A serial type ink jet printing apparatus for textile printing sets a print beginning position and a print ending position so that the space between the print beginning position and the print ending position is wider than the textile printing medium. When the printing operation is performed, a small amount of ink is discharged from an ink jet head onto a textile support member before the head reaches the textile printing medium, by which ink with high viscosity can be exhausted in a continuous printing operation before printing on the textile. Therefore, the textile can be efficiently printed entirely from edge to edge with high quality, and a separate ink receiver for receiving the preliminarily discharged ink is rendered unnecessary.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for ink jet printing, and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method in which printing is performed by ink discharged from a discharge port and attached onto a printing medium such as a textile.
2. Related Background Art
An ink jet head applicable to an ink jet printing apparatus generally has a discharge port for discharging ink, a liquid channel for supplying ink to the discharge port, an energy acting portion in the liquid channel and energy generating means for generating energy which acts on ink in the energy acting portion to discharge ink from the discharge port.
Exemplary energy generating means are an electromechanical converter such as a piezoelectric element or the like, electromagnetic wave energy generating means for applying an electromagnetic wave such as a laser or the like to the ink to form flying liquid droplets, or an electrothermal converter, all which have been well-known.
An ink jet printing head provided with heat energy generating means generally uses electrothermal converters as the heat energy generating means, and has electrodes, liquid passage walls and a top plate provided on a substrate through processes like those used for manufacturing semiconductors, which processes incorporate various techniques including etching, vapor deposition, sputtering or the like. Since the ink discharge ports used for forming the flying liquid droplets required for printing can be readily arranged with high density, such an ink jet printing head has the following advantages.
a) The ink jet printing head can be easily fabricated and it can perform high resolution printing. PA1 b) A compact constitution of the ink jet printing head can be provided. PA1 c) In the process of manufacturing the recording head, the advantages of IC (integrated circuit) technology or miniaturization technology, which have been recently significantly improved from the viewpoint of reliability and progress in the field of semiconductor manufacturing, can be adopted as much as possible. It is also possible to provide a recording head with a two-dimensional array of discharge ports. PA1 an ink jet printing apparatus including at least one printing head having a plurality of discharge orifices for discharging ink toward a textile printing medium in response to drive signals corresponding to an image to be printed on the printing medium, a scanning mechanism for moving the printing head relative to the printing medium and beyond edges thereof in a width direction, a sub-scanning mechanism for conveying the printing medium in a sub-scanning direction transverse to the direction of movement of the printing head, control circuitry for setting a print beginning position and a print ending position for the scanning mechanism, wherein the print beginning position is spaced a predetermined distance from one edge of the printing medium in the width direction and the print ending position is spaced a predetermined distance from another edge of the printing medium in the width direction, and drive signal supply circuitry for supplying drive signals to the printing head to discharge ink therefrom while the printing head is moved by the scanning mechanism, wherein the drive signal supply circuitry supplies drive signals to the printing head to discharge ink therefrom from the print beginning position to the print ending position; PA1 means for drying the printing medium after recording the image thereon; PA1 means for fixing the colors in the printing medium; and PA1 means for cleaning the printing medium having the color fixed therein.
With the above-described points considered, a multinozzle recording head with high nozzle density can be attained without difficulty, and a large quantity of recording heads can be manufactured with high productivity and at low production cost.
It is known to provide such a printing head, using an electrothermal converter as the heat energy generating means and manufactured through processes of manufacturing semiconductors and having multi-nozzles, with a liquid passage corresponding to each ink discharge port, an electro-thermal converter in each liquid passage, and a common liquid chamber from which ink is supplied to the liquid passages.
FIG. 15 shows an example of a conventional ink jet printing head 1401 provided with such heat energy generating means. This printing head has electrothermal converters as heat energy generating means 1403, electrodes 1404, liquid passage walls 1405 and a top plate 1406 provided on a substrate 1402, manufactured using processes for manufacturing semiconductors that use various techniques including etching, vapor deposition, sputtering or the like.
Printing liquid (ink) 1412 is supplied from a printing-liquid tank (not shown) to the common liquid chamber 1408 of the printing head 1401 through a liquid supply pipe 1407 connected to the chamber 1408 by a connector 1409. The printing liquid 1412 supplied to the common liquid chamber 1408 is supplied to liquid passages 1410 in accordance with capillary phenomena and forms a meniscus in each liquid discharge port or nozzle 1411 at the corresponding end of each liquid passage 1410 to stably retain the liquid at the corresponding port 1411.
To discharge the printing liquid by utilizing the printing head constructed above, for instance, the electrothermal converters 1403 are energized. As a result, printing liquid located on and in the vicinity of the electrothermal converters 1403 is rapidly heated. The rapid heating thereof produces film boiling in the printing liquid 1412, which forces liquid droplets to be discharged from the liquid discharge ports 1411. Such an ink jet printing head can be obtained with ease and high productivity, with an arrangement of liquid discharge ports at a high density such as 16 ports/mm, for example and with multiple (128 to 256) nozzles.
Among the ink jet printing apparatus using such a head, a serial type printing apparatus adopts a serial scan method of scanning the head in a main-scan direction crosswise to the sub-scan printing medium conveying direction. The printing head is mounted on a carriage movable in a main-scan direction along the printing medium, and the printing medium is fed in the sub-scan direction by a predetermined amount corresponding to the length of the array of liquid discharge ports on the printing head, whereby the next line of the image can then be printed on the printing medium. The head scanning and printing medium conveying are thus repeated until the entire printing medium has been printed.
In order to prevent non-discharge or misdischarge of ink from the printing head during a printing operation and to recover the discharge capabilities of the printing head, a recovery operation is properly performed on the printing head before the start of a printing operation. This is necessary in part because the printing operation is performed by repeatedly discharging ink from the ink jet printing head shown in FIG. 15, which also produces numerous minute satellite ink mist droplets. This ink mist attaches and accumulates on a discharge face of the printing head 1401. When the amount of the ink mist is large, it can clog the ink discharge ports and prevent ink discharge. In addition, faulty ink discharge can be caused by adhesion of foreign matter on the discharge face or invasion of foreign matter or air into the liquid channels.
In order to solve these problems, a recovery operation is performed; for example, ink is forcibly circulated between the ink jet head and the ink tank to remove the cause of ink non-discharge or misdischarge.
In such a serial type printing method, the printing head can be mounted on a compact printer, which has the advantage of easy handling and installation. The same printing head can also be mounted on a large-size printer that can print on a printing medium having a long width in the scanning direction of the printing head, and therefore printers for various applications can use the same printing head.
FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing one type of conventional printing apparatus using the ink jet printing head shown in FIG. 15.
The ink jet printing apparatus is largely constituted of a frame 1506, two guide rails 1507 and 1508, an ink jet head 1509 and a carriage 1510 for the movement thereof, an ink supply device 1511 and a carriage 1512 for the movement thereof, a head recovery device 1513, and an electronic system 1505.
The ink jet head 1509 (hereinafter sometimes referred to simply as a head) comprises a plurality of columns of discharge ports which respectively discharge ink of magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y) and black (BK), and converters for converting an electric signal into energy for use in discharging the ink, and is further provided with means for generating the electric signals for selectively discharging the ink through the columns of discharge ports in accordance with an image signal sent from an image processing unit. The head may be a print head which discharges the ink by the use of heat energy, as discussed above in connection with FIG. 15.
As discussed above, the apparatus forms an image 1517 (indicated by shading in FIG. 16) on the printing medium 1536 by repeatedly scanning the head 1509 in the main scanning direction H. After each scan, the recording medium is advanced in the sub-scanning direction B and the head 1509 is scanned across the printing medium again. This is repeated until the entire image is recorded. FIG. 16 illustrates unrecorded bands at the edges of the printing medium produced with conventional apparatus.
The ink supply device 1511 serves to store ink and supply a necessary amount to the head, and comprises an ink tank and an ink pump (both not shown) or other components. This device 1511 and the head 1509 are connected via an ink supply tube 1515, whereby the head 1509 is automatically supplied with the ink, owing to its capillary action, in an amount corresponding to that discharged. In a head recovery operation that will be later described, ink is compulsorily supplied to the head 1509 by using the ink pump.
The head 1509 and the ink supply device 1511 are mounted on the head carriage 1510 and the ink carriage 1512, respectively, for reciprocal movement along the guide rails 1507, 1508 by a driving device, not shown.
The head recovery device 1513 is provided at a home position (waiting position) of the head and opposed to the head. It maintains the stability of ink discharge from the head 1509, and is movable forward and a backward in the direction of the arrow A to perform the following specific operations.
First, the head recovery device 1513 provides a cap for the head 1509 at the home position (capping operation) to retard the evaporation of ink from the nozzles of the head 1509. Further, it serves in the operation of compulsory discharge of ink through the nozzles by pressurizing the ink flow channels within the head 1509 using an ink pump (a pressure recovery operation) to force bubbles or dirt out of the nozzles into the cap before the start of image recording, or performs an operation of sucking ink through the nozzles (a suction recovery operation).
The head recovery device also can clean the discharge surface of the head 1509 by wiping the discharge surface to prevent an unstable discharge condition, when ink mist, generated incidentally with the discharge of ink during a printing operation, attaches on or adjacent to the discharge port.
An ink receiver 1540 is located between a platen 1532 and the head recovery device 1513 for receiving preliminarily ejected ink. The ink receiver comprises plural caps and is positioned corresponding to the height of each head. When the printing duty of a particular image is low, some ink discharge ports may not be used during a printing operation, so that the viscosity of the ink in such ports may increase due to evaporation of the ink solvent. To prevent this condition from affecting ink discharge, the ink jet head is driven by predetermined drive pulses, and the ink is discharged from all discharge ports, prior to a printing operation. This operation is called "purging."
The above-mentioned preliminary discharge (purging) is also performed to prevent color mixture that can be caused by the head recovery device which wipes the discharge face of the ink jet head. When wiping the discharge face, the wiping is performed using a blade of rubber-like material. In this operation, the different colors of ink are sometimes forced into other discharge ports and cause a color mixture in those ports. However, the mixed-color ink will be discharged to the ink receiver as a result of such preliminary discharge, and therefore improper color mixture on the printing medium can be prevented.
The ink jet printing apparatus constructed as just described can print a fine image at high speeds, and noise produced during the printing operation is low because the printing is done without impacting the printing medium. In addition, since the printer uses multi-colored inks and can easily print a color image, the ink jet printer can be used with a computer and wordprocessor or the like, or as printing means in a stand-alone printing machine such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine or the like.
On the other hand, in recent years, in addition to the usual print mediums, such as plastic sheets for an overhead projector, or processed paper with punched holes or paper with perforations, free-sized paper and woven cloth are desired to be used as the print medium. As to the size of the print medium, for example, a sheet to be used for an advertisement or woven cloth to be used for clothes, large-size print mediums are sometimes necessary.
It has been proposed that such an ink jet printing apparatus be used for textile printing by discharging the ink directly onto the cloth (see, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-31594). In such ink jet printing, as distinguished from the case of printing characters on a printing medium, the edge portion of the print medium must be printed. Therefore, the print head must be in good ink discharge condition as soon as it begins to print from the edge portion of the print medium. Accordingly, to accomplish high quality printing, it is necessary to complete the discharge recovery operation and the preliminary discharge operation before beginning printing on the print medium.
According to the aforementioned conventional ink jet printing apparatuses, as stated above, it is necessary to perform separate discharge recovery and preliminary discharge operations before the printing operation begins. Because the ink receiver must be provided in the printing apparatus, it is difficult to make the printing apparatus compact. In addition, the high viscosity ink collected in such operations can be difficult to handle. In addition, the printing operation must be interrupted for preliminary discharge of ink to the ink receiver, and therefore the time to complete a printing operation is increased.

