Apparatus is provided for cleaning industrial apparel such as wire mesh safety gloves used in processing meats such as chickens. The apparatus employs a containment chamber within which a conveyor carries the gloves which are mounted upon substantially elevated glove mounts. Within the chamber, high pressure nozzles are rotated to express hot chlorinated water upon the gloves over a residence interval of about one minute. The apparatus employs parallel inputs of hot and cold water, the latter being chlorinated within a range of about 150 to 200 ppm. Cleanability is enhanced through the utilization of facilely removed light weight flat front and side doors and a pivoting forward deck assembly. Bacteria-promoting pockets and the like are minimized through the utilization of sanitary welds and O-ring mounted polymeric bearing blocks.

Poultry, beef, and fish processing is an extensive industry. Every year, for example, approximately four billion chickens are processed and sold in the United States alone. Unfortunately, mass production techniques make processing plants prime breeding grounds for food poisoning bacteria such as Salmonella and Escherichia. "According to the federal Food Safety & Inspection Service in Washington, D.C., about 37 percent of all chicken meat sold in the United States is infected with Salmonella. The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta estimates that Salmonella, which can cause severe stomach pains and even typhoid fever, kills about 1,000 people a year and causes another 35,000 to be hospitalized." "Microbiologist hatches test kit for salmonella", San Francisco Business Times, (Jul. 6, 1987) p. 13.
In the poultry industry, chickens are shipped to a processing plant where they are killed, defeathered, and eviscerated along rapidly moving disassembly lines. Assembly line workers commonly wear protective steal mesh gloves to guard against accidental injuries from knives which are used during product cut-up and evisceration. During processing, bacteria and other contaminants associated with the chickens inevitably are transmitted to these gloves. As a result, the U.S.D.A. has developed information concerning bacteria concentration levels for safe, sanitary assembly line operations. These bacteria levels are measured according to a bacteria plate count which signifies the number of bacterial colonies per square inch. It is currently understood that a bacteria plate count of one hunted or less is considered sterile and thus acceptable. The food processing industry has been attempting to develop an effective approach to mitigate bacterial dissemination and clean soiled gloves in a manner commensurate with such governmental standards.
In multi-shift plants, gloves typically are cleaned at the end of a given shift for subsequent use. If adequate cleaning has not occurred, process workers may start a shift with gloves that already have an unacceptable plate count. Thereafter, during the shift, every chicken, from the first one handled, may be infected with bacteria. As an example of the potential for bacterial dissemination, larger processing plants may run assembly lines at ninety chickens per minute with a chain of processing personnel, one person handling every third bird. By the end of a shift, a single processor may come in contact with hundreds of birds and have a glove contamination at a plate count level of half a million or more. Moreover, each bird may be handled by as many as ten different processors. As a result, cross contamination of bacteria among chickens inevitably occurs. The resultant need for clean gloves during processing is apparent.
In the poultry industry, there presently is no uniformly practiced method for adequately cleaning gloves to meet the governmental requirements. One method for cleaning is to use high pressure water from a spray wand. The gloves are placed on the plant floor, frequently already contaminated, secured under a foot, and manually sprayed with high pressure water to remove flesh and other particles. This method has proven less than effective in that spraying with high pressure water alone merely removes larger, visible contaminants. Micro-analysis testing reveals that the gloves still have a high bacteria plate count concentration, often in the hundred thousand range. If the gloves are used after spraying, the bacteria not washed out will continue to multiply exponentially with time, contaminating the production system. The wand cleaning method is additionally inefficient in that it requires several minutes to spray and clean each glove, which must be done one at a time. Preferably, glove cleaning should be carded out during a given shift, for example, during breaks as well as following it. Unfortunately, those breaks are of such a short duration as to preclude such desirable practices. Additionally, the number of gloves involved is substantial; larger plants employ four to five hundred gloves used in a single shift. Another cleaning approach involves soaking the gloves in a chemical sanitizing solution. This process, however, typically requires overnight treatment which makes it impractical for use with multi-shift plants requiring rapid cleaning, as for example during a five minute break or between shifts.
In another approach, a washer has been employed which operates much like a conventional, household dishwasher. Contaminated gloves are placed upright on open ended forks which slowly cycle through a washing chamber. Inside the chamber, the gloves are blasted by high pressure cold water jets. Designs heretofore offered to industry have been found to be unacceptable because of the difficulties of cleaning the machines themselves, the entanglement of the gloves within conveyor assemblies, limited plant water supplies, cross contamination of gloves during the cleaning process, unacceptable plate count levels, and the like.
Other washers combine soap and hot water cleaning cycles. These devices require a separate rinsing chamber and washing chamber which greatly adds to manufacturing and maintenance costs. Still other devices have used anhydrous ammonia as a sterilizing agent (400 ppm) which have experienced severe waste disposal problems.
Effective cleaning necessarily involves cleaning the glove tips. During processing, the finger tips are in frequent pressure contact with chicken parts and, as a result, are heavily contaminated with flesh and the like. A washer should be designed to remove the contaminants in these concentrated areas to produce a glove with a safe bacterial level.
An effective washer should not only lower plate count levels, but also be designed for effective periodic cleaning. In this regard, bacteria removed from the gloves during washing tends to accumulate and grow in the washing chamber. Crevices, nooks, protrusions, and any other non uniform surface act as pockets where bacteria may grow. As the gloves are being cleaned in the washing chamber, they are often exposed to contamination from such bacteria pockets, for example through splashing. Cross contamination between dirty gloves entering the chamber and clean ones leaving may also occur. As another design consideration, washers are periodically cleaned to remove bacteria, such as that accumulating in the pockets. Prior washers, have not been adequately designed for easy disassembly. Typically, extensive time and effort is required to access interior locations for cleaning or maintenance.

Apparatus for cleaning industrial safety apparel


The invention relates to a centering plate for rotatably mounting a yarn carrier tube in a take-up assembly of a textile yarn processing machine. The centering plate is of an improved construction for providing reliable automatic or manual securement of a yarn end during a threadup operation, and comprising a hub extending axially into and supporting one end portion of the carrier tube and an adjoining larger diameter circumferential flange positioned in engagement with the end of the carrier tube. A circumferential yarn securement channel is provided adjacent to the flange and is defined by a pair of opposing surfaces positioned so as to provide a continuously narrowing cross-sectional area in said channel for wedging and securing a yarn therein.

In a textile yarn processing machine where yarn is wound into a package at a take-up mechanism, it is necessary when initially threading the yarn to the take-up mechanism to secure the yarn end in some manner in order to begin winding the yarn onto the carrier tube or bobbin tube. Heretofore, the securement of the yarn end has been accomplished in various ways.
For example, one prior method involves the use of a special carrier tube having a slot in one end thereof into which the yarn end is inserted during the thread-up operation. With the yarn end so positioned, the rotation of the carrier tube results in the yarn being wound onto the carrier tube. Another prior technique, as disclosed for example in German Gebrauchsmuster 7,126,191 requires that the yarn end be positioned between the end of the carrier tube and the centering plate upon which the tube is mounted, and frictionally held in place therebetween.
These prior yarn securement techniques have several disadvantages and limitations. Not only are they unsuited for automated thread-up operations, but in manual operations they prolong the thread-up procedure since it is necessary for the operator either to search for the slot on the carrier tube where the yarn is to be inserted, or to manually shift the carrier tube axially away from the centering plate in order to position the yarn therebetween. Additionally, after extended use, the end faces of the yarn carrier tubes tend to become damaged, and it is then no longer possible to insure reliable securement of the yarn end.
In German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,312,609, a yarn securement arrangement is disclosed wherein the centering plate is mounted so as to be axially displaceable with respect to a clamping plate to expose a gap therebetween into which a yarn may be positioned and then clamped in place. When the yarn package has been fully formed and ready for removal from the take-up mechanism, the centering plate is again moved axially away from the clamping plate so that the yarn end is released. A somewhat similar arrangement for clamping the yarn end has also been disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,332,727.
These arrangements, like those noted earlier, are not suited for automated thread-up operations. Also, the arrangement disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,312,609 is relatively expensive to construct because of the necessary relative movements between the centering plate and the clamping plate.
In German Patent Specification No. 949,900, there is disclosed a winding mechanism for cables wherein the securement of the cable is intended to be accomplished by providing a circumferential groove in the carrier tube itself. However, unless the cable is pulled securely into the groove, the cable may slide out relatively easily when winding begins.
In Swiss Pat. No. 450,855, there is disclosed an arrangement for securing the end of a yarn for winding on a carrier tube or bobbin in which there is a groove or channel in which the yarn is inserted, and wherein at least one projection is provided projecting into the groove for wedging and holding the yarn in place. However, in spite of this projection, there exists a risk that the yarn may slip out of the groove when winding begins unless the yarn is carefully and securely inserted initially.
An arrangement which is much simpler than the prior devices previously described, and which is intended for both automatic and manual securement of the yarn end, is disclosed in commonly-owned German Patent Specification No. 2,536,477. In this device, the centering plate has a circumferentially extending yarn securement channel which is provided with opposing pairs of wedge shaped grooves in the opposing side walls of the channel for wedging or jamming a yarn therebetween. The grooves on one side wall of the channel extend in the direction of rotation of the centering disc and the opposing grooves on the other side of the channel extend opposite the direction of rotation. The side wall closest to the carrier tube is provided in the zone of each set of wedge shaped grooves with an undercut protrusion or nose facing in the direction of rotation of the centering plate. The principal function of the protrusion is to facilitate the transfer of the yarn from the yarn securement channel to the carrier tube when winding begins.

