A system for measuring flow information of a fluid, the system includes a light emission control unit for passing an X-ray through a specimen only at desired moments; a scintillator installed on an axis of a beam to convert an X-ray wavelength flow image, which is generated while the X-ray passes through the specimen, into a visible wavelength flow image; and a recording device for acquiring a flow image focused on the scintillator. The system may further include a synchronization unit for synchronizing the recording device with the light emission control unit to acquire two or more flow images at a predetermined interval using the recording device; and a PIV velocity field measurement unit for extracting quantitative flow information from the two or more flow images acquired by the recording device.

Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), which acquires a quantitative velocity field by processing a flow image containing displacement information of particles inside a flow, is a measurement technique that is capable of not only providing qualitative instantaneous flow information but also extracting quantitative flow information having high spatial resolution. As for such PIV, PIV in a narrow sense and Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) are mainly used. In PIV in a narrow sense, an instantaneous velocity field is obtained by computing a Fourier transform or a direct correlation coefficient with respect to an intensity profile of dispersion particle images within an interrogating window of flow images. In general, PIV in a narrow sense is applied to a case where particle density is high, and computes quantitative velocity information by extracting a representative velocity of the interrogating window. Unlike PIV in a narrow sense, PTV obtains displacement information of each particle by extracting locations of the particle from a plurality of flow images successively obtained and tracking the particle. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic principle of a PIV velocity field measurement technique using digital image processing. The PIV velocity field measurement technique obtains an instantaneous velocity field by dividing displacements of particles, which have been captured from two particle images obtained at a time interval Δt, by the time interval Δt. The PIV velocity field measurement technique, which will be mentioned in this application, includes both PIV in a narrow sense and PTV.
In the meantime, there are several techniques that are capable of observing interiors of opaque objects that cannot be observed by a naked eye, such as a human body. The techniques include many using X-rays, such as a clinical X-ray and an X-ray for non-destructive inspection. X-ray equipment is being used to visualize internal structures of objects, in various fields, such as a detection of internal structures of various substances, a visualization of an inside of a human body and a non-destructive inspection of defects inside an industrial equipment.
The PIV velocity field measurement technique and the X-ray imaging techniques are excellent techniques, but have the following disadvantages. The PIV technique can measure a quantitative velocity field information of a given flow, but has a limitation in that an experimental model and a working fluid must be all transparent because an image of particles seeded inside a flow must be acquired using visible light such as laser light. That is, it is impossible to measure a flow inside an opaque object or an opaque fluid flow with a conventional PIV technique which employs visible light, such as white light or laser light.
In the meantime, the conventional X-ray imaging techniques can visualize the interiors of objects, which cannot be observed by a naked eye, using transmitting feature of X-rays. However, most testing specimens of the conventional X-ray imaging techniques are solid objects. The conventional X-ray imaging techniques are used for visualizing internal structures of objects and have imperfections in a measurement of fluid flows inside opaque objects. Furthermore, evolution of trace particles tracking a flow causes a difference in phase or density with respect to an X-ray, has hardly progressed. Accordingly, there has been no case where a flow inside an object has been quantitatively measured using the conventional X-ray imaging techniques. Since it has not been long since the PIV velocity field measurement techniques using visible light were developed, and further since the fields, to which the velocity field measurement techniques are applied, and the fields, to which the X-ray imaging techniques are applied, are very different from each other, there has been no attempt to combine the PIV velocity field measurement technique with the X-ray imaging techniques.

System for visualizing flow and measuring velocity field using X-ray particle image velocimetry


The color protection properties of detergents when used to wash colored textiles is to be improved. This is substantially achieved in that polymers are used which are molecularly imprinted using dyes.

In addition to components essential for the washing process, such as surfactants and builder materials, detergents generally contain further ingredients that can be grouped together under the term of washing auxiliaries and thus comprise various groups of active substances, such as foam regulators, graying inhibitors, bleaching agents, bleach activators, and enzymes. Such auxiliaries also include substances that are intended to prevent dyed textiles from having a changed color appearance after washing. This change in color appearance of washed, i.e., clean textiles may be due to, on the one hand, dye components being removed from the textile by the washing process ("fading"), and, on the other hand, dyes dissolving out from textiles of a different color being deposited on the textile ("discoloration"). The discoloration aspect can also play a role in the case of undyed laundry items when these are washed together with colored laundry items. In order to prevent these undesired side effects of removing dirt from textiles by treatment with aqueous systems typically containing surfactants, detergents, especially when they are provided as so-called color detergents for washing colored textiles, contain active ingredients that are intended to stop the dissolution of dyes from the textile or at least to prevent the deposition of dissolved-out dyes present in the washing liquor onto textiles. Many of the typically used polymers have such a high affinity for dyes that they draw them to a greater extent from the dyed fiber, such that greater color losses occur.
Dye transfer-preventing polyvinylpyrrolidones with molecular weights of 15,000 g/mol to 50,000 g/mol are known from the European patent application EP 0 262 897 and those with molecular weights over 1,000,000 g/mol from the international patent application WO 95/06098. The N-vinylimidazole/N-vinylpyrrolidone copolymers known from the German patent application DE 28 14 287 or DE 38 03 630 or the international patent applications WO 94/10281, WO 94/26796, WO 95/03388, and WO 95/03382, polyvinyloxazolidones known from the German patent application DE 28 14 329, the copolymers based on vinyl monomers and carboxylic acid amides known from the European patent application EP 610 846, pyrrolidone group-containing polyesters and polyamides known from the international patent application WO 95/09194, the grafted polyamidoamines and polyethylenimines known from the international patent application WO 94/29422, the polymers with amide groups from secondary amines known from the German patent application DE 43 28 254, and the polyamine-N-oxide polymers known from the international patent application WO 94/02579 or the European patent application EP 0 135 217 have also been proposed as dye transfer-preventing active substances.
It was now found surprisingly that certain polymers, defined below, lead to unexpectedly high color transfer inhibitions when used in detergents if the polymerization for producing the polymers is carried out in the presence of a dye.
Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.


Systems and methods include a method for securing an Internet protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-based voice over IP (VoIP) network with multiple virtual private networks (VPNs). A call sent by a first user endpoint (UE) to a second UE is received by a SBC. The SBC provides security for an IMS-based VoIP network and controls traffic between a first VPN connecting IMS core servers, a second VPN connecting IP phones, and a third VPN connecting non-IP-phone devices. The call originates from either of the second VPN connecting the IP phones or from the third VPN connecting the non-IP-phone devices. A signaling for the call is encrypted and routed by the SBC to the second UE. A media flow for the call is encrypted and routed by the SBC through the third VPN before routing the call to the second UE.

The present disclosure applies to networks used for communication. Networks that are used for voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) can be implemented using technologies and methodologies that provide voice communications between users in one or more connected networks. However, vulnerabilities in VoIP networks can cause security concerns. Breaches in security can cause, for example, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, eavesdropping, and privacy issues.

Securing an IMS-based VoIP network with multiple VPNs


A lipstick container cap with a flip up mirror that can serve as a retrofit for existing lipstick containers and dispensers or form an integral part thereof. At least one reflective surface is provided to aid in the application of lipstick. The cap fits over the lipstick holder and is releasibly attached thereto with a snug fit so that during transport and storage the cap covers and protects the lipstick without risk of disengagement. The end of the cap is fitted with a flip up lid that carries a reflective surface on its inside face. Optionally, the face of the cap beneath the flip up lid is provided with a second reflective surface. The reflective surfaces are typically formed of a convex configuration for visual exaggeration of the facial area to receive the application of lipstick. The flip up lid can be detached from the cap when desired, thereby enabling its use as a separate small makeup mirror that can be held by the user.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to lipstick containers and dispensers, and more particularly to a lipstick container cap with a flip up mirror that permits visual observation of the facial area when a person is applying lipstick.
2. Description of the Background Art
Wearing lipstick or other similar cosmetics requires that the user have access to a lipstick container and dispenser in a variety of locations, such as at home, work, or other locations away from home in order to apply the lipstick or cosmetic several times during the day to maintain the desired appearance. In most cases, application of the lipstick or cosmetic can be accomplished with relative ease at home or other locations where an adequate-sized mirror is available, such as in the bedroom, bathroom, or powder room. When such mirrors are unavailable, most users resort to using a small makeup mirror that is stored in a purse, handbag, or other like container. These mirrors typically possess the shape and dimensions that allow the user to view with no difficulty the entire facial area, such as lips or cheeks, to receive the lipstick or other makeup. However, the makeup mirror frequently becomes lost, broken, or otherwise unusable so that application of the lipstick becomes difficult or impossible.
Several designs for lipstick containers and dispensers that contain a reflective surface have been developed as a means of overcoming the aforementioned problems with small makeup mirrors. And, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to develop devices for containing and applying lipstick with the aid of a reflective surface. A significant deficiency with the previously developed solutions, however, is that they do not provide the user with a reflective surface having the ergonomics and features that allow the user to activate and adjust the reflective surface in a variety of locations and circumstances that permit the user to view with ease the specific facial area to receive lipstick or makeup with the minimum number of hand movements and adjustments that may be needed to compensate for the reduced area of the reflective surface. Nor do they provide the user with an integral mirror that can optionally be removed and used as the equivalent of a small makeup mirror in the event that the integral mirror does not provide a suitable viewing position for the user. The present invention satisfies those needs, as well as others, and overcomes the deficiencies in mirrored lipstick containers heretofore developed.

