An in-line filament cleaner and adhesive applicator for an optical fiber (10) which is to be wound onto a canister (22) used as a missile data link, for example, has a first tank (14) containing a cleaning solvent (16), a second tank (18) containing a liquid adhesive (38), and pulleys (24, 26, 28, 34, 36) for moving the fiber (10) through tank (14) to be cleaned along an air path for drying, and through tank (18) where adhesive is applied. An adhesive thickness gauge (20) insures adhesive does not exceed a given maximum and a guid tube (40) directs the adhesive coated fiber at a predetermined angle for winding on the canister (22).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to winding a filament pack, and, more particularly, to inline apparatus for cleaning and applying adhesive to an optical fiber while it is being wound onto a bobbin or canister.
2. Description of Related Art
Filaments such as wire or optical fibers are utilized in certain airborne vehicles, such as a missile, as a data link. In such a case, a length of optical fiber is wound onto a bobbin or canister, one end of which is connected to electrical apparatus aboard the missile and the other end of which is connected to control apparatus at the launch site. On launch, the optical fiber unwinds from the missile canister to maintain the data link.
It is the usual process to apply an adhesive to the fiber during winding of the filament stack on the canister in order to maintain geometric integrity of the wound stack during storage. Previous adhesive application methods have involved either spraying of the adhesive over each layer of fiber as it was applied to the canister, or, alternatively, using a syringe applicator with a closed "needle-like" die (e.g., pressureless die). Spraying techniques have been found to have inherent problems in providing consistent even coverage and are relatively time consuming to employ. The syringe approach, on the other hand, although it provides more uniform coating and is usually quicker than spraying, does not clean the fiber nor can the fiber be removed from the applicator if this should become necessary.
It can be shown that a substantial portion of the overall cost of an optical fiber wound canister is involved in just winding the fiber onto the canister. If the adhesive can be applied onto the fiber in-line during winding, this would reduce winding costs substantially over previous techniques of applying an adhesive by either the syringe or spraying methods. Estimates indicate that these costs can be reduced by as much as 30% over the prior techniques, other factors being held the same.
Additionally, improved adhesive application consistency and ability to unwind the fiber through the applicator to correct possible winding anomalies would greatly enhance the overall ability to wind a high quality canister.

In-line filament cleaner and adhesive applicator


An information processing apparatus receiving a process request from a terminal via networks includes a storage to store first communications information for connecting via a first network and second communications information for connecting via a second network, an identification information receiver to receive identification information from the terminal, the identification information identifying a user of the terminal, a determination unit to determine the first or second network based on the identification information to receive the process request from the terminal, a communications information transmitter to transmit the first or second communications information via the determined first or second network, and a request receiver to accept connection via the determined first or second network based on the transmitted communications information transmitted by the communications information transmitter from the terminal to receive the process request via the accepted the first or second network.

Wireless communications technologies typically allow users' terminals to directly access other apparatuses such as image forming apparatuses to operate their functions without wired connections, which much improves convenience of users of the terminals. Allowing users' terminals to perform wireless communications with apparatuses may often require parameter settings, which generally needs to be set by the users of the terminals; however, such settings are not always easy for the users of the terminals to set.
Related art technologies propose technologies require minimizing such users settings or even require no users settings for setting the wireless communications parameters in the users' terminals (e.g., Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1, for example, discloses a technology for allowing wireless communications devices to connect to the same apparatus using different wireless communications parameters. This technology suggests a management device configured to read stored information from a near field communications (NFC) chip of a user and apply different wireless communications parameters to the same apparatus to switch between settings of domestic (home) wireless communications parameters and settings of outdoor wireless communications parameters according to the read information.

Information processing apparatus, communications system, and communications method


A check valve may be incorporated in an inner core barrel assembly. The check valve has a valve body defining a fluid flow path and provided with a valve seat. A valve member is located in the valve body and is coupled to the valve body by a coupling mechanism. The coupling mechanism is arranged to allow the valve member to move linearly in an axial direction relative to the valve body on to and off of the valve seat and maintain a fixed rotational relationship with the valve body. A data acquisition system can be held in the valve member and by virtue of the coupling mechanism be maintained rotationally fixed relative to the valve body an inner core tube of an inner core barrel assembly.

A core drill is used to extract the core samples of the earth for analysis by a geologist. The core drill is typically composed of a number of drill pipes which are connected end to end to form a drill string. An outer barrel assembly is attached to a downhole end of the drill string and includes a core bit for drilling the core sample. An inner core barrel assembly is run down the drill string and releasably latched inside the outer barrel assembly. The unit core barrel assembly includes a head assembly, a swivel, and an inner core barrel. The swivel attaches the head assembly to the inner core barrel in a manner which rotationally decouples the inner core barrel from the drill string. Therefore as the drill string rotates the inner core tube assembly is rotationally stationary and receives the core sample being cut by the drill bit.
The core orientation system is provided in the inner core barrel assembly. The core orientation system logs or records the in situ orientation of the core sample. This is used by the geologist to enable accurate mapping of geology and mineralogy of the earth. The core orientation system may be housed or attached at various locations within the inner core barrel assembly. However it is important for the core orientation system to have a fixed and known rotational relationship with the inner core tube.
An inner core barrel assembly usually also includes a check valve downhole of the spindle. The purpose of the check valve is to allow fluid and in particular liquid to pass through the inside of the inner core tube and then to the outside of the head assembly when the inner core barrel assembly is being run down the drill string for releasable locking to the outer core barrel assembly. Allowing this flow and subsequent bypass of fluid reduces the time taken for the inner core barrel assembly to which the inner core barrel assembly. Given that the drill holes can be of a debt substantially greater than I km and filled with water or drilling mud the descent time can be substantial. Reducing the descent time enables more meters to be drilled per day and thereby decreases operational costs. A common check valve has a ball valve, a ball seat and one or more openings or bypass passages spaced from the seat. When the inner core barrel assembly descends through liquid, the liquid pass up the inner core tube, forces the ball valve off the seat and flows out of the inner core tube through the openings or bypass passages. Once the inner core barrel assembly has landed fluid pressure can be provided from the surface which now flows through the openings/bypass passages and forces the valve ball onto the valve seat. Thereafter the fluid pressure can act on the inner core barrel assembly to achieve various effects or operate subsystems within the assembly.
The above references to the background art do not constitute an admission that the art forms a part of the common general knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art. The above references are also not intended to limit the application of the apparatus, systems, devices and methods as disclosed herein.

Check valve, associated downhole data collection system and inner core barrel assembly


Transparent backup and archiving of video data for one or more Video Management Systems is provided by capturing such data from at least one network used by the VMS(s) using packet capture by one or more taps and associated Streaming Video Capture and Replay System (SVCRS) and without requiring cooperation from or modification to any VMS. By noting the source and destination of data packets, as well as aspects of the content, such as the data type, format, or protocol used, the nature of the devices sending or receiving the data packets can also be determined. For example, it is possible to determine that a sending device is a camera, and a receiving device is a component of a VMS. Using such information, lists of cameras, VMSs, and clients operating over a network can be created, along with associated information, such as their network addresses. In some cases additional information, such as device capabilities or models, API versions and capabilities, and data storage locations used can also be determined.

A common network, such as the Internet, may be used in some scenarios for connections between a VMS and networked cameras and/or clients. Due to the proprietary or non-standard nature of some example VMS implementations, a given client may not be able to access data from different VMSs; just the particular VMS or VMS's the client is designed to work with. Likewise, backup or archiving of data from a VMS is typically done using proprietary or vendor-specific methods that often vary from one VMS to the next, making management of data backup difficult and retrieval of archived data problematic if the VMS that stored it is unavailable.
Data sources, such as cameras, that supply data to a first VMS may not be compatible with a second VMS, resulting in expensive duplication of data sources. VMSs may have diverse data retention requirements (from none to hours, days, or permanently in some cases) and varying regulatory compliance requirements (e.g. HIPA, Sarbanes-Oxley, chain of custody, etc.). In addition, if a VMS becomes or is unavailable, the data it has stored can become inaccessible, even if the data is stored in a location that remains or is available and is in a standard format, because the location of the data is known only to the VMS that stored it.
Solving these and other related problems can result in reduced costs, improved reliability, better retrieval speed, simpler data backup, and additional capabilities.

System and method for networked video capture, backup, and serving


A piling planning method for cargoes in which an operator can designate a piling position of each of the various cargoes, and by displaying the piling result graphically on a graphic terminal, a piling patern is determined so that vacant space is reduced, and by using a final piling pattern, a piling position and a piling order of each cargo, and a piling operation sequence of the palletizing robot are determined. A piling system is provided in which cargoes supplied thereto are piled on a pallet in accordance with piling planning data prepared by a piling planning device which executes the above piling planning method.