Centering plate for supporting a yarn carrier tube


A mast box for a sailboard is embedded in the sailboard. The mast box has a T-shaped groove for clamping a mast foot to the sailboard, a pin for holding a leash rope, and a vent for venting pressure from the core of the sailboard. The vent may include a one way valve.

Sailboards of one type are comprised of a thin elongated hull having a core of floatable material, such as styrofoam. A fitting is provided on the hull in order to support a mast.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,844, Fremont, discloses a sail board hull of foam polyurethane with fiberglass cover. The hull has box with a flange sealed to the shell of the board, for receiving a mast. The mast box of this reference is open only at its top.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,074, Camp et al, discloses a sailboard in which a mast box is embedded in the hull of the sailboard. The mast box has an inverted T shaped groove, the groove having an upper surface flush with the board. The T shaped groove receives a shoulder bolt adapted to support the mast. The shoulder bolt can be either attached directly to the mast, or indirectly connected to the mast via a rubber power joint of hour glass shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,568, Campbell, discloses a sailboard having an insert removably mounted to its upper surface, for conversion of the sailboard between a sailboard mode and paddle-ski mode. In the sailboard mode, the insert exposes a recessed rail for receiving a mast base.
In the mounting of a sail to a sailboard, it is desirable, and in some cases mandatory, to provide means for tethering the mast to the sailboard, in order to ensure that the rigging does not float away from the board in the event, for example, that the sailboard is upset in use. A cord or leash line for serving this function is depicted in the 1992 "Sailboard Buyer's Guide and Catalog", Sailboard Warehouse, Inc, Saint Paul, Minn. for example at page 60, wherein the cord is affixed to the mast foot or base and adapted to be connected to the mast via a pin through the latter.
Other mast mounting arrangements are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,120, U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,499, U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,655, U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,416, U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,516, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,163.


Subjective paper characteristics such as visual appearance and print quality are often objectively related to certain scales of surface roughness. Three dimensional topographic surface data is obtained from a paper sample secured by vacuum to a flat, porous plate for translational movement in a grid pattern beneath a vertically compliant stylus that is resiliently suspended beneath a rigid, overhead support beam. Such surface data is mathematically filtered by a linear convolution technique or the distinctly alternative circular convolution technique to segregate the raw data characteristics of component surfaces that contain only certain frequencies of roughness. The root-mean-square variations of such component surfaces is then used to objectively characterize respective surface characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the analysis of paper surface qualities. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for three dimensionally measuring and evaluating data descriptive of a paper surface topography.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As applied to paper, "print quality" is a subjective, human eye assessment of a particular paper surface respective to the printed product of that surface. One of the more influential objective factors bearing upon the print quality of a paper surface is the "roughness" of that surface. Additionally, paper is also subjectively appraised for simply unprinted visual surface smoothness. Consequently, numerous methods have been devised to measure the roughness of an unprinted paper surface as a predictor of the printed product.
Several widely used, indirect, methods of paper surface roughness measurement, characterized as Sheffield smoothness, Bekk smoothness and Parker Print Surf, include air leak techniques which measure the volume of air that leaks, over a fixed time interval, between the paper surface and a test equipment seal, or, conversely, the time required for the leakage of a fixed air volume. Although these indirect surface roughness measurement methods offer a numerically quantified, relative value of surface roughness, they have not proven to be consistent, reliable indicators of print quality.
Traditional surface roughness measurement relies upon the single, line trace of a stylus over the surface as is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,983 to L. G. Dunfield et al. Surface height values are measured at uniformly separated increments within a single, vertical evaluation plane. Such surface height values are digitized and processed algorithmically by Dunfield et al. to determine a corresponding print quality index.
Machine made paper, however, has a directional orientation relative to the machine production line. A greater percentage of papermaking fiber aligns with the machine direction than with the cross-machine direction. Extremely exaggerated, this circumstance of machine direction fiber alignment may be perceived as a corrugated topography. If measured by a single, vertical displacement stylus in a direction transversely of the corrugation ribs, the analysis would report a "rough" surface with large but highly regular vertical distance variations between the measured peaks and valleys. When measured in a direction parallel with the corrugation ribs, the analysis would report a "smooth" surface with small variations between vertical distance variations. Only by means of three dimensional measurement may the parallel ribbed nature of the surface be recognized.
From the foregoing illustration, it is demonstrated that a three dimensional topography is defined by length, width, and height coordinates, the length and width coordinates being in the same plane and the height coordinate measured perpendicularly from the length/width plane.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for quantifying the roughness quality of a paper surface based upon the three dimensional topography of the surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for paper surface roughness measurement which accommodates the surface directionality.
Another object of the invention is to provide a digital characterization of a surface topography.

Apparatus and method for measuring a paper surface roughness


Methods and compositions are provided for reducing transmission and/or infection of HIV in a subject by increasing the bioavailability of a drug in the subject. The methods and compositions provided herein include an efflux transporter inhibitor and a drug effective for reducing the transmission and/or infection of HIV in a subject. The efflux transporter inhibitor is effective to reduce the efflux of the drug through at least one of P-glycoprotein (Pgp), breast cancer resistant protein (BCRP), and multidrug resistant associated protein 1-9 (MRP1-9).

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus that cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), in which progressive failure of the immune systems can allow life-threatening infections to thrive. Infection with HIV occurs through transfer of viral genetic material from infected individual to healthy human cells. HIV primarily infects cells in the human immune system by attaching to the CD4 sites of T-cells and injecting the viral genetic material. In view of the devastating effects of HIV and AIDS, significant research has gone into preventing transmission and new infections while simultaneously treating the infected individuals.
Many pharmacologic compositions have been proposed for reducing HIV transmission and infection as well as for the treatment of HIV. For example, the drug Tenofovir has been widely studied for treatment and pre-exposure prophylaxis/post-exposure prophylaxis of HIV. Travuda (Tenofovir/Emtricitabine) is currently the only FDA approved drug for pre-exposure prophylaxis in high risk uninfected individuals. Standard treatment regimen for post-exposure prophylaxis involves a combination of 2 NRTIs (Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase inhibitors)+1 PI (Protease inhibitor) or 2 NRTIs+1 NNRTI (Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor). The effectiveness of current pharmacologic interventions has proven limited and was not proven to completely prevent. HIV transmission.
It is believed that sexual transmission accounts for approximately 90% of HIV infection. Though promising, none of the mucosal microbiocides and/or oral therapies have demonstrated effective protection against the sexual transmission of HIV. In fact, attempts to develop an effective vaginal gel to reduce HIV transmission and infection have not proven fruitful. For example, attempts to incorporate Tenofovir, an NRTI, into a vaginal gel have not proven sufficiently effective for reducing the transmission and/or infection of HIV via sexual transmission.
Tenofovir is an antiretroviral drug belonging to the class of nucleotide analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI), which can block reverse transcriptase, an enzyme crucial for the production of viral genetic material in HIV infected people. Tenofovir is currently employed as a first line treatment option for HIV patients because of good therapeutic potency, low overall toxicity, and dosing convenience. This drug is administered orally in the form of disoproxil ester prodrug, which is deesterified to release the active drug (tenofovir) with a bioavailability of ≥20%. It should be understood that other drugs may also be useful for pre-exposure prophylaxis, post-exposure prophylaxis and/or treatment of HIV.

Method of increasing the bioavailability of an HIV drug


Additive manufactured components including sacrificial caps, and methods of forming components including sacrificial caps are disclosed. The additive manufactured components may include a body portion including a first surface, and a feature formed in the body portion. The feature may include an aperture formed through the first surface of the body portion. Additionally, the components may include a sacrificial cap formed integral with at least a portion of the first surface of the body portion. The sacrificial cap may include a conduit in fluid communication with the feature. The sacrificial cap including the conduit may be removed from the body portion to expose the first surface and the aperture of the feature, respectively, after performing one or more post-build processes, such as shot peening, on the component and the sacrificial cap.

