A soil opener has a frog mount adapted to be coupled to a shank or other mounting member of a farm implement. A spreader is removably coupled to the frog mount and includes forward and rearward product delivery channels that are intended to be flow-coupled to product delivery tubes or hoses of the farm implement. A tip is removably coupled to the spreader. The leading edges of the frog mount, the spreader, and the tip, as well as the geometry between these components are such that drift is minimized even when the soil opener is pulled through the soil at higher speeds, e.g., excess of 5 mph. The soil opener may be equipped with an optional soil gathering module that gathers soil lifted by the tip and redirects the soil to a position generally rearward of the opener.

The present invention is directed to a soil opener for cutting a furrow into a planting surface and, more particularly, to a soil opener having a soil gathering module.
Conventional furrow cutting devices are designed to be pulled through the planting surface ("soil") at speeds between three and five miles per hour. The shape, size, and geometry of the devices is such that the amount of soil thrown as the furrow is cut and the profile about which seed and/or fertilizer is deposited assumes that the implement to which the furrowing devices are attached will be pulled by a tractor, or other towing vehicle, at approximate four miles per hour. If the implement is pulled at higher pull or operating speeds, e.g., eight miles per hour, the soil displaced as the furrow is cut will be thrown much higher and farther outward compared to that when the implement is towed at about four miles per hour.
The increased soil displacement resulting from the furrowing device being pulled through the soil at the higher speeds adversely affects fertilizer and seed placement as the retaining effect of the soil on the product being placed has changed. Moreover, since the displacement of the soil is substantially exaggerated at the higher speeds, less soil is available for covering the furrow after the furrowing forming device has passed. Less soil leads to improper soil covering of the seed and fertilizer as well as more pronounced furrows. Additionally, the draft requirement is increased by the soil to furrowing cutting device interaction.
The present invention is directed to a furrow forming device ("soil opener") that is suited for use at higher pull speeds, e.g., speeds in excess of five miles per hour. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the soil opener has a soil gathering module that gathers soil as the soil is lifted by the soil opener and redirects it rearward of the opener as the opener is pulled through the soil. The soil gathering module is comprised of a pair of outward and rearward extending members mounted to opposite sides a frog mount that is used to attach a furrowing tip to a shank of a farm implement. The members may be formed to have tines that cut into the soil as the opener is pulled through the soil and are shaped such that soil is pushed inward toward the center of the furrow. The soil gathering module may be pivotally attached to the frog mount so that the module may pivot in response to contact with field obstructions. In one embodiment, a damper, e.g., spring, is used to provide a consistent downforce on the members as the opener is pulled through the soil.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a soil opener usable at higher speeds.
It is another object of the invention to provide a soil opener that causes less soil disturbance during furrowing of soil and placement of seed and/or fertilizer.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a soil opener that gathers soil lifted during furrowing and redirects the gathered soil rearward of the soil opener.
Other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The invention relates to postal matter having an obverse and a reverse of which the obverse is provided with a portion allotted for affixing a postage stamp thereto etc. and another portion allotted for indicating an address. The postal matter in the form of this post card can be assembled and includes a sheet and a housing portion which can be secured to the reverse of the sheet and can accommodate a small article. The postal matter in the form of a sealed letter can be assembled and includes an envelope having a flap adapted to close an opening of the envelope and a housing portion which can be secured either to the back of the envelope or to the flap and can accommodate a small article. This inventive postal matter draws a recipient's attention, because the small article is accommodated in such a manner as to project from the surface so that one glance may be enough to make a recipient aware that something is inside of the housing portion.

The present invention relates to postal matter adapted to have an address written thereon as is the case with an ordinary post card or an ordinary sealed letter. The postal matter in accordance with the present invention may have a postage stamp or stamps put thereon or, alternatively, may be mailed on terms of separate payment of postage instead of an affixed postage stamp. In particular the invention concerns itself with postal matter which can be mailed with various kinds of a small article attached thereto in such a manner as to be made prominent and conspicuous.
In recent years, direct mail in the form of a post card or a sealed letter is in general use as an advertising medium.