Ink jet printing on the full width of a printing medium


Methods and compositions for modifying a substrate surface are provided. In accordance with the subject methods, a substrate surface is contacted with a particulate-containing fluid. The fluid is then ultrasonically or sonically agitated to modify the substrate surface. In certain embodiments, the particulate-containing fluid has a pH above the isoelectric point of the substrate. Also provided are devices capable of providing ultrasonic and/or sonic energy and which include a non-acidic, particulate-containing fluid. The subject invention also provides systems and kits for use in practicing the subject methods.

During many manufacturing and fabrication technologies certain substrate surface modification may be required either during or after manufacture and in any event prior to the use of the final product. Such modifications may include, but are not limited to, polishing, abrading, and roughening a substrate surface, as well as the removal of substances present on a substrate surface. Where a substrate surface is in need of modification, failure to perform the modification may result in adverse results for subsequent manufacturing operations, as well as operations involving the use of the final manufactured product. However, thus far methods and devices for performing these substrate surface modifications have not been wholly satisfactory.
For example, in the instances where the modification includes polishing, roughening or abrading a substrate surface, such may be accomplished manually by an operator. However, these manually performed procedures are time consuming, labor intensive, and often produce inconsistent results. Automated devices have been developed to perform these tasks which decrease labor costs and cycle times. However, the costs to operate and maintain these devices are often high, e.g., to maintain these devices in light of the rigorous wear and tear they are subjected to due to the nature of these tasks.
As noted above, certain modifications may include the removal of substances from a substrate surface. These substances may have been unintentionally deposited thereon, e.g., fingerprints or residues of a previous processing procedure, or may have been intentionally deposited thereon, e.g., needed for a prior processing procedure, but which require removal prior to a subsequent procedure. For example, substances or contaminants such as residual chemistries and films or other particulates and adherent residues may be produced during a processing procedure which may adhere or attach to the substrate.
Accordingly, a variety of techniques have been developed to remove these contaminants from substrate surfaces. In the simplest methods, the substrates are wiped clean with a cloth by a manufacturing operator and in certain instances, given the tolerance of the substrate, a cleaning agent may be employed as well. However, such simple methods are labor intensive, time consuming and oftentimes prove ineffective at removing all the contaminants, especially contaminants not visible to the naked eye of the operator.
In certain instances, substrates may be cleaned with ultrasonically agitated liquids such as water, or water with a surfactant, or an acid such as sulfuric and nitric acid. The ultrasonic energy produces high density sound waves in the liquid causing cavitation on the surface of the substrate immersed in the liquid. In the process, small particles or contaminants adhered to the substrate are broken loose. Such ultrasonic cleaning is widely employed, as it is relatively inexpensive because the required ultrasonic apparatus is simple, incorporates no wearing components such as brushes or pads and requires low maintenance. However, this ultrasonic protocol has limitations. For example, the ultrasonically induced cavitation on the surface of the substrate may not provide sufficient energy to dislodge some contaminants from the substrate surface, thereby ineffectively cleaning the substrate. In the instances where acids such as sulfuric and nitric acids are employed as ultrasonic fluids, the safety of the operator is at risk and the use of such acids requires costly equipment and disposal procedures, e.g., fume hoods, disposal services, specially designed ultrasonic tanks, physical barriers, etc. Furthermore, such acids and the like may actually participate in chemical reactions with the contaminants themselves or other features on the substrate surface, especially if the contaminate on the substrate surface is unknown or is of unknown origin, thereby resulting in further contamination of the substrate.
To address the problem of insufficient energy and thus ineffective substrate cleaning, mechanical scrubbing of the substrate has been employed, in addition to the ultrasonically agitated liquids. However, not all substrates can tolerate such scrubbing. For example, in the semiconductor industry and biopolymeric array industry, small scratches which may result from the scrubbing may render a substrate, i.e., a silicon wafer, array substrate, etc., unusable.
Moreover, the machinery required to practice this scrubbing protocol requires higher maintenance than simple ultrasonic chambers due to the mechanical wear of the motors, pumps, seals, bearing and brushes. For example, mechanical scrubbing of silicon wafers used in the semiconductor industry to fabricate integrated circuits is usually accomplished with porous brushes that are typically made of polyvinylalcohol. These brushes are usually cylindrical in shape and attached to a motor. In use, the brushes are flooded with a liquid such as water with surfactant from the center as they spin, producing a scrubbing action on the substrate surface. Although this protocol is relatively more effective at dislodging contaminates than ultrasonic dislodgement of the contaminants alone, as noted above, it increases costs due to the machinery required, the maintenance of the machinery, and the frequent need to replace the brushes or pads. Furthermore, mechanical scrubbing is less effective at scrubbing uneven surfaces or removing particulates in depressions or holes and also tends to planarize the surface in the direction of the brush action, where such surface planarization is not desirable in some instances, e.g., in those instances where removal of surface contours must be minimized.
As such, there continues to be an interest in the new development of methods and devices for modifying a substrate surface. Of particular interest would be methods and devices that are safe to the operator as well as safe to the environment, easy to use, cost effective, have short cycle times, are compatible with the substrate surfaces being modified such that they do not produce scratches or other unwanted aberrations on the substrates and which are effective at modifying a substrate surface.
References of Interest:
References of interest include: Japanese Patent No.: JP58048682, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,015.