The present invention relates to a method of establishing a piling plan for determining information required to automatically pile the cargoes requested to be transported onto a transporting jig such as pallet, container, etc., (hereinafter referred to as a pallet), by means of a palletizing robot, that is, for determining that piling disposition which will efficiently pile the cargoes, a piling order for each cargo and an operation sequence of the robot are established. The present invention further relates to a piling system for automatically piling the cargoes on the pallet based on the established plan.
As a device for automatically piling cargoes on a pallet, there are auto-palletizers and palletizing robots (called robot palletizers). These devices are only capable of piling cargoes having the same size on one pallet. As a result, if the number of kinds of cargoes to be piled on one pallet increases due to the progress of transportation of cargoes of many kinds but small quantity, it will be impossible to pile by means of the conventional palletizing robot.
In case of piling automatically the cargoes of various different sizes on one pallet by means of automatic piling device such as a palletizing robot (hereinafter referred to simply as a robot), the following problems arise:
(1) In case of selecting a cargo piling disposition manually, due to a large increase in the number of combinations of piling dispositions, the mounting efficiency with respect to the effective mounting space on the pallet tends to be reduced. For this reason, there is a requirement for a method of establishing the piling disposition of cargoes, which method is capable of realizing high mounting efficiency even when the cargoes are of different sizes (hereinafter the established piling disposition is referred to as a piling pattern).
(2) In order to pile each cargo by means of the robot, it is necessary to teach the robot an operation for each cargo. Since the content of this operation differs for each cargo, the man-hours for the teaching increases in the conventional operation teaching method of the playback type. Therefore, there is a requirement for a method of automatically deciding, simultaneously with the establishment of the aforementioned piling pattern, an order of cargoes to be piled and a sequence of robot operations, which are used as operation teaching data for the robot.
(3) In order to supply the cargoes to the robot in the aforementioned piling order, it is necessary to search for cargoes of the designated kind among the various kinds of cargoes and to send them to the piling device. In particular, when various kinds of cargoes are to be piled on one pallet, if the search and supply of the cargoes are performed manually, the man-hours will be increased and the speed of supply will be lowered. For this reason, a marshalling method is necessary to supply the cargoes to the piling device in conformity with the above piling order.

Piling planning method and piling system of cargoes by palletizing robot


A head-mountable viewer with adjustable lenses is disclosed herein. The head-mountable viewer may include a frame with a first and second bore therein, each bore receives a first and second lens, respectively. The frame may further include a first and second side arms that each have a first and second tab, respectively. The first and second tabs are operatively connected to or attached to the first and second lenses, such that movement or adjustment of the first or second tabs corresponds to movement or adjustment of the first or second lenses, respectively. In this regard, the adjustability of the first and second lenses provides a single head-mountable viewer to be universally used, that is, any user may use the same head-mountable viewer by being able to adjust the lenses to best suit his or her comfort.

Virtual reality continues to improve and develop in order to allow a user to immerse himself or herself into another world, whether real or imaginary. Virtual reality may take the form of a 3D graphic design on a screen, such as an arcade screen, or the user may wear a head-mounted display or viewer such that the screen is placed directly over the field of vision of the user. A piece of cardboard or plastic may be used as a head-mountable viewer such that the user can place an electronic device, such as a smartphone, into the cardboard and then fold the cardboard in such a way that the cardboard and electronic device alone provide the user with a virtual reality experience. Using cardboard, as one example, may be a cheaper alternative to expensive virtual reality devices, but nonetheless the cardboard used may not be suitable and conformable to the many different shapes and sizes of the vast array of users.

Head-mountable viewer with adjustable lens


Three dimensional woven fabrics containing bent parts of a small radius of curvature which bent parts comprise easily graphitized pitch-derived carbon fibers obtained by thermosetting treatment and light carbonization treatment carried out after melt-spinning of high softening point pitch and having a tensile strength of 15 250 Kgf/mm.sup.2, an elongation of 0.5-8.0% and modulus of elasticity of 400-40,000 Kgf/mm.sup.2 and a capability of increasing both of their tensile strength and modulus of elasticity to 1.1 times or greater than the above-mentioned values by additional heat treatment carried out under a relaxed state to have a tensile strength of 150 Kgf/mm.sup.2 or greater and a modulus of elasticity of 40,000 Kgf/mm.sup.2 or greater. They are superior in abrasion resistance, flexion-resisting property and scratch-resisting property and useful as one component of fiber composite materials in reinforcing plastics, metals, cements, ceramics, carbon materials, etc.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to three dimensional woven fabrics comprising pitch-derived carbon fibers having superior qualities. More particularly, it relates to three dimensional woven fabrics comprising easily graphitizable pitch-derived carbon fibers which are incomplete in crystallization and orientation of graphite crystals and yet have the capability of increasing their tensile strength and modulus of elasticity greatly by heat treatment carried out under a relaxed state whereby crystal growth and orientation proceed. "Three dimensional", herein referred to, means that the directions of three component yarns, such as, warp, weft and vertical yarns, are essentially perpendicular to each other.
This invention is directed to three dimensional woven fabrics comprising high strength, high elasticity carbon fibers derived from pitch which fibers are difficult to weave after heat treatment.
This invention is directed to three-dimensional fabrics woven from components at least one of which is easy for working and is a pitch-derived carbon fiber lightly carbonized at a lower temperature than generally used temperature. In case of light carbonization fibers, three dimensional weaving containing bent parts of a small radius of curvature can be carried out, which is difficult in case of fibers having a higher degree of carbonization (heat treatment). In addition, since the light carbonization fibers themselves are lower in cost, even when working loss is formed, the relative influence upon product cost is small. This is also an advantage of the light carbonization fibers.
The light carbonization fibers of the present invention are more easily bent at parts of small radius of curvature compared with carbon fibers having higher grade of carbonization, and have superior characteristic properties because their bent parts receive stress relaxation by the higher grade of carbonization treatment applied thereafter and show superior resistances to abrasion, flexion and scratching. Therefore, the three dimensional woven fabrics of the present invention show superior ability as reinforcement fabrics for various kinds of materials.
2. Description of prior Arts
This invention is directed to three dimensional woven fabrics of pitch-derived carbon fibers having high modulus of elasticity, useful for fiber reinforcement.
Pitch-derived carbon fibers having high modulus of elasticity have been heretofore produced firstly by subjecting a pitch having a high softening point to melt-spinning, oxidizing the surfaces of resulting fibers to make them infusible (thermoset), followed by carbonization carried out in an inert gas atmosphere.
This method is disclosed in Japanese official gazette of examined applications (Tokuko) 15728 of 1966. This is certainly a superior production method of pitch-derived fibers, but according to the disclosed method, it is necessary to keep fibers under tension at the time of carbonization to obtain fibers having high modulus of elasticity. Since thermoset pitch fibers are extremely brittle, it is difficult to hold them under tension. It is considered actually to be impossible to obtain high elasticity fibers by this method.
In order to work out a solution to this problem, a method in which optically anisotropic pitch is used has been proposed as disclosed in Japanese official gazette of examined applications (Tokuko) 8634 of 1974 and Japanese official gazette of unexamined applications (Tokukai) 19127 of 1974. Optically anisotropic pitch is an easily graphitizable material and shows superior properties as raw material for high strength, high elasticity carbon fibers. Particularly, there is no need of being kept under tension at the time of carbonization, they are considered to be advantageous method in terms of cost and quality.
Carbon fibers from optically anisotropic pitch can be easily made into a high strength, high elasticity state, but on the other hand they have such a weak point that they are liable to be flawed, e.g. liable to be broken at the time of working. Such weak points exist more or less in case of all brittle fibers. Glass fibers, PAN-derived carbon fibers, etc. are coated by sizing agents to give lubricity and cohesiveness of bundles. In case of carbon fibers from optically anisotropic pitch, there is a tendency to repel a sizing agent due to harmful effect of easily graphitizable property. since uniform coating is difficult, shortages of lubricity and cohesiveness of bundles are also weak points.
In order to solve these problems, Japanese unexamined patent application (Tokukai) 21911 of 1985 discloses a method in which primary carbonization should be carried out at a temperature of 400.degree.-650.degree. C. after thermosetting. This method is effective to some-extent for keeping elasticity of carbon fibers small and for preventing them from being flawed, but since carbonization degree is too light, there are problems in insufficiency of shape and dimensional stability and in sufficiency of strength for passing through a process such as weaving in which strong force is to be applied.
Particularly in case of three dimensional woven fabrics, since there is a stage in which bending is applied at a small radius of curvature at the time of weaving, there is a problem of difficulty of weaving for high strength, high elasticity carbon fibers which are highly carbonized or graphitized. In case of high elasticity fibers having an elongation less than 0.4% and a modulus of elasticity higher than 40,000 Kgf/mm.sup.2, simple fabrics such as plain woven fabrics can be woven, but it has been found to be substantially impossible to weave three dimensional woven fabrics containing bent parts having a radius of curvature less than about 4 mm using a weaving machine.
The present invention relates to three dimensional woven fabrics comprising carbon fibers having high elasticity, produced from an optically anisotropic pitch or a high softening point pitch having a carbonization characteristic property close to an optically anisotropic pitch. It has been difficult heretofore to produce such three dimensional woven fabrics comprising carbon fibers having a modulus of elasticity higher than 40,000 Kgf/mm.sup.2, because of brittleness of such high elasticity carbon fibers and shortage of lubricity and cohesiveness of bundles, etc. PAN-derived carbon fibers generally have a higher strength but lower elasticity than pitch-derived carbon fibers and the elasticity of PAN-derived carbon fibers cannot be increased by a heat treatment under a relaxed state. Therefore, it may be possible to weave three dimensional fabrics with PAN-derived fibers having a modulus of elasticity of up to 40,000 Kgf/mm.sup.2, it is impossible to increase a modulus f elasticity to a value higher than 40,000 Kgf/mm.sup.2 by an additional heat treatment under relaxed state, because woven fabrics cannot be stretched during the heat treatment.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned points of problem.
The present invention resides in three dimensional fabrics woven by using carbon fibers having good workability and low strength and low elasticity, obtained by mitigating the carbonization condition of pitch fibers. The carbonization of pitch fibers are generally carried out by heat-treatment under an inert gas atmosphere. In case where high modulus of elasticity is required, heat treatment is carried out at a temperature higher than 2000.degree. C. It has been found, however, that workability of such high strength, high elasticity carbon fibers is not good and carbonization carried out at a lower temperature is preferable.