The obverse of a post card for use in direct mail has a portion allotted either for affixing a postage stamp thereto or for affixing a postmark indicating that the post card is mailed on terms of separate payment of postage instead of an affixed postage stamp. The obverse of a post card for use in direct mail has another portion allotted for writing an address thereon. A photograph and/or an ad-copy is printed on the reverse thereof. There is no teaching in the prior art that a small article such as a sample can be sent together with a post card for use in direct mail.
A sealed letter for use in direct mail includes an envelope having a flap adapted to close an opening of the envelope. The front of this envelope has a portion allotted either for affixing a postage stamp thereto or for affixing a postmark indicating that the sealed letter is mailed on terms of separate payment of postage instead of an affixed postage stamp. The front of this envelope has another portion allotted for writing an address thereon. A space for accommodating letter paper, etc. is defined by the front and the back of this envelope. The envelope is sealed and mailed when a sheet or sheets of letter paper carrying an ad-copy, together with a small article such as a sample, have been put therein. Since the envelope is made of opaque material, one cannot look therethrough to see what is inside thereof. This holds good even for a window envelope, in which case one can merely take a look at an address through the window.
On the other hand, it is most common to accommodate a commodity in a transparent housing and secure the housing to a rigid sheet, which has a hole or a hook-shaped member at the top so as to allow the rigid sheet to be suspended vertically. On many occasions, features of the commodity are printed on the front of the rigid sheet, while instructions to be followed by users are printed on the back thereof. However, this assembly consisting of a commodity, transparent housing and rigid sheet cannot be sent by itself as postal matter. In order to send this assembly as postal matter, it must be put in an envelope.
Nowadays, the number of families who lay aside direct mail without reading it or even without unsealing it is increasing. The effectiveness of advertising cannot be hoped for if the number of families who read or unseal direct mail decreases. Those who send out direct mail are well aware of this fact, and yet they send out direct mail simply because it can be economically mailed as long as it has a prescribed size, thickness and weight.
In view of the above-described problems, one of the primary objects of the invention is to provide postal matter in the form of a post card which takes a recipient by surprise because the post card is accompanied by a small article.
Another object of the invention is to provide postal matter for use in the form of a sealed letter which also takes a recipient by surprise because a small article is attached to the sealed letter in such a manner as to be made prominent and conspicuous.

c/o Toshiki Saito Design Room 1-13-25, Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo-ku


An optical recording medium comprising a recording and a metal reflective layers on a transparent substrate having a groove, wherein the recording layer comprises an azaporphyrin metal complex dye with 1 to 4 meso-nitrogen atoms as a main component; recording and/or reproduction can be conducted using laser beams with wavelengths of xcex1 and xcex2 which is shorter than xcex1; a refractive index n of the recording layer is 2.0 or more at xcex1 and 1.8 or more at xcex2 as well as an attenuation coefficient k of the layer is 0.04 to 0.20 at xcex1 and 0.30 or less at xcex2; and the groove has a pitch of 0.70 to 0.85 xcexcm, a half-value width of 0.20 to 0.35 xcexcm and an inclination angle of 45 to 65xc2x0:

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a high-density optical recording medium, in particular an optical recording medium capable of recording and/or reproducing by a plurality of laser wavelengths.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical recording media capable of recording comprising a dye in a recording layer where a reflective layer is deposited on the recording layer for increasing a reflectance have been disclosed in, for example, Optical Data Storage 1989 Technical Digest Series, Vol. 1, 45 (1989). Since then, media employing a cyanine or phthalocyanine dye in a recording layer have been widely marketed as a CDR. These media can record data with a semiconductor laser at 780 nm and have a characteristic that they are compatible in reproduction with a commercially available CD-ROM player equipped with a semiconductor laser device at 780 nm. Furthermore, a DVD-R (Digital Versatile Disk-Recordable) medium with a capacity of 4.7 GB has been recently proposed and has been commercially available, which is capable of recording/reproducing large data such as an image and a moving picture with a red semiconductor laser at 630 to 680 nm and can be reproduced by a DVD or DVD-ROM player. More recently, investigation has been started for an HD-DVDR (High Density DVDR) with a high density of 15 GB or more which can also deal with a high-definition moving picture as a blue-violet laser at 390 to 430 nm has been available.