Methods and devices for modifying a substrate surface


A rotating cutting tool is selectively biasable in the radial direction based on the angular orientation of the cutting blade, which may be used to create a non-axis symmetric feature in a bore. The radial position of the cutting blade may be controlled by selectively pressurized fluid whose pressure is varied based on the angular orientation of the tool. A plurality of vents may be selectively covered and uncovered to vent pressurized fluid to vary the pressure thereof.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,295 describes a tool with a selectively biased member and method of using the tool. In one or more embodiments disclosed therein, the radial position of a blade carried on the end of a rotating tool, such as a reamer or a boring bar, is controlled by fluid pressure. In particular, fluid pressure is applied to an internal bore or cavity to effect radial movement of the blade in order to control the diameter of the hole being bored.
One of the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,295 of using one of the embodiments of the tool involves controlling the blade position based on the axial position of the blade. This method produces an axis symmetrical bore. FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,295 illustrate a method which compensates for material deformation in a workpiece. The specific method described in relation to these figures addresses axial deformation in a bore, in which the workpiece bows inward near the top of the hole due to material properties inherently in the workpiece.
An error can also present itself in which the radius/diameter of the bore is not constant based on angular position. FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic top view of a non-axis symmetric bore 2 in which the radius/diameter is not constant, varying based on angular position. In FIG. 1, non-axis symmetric arc 4, shown as a localized void of material extending outwardly from 36° to 144°, deviating from the perfectly circular bore represented by arc 2a. Non-axis symmetric arc 4 may alternatively protrude into the bore 2. As seen in FIG. 2, which is a fragmentary, diagrammatic side view of bore 2 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, non-axis symmetric arc 4 may be located at any position along axis 6 of bore 2, and does not have to be longitudinally constant.
There are three basic sources of the error. 1) the non-axis symmetric arc 4 may result from manufacturing error in which a perfectly circular bore is not formed; 2) the bore may become deformed as a result of assembly, such as by way of example, distortion in a cylinder bore when the bolts holding the cylinder head are tightened, even if within specification; and 3) thermal distortion.
FIGS. 3A and 3B diagrammatically illustrate top and side views, respectively, of a cylinder bore 8 showing distortion occurring due to assembly. There is illustrated concave portion 10 extending outwardly and convex portion 12 extending inwardly, both of which are spaced down from surface 14 and occupy different angular positions, although at the same axial location.
Such error can be directly addressed by use of the tools and methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,295, within the scope of the claims thereof. FIGS. 4A-E illustrate an embodiment of the tool, similar to the embodiments described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,295.

Tool with selectively biased member and method for forming a non-axis symmetric feature


A novel allocate instruction and a novel API call are received onto a compiler. The allocate instruction includes a symbol that identifies a non-memory resource instance. The API call is a call to perform an operation on a non-memory resource instance, where the particular instance is indicated by the symbol in the API call. The compiler replaces the API call with a set of API instructions. A linker then allocates a value to be associated with the symbol, where the allocated value is one of a plurality of values, and where each value corresponds to a respective one of the non-memory resource instances. After allocation, the linker generates an amount of executable code, where the API instructions in the code: 1) are for using the allocated value to generate an address of a register in the appropriate non-memory resource instance, and 2) are for accessing the register.

A computer system may have several embedded processors. To program the embedded processors, an amount of source code may be written for each processor. The C programming language is often used. The C source code for each processor is compiled by a C compiler into a corresponding amount of object code. The amounts of object code are then converted by a linker into corresponding amounts of executable code. The amount of executable code for a first of the embedded processors is loaded into program memory of the first embedded processor, and the amount of executable code for a second of the embedded processors is loaded into program memory of a second embedded processor, and so forth. After loading, each processor executes its respective amount of executable code.
It may be desired that some memory of the computer system only be accessible and usable by only one of the processors, whereas another part of the memory should be accessible and usable by all of the processors. A header file is therefore typically written to accompany the source code. The header file declares arrays of memory resources, variables and functions, and contains an indication of which parts of code should be able to access each of the declared identifiers. For example, if a memory array is to be referred to by a symbol name, and if two parts of the code are be able to access the same memory array, then the same symbol name set forth in the header file will be used in the two parts of code to refer to the same memory array. If another memory array is only to be accessible by one of the parts of the code, then a symbol representing that memory array will only be used in the appropriate part of the code. There are several ways of preparing the code to accomplish this, but a header file is typically used to record which parts of the code are to be able to use which declared identifier. The content of the header file is managed by the programmer.

Allocate instruction and API call that contain a sybmol for a non-memory resource


An EtherCAT fieldbus system has an EtherCAT master and a number of EtherCAT slaves. The EtherCAT master and the number of EtherCAT slaves are coupled together by an EtherCAT fieldbus in order to exchange data. A method ascertains active EtherCAT slaves by way of the EtherCAT master; requests respective product codes of the active EtherCAT slaves by way of the master; ascertains a respective device identification of the active EtherCAT slaves from the respective product codes by way of the EtherCAT master, and switches the state of the EtherCAT fieldbus system into the operational state by way of the EtherCAT master if the respective device identification of the active EtherCAT slaves matches a specified device identification.

The invention relates to a method for operating an EtherCAT fieldbus system and to an EtherCAT fieldbus system.
For EtherCAT (ETC) bus communication, an EtherCAT master requires a predetermined configuration, the so-called ENI file, in which the bus topology with the corresponding slaves and their identification features and ETC properties are specified.
Conventionally, the EtherCAT master identifies the EtherCAT slaves on the bus and compares the identified properties with the corresponding information in the EM file, in order to be able to parameterize the identified EtherCAT slaves with their further properties. Identification features of the EtherCAT slaves are in this case: vendor ID, product code and revision. If the bus configuration that is found does not match the bus configuration in the ENI file with regard to the identified EtherCAT slaves, the starting up of the bus goes to a "bus mismatch" fault. Otherwise, reference should be made to the relevant EtherCAT specification, in particular to the terminology used there, in particular concerning the terms EtherCAT master, EtherCAT slave, product code, operational, etc.
The invention is based on the object of providing a method for operating an EtherCAT fieldbus system and providing an EtherCAT fieldbus system that allow reliable starting (up) of the EtherCAT fieldbus system.
The invention achieves this object by a method for operating an EtherCAT fieldbus system and by an EtherCAT fieldbus system according to the independent claims.
The method serves for operating an EtherCAT fieldbus system.
The EtherCAT fieldbus system conventionally comprises an EtherCAT master and a number (for example 1 to 100) of EtherCAT slaves.
The EtherCAT master and the number of EtherCAT slaves are conventionally coupled to one another by means of an EtherCAT fieldbus for data exchange.
The method comprises the following steps.
First, the EtherCAT master ascertains the active or activated EtherCAT slaves on the EtherCAT fieldbus, in that for example it issues a request to the EtherCAT fieldbus and monitors which EtherCAT slaves respond.
Then, the EtherCAT master requests the respective product codes of the active EtherCAT slaves.
Then, the EtherCAT master ascertains a respective device identification of the active EtherCAT slaves from the respective product codes.
The overall state of the EtherCAT fieldbus system (bus state) can be transferred into the operational state by means of the EtherCAT master if (all of) the respective device identifications of the active EtherCAT slaves coincide with a predetermined device identification. Otherwise, for example, a procedure for handling a fault is followed. In other words, if there is a successful subsequent product code check, the EtherCAT master switches to the operational bus state.
The predetermined device identification may be identical for all EtherCAT slaves or may be specific to the EtherCAT slaves.
Alternatively, only those EtherCAT slaves for which the respective device identifications coincide with the predetermined device identification can be transferred into the operational state by means of the EtherCAT master.
According to one embodiment, the EtherCAT master reads an ENI file, the ENI file containing product codes of the number of EtherCAT slaves, the product codes containing the respective predetermined device identifications of the number of EtherCAT slaves.
According to one embodiment, the respective product codes comprise the device identification and an application identification.
According to one embodiment, when requesting the product codes of the active EtherCAT slaves by means of the EtherCAT master, the active EtherCAT slaves transfer their respective product code and an associated product code mask to the EtherCAT master, the EtherCAT master ascertaining the respective device identification by logically combining the respective product code with the respectively associated product code mask.
According to one embodiment, the EtherCAT master ascertains a respective application identification of the active EtherCAT slaves from the respective product codes.
The EtherCAT fieldbus system according to the invention comprises an EtherCAT master and a number of EtherCAT slaves, the EtherCAT master and the number of EtherCAT slaves being coupled to one another by means of an EtherCAT fieldbus for data exchange. The EtherCAT master and the number of EtherCAT slaves are respectively formed for the purpose of performing a method according to one of the preceding claims.
The invention is described in detail below with reference to the figures.

Method for operating an etherCAT fieldbus system, and etherCAT fieldbus system


A system is provided for transporting, handling and monitoring samples in a temperature-controlled storage environment. The system includes a handheld carrier configured to transfer samples to and from a temperature-controlled storage station and a temperature-controlled container for receiving and housing one or more carriers. The carrier includes an integrated sample identification and temperature sensing capability configured to monitor a thermal history of one or more samples during transport, handling and storage including as the samples are conveyed between the temperature-controlled storage environment and the temperature-controlled container. That is, the carrier is adapted to be held in the hand during use. A carrier for conveying and monitoring samples during transport, handling and storage is also provided.