Three dimensional woven fabrics of pitch-derived carbon fibers


A parallel processor network comprised of a plurality of nodes, each node including a processor containing a number of I/O ports, and a local memory. A communication path is established through a node by comparing a target node address in a first address packet with a processor ID of the node. If node address is equal to the target node address a receive channel is allocated to the input port and a route ready command is sent over an output port paired with the input port. If the node address is not equal to the target node address, then a first unallocated output port is selected from a port vector and the address packet is forwarded to a next node over the selected output port.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to data-processing systems, and more particularly, to a communication mechanism for use in a high-performance, parallel-processing system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,523 describes a parallel processor comprised of a plurality of processing nodes, each node including a processor and a memory. Each processor includes means for executing instructions, logic connected to the memory for interfacing the processor with the memory and an internode communication mechanism. The internode communication mechanism connects the nodes to form a first array of order n having a hypercube topology. A second array of order n having nodes connected together in a hypercube topology is interconnected with the first array to form an order n+1 array. The order n+1 array is made up of the first and second arrays of order n, such that a parallel processor system may be structured with any number of processors that is a power of two. A set of I/O processors are connected to the nodes of the arrays by means of I/O channels. The internode communication comprises a serial data channel driven by a clock that is common to all of the nodes.
The above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,636, describes a fixed-routing communication system in which each of the processors in the network described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,523 is assigned a unique processor identification (ID). The processor IDs of two processors connected to each other through port number n, vary only in the nth bit. A plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports are provided at each node. Control means at one of the input ports of the node receives address packets related to a current message from an output port of another of the nodes. A data bus connects the input and output ports of the node together such that a message received on any one input port is routed to any other output port. A compare logic compares a node address in a first address packet with the processor ID of the node to determine the bit position of the first difference between the node address in the first address packet and the processor ID of the node. The compare logic includes means for activating for transmission of the message packet placed on the data bus by the input port, the one of the plurality of output ports whose port number corresponds to the bit position of the first difference, starting at bit n+1, where n is the number of the port on which the message was received.
In the fixed routing scheme described in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,636, a message from a given source to a given destination can take exactly one routing path, unless it is forwarded, cutting through intermediate nodes and blocking on busy channels until the path is established. The path taken is the dimension-order minimum-length path. While this scheme is deadlock-free, it will not reroute messages around blocked or faulty nodes.
It is desirable to provide a new communication system using reliable messaging mechanisms, whereby both the sender and receiver of a message can know quickly whether the message was delivered reliably, and the receiver may deliver status information back to the sender before an established path is broken.
It is also desirable that the communication system be able to route messages around blocked or faulty nodes and hot spots in a parallel processor, by implementing unique adaptive routing methods that make use of the reliable messaging mechanisms.
It is also desirable that the communication mechanism provide a more efficient utilization of the bandwidth of a hypercube communication network, by duplicating (folding) network links or otherwise unused communications ports, and by avoiding extended network blockages through the adaptive routing methods.

Parallel processor that routes messages around blocked or faulty nodes by selecting an output port to a subsequent node from a port vector and transmitting a route ready signal back to a previous node


A modular garment system includes an attachment system for attaching multiple garments together. In one embodiment, the garment system includes an upper body garment that is attachable to a lower body garment. The upper body garment includes a plurality of connectors that are aligned with a plurality of retaining members on the lower body garment. The retaining members on the lower body garment, for instance, may be placed on top of existing belt loops. The retaining members may include a flap, while the connectors may have a loop-like structure. In order to connect the upper body garment to the lower body garment, the flap may be inserted into the loop-like structure and secured to the lower body garment. The upper body garment can also include a draw cord that can be used to further secure the upper body garment against the lower body garment.

Flame resistant fabrics are used in a variety of different applications. For example, many garments are made from flame resistant fabrics that are intended to protect the wearer in environments where the wearer may be exposed to fires and open flames. For instance, flame resistant garments are typically worn by firefighters, military personnel, industrial workers, race car drivers, and pilots.
Flight suits worn by pilots, for instance, are typically not only designed to protect against fires and open flames, but are also constructed so as to protect the pilot from other various environmental and aircraft-induced hazards. For military pilots that fly certain types of missions, the flight suit should also protect the pilot in combat and other emergency situations.
Various hazards that a flight crew may be exposed to include fire in the aircraft, wind blasts, exposure to noxious chemicals, and exposure to very low temperatures at high altitude. During an emergency ejection or a crash, flight crews can also be exposed to ground fire or cold water immersion. If performing military functions, the flight crew may also be exposed to chemical and biological weapons, flash fires, incendiary devices, and the like.
To be effective, a flight suit should perform as an integrated system that provides protection to the flight crew while still allowing the flight crew to perform their functions.
In the past, for instance, flight suits have been proposed that comprise a single garment that covers the legs, torso, chest and arms of the wearer. Single-piece garments, however, have various drawbacks and disadvantages. Single-piece garments, for instance, may be cumbersome to wear, especially when not operating an aircraft. Single-piece garments also provide little adjustment for size and fit unless the garment is particularly tailored for an individual.
In other embodiments, flight crews have been provided with an assortment of garments that each have a different function. Although the garments are well suited to providing protection for a particular hazard, the separate garments may not be designed to interface with other garments in a way that optimizes overall protection and comfort. For example, in order to be protected against all possible hazards, the garments may have to be worn in layers which reduces comfort and mobility. Further, when assembled together, the garments may not provide overall protection against open flames and fires. Particular garments may provide some flame resistant properties to some parts of the body but may leave other parts of the body exposed.
In view of the above, a need currently exists for an integrated garment system that can provide protection to a wearer while still providing maximum comfort and mobility. For example, a need currently exists for a modular garment system that is relatively simple to assemble and is more secure thereby providing greater protection to the wearer in comparison to many prior products.


This invention provides a novel thermoplastic elastomer composition which is rich in flexibility and excellent in rubber elasticity over a broad temperature range, high-temperature creep characteristics, low-temperature impact resistance, mechanical strength and moldability, and have good oil resistance, good light discoloration resistance and extremely excellent toning properties in spite of thermoplastic elastomer and which is characterized by being obtained by dynamically heat-treating a mixture of (a) 100 parts by weight of a carbon-to-carbon double bond-containing rubber, (b) 5 to 300 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin, (c) 0.5 to 30 parts by weight of an organosiloxane crosslinking agent having at least two SiH groups in the molecule, (d) 0.001 to 20 parts by weight of a hydrosilylating catalyst, (e) 0.5 to 20 parts by weight of a compatibilizing agent and, if necessary, (f) 30 to 300 parts by weight of a paraffinic oil. The present thermoplastic elastomer composition can be used as a material for various molded products.