The disclosure relates generally to additive manufactured components, and more particularly, to additive manufactured components including sacrificial caps, and methods of forming components including sacrificial caps.
Components or parts for various machines and mechanical systems may be built using additive manufacturing systems. Additive manufacturing systems may build such components by continuously layering powder material in predetermined areas and performing a material transformation process, such as sintering or melting, on the powder material. The material transformation process may alter the physical state of the powder material from a granular composition to a solid material to build the component. The components built using the additive manufacturing systems have nearly identical physical attributes as conventional components typically made by performing machining processes (e.g., material removal processes) on stock material. However, because of the advantageous process, the components formed using additive manufacturing may include unique features and/or complex geometries that are difficult or impossible to obtain and/or build using conventional machining processes.
However, the capability of being able to easily form unique features and/or complex geometries results in new and/or additional manufacturing difficulties or issues. Specifically, the entire component formed using additive manufacturing may experience high tensile residual stress during the build process and/or during post-build process (e.g., machining, surface treatment, heat treatment, and the like). Additionally, unique features, such as channels formed through components, complex geometries, such as intricate curvatures in components, and/or thin walled sections, such as a section of the component formed between a channel and an exterior surface, may increase the high tensile residual stresses in specific portions of the component during the build process and/or during post-build processes. For example, during a shot peening process or a recrystallization process, the unique features and/or complex geometries formed in the component, and the exposed surface of the component surrounding the unique features and/or complex geometries, may increase the high tensile residual stress experienced by the component. The experienced high tensile residual stress may exceed the strength of the material used to form the component, and as a result, defects may be formed in the component. That is, defects (e.g., cracks, material deformation, material degradation, etc.) may form in the component during post-processing as a result of the high tensile residual stress experienced by the unique features and/or complex geometries, and surface of the component surrounding the unique features and/or complex geometries. Defects formed in the component can ultimately reduce the operational performance and/or the operational-life of the component, require undesirable maintenance, and/or necessitate complete component replacement.

Additive manufactured components including sacrifical caps and methods of forming same


The present invention relates to a removable shelf system for a transport container. The removable shelf system includes shelves supported between opposed shelf supports. The shelf supports are supported in an upright position within an inner cavity of the container. The shelves may be removably supported relative to the shelf supports so that the shelves may be removed from the container when not in use or alternatively may be pivotally supported relative to the shelf supports so that the shelf system may be collapsed for storage.

The present invention relates a removable shelf system for a transport container. More particularly, this invention relates to a removable shelf system for use in storing content in an inner cavity of a transport container. Transport containers are used to ship goods from one location to another. Depending on the content shipped, it is desirable to store the content on individual shelves within the inner .cavity of the container. Depending upon the application, different arrangements of shelves are desirable. Also, it is desirable to remove shelves for other shipping applications as well as when the container is emptied.

Removable shelf system for a transport container


An inkjet printing device comprises a platen on which a printing zone is defined, a carriage, onto which at least a printhead is mounted, slidable along the printing zone near the platen, a service station, located in a service zone separated from the printing zone, a housing protecting and enclosing the printing zone and the servicing zone, and a device, for example a fan, for producing an air flow within the housing. A substantially constant air path is defined within the housing of the device through which the air flow is allowed to pass during its operation. A method for reducing ink aerosol in such a device, during its operation, comprises the following steps: producing an air flow within the housing, and forcing the air flow to pass through a substantially constant air path defined within the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to the field of ink jet printing mechanisms and, more specifically, to systems to control the build up of ink aerosol, that is, the build up of ink droplets in suspension, which are produced during operation in large format ink jet printers, plotters and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ink jet device is a printing device without impact that forms characters and other images by ejecting ink drops in a controllable way from a printhead. The ink jet printing mechanisms may be used in different devices such as printers, plotters, facsimiles, copiers and the like. For the sake of convenience, in what follows reference will be made only to large format ink jet printers to illustrate the concepts of the present invention.
The printhead of a machine of the kind mentioned ejects ink through multiple nozzles in the form of minuscule drops which "fly" for a small space and strike a printing support. Different nozzles are used for different colors. Ink jet printers usually print within a range of 180 to 2400 or more dots per inch. The ink drops are dried upon the printing support soon after being deposited to form the desired printed images.
There are several types of ink jet printheads including, for example, thermal printheads and piezoelectric printheads. By way of example, in a thermal ink jet printhead the ink drops are ejected from individual nozzles by localized heating. Each of the nozzles has a small heating element. An electric current is made to pass through the element to heat it. This causes a tiny volume of ink to be heated and vaporized instantaneously by the heating element. Upon being vaporized, the ink is ejected through the nozzle. An exciter circuit is connected to individual heating elements to supply the energy impulses and, in this manner, to deposit in a controlled way ink drops from associated individual nozzles. These exciter circuits respond to character generators and other imaging circuits to activate selected nozzles of the printhead in order to form the desired images on the printing support.
As those skilled in the art know, during the operation of an ink jet printer of the mentioned class, the machine generates an ink fog constituted by very small ink particles (of a size usually less than 5 microns) that are stopped in their flight from the printhead to the printing support (within 1 mm from the printhead) and remain in suspension in the air. This fog of ink particles, also called "ink aerosol", builds up within the printer and is associated with undesirable deposition of said ink particles on critical surfaces of the printer (optical sensors, bearing surfaces, electronic assemblies, etc.), which may lead to failures, for example in the head position codifying system due to the presence of ink deposits on the encoder strip.
Moreover, the deposit of ink particles from the said aerosol upon surfaces such as the machine's windows, covers and doors, as well as upon other surfaces that may transfer ink onto the hands of the user or even onto the walls and floor of the room in which the machine is situated, may not only be annoying when handling the machine, but also the dissipation of said deposit into the atmosphere may be harmful from the environmental point of view.
This problem is aggravated in the case of large format, high performance machines (provided with bigger print heads having a great number of nozzles), in which the amount of ink used throughout the machine's useful life generates a considerable amount of aerosol.
In the document EP-0705700 an ink jet printing mechanism is disclosed, which includes: a plurality of ink jet printheads each one in a controlled way ejecting multiple ink droplets; a carriage which transports the printhead through a printing zone to a service station where at least one of the nozzles ejects in a controlled way ink droplets during maintenance mode; a collecting container (spittoon) situated in the service station to collect the ejected ink droplets; and multiple channels situated adjoining the container, with different channels receiving ink droplets ejected from nozzles of two different printheads and guiding said ink droplets ejected from the different printheads to reservoir of the container in order to avoid the mixing of different inks in said channels.
In no part of the above document reference is made to the control or elimination of the aerosol formed by ink droplets in the printing zone during the machine's operation. The document tries to address the problem that arises from the generation of droplets in suspension solely in the area of the service station of the said printhead nozzles. Nor it is indicated that said control is carried out by means of a flow of cleaning air.
In document EP-0568256 there is disclosed a use of an air flow and a filter for collecting and trapping the ink particles that are maintained in suspension during the operation of an ink jet printer. However, this known system is not usable except in low performance ink jet printers and its use is not satisfactory in the case of high performance, large format ink jet printers or plotters, with large printheads of the type mentioned hereinbefore, as with this system the ink droplets in suspension are collected, exclusively, in the machine's printing zone.
In a HP DesignJet 2000 CP Series printer, a fan is installed at the service station end of the printer, which is permanently running when the printer is operating, to generate a constant air flow in the service station area. However, no constant air path is available either in the print zone or in the service station zone. In fact, since the air flow is not designed to clean the print zone, the carriage is a first obstacle to the air path in the printing zone, i. e. the air path is varying depending on the actual position of the carriage.
Furthermore, the service station itself is a second obstacle to the air path in the service zone; in fact the service station, when it is moved in its servicing position, is substantially reducing the air flow in the service zone.
Finally, other methods already known in the art consist of modifying the formulation of the inks used or the design of the printheads, or in generating electrostatic fields in the printing zone to direct the ink particles in suspension towards the print medium. The applicant considers that all these have shortcomings from the economic point of view and due to their technical complexity, and/or they have a more negative impact on the design of the machine than the system in accordance with the invention.

Ink aerosol control for large format printer


An adjustable socket tray for visually displaying a socket for selection of the socket size and/or a fastener tightening strategy wherein the socket is restrained by a movable "V" block to retain the socket about a centerline incident with a sensor to determine the selection of the socket.

This invention relates generally to selected assistance storage devices and more particularly to a storage tray for fastener driving sockets and the like wherein the act of socket selection coordinates the selection with an appropriate driving force of a driving tool. With the advent of computer controlled air and electric nutrunner tools in vehicle assembly and similar industries, there is an increasing need for different size fastener sockets to be handy to the operator or assembler.
This may be accomplished with the use of electric socket trays. These socket trays are equipped with switches (electromechanical, optical or magnetic proximity type) that signal the computer to change fastening strategy (torque/angle or other) as the particular socket is removed from the tray and attached to the nutrunner. As the socket is removed from the tray, the switch near or under the socket is actuated thereby sending a signal to the computer to change the strategy.
Current socket trays lack adjustability or are difficult to adjust and are manufactured for specific socket sizes and quantity. There is a need for socket trays that adjust to accept different size sockets as well as allowing assembly of both four or eight or more position trays using common parts.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.

Socket tray with adjustable socket guides


A jewelry ring has an inner band and an outer band rotatable about the inner band. The outer band has diametrically opposed decorative and counterbalance portions, the decorative portion including a decorative feature, such as a gemstone, and the counterbalance portion weighing more than the decorative portion, such that the decorative feature tends to rotate to face up regardless of the orientation of the wearer""s hand.