Biological samples must be stored at low temperature to reduce risk of cellular damage and maintain cell viability. These temperatures are usually in the range of −80° C. to −200° C., typically provided by mechanical freezers or in dry ice, at −80° C., or in liquid nitrogen vapour, at less than the glass transition temperature of water, typically at less than −150° C. When biological samples are exposed to ambient temperatures of a lab or repository, for example when transferring from one cryogenic storage location to another, their temperature tends to rise rapidly potentially causing the sample to thaw or otherwise suffer degradation. Similarly, repeatedly cycling the sample temperature between frozen and partially or fully thawed can cause damage to the cell structure. In some cases, the sample is rendered no longer suitable for its intended purpose.
Different biological materials have different critical temperatures, that is, a temperature above which changes may occur at the cell structural level and accordingly is recognised as the critical temperature above which the biological material may degrade. The sample need not necessarily thaw, to be above its critical temperature, usually considered to be the glass transition temperature of water, and may suffer cellular damage whilst remaining in the frozen state. It is generally accepted that the sample must be held below this critical temperature at all times from the time it was first frozen to the time when it is intentionally thawed in a controlled manner for final processing.
Transferring samples from one controlled-temperature storage vessel or transportation vessel to another exposes the sample to the ambient environment inevitably causing the temperature of the sample to rise. Typically, the temperature of the samples during transfer is unknown. Similarly, processing samples in dry ice in basins and cryocarts that are open to the ambient environment, i.e. room temperature, causes their temperature to rise significantly due to air circulation and non-uniform contact with colder surfaces.
In order to maintain the viability of samples and to minimise the potential for cellular degradation the time for which samples are exposed to the ambient environment must be minimised. Samples are typically transferred from a controlled rate freezer to a transport vessel and then to a storage vessel, such as a freezer or liquid nitrogen tank and subsequently to another storage vessel, or to a dry shipper for transportation to another location. Transferring samples from one vessel or container to another typically takes place by placing the sample in an open tray or in a basin of dry ice. The dry ice pellets cover the base of the basin and the sample boxes, which contain the sample vials, rest on top of the pellets. Typically, not all of the samples stored in vials within a particular tray or box are required to be transferred to another location or storage vessel. Accordingly, those samples that are required to be moved, have to be identified, retrieved and transferred to another tray or box. The original tray or box is then returned to the original storage vessel and the new tray or box is moved to the new storage vessel or container.
The identification, retrieval and transfer of the required samples takes time and these tasks are necessarily performed outside of the temperature-controlled environment provided by the freezer or liquid nitrogen tank. While the acts of identifying, retrieving and transferring the samples to another tray or box may take place in a cooled environment, such as a dry ice basin or a liquid nitrogen charged cryocart, the sample trays and boxes do experience ambient temperatures during the process of moving the tray or box from the freezer or tank to the basin or cryocart. This practice of moving samples around within an ambient environment can suffice to raise the temperature of the sample above its critical temperature and cause cellular damage thereby impacting the integrity of the sample.
In particular, resting the boxes on the dry ice pellets keeps the vials at a temperature lower than the ambient temperature, but not at storage temperatures. Even if the boxes are somewhat buried in the dry ice pellets, the tops of the vials are exposed to room temperature and to circulating air flow. Cryocarts have somewhat better temperature control within their vessel but are relatively large and unwieldy. This means they are limited in where they can be used and positioned in a lab. Cryocarts are also significantly more expensive to purchase and operate.
In transferring samples from one storage location to another and transferring individual samples between containers, there is generally no tracking of sample temperatures. Handwritten notes or printed barcodes, and more recently RFID tags may be used for sample identification but there is no recordal of location nor temperature data. Accordingly, technicians are generally unaware of the temperature of the samples, usually assuming the temperature is that of the dry ice or the temperature indicated by a single thermocouple attached to the cryocart. This is despite the criticality of the temperature control and the significant potential for thawing and cellular damage.
It would be desirable to provide a device that enables a biological sample to be transferred between temperature-controlled environments in a safe manner, where the temperature change is minimised, where the temperature is tracked with identity to ensure the sample does not rise above the critical temperature, and which ameliorates and/or overcomes one or more problems or inconveniences of the prior art.

Monitoring apparatus for temperature-controlled sample collection and transport


The portable electronic apparatus has a box-like casing having a peripheral wall, and a pack receptacle defined within the casing. The pack receptacle has an opening portion opened in the peripheral wall. A packaged functional component is stored in the pack receptacle, such that the functional component can be detached therefrom through the opening portion. The pack receptacle of the casing is provided with a locking member for holding the functional component. The locking member is movable by manual operation between a locked position where the locking member is hooked on the functional component and a lock-released position where the locking member leaves the functional component. The pack receptacle is provided with a spring for energizing the functional component in the direction in which the functional component is pushed out through the opening portion. The opening portion of the casing and the locking member are covered with a detachable cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable electronic apparatus such as a portable computer of book-type, and particularly, to a structure for allowing a battery pack or a CD-ROM drive device to be detachably contained in a casing of the electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various portable computers have been provided which are easy to bring about and attain high functional performance. This kind of computers have a box-like casing with a keyboard. The casing internally contains various functional components such as a hard-disc drive device, a floppy disc drive device, and the likes.
This kind of computer comprises a battery pack which functions as a drive power source so that the it can be used where a commercial alternating current power source is not available. THe battery pack is detachably supported in the casing of the computer. This battery pack is detached from the casing at a relatively high frequency, in comparison with the functional components such as the hard-disc drive device and the floppy disc drive device. In this respect, there has been a know computer in which a battery receptacle for containing the battery pack is formed at a bottom portion of the casing. This battery receptacle is open in the bottom wall of the casing or in front and side walls continuously extending from the bottom wall, so that the battery pack can easily be attached there to or detached therefrom, without disassembling the casing.
However, in a computer whose battery receptacle is open in the bottom wall of the casing, a heavy and large battery pack is installed and pulled out through the bottom side of the casing. Therefore, when the battery pack is installed into and extracted from the battery receptacle, the battery pack cannot be supported by the casing, and may unintentionally fall therefrom. Then, the battery pack falls down on the ground or floor, causing such an impact which damages the battery pack.
As a manner of solving this problem, it has been considered that the casing is place up side down to make the bottom wall of the casing face upwardly, when the battery pack is pulled out of the battery receptacle. In this manner, since the battery receptacle is open upwardly, the heavy battery pack can be supported from the lower side by the casing, and the heavy battery pack can be prevented from falling unintentionally.
However, in this manner, when the battery pack is pulled out of the battery receptacle, it is necessary for a user to carry out a troublesome service that a user must hook his or her finger on the heavy battery pack and pull up the pack. Thus, detachment of the battery pack causes a difficulty.
On the other hand, down-sizing of the casing has been promoted with respect to a computer in recent days, in order to improve its portability. Therefore, a number of functional components including the battery pack, the hard-disc drive device, the floppy disc drive device, and the likes are arranged in the casing at a high density. These functional components are each packaged in modules each having a specialized function. Further, these functional components are detachably supported in the casing, so that they can be respectively replaced with components of higher abilities.
However, in several kinds of computers, a plurality of functional components must be layered on each other in the thickness direction, in view of the internal space of the casing. If the functional components are thus layered on each other, a plurality of opening portions for inserting and exerting the functional components must be formed in the bottom and side walls of the casing, and therefore, the shape of the casing is complicated. In addition, covers are required for respectively covering the opening portions of the casing, and the components of the casing are increased in number by the covers thus added. Therefore, manufacturing costs are increased, and as a result, the price of the computer is increased.

Portable electronic apparatus having a battery pack receptacle


An inkjet recording apparatus includes a belt transporting apparatus, a nip roller nipping a recording medium in cooperation with an outer peripheral face of a transport belt at a predetermined position, a nip-roller moving mechanism, an inkjet head, an applying unit which applies cleaning fluid to the outer peripheral face, a blade which is in contact with the outer peripheral face on a downstream side of a position where the cleaning fluid is applied to the outer peripheral face to scrape off the cleaning fluid and ink that adhere to the outer peripheral face, a travel controlling unit which controls the transport belt driving unit to cause the transport belt to travel, and a nip-roller movement controlling unit which causes the nip roller to be contacted with the outer peripheral face after an initial contact place passes the predetermined position.

There is an inkjet recording apparatus in which ink droplets are ejected from an inkjet head to print a desired image on a print sheet that is a recording medium. The print sheet is placed on a transport belt and transported while being pressed against the transport belt by a nip roller. In the inkjet recording apparatus, inks splashing in the printing process sometimes adhere to the transport belt. When inks adhere to the transport belt, the print sheet is easily smeared. Therefore, a technique is known in which an absorbing member absorbing cleaning fluid is in contact with a driven transport belt, thereby causing the cleaning fluid to adhere to the transport belt, and the cleaning fluid adhering to the transport belt is wiped out together with the cleaning fluid by a rubber blade or the like, whereby inks adhering to the transport belt are removed away together with the cleaning fluid (for example, see JP-A-2004-196505).


In a thermal flow sensor comprising a cylindrical housing, a straight-pipe-shaped detecting tube, and a heat-sensitive resistor provided in the detecting tube, the housing has a net at its one end opening through which fluid to be measured flows therein, and no net is provided at the other end opening. Instead, an insertion preventing member is provided downstream of the heat-sensitive resistor and inside the detecting tube to prevent the insertion of an unwanted object such as the finger into the detecting tube.