This invention relates to a thermoplastic elastomer composition. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel thermoplastic elastomer composition which is rich in flexibility and excellent in rubber elasticity over a broad temperature range, high-temperature creep characteristics, low-temperature impact resistance, mechanical strength and moldability, have good oil resistance, good light discoloration resistance and extremely excellent toning properties in spite of thermoplastic elastomer, and can be used as a material for various moldings.
Thermoplastic elastomers which are rubbery soft materials, which do not require curing step and which have the same moldability as thermoplastic resins, have recently been utilized in the fields of automobile parts, domestic appliance parts, wire-coating materials, medical parts, miscellaneous goods, footwear and the like.
Typical examples of the structure of a thermoplastic elastomer includes a type in which a hard segment and a soft segment are alternately present in a copolymer chain as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 61-34,050 or the like. By varying the proportion of each segment, thermoplastic elastomers of various grades from flexible to rigid have been produced.
Moreover, there are different kinds of thermoplastic elastomers derived from inexpensive and easily available materials. That is to say, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokoku No. 53-21,021 or the like, a thermoplastic blend of a monoolefin copolymer rubber partially crosslinked with an organic peroxide and a polyolefin resin, and a partially crosslinked composition obtained by melt-kneading a monoolefin copolymer rubber and a polyolefin resin using an organic peroxide as a crosslinking coagent, correspond to the above different kinds of thermoplastic elastomers.
However, in the case of the former thermoplastic elastomer having such a structure that a hard segment and a soft segment are alternately present in the copolymer chain, it is necessary for the copolymer to contain a large amount of the soft segment for obtaining a flexible thermoplastic elastomer. Usually, the soft segment is low in tensile strength and inferior in heat resistance, flow properties and oil resistance, and hence, the flexible thermoplastic elastomer containing a large amount of such a soft segment is also low in tensile strength and inferior in heat resistance, flow properties and oil resistance, and therefore, cannot be applied to various uses over a broad range.
When thermoplastic elastomers of various flexibility grades are intended to be synthesized by a multistage synthesis process, it is necessary to separately synthesize the soft segment and the hard segment, so that the polymerization apparatus becomes very complicated and also it is very difficult to control the properties and proportion of each segment in the polymerization stage. Moreover, in some cases, many defective products are produced at the time of change of the grade. Furthermore, the recovery of the polymer produced is very difficult because a large amount of rubbery material is contained in the polymer.
In the case of the latter thermoplastic elastomer composition having such a structure that a partial crosslinking has been imparted to a monoolefin copolymer rubber which is one of the constituents, the oil resistance, the shape recovery at high temperatures and the like are insufficient because of the partial cross-linking, so that the thermoplastic elastomer cannot be applied in various uses over a broad range. Also, since an organic peroxide is used, the polymer chain is cut by a radical resulting from the organic peroxide simultaneously with the crosslinking and a reduction of mechanical strength is observed. Japanese Patent Application Kokoku No. 58-46,138 and others disclose a measure for overcoming the above disadvantages. This is such that a heat-reactive alkylphenol resin is used as the cross-linking agent to allow only the crosslinking of the monoolefin copolymer rubber to proceed preferentially. The thermoplastic elastomer obtained by this measure is completely crosslinked, and hence, is sufficient in oil resistance, shape-recovery at high temperatures and the like. However, since the alkylphenol resin is used, the light discoloration resistance is greatly inferior, and hence, the thermoplastic elastomer cannot be applied to uses requiring the freedom of coloration such as automobile parts, domestic appliance parts, wire-coatings and the like.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,244 proposes using an organosiloxane compound in place of the alkylphenol resin as a cross-linking agent. According to this method, it is possible to allow only the crosslinking of the monoolefin copolymer rubber to proceed preferentially similarly to the crosslinking with an alkylphenol resin, and a material extremely excellent in oil resistance, shape recovery at high temperatures, light discoloration resistance and the like can be obtained, so that the resulting thermoplastic elastomer can be applied to uses such as automobile parts, domestic appliance parts, wire coatings and the like which require freedom of coloration. However, according to this method, no compatibilizing agent is used, and hence, the adhesion between the rubber and the resin is not sufficient, so that the impact resistance at low temperatures cannot be said to be sufficient. Therefore, such a thermoplastic elastomer cannot be applied to uses requiring impact resistance at low temperatures, for example, materials for air bag cover of an automobile. Also, in the case of a usual kneading method, the current situation is that since no compatibilizing agent is used the rubber dispersion is not sufficient and hence the appearance of the extrusion-molded article is remarkably inferior. Therefore, as disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 4,594,390, dynamic heat-treatment under a high shear of 2000/sec or higher has been proposed for solving the above problem. However, according to this method, the material is exposed to high shear though the residence time is short, and therefore, the material per se tends to decompose and deteriorate. Moreover, in order to achieve high shear, it is necessary not only to increase the revolution rate in the melt-kneading but also narrow the clearance of a kneader to about 1/3 to 1/5 of that of a usual kneader. Thus, said method is not practical in the aspect of productivity of a thermoplastic elastomer composition and durability of a kneader.
By the known techniques which have been proposed by now, the essential problem has not been solved, that is, the morphologic change that the rubber dispersed by an annealing treatment is agglomerated again is still caused, and as a result, the current situation is that the thermoplastic elastomer composition cannot be used in the automobile field or the like wherein the long term reliability of quality is required.


A method of maintaining a die system for the extrusion of polymer permits external cleaning and maintenance without shutting down the operation. Removable die inserts are located on one or both sides of the die opening section through which polymer is extruded. The inserts are spaced from the die opening section, by a very small distance, so as to avoid interfering with the opening section. When molten polymer accumulates and burns in areas surrounding the die opening section, the inserts can be removed and replaced without interrupting the extrusion of polymer.

The present invention is directed to a die system with a removable insert for use in the extrusion of polymers. The removable insert permits cleaning and maintenance of the die without shutting down the extrusion line.
Various mechanisms are known to facilitate the cleaning and maintenance of dies used for the extrusion of polymer materials, while minimizing down time. Molten polymers are extruded through dies to form films, strands, nonwoven webs, and other finished polymer forms. As polymer exits the die, some of the polymer clings to the die openings or xe2x80x9clips,xe2x80x9d accumulating on the exterior surface of the die. This die lip build-up gradually increases until it accumulates to a point where it breaks off, possibly causing a defect in the product. Considerable engineering goes into the design of dies to minimize this build-up. Diverging, converging, radiused, and angled die lip geometries all are examples of methods developed to minimize this build-up. However, no die design completely eliminates it. It is common practice to temporarily halt the extrusion operation to perform maintenance on the die to remove this build-up.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,708, issued to Kaun, discloses a melt blowing die head with opposing die lips mounted on lip guides pivotally connected to respective setback bars. To facilitate cleaning and maintenance of the die, the lips can be swung away from the spinnerette on the respective lip guides. This allows for reduced down time during maintenance of the die, but does not permit maintenance during operation of the line.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,986, issued to Gohlisch et al., discloses an extrusion head having a stationary part fixed on an extrusion installation. The installation includes a plurality of extrusion cylinders. The stationary part has flow channels, each in communication with a respective extrusion cylinder and a common extrusion die. Two pivotal outer parts hinged on the stationary part are selectively swingable individually between open and closed positions. The outer parts define an extrusion orifice for the die in their closed position. When the outer parts are opened, maintenance can be performed on the die,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,973, issued to Peters, discloses a die which has a removable extrusion plate covering the die head. The plate can be removed and replaced to minimize down time required for maintenance.
A common feature of the prior art devices is that routine cleaning and maintenance requires at least some down time. While efforts have been made to simplify maintenance and reduce down time, no device has allowed maintenance to be performed while the extrusion operation is ongoing.
The present invention is directed to an extrusion die system which permits external cleaning and maintenance to be performed without interrupting the extrusion operation. A die is provided with an opening section for the extrusion of polymer. A removable insert is provided on the exterior surface of the die lip where build-up occurs, on one or both sides of the die opening section. The inserts are located close enough to the die opening section to encompass all or substantially all of the region where the exterior build-up occurs. However, the inserts do not extend to the die opening section or over the die opening section. Instead, there is a space between the die lip or opening section and the insert or inserts.
Because the one or more removable inserts do not interfere with the die opening section, the extrusion line can continue operating while the insert is being removed and replaced. Because much of the routine external maintenance of dies is directed to removing burnt polymer from the regions surrounding the die lip, the elimination of down time during the maintenance step substantially reduces the total down time needed to maintain the die. For best results, the insert or inserts should have one end positioned as close as possible to the die lip or opening without interfering with the opening.
The one or more removable inserts can be designed into any type of polymer extrusion die including, without limitation, film, extrusion dies strand extrusion dies, melt spinning and melt blowing dies used to make nonwoven webs, and dies used to make tubes or parsons. The die openings may be straight as in a cast film die, or curved, as in a blown film die. The die may also include a plurality of smaller openings arranged in a line, circle or pattern, such as in a melt spinning or melt blowing die. Regardless of the die type, the removable insert or inserts should be positioned as close as possible to the die opening or openings, without interfering with them. In other words, the portion or portions of the die defining the openings do not form part of the removable insert. The inserts should also extend far enough away from the die openings to cover the areas where burnt polymer accumulates.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a feature and advantage of the invention to provide an extrusion die having one or more removable inserts which can be removed and replaced during operation of the die.
It is also a feature and advantage of the invention to provide a method of cleaning the exterior of an extrusion die without stopping the flow of polymer through the die.
The foregoing and other features and advantages will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
As used herein, xe2x80x9ccast film extrusionxe2x80x9d refers to the extrusion of one or more polymer layers into a flat rectangular film using a die having a straight rectangular opening.
The term xe2x80x9cblown film coextrusionxe2x80x9d refers to the extrusion of one or more polymer layers into a film having a continuous cylindrical cross-section, using a die having a cylindrical opening.
The extrusion of xe2x80x9cspunbonded fibersxe2x80x9d means the production of small diameter fibers by extending molten thermoplastic material as filaments from a plurality of fine, usually circular capillaries of a spinnerette with the diameter of the extruded filaments then being rapidly reduced as by, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,563 to Appel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,618 to Dorschner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,817 to Matsuki et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,338,992 and 3,341,394 to Kinney, U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,763 to Hartmann, U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,538 to Levy and U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,615 to Dobo et al. Spunbond fibers are quenched and generally not tacky when they are deposited onto a colleting surface. Spunbond fibers are generally continuous and have average diameters larger than 7 microns, more particularly, between about 10 and 20 microns.
The extrusion of xe2x80x9cmeltblown fibersxe2x80x9d means the production of small diameter fibers by extruding a molten thermoplastic material through a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillaries as molten threads or filaments into converging high velocity gas (e.g., air) streams which attenuate the filaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameter, which may be to microfiber diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibers are carried by the high velocity gas stream and are deposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly laid meltblown fibers. Such a process is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,241 to Butin. Meltblown fibers are microfibers which may be continuous or discontinuous, are generally smaller than 10 microns in average diameter, and are generally tacky when deposited onto a collecting surface.
The term xe2x80x9cpolymerxe2x80x9d generally includes but is not limited to, homopolymers, copolymers, such as for example, block graft, random and alternating copolymers, terpolymers, etc., and blends and modifications thereof. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term xe2x80x9cpolymerxe2x80x9d shall include all possible geometrical configurations of the material. These configurations include, but are not limited to isotactic, syndiotactic, atactic and random symmetries.
The term xe2x80x9cdie opening sectionxe2x80x9d refers to that portion of an extrusion die through which polymer flows. In a film extrusion die, the die opening section is generally a single opening bounded on both sides by die lips. In a filament die used to make spunbond or meltblown filaments, the die opening section is the entire portion of the die which contains small filament openings in rows or another pattern, and is bounded on both sides by the outermost rows of filament openings.