For making a medium applicable to high-density recording/reproduction, a system must be modified along with reduction in a laser wavelength, while absolutely such system modification must take over and stably reproduce software resources such as development software previously widely spread in existing systems and databases accumulated for a long time.
In these circumstances, a read-only medium such as CD, CD-ROM, DVD-Video and DVD-ROM may be relatively easily reproduced by a modified player equipped with a short-wavelength laser device because it basically does not use a dye and thus a reflectance, a modulation factor and a tracking output are less dependent on a wavelength.
However, in an existing CDR medium using an organic dye in a recording layer, optical properties in a recording layer is considerably dependent on a wavelength so that a reflectance, a modulation degree and a tracking output largely vary depending on a wavelength. For example, a dye used in a recording layer has a reflectance of 65% or more for a light at about 780 nm while absorbing a red light at a wavelength from 630 to 680 nm so much that a reflectance is reduced to about 10%. Furthermore, a modulation degree is also reduced and in some cases significant distortion is observed in a recording waveform. If a reflectance is about 10%, it is very difficult to detect a signal. Even if a signal can be detected, an error rate or jitter is too high to conduct reproduction by a common player.
For reproducing a CDR with quality meeting specifications for CD and DVD at individual wavelengths, for example, JP-As 8-156408, 8-310121, 9-267562 and 11-11015 have proposed that two dyes having optical sensitivity (variation in a refractive index) at wavelengths of about 780 nm and in a range of 635 to 670 nm, respectively, may be used to achieve reproduction compatibility at these wavelengths by selecting a proper lamination structure and blending them in appropriate amounts in a recording layer. However, these lamination and blending techniques practically require very narrow and severe preparation conditions (control of a film thickness and of blending) for retaining satisfactory recording properties at each wavelength. Thus, these techniques are improper to practical medium preparation. Therefore, a DVD player is now equipped with an optical system comprising substantially two laser emitting diodes at 780 and 650 nm together within a chip, for reproducing DVD and CDR.
In an existing DVDR medium using an organic dye in a recording medium as in a CDR medium, the above wavelength dependence has not been also improved at all. Thus, even when using a DVD compatible signal which can be reproduced at about 650 nm with a reflectance of 45% or more, not only a reflectance but also a signal modulation factor may be too reduced to detect a signal. In terms of combining a red and a violet laser devices, these laser devices, in principle, have different compositions and it is thus difficult to integrate these laser devices in a chip. There has been, therefore, strongly needed proposal of an optical recording medium which can properly combine reproduction at these wavelengths. JP-As 11-110815 and 11-105423 have proposed a DVDR which can be reproduced with a blue laser using a dipenylaminosqualirium or cyanostyryl compound. According to our investigation, it, however, has a problem in processability so that it cannot provide a satisfactory recording film. Except that, there have been substantially no good proposals for a DVDR medium ensuring reproduction compatibility between red and violet wavelengths.
An objective of this invention is to provide an optical recording medium capable of providing a recording/reproduction signal meeting the DVD specifications and capable of recording and/or reproduction using a violet laser at a wavelength selected from a range of 390 to 430 nm.
For solving these problems, we have intensely conducted investigation and have finally found that an azaporphyrin metal complex with 1 to 4 meso-nitrogen atoms has sharp optical absorption bands, i.e., a Soret band (blue region) and a Q band (red region) exhibits proper balance between a higher refractive index and an appropriate attenuation coefficient at wavelengths in these bands and thus in these wavelengths gives a good reproduction signal, leading to this invention.