This invention relates to a thermal flow sensor for detecting a flow rate with a heat-sensitive resistor.
A type of flow sensor in which flow rate is detected from the thermal balance condition of a bridge including a heat-sensitive resistor, has been disclosed, for instance, by Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No's 144216/1988 and 128125/1989 (the term "OPI" as used herein means an "unexamined published application"). In the flow sensor, in order to provide an excellent response characteristic, the heat-sensitive resistor is made of a metal wire or film which is considerably thin. Hence, it may be broken when a great force is externally applied to it, for instance, with a finger. In order to overcome this difficulty, nets are provided at both upstream and downstream of the flow sensor.
The conventional flow sensor is as shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 designates the flow sensor; 2, a cylindrical housing through which fluid flows in the direction of the arrow A; 3 and 4, nets provided at both end openings of the housing 2 (hereinafter referred to as "an upstream end opening 3" and "a downstream end opening 4", respectively, when applicable); 5, a straight-pipe shaped detecting tube provided inside the housing; 6, a temperature sensor arranged inside the detecting tube 5, for detecting the temperature of fluid; 7, a heat-sensitive resistor set in the detecting tube 5 substantially at the middle; and 8, a control section incorporating a control circuit which includes a bridge circuit made up of the temperature sensor 6, the heat-sensitive resistor 7 and two resistors (not shown).
In the flow sensor thus constructed, the nets 3 and 4 are provided upstream and downstream of the heat-sensitive resistor 7 (hereinafter referred to as "an upstream net 3" and "a downstream net 4", respectively, when applicable) as was described above, and therefore, the heat sensitive resistor 7 cannot be touched directly from outside. Hence, this flow sensor is advantageous in that the heat-sensitive resistor 7 is scarcely damaged by external force. However, the flow sensor is disadvantageous in the following manner: Each of the nets 3 and 4 resists the flow of fluid, thus providing a pressure loss. Since the flow sensor has two nets 3 and 4, the loss of pressure is doubled, and therefore, it cannot be disregarded. One of the objects of the upstream net 3 is to regulate the flow of fluid. Therefore, the upstream net 3 may be beneficial although it causes a loss of pressure. On the other hand, the downstream net 4 is not so useful in regulating the flow of fluid, and is not very economical.


A method for the start-up of a process for the epoxidation of an olefin, which method comprises    contacting a catalyst bed comprising a silver-based highly selective epoxidation catalyst, or a precursor of the catalyst comprising the silver in cationic form, with a feed comprising oxygen at a temperature of the catalyst bed above 260° C. for a period of at most 150 hours, and    subsequently decreasing the temperature of the catalyst bed to a value of at most 260° C., and a process for the epoxidation of an olefin, which process, comprises    contacting a catalyst bed comprising a silver-based highly selective epoxidation catalyst, or a precursor of the catalyst comprising the silver in cationic form, with a feed comprising oxygen at a temperature of the catalyst bed above 260° C. for a period of at most 150 hours, and    subsequently decreasing the-temperature of the catalyst bed to a value of at most 260° C. and contacting the catalyst with the feed comprising the olefin and oxygen.

The catalytic epoxidation of olefins over silver-based catalysts, yielding the corresponding olefin oxide, has been known for a long time. Conventional silver-based catalysts have provided the olefin oxides with notoriously low selectivity. For example, when using conventional catalysts in the epoxidation of ethylene, the selectivity towards ethylene oxide, expressed as a fraction of the ethylene converted, does not reach values above the 6/7 or 85.7 mole-% limit. Therefore, this limit has long been considered to be the theoretically maximal selectivity of this reaction, based on the stoichiometry of the reaction equation7C2H4+6O2=>6C2H4O+2CO2+2H2O,cf. Kirk-Othmer's Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 3rd ed., Vol. 9, 1980, p. 445.
The selectivity determines to a large extent the economical attractiveness of an epoxidation process. For example, one percent improvement in the selectivity of the epoxidation process can reduce the yearly operating costs of a large scale ethylene oxide plant substantially.
The olefin oxide produced by the epoxidation process may be reacted with water, an alcohol or an amine to form a 1,2-diol, a 1,2-diol ether or an alkanolamine. Thus, 1,2-diols, 1,2-diol ethers and alkanolamines may be produced in a multi-step process comprising olefin epoxidation and converting the formed olefin oxide with water, an alcohol or an amine. Any improvement in the selectivity of the epoxidation process can also reduce the yearly operating costs in the overall process for the production of a 1,2-diol, a 1,2-diol ether or an alkanolamine.
Modern silver-based epoxidation catalysts are highly selective towards olefin oxide production. When using the modern catalysts in the epoxidation of ethylene the selectivity towards ethylene oxide can reach values above the 6/7 or 85.7 mole-% limit referred-to. Such highly selective catalysts comprise, in addition to silver, a selectivity enhancing dopant which may be selected from rhenium, molybdenum, tungsten and nitrate- or nitrite-forming compounds, cf. for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,394 and U.S. Pat No. 4,766,105.
A reaction modifier, for example an organic halide, may be added to the feed to an epoxidation process for increasing the selectivity (cf. for example EP-A-352850, U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,394 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,105, which are herein incorporated by reference). The reaction modifier suppresses the undesirable oxidation of olefin or olefin oxide to carbon dioxide and water, relative to the desired formation of olefin oxide, by a so-far unexplained mechanism. EP-A-352850 teaches that there is an optimum in the selectivity as a function of the concentration of organic halide in the feed, at a constant oxygen conversion level and given set of reaction conditions.
During the initial phase of an epoxidation process, the catalyst experiences the so-called "break-through phase" during which the oxygen conversion is very high, the selectivity is very low, even in the presence of a reaction modifier, and the epoxidation process is difficult to control. It might take a long time in the start-up of a commercial epoxidation process for the conversion to drop so that the reaction can more easily be controlled at an attractive level of the selectivity. It goes without saying that there is an economical incentive to shorten the start-up period and make the catalyst operate at a high selectivity with a minimum delay.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,242 relates to the start-up of an epoxidation process wherein a conventional catalyst is employed. In this patent document there is disclosed an improved start-up procedure wherein the conventional catalyst is subjected to a pre-soak period in the presence of the organic halide at a temperature less than the operating temperature of the reactor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,879 relates to the start-up of an epoxidation process wherein a highly selective catalyst is employed. In this patent document there is disclosed an improved start-up procedure wherein the highly selective catalyst is subjected to a pre-soak period in the presence of the organic halide at a temperature less than the operating temperature of the reactor. This procedure may alleviate to some extent the problems associated with the duration of the start-up. However, it has been experienced that, still, it takes several days for the catalyst to pass through the break-through phase. This results in considerable losses of olefin oxide production, as described hereinbefore.
WO-95/05896 proposes a silver-based catalyst which comprises, as a further component, a selected quantity of chloride. Such catalysts have improved start-up characteristics over catalysts which do not comprise chloride.

Method for the start-up of an epoxidation process and a process for the epoxidation of an olefin


A laryngeal mask has an inflatable ring configured, upon inflation, to establish a peripheral seal around a patient's laryngeal inlet. Installation (insertion) is made in the fully deflated state, wherein the structural relation between the body of the mask and the inflatable ring is such that deflated ring surfaces become tightly opposed to each other so as to form a thin flange which peripherally surrounds the body of the mask and is concave on the posterior side of the mask; the concave flange effectively displaces all ring material away from the aperture of the mask, in the manner of the upturned brim of a hat. The concave flange is softly yieldable in its confinement by local body structures encountered in the course of mask insertion. And it is an important feature that the distal end of the deflated ring is adapted not only to smoothly ride posterior contours of the throat and pharynx but also to gently cam the epiglottis out of the path of insertial displacement of the mask while also assuring that the distal end of the deflated mask smoothly enters the upper sphinctral region of the oesophagus. Once thus insertionally located, ring inflation will assuredly establish the desired peripheral seal of the mask around the laryngeal inlet.

The invention relates to laryngeal masks, illustratively of varieties disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,509,514 and 4,995,388, and in U.K. Patent No. 2,205,499. Such masks are artificial airway devices to facilitate lung ventilation in an unconscious patient. More specifically, the invention pertains to such a device designed for placement in the pharynx of the patient in order to prevent airway obstruction and to permit either spontaneous or controlled ventilation.
U.K. Patent No. 2,205,499 describes a flexible web closing the rear of the lumen of the mask and providing a pocket having a transverse slit opening toward the aperture of the airway tube, for receiving the end of a substantially rigid introducing tool. This pocket is effective when used with the introducing tool; however, it may act as a dirt-trap since secretions or blood may lodge in the pocket and thereby escape sterilization. The introducing tool may be required to elevate the epiglottis after inserting the mask, since insertion may push the epiglottis into a down-folded position, causing partial airway obstruction.

Sandford House, Sancourt Gardens, Longcross Road


Detecting for anomalous utility usage, including: determining with respect to the subject set of utility usage data a portion that is not associated with a predetermined set of significant components; determining that the portion that is not associated with the predetermined set of significant components exceeds a prescribed threshold; and concluding, based at least in part on the determination that the portion that is not associated with the predetermined set of significant components exceeds the prescribed threshold, that the subject set of utility usage data is anomalous.

Utility usage may be monitored using devices such as meters. For example, different meters may be configured to detect usages of different types of utilities such as electricity, water, and gas. While homeowners and business proprietors may occasionally check on the readings on their utility usage meters, one may not be able to readily discern whether utility usage at any point in time is unusual and potentially indicative of unauthorized use such as theft by a third party.