The present invention relates to jewelry having mobile elements and especially to jewelry rings which have a decorative feature mounted on a counterbalanced rotating band.
Jewelry rings are often provided with a decorative feature, such as a mounted gemstone or other design element. However, such decorative features are typically static and often cannot be fully appreciated when the ring is being worn, because they are not always presented at an appropriate viewing angle. For example, the portion of the ring containing the decorative feature is often enlarged or includes the significant weight of the setting and gemstone. The unbalanced weight of the decorative portion sometimes causes the ring to rotate under the force of gravity, such that the decorative portion faces an unintended direction. As a result, the decorative feature rotates out of view and the ring may become uncomfortable or otherwise inconvenient to wear.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a jewelry ring that has mobile elements to enhance visual interest and increase the likelihood that the decorative feature will be presented in an appropriate viewing angle. In addition, there is a need for a ring where the weight of the decorative portion does not create a tendency for the decorative feature to rotate and become obscured or cause inconvenience.
These needs and other needs are satisfied by the present invention, which comprises a jewelry ring with an inner band and a rotatable outer band. The outer band has a decorative portion and a counterbalance portion weighing more than the decorative portion. At least one bearing is positioned between the inner band and the outer band, such that the outer band is rotatable about the inner band on the bearing. The outer circumference of the inner band is provided with a race shaped to hold the bearing.
The decorative portion of the outer band includes a gemstone that projects through the outer band toward the inner band, which is provided with a groove shaped to slidably receive the gemstone. The counterbalance portion of the outer band includes a boss positioned diametrically opposite the decorative portion. In an alternative embodiment, the decorative portion is composed of a first material and said counterbalance portion is composed of a second material, the second material being denser than the first material. In yet another embodiment, the decorative portion is hollow and the counterbalance portion is solid.
The inner band is formed from a sleeve and a loop that are connected together. The sleeve has a cylinder sized and shaped to fit within the inner circumference of the outer band. The cylinder has a first end with a first circular flange and a second end with a first connecting member. The loop has a second circular flange with a second connecting member adapted to receive the first connecting member to connect the sleeve to the loop, such that said outer band is rotatable on the cylinder between said first and second circular flanges.
In a preferred embodiment, the first connecting member is a ledge formed in the inner circumference of the cylinder and the second connecting member is a collar sized to fit within the ledge. The sleeve and the loop are connected by welding the joint between the ledge and collar. In an alternative embodiment, the first and second connecting members have complementary threaded portions and the sleeve and the loop are connected by screwing together the first and second connecting members.


A stirrer (2) for a stirrer vessel (20), which stirrer (2) comprises a stirrer head (1), a drive unit (4) and a magnetic coupling (3), wherein the magnetic coupling (3) has drive magnets (5) connected to the drive unit (4) and stirrer head magnets (6) connected to the stirrer head (1), wherein the stirrer head (1) has stirrer blades (7) and a bearing assembly (8) and wherein the stirrer blades (7) are connected to the stirrer head magnets (6) and the bearing assembly (8), wherein the bearing assembly (8) rotatably supports the stirrer head (1) and the bearing assembly (8) comprises a first rotational bearing (9), wherein the bearing assembly (8) comprises a second rotational bearing (10), which is arranged spaced apart from the first rotational bearing (9) in the stirrer head (1).

The invention relates to a stirrer for a stirrer vessel, which stirrer comprises a stirrer head, a drive unit and a magnetic coupling, wherein the magnetic coupling has drive magnets connected to the drive unit and stirrer head magnets connected to the stirrer head, wherein the stirrer head has stirrer blades and a bearing assembly, and wherein the stirrer blades are connected to the stirrer head magnets and the bearing assembly, wherein the bearing assembly rotatably supports the stirrer head and the bearing assembly comprises a first rotational bearing.
Stirrers for stirrer vessels are used, e.g., in the biopharmaceutical industry, the food industry and in particular in the field of aseptical liquid production processes. Typical configurations of such stirrer vessels are gas-tight and closable tank-like vessels made from metal or glass, which ensure simple cleaning and sterilization and, hence, multiple use. Mixing a stirring medium contained in the stirrer vessel is realized within the stirrer vessel by means of a stirrer head, which has stirrer blades and which is connected to a stirrer shaft having stirrer shaft blades arranged thereon, depending on the application and configuration of the stirrer vessel. In common stirrers, the connection of the drive unit with the stirrer head is realized via a sliding ring sealing. Stirrers sealed via sliding ring sealings, however, do have the disadvantage that leakage at the sealing may occur. Furthermore, maintenance of this type of sealing is work and cost intensive, wherein leaking in the case of correct maintenance is only minimal. In the pharmaceutical field and the food industry, however, this leakage and the contamination associated therewith of the stirring medium do constitute a high risk. For this reason, these industries have increasingly made use of stirrers having magnetic coupling, which are also termed magnetic stirrers, instead of stirrers having sliding ring sealings. Supporting the stirrer head of such stirrers is realized via a rotational bearing such as, e.g., a slide bearing.
EP 1 748 201 B1 discloses a stirrer having a magnetic coupling between drive unit and stirrer. It further comprises a rotational bearing in the form of a slide bearing, which is lubricated by the stirring medium within the vessel.
With such constructions it has proven to be disadvantageous that the rotational bearing limits the torque applied by the drive unit, the maximum rotational frequency, and the size of the stirrer blades as well as the length of the stirrer shaft. Improving these characteristics will lead to increased vibrations on the stirrer head and, as a consequence, to mechanical damage.


An initial stage of a multi-stage algorithmic pattern generator which generates bit streams for testing IC chips, is comprised of multiple sets of input registers which store respective addresses; and an address modifying circuit that is coupled to the input registers, which receives commands, and in response, selects one register in one set and generates a modified address by performing arithmetic operations on the address in the selected register. Also, the initial stage includes a boundary check circuit that is coupled to the address modifying circuit, which stores a respective minimum limit and a respective maximum limit for each register set. This initial stage is particularly useful in generating sequences of addresses for memory cells in a chip that is to be tested, where the cells are arranged in rows and columns. When a particular Min/Max limit for a row/column is reached, then that event is remembered by the boundary check circuit. Thereafter, when the next row/column address is generated, the boundary check circuit automatically replaces the generated address (which will exceed the limit) with the proper address. This operation of detecting a limit address in one cycle, and replacing the next generated address in a subsequent cycle, enables the cycle time of the initial stage to be shorter than it otherwise could be if detection outside the limit and replacement with the proper address, occur in a single cycle.

