising the alkanol and minor amounts of the dialkyl carbonate. This stream is fed to the column as part of the alkanol feedstock. The bottom stream is worked-up resulting in an alkylene glycol stream and a catalyst-containing concentrate.
The patent discloses the formation of high-boiling by-products, such as polyglycols. In the known process these high-boiling by-products are contained in the catalyst-containing concentrate. Part of the concentrate is recycled to the transesterification, whereas another part is discarded.
Although the process discloses the formation of polyglycols, it does not address the problem of the removal of such polyglycols, in particular the diglycols. Further, the patent does not acknowledge that polyglycols may be present in the alkylene carbonate feed material. Moreover, the patent presumes that no alkylene carbonate leaves the reactor unconverted. In practice, the transesterification to dialkyl carbonate will not be 100%. Therefore, the bottom product of the process will contain not only polyglycols, as suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,118, but also some unconverted alkylene carbonate. In view of their boiling points it is very difficult to separate polyglycols, in particular, dialkylene glycols from the corresponding alkylene carbonates. This has not been acknowledged in the process according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,118.
It has now been found that the build up of higher-boiling by-products can be prevented by subjecting a part of a stream containing alkylene carbonate and polyglycols to a hydrolysis step, thereby obtaining alkylene glycol, which is a valuable compound.

Process for the preparation of an alkanediol and a dialkyl carbonate


A system and method that provides a cross-platform queue viewer for use in a distributed processing system comprising a plurality of operational platforms that cooperate to perform various functions and tasks. The queues may be, for example, message queues in a distributed operating environment. A web browser is in communication with an application server. The web browser provides the application server with information regarding a query request. The application server communicates this request to one or more message servers. The message server communicates queue information responsive to the query back to the application server. The application server processes this information into a form that is easily understood by the requester.

In modern distributed data processing systems, developers and users alike frequently have time-sensitive communications needs. For example, a developer needs to know how to route messages so that they are expeditiously delivered. A user may also need to know what is happening to a time-sensitive transaction. In both cases, the user needs to know what is happening with messages on communication queues.
Most systems have some queue query function. These functions, however, frequently can only query one queue at a time and must be run repeatedly to determine a complete picture of the state of the system. Other systems can only query a specific platform and not the entire distributed system. Still others require that the user have administrator privileges on one or more of the platforms in the distributed system.
Therefore, a problem in the art is that there is no manner in which a developer or user can obtain complete information about the state of queues in a distributed system.

System and method for multi-platform queue queries


A semiconductor integrated circuit that carries out intermittent operation, includes a processor block; an logical operation block other than a processor; a first switch part configured to supply a normal operation voltage to the logical operation block other than a processor; a second switch part configured to supply the normal operation voltage to the processor block; a third switch part configured to supply a data holding voltage lower than the normal operation voltage to the processor block; and a fourth switch part configured to be turned on, when the second switch means is turned off and the third switch means is turned on, and supply the data holding voltage to the processor block.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-114742 discusses providing processors in a plurality of functional circuit blocks so that they can operate independently, providing a system state transition resistor and a power-off register, controlling the registers by an external computer, and controlling power-off separately for the functional circuit blocks that are in an operation stop state.

Semiconductor integrated circuit with intermittent power supply operation of circuit blocks