Lipstick container cap with flip-up mirror


A spin head includes chucking pins configures to chuck and unchuck a substrate. Contact portions of the chucking pins and the substrate are varied during a process to prevent a treating solution from remaining at the contact portions.

The present invention is directed to a spin head provided to hold and spin a substrate during a process, a method of operating the spin head, and an apparatus for treating substrates with the spin head.
A spin cleaner rotates a semiconductor substrate at a predetermined speed and injects a treating solution, such as an cleaning solution or an etching solution, onto the rotated semiconductor substrate to remove foreign substances remaining on a surface of the substrate. A typical spin cleaner includes a housing, a spin head, and an injection member. In the housing, defined is a space where a substrate cleaning process is performed. The housing exhibits the shape of a top-open cup. The spin head is rotatably installed inside the housing to hold and rotate a substrate inside the housing. The injection member injects a treating solution onto a substrate rotated by means of the spin head during a process.
Generally, methods of holding a substrate using a spin head include a method of vacuum-absorbing the treated surface of a substrate to hold the substrate and a method of mechanically holding the edge of a substrate. In the mechanical holding method, means for partially chucking and unchucking the edge of a substrate is provided to hold the substrate on a spin head. The means may be a plurality of chucking pins. However, when a substrate is chucked by chucking pins during a process, the chucking pins continue to come in contact with one portion of the substrate until a substrate treating process is completed. Therefore, treating solutions used in the process remain at the portion where the chucking pins are in contact with the substrate. The remaining treating solutions are hardened or act as debris after the process and contaminate a substrate and the periphery of a system to degrade process efficiency.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Spin head, method of operating the spin head and apparatus for treating substrates with the spin head


There is provided a composition comprising tannin containing hydroxyl groups which has been (a) chemically modified by reaction of at least one of said hydroxyl groups with at least one member selected from the group consisting of an esterification agent (e.g. acetic anhydride), etherification agent (e.g. dichloromethane or quaternary organic amine such as N-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) trimethyl ammonium chloride) to form the corresponding ester, or ether, through said hydroxyl group, and (b) derivatized. The chemically modified tannin is derivatized by reaction with aldehyhde (e.g. formaldehyde), or aldehyde and at least one member selected from the group consisting of ammonia and organic amine containing at least one primary or secondary nitrogen (e.g. cyclohexyl amine); said derivatized tannin being water soluble or dispersable at a pH below 7 and water insoluble at a pH above 7. The chemically modified tannins are useful for the coagulation and/or detackification of solid particles suspended in the aqueous system, such as paint particles suspended in the waste water of a paint spray booth operation. Such tannins also have utility for demulsifying oil-in-water emulsions.

The flocculation of matter suspended in water to enhance clarification rates is an important aspect of industrial and municipal water treatment. Inorganic coagulants such as lime, alum, ferric chloride, ferrous sulfate, ferric sulfate and sodium aluminate have traditionally been used. These chemicals, while aiding in the removal of suspended solids, generally provide additional quantities of dissolved inorganic solids which can themselves provide water problems, particularly where the water is recirculated in substantial quantities.
Certain polymeric organic coagulants have also proved valuable for flocculation. These polyelectrolytes are often preferred because, in addition to their minimal effect on dissolved solids, they tend to produce less, more compact waste sludge, and they tend not to appreciably affect the pH of the treated water. Cationic polyamines are common commercially available organic coagulants. In addition, high molecular weight polymers such as anionic polyacrylamides have been used to aid in flocculation achieved with primary organic or inorganic coagulants. Anionic polymers are often used in combination with primary organic or inorganic coagulants and aluminum or iron salts to aid in flocculation.
The detackification of sticky materials in aqueous systems is another common problem in many industrial operations. For example, in a commercial paint spraying operation which is performed in a spray painting booth, less than half of the paint used actually coats the surface to be painted, with the remainder representing overspray. The overspray is removed from the paint spray booth by air currents which are scrubbed by recirculating water. The oversprayed paint particles become entrained in the spray booth water which, if untreated, may cause plugging of piping and spray nozzles thus reducing the operating efficiency of the spray booth and increasing the voc emissions. In the spray application of solvent based paints such as polyurethanes, epoxy resins, lacquers, enamels, as well as waterborne paints, it is normally necessary to trap the oversprayed coating materials in some way to avoid their building up on the walls and exhaust system surfaces of the spray booth. In many large industrial installations, including especially auto body painting systems, oversprayed coating materials are collected in water curtains which cascade down the interior spray booth walls. The agglomeration and accumulation of live coating material in the water supply of these systems results in serious problems, such as blockage of the pipes and pumps which circulate the water, and a build-up of paint on the walls of the booth beyond the water curtain. As more and more coating material is sprayed in the booth, the material removed from the air builds up in the water in the form of a tar-like coherent sludge which in a short time can foul the pumps and lines of the paint spray booth recirculating water system. Furthermore, this sludge is extremely difficult to remove from the pump, lines, reservoir, and other internal surfaces of the system with which it comes in contact. The accumulation of coating materials in the bottom of the water reservoir also creates a serious problem when the system is periodically cleaned out, with much effort being required to remove the heavy build-up of coating material on the bottom of the reservoir. Many present paint spray booth detackification treatments are based upon clays (e.g. hectorite or bentonite), amphoteric metals (e.g. sodium zincate) and polymers (e.g. diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride and melamine aldehydes) or a combination of these.
While the majority of paints currently used in the market are organic solvent based, in an attempt to lower VOC emissions from the painting operation, the use of waterborne coatings is becoming increasingly more common. Waterborne paints are resin suspensions stabilized by a surfactant matrix which upon incorporation into the paint spray booth water disperse and/or emulsify resulting in an increase in both suspended and dissolved solids. While these solids must be coagulated and removed from the spray booth water in order to maintain an effective painting operation, these solids do not require detackification as required by organic solvent based paints. These paint solids require agglomeration for effective removal from the system.
There are, however, some paint spray booth operations wherein both organic solvent based paints and waterborne paints are sprayed into the same booth. Due to major differences in the formulations of waterborne paints and solvent based paints, separate paint detackification agents have heretofore been necessary to treat the respective paint particles in the spray booth water. Consequently it would represent a major benefit if a single water treating agent could act not only as a coagulant but could also act as a detackifier or optionally if the coagulant could be used in combination with a detackifier without decreasing the performance of the detackifier.
Various inorganic compounds have been used as flocculating and coagulating agents in paint spray booth water treatment systems.
More specifically, coagulation involves the addition of a cationic material which reduces the negative zeta potential of a particle. This results in agglomeration of two particles or more, providing a pin floc. All coagulants are typically cationic in their operation pH range.
Detackification involves the adsorption of the material added to a paint particle (as disclosed in this invention) similar to a coagulant. However, not all detackifiers are recognized as coagulants. For example, inorganic clays are detackifiers but they do not perform as coagulants. This is because they do not have overall cationic charge and therefore do not agglomerate particles, which generally have a negative charge.
In addition, not all coagulants are effective detackifiers, since a detackifier after adsorption to the paint particle must render the paint non-sticky. Addition of inorganic coagulants such as alum or organic polymeric coagulants, such as DMA-EPI's, do not provide a non-tacky paint.
Flocculation is the briding of pin flocs (which are 2 or more particles, doublets, agglomerated or coalesced by a coagulant). The effective range of this bridging is much greater than a coagulant because the molecular weight of the material is 2-3 orders of magnitude greater. Reduction of the surface charge of the particle, zeta potential, is also not as important as with a coagulant. As a result, flocculants can be anionic or nonionic in addition to cationic.
For example, aluminum sulfate, also known in the trade as alum, has been used extensively as a coagulant in paint spray booth water. However, the use of inorganic treating agents have numerous disadvantages, in particular they produce high volumes of residual waste sludge. Furthermore, none of the inorganic treating agents are effective for detackifying a broad range of solvent paints. It is, therefore, desirable to treat the water in the booth in such a way as to render the oversprayed coating material free of stickiness and tackiness so that it will readily separate itself from the water, not adhere to the curtain walls, pipes, pumps and other internals of the spray booth system. It is also desirable to coagulate the paint particles to form a detackified floating sludge.
One approach to detackification has been to combine certain polymeric materials with amphoteric metals. Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,887 discloses treatment of paint booth wash water with a blend of polycationic water dispersible polymer with a water-soluble salt of an amphoteric metal to reduce the tackiness of paint. One problem with this approach is that use of metals, such as zinc, can create additional disposal concerns for the wastewater and sludge recovered from it.
Another approach has been to use clay-based treatment. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,395 discloses that certain hectorite clays can be effectively used to detackify oversprayed paint. A problem with this approach is that the sludge produced using clays can be difficult to dewater, resulting in larger volumes of potentially hazardous materials requiring haul-out to a secure landfill.
Another industrial process which experiences problems with sticky materials in aqueous systems is a pulp and papermaking system which uses a pulp suspension derived from natural cellulosic fibers containing pitch particles and/or recycled pulp containing residual ink, adhesives, anionic trash, etc. These sticky materials adhere to the pulp and paper making equipment resulting in sticky deposits which negatively affect the operation of the paper making equipment. One approach to this problem has been the use of pulp additives such as anionic aryl sulfonic acid-formaldehyde condensates or cationic dicyandiamide-formaldehyde condensates. However, there remains a need for effective treatment agents which detackify sticky material in industrial aqueous systems, such as paint overspray particles, pitch and stickies in papermaking systems, etc.
Yet another problem in industrial aqueous systems is the treatment of wastewater streams containing emulsified oil, i.e. oil-in-water emulsions. Inorganic coagulants alone or in combination with organic polyelectrolytes have been used in demulsification. However, these treatments are not completely satisfactory because they increase solids content, which can cause waste stream disposal problems.
Tannins occur naturally in various vegetative materials including barks and woods. Established industrial practices of extracting tannins from the wood of the quebracho tree and the bark of the wattle tree have made condensed tannins available in substantial quantities. Condensed tannins are polyphenolic and polymerize in combination with other chemicals such as formaldehyde. A. Pizzi, in "Condensed Tannins for Adhesives" Ind. Eng. Chem. Prod. Res. Dev. 1982, 21, 359-369 discusses natural tannins and their particular use in the manufacture of particle board, plywood, and other industrial products which incorporate adhesives.
British Pat. No. 899,721 discloses use of a reaction product of a tannin, a formaldehyde and an amino or ammonium compound in the flocculation of suspensions such as sewage, industrial waste, and natural water. The disclosed advantages of using these flocculants are that they do not affect the pH of the suspension and that they do not affect the dissolved inorganic solids content of the treated water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,080 discloses the production of stable tannin-based flocculants made by polymerizing tannin with an aldehyde (e.g. formaldehyde) and an amino compound (e.g. monoethanolamine) while monitoring the viscosity of the reacting mixture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,216 discloses a flocculating composition comprising the polymerized tannin described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,080 in combination with an inorganic flocculant such as aluminum sulfate or iron chloride.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,513 discloses a method for detackifying spray booth water using a composition comprising the polymerized tannin of U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,080 in combination with a hydrophillic-lipophillic copolymer and/or a diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,812 discloses aqueous solutions of the reaction product of a vegetable tannin, an aldehyde (e.g. formaldehyde), and an amine, (e.g. diethanol amine) for the treatment of metals to enhance corrosion resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,304 discloses the reaction product of a tannin, diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DADMAC) and an aldehyde for use in removing metal ions from oil waste waters by demulsification and flocculation.
European Publication No. 630,858 discloses a water soluble or dispersible tannin containing polymer composition having the formula EQU Tannin-[N-C-A]
for water clarification. The N-C-A moiety represents polymer comprised of monomers N, C, and A. N represents a nonionic monomer, C represents a cationic monomer, and A represents an anionic monomer, with monomers N and C being optional. The preferred cationic monomer C is dimethylaminoethyl acrylate. Allyl and ethoxylated allyl ethers of polyalkylene glycol are disclosed as a suitable nonionic monomers. All polymerization appears to occur through free radical initiation of the double bond.
While these tannins have been used as described to treat industrial aqueous systems, the search has continued for ways to increase the efficiency of flocculation and clarification while reducing material consumption and other costs.