In the prior art, an electronic system for testing chips is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,129. This prior art system is assigned to Unisys Corporation, who also is the assignee of the present invention.
A simplified block diagram of the prior art chip testing system is shown in FIG. 2 of patent ""129. That system includes a computer 50 which is coupled via a time-shared bus 52 to a plurality of driver boards 100; and each driver board 100 is coupled to a respective burn-in board 500 which holds several integrated circuit chips that are to be tested.
In operation, the computer 50 sequentially sends each driver board 100 a separate set of test data patterns that are used to test the chips. These test data patterns are stored on each driver board in a large SRAM which is shown in FIG. 3 by reference numeral 107 and is shown in greater detail in FIG. 9 by reference numeral 145. Which particular driver board receives and stores the test data patterns at any one time is determined by an address circuit 100A that is on the driver board, and is shown in the FIG. 2 block diagram.
After the test data patterns are stored in the SRAM 145 on all of the driver boards 100, then the chips on all of the burn-in boards 500 can be tested in parallel. To do that, the test patterns are concurrently read from all of the SRAMs and sent through respective output driver modules 164, as shown in FIG. 14, to the chips on all of the burn-in boards 500.
One particular feature of the chip testing system in patent ""129 is that each burn-in board includes an ID code which identifies the types of chips that are to be tested on the board. That ID code is sensed by the driver board 100 and sent to the computer 50; and in response, the test data patterns which the computer 50 sends to the driver board are tailored to the ID code that is sensed.
However, the chip testing system in patent ""129 also has some major limitations which are imposed by the FIG. 2 architecture. For example, the computer 50 is the sole source of the test data patterns for all of the driver boards 100. Consequently, the speed of operation of the chip testing system is limited because the computer 50 can only send the test data patterns to a single driver board at a time over the bus 52.
Another limitation of the chip testing system in patent ""129 is that each driver board 100 always tests all of the chips on a burn-in board 500 concurrently. However, each burn-in board inherently has a limit on the total amount of power which the chips on the board can dissipate. Thus, in order to keep the total power dissipation on each burn-in board 500 below a certain limit, the total number of chips on each burn-in board must be decreased as the maximum power dissipation per chip increases.
Still another limitation of the chip testing system in patent ""129 is that the stored test data patterns in a large SRAM 145 on each driver board can make very inefficient use of the SRAM memory cells. FIG. 9 of patent ""129 shows that each SRAM 145 receives nineteen address bits and has eight data output bits; and thus the SRAM 145 on each driver circuit has eight million memory cells. But, certain types of chips are tested by sending them sequences of serial bit streams that vary in number with time. Thus, if an SRAM 145 sends four bit streams during one time interval and sends only two bit streams during other time intervals, then half of the SRAM is wasted when the two bit streams are being sent.
To address the above problems with the chip testing system of patent ""129, the present inventors filed three U.S. patent applications on Aug. 31, 1999 which are identified as follows:
1. U.S. Ser. No. 09/386,946 entitled xe2x80x9cAn Electronic System for Testing Chips Having A Selectable Number Of Pattern Generators That Concurrently Broadcast Different Bit Streams To Selectable Sets Of Chip Driver Circuitsxe2x80x9d;
2. U.S. Ser. No. 09/387,197 entitled xe2x80x9cA Program Storage Device Containing Instructions That Are Spaced Apart By Unused Bits That End On Word Boundaries And Which Generate Chip Testing Bit Streams Of Any Lengthxe2x80x9d; and,
3. U.S. Ser. No. 09/386,945 entitled xe2x80x9cAn Electronic System For Testing A Set Of Multiple Chips Concurrently Or Sequentially In Selectable Subsets Under Program Control To Limit Chip Power Dissipationxe2x80x9d.
Each of the above patent applications include the same set of FIGS. 1-12, and they each have the same Detailed Description. Also, each of the above patent applications has a separate set of claims which cover different aspects of the chip testing system that is disclosed.
The invention as claimed in U.S. Ser. No. 09/386,946 addresses the limitation in patent ""129 regarding speed of operation. In particular, those claims cover a system for testing integrated circuit chips which is comprised of a selectable number of pattern generators, each of which is coupled via a separate bus to a selectable number of chip driver circuits. Each pattern generator also is coupled to a respective memory, which stores different bit streams, word by word, from its respective memory; and it sends the words that are read to all of the chip driver circuits which are coupled to its separate bus, simultaneously. While that is occurring, each chip driver converts the words which it is sent into bit serial test signals which test multiple integrated circuit chips in parallel.
Since all the chip driver circuits which are coupled to one separate bus receive the words of the bit streams simultaneously from one pattern generator, the speed of operation is increased over the prior art. Also, since all of the pattern generators send different bit streams at the same time on separate busses, the speed of operation is further increased over the prior art.
In U.S. Ser. No. 09/387,197, the invention as claimed addresses the limitations of patent ""129 regarding inefficient use of memory to store the test data patterns. In particular, these claims cover a system for testing integrated circuit chips which is comprised of a pattern generator that is coupled to a memory which stores variable length instructions that specify sets of bit streams for testing the chips. Each variable length instruction includes a code which indicates the number of bit streams in the set. Each bit stream in the set consists of a selectable number of bits which start on a word boundary and vary in increments of one bit. A respective series of unused bits starts immediately after each bit stream and ends on a word boundary.
If the code indicates that the number of bit streams in a set is only one, then the one bit stream is stored in consecutive words of the memory. If the code indicates the number bit streams in a set is more that one, then those multiple bit streams are stored in an interleaved fashion in consecutive words in the memory. Consequently, the only memory cells that are wasted are those which store the unused bits after each bit stream. But, those unused bits are insignificant in number when each of the bit streams is long.
In U.S. Ser. No. 09/386,945, the invention as claimed addresses the limitations of patent ""129 regarding total power dissipation by the chips which being tested on the burn-in board. In particular, those claims cover a system for testing integrated circuit chips which is comprised of a signal generator that generates a clock signal; and a control circuit having a first input which receives the clock signal, a second input for receiving commands, and multiple outputs. A command source sends programmable sequences of the commands to the second input of the control circuit; and a means in the control circuit selects particular outputs in response to the commands and passing the clock signal from the first input to only the selected outputs
All of the outputs of the control circuit are coupled through respective clock transmitters to different chips which are to be tested. Thus, in response to the programmable commands, the clock signal can be sent sequentially to the chips that are to be tested, in selectable subsets. By such sequencing, the total power dissipation of the chips that are tested can be regulated when the chips are of a type that dissipate a large amount of power when they receive the clock signal, but dissipate substantially less power when they do not receive the clock signal. Such chips include, for example, CMOS microprocessor chips and CMOS memory chips.
Despite all of the features of the chip testing system that is disclosed in the above three patent applications (hereinafter the xe2x80x9cbase systemxe2x80x9d), the present inventors have further discovered a major improvement to that system. By this improved system, the amount of memory which is required to define the test signals for the chips is reduced by several orders of magnitude.
A preferred embodiment of the improved system is described herein and in each of the four related cases that are identified on page 1. In each case, the improved system is described with the same set of Figures and the same Detailed Description. Also, each case has a separate set of claims that cover a different aspect of the improved system.
In order to fully understand the structure and operation of the improved system, it first is necessary to have an understanding of the base system that is described in the three referenced patent application Ser. Nos. 09/386,946 and 09/387,197 and 09/386,945. Accordingly, FIGS. 1-12 of those applications, as well as their Detailed Description, are herein repeated. Then, the improved system is described herein in conjunction with FIGS. 13-22, as a modification to the base system of FIG. 1-12.
The present invention, as claimed, covers one particular portion of a system for testing IC chips selectively with a first bit stream that is stored in a memory or a second bit stream that is internally generated. A major benefit which is achieved by generating the second bit stream internally within the system is that the amount of storage which is required in the memory is greatly reduced. For example, the second bit stream might contain a total of one billion bits; but it can be generated with instructions which require less than one thousand bits of storage in the memory.
The particular portion of the system which is claimed as the present invention is an initial stage of a multi-stage algorithmic pattern generator which generates bit streams for testing IC chips. This initial stage is comprised of multiple sets of input registers which store respective addresses; and an address modifying circuit that is coupled to the input registers, which receives commands, and in response, selects one register in one set and generates a modified address by performing arithmetic operations on the address in the selected register. Also, the initial stage includes a boundary check circuit that is coupled to the address modifying circuit, which stores a respective minimum limit and a respective maximum limit for each register set.
The above initial stage is particularly useful in generating sequences of addresses for the memory cells of a memory chip in which the cells are arranged in rows and columns. For such a chip, the row addresses can be generated using one set of input registers; the column addresses can be generating using another set of input registers; and respective limits for the row and column addresses can be stored in the boundary check circuit. Each time a particular row address or column address in the sequence is generated, the boundary check circuit detects if any address limit has been reached. When a particular Min/Max limit for a row/column is reached, then that event is remembered by the boundary check circuit. Thereafter, when the next row/column address is generated, the boundary check circuit automatically replaces the generated address (which will exceed the limit) with the proper address. This operation of detecting a limit address in one cycle, and replacing the next generated address in a subsequent cycle, enables the cycle time of the initial stage to be shorter than it otherwise could be if detection and replacement occur in a single cycle.

Initial stage of a multi-stage algorithmic pattern generator for testing IC chips


The present disclosure discloses an order allocation method. The method may include: receiving orders and extracting order information; extracting service provider information and obtaining features of service providers; determining whether the order information matches the features of the service providers, or determining whether the features of the service providers satisfy a preset condition to generate a determination result; ranking the service providers based on the determination result; generating orders to be allocated; and allocating the orders to be allocated to the service providers based on the ranking. The present disclosure also discloses an order allocation system that can perform the method above.

Currently, the application of on-demand services is becoming more and more popular. Taking a transportation service as an example, an on-demand service system may allocate an order to drivers and may selectively send the order to one of the drivers who responded to the order. In order to increase response rates and completion rates of the drivers, it is necessary to match the order information with habits or preferences of the drivers quickly and push preferential orders to the drivers accurately and flexibly.

Methods and systems for order processing

BEIJING DIDI INFINITY TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.


A novel catalyst composition, and process for the preparation of magnetic, catalytic composites to improve catalytic metals utilization. A particulate magnetic alloy of iron or cobalt is contacted with a phosphate ion containing solution and reacted therewith sufficiently to form a surface film thereupon, removed from said solution, preferably dried, then admixed or otherwise incorporated within an inorganic oxide matrix, notably alumina, as inclusions, the composite particle is then contacted with a solution which contains a compound, or compounds, of a Group VIII noble metal, notably platinum, which is deposited within the composite particle in catalytically effective amounts without significant loss of the catalytic metal due to surface deposition of the catalytic metal upon said particulate magnetic alloy inclusions.