A communication apparatus through which voice communication can be performed, including: a line interface portion which receives and transmits data form and to a line and which includes a data access arrangement device in which is incorporated a detection circuit that detects at least one of a line voltage and a line current; a voice reproducing device which reproduces a voice that is based on voice communication data transmitted from the line to the line interface portion; and a volume adjuster which adjusts reproduction volume with which the voice is to be reproduced by the voice reproducing device, on the basis of a detected value of the detection circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a communication apparatus including a line interface portion which receives and transmits data from and to a line and which includes a data access arrangement device in which is incorporated a detection circuit capable of detecting at least one of a line voltage and a line current.
2. Discussion of Related Art
As a communication apparatus, there is conventionally known a telephone set which reproduces, by a telephone receiver thereof, a voice signal transmitted from public switched telephone network (PSTN) via a telephone line. This kind of telephone set suffers from, due to transmission loss, variation in an input level of the voice signal inputted into the telephone receiver depending upon the length of the telephone line connected to an exchanger. Therefore, in the telephone set connected to the telephone line which is relatively long, the reproduction volume of the voice to be reproduced by the telephone receiver is small, so that a user may feel difficulty in hearing the voice during conversation with a communication partner.
To solve the problem indicated above, there is conventionally proposed a technique as disclosed in JP-A-5-347661, for instance. In the disclosed technique, a detection circuit capable of detecting a line current is disposed at a position that is nearer to a line than a line interface portion which transmits a dial signal and which performs control relating to status of closing and connection of the line, and an amplification factor of an amplifier provided on a telephone receiver is adjusted on the basis of a detected value of the detection circuit.

Communication apparatus capable of adjusting volume of voice to be reproduced


A mining shovel with compositional sensors comprises a bucket having various inward looking sensors positioned throughout the bucket. The bucket can also have disposed thereon a control enclosure that houses processing equipment that receives and analyzes the data collected by the inward looking sensors. The mining shovel with compositional sensors can be used as part of a system to manage a mining field, including generating and transmitting instructions directing where to deposit material located in the bucket based on the data collected from the inward looking sensors positioned in the bucket.

In the field of mineral sorting, sorting machines generally comprise a single stage of sensor arrays controlling (via, e.g., micro controller or other digital control system) a matched array of diverters.
Sensors used in mineral sorting can be of diverse origin, including photometric (light source and detector), radiometric (radiation detector), electromagnetic (source and detector or induced potential), or more high-energy electromagnetic source/detectors such as x-ray source (fluorescence or transmission) or gamma-ray source types. Matched sensor/diverter arrays are typically mounted onto a substrate (e.g., vibrating feeder, belt conveyor, free-fall type), which substrate transports the material to be sorted past the sensors and thus on to the diverters where the material is diverted to either one of two destinations, 'accept' or 'reject'.
Sorting is typically undertaken by one or more high-efficiency machines in a single stage, or in more sophisticated arrangements, such as rougher/scavenger, rougher/cleaner, or rougher/cleaner/scavenger. Material to be sorted is typically metallic mineral material between 15 mm-200 mm in size, although finer and coarser materials can be sorted with smaller or larger machines as the case may be.
Sorter capacity is limited by several factors, including micro controller speed, belt or feeder width, and a typical requirement to a) segregate the feed over a limited particle size range, and b) separate individual particles in the feed from each other prior to sorting to ensure high efficiency separation. A new type of sorting with high effectiveness in the mining industry comprises in-mine batch mineral sensing and classification. However, further advancements are still needed before such in-mine batch sorting devices can be successfully operated in the field.
The drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements of the figures may be expanded or reduced to help improve the understanding of the embodiments of the present application. Similarly, some components and/or operations may be separated into different blocks or combined into a single block for the purposes of discussion of some of the embodiments of the present application. Moreover, while the disclosure is amenable to various modification and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been show by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