Treatment of aqueous systems using a chemically modified tannin


A squirrel-proof sunflower seed bird feeder is provided which denies feeding access to squirrels by way of a unique connection system between an inner housing member and an outer housing member of the bird feeder.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a squirrel-proof bird feeder and more particularly to a squirrel-proof sunflower seed bird feeder which denies feeding access to squirrels by way of a unique connection system between an inner housing member and an outer housing member of the bird feeder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many types of squirrel-proof bird feeders have been previously provided but it is believed that they suffer from certain disadvantages. First, some of the squirrel-proof bird feeders of the prior art are constructed of wood or plastic which may be damaged by an aggressive squirrel. Secondly, it is believed that the mechanisms of the prior art for closing feed ports of a bird feeder if a squirrel moves onto the feeder are not reliable and are difficult to maintain. Third, it is believed that the squirrel-proof feeders of the prior art do not have adequate feed level control devices associated therewith.

Squirrel-proof sunflower seed bird feeder


Methods of aligning single walled carbon nanotube structures into selected orientations for a variety of different applications are achieved by initially dispersing the nanotube structures in aqueous solutions utilizing a suitable dispersal agent. The dispersal agent coats each individual nanotube structure in solution. The dispersal agent may be substituted with a suitable functional group that reacts with a corresponding binding site. Dispersed nanotube structures coated with substituted dispersal agents are exposed to a selected array of binding sites such that the nanotubes align with the binding sites due to the binding of the substituted functional groups with such binding sites. Alternatively, crystalline nanotube material is formed upon deposition of dispersed nanotube structures within solution into channels disposed on the surface of the substrate. Combining dispersal agent chemical modification techniques with deposition of the nanotubes into substrate channels is also utilized to produce useful structures.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to spatially oriented single walled carbon nanotube structures and corresponding methods for spatially combining single walled carbon nanotube structures dispersed in solution into oriented structures useful for a variety of applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes in 1991, research relating to the physical and electrical properties of single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) structures indicate the wide variety of commercial applications for such structures, including composite materials, nanoelectronic circuits, field emitter arrays, electrical capacitors and thermal management materials. Accordingly, a number of different manufacturing techniques have been derived to produce SWCNT structures based upon a growing demand for such structures by research facilities. The three most common manufacturing methods developed for producing SWCNT structures are high pressure carbon monoxide (HipCO) processes, pulsed laser vaporization (PLV) processes and arc discharge (ARC) processes. Each of these processes produce SWCNT structures by depositing free carbon atoms onto a surface at high temperature and/or pressure in the presence of metal catalyst particles. The raw material formed by these processes includes SWCNT structures formed as bundles of tubes embedded in a matrix of contaminating material. Depending upon the type of process utilized, such contaminating material may include amorphous carbon (i.e., graphene sheets of carbon atoms not forming SWCNT structures), metal catalyst particles, organic impurities and various fullerenes. The bundles of nanotubes that are formed by these manufacturing methods are extremely difficult to separate.
One of the difficulties facing carbon nanotube researchers is the ability to provide SWCNT material in a defined spatial orientation or to gain access to the complete surface of individual SWCNT structures. The ability to manipulate SWCNT structures for use in different commercial applications is of great importance, particularly in areas of the composite materials and nano-electronics. For example, where SWCNT material may be utilized to strengthen a material such as an epoxy resin, it is important for SWCNT structures to be completely dispersed and embedded within the resin. If the SWCNT structures remain bundled and are not evenly dispersed within the resin, little or no structural strength is gained from the addition of the SWCNT material to the resin. Similarly, SWCNT structures must be appropriately aligned on a substrate in order to be effective as nano-electronic components. One method developed recently for aligning SWCNT material on a substrate is referred to as "constructive destruction". In this method, SWCNT material is randomly deposited onto a substrate, followed by the formation of a series of electrodes onto the substrate surface. Upon application of an appropriate voltage to the substrate via the electrodes, certain unwanted SWCNT structures are destroyed while desirable SWCNT remain intact on the substrate surface. A problem with this "constructive destruction" process is that it requires exhaustive testing prior to the removal of the unwanted individual SWCNT structures and, thus, may not be easily transformed into a suitable manufacturing process for nano-electronic components.
Another method known in the art for aligning SWCNT structures on a substrate has been developed in an attempt to utilize SWCNT structures as field emitters in flat screen displays. The method involves mixing SWCNT structures into a polymer to form a matrix that is subsequently extruded through a grid to produce a flat material having numerous projections on its surface. Each projection on the surface of the material is tested to determine whether a SWCNT structure has randomly aligned within that projection in a parallel direction to the longitudinal axis of that projection. If a number of SWCNT structures have randomly aligned with neighboring projections on the material surface, those SWCNT structures will in essence form a field emitter array that can be used in a flat screen display. However, this method is expensive and extremely haphazard due to the randomness associated with aligning SWCNT structures within the material. An effective field emitter array requires well over 75% of SWCNT structures properly aligned with the projections in order to achieve a flat screen display that is usable and has an appropriate resolution and, hence, the yield of suitable arrays is low.
A further serious technical problem that impacts all of the research areas associated with aligning SWCNT structures into desired spatial orientations is the lack of available purified SWCNT material for use by researchers. The production of useful SWCNT structures for research drastically limits the design and testing of applications for carbon nanotubes. Indeed, such limitations inhibit the advancement of carbon nanotube technology and the implementation of SWCNT structures into commercial applications.
In a related patent application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/932,986, filed Aug. 21, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, novel methods are disclosed for effectively purifying and isolating SWCNT structures in aqueous solutions for use in commercial and research applications. Those methods include solubilizing and dispersing SWCNT structures in aqueous solutions containing certain chemical compounds referred to as dispersal agents. The disclosed dispersal agents include synthetic and naturally occurring detergents or any other compositions capable of encapsulating and suitably solubilizing hydrophobic compounds in aqueous solutions. A matrix of raw material containing SWCNT structures bundled together with impurities (e.g., metal catalyst particles and amorphous carbon) is immersed within an aqueous solution containing an effective amount of a dispersal agent. The dispersal agent encapsulates the individual SWCNT structures and effects a separation of those structures from the impurities. While the methods and products described in Ser. No. 09/932,986 are highly effective in providing isolated and purified SWCNT structures dispersed in aqueous solution, the problem of effectively manipulating the individual SWCNT structures into specific spatial orientations still remains.
Accordingly, there exists a need to manipulate individual SWCNT structures into desired orientations for different research and commercial applications.