An improved ferrule spacer for use with high density fuel rod arrays within boiling water reactor fuel bundles is disclosed. Ferrules are constructed in mating ferrule pairs. Each ferrule is divided into upper and lower ferrule halves. One ferrule half has sides thereof with the walls removed. The other ferrule half has its in place. The ferrule pairs are confronted with one ferrule inverted with respect to the other and with each complete ferrule wall of one ferrule half being juxtaposed to a ferrule half at a missing wall. Preferably, and at the point of tangency between the ferrule pairs, an aperture for receiving and confining an "H" type double loop spring is defined. The disclosure includes ferrules having a circular surround for the fuel rods and ferrules having an octagon sectioned surround for the fuel rods. Each member of the ferrule pair is symmetrical and completely interchangeable to provide for both convenient assembly and a small inventory of assembly parts.

Boiling water nuclear reactors are known. In such reactors, fuel bundles contain the fuel which undergoes the nuclear reaction. Typically, such fuel bundles include a supporting lower tie plate for holding an array of vertically upstanding fuel rods and permitting the entry of water moderator. A channel extends from the bottom tie plate around the fuel rods to an upper tie plate at the top of the fuel bundle. This upper tie plate permits the exit of both water and generated steam.
Interior of the fuel bundle channel and around each of the fuel rods at selected elevations, so-called fuel rod spacers are utilized. It is the function of these fuel rod spacers to prevent the fuel rods from coming into abrading contact one with another under the fluid flow dynamic forces of steam generation as well as to maintain the designed nuclear spacing of the fuel rods for maximum nuclear efficiency. Accordingly, it is standard practice to include between 5 to 9 fuel rod spacers--and usually 7 fuel rod spacers at usually equal vertical intervals within each fuel bundle.
Operation of the fuel bundles can be simply described. Water moderator enters the fuel bundle at the lower tie plate where the water assists the nuclear reaction in two ways. First, the reaction produces fast neutrons which must be moderated or slowed down to their thermal state where their velocity corresponds to their thermal energy due to the moderator thermal energy for continuing the reaction. Secondly, the water coolant permits the fuel bundles to generate steam from which the power generated by the reactor can be extracted. Initially, and in the lower portion of the fuel bundle, water enters--with no steam being present. As the moderator rises up through the fuel bundle, increasing amounts of steam are generated. These increasing amounts of steam cause the upper portion of the fuel bundle to be known as the upper two phase region--these two phases being water and steam. Finally, the water and generated steam exit the upper tie plate of the fuel bundle.
When boiling water reactors having fuel bundles were originally introduced, the fuel channel size was fixed with the design of the original reactor vessel. Hence, most fuel bundles for most boiling water reactors have a length dimension in the order of 160 inches and a square cross section which is approximately 51/4.times.51/4 fitting snugly in a confining channel.
Within the constraining dimensions of the fuel bundles, there has been a tendency to change fuel bundle design. Such change has included the density of the fuel rods within the bundle array utilized within the fuel bundle as well as the types of fuel rod spacers utilized. Some explanation of the reason behind the design changes is instructive.
Originally, fuel rods--long sealed tubes of Zircaloy cladding surrounding fuel pellets within an inert compressed gas bath--were in arrays of 7 by 7 within the fixed 51/4 inch by 51/4 inch fuel channel cross section. Among other factors, such fuel bundles were constrained by their maximum linear heat generation rate. Maximum linear heat generation rate is the maximum amount of power per unit length that any fuel rod can safely output anywhere within the fuel bundle. Where this maximum linear heat generation rate is exceeded, the sealed integrity of the fuel bundle can be threatened at least along the length of the fuel rod where the maximum linear heat generation rate has been exceeded. This threat is due to excessive strain which can lead to degradation of the metallurgical qualities of the containing and sealed fuel rod cladding.
Maximum linear heat generation rate limitations caused fuel designs to utilize relatively denser arrays of fuel rods which have greater total linear feet of rod length in a bundle. These dense arrays have included 8 by 8 arrays, 9 by 9 arrays and even higher density arrays such as 10 by 10. These higher density arrays accommodate fuel rods of smaller diameter which more rapidly transfer their heat to the surrounding coolant. Such smaller diameter less massive fuel rods have the fortunate effect having a maximum linear heat generation rate which can be tolerated within the fuel rods. Thus the modern tendency is to include in fuel bundle designs, fuel rod arrays having higher densities.
At the same time, so-called critical power is also a limitation on fuel bundle design. This limitation is related to the phenomena known as "boiling transition." Simply summarized, in the upper two phase region of a fuel bundle, water typically forms a coating over the surface of the fuel rods. Steam is generated from the surface of this film of liquid. Through a complex process--which process is not entirely understood--this film of water maintains itself covering the exterior cladding of the fuel rods--provided that the so-called critical power limitation of the fuel rods is not exceeded.
When the critical power limitation of the fuel rod is exceeded, the fuel rod no longer has a continuous coating of liquid over its surface. Instead--and through the process known as "transition boiling"--local interruptions of the water coating occur. As a consequence, the local temperature of the fuel rod cladding rises at the point of transition boiling. The integrity of the fuel rod is locally threatened due to possible metallurgical break down of the cladding wall at the point of transition boiling.
It has been found that so-called ferrule spacers can have a beneficial effect on critical power. To understand this beneficial effect--and its limitations on high density arrays of fuel rods, both the construction and the effect of such ferrule spacers should be summarized.
Regarding the construction of ferrule spacers, each fuel rod at the elevation of the spacer is surrounded by a cylinder of metal--usually an alloy known as Zircaloy having a relatively small cross section for the absorption of neutrons. Each ferrule defines a plurality of stops against which the fuel contained fuel rod can be spring biased to maintain the designed spacing of the fuel rods. Springs to effect the spring bias of the fuel rods are usually mounted within the ferrules. Thus the spacers not only prevent the side-to-side abrading contact of the fuel rods but serve to maintain the fuel rods in their designed spaced apart relation for maximum nuclear and thermal efficiency.
The effect of such ferrule spacers on the critical power of such fuel rods can be set forth. Specifically, and after the steam/water mixture in the upper two phase region of the fuel bundle has passed through a ferrule of a ferrule spacer, the water coating on the outside of the fuel rod tends to be restored. By controlling the vertical spacing interval either between the first and second spacers from the top of the fuel bundle--or the second and third spacers from the top of the fuel bundle, ferrule spacers can improve the critical power limitation in nuclear fuel bundles.
Unfortunately, utilizing ferrule spacers in high density fuel rod arrays is not without problems. Specifically, and where for example a 9 by 9 array of fuel rods is utilized, each of the fuel rods must be surrounded by its own discrete ferrule. Thus, across the relatively narrow 51/4 inch by 51/4 inch section of a fuel bundle containing an array of 9 by 9 fuel rods, no less than 18 ferrule walls must be disposed along with each of the 9 fuel rods and sufficient clearance for the passage of water being generated into steam between the fuel rods and the ferrules. In other words, where the number of fuel rods extending across a fuel bundle goes up, so does the number of ferrule walls required for maintaining a ferrule rod spacer.
As the number of required ferrule walls increases together with the number of fuel rods to be surrounded, and the available cross sectional dimension (about 51/4 inches by about 51/4 inches) remains unchanged, the clearance between the fuel rods and ferrules shrinks. Gradually, this clearance approaches that point where the gap between the ferrules and the fuel rods become so narrow that this gap becomes a likely candidate for the buildup of resident debris within the reactor as well as a likely location for corrosion.
An additional problem arises because of the close packing of fuel rods and ferrules in high density arrays; the ferrules occupy a greater fraction of the fuel bundle cross section, and cause a greater pressure drop as the coolant passes through the spacer.
Therefore, the use of ferrule spacers in high density arrays has been limited.
The invention disclosed herein addresses the two problems described above; namely the small gap between the fuel rod and ferrule, and the increased pressure drop which occurs in high density fuel rod arrays.


A control system is provided for an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle in which a potentiometer (11) responsive to the position of an accelerator pedal (12) provides a desired position signal to a comparator (15) controlling actuating signals to a servo motor (17) actuating a butterfly valve (18) and a second potentiometer (20) responsive to the position of the butterfly valve (18) provides a feedback signal to the comparator (15). The control system includes a safety device (24) controlling the fuel supply and/or ignition system, a third potentiometer (25) responsive to the position of the accelerator pedal (12), a fourth potentiometer (29) responsive to the position of the butterfly valve (18), and two threshold value switches (TS1,TS2) responsive respectively to the signals from the third and fourth potentiometers (25, 29) and providing output signals when such signals are respectively at or above a first predetermined voltage (V.sub.1), and below a second predetermined voltage (V.sub.2). The safety device (24) becomes operative in the absence of output signals from both the threshold value switches (TS1, TS2).