Method of maintaining an exterior of an operating die system


A method of forming a crystalline, phase-change layer that remains atomically smooth on its surface. Also, an atomically smooth, crystalline, phase-change layer made according to this method. The method can include forming a phase-change layer over a substrate, forming a thick capping layer over the phase-change layer, changing the phase-change layer from an amorphous phase to a crystalline phase, removing the thick capping layer, and forming a thin capping layer over the phase-change layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data storage media and methods of manufacturing data storage media.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates an ultra-high-density data storage device 10 according to the related art. The data storage device 10 is made up of a storage medium 20 and a tip wafer 30 positioned proximate to one surface of the storage medium 20. The storage medium 20 contains nanometer-scaled data bits 40 that are written to and read from the storage medium 20 by emitters 50 located on the surface of the tip wafer 30 closest to the storage medium 20. The writing and reading operations will be discussed below.
The emitters 50 bombard the data bits 40 with electron beams that are focused to nanometer-scaled spots. If the beams are of sufficiently high energy, the bombarded data bits 40 experience a phase change (e.g., between a crystalline and amorphous state). Effecting such a phase change constitutes writing to the storage medium 20.
In the data storage device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, a number of nanometer-scaled data bits 40 are contained within the storage medium 20. If these data bits 40 have been written to by any of the emitters 50 as discussed above, they can be considered as data bits 40 that represent the number xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d. On the other hand, the data bits 40 that have not been written to can be considered to be data bits 40 that represent the number xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d.
Whether a data bit 40 represents a xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d or a xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d can be determined by bombarding the data bit 40 in question with a lower energy beam than is used in the writing operation and monitoring the interactions of the beam with the data bits 40. Performing such steps is known as xe2x80x9creadingxe2x80x9d from the storage medium 20.
An example of a reading operation includes bombarding the data bits 40 of the storage medium 20 with a low-energy electron beam that would not effectuate a phase change of the data bits 40 being bombarded. This exemplary reading operation also includes monitoring how the low-energy bombarding electrons interact with the data bit 40. When a crystalline data bit 40 gets bombarded, a different number of electron-hole pairs are generated than when the low-energy electron beam bombards an amorphous data bit 40. Hence, by monitoring the number of generated electron-hole pairs, it becomes possible to determine whether a data bit 40 represents a xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d or a xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d.
FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of the related art storage medium 20 used in the data storage device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. According to FIG. 2, the storage medium 20 is made up of a substrate 60 and of a crystalline phase-change layer 70 formed on one surface of the substrate 60. Although not illustrated, the data bits 40 discussed above are written to and read from the crystalline, phase-change layer 70.
FIG. 2 shows that the surface of the crystalline phase-change layer 70 furthest from the substrate 60 contains a high degree of surface roughness. Typically, the surface roughness exceeds 4.0 nanometer root-mean-square (RMS). Among other drawbacks, a surface roughness of this magnitude makes it difficult to form data bits 40 that are of a consistent size and therefore limits the resolution of the data storage device 10.
According to the related art method of forming the crystalline phase-change layer 70 illustrated in FIG. 2, high-temperature deposition methods are used. However, under high-temperature conditions (e.g., about 300 degrees Celsius), the crystalline phase-change layer 70 formed on the substrate 60 develops the relatively rough surface illustrated in FIG. 2 and can have a granular surface morphology that is disfavored for ultra-high-density storage devices 10.
Surface roughness is disfavored at least because it causes the data bits 40 to vary in geometry and can lead to added signal noise when reading from the storage medium 20. Further, the high-temperature deposition of the crystalline phase-change layer 70 according to the related art can lead to the loss of volatile group VI elements such as selenium and tolerium (Se, Te) that are typically used in the storage medium 20.
According to one embodiment, a method of fabricating a data storage medium that includes forming a phase-change layer over a substrate, forming a thick capping layer over the phase-change layer, changing the phase-change layer from a first phase to a second phase, removing the thick capping layer, and forming a thin capping layer over the phase-change layer.
According to another embodiment, a data storage medium that includes a substrate, a phase-change layer positioned over the substrate, and a thin capping layer positioned over the phase-change layer, wherein a first surface of the phase-change layer is positioned closest to the thin capping layer and wherein the first surface of the phase-change layer has a root mean square (rms) surface roughness of less than 2 nanometers.

Method to fabricate smooth-surfaced crystalline phase-change layer for atomic resolution storage device

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method for displaying medical data includes receiving physiological data from a first medical monitoring device. The physiological data is obtained on a continuous basis. Physiological data is received from a second medical monitoring device. The physiological data from the second medical monitoring device is obtained on a non-continuous basis. The physiological data received from the first medical monitoring device and the physiological data received from the second medical monitoring device are displayed on a central display station. The central display station is located centrally within a care unit of a caregiving facility.

In a medical setting, patient data may be obtained via various workflows. In one workflow, physiological sensor devices are physically attached to a patient and patient data is continually monitored from the physiological sensor devices. In another workflow, spot or episodic data is obtained from a patient, typically by a nurse or other clinician at intervals dictated by the workflow and by an acuity level for each patient.
Patient data obtained on a continuous basis is commonly displayed on a central display station so that clinicians can easily view vital signs being monitored for the patient. Patient data obtained on a spot or episodic basis is often manually entered on a patient chart or stored in a computer system. Clinicians needing to view both patient data obtained on a continuous basis and patient data obtained on a spot or episodic basis often need to access multiple computer systems, display stations or documents in order to view both types of patient data.

Central station integration of patient data


In a vehicle tire pressure sensor, a wireless, low frequency (LF) receiver identifies a particular type of signal protocol that was used to form a first message that is sent to the sensor by the vehicle. Using the identification of the protocol used to form the first message, the sensor determines a type of signal protocol to be used to transmit information to the vehicle, such as an identifier for the tire pressure sensor in a second message.

Tire inflation pressure, tire temperature, tire age and tire rotational speed are known to be important to the safe operation of a motor vehicle. By way of example, a low tire pressure will reduce a vehicle's fuel efficiency, shorten tire life but more importantly a low tire pressure can cause a tire to fail.
Monitoring tire pressure is an inconvenience. Consequently, automatic tire pressure monitoring systems have been devised and most of these systems free the user from having to manually test a tire's inflation pressure.
Known automatic tire pressure sensing (TPS) devices are typically mounted within a tire that is mounted onto a wheel. The TPS device includes a pressure sensor, which provides signals that indicate or which correspond to a pressure inside the tire. The TPS wirelessly transmits such sensor information, using a protocol corresponding to, or required by a receiver within or coupled to the vehicle. Once the receiver receives the tire operating condition information, the information is presented on an instrument panel (IP) and thus provides a real-time or near real-time indication of actual tire conditions.
Inasmuch as tire pressure information is provided to an instrument panel and thus "incorporated" into or with other vehicle information, tire operating condition information is sent by a TPS device to a vehicle using radio frequency (RF) band signals, the format and transmission repetition rate of which is defined or specified by a vehicle's manufacturer. Each manufacturer typically uses its own unique, preferred, and pre-defined communications protocol in order to meet its own needs. Stated another way, the transmitters and receivers attached to a vehicle which send information to and receive information from a TPS device in a tire require the TPS device to use the manufacturer's TPS communication protocol. A tire pressure monitor device capable of operating with different communication protocols of different manufacturers, as well as different communication protocols used by the same manufacturer would reduce the number of different TPS devices that TPS manufacturers and servicers would have to provide and would thus be an improvement over the prior art.