Spatial localization of dispersed single walled carbon nanotubes into useful structures


In the air flow control system of a laboratory building module, pressurization of corridors and other residual areas can be maintained neutral in relation to the outdoors by balancing the entire intake or supply flow rate and the entire exhaust rate. The laboratory rooms have various forms of fume hoods whose face velocities at their sash openings is regulated variously, either in response to sash position transducers or in response to face velocity sensors. Fume hoods having two sashes provide two sash-position transducers whose composite output represents the sash opening. A fume hood that relies on sensing of face velocity for correlating its exhaust flow rate with its sash opening utilizes the composite output of multiple face velocity sensors. Exhaust flow rates of fume hoods are regulated so as to increase more rapidly for greater sash openings than for smaller sash openings.

The ventilating system of a laboratory building (or of a laboratory subdivision of a building) is distinctive; it contrasts with the ventilating system of a general purpose building. In the latter, it is customary to recirculate most of the air within a building, discharging a small percentage of it from the building and replacing that discharged with fresh air from outside the building. In contrast, the air taken into a laboratory building is comfort-conditioned and supplied both to non-laboratory areas and to laboratory rooms and the total volume of that comfort-conditioned air delivered to laboratory rooms is discharged from the building. Particularly because the comfort-conditioned air is not recirculated, any air that is needlessly discharged as exhaust from the fume hoods of laboratory rooms constitutes substantial waste. Air supplied to laboratory rooms is exhausted from the room through the fume hoods.
A fume hood is open at the front to provide access to the experimental equipment and material contained in the hood. A normally closed sash shuts the fume hood's access opening; the sash is opened adjustably as needed for access to the experimental set-up. Exhaust air, or "exhaust", is drawn from the room into the fume hood and then into an exhaust duct, for assurance against fumes entering the laboratory room. The exhaust flow of a single fume hood may be induced by a dedicated variable-capacity fan. However, among many fume hoods that discharge exhaust into a common duct, each fume hood has its own adjustable air valve or damper, commonly called a "variable air volume box" or "VAV box". The exhaust "volume" or volumetric flow rate is measured in cubic feet per minute, or "CFM", and exhaust flow is induced by a negative pressure gradient in the exhaust duct, with pressure becoming more negative in the direction of exhaust flow toward the fan.
A fume hood characteristically has some form of bypass passage for allowing a minimum flow of air through the fume hood while its sash is closed; the purpose of this is to continuously ventilate the cavity in the hood to avoid a build-up of a high concentration of fumes within the hood. Consequently, the VAV box is maintained open sufficiently to sustain a minimum flow of air into the hood through the bypass passage.
The volumetric flow rate of air into a hood should be great enough to develop a safe "capture velocity" at all points across the plane of the hood sash opening to ensure a sufficient velocity to assure entrainment of fumes into the hood and thus prevent escape of fumes into the laboratory room. The average velocity of air entering all the unit areas of the sash opening is called the "average face velocity". The average face velocity should be high enough to develop the required capture velocity as well a to insure sufficient face velocity at any local point in the plane of the hood at any hood sash opening.
For economical use of the air supplied to a laboratory room, the dedicated exhaust fan or the VAV box is adjusted in coordination with the sash opening. The two basic types of control mechanisms for achieving this goal are known. According to conventional wisdom the volumetric rate of air flow into the hood sash opening should be varied linearly with changed sash openings for both types of control of the exhaust flow rate.
One form of exhaust flow control for a fume hood depends on an air velocity sensor in a passage from the space in front of the fume hood to the space inside the fume hood cavity, called a "face velocity sensor". Commonly, that sensor is an electronically heated sensor that is cooled variably as a function of the air velocity across it through the passage. The sensor is part of a control circuit designed to maintain constant air velocity past the sensor. As the sash opening changes, the control circuit adjusts the volume flow rate. This form of control over the volumetric flow rate of air through the fume hood is primarily used for fume hoods in which the sashes are encased in a panel with vertical movement of the encasement and with work panels that slide in the encasement horizontally (i.e. "combination sash" hoods) or in hoods where the base panels can only slide horizontally in a track (i.e."horizontal sliding sash" hoods).
In another form of exhaust flow control for a fume hood, a sash position sensor is used to control the volumetric exhaust flow rate. For example, the sensor may be a potentiometer or a 3-15 psig control valve coupled by a cable to the sash or geared to turn with displacement of the hood sash. Commonly, this form of control is used for fume hoods in which a single sash panel is adjusted vertically.
The control of the volumetric flow rate of exhaust discharged by a fume hood or fume hoods of a laboratory room reflects on the supply of air into the laboratory room. This is so, in part, because a laboratory room is supplied with comfort-conditioned air from a supply duct at a rate controlled by a VAV box which, in turn, responds to a signal representing all of the laboratory room's exhaust flows. The flow rate from the supply duct into the laboratory room is normally controlled to be slightly less than (or in select instances greater than) the total exhaust flow rate, to establish either a slightly negative laboratory room pressure (for guarding against escape of fumes from the laboratory room) or a slightly positive pressure (for guarding against airborne particles entering a "clean room".) In the more common situation where infiltration into a room is desired, the difference between the controlled supply volume of air into a laboratory room and the larger total of all exhaust flows out of the laboratory room is made up by a supplemental flow of air into the laboratory room from a corridor or other non-laboratory area adjoining the laboratory room. The difference between the controlled room supply and exhaust is the infiltration air and it moves through constrictions such as the gap between a laboratory-room door and its sill, to sustain the laboratory room's negative pressure difference relative to the non-laboratory area.
The exhaust flow from a laboratory room may be only the exhausts of the fume hoods of that laboratory room. However, the laboratory room exhaust may include air that is drawn out of the laboratory room through an air valve that responds to a room thermostat. In this way, comfort-conditioned air can be supplied to the laboratory room even when the combined fume-hood exhaust flow is not sufficient during periods long enough to maintain the laboratory room at a comfort level.
Supply of air to the laboratory rooms and other rooms and non-laboratory areas entails certain recognized constraints, notably control of pressurization of the building. Efforts have been devoted to maintaining the air pressure inside a building neutral relative to the ambient atmospheric pressure (i.e. avoiding infiltration into the building or exfiltration from the building). If the pressure inside the building deviates significantly from the sustained pressure outside the building, comfort-conditioned air may be expelled, a costly waste; or external air that is not comfort-conditioned may be drawn into the building. Moreover, a seemingly small inside-to-outside pressure difference can develop a large and potentially destructive force acting on a large wall or window area. Static pressure sensors have been tried for maintaining neutral pressurization, but satisfactory low-cost, high-sensitivity sensors for such low pressure levels are, at least, very expensive and very difficult to find. Additionally, any such pressure sensor inside a building is vulnerable to the effects of winds at the windward and leeward sides of the building. Winds tend to cause spurious local pressure changes inside the building, affecting such highly sensitive static pressure sensors.

Air flow control equipment in chemical laboratory buildings


In the present invention methods for storing gaseous hydrogen employing an ionic liquid are disclosed. The ionic liquid is used to displace the volume in the storage tanks. By displacing the volume in the storage tanks with the ionic liquid, the storage pressure can remain constant and the “stranded” gas can be eliminated. This constant pressure will also allow for a reduction in the number of storage tanks needed to provide the required inventory at hydrogen fueling stations. In addition, this constant pressure will provide a complete and fast fill to the vehicle.