The present invention is more particularly concerned with a sensor system for providing a signal characterising the position of a vehicle driver operated command member and/or of a control member in a control system for an internal combustion engine.
In the control of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle, it is necessary to actuate a regulating member in the form of a butterfly valve in the intake manifold system of the engine in response to driver actuation of the accelerator pedal. Originally a mechanical linkage was used for this purpose and later a Bowden cable was preferred. Recently, advances in electronic control systems have led to the provision of a servo system for the regulating member and the first sensor responsive to the position of the accelerator pedal is in the form of a potentiometer and provides a control signal indicative of a desired position. A second sensor responsive to the actual position of the regulating member is also in the form of a potentiometer and provides a feedback signal indicative of the actual position of the regulating member. These signals are passed to a comparator which controls actuating signals to a servo motor which actuates the regulating member.
The absence of a direct mechanical connection between the accelerator pedal and the regulating member has led to the need of some form of safety device for preventing "runaway", that is, excessive engine speed such as could be caused by substantial disconformity between the actual position of the regulating member and the desired position as determined by the accelerator pedal; thus, disconformity could arise if the regulating member were in a wide open position when the accelerator pedal were in an engine idling position. For this purpose, switch contacts have been provided on the accelerator pedal and on the regulating member for controlling an engine speed reduction device. The switch contacts associated with the accelerator pedal are normally open and are closed after the pedal has been actuated a predetermined extent, while the switch contacts associated with the regulating member are normally closed and are opened when the regulating member has been moved a predetermined extent from its engine idling position. Both the switch contacts are connected in parallel to control the engine speed reduction device which is not normally operated and which when released effectively stops the engine, for example, by discontinuing the fuel supply or the ignition system. One system operating in this manner is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,359.
During normal engine running, the engine speed reduction device is operated. When the accelerator pedal is released and the regulating member is in the engine idling position, the circuit to the device is through the switch contacts associated with the regulating member, whereas when the accelerator pedal is depressed more than a predetermined extent, the switch contacts associated with the accelerator pedal close and provide a circuit for the device. As the regulating member is moved away from its engine idling position, at a predetermined point in its travel, the switch contacts associated with the regulating member are opened so that the circuit to the device is only through the switch contacts associated with the accelerator pedal. Ideally, one of the switch contacts would close as the other opens, but there is no guarantee that the regulating member will move in synchronism with the accelerator pedal and allowance has to be made for some time delay. Additionally, setting of the switch contacts to be actuated at precisely corresponding positions of the regulating member and accelerator pedal presents great difficulties and so, as a compromise, an overlap of closure of the switch contacts has to be arranged. A further disadvantage is that in the event of failure of the potentiometer associated with the accelerator pedal only a very restricted form of control based on the switch contacts associated therewith is possible and this control is virtually only two stage.

Control system for an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle


A method for managing commands in a command queue, a memory controller, and a memory storage apparatus are provided. The method includes: storing at least one first command in a command queue register according to a plurality of first indication bits and updating the first indication bits according to a current storage status of the command queue register; generating a plurality of updated second indication bits according to the updated first indication bits and a plurality of second indication bits. The method also includes: obtaining at least one first command index corresponding to at least one register block storing the at least one first command in the command queue register according to the updated second indication bits and adding the at least one first command index into a command index register; executing commands corresponding to un-executed command indices in the command queue register.

1. Technology Field
The present invention relates to a method for managing commands in a command queue, a memory control circuit unit using the method, and a memory storage apparatus using the method.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, data and/or commands are often transmitted between a universal serial bus (USB) mass storage device and a computer host according to a bulk only transport (BOT) protocol. Under the BOT protocol, the USB mass storage device can transmit one command to or receive one command from the computer host at a time, and the next command may be transmitted or received only after the previous command is completely executed.
The BOT protocol, however, is practically rigid, and the requirements for data processing efficiency and file transmission performance of the USB mass storage device have been increasing. In response thereto, a USB attached small computer system interface (SCSI) protocol has been proposed to address the issues (e.g., low data transmission efficiency) of the conventional BOT protocol.
Notwithstanding the introduction of the USB attached SCSI protocol, there lacks any effective mechanism of integrating the advantages of the USB attached SCSI protocol into the systems and structures of the existing storage media.
Nothing herein should be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art of any portion of the invention. Furthermore, citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the invention, or that any reference forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Method for managing commands in command queue, memory control circuit unit and memory storage apparatus


An apparatus that provides controlled volumetric delivery of particulate material, particularly for delivery of a particulate sample for analysis. The apparatus includes a sample receiving tubular member that is vibrated or rotated relative to the sample container to agitate and fluidize a surface portion of the sample placed in an elongated container. A transporting gas carries the fluidized sample from the container through the tubular member. Sample delivery rate is controlled by a traversing mechanism that gradually inserts the moving tubular member into the upper fluidized portion of the sample. The apparatus allows total delivery of a known mass of a particulate sample at a predetermined delivery rate.

With the advent of high temperature excitation sources for analysis by optical atomic emission spectrometric methods, for example, Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES), there has been a growing interest in the direct analysis of solids. This approach would bypass the tedious, time consuming and error-prone sample dissolution step involved in conventional analytical systems. However, the development of a practical method to introduce solids in a manner suitable for analytical purposes has been impeded by several major technological problems. The sample must be introduced uniformly so that the variations of the plasma characteristics are minimal. It is desirable to have a uniform sample delivery to satisfy the requirements of data acquisition techniques incorporated with most of the commercially available spectrometers. A controlled delivery of the sample is important to avoid overloading of the atomization source. It would be desirable to introduce a known amount of material within a desired time period. For a representative analysis the system should be able to introduce particles of a wide range of sizes and matrices without segregation according to size or density. Also, most systems require that the sample be transported in an inert gas.
There are several possible approaches to analyze solid materials without acid digestion, dissolution or other chemical processing to yield a liquid sample. Methods based on solid/liquid slurry nebulization, electrothermal vaporization, laser ablation, direct sample insertion have been proposed for analysis of solids. Methods based on the introduction of powders by the formation of a fluidized beds and aerosols has also been proposed to meet some of the analytical requirements.
A limitation of most of the systems previously described is that the analytical signals resulting from the introduction of the solid sample is transient; the mass of solid and the time duration of sample delivery is poorly controlled, or not controlled at all (e.g. laser ablation).
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,039 the present inventors have disclosed a method to generate a substantially uniform flow of particles by making use of a combination of mechanical agitation of the container and a flow of a gas for the generation of a fluidized bed.
However, none of the present systems provide all the features desired for solid sample delivery. Specifically, it would be desirable to be able to deliver a known mass of material within a known period of time, and to provide a constant feeding rate from the beginning to end of the sampling period. Furthermore, it would be desirable to be able to provide controlled delivery by electronic means under computer control to obtain a predetermined particulate material delivery rate, predetermined sampling intervals, etc.

Apparatus for controlled delivery of particulate material

Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Energy Mines and Resources


An axial-gap motor/generator that has a stator equipped with a plurality of polyphase coils from which are led output lead wires, wherein wire connectors 16 for each of coil 12 are divided and arranged on the front side and rear side of the side surface of stator 10.

Conventional technology for an axial-gap motor/generator comprising a stator with a polyphase coil consisting of 6 phases, for example, is known. Such an axial-gap motor/generator has one group of 3 output lead wires X1, Y1 and Z1 that lead from the wire connection structure for the three-phase coil on one side and another group of 3 output lead wires U1, V1 and W1 that lead from the three-phase coil on the other side, and the output lead wires from these two groups are led from only one side of the stator.


A housing structure is assembled from panels having interlocking connectors, each connector having a tongue and a groove, a central recess, and end flanges, the connectors being attached to posts of adjacent panels with the tongue of one connector interlocking within the groove of another connector, the tongues and grooves snapping together when fully inserted to lock the panels against separation. A connector of the above description for use in a panel for a housing structure.

Housing structures that are modular in construction and made from interconnected premanufactured parts designed to be easily and quickly assembled are known. See, for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,090,339, 4,443,988, and 4,012,871. While these prior art housing structures have attempted to be easily constructed, they all require special fasteners to hold the panels together and thus take more time than is desirable for their assembly at the construction site into the housing structure.

Easily-assembled housing structure and connectors thereof


The present disclosure relates to a substrate comprising nanomaterials for treatment of gases, washcoats for use in preparing such a substrate, and methods of preparation of the nanomaterials and the substrate comprising the nanomaterials. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a substrate comprising nanomaterial for three-way catalytic converters for treatment of exhaust gases.