Mining shovel with compositional sensors


A cooling device for a drive fluid of a lifting device which drives a car of a hydraulic elevator. A fan is present in order to cool the drive fluid. The fan is arranged on the car so that it can ventilate the interior of the car and at least part of the lifting device. The cooling device can be used as a main cooling system and as an auxiliary cooling system. It is suitable in particular for hydraulic elevator systems which do not have a hole in the earth to receive the lifting device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cooling device for the drive of an elevator.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Elevator systems which operate a lifting piston using hydraulic fluid generate considerable amounts of heat which are produced by the internal friction of the hydraulic fluid. Cooling devices are necessary to cool the hydraulic fluid.
Japanese reference JP 55115601 discloses a cooling device for the oil of a hydraulic elevator. A fan, which is used when the oil temperature rises, is arranged between the car lifting mechanism and the oil reservoir, on the side of the oil line.
This solution has the disadvantage that, in order to cool the oil, an additional device is used in the machine room, which additional device requires energy and space. In addition, the cooling takes place at a distance from the lifting mechanism. This brings about a situation in which the oil temperature in the lifting mechanism can rise in an uncontrolled way. In addition, the fan is used exclusively for cooling the drive means.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cooling device that has the advantage that it is space-saving. At the same time, it is ensured that the drive means is cooled in a simple and low cost manner, directly at the lifting device.
Pursuant to this object, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one aspect of the present invention resides in a cooling device for drive means of a lifting device which drives a car of an elevator, which cooling device comprises a ventilation apparatus for cooling the drive means. The ventilation apparatus is arranged on the car so as to ventilate at least part of the lifting device.
In one embodiment of the invention, the ventilation apparatus is arranged on the car in such a way that it ventilates the interior of the car. This has the advantage that the interior of the car and the lifting device are ventilated simultaneously with a single ventilation apparatus, which gives rise to an energy-saving cooling system.
It is particularly advantageous to have means for conducting the air from the ventilation apparatus to the lifting device to be present inside or outside the car. In this way, the air is conducted to the correct point, without unnecessary losses.
A further advantage is that the means for conducting the air are embodied as a hollow air duct, preferably made of sheet metal, which is connected at one end to an outlet of the ventilation apparatus and at the other end surrounds the lifting device at least partially. These can be manufactured very inexpensively.
It is also advantageous for the lifting device for driving the elevator to be arranged in a depression which extends along one outer side of the car and which also serves as an air duct for the lifting device. Spaces in the elevator system which are already present are therefore used as air ducts. The costs can thus be reduced further.
It is also advantageous for the ventilation apparatus to be a fan, permitting a commercially available device to be used.
In order to reduce costs even further, it is particularly advantageous for the ventilation apparatus to be embodied as a component of a cooling system or to interact with a central cooling system of a building. There is therefore no need for a separate ventilation apparatus.
All the features mentioned can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the invention.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

Cooling device for a drive means of an elevator


In an electric power steering system, rotation of a motor is transmitted to a rack shaft via a drive pulley, a belt, a driven pulley and a ball nut. A ball bearing and the driven pulley are fitted to the outer periphery of the ball nut. A flange is formed at a first end portion of the ball nut, and an internal thread portion is formed at a second end portion of the ball nut. An external thread member is connected to the internal thread portion. The external thread member has an external thread portion and a flange. By fastening the external thread portion to the internal thread portion, the ball bearing and the driven pulley are held between the two flanges.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a steering system.
2. Description of Related Art
There is a conventional electric power steering system (hereinafter, referred to as "EPS") that assists a driver's steering operation by applying torque generated by a motor to a steering mechanism of a vehicle. For example, an EPS described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-88462 (JP 2011-88462 A) includes a rack-and-pinion mechanism that serves as a steering mechanism. The rack-and-pinion mechanism changes the orientation of wheels by converting the rotation of a pinion caused by a steering operation into a liner motion of a rack shaft (steered shaft) meshed with the pinion. The rack shaft is provided with a ball screw mechanism that converts the rotation output from a motor into a linear motion of the rack shaft. That is, the torque generated by the motor is converted into an axial force of the rack shaft in its axial direction, so that the steering operation is assisted.
Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 9, in an EPS 100, the torque generated by a motor 101 is transmitted to a rack shaft 106 via a drive pulley 102, a timing belt 103, a driven pulley 104 and a ball screw mechanism 105. The opposite ends of the rack shaft 106 are connected to wheels via tie rods (not illustrated).
The ball screw mechanism 105 includes a ball nut 107 screwed into a spiral groove 106a in the rack shaft 106 via multiple balls. A first end portion of a cylindrical nut holder 108 that covers the outer periphery of the rack shaft 106 is fitted to the outer peripheral face of the ball nut 107, and the driven pulley 104 is fitted to the outer peripheral face of a second end portion of the nut holder 108.
The ball nut 107 is held between a step portion 108a formed in the inner peripheral face of the nut holder 108 and a cylindrical external thread 109 screwed to an opening portion of the nut holder 108, which is located on the opposite side of the nut holder 108 from the driven pulley 104. Thus, an axial displacement of the ball nut 107 and rotation of the ball nut 107 relative to the nut holder 108 are restricted. A bolt 110 is screwed into the nut holder 108. The distal end of the bolt 110 is passed though the nut holder 108 in the radial direction of the nut holder 108, and is fastened to the outer periphery of the ball nut 107. Thus, even if the external thread 109 is loosened, the rotation of the ball nut 107 relative to the nut holder 108 is restricted.
Three bearings 111, 112, 113 are interposed between the outer peripheral face of the nut holder 108 and the inner peripheral face of a casing 115. The nut holder 108, the ball nut 107 and the external thread 109 rotate together with each other in accordance with the rotation of the driven pulley 104.
In recent years, energy saving effect of EPSs including the EPS described in JP 2011-88402 draw widespread attention, and therefore the number of types of vehicles in which EPSs are mounted has been increasing. On the other hand, there has been a growing demand for more compact EPSs from the viewpoint of enhancing the ease of mounting the EPSs in vehicles. However, in the EPS 100 described in JP 2011-88462 A, the driven pulley 104, the two bearings 111, 112, the bolt 110, the ball nut 107 and the external thread 109 are arranged on the nut holder 108 along the axial direction of the rack shaft 106. Thus, there are limitations to reduction of the length of the EPS 10 in the axial direction of the rack shaft 106.