Hydrogen is utilized in a wide variety of industries ranging from aerospace to food production to oil and gas production and refining. Hydrogen is used in these industries as a propellant, an atmosphere, a carrier gas, a diluents gas, a fuel component for combustion reactions, a fuel for fuel cells, as well as a reducing agent in numerous chemical reactions and processes. In addition, hydrogen is being considered as an alternative fuel for power generation because it is renewable, abundant, efficient, and unlike other alternatives, produces zero emissions. While there is wide-spread consumption of hydrogen and great potential for even more, a disadvantage which inhibits further increases in hydrogen consumption is the absence of a hydrogen infrastructure to provide widespread generation, storage and distribution.
One way to overcome this difficulty is through the operation of hydrogen fueling stations. At hydrogen fueling stations, hydrogen generators, such as reformers or electrolyzers, are used to convert hydrocarbons to a hydrogen rich gas stream. Hydrocarbon-based fuels, such as natural gas, LPG, gasoline, and diesel, require conversion processes to be used as fuel sources for most fuel cells. Current art uses multi-step processes combining an initial conversion process with several clean-up processes The initial process is most often steam reforming (SR), autothermal reforming (ATR), catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX), or non-catalytic partial oxidation (POX), or combinations thereof. The clean-up processes are usually comprised of a combination of desulphurization, high temperature water-gas shift, low temperature water-gas shift, selective CO oxidation, selective CO methanation or combinations thereof. Alternative processes for recovering a purified hydrogen-rich reformate include the use of hydrogen selective membrane reactors and filters.
The gaseous hydrogen is then compressed and stored in stationary storage tanks at the hydrogen fueling stations to provide inventory to fuel internal combustion engines and fuel cell vehicles. The storage of gaseous hydrogen at hydrogen fueling stations is extremely expensive due to its low density. Large volumes of gaseous hydrogen are required to provide sufficient inventory which results in a large footprint for the storage. This large footprint is problematic as space is at a premium at a fueling station.
In addition to the issues surrounding the space necessary for the storage of gaseous hydrogen at a hydrogen fueling station, ensuring the complete filling of vehicles is another issue related to the operation of a hydrogen fueling station. Compression of the stored gas into the vehicle would require a prohibitively large compressor to achieve the fueling rates required. Pressure equalization is used to fuel the on-board storage tanks of vehicles. The pressure differential between the storage at the hydrogen fueling station and the vehicle is used to drive the fueling process. High pressure is required to achieve "full" fill density. This high pressure requires a corresponding inventory of "low" pressure gas. Specifically, for 1 kg of gas above 350 bar, over 5 kg of gas below 350 bar is needed. The result is "stranded" gas in the storage tanks. The stranded gas is the low pressure gas which was needed to have a volume of high pressure gas available for dispensing.
FIG. 1 shows a comparison of vehicle percentage full versus storage inventory from data from a demonstration hydrogen fueling station. As shown in FIG. 1, when the inventory of hydrogen in the storage tanks is less than 75% a vehicle will not receive a "full" fill. The vehicles are "full" when the inventory in the storage tank is greater than 75% "full."
In addition to the issues involved in ensuring the complete filling of vehicles, the rate of the fill is another issue related to the operation of a hydrogen fueling station. Differential pressure is used to drive the gaseous hydrogen from storage tanks to the vehicle. Therefore, the rate at which a vehicle is filled depends on the storage pressure. A high pressure differential corresponds to a high flow rate and shorter fueling time. A low pressure differential corresponds to a low flow rate and a longer fueling time. The Department of Energy (DOE) has provided targets for the average fill rate. The current target for the average fill rate is 1 kg/min (2006). The future target for the average fill rate is 1.67 kg/min (2010).
The storage pressure is related to the inventory in the storage tanks. FIG. 2 shows a data comparison of fill rate versus storage inventory from two demonstration hydrogen fueling stations. As shown in FIG. 2, the average flow rate can be reduced when the storage is not full. When storage is less than 85% full the fill rate can drop below the 1 kg/min target.
The present invention addresses the need to reduce both the cost and size of hydrogen storage at hydrogen fueling stations. In addition, the present invention also addresses the need to provide a complete and fast fill.


Disclosed are a video processing method and apparatus, and a storage medium. The method includes: receiving a selection instruction of having selected one or more video streams or key frames of the one or more video streams to be browsed; setting video stream thumbnails generated from the one or more video streams or key frame thumbnails generated from the key frames to a scene thumbnail to generate a picture layout stream according to the selection instruction, where the scene thumbnail is generated according to a scene displayed in an augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) interface; and presenting the picture layout stream in the VR/AR interface, and providing a virtual layout interface of multiple video stream pictures.

Traditional video application systems for video conferences or monitoring and the like are limited by the resolution and size of a display screen, the physical space of a conference room, the system cost and the like, and merely two or three video stream pictures can be achieved at the same time. If the system needs to support more video streams, either a screen with very large resolution and size or multiple display screens are required, or the picture needs to be shrunk so that multiple video streams can be displayed at the same time. The cost of the former is high, the definition of the latter is low, and neither the former nor the latter can make users browse videos flexibly and conveniently.
For the problem that users cannot browse videos flexibly and conveniently in the related art, no solution has been proposed.

Video processing method and apparatus, and storage medium


A technique for estimating parameters for adaptive antenna arrays in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems with co-channel interference is disclosed. Channel parameter estimation is preferentially performed using a two pass process that advantageously expands the temporal scope (relative to a single pass process) and considers past, present and future temporal channel estimations during parameter estimation. Channel parameters are estimated by processing the signals through fast Fourier transforms, temporal filters, and inverse fast Fourier transforms. The temporal filters optimize parameter estimation based upon instantaneous correlation of the received signals.

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing is an efficient technique for high speed data transmission such as that needed for wireless data systems. Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing is a form of multicarrier modulation.
Multicarrier modulation systems with orthogonal sub-carriers having overlapping frequencies have been known since the late 1960s. R. W. Chang first described such a system in an article in the Bell Systems Technical Journal entitled "Synthesis of Band-Limited Orthogonal Signals for Multicarrier Data Transmission," pp. 1775-1796, December 1966. A similar system was described by B. R. Saltzberg in "Performance of an Efficient Parallel Data Transmission System," IEEE Transactions on Communication Technology, Vol. COM-15, No. 6, pp. 805-811, December 1967. In these systems, each sub-carrier overlapped only its two nearest frequency neighbors. The orthogonality between the overlapping sub-carriers was maintained by staggering, or time offset, of the in-phase and quadrature-phase components (so-called staggered quadrature amplitude modulation).
In 1971, an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system using fast Fourier transforms to generate orthogonal wave forms was described in an article by S. B. Weinstein and P. M. Ebert entitled "Data Transmission by Frequency Division Multiplexing Using the Discrete Fourier Transform," IEEE Transactions on Communication Technology, Vol. COM-19, No. 5, pp. 628-634, October 1971. In this type of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system, the data symbols are processed in the transmitter by an inverse fast Fourier transform and in the receiver by a fast Fourier transform. The symbols are time-limited and all sub-carriers overlap each other in the frequency domain. In such systems wherein data is transmitted in parallel, longer symbol intervals are possible, reducing sensitivity to impulse noise and providing high spectral efficiency by frequency overlapping. Advantageously, long symbols reduce the problems of inter-symbol interference. Accordingly, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing is an extremely effective technique for combating multipath fading such as that encountered over mobile wireless channels.
Orthogonal frequency domain multiplexing systems are being proposed for or used in wireless data transmission in a wide variety of applications including high definition television, cellular mobile telephony, and personal communications systems (PCS). It is in the area of mobile communication systems (i.e., cellular phones) that the benefits of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing appear to make it an optimal solution to the problems of limited bandwidth.
Orthogonality is a property of a set of functions such that the integral of the product of any two members of the set taken over the appropriate interval is zero. For example, trigonometric functions appearing in Fourier expansions (e.g., sines and cosines) are orthogonal functions. Orthogonality is desirable in communication because orthogonal channels or frequencies are statistically independent and do not interfere with each other, allowing for greater bandwidth density.
Orthogonality ensures that a receiver demodulating a selected carrier demodulates only that carrier without simultaneously and unintentionally demodulating the other carriers that are providing parallel data transmission along the multiplexed communication channel. Accordingly, there is no cross talk between carriers even though the carrier spectra overlap and there is no requirement of explicit filtering.
Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems may be subject to co-channel interference in a cellular mobile communications environment in which frequency reuse considerations result in the same carrier frequency being used for different communications in adjacent or nearby cells. Co-channel interference occurs when the same frequency is allocated to different conversations or data communications in adjacent cells in a cellular system such as used for mobile telephones. For those systems that are subject to co-channel interference, adaptive antenna arrays are considered highly desirable to suppress the co-channel interference. For example, adaptive antenna arrays have proved effective at suppressing co-channel interference and mitigating rapid dispersive fading and accordingly increasing channel capacity in Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems.
Adaptive antenna arrays are capable of providing optimal gain as well as minimizing interfering signals. An adaptive antenna array typically includes an array of two or more elements with outputs that can be adaptively combined to control signal reception. The antenna elements can be arranged in linear, circular or planar configurations and are normally installed at base stations, although they may also be used in mobile telephones or portable computers. Adaptive antenna arrays are effective in reducing co-channel interference.
However, utilization of an adaptive antenna array is best accomplished using a minimum mean-square-error (MMSE) diversity combiner (DC), in which case it is necessary to estimate certain parameters for the minimum mean-square-error diversity combiner as they will not be known and accordingly must be estimated. The signals received by the separate antennas are independently demodulated before being applied to a diversity combiner.
Each received symbol is then evaluated based on a minimum mean square error. The minimum mean square error is a measure of the error probability in a signal based upon the mean value of the square of the error, (y-y).sup.2, where y is any estimate of y. In general, if y is any random variable having a mean value of y, then choosing y=y minimizes the mean square error. Of course, without having the values of y it is impossible to precisely evaluate y. Rather, it is necessary to estimate the mean value of y, y, based on supplied parameters. The accuracy and usefulness of the estimated mean square error is related to the quality of the parameters used in the estimation thereof.
In an adaptive antenna array, selection of appropriate parameters that accurately describe channel characteristics will minimize the mean square error of the received signal and accordingly decrease the signal error rate, effectively suppressing interference and maintaining signal quality.
A diversity combiner is used for diversity reception in an adaptive antenna array. Diversity reception is essentially multiple reception of transmitted information (i.e., from two or more antennas, the signals from which are separately demodulated) in order to reduce transmission errors and accurately receive the transmitted information. Diversity reception typically reduces or eliminates drop outs caused by multi-path phase cancellations (i.e., multi-path fading). Diversity combining also produces gain (relative to diversity switching or non-diverse reception) by effectively combining the power of multiple received signals. The signal to noise ratio (and the signal to interference ratio) may also be maximized.
It is considered desirable to implement an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing communication system in a digital cellular telephone network in order to provide resistance to intersymbol interference and thus better enable interference rejection. However, co-channel interference undesirably limits the performance of such a system. Adaptive antenna arrays offer a solution to the problem of co-channel interference in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system, but an adaptive antenna array is only viable if the parameters needed to optimize performance to reliably extract the transmitted information can be readily obtained.