Car exhaust often contains environmentally and biologically harmful compositions, including hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide. Some of these compositions come from incomplete combustion of gasoline or other fuels. These compositions are often formed in the high temperature environment of the engines.
Catalytic converters are used to convert these environmentally and biologically harmful compositions into less or non-environmentally harmful compositions, such as carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen, and oxygen. A catalytic converter typically includes a catalytic converter core that is coated with a catalyst-containing washcoat. The core of the catalytic converter normally includes a grid array structure that provides a large surface area to support the catalysts. The washcoats generally contain silica and alumina, which provide an even larger surface area for active precious metal catalysts. The active precious metal catalysts often include platinum, palladium, and rhodium. Other metals that are also catalytically active can also be used as catalysts, such as cerium, iron, manganese, and nickel.
Two types of catalytic converters are generally available, two-way and three-way catalytic converters. The three-way catalytic converter is widely used on gasoline engines to reduce the emission of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides. With the assistance of the active catalysts, the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are oxidized and converted into carbon dioxide, and the nitrogen oxides are reduced and converted into nitrogen, as shown below in the below Equations.2CO+O2→2CO2 CxH2x+2+[(3x+1)/2]O2→xCO2+(x+1)H2O2NO+2CO→2CO2+N2 CxH2x+2+NO→xCO2+H2O+N2
Traditionally, the three-way catalytic converters are prepared by separately mixing oxidative precious metals, such as platinum or palladium, with aluminum oxide, water, and other components to make a slurry in one container and mixing reductive precious metal, such as rhodium, with cerium zirconium oxide, water, and other components to make a second slurry in a second container. The slurries are normally referred to as oxidative and reductive washcoats. A ceramic monolith, which can be cylindrically shaped, having a grid array structure is dipped into one of the washcoats to form a first catalytic layer on the ceramic monolith. After drying and calcining, the ceramic monolith is dipped into another washcoat to form a second layer on the ceramic monolith. The ceramic monolith including the two washcoat layers is fitted into a shell of a catalytic converter, which connects to the engine for treating exhaust gas.
Catalytic converters made by traditional methods suffer from problems. One big problem is that traditional catalysts age over time, due to the exposure to the high temperature exhaust gases. During normal operation, the temperature within a typical gasoline engine catalytic converter can 1,000 degrees ° F., or in some instances even higher. These high temperatures give the precious metal nano-particles in the washcoat layer increased mobility—which results in these particles moving more quickly through the washcoat layers. When the precious metal nano-particles encounter one another as they move through the washcoat layer, they can sinter or coalesce into larger metal particles in a phenomenon known as "aging." This aging phenomenon results in the loss of available reactive surfaces of the precious metals. Accordingly, through aging catalytic converters become less effective, the light-off temperature starts to rise, and emissions levels start to rise.
The aging phenomenon is even more of an issue in gasoline engines that use three ways catalytic converters than in diesel engines that can use two-way catalytic converters. This is because the exhaust temperature of a gasoline exhaust is higher than the temperature of a diesel exhaust. In addition, the three-way catalytic converter has to deal with both the aging of the oxidation and the reduction catalysts. To counteract these aging effects, catalytic converter manufacturers can increase the amount of precious metal particles initially present in the catalytic converter. However, increasing the amount of precious metal in the converter is both expensive and wasteful.
Accordingly, better materials and methods to prepare the three-way active catalytic materials are needed.

Three-way catalytic converter using nanoparticles


A control system for an engine includes first and second modules. The first module estimates a total amount of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in the engine, wherein the total amount of EGR includes (i) EGR within cylinders of the engine and (ii) EGR flowing through an EGR system of the engine. The second module selectively controls an overlap of intake and exhaust valve timing in the engine based on (i) a position of an EGR valve in the EGR system and (ii) a comparison of the estimated total amount of EGR in the engine and an EGR threshold.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Internal combustion engines draw air into an intake manifold through an induction system that may be regulated by a throttle. The air is distributed to a plurality of cylinders and combined with fuel to create an air/fuel (A/F) mixture. The A/F mixture is combusted within the cylinders to drive pistons that rotatably turn a crankshaft and generate drive torque. Exhaust gas resulting from combustion is expelled from the cylinders into an exhaust manifold. The exhaust gas may be treated by an exhaust treatment system before being released into the atmosphere. The exhaust gas may also be recirculated (also known as exhaust gas recirculation, or EGR) and combusted during future engine cycles.

System and method for controlling exhaust gas recirculation


A composition and process of preparation of emulsifier agents based on an alkylpolyglycoside structure with a length of alkyl chain having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms to be used. The resulting emulsions exhibit an excellent dispersion of the fillers and/or pigments without it being necessary to add coemulsifier or dispersant. The emulsifier makes it possible, by itself alone, to prevent the reagglomeration of the fillers and/or pigments.

1. Field of the Invention
A subject-matter of the present invention is the use of specific alkylpolyglycosides as emulsifying agents for the preparation of oil-in-water emulsions comprising inorganic fillers or pigments.
The invention finds application in particular in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical field.
2. Related Art
The formulation of fillers and pigments, in particular of inorganic fillers and pigments, in an emulsion is complex. This is because the presence of fillers or pigments introduces electrical charges into the emulsion which disrupt this emulsion. The latter is difficult to stabilize, often forcing the formulator to use a complex emulsifying system, one or more stabilizers for the aqueous phase, or a dispersing surfactant, to prevent reagglomeration of the fillers over time.
In the case of antisun emulsions, this reagglomeration of the fillers results in a low or unstable UV protecttion factor which decreases over time. In the case of makeup emulsions, reagglomeration of the fillers can also occur, resulting in poor homogeneity of the color in the emulsion itself or when it is applied to the skin. In both these cases, the reagglomeration of the fillers, if it is significant, detrimentally affects the texture of the emulsion, which, instead of appearing smooth and glossy, becomes dull and granular.
To overcome these difficulties, recourse is often had:                either to complex emulsifying systems, which are generally based on fatty chains with a length of 16 and 18 carbon atoms (saturated, unsaturated or branched);        or to complex manufacturing processes; for example, inorganic filters with a UV-inhibiting role are very often predispersed in the oil phase or in the water phase.
The problem to be solved thus consists in having available oil-in-water emulsions, comprising inorganic fillers or pigments, which are easy to prepare and which are stable over time, that is to say in which the pigments or fillers do not reagglomerate.
It has now been discovered unexpectedly, and this is the basis of the invention, that an emulsifier based on an alkylpolyglycoside structure with a length of alkyl chain having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms makes it possible to readily formulate oil-in-water (hereinafter "O/W") emulsions comprising inorganic fillers and/or pigments. This result is all the more surprising since short-chain surfactants are not supposed to exhibit good emulsifying properties. These emulsions exhibit an excellent dispersion of the fillers without it being necessary to add coemulsifier or dispersant and without it being useful either to apply specific manufacturing processes as described above. The dispersion obtained with the emulsifier according to the invention is furthermore stable over time, that is to say that, surprisingly, the emulsifier makes it possible, by itself alone, to prevent the reagglomeration of the fillers and/or pigments, including in fluid emulsions such as milks.

Use of alkylpolyglycosides as emulsifying agents for the preparation oil-in-water emulsions containing mineral pigments or fillers and the oil-in-water emulsions containing such alkylpolyglycosides

Societe d'Exploitation de Produits pour les Industries Chimiques SEPPIC


A transcritical vapor compression system includes a fluid circuit circulating a refrigerant in a closed loop. The fluid circuit has operably disposed therein, in serial order, a compressor, a first heat exchanger, at least one non-variable expansion device and a second heat exchanger. The compressor compresses the refrigerant from a low pressure to a supercritical pressure. The first heat exchanger is positioned in a high pressure side of the fluid circuit. The second heat exchanger is positioned in a low pressure side of the fluid circuit. The at least one non-variable expansion device reduces the pressure of the refrigerant from a supercritical pressure to a relatively lower pressure. A refrigerant storage vessel is in fluid communication with the fluid circuit and contains a variable mass of refrigerant whereby the capacity of the system may be controlled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vapor compression systems and, more particularly, to a transcritical multi-stage vapor compression system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vapor compression systems are used in a variety of applications including heat pump, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. Such systems typically employ working fluids, or refrigerants, that remain below their critical pressure throughout the entire vapor compression cycle. Some vapor compression systems, however, such as those employing carbon dioxide as the refrigerant, typically operate as transcritical systems wherein the refrigerant is compressed to a pressure exceeding its critical pressure and wherein the suction pressure of the refrigerant is less than the critical pressure of the refrigerant. The basic structure of such a system includes a compressor for compressing the refrigerant to a pressure that exceeds its critical pressure. Heat is then removed from the refrigerant in a first heat exchanger, e.g., a gas cooler. The pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the gas cooler is reduced in an expansion device and the low pressure refrigerant then enters a second heat exchanger, e.g., an evaporator, where it absorbs thermal energy before being returned, as a vapor, to the compressor.
The expansion devices employed in such systems are often variable expansion valves that can be adjusted to control the operation of the system. It is also known to combine such variably adjustable expansion valves with a flash tank and a two stage compressor whereby the variably adjustable expansion valves are disposed on the inlet and outlet side of the flash tank. The flash gas tank also includes an economizer line conveying refrigerant vapor from the tank to a point between the two stages of the compressor assembly. The variable expansion valves upstream and downstream of the flash gas tank can be used to regulate the quantity of refrigerant contained within the flash tank and thereby also regulate the pressure within the gas cooler.
One problem associated with use of such variable expansion valves is that they are expensive. Another problem is that they have moving parts and therefore are subject to mechanical failure.
An inexpensive and reliable apparatus for adjusting the efficiency and capacity of a transcritical multi-stage vapor compression system is desirable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Transcritical vapor compression system and method of operating including refrigerant storage tank and non-variable expansion device