Catalytic reforming, or hydroforming, is a well established industrial process employed by the petroleum industry for improving the octane quality of naphthas or straight run gasolines. In reforming, a multi-functional catalyst is employed which contains a metal hydrogenation-dehydrogenation (hydrogen transfer) component, or components, substantially atomically dispersed upon the surface of a porous, inorganic oxide support, notably alumina. Noble metal catalysts, notably platinum, have been widely used commercially in recent years in the production of reforming catalysts, and platinum or alumina catalysts have been commercially employed in refineries for the last few decades. In the last decade, additional metallic components have been added to platinum as promoters to further improve the activity or selectivity, or both, of the basic platinum catalyst, e.g., iridium, rhenium, tin, and the like. Reforming is defined as the total effect of the molecular changes, or hydrocarbon reactions, produced by dehydrogenation of cyclohexanes and dehydroisomerization of alkylcyclopentanes to yield aromatics; dehydrogenation of paraffins to yield olefins; dehydrocyclization of paraffins and olefins to yield aromatics; isomerization of n-paraffins; isomerization of alkylcycloparaffins to yield cyclohexanes; isomerization of substituted aromatics; and hydrocracking of paraffins which produces gas, and inevitably coke, the latter being deposited on the catalyst.
In reforming, a series of reactors constitute the heart of the reforming unit. Each reactor is generally provided with fixed beds of catalyst which receive upflow or downflow feed, and each is provided with a preheater or interstage heater, because the reactions which take place are endothermic. A naphtha feed, with hydrogen, or recycle gas, is cocurrently passed through a preheat furnace and reactor, and then in sequence through subsequent heaters and reactors of the series. The product from the last reactor is separated into a liquid fraction, i.e., a C.sub.5.sup.+ or C.sub.5 /430.degree. fraction, and a vaporous effluent. Hydrogen or gas rich in hydrogen which usually contains small amounts of normally gaseous hydrocarbons, is separated from the latter, and recycled to the first reactor of the unit to minimize coke production. During operation, process temperature is gradually raised to compensate for the catalyst activity loss caused by the coke deposition. Eventually, however, economics dictates the necessity of reactivating the catalyst. Consequently, in all processes of this type the catalyst must necessarily be periodically regenerated, and this is usually done by burning the coke off the catalyst at controlled conditions; and thereafter, reactivation of the catalyst is completed in a sequence of steps wherein the agglomerated metal hydrogenation-dehydrogenation components are atomically redispersed.
In recent months considerable thought has been given to improving reforming processes, particularly by providing short cycle processes which, inter alia, utilize beds of fluidizable magnetizable catalytic particles which are contacted, and fluidized, with a naphtha feed and hydrogen at reforming conditions to produce a naphtha product of improved octane while simultaneously the fluidized beds are subjected to an axially applied magnetic field. In such processes the activity and selectivity of the catalyst throughout the operation approximates that of fresh, or freshly-reactivated catalyst, and preferably the operation is conducted at high severity conditions, as contrasted with present commercially produced reforming operations. In the improved processes, and as described by Application Ser. Nos. 054,032 and 054,033 filed July 2, 1979, continuous operation of all portions of the reforming unit is conducted, and the catalyst is moved therethrough as a more cohesive phase, or phase of narrow age distribution. Such processes are admirably suitable for conducting operations with a wide variety of feeds, particularly at high temperatures and low pressures, or other high severity conditions.
The application of a magnetic field upon a bed of fluidized, magnetizable catalytic particles in its preferred aspects stabilizes the bed and thereby suppresses, or minimizes bubble formation. The characteristics attributed to the stabilized bed greatly improve gas-solids contacting and lessen the need for long residence times; and yet the state of the bed is such that it can be rapidly recycled between reactor and regenerator. The properties of the bed in a magnetically stabilized state approach those of plug flow, thus providing the higher gas-solids contacting efficiencies offered by fixed bed contacting. Yet the magnetically stabilized bed, since it is fluidized, offers the advantages of fluidized beds for purposes of transport. Shorter contact times become feasible, and desirable because of higher average catalyst activity level. Moreover, the small particles which in a fixed bed would have a prohibitively high pressure drop at reasonable gas velocities provide very large surface areas which enhance catalysis and gas-solids contacting.
The catalyst employed in a magnetically stabilized bed operation is necessarily constituted of composite particles, preferably small particles, suitably particles which range in average diameter below about 800 microns, more preferably those which range from about 100 to 300 microns. The particles contain, besides a carrier or support material, a sufficient amount of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material to make the particles magnetizable, and a hydrogenation-dehydrogenation component, or components. A reforming catalyst also contains a halide component and, preferably, the catalyst is sulfided. Preferred magnetizable materials include ferromagnetic and ferrimagnetic alloys of metals, and metallic metals such as iron, nickel, cobalt. In general, also, the non-magnetizable material will include a vast number of conventional materials which are inert and/or known to catalyze the desired reaction.
The magnetizable component can be directly incorporated with the non-magnetizable material. For example, the non-magnetizable materials may be impregnated with a soluble precursor of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substance, e.g., an oxide, which is subsequently reduced to render the particles ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic. Alternatively, the ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material may be incorporated into the non-magnetizable component by encapsulation of finely divided ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material. Thereafter, the catalytic component, e.g., the Group VIII noble metal, or metals, (Periodic Table of the Elements; Sargent Welch Scientific Company, Copyright 1968) notably platinum and metals used as promoters, if any, are composited with a previously pilled, pelleted, beaded, or extruded particulate support material by the impregnation method. Pursuant to the impregnation method, porous refractory inorganic oxides in dry or solvated state are contacted, either alone or admixed, or otherwise incorporated with a metal or metals-containing solution, or solutions, and thereby impregnated by either the "incipient wetness" technique, or a technique embodying absorption from a dilute or concentrated solution, or solutions, with subsequent filtration or evaporation to effect total uptake of the metallic components. Unfortunately, however, it is found that during impregnation of the catalytic metals onto the carriers, or supports, significant portions thereof are often lost or rendered catalytically inactive, or ineffective, apparently because the metals plate out on the ferromagnetic alloys or metals.
Only iron and cobalt, or alloys of such metals have sufficiently high Curie temperatures to remain magnetic in high temperature operations, notably at the high process temperatures used in refining operations. Unfortunately too, only a few alloys of these metals are sufficiently passive that they can withstand attack by the liquids and gases of process streams; such attack often causing the metal alloys to become rapidly oxidized, this resulting in the loss of their magnetic character. Of the handfull of metal alloys which are suitable for this purpose, e.g., stainless steel alloys, an unacceptable amount of the catalytic metal, e.g., Group VIII noble metal, notably platinum, is deposited on the alloy particles, the deposited catalytic metal being rendered ineffective in the performance of its catalytic function and thereby wasted. Such waste is obviously burdensome, and often intolerable.
It is accordingly a primary objective of the present invention to provide a novel composition, and process for the preparation of magnetic, catalytic composites to improve catalytic metals utilization.
A particular object is to provide a process of such character wherein magnetic ferrous metal alloy components of said magnetic, catalytic composites are passivated to suppress loss of the catalytic effectiveness of Group VIII noble metals, notably platinum, composited therewith.
A more particular object is to provide a novel process for the passivation of magnetic stainless steel to improve the catalytic effectiveness of catalytic metal components, especially Group VIII noble metals, notably platinum, composited therewith.
These objects and others are achieved in accordance with the practice of the present invention which embodies a composition, and process wherein a particulate magnetic alloy of iron or cobalt is contacted with a phosphate ion containing solution and reacted therewith sufficiently to form a surface film thereupon, removed from said solution, preferably dried, then admixed or otherwise incorporated within an inorganic oxide matrix, notably alumina, as inclusions, the composite particle is then contacted with a solution which contains a compound, or compounds, of a Group VIII noble metal, notably platinum, which is deposited within the composite particle in catalytically effective amounts without significant loss of the catalytic metal due to surface deposition of the catalytic metal upon said particulate magnetic alloy inclusions.
In its preferred aspects, a particulate magnetic iron alloy, notably a magnetic stainless steel alloy, is contacted with a phosphate ion containing solution and reacted therewith sufficiently to form a surface film, or coating thereupon, the particulate magnetic stainless steel alloy is removed from said solution, and dried. The powdered alloy is then admixed or otherwise incorporated within the inorganic oxide, or alumina as inclusions, and the composite particle is then contacted with a solution of said Group VIII noble metal compound, or compounds, particularly platinum, which is deposited in catalytically effective amounts within the composite particle without significant loss of the catalytic metal due to surface deposition of the catalytic metal upon said particulate magnetic stainless steel inclusions.
The magnetic alloys are formed into particles of average diameter ranging from about 5 to about 150 microns, preferably from about 10 to about 44 microns, and the particles then contacted, sprayed, or immersed in a dilute solution containing the phosphate ion for a time sufficient to permit the formation of a protective film, or coating thereupon. The particulate magnetic alloy is preferably immersed in the solution, suitably an aqueous solution, a contact time ranging from about 10 minutes to about 30 minutes, preferably from about 10 minutes to about 20 minutes, being sufficient at ambient conditions to form a continuous film. The nature of the film is not known, but a slight, visible change in coloration at the surface of the particles occurs on immersion of the particles within the solution. After the period of contact, or immersion, the magnetic particles are withdrawn from the solution and dried, e.g., by exposure to air, or by removal of the residual solution with an organic solvent such as alchol, alcohol and ether, acetone or the like; this step generally followed by air evaporation.
The dried, particulate now passivated magnetic alloys can be admixed or otherwise incorporated with an inorganic oxide material, notably alumina, in various ways known to the art. The powdered magnetic alloys are dispersed as inclusions, suitably spaced apart one from another and present in dilute concentration within the inorganic oxide material which serves as a matrix. Such composite generally contains from about 0.5 to about 50 percent, preferably from about 5 to about 40 percent of the alloy particles, based on the volume of the total composite particle.
The composite can be suitably formed by cogellation of the magnetic alloy particles with an inorganic oxide support material, preferably by admixture in a slurry or solution with an inorganic oxide precursor which is precipitated from solution with the magnetic alloy particles, the latter becoming inclusions within an inorganic oxide matrix. The composite can then be dried, calcined and impregnated to incorporate the desired catalytic metal, or metals; or a catalytic metal component, or components, can be incorporated within the composite particles at the time of formation by addition to the slurry or solution of a soluble compound, or compounds, of the catalytic metal, or metals. The support per se, aside from the magnetic alloy inclusions, can be constituted of, or contain, for example, one or more of alumina, bentonite, clay, diatomaceous earth, zeolite, silica, magnesia, zirconia, thoria, and the like. The most preferred support is alumina to which, if desired, can be added a suitable amount of other refractory carrier materials such as silica, zirconia, magnesia, titania, etc., usually in a range of about 1 to 20 percent, based on the weight of the support. Exemplary of a support for the practice of the present invention is one having a surface area of more than 50 m.sup.2 /g, preferably from about 100 to about 300 m.sup.2 /g, and higher, a bulk density of about 0.3 to 1.0 g/ml, and higher, an average pore volume of about 0.2 to 1.1 ml/g, and an average pore diameter ranging about 30 A to about 300 A, and higher.
The composite particle is calcined and then, preferably, impregnated with a catalytic metal, or metals. Suitably, the composite particle is calcined at relatively low temperature, preferably at temperatures ranging from about 300.degree. F. to about 800.degree. F., more preferably from about 300.degree. F. to about 500.degree. F. It has thus been found that low calcination temperatures are preferable inasmuch as composite particles calcined at low temperatures prior to impregnation produce catalysts which possess greater activity, and provide higher C.sub.5.sup.+ liquid yields. Moreover, low temperature calcination of the composite particles provides more effective passivation of the magnetic particles on contact with the phosphate ion.
Short contact times are also advantageous during the impregnation. Thus, it has been found that contact times extending beyond about thirty minutes permits greater deposition of precious metals upon the phosphate ion treated magnetic alloy inclusions of the composite, and hence there is little, if anything, to be gained by extensive periods of impregnation. Suitably, the period of impregnation ranges from about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes, preferably from about 10 minutes to about 20 minutes.
Essentially any catalyst component, or components, can be composited with the support particles, or with said inclusions, dependent upon the type of reaction which is to be carried out. For example, in conducting hydrocarbon conversion reactions, e.g., a hydroforming (reforming, with hydrogen) reaction, a catalyst can be formed which comprises a composite of a refractory or inorganic oxide support material, particularly alumina, and a Group VIII noble metal hydrogenation-dehydrogenation component, e.g., ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium or platinum, notably platinum, to which a promoter metal, e.g., rhenium, iridium or the like may be added to promote the activity and selectivity of the catalysts. Suitably, the reforming catalyst, or composite also contains an added halogen component to provide acidity, particularly fluorine or chlorine, and preferably the promoter component is introduced into the support, or catalyst, by impregnating same with a solution comprising a soluble salt or compound thereof. The catalyst can also be sulfided, as in the conventional manner.
The catalyst composites of this invention may be in the form of powder, beads, tablets, pills, pellets, or extrudates depending upon the type of process.
The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following selected demonstrations and examples which present comparative data which illustrates its more salient features. All parts are given in terms of weight except as otherwise specified.
The example immediately following describes the preparation and testing of two reforming catalysts under conditions which simulate the short contact times employed in a magnetically stabilized fluidized bed.