A robust phase-lock detector for a phase-locked loop examines both the sum frequency and baseband components of an error signal from the phase-locked loop to determine that both a reference signal and an output signal for the phase-locked loop are present and that the reference and output signals have a desired phase relationship. An IF detector selects the sum frequency component, which is the sum of the reference frequency and a subdivided frequency from the output signal, and detects its presence. A baseband detector selects the baseband component and detects whether the baseband component is approximately zero volts. The outputs from the IF detector and the baseband detector are combined to produce a lock signal, indicating that the phase-locked loop is locked, i.e., the reference and output signals are present and have the desired phase relationship with respect to each other.

The present invention relates to phase-locked loops, and more particular to a robust phase-lock detector for indicating when a phase-locked loop (PLL) is locked.
A phase-locked loop provides an output signal that has a desired phase relationship with a reference signal, although generally at a different frequency. The output signal frequency usually is some multiple of the frequency of the reference signal, i.e., fout=(N/m)fref or, if the PLL is fractional-N, fout=Nfref+(k/m)fref where N, m and k are integers. Typically the output signal is subdivided in frequency and the subdivided frequency signal is compared with the reference signal in a phase/frequency detector, producing an error signal indicative of the relative phase differential between the two signals—in this case fout=(N/m)fref as the most common type. The error signal is filtered by a loop filter and then used to control the phase/frequency of an oscillator to produce the output signal.
It is desirable to build phase-locked loops that have an indicator that tells a user or an electronic controller when phase lock is acquired, i.e., the reference and output signals have the desired phase relationship between them. A digital phase-locked loop is relatively cheap and easy to implement. The error signal is in the form of pulses or variations from a standard duty cycle. The absence of pulses or the presence of the standard duty cycle is used to indicate that the digital phase-locked loop is locked. Although the digital phase-locked loop is pretty good most of the time, it has poor noise performance which may produce spurious pulses or baseband anomalies. Therefore analog phase-locked loops are generally used where greater precision is required.
When a linear analog multiplier, such as a mixer or a Gilbert gain cell, is used as the phase detector in an analog phase-locked loop, typical lock detectors have problems being robust. Generally the error signal at the output of the detector is steered to zero volts d.c. by an integrating amplifier that follows the phase detector. A window detector monitors the d.c. voltage at the phase detector output and indicates when the phase deviates outside of a range specified for phase lock. The locked condition at the input of the window detector is zero volts d.c., plus or minus a small error voltage. The problem with the window detector is that other situations cause the phase detector output to be zero volts d.c. even when the phase-locked loop is not locked. For example when either or both of the signals are removed from the inputs of the phase detector, the output is zero volts d.c., but the phase-locked loop is not locked. This situation occurs when a part of the circuit is broken or either signal is powered "off." In this case the window detector output indicates a "false" phase lock condition.
What is desired is a robust phase-lock detector for a phase-locked loop that minimizes false lock indications.