Adaptive antenna arrays for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems with co-channel interference


A method and apparatus for imaging an overlying conductive pattern over an underlying conductive pattern on a substrate, by determining deviations between the actual locations and the nominal locations of predetermined reference targets in the underlying conductive pattern on the substrate; and utilizing the determined deviations for modifying the scanning control data used for imaging the image data of the overlying conductive pattern in order to reduce misregistration thereof with respect to the underlying conductive pattern. Preferably, the reference targets are predetermined connection sites in the underlying conductive pattern to be precisely located with respect to connection sites in the overlying conductive pattern. The reference features may be assigned different weights according to their registration importance, and the deviations may be determined according to a threshold which varies with the weight assigned to the respective reference feature.

The present invention relates to registration control in various production methods that use imaging. This includes, but is not limited to, Electronics Components (ELC), Flat Panel Displays (FPD), various conductive and non-conductive patterns or holes on/in PCBs, masks for soldering, plating, etching or plasma etching, or hole plug curring. The invention is particularly useful in producing multi-layer PCBs in accordance with the laser direct imaging (LDI) process, and is therefore described below particularly with respect to this process.
Multi-layer PCBs (sometimes referred to as PWBs or printed wiring boards) are widely used in electronic systems. Such PCBs may include as many as 20 or 30 layers, each having its own electrically conductive pattern, with various layers electrically connected together by interlayer connections, such as pins, posts, plated-through-holes (PTHs), pads and the like. The interlayer registration of the conductive patterns is of critical importance and becomes increasingly problematical as the dimensions of the conductive patterns decrease in size, and as the panels increase in size to improve productivity.
In the conventional phototool process for producing PCBs, each layer is imaged via a phototool film on a photoresist layer. As the dimensional tolerances of the conductive patterns become tighter, not only must the phototools be made to the tighter tolerances, but these tolerances must also be maintained throughout the lifetime of the phototool. However, phototools of the plastic type tend to change in dimensions with changes in temperature and/or humidity, and phototools of the glass plate type are expensive and hard to handle.
As a result, imagining processes based on laser direct imaging (LDI) have become increasingly used. In LDI processes, the conductive pattern is imaged directly on the photoresist by lasers. Each conductive pattern is defined by image data, e.g., from a CAM file, to be applied on the photoresist according to scanning control data which controls the relative movements between the laser exposure head and the substrate. However, the positional and dimensional accuracy, and the repeatability of image placement on the photoresist, become critical.
It is therefore common to use fiducials, (i.e., references) for precise registration of the patterns in the various layers. To provide positional accuracy in the various layers, the deviations between the actual locations and the nominal locations of such fiducials are determined and used to calculate position and scaling factors, which are in turn used for correcting the locations of the image data. Examples of known techniques for providing accuracy are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,894,350; 5,506,793; 5,548,372; 5,403,684; 5,381,004; 5,200,800; 5,682,243 and 5,980,088, and the publication titled xe2x80x9cLaser Direct Imaging for Precise Positioning of Circuitry with HDI/MicroVias and SBU Technologies, by Guenther Enne, et al., TPCS 2000 Forum Proceedings, Nov. 23-25, 2000, pp 377-384. However, if such correction factors are produced and used for correcting the locations of each image data in each layer, the required database and processing time would both be extremely large.
A broad object of the present invention is to provide another method of registration control between the layers in a multi-layer PCB. Another object is to provide a method of imaging an overlying conductive pattern over an underlying conductive pattern in order to reduce misregistration; and a further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of making a PCB by LDI (laser direct imaging) enabling a high degree of registration control to be attained.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of imaging an overlying pattern over an underlying pattern on a substrate, each pattern being defined by image data to be applied at nominal (i.e., theoretical or desired) locations according to scanning control data, the method comprising: determining deviations between the actual locations, and the nominal locations of predetermined reference targets of the underlying conductive pattern on the substrate; and utilizing the determined deviations for modifying the scanning control data used for imaging the image data of the overlying conductive pattern in order to reduce misregistration thereof with respect to the underlying conductive pattern.
As will be described more particularly below, such a method enables each conductor pattern layer to be registered with respect to its preceding conductive layer, without requiring an inordinate database or processing time, since the determined deviations are utilized to modify the scanning control data, rather than the image data file.
According to further features in the described preferred embodiment, the reference targets are predetermined features, preferably predetermined connection sites, in the underlying conductive pattern. Thus, instead of using two, three or four fiducials as the reference targets for registration purposes, as characteristic of the prior art, the novel method enables a much larger number of reference targets to be used, thereby enhancing the overall registration process. Also, since the electrical connections are made through the layers at the connection sites, selecting connection sites as the reference targets for registration purposes better assures accurate registration at the critical locations where the interlayer electrical connections are to be made, and increases the level of misregistration tolerated by the process.
The underlying conductive pattern used for determining the deviations between the actual and the nominal (i.e., the theoretical or desired) locations of the predetermined reference targets would usually be the one in the immediately underlying layer, but could also be one in a more distant underlying layer particularly if electrical connections are to be made from that layer to the overlying conductive pattern to be applied.
According to further features in the described preferred embodiment, the predetermined features selected as reference targets may be assigned different weights according to their registration tolerances, and the deviations may be determined according to a threshold which varies with the weight assigned to the respective reference target. This feature also increases the level of misregistration tolerated by the process.
According to still further features in the described preferred embodiment, each of the conductive patterns includes a global area having predetermined reference targets, and one or more local areas each having predetermined reference targets; the reference targets in the global area of the underlying conductive pattern being used for imaging the local area of the overlying conductive pattern with respect to the underlying conductive pattern; the determined deviations in the reference targets in the local area of the underlying conductive pattern being used for modifying the scanning control data to reduce misregistration of the imaged local area of the overlying conductive pattern with respect to the underlying conductive pattern.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making a PCB having a plurality of layers containing conductive patterns overlying each other and to be precisely located with respect to each other, the method comprising: applying each layer by an LDI process in which each conductive pattern is defined by image data to be applied at nominal locations according to scanning control data; determining deviations between the actual locations and the nominal locations of predetermined reference targets of each conductive pattern on a substrate before the overlying conductive pattern is applied thereover; and utilizing the determined deviations for modifying the scanning control data used for imaging the image data of each overlying conductive pattern in order to reduce misregistration thereof with respect to its respective underlying conductive pattern.
According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for imagining conductive patterns on a substrate, comprising: a holder for holding the substrate; an imaging device for imaging at least two conductive patterns in overlying relationship to each other on the substrate, each conductive pattern being defined by image data to be applied at nominal locations on the substrate according to scanning control data; scanning means for effecting relative movement between the substrate and the imaging device according to the scanning control data for the respective conductive pattern; a sensor for sensing the actual locations of predetermined reference targets of an underlying conductive pattern on the substrate before an overlying conductive pattern is applied thereover; and a controller programmed to determine deviations between the actual locations and the nominal locations of predetermined reference targets of an underlying conductive pattern on the substrate and to utilize the determined deviations for modifying the scanning control data used for imaging the image data of the overlying conductive pattern in order to reduce misregistration thereof with respect to the underlying conductive pattern.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below.

Method and apparatus for registration control in production by imaging


Discloses a positioning fence for use in lumber saw mills that facilitates automated positioning of lumber for cutting. A continuous moving track loop has a plurality of paddles laterally positionable across the width of the track. Each paddle has a brake to hold the paddle in position. A positioning cam releases the brake to align each successive paddle to a desired lateral offset and a zeroing cam resets each paddle to a zero position.