Preparation of magnetic catalysts (MSB-06)


A new and distinct cultivar of Carnation plant named ‘Hilcati’, characterized by its compact, upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large double red-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliar plane on strong peduncles; and good garden performance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Carnation plant, botanically known as Dianthus caryophyllus, grown commercially as a potted plant and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Hilcati'.
The new Carnation plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely-branching Carnation plants with numerous attractive flowers.
The new Carnation plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2007 of a proprietary selection of Dianthus caryophyllus identified as code number A 565254-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Dianthus caryophyllus identified as code number A 26270-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Carnation plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in July, 2008.
Asexual reproduction of the new Carnation plant by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Carnation plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


A screw compressor includes a rotatable screw rotor and a plurality of gate rotors. The screw rotor has helical grooves formed in an outer circumferential surface of the screw rotor. The gate rotors have a plurality of radially disposed teeth meshing with the grooves of the screw rotor. The helical grooves include a first screw groove and a second screw groove. The first screw groove compresses a fluid from one end side of the screw rotor to an other end side of the screw rotor. The second screw groove compresses the fluid from the other end side of the screw rotor to the one end side of the screw rotor.

As described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2000-257578 an 2003-286986 a conventional screw compressor that comprises a screw rotor, which has helical grooves, and a gate rotor, which comprises a plurality of teeth that meshes with the helical grooves, is known.
In such a screw compressor, driving a screw rotor with a motor compresses a compression medium, which is sucked from one end of the screw rotor into a casing, in compression chambers, which are formed by the casing, the grooves of the screw rotor, and the teeth of the gate rotor, and, after the teeth of the gate rotor disengage from the grooves, high pressure gas is discharged from the other end side of the screw rotor.

Screw compressor including a single screw rotor with first and second screw groove being bilaterally symmetric


A driven body is moved in opposite directions by alternately magnetizing two sets of paramagnetic bodies, each set being located between a drive magnet longitudinally affixed to the driven body and a stationary magnet toward which the magnetized bodies are attracted.

This invention relates to apparatus wherein two sets of paramagnetic members are alternately magnetized to produce bidirectional movement of a driven body. Devices of this broad general type are known as exemplified by the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
Feldman--3,320,894 PA1 Perron--3,384,021 PA1 Waltrip--3,492,819 PA1 Tukamizawa--3,606,595 PA1 Kurpanek--3,878,412.
This invention is similar in many respects to the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,139, and is similar to the apparatus of Macy U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,614 in the respect that a plurality of spaced apart paramagnetic bodies are drawn together by magnetic attraction to close the gaps between them. The Macy device, however, is unidirectional and does not provide some energy-conserving features of the present invention.
According to the present invention, the forces of magnetic attraction are used to produce bidirectional movement, such movement being capable of exerting a substantial force over a substantial distance. The ratio of such force to the energy consumed is substantially greater than in a system which relies on both magnetic repulsion and magnetic attraction. The invention in its preferred embodiment is also more energy efficient because the magnets within a given set are energized sequentially rather than simultaneously; and, some of the magnets are deenergized after the adjacent gaps have been closed and before other gaps in the respective set have been closed. In the disclosed embodiment, no more than about 36% of the magnets are energized at any time.
According to the invention, the apparatus for producing movement of a driven body includes two sets of intermediate paramagnetic members which operate respectively to move the driven body in first and second directions. At least one stationary paramagnetic member and at least one driven paramagnetic member are arranged so that each said set has a driven member at one end and a stationary member at its opposite end. The driven member is connected to the driven body, and the intermediate members are movable from mutually proximate relative positions to mutually distant relative positions where they are separated by gaps. Means are provided for limiting the size of the gaps to prevent excessive separation between adjacent members. Energizing means are provided for alternately magnetizing the first set of members and the second set of members to close the gaps by magnetic attraction, thereby moving the driven body alternately in the first direction and the second direction.
Preferably, the driven member is a reciprocating shaft which extends through the members and lies parallel to a common longitudinal axis along which both sets of members are disposed. The members in a set are magnetized sequentially at spaced times and, to conserve energy, at least some of the members in a set are deactivated after their adjacent gaps have been closed and before other gaps in the respective set of members have been closed. A compression spring is located between a pair of the adjacent members for compression when the members are moved to their mutually proximate relative positions by magnetic force, whereby the members are forced apart when the magnets are deenergized. The apparatus is provided with stationary members located at both ends of each set, operable when the first set is magnetized for magnetically attracting the driven magnet of the second set to the stationary magnet adjacent thereto. Similar means operate in a reverse direction for attracting the driven member of the first set to a stationary magnet.
For a further understanding of the invention, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings and description of a preferred embodiment.

Magnetic apparatus for producing movement


A high pressure fluid forcing pump having a cavity adaptable for receiving an impeller assembly rotatable within the cavity of the pump. The impeller assembly includes an impeller engaged between first and second spaced apart bearing plates and having tips fixed to the bearing plates adjacent an outer circumference of the bearing plates. The impeller includes a locking arrangement that ensures that the impeller rotates about a motor shaft of the pump. The shaft is positioned in the cavity of the housing, wherein the rotational axis of the shaft and impeller are offset from the longitudinal axis of the cavity and first and second bearing plates.