Apparatus, system and method for configuring a tire information sensor with a transmission protocol based on vehicle trigger characteristics


A method produces and an apparatus includes an optical disk, with a center, having a rewritable area and a read-only area located further out from the center than the rewritable area. The method includes the steps of and the apparatus includes units for registering first management information concerning a dummy file in a file address management area located further in toward the center than the rewritable area, the dummy file having a capacity corresponding to that of the rewritable area; registering second management information concerning files to be written into the read-only area in the file address management area so that the second management information is subsequent to the first management information and registering the files into the read-only area; and erasing the first management information from the file address management area.

1. Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing an optical disk, and more particularly to a method for producing an optical disk having a read-only area and a rewritable area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An optical disk having a read-only area and a rewritable area is known. Such an optical disk is defined in, for example, the ISO standard. According to the ISO standard, a rewritable area is formed in an inner area of the optical disk, and a read-only area is formed in an outer area thereof. The rewritable area has a magneto-optic recording medium on which tracks are formed. The read-only area has pits formed on a recording medium.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2-101925 discloses an optical disk which has a file address management area formed in an innermost area of the optical disk. The file address management area includes information indicating directory tracks. A read-only area is formed further out than the file address management area, and a rewritable area is formed further out than the read-only area. The above optical disk is called a partially-read-only optical disk. A similar optical disk is also disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 4-1979.
Information is recorded on and read from the optical disk while the optical disk is being rotated at a constant angular velocity. In this case, the linear speed measured at an outer portion of the optical disk is greater than that measured at an inner portion thereof. Hence, a laser beam for recording information on the rewritable area needs a large amount of power because the rewritable area is rotated at a high velocity. Normally, the power of the laser beam used for recording is greater than that for reading. A tracking servo control of the rewritable area is carried out using grooves arranged in the circular direction of the optical disk. The linear velocity of the rewritable area formed in the outer area of the optical disk is great; hence, the response of the tracking servo control is low. This may cause tracking errors.
An optical disk in which the read-only area is further out than the rewritable area does not have the above-mentioned problems. In this case, the file address management area is formed further in than the rewritable area. According to general disk management operating systems, files are sequentially recorded on the optical disk from the inner area to the outer area. In other words, files are recorded on the optical disk from an idle recording area located further in than other idle recording areas. When information is written into the read-only area during the production process, it is necessary for the rewritable area to be filled with files. In the rewritable area, the addresses of files written into the rewritable area are registered from the innermost inner portion of the file address management area, and the addresses of files written into the rewritable area are registered so as to be subsequent to the addresses of files in the read-only area. If the rewritable area has unused portions, the address information concerning the read-only area cannot be registered in the file address management area.

Method and apparatus for producing an optical disk having a read-only area and a rewritable area


Disclosed are foldable carts, and connecting and stabilizing mechanisms of foldable carts. A foldable cart includes first and second frames pivotally connected to each other by a connecting and stabilizing mechanism. The connecting and stabilizing mechanism allows the first and second frames to rotate toward or away from each other, and thus allow the cart to fold and unfold. The connecting and stabilizing mechanism includes positioning pins and corresponding slots to receive the positioning pins, and thus prevent the cart from folding unintentionally.

Foldable carts are widely used for transporting groceries, packages, luggage or the like. They are also used in industries for transporting processed goods, finished products, and the like. However, many existing foldable carts are not configured to facilitate easy folding and unfolding of the carts, nor configured with a means to stabilize the carts once the carts are unfolded and in use. An example of such carts is disclosed in CN 01811289.7, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by reference in its entirety. On one hand, folding of such a cart is not easy as a user has to push the sides of the cart very hard toward the center of the cart. On the other hand, such a cart cannot carry a heavy load; otherwise it may be folded unintentionally. In addition, in some cases, existing foldable carts are not designed to minimize the folded sizes of the carts. As a result, such existing foldable carts require a relatively large space for storage and inconvenient to carry around.
Given the current state of the art, there remains a need for foldable carts and stabilizing mechanisms that address the abovementioned issues.
The information disclosed in this Background section is provided for an understanding of the general background of the invention and is not an acknowledgement or suggestion that this information forms part of the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Connecting and stabilizing mechanism of foldable cart and foldable cart having same


A method for in situ solution mining of a mineral from an underground evaporite stratum using a set of wells in fluid communication with at least one mineral cavity with some wells operated in solvent injection mode and other wells operated in brine production mode and optionally with some inactive wells, comprising switching the operation mode of one or more wells. The evaporite mineral preferably comprises trona. The at least one cavity may be formed by directionally drilled uncased boreholes or by lithological displacement of the evaporite stratum at a weak interface with an underlying insoluble stratum by application of a lifting hydraulic pressure to create an interfacial gap. The extracted brine can be processed to make valuable products such as soda ash and/or any derivatives thereof. This method can provide more uniform dissolution of mineral in the cavity, minimize flow channeling, minimize sodium bicarbonate blinding for solution mining of incongruent trona ore, and/or may avoid uneven deposit of insolubles.

Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), or soda ash, is one of the largest volume alkali commodities made worldwide with a total production in 2008 of 48 million tons. Sodium carbonate finds major use in the glass, chemicals, detergents, paper industries, and also in the sodium bicarbonate production industry. The main processes for sodium carbonate production are the Solvay ammonia synthetic process, the ammonium chloride process, and the trona-based processes.
Trona-based soda ash is obtained from trona ore deposits in the U.S. (southwestern Wyoming in Green River, in California near Searles Lake and Owens Lake), Turkey, China, and Kenya (at Lake Magadi) by underground mechanical mining techniques, by solution mining, or lake waters processing.
Crude trona is a mineral that may contain up to 99% sodium sesquicarbonate (generally about 70-99%). Sodium sesquicarbonate is a sodium carbonate-sodium bicarbonate double salt having the formula (Na2CO3.NaHCO3.2H2O) and which contains 46.90 wt. % Na2CO3, 37.17 wt. % NaHCO3 and 15.93 wt. % H2O. Crude trona also contains, in lesser amounts, sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), organic matter, and insolubles such as clay and shales. A typical analysis of the trona ore mined in Green River is shown in TABLE 1.
Other naturally-occurring sodium (bi)carbonate minerals from which sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate may be produced are known as nahcolite, a mineral which contains mainly sodium bicarbonate and is essentially free of sodium carbonate and known as "wegscheiderite" (also called "decemite") of formula: Na2CO3.3NaHCO3.
TABLE 1ConstituentWeight PercentNa2CO343.2-45NaHCO333.7-36H2O (crystalline and free moisture) 15.3-15.6NaCl0.004-0.1 Na2SO4 0.005-0.01Insolubles 3.6-7.3
In the United States, trona and nahcolite are the principle source minerals for the sodium bicarbonate industry. While sodium bicarbonate can be produced by water dissolution and carbonation of mechanically mined trona ore or of soda ash produced from trona ore, sodium bicarbonate can be produced also by solution mining of nahcolite. The production of sodium bicarbonate typically includes cooling crystallization or a combination of cooling and evaporative crystallization.
The large deposits of mineral trona in the Green River Basin in southwestern Wyoming have been mechanically mined since the late 1940's and have been exploited by five separate mining operations over the intervening period. In 2007, trona-based sodium carbonate from Wyoming comprised about 90% of the total U.S. soda ash production. To recover valuable alkali products, the so-called 'monohydrate' commercial process is frequently used to produce soda ash from trona. When the trona is mechanically mined, crushed trona ore is calcined (i.e., heated) to convert sodium bicarbonate into sodium carbonate, drive off water of crystallization and form crude soda ash. The crude soda ash is then dissolved in water and the insoluble material is separated from the resulting solution. A clear solution of sodium carbonate is fed to a monohydrate crystallizer, e.g., a high temperature evaporator system generally having one or more effects (sometimes called 'evaporator-crystallizer'), where some of the water is evaporated and some of the sodium carbonate forms into sodium carbonate monohydrate crystals (Na2CO3.H2O). The sodium carbonate monohydrate crystals are removed from the mother liquor and then dried to convert the crystals to dense soda ash. Most of the mother liquor is recycled back to the evaporator system for additional processing into sodium carbonate monohydrate crystals.
The Wyoming trona deposits are evaporites and hence form various substantially horizontal layers (or beds). The major deposits consists of 25 near horizontal beds varying from 4 feet (1.2 m) to about 36 feet (11 m) in thickness and separated by layers of shales. Depths range from 400 ft (120 m) to 3,300 ft (1,000 m). These deposits contain from about 88% to 95% sesquicarbonate, with the impurities being mainly dolomite and calcite-rich shales and shortite. Some regions of the basin contain soluble impurities, most notably halite (NaCl). These extend for about 1,000 square miles (about 2,600 km2), and it is estimated that they contain over 75 billions tons of soda ash equivalent, thus providing reserves adequate for reasonably foreseeable future needs.
In particular, a main trona bed (No. 17) in the Green River Basin, averaging a thickness of about 8 feet (2.4 m) to about 11 feet (3.3 m) is located from approximately 1,200 feet (about 365 m) to approximately 1,600 feet (about 488 m) below ground surface. Presently, trona from the Wyoming deposits is economically recovered mainly from the main trona bed no. 17. This main bed is located below substantially horizontal layers of sandstones, siltstones and mainly unconsolidated shales. In particular, within about 400 feet (about 122 m) above the main trona bed are layers of mainly weak, laminated green-grey shales and oil shale, interbedded with bands of trona from about 4 feet (about 1.2 m) to about 5 feet thick (about 1.5 m). Immediately below the main trona bed lie substantially horizontal layers of somewhat plastic oil shale, also interbedded with bands of trona. Both overlying and underlying shale layers contain methane gas.
The comparative tensile strengths, in pounds per square inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa), of trona and shale in average values are substantially as follows:
Shale: 70-140 psi (482-965 kPa)
Trona: 290-560 psi (2,000-3,861 kPa)
Both the immediately overlying shale layer and the immediately underlying shale layer are substantially weaker than the main trona bed. Recovery of the main trona bed, accordingly, essentially comprises removing the only strong layer within its immediate vicinity.
Most mechanical mining operations to extract trona ore practice some form of underground ore extraction using techniques adapted from the coal and potash mining industries. A variety of different systems and mechanical mining techniques (such as longwall mining, shortwall mining, room-and-pillar mining, or various combinations) exist. Although any of these various mining techniques may be employed to mine trona ore, when a mechanical mining technique is used, nowadays it is preferably longwall mining.
All mechanical mining techniques require miners and heavy machinery to be underground to dig out and convey the ore to the surface, including sinking shafts of about 800-2,000 feet (about 240-610 meters) in depth. The cost of the mechanical mining methods for trona is high, representing as much as 40 percent of the production costs for soda ash. Furthermore, recovering trona by these methods becomes more difficult as the thickest beds (more readily accessible reserves) of trona deposits with a high quality (less contaminants) were exploited first and are now being depleted. Thus the production of sodium carbonate using the combination of mechanical mining techniques followed by the monohydrate process is becoming more expensive, as the higher quality trona deposits become depleted and labor and energy costs increase. Furthermore, development of new reserves is expensive, requiring a capital investment of as much as hundreds of million dollars to sink new mining shafts and to install related mining and safety (ventilation) equipment.
Additionally, because some shale is also removed during mechanical mining, this extracted shale must be transported along with the trona ore to the surface refinery, removed from the product stream, and transported back into the mine, or a surface waste pond. These insoluble contaminants not only cost a great deal of money to mine, remove, and handle, they provide very little value back to the mine and refinery operator. Additionally, the crude trona is normally purified to remove or reduce impurities, primarily shale and other nonsoluble materials, before its valuable sodium content can be sold commercially as: soda ash (Na2CO3), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), caustic soda (NaOH), sodium sesquicarbonate (Na2CO3.NaHCO3.2H2O), a sodium phosphate (Na5P3O10) or other sodium-containing chemicals.
Recognizing the economic and physical limitations of underground mechanical mining techniques, solution mining of trona has been long touted as an attractive alternative with the first patent U.S. Pat. No. 2,388,009 entitled "Solution Mining of Trona" issued to Pike in 1945. Pike discloses a method of producing soda ash from underground trona deposits in Wyoming by injecting a heated brine containing substantially more carbonate than bicarbonate which is unsaturated with respect to the trona, withdrawing the solution from the formation, removing organic matter from the solution with an adsorbent, separating the solution from the adsorbent, crystallizing, and recovering sodium sesquicarbonate from the solution, calcining the sesquicarbonate to produce soda ash, and re-injecting the mother liquor from the crystallizing step into the formation.
In its simplest form, solution mining of trona is carried out by contacting trona ore with a solvent such as water or an aqueous solution to dissolve the ore and form a liquor (also termed 'brine') containing dissolved sodium values. For contact, the water or aqueous solution is injected into a cavity of the underground formation, to allow the solution to dissolve as much water-soluble trona ore as possible, and then the resulting brine is extracted to the surface. A portion of the brine can be used as feedstock to one or more processes to manufacture one or more sodium-based products, while another brine portion may be re-injected for additional contact with trona.
Solution mining of trona could indeed reduce or eliminate the costs of underground mining including sinking costly mining shafts and employing miners, hoisting, crushing, calcining, dissolving, clarification, solid/liquid/vapor waste handling and environmental compliance. The numerous salt (NaCl) solution mines operating throughout the world exemplify solution mining's potential low cost and environmental impact. But ores containing sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (trona, wegscheiderite) have relatively low solubility in water at room temperature when compared with other evaporite minerals, such as halite (mostly sodium chloride) and sylvite (mostly potassium chloride), which are mined "in situ" with solution mining techniques.
Implementing a solution mining technique to exploit sodium (bi)carbonate-containing ores like trona ore, especially those ores whose thin beds, beds of lower trona quality (e.g., less than 70% quality), and/or deep beds of depth greater than 2,000 ft (610 m) which are currently not economically viable via mechanical mining techniques, has proven to be quite challenging.
In 1945, Pike proposed the use of a single well comprising an outer casing and an inner casing. Hot solvent is injected through the inner casing to contact the trona bed, and the brine is withdrawn through the annulus. This method however proved unsuccessful, and currently there are two approaches to trona solution mining that are being pursued.
A hybrid approach to trona solution mining which is commercially used at the present time is part of an underground tailings disposal projects. Mine operators flood old workings, dissolving the pillars and recovering the dissolved sodium value. Solution mining of mine pillars was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,384 issued to Pike et al in 1953 entitled "Mining Operation"; it uses water as a solvent under ambient temperatures to extract trona from existing mined sections of the trona deposits. Solvay Chemicals, Inc. (SCI), known then as Tenneco Minerals was the first to begin depositing tails, from the refining process back into these mechanically mined voids left behind during normal partial extract operation. This hybrid approach takes advantage of the remnant voids and subsequent exposed surface areas of trona left behind from mechanical mining to both deposit insoluble materials and other contaminants (collectively called tailings or tails) and to recover sodium value from the aqueous solutions used to carry the tails.
Even though 'hybrid' solution mining is one of the preferred mining methods in terms of both safety and productivity, this method is necessarily dependent upon the surface area and openings provided by mechanical mining to make them economically feasible and productive, and there is a finite amount of trona that has been previously mechanically mined. The 'hybrid' solution mining cannot exist in their present form without the necessity of prior mechanical mining in a partial production mode. When current trona target beds will be completely mechanically mined, the mine operators will eventually be forced to move into thinner beds and/or into beds of lower quality and to endure more rigorous mining conditions while the more desirable beds are depleting and finally become exhausted.
A more sustainable approach to trona solution mining would allow the extraction from less desirable beds (thin beds, poor quality beds, and/or deeper beds) which are currently less economically viable, without the negative impact of increased mining hazards and increased costs. In such approach, two or more wells are drilled into the trona bed, and fluid communication between the wells is established by hydraulic fracturing or directional drilling.