In sawmills various timber handling machinery is provided to cut and shape the timber into wood products such as veneers, board products and the like. In forming a board product, the tree or flitch material is cut to the desired cross section of the three dimensional shape desired for the lumber product being produced and the piece are then cut to length. When board lumber is handled within a mill, automation is generally provided throughout the mill to transport the material to be cut or worked within the sawmill. Frequently, the board lumber is transported from one work position to another on a flat bed roller system.
Once the flitch has been cut to the desired cross section, it is supplied to saw equipment for cutting to length. To cut the material to length, one arrangement of transport equipment has a conveyor that has a flat bed lug chain transport table to carry the lumber pieces toward the length cutting saws. The lumber pieces are carried along the conveyor in equidistantly spaced succession based on the lug spacing of the lug chains. The conveyor has a set of lateral alignment rollers. The lateral alignment rollers form a roller bed system placed at right angles to the lug chain, which operate to urge one end of the lumber material toward a stop or fence. In this arrangement, each successive piece of lumber is spaced from the other in the direction of travel along the lumber conveyor by the lugs of the lug chain and one of the ends of the lumber is laterally aligned to the stop or fence.
The piece to be cut to length is positioned for contact with a saw. In the configuration of sawmill conveyor equipment just described, the saw is stationary relative to the conveyor and the board is laterally positioned on the conveyor relative to the saw blade. A positioning fence, which one end of the lumber piece abuts against, controls the lateral position of the lumber piece on the feed conveyor. Numerous prior art arrangements for adjustable positioning fences for use with such a feed conveyor arrangement have been proposed in the past. For example a step positioning fence is disclosed in the published Canadian Patent application 2,241,481 of Wight et al. The stepped positioning fence of Wight has a plurality of rigid elevated faces, or steps that extend longitudinally along a side of the fence in an adjacent stepped array of differing offset spacing. The fence is oriented to present one of the steps for contact with the lumber piece to align the lumber end to the corresponding offset of that step. The lumber is urged into contact with the fence by the lateral alignment rollers resulting in alignment of the lumber end to the fence step offset. The stepped fence provides fixed incremental ending settings and a positioning mechanism to ensure the board is presented with a step suitable to obtain the desired or intended lateral translation of the board piece.
Another flexible trimmer position fence is disclosed in Canadian Patent 2,191,390 to Jackson, which discloses a board positioning fence comprised of a plurality of adjustable fence elements each staged one after the other in the downstream direction of travel of the lumber to be positioned. The lumber is urged against the positioning fence by lateral alignment or ending rollers. The ending rollers urge the lumber laterally across the feed conveyor into contact with the successive fence elements of the board positioning fence. When the desired lateral positioning of the board is achieved, lift skids are engaged to remove the lumber from contact with the lateral urging end rollers. This arrangement has multiple flexible fence elements, which are adjusted to allow the board to be ended to the desired positioning or ending location. Once the board has been displaced laterally to the desired position offset, skids are engaged that lift the positioned lumber piece away from the ending rollers.
Another arrangement to provide board lumber end positioning is disclosed in the Canadian patent 2,236,508 of Hannebauer et al. Hannebauer discloses a circulating paddle positioning fence with a flexible guide track. Actuators position the flexible guide track, which results in corresponding positioning of a paddle to a desired offset or ending position.
And yet another positioning mechanism is disclosed in the published Canadian Patent application 2,345,872 of Jobin, for apparatus for positioning pieces of wood for precise cutting. Jobin discloses an adjustable barrier, which is provided with actuators to position the barrier to the desired offset location. Various forms of adjustable barrier are shown including ones which have a face that remains perpendicular to the board as well as providing for incline planes that have a set displacement selected by an actuator to achieve an ending or offset of the lumber laterally to the desired offset amount.


The present invention relates to a novel compound, its use as an initiator in anionic polymerizations yielding norbornene-terminated homopolymers of block copolymers, and the further use of said norbornene-terminated polymers as macromonomers in the preparation of graft copolymers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel compound, its use as an initiator in anionic polymerizations yielding norbornene-terminated homopolymers of block copolymers, and the further use of said norbornene-terminated polymers as macromonomers in the preparation of graft copolymers.
2. Description of Related Art
Anionic polymerization proceeds by attack on a vinyl monomer of a basic (nucleophilic) species resulting in the heterolytic splitting of the double bond to produce a carbon anion followed by propagation of this ion. The most common initiators used in such polymerization reactions are the alkyl and aryl derivatives of alkali metals, particularly lithium alkyls. Organolithium initiators are particularly preferred since they are readily prepared by reaction of the lithium metal with alkyl or aryl halides and are soluble in the hydrocarbon solvents used in their preparation as well as solvents used in solution polymerization reactions. N-butyl lithium and sec-butyl lithium are generally preferred initiators used for the anionic polymerization of vinyl and diolefin monomers including vinyl aromatic monomers, acrylic and methacrylic monomers and diolefin monomers such as butadiene or isoprene. A representative detail of organo-lithium initiators and their method of preparation appears in U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,408.
In a further development of this chemistry, organolithium initiators containing vinyl unsaturation have been used to initiate polymerization of anionically polymerizable monomers to produce vinyl terminated macromolecules which may be then used as a macromeric component in the preparation of copolymers by ionic or free radical polymerization techniques to produce graft copolymers containing the vinyl macromonomer which provides the pendant graft chains. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,626 to Waack, assigned to Dow Chemical Company, describes a method for preparing graft copolymers of controlled branch configuration. It is described that the graft copolymers are prepared by first preparing a prepolymer by reacting a vinyl metal compound with an olefinic monomer to obtain a vinyl terminated prepolymer. After protonation and catalyst removal, the prepolymer is dissolved in an inert solvent with a polymerization catalyst and is thereafter reacted with either a different polymer having a reactive vinyl group or a different vinyl monomer under free-radical conditions.
This art suffers from two major limitations: 1) Though the use of vinyl lithium guarantees that each polymer chain has one vinyl end group, it is recognized and documented in the literature, such as R. Waack et al., Polymer, Vol. 2, pp. 365-366 (1961) and R. Waack et al. J. Org. Chem., Vol. 32, pp. 3395-3399 (1967), that vinyl lithium is one of the slowest anionic polymerization initiators. This slow initiation rate when used to polymerize styrene produces a polymer having a broad molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn greater than 2), as a consequence of the ratio of the overall rate of propagation of the styryl anion to that of the vinyl lithium initiation. As a result, graft copolymers prepared from these macromonomers cannot have a uniform side chain molecular weight. 2) It is well known in the art that substituted vinyl compounds do not generally polymerize to high conversions. Conversion tends to decrease as the length of the side chain increases. Conversions of 50%, high for most substituted vinyls, will mean that the resulting graft copolymers will contain 50% of unreacted macromonomer. For most applications this level of ungrafted polymer is unacceptable.
A different approach towards the preparation of macromonomers containing terminal unsaturated functional groups is also disclosed in the art.
Sumitomo Chemical's Japanese Kokai 50013483-A discloses olefin copolymers prepared by the Ziegler-catalyzed reaction of ethylene and/or propylene and polystyrene end-capped with norbornene. The preparation of a styrene-ethylene graft copolymer is described in an example, wherein the polystyrene macromonomer is formed by reacting living n-BuLi capped polystyrene with 5-bromomethyl-2-norbornene.
In addition, polystyrene macromonomers capped with a norbornene group have been prepared by coupling a polystyrene anion with 5-bromomethyl norbornene in a mixed solvent (Chemical Abstracts No. CA104 (26) 225321 w, 1986) and these functional polystyrenes have been further disclosed used as a comonomer in the Ziegler-Natta polymerization of graft copolymers comprising a polyethylene backbone containing grafted polystyrene side chains (Chemical Abstracts No. CA107(20) 176624y, 1987).
Functionalized macromolecules are also disclosed by R. Milkovich et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,768 as well as in R. Milkovich et al. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., Vol. 27, 1982, pg. 4773. This work describes anionic polymerization of a number of monomers with active initiators, thereby forming monodisperse living polymer chains. These living chains are then reacted with a wide-range of termination agents to introduce substantially end-functionalized macromonomers. This route clearly improves the resulting macromer polydispersity and allows for a broader range of end functionality, but it introduces an uncertainty into the "purity" of the end-functional groups. One can no longer be assured that each and every chain has one functional group. For example, the synthesis of norbornenylpolystyrene in accordance with the Milkovich journal article involves as step 1, the anionic polymerization of styrene in benzene using secondary-butyl lithium as initiator. This step, if done correctly, can be substantially free of termination. However in practice it is usually about 95% free of termination. Step 2 involves introducing ethylene oxide into the polymerization vessel to give the alkoxide. Once again this is about 95 % efficient. Step 3 involves the reaction of 5-norbornene-2-carbonyl chloride with the polystyrene alkoxide. This step is perhaps at best 95% efficient. Though each step results by any standards in excellent yields together they represent a polymer that is 0.95.times.0.95.times.0.95=86% end functional. Analytical techniques still have not reached the level of precision necessary to characterize this level of end-functionality of high molecular weight macromers. The most informative characterization comes from analysis of the graft copolymers produced using these macromers.
Synthesis of the graft copolymers using these macromers was presented in Milkovich U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,768 with very limited graft copolymer characterization information. A recent paper, B. Huang et al., J. of Polymer Science: Part A: Polymer Chemistry Edition, Vol. 24, 1986, pgs. 2853-2866 utilized the vinyl terminated macromer as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,768 to prepare graft copolymers of ethylene and propylene. This work highlights two important points: First that double bond titrations can only give an approximation for end-group functionality and the best accuracy one can hope for is 20%. Second that the best conversions for vinyl terminated polystyrene macromonomers with a moderate molecular weight and useful feed compositions (10 to 30% on EP) is 40%.
In light of the above work, it is clearly highly desirable to devise a means for preparing macromonomers wherein the guaranteed functionality introduced in the initiation step is combined with a more active polymerization group. Also, in view of the utility of graft polymers of anionically polymerized macromonomers with alpha-olefin base polymers and particularly in view of the limitations and uncertainties in the prior art methods of preparing them, there exists an ongoing need for new and efficient means of preparation of graft polymers having essentially uniform molecular weight side chains. It is thus an object of this invention to provide novel compounds, novel macromolecules, and novel graft copolymers as well as novel means of preparation that allow for both rapid initiation of the anionically polymerized macromonomers and maximization of their functionalization for subsequent graft copolymerization.