I. Field of the Invention PA1 II. Discussion of the Related Art
This invention relates generally to a fluid forcing pump, and more particularly relates to a fluid forcing pump operable at high pressures. The fluid forcing pump of the present invention includes a housing having a cavity formed therein, wherein the cavity is adapted for receiving a cylindrical rubber impeller assembly of the present invention. The longitudinal axis of the cylindrical rubber impeller assembly and the longitudinal axis of the cavity are offset or eccentric, such that as the cylindrical impeller assembly rotates within the cavity, fluids are displaced through a fluid outlet.
Various conventional rubber impeller pumps have been devised having the ability to pump fluids without a pulsating affect. These conventional rubber impeller pumps typically operate at low pressures and may suffer from high amounts of internal slip, particularly under relatively modest output pressures. The conventional rubber pump rotates a rubber impeller within a cylindrical cavity of a housing, wherein the rotation axis of the impeller is offset from the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing (commonly referred to as eccentricity). When the impeller rotates within the cavity of the housing, during a portion of the rotation, the blades are deformed due to the offset or eccentricity between the rotation axis and the housing axis. The blades are typically sized such that blade tips contact the internal wall through the entire revolution of the impeller. Although the blades contact the housing wall, the blades in an eccentric system may deform away from the housing wall allowing fluids to pass between the blades and the housing wall. In order to maintain contact between the conventional blade and the housing wall, the impeller is typically constructed having an outer diameter greater the diameter of the housing bore plus the length of offset. Additionally, the conventional blades may be lengthened to provide an additional "squeeze" by the blades against the housing wall. The pressure limitations of the conventional impeller is limited to the mechanical properties of the material used to construct the impeller. Once the force of the fluid pressure exceeds the mechanical properties of the blade of the conventional impeller, then the blades will disengage from the housing wall, thereby allowing high rates of internal slippage to occur.
The required flexibility of the blades further limits the suitable materials used to manufacture the flexible impeller. The blades of the conventional impeller must be manufactured from a material having resilient properties which allow repetitious bending of the blades of the impeller. Thus, the material selection for the manufacture of a conventional impeller having resilient blades is almost exclusively restricted to elastomers such as neoprene, Buna-N and EPDM. Impellers manufactured from these materials are typically limited to low pressure fluid transfer and circulation applications.
Exemplary of such rubber impeller pumps are those described by E.C. Rumsey in U.S. Pat. No. 2,455,194, Takahashi in U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,105, and McCormick in U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,402. Both Rumsey and McCormick describe rubber impellers having weights secured to the end of each blade. In this manner, the weight is intended to keep the end of the blade in contact with the housing wall as pressure against the blades increases. As the rotation speed of the impeller increases, fluid tends to pass between the impeller and the housing wall limiting the effective speed and maximum operating pressure of the pump. Hence, there is a need for a pump and impeller assembly that may effectively operate at increased rotational speeds and pressure.
Rumsey also describes a slot formed in a central bore of the impeller and a mating rib formed on the shaft of the pump. The impeller is placed on the shaft such that the rib on the pump shaft fits into the slot formed in the central bore of the impeller. Although this "keying" arrangement is intended to reduce the amount the impeller slips on the shaft as the shaft rotates, as the revolutions per minute of the shaft and pressure within the housing increase, the slot may tend to slip over the rib and the impeller may rotate on the shaft. Thus, the effectiveness of this keying arrangement may be dependent upon the speed at which the impeller is rotated and the rigidity of the material used to manufacture the impeller.
Takahashi describes a device that apparently includes a flexible impeller sandwiched between two plates. The impeller is attached to the shaft of the pump, wherein the rotation axis of the impeller is aligned with the rotation axis of the pump shaft. The rotation axis of the pump shaft is offset from the longitudinal axis of the bore formed in the housing. The plates are shown either rotating on a bearing surface or are suspended within the housing such that a portion of the plates bore contacts the pump shaft. The inner surface of the bore on which each plate rotates is subjected to wear and the speed and pressure at which the pump operates may be limited. The blade tips of the impeller slip within slots formed in the plates, such that the plates do not rotate simultaneously with the impellers. Slippage of the blade tips within the slots further limits the pressures at which the Takahashi pump is operable. Hence, there is a need for a rubber impeller pump operable at high speeds and pressures. The present invention addresses these and other needs.


A double-talk detector for an echo canceller includes power estimators (60) and (62) which are utilized to measure the ERLE value in a calculator (64). This ERLE value is stored in a register (70) when it is the largest value generated. This register (70) is updated whenever a new and better ERLE occurs. A fraction of the value in register (70) is utilized as an input to a comparator (88), and then compared to the current ERLE value. If the current ERLE differs from the SERLE in register (70) an inhibit signal is generated for blocking the updates of an adaptive filter (40). The value stored in the register (70) is periodically decremented to reduce the value thereof. This decrement operation is performed in response to detection of an utterance from the far-end.

In telephone circuits, for reasons of line economics and easy replaceability, a two-wire configuration is generally adopted for a subscriber line that is connected to a subscriber's telephone set. The two-wire configuration constitutes a configuration wherein a single pair of wires is provided to carry signals in both directions. However, the line to which the subscriber line is connected utilizes a four-wire configuration which provides separate paths for each direction that is adopted.
In the conventional system, the subscriber lines differ in type and length. Therefore, each subscriber line has its own associated impedance, and it is therefore difficult to match the hybrid coil perfectly. As a result, the hybrid coil not only passes the signal received from the distant party via the four-wire line to the local party via the subscriber line, but also acts as an echo path. This echo path allows the received signal to leak over to the transmitting side, where it becomes an echo signal that degrades communication quality. To cancel the echo signal, an echo canceller is typically deployed which is connected before the four-wire/two-wire conversion point.
A typical echo canceller may utilize data converters to convert between the analog and digital domains, such that a received analog signal can be converted to the digital domain, processed in the digital domain, and then converted back to the analog domain on both the transmit and receive paths. An adaptive filter in the digital domain is connected between the two paths, with the input of the adaptive filter connected to the received path and the output of the adaptive filter providing an input to a subtraction circuit for adjusting the transmitted value.
When the input signal is received from the distant party, it is sampled by an A/D converter to generate a discrete value at a sample time k, and thus convert it to a digital received signal. This digital received signal is converted by the D/A converter on the output of the receive path to an analog receive signal and then sent to the hybrid and, subsequently, the subscriber line to the local party. If the impedances are not matched, however, the analog receive signal follows an echo path and reaches the transmitting side as an echo signal. The echo signal is sampled by another A/D converter on the subscriber line side at a time k to generate a discrete value at time k, and is thus converted to a digital echo signal, which is fed to the subtractor.
The adaptive filter is operable to estimate the characteristics of the echo path and, from the estimated characteristics of the digital received signal, generate a simulated echo signal which is fed to the subtractor. The subtractor subtracts the simulated echo signal or echo signal from the digital echo signal and generates the difference as a residual signal. The adaptive filter is operable to cancel the echo signal so as to force the residual signal to converge as closely as possible to zero.
The above description was directed toward "network echo", the other type being "acoustic echo", double talk presenting a problem to both types. In this type, the adaptive estimation function of the adaptive filter operates normally in the single-talk state, but in the double-talk state in which there is preferentially a transmitted signal from the local party, i.e., due to the party speaking, the estimation function of the adaptive filter is inaccurate, in that it may not provide the appropriate estimation function due to interference from the additional transmitted signal from the local party. Accordingly, echo cancellation devices which employ adaptive filters for estimating a room's response typically include a "double-talk" detection device which monitors the microphone signal to determine when a person is speaking into the microphone. One such detector, described in D. L. Duttweiler, "A Twelve Channel Digital Echo Canceller", IEEE Trans. On Comm., Volcom-26, No. 5, May 1978, declares double-talk when a sample of the microphone signal is greater than or equal to one-half the largest sample of the loudspeaker signal within the last N samples, where N is a constant equal to the maximum delay between the loudspeaker and the microphone. If someone is speaking into the microphone, the energy of the microphone signal is typically at least half that of the loudspeaker signal. Accordingly, the above-described double-talk detector properly concludes that someone is speaking into the microphone and disables the adaptive filter from adjusting its taps.
If the loudspeaker and microphone are far apart from each other, the microphone includes little or no acoustic feedback from the loudspeaker. Further, when someone is speaking softly into the microphone, the energy of the soft voice component of the microphone signal is not alone greater than half the energy of the loudspeaker signal. Accordingly, the above-described double-talk detector falsely concludes that no one is speaking into the microphone and therefore enables the adaptive filter to adjust its taps. The filter accordingly begins adjusting the taps in an effort to reduce the echo received at the microphone to zero. Thus, by falsely concluding that no one is speaking into the microphone, the device begins to cut off the voice of the person speaking into the microphone.
If the loudspeaker is placed close to the microphone, the energy of the microphone signal may exceed half the energy of the loudspeaker signal regardless of whether someone is speaking into the microphone. For example, if the room includes ambient background noise, such as that generated by a fan, the microphone picks up this sound and adds it to the substantial acoustic feedback caused by the close proximity of the microphone and loudspeaker. Accordingly, the energy of the microphone signal may exceed half of the energy of the loudspeaker signal even when the loudspeaker is the only source of speech in the room. In this case, the above described double-talk detector falsely concludes that someone is always speaking into the microphone and therefore permanently disables the adaptive filter from adjusting its taps.