Magnetron source has a target configuration with a sputter surface, a magnet configuration generating above the sputter surface a magnetic field which forms, in top view onto the sputter surface, at least one magnet field loop. Viewed in a cross-sectional direction upon the target configuration, a tunnel-shaped arc magnet field is formed and further an electrode configuration is provided which generates, when supplied by a positive electric potential with respect to an electric potential applied to the target configuration, an electric field which crosses at an angle the magnetic field and wherein the electrode configuration comprises a distinct electrode arrangement in a limited segment area of the electrode configuration, which is substantially shorter than the overall length of the magnet field loop. The electrode arrangement along the limited segment area is electrically isolated from the remainder of the electrode configuration so as to be electrically operated differently than the remainder of the electrode configuration.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling plasma density or its distribution over the target configuration of a magnetron source, a method for the production of coated workpieces, as well as magnetron sources.
Definition
By magnetron source is understood a sputter source, on which the discharge is operated with DC, AC or mixed AC and DC, or with pulsed DC, wherein AC is to be understood as extending up into the HF range. The source is conventionally operated under vacuum with a working gas, such as for example argon, at pressures of a few mbar up to 10−3 mbar. In known manner, reactive additional gases can be mixed in for reactive processes.
Over the sputter surface of the target configuration at a magnetron source, a tunnel-form magnetic field is generated, which, in a view onto the surface to be sputtered, the sputter surface, forms a closed loop. Viewed in the cross sectional direction of the target configuration, at least a portion of the magnetic field emerges from the sputter surface and enters back into it again in the form of a tunnel arch. The sputter surface, also referred to as the target surface, forms the one electrode, the cathode, of the plasma discharge gap, since positive ions must be accelerated onto the target surface for the sputtering process. This electrode can also be subdivided and its components can be individually electrically supplied.
Consequently, in the region of the loop of the tunnel-form magnetic field an electric field obtains, which is substantially at an angle with respect to the tunnel field. A tunnel-form electron trap results and a pronounced electron current, which substantially circulates in and along the loop of the tunnel-form magnetic field. In the region of said loop-form circulating magnetic field this electron current produces a pronounced increase of the plasma density compared to the plasma density further outside of said magnetic field loop.
Therewith along the circulating electron current, referred to in the technical field as "race track" a substantially increased sputter rate, results which leads to an increasingly more developed erosion trench in the sputter surface, i.e. at the base of the tunnel-form circulating magnetic field.
Apart from fundamentally the great advantages of magnetron sources, this increasingly developing erosion trench, has negative effects on                Coating homogeneity on the coated substrate,        Degree of utilization of the target material.
In order to avoid at least partially these disadvantages, it is known to move, in particularly cyclically, entire or major portions of the magnetic field circulating tunnel-form in a loop with respect to the target configuration or its sputter surface. Thereby is obtained a temporal distribution of the "race track" electron current effect along the traversed sputter surface regions.
If it is taken into consideration that the looped magnetic field circulating in the form of a tunnel is conventionally realized by a configuration of strong permanent magnets beneath the target configuration, it is evident that, on the one hand, an existent permanent magnet configuration which, for shifting said magnetic field, is mechanically moved beneath the target configuration, can only be geometrically changed with relatively high expenditures, in order to realize different erosion profile distributions, and that in sputter operation a variation of this distribution or of the geometry of the permanent magnetic configuration is hardly possible.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for controlling plasma density or the distribution thereof