Norbornene polymerization initiators and process for preparing same


An exercise device having a body extension mechanism including a press plate mechanism and an articulating seat structure. The press plate mechanism is pivotally connected to a frame forwardly of the articulating seat structure, which is also connected with the frame. The press plate mechanism is operably connected with the articulating seat structure by a transfer link so that when a user actuates the press plate mechanism, the movement of a back support of the articulating seat structure is coordinated with the movement of the press plate mechanism. Resistance for the exercise device is provided by a weight stack that is operably connected with the body extension mechanism through an arrangement of pulleys so that when the user actuates the press plate mechanism a portion of the weight stack is lifted.

Whether for enjoyment, for health, or for professional reasons, fitness is an important part of many peoples' lives. Many peoples' fitness routines involve the use of fitness machines such as weight machines, elliptical machines, and the like. Some of these fitness machines, however, do not provide for natural body movement during the exercise routine, which may be harmful to the user's joints and muscles. Oftentimes, the configurations of the fitness machines force the user's muscles and joints to move unnaturally. In addition, many fitness machines provide exercise for only those muscles that move some portion of the body, and mostly ignore the muscles that provide stabilization which are equally important during a person's natural movements.
It is against this background that the present invention was developed. It was recognized that natural human movements are typically natural multi-joint movements with dynamic, isolated and natural rotating movements of the extremities, with active dynamic stabilization of all joints and especially the trunk to protect the spine with all its passive structures, and that an exercise device providing natural human movement would be advantageous. It was also recognized that an exercise device providing a balance between the prime movement muscles and the stabilization muscles would be advantageous. Finally, it was recognized that close chain muscle action develops neuromuscular coordination, produce little or no sheer forces, and protects the joints with the preactivation of the joint stabilization muscles, and that an exercise device facilitating these characteristics would be advantageous. These, and other advantageous of the present invention will be evident from the following description of the present invention.

Exercise device with body extension mechanism


The present invention relates to phenylgycines and derivatives thereof, 1,4-aminobenzoyl compounds, and phenyl pyrazolinones as cure accelerators for anaerobically curable compositions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to phenylgycines and derivatives thereof, 1,4-aminobenzoyl compounds, and phenyl pyrazolinones as cure accelerators for anaerobically curable compositions.
2. Brief Description of Related Technology
Anaerobic adhesive compositions generally are well-known. See e.g., R. D. Rich, "Anaerobic Adhesives" in Handbook of Adhesive Technology, 29, 467-79, A. Pizzi and K. L. Mittal, eds., Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York (1994), and reference cited therein. Their uses are legion and new applications continue to be developed.
Conventional anaerobic adhesives ordinarily include a free-radically polymerizable acrylate ester monomer, together with a peroxy initiator and an inhibitor component. Oftentimes, such anaerobic adhesive compositions also contain accelerator components to increase the speed with which the composition cures.
Desirable anaerobic cure-inducing compositions to induce and accelerate cure may include saccharin, toluidines, such as N,N,-diethyl-p-toluidine ("DE-p-T") and N,N-dimethyl-o-toluidine ("DM-o-T"), acetyl phenylhydrazine ("AHN"), maleic acid ("MA"), and quinones, such as napthaquinone and anthraquinone. See e.g., Loctite U.S. Pat. No. 3,218,305 (Krieble), U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,640 (Melody), U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,330 (Rich) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,349 (Rich).
Saccharin and APH have been used as standard cure accelerator components in anaerobic adhesive cure systems since the inception of the technology, and has been well studied in that connection. Hitherto, it was believed that the nitrogen-hydrogen bond off the heterocycle ring was necessary to achieve performance under anaerobic conditions, as early studies substituting the hydrogen with an alkyl group proved to be ineffective. See F. J. Boerio et al., "Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering from Model Acrylic Adhesive Systems", Langmuir, 6, 721-27 (1990), in which it is stated "[t]hese salts [of saccharin] are thought to be important factors in the curing reaction of the adhesive."
Recently, Loctite (R&D) Ltd. developed an anaerobic adhesive composition, which is defined by (a) a (meth)acrylate component; and (b) an anaerobic cure-inducing composition comprising an anaerobic curative within the following structure:
where A and A1 may be selected from O and N; and
R, R1, R2 and R3 may be the same or different and are selected from alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl, having from 1 to about 30 carbon atoms, and may be substituted or interrupted with a heteroatom, and heterocyclic structures; or
R1 and R3 taken together may join to form a cyclic structure having from about 20 to about 28 ring atoms, and together represent dialkyl substituted polyether structures that may be substituted or interrupted with the trithiadiaza pentalene structure, which itself may or may not be substituted by A1, R2, or R3, as defined above. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,583,289 (McArdle).
There is an on-going desire to find alternative technologies for accelerating the cure of anaerobic curable compositions to differentiate existing products and provide supply assurances in the event of shortages or cessation of supply of raw materials. Accordingly, it would be desirable to identify new materials, which function as accelerators in the cure of anaerobic curable compositions.

Cure accelerators for anaerobic curable compositions


A box light includes a housing having first and second clamshell-halves. Each clamshell-half has a lamp face and an opposite exterior surface. At least one lamp and its corresponding protective enclosure is mounted in each of the lamp faces. Each of the lamp faces has at least one lamp-receiving aperture. The clamshell-halves are rotatably mounted to one another by a first hinge for rotation relative to another about the first hinge between open and closed positions. The open position includes selectively positionable open positions exposing the lamp faces so that an included angle between the lamp faces may be opened to two hundred seventy degrees whereby the lamps on each lamp face shines outwardly and oppositely of the housing when electrically powered. In the closed position the lamp faces are in closely adjacent opposed facing relation and the exterior surfaces are oppositely disposed. Also, when in the closed position, the at least one lamp and its protective enclosure on each of the first and second clamshell-halves is aligned and mated with the lamp-receiving aperture on the opposed facing lamp faces so as to insert at least the protective enclosure of each of the at least one lamps into mating engagement with the corresponding lamp-receiving apertures in the opposed facing lamp faces.

Adequate work lighting in construction, service, or maintenance applications is necessary for a safe effective working environment. The conventional so-called "trouble light", that is, an incandescent bulb protected by and mounted within a cage, has been a mainstay of temporary indoor work lighting for years. More recently stand-supported quartz halogen work lamps, and variations of stand-supported fluorescent work lamps have become common.
It is known that when using many of these temporary portable light sources that they often cannot be maintained in adequate position, and/or are vulnerable to damage during transportation, which adversely affects their portability. Previously attempts have been made to resolve this problem by enclosing a portable light within a case. Examples are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,620 which issued to Goto on Dec. 9, 2003, describes a portable lighting apparatus that contains lighting and stage for photographing objects placed on the case stage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,801 which issued to Alexander-Katz on Dec. 26, 2000, describes a self contained portable lighting system having first and second closures with florescent tube lamps and fold out reflectors. The two closures can be co-joined to form an array of such lighting systems, and when not in use fastened to each other to form a unitized case protecting the lighting elements within.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,793 which issued to Stephens on Apr. 6, 1999, describes a portable luminescent lighting system with a split case, plurality of elongated lamps, and reflector shields placed there between, providing directed lighting for television, video and film production.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,766 which issued to Bertozzi et al. on Nov. 17, 1987, describes a modular lighting projector for illuminating from the ground in theatres, studios and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,337 which issued to Burke on Apr. 14th, 1987, describes a portable fluorescent lighting device with a pivotally joined collapsible frame that serves as both as a stand and protective enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,370,842 which issued to Reeves on Mar. 8th, 1921, describes a photographer's portable light having a rectangular case containing incandescent lamps offset from each other in each half of the case. The two halves of the case open one hundred eighty degrees about a common hinge so as to expose the lamps.