Attempts to solution mine trona using vertical boreholes began soon after the 1940's discovery of trona in the Green River Basin in Wyoming. U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,290 entitled "Method of Recovery Sodium Values by Solution Mining of Trona" by Caldwell et al. discloses a process for solution mining of trona that suggests using a mining solution at a temperature of the order of 100-200° C. This process requires the use of recirculating a substantial portion of the mining solution removed from the formation back through the formation to maintain high temperatures of the solution. A bleed stream from the recirculated mining solution is conducted to a recovery process during each cycle and replaced by water or dilute mother liquor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,655 entitled "Evaporative Process for Producing Soda Ash from Trona" by Frint et al discloses a process for the recovery of soda ash from trona and recognizes that trona can be recovered by solution mining. This process includes introduction of water heated to about 130° C., and recovery of a solution from the underground formation at 90° C.
Directional drilling from the ground surface has been used to connect dual wells for solution mining bedded evaporite deposits and the production of sodium bicarbonate, potash, and salt. Nahcolite solution mining utilizes directionally drilled boreholes and a hot aqueous solution comprised of dissolved soda ash, sodium bicarbonate, and salt. Development of nahcolite solution mining cavities by using directionally drilled horizontal holes and vertical wells is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,790, issued in 1989 to E. C. Rosar and R. Day, entitled "Nahcolite Solution Mining Process". The use of directional drilling for trona solution mining is described in U.S. Patent Application Pre-Grant Publication No. US 2003/0029617 entitled "Application, Method and System For Single Well Solution Mining" by N. Brown and K. Nesselrode. A well pair per cavity may be used for injection and production. A plurality of lateral boreholes in various configurations such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,057,765, issued in November 2011 to Day et al, entitled "Methods for Constructing Underground Borehole Configurations and Related Solution Mining Methods" is described to improve the lateral expansion of a solution mined cavity in the evaporite deposit.
In the late 1950's-early 1960's, hydraulic fracturing of trona has been proposed, claimed or discussed in patents as a means to connect two wells positioned in a trona bed. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 2,847,202 (1958) by Pullen, entitled "Methods for Mining Salt Using Two Wells Connected by Fluid Fracturing"; U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,449 (1960) by Bays, entitled "Method of Forming Underground Communication Between Boreholes"; U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,909 (1960) by Rule entitled "Controlled Caving For Solution Mining Methods"; U.S. Pat. No. 3,018,095 (1962) by Redlinger et al, entitled "Method of Hydraulic Fracturing in Underground Formations"; and GB 897566 (1962) by Bays entitled "Improvements in or relating to the Hydraulic Mining of Underground Mineral Deposits".
In the 1980's, a borehole trona solution mine attempt by FMC Corporation involved connecting multiple conventionally drilled vertical wells along the base of a preferred trona bed by the use of hydraulic fracturing. FMC published a report (Frint, Engineering & Mining Journal, September 1985 "FMC's Newest Goal: Commercial Solution Mining Of Trona" including "Past attempts and failures") promoting the hydraulic fracture well connection of well pairs as the new development that would commercialize trona solution mining. According to FMC's 1985 article though, the application of hydraulic fracturing for trona solution mining was found to be unreliable. Fracture communication attempts failed in some cases and in other cases gained communication between pre-drilled wells but not in the desired manner. The fracture communication project was eventually abandoned in the early 1990's.
These attempts of in situ solution mining of virgin trona in Wyoming were met with less than limited success, and technologies using hydraulic fracturing to connect wells in a trona bed failed to mature.
In the field of oil and gas drilling and operation however, hydraulic fracturing is a mainstay operation, and it is estimated that more than 60% new wells in 2011 used hydraulic fracturing to extract shale gas. Such hydraulic fracturing often employs directional drilling with horizontal section within a shale formation for the purpose of opening up the formation and increasing the flow of gas therefrom to a particular single well using multi-fracking events from one horizontal borehole in the formation.
Through this technique, it has been established that fractures produced in formations should be approximately perpendicular to the axis of the least stress and that in the general state of stress underground, the three principal stresses are unequal (anisotropic conditions). Where the main stress on the formation is the stress of the overburden, these fractures tend to develop in a vertical or inverted conical direction. Horizontal fractures cannot be produced by hydraulic pressures less than the total pressure of the overburden.
In fracturing between spaced wells in evaporite mineral formations for the purpose of removing the mineral by solution flowing between the adjacent wells, the 'fracking' methods used in the oil & gas industry are however not suitable to accomplish the formation of a single main horizontal fracture. Because the depth of the hydraulically-fractured formation is generally greater than 1,000 meters (3,280 ft), the injection pressures in oil & gas exploration are high, even though they are still less than the overburden pressure; this favors the formation of vertical fractures which increases permeability of the exploited shale formation. The main goal of 'fracking' methods in the oil & gas industry is indeed to increase the permeability of shale. Overburden gradient is generally estimated to be between 0.75 psi/ft (17 kPa/m) and 1.05 psi/ft (23.8 kPa/m), thus what is called the 'fracture gradient' used in oil & gas fracking is less than the overburden gradient, preferably less than 1 psi/ft (22.6 kPa/m), preferably less than 0.95 psi/ft (21.5 kPa/m), sometimes less than 0.9 psi/ft (20.4 kPa/m). The 'fracture gradient' is a factor used to determine formation fracturing pressure as a function of well depth in units of psi/ft. For example, a fracture gradient of 0.7 psi/ft (15.8 kPa/m) in a well with a vertical depth of 2,440 m (8,000 ft) would provide a fracturing pressure of 5,600 psi (38.6 MPa).
Unlike the oil and gas exploration from shale formations where it is desirable to produce numerous vertical fractures near the center of the shale formation to recover the most oil and/or gas therefrom, in the recovery of a soluble mineral from underground evaporite formations, it is desirable to produce a single fracture substantially at the bottom of the evaporite mineral stratum and along the top of the underlying water-insoluble non-evaporite stratum and to direct the fracture to the next adjacent well along the interface between the bottom of the evaporite stratum to be removed and the top of the underlying stratum so that the soluble mineral will be dissolved from the bottom up.
The bottom-up approach for dissolving the mineral from the interface gap (fracture) created substantially at the bottom of the evaporite stratum offers a number of advantages. The less concentrated and less saturated solvent present in the gap rises to a top layer of the solvent body inside the gap due to density gradient, and contacts the roof of the evaporite stratum cavity, dissolves the mineral therefrom, and as the solvent becomes more saturated, settles to a lower layer of the solvent body so that the bottom edge of the evaporite stratum is always exposed to dissolution by less concentrated solvent. The insoluble materials in the evaporite formation can settle through the solvent body to the bottom of the solution-mining cavity and deposit thereon so that only clear solutions are recovered from production wells.
A further advantage of the bottom-up approach for solution mining of mineral from a mature mineral cavity is that it can help minimize contact of the solvent with contaminants-rich minerals (e.g., halite) which may be found in overlying strata such as green shale strata found above a trona stratum. Since these contaminants-rich minerals are generally soluble in the same solvent as the desirable mineral, if solvent flow is allowed to occur to reach contaminated overlying layers, this would allow contaminants from these overlying layers to dissolve into the solvent, thereby "poisoning" the resulting brine and rendering it useless or, at the very least, making its further processing into valuable product(s) very expensive. Indeed, poisoning by sodium chloride from chloride-based minerals can occur during solution mining of trona, and it is suspected that the solution mining efforts by FMC in the 1980's in the Green River Basin were mothballed in the 1990's due to high NaCl contamination in the extracted brine.
Other than chloride poisoning, another complicating factor in dissolving in situ underground double-salt ores like an ore containing sodium sesquicarbonate (main component of trona) or wegscheiderite is that sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate have different solubilities and dissolving rates in water. These incongruent solubilities of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate can cause sodium bicarbonate 'blinding' (also termed 'bicarb blinding') during solution mining. Blinding occurs as the bicarbonate, which has dissolved in the mining solution tends to redeposit out of the solution onto the exposed face of the ore as the carbonate saturation in the solution increases, thus clogging the dissolving face and "blinding" its carbonate values from further dissolution and recovery. Blinding can thus slow dissolution and may result in leaving behind significant amounts of reserves in the mine. It can be shown that the aforementioned problem arises because when trona, for example, is dissolved in water, both the sodium bicarbonate and the sodium carbonate fractions begin going into solution at the same time until the solution reaches saturation with respect to sodium bicarbonate. Unfortunately, the resulting liquid phase existing at this point is in equilibrium with sodium bicarbonate in solid phase, and the sodium carbonate continues to dissolve while the bicarbonate starts precipitating out until the final resulting solution is in equilibrium condition with sodium sesquicarbonate (trona) as the stable solid phase, in fact, reached wherein a substantial portion of sodium bicarbonate precipitates out of solution and a lot more of the sodium carbonate has gone into solution. Wegscheiderite behaves in much the same way as trona in that they both go into solution in accordance with their respective solid percentage compositions of sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate. It is expected that the deposited sodium bicarbonate is most likely prevalent around a downhole end of a production well during dissolution phase (a), when the sodium bicarbonate content in the brine surrounding the downhole end of this well may be saturated or super-saturated under the conditions of dissolution in this area of the cavity.
Additionally, a phenomenon termed 'channeling' in an ore bed may occur during solution mining. A 'channeling' event describes the tendency of the solvent to find and maintain a path through an area of ore insolubles (e.g., trona insolubles). Once a channel is created, it may result in low or near zero dissolution rates of the surrounding ore, as the solvent bypasses solute-containing ore and fails to expose the mineral solute to the solvent. It is expected however that this phenomenon may not occur or may be disrupted when the solvent flow path is modified periodically.
Some of the problems of prior art solution mining techniques, for example the formation of "morning glory" holes which are generally narrow at the base and flare outward at the top in a generally convex upward cross-sectional floor profile. A variety of techniques have been attempted in order to prevent the formation of such types of holes, since they are very wasteful and since they result in a low percentage of mineral recovery from the bed. One of these techniques involves use of a blanket fluid above the level of the solvent in the cavity to achieve a more or less cylindrical solution-mined cavity. The contact between the solvent and the roof of the ore is prevented by the blanket fluid which is less dense than the solvent (such as a liquid lighter than water, e.g., diesel or liquefied petroleum gas, or a gas, e.g., pressurized air, nitrogen). This blanket fluid forces contact of solvent with the cavity walls, thus controlling the expansion of the cavity in the horizontal direction. But because the blanket fluid prevents contact of solvent with a large surface area of mineral ore on the mineral cavity ceiling, the dissolution rate can be greatly reduced.
Based on the foregoing, there is still a need for a solution mining method which addresses at least one or more of the issues provided above.

Multi-well solution mining exploitation of an evaporite mineral stratum