Thus, this invention provides:
[1] an optical recording medium comprising at least a recording layer and a metal reflective layer on a transparent substrate having a groove, wherein the recording layer comprises an azaporphyrin metal complex dye with 1 to 4 meso-nitrogen atoms represented by formula (1) as a main component; recording and/or reproduction can be conducted using a laser beam with a wavelength of xcex1 and also with a laser beam with a wavelength of xcex2 shorter than xcex1; the recording layer has a refractive index n of 2.0 or more at xcex1 and 1.8 or more at xcex2 as well as an attenuation coefficient k of 0.04 to 0.20 at xcex1 and 0.30 or less at xcex2; and the groove in the transparent substrate has a pitch of 0.70 to 0.85 xcexcm, a half-value width of 0.20 to 0.35 xcexcm and an inclination angle of 45 to 65xc2x0:
wherein X1 to X3 independently represent nitrogen or CH; R1 to R8 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl with 1 to 12 carbon atoms, substituted or unsubstituted aryl with 6 to 20 carbon atoms, hydroxyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy, amino or alkylamino, nitro, cyano, carboxy, substituted or unsubstituted carboxylate, substituted or unsubstituted carboxamide, alkylthio, arylthio, sulfonic, substituted or unsubstituted sulfonate, substituted or unsubstituted sulfonamide, substituted or unsubstituted silyl and siloxy; and the central metal M represents transition metal which may be charged to have a cationic salt structure;
[2] the optical recording medium as described in [1] wherein recording and reproduction can be conducted using a laser beam at a wavelength of xcex1 while reproduction can be conducted using a laser beam at a wavelength of xcex2;
[3] the optical recording medium as described in [1] or [2] wherein the laser wavelength xcex1 is selected from the range of 630 to 680 nm while the laser wavelength xcex2 is selected from the range of 390 to 430 nm;
[4] the optical recording medium as described in any of [1] to [3] wherein as determined through the substrate, a reflectance of the laser with a wavelength of xcex1 is 40% or more while a reflectance of the laser with a wavelength of xcex2 is 15% or more.
According to this invention, a recording/reproduction signal meeting the DVD specifications may be obtained and an optical recording medium capable of recording and/or reproduction using a blue-violet laser with a wavelength selected from the range of 390 to 430 nm may be provided.
According to this invention, an azaporphyrin dye having the above refractive index n and the above attenuation coefficient k may be used in a recording layer to provide an optical recording medium whereby recording and/or reproduction can be conducted with not only a red laser at a wavelength of 630 to 680 nm but also a blue-violet laser at a wavelength of 390 to 430 nm.
An azaporphyrin compound where four pyrrole rings were cyclized with at least one nitrogen atom had two large absorption peaks, i.e., a Soret band having an absorption edge within the range of 390 to 430 nm of interest and a Q band having a longer-wavelength side absorption edge within the range of 630 to 680 nm, and exhibited high refractive index properties in both wavelength bands. As the number of meso-nitrogen atoms increased, an absorption coefficient in the Q band was increased.
Preferred are here monoazaporphyrin, diazaporphyrin and triazaporphyrin structures in which rings are linked via 1 to 3 nitrogen atoms because the nitrogen number within these limits may ensure a high refractive index in both red and blue regions. In this respect, a diazaporphyrin is particularly preferable. A porphyrin with no nitrogen atoms does not provide any intensity of Q band so that a high refractive index of n greater than 2.0 cannot be achieved in the range of 30 to 680 nm.
In the light of properties of an organic dye, a recording layer has the following optical constants; a refractive index n of 2.0 or more, preferably 2.0 to 2.7 and an attenuation coefficient of 0.04 to 0.20, preferably 0.04 to 0.15 at a wavelength of xcex1 selected from the range of 630 to 680 nm and n of 1.8 or more, preferably 2.0 or more and k of 0.30 or less, preferably 0.20 or less at a wavelength of xcex2 selected from the range of 390 to 430 nm.
When xcex1 meets n(xcex1) less than 2.0, a recording signal amplitude cannot be obtained at the wavelength. Acquiring n(xcex1) greater than 2.7 in this kind of dye is not preferable because it at the same time requires the condition of k(xcex1) greater than 2.0. Furthermore, when k(xcex1) greater than 0.20, an optical absorption becomes so large, leading to excessive heat generation in a recording layer so that a fine recording pit cannot be stably formed. On the contrary, when k less than 0.04, recording sensitivity may not be obtained.
Similarly, when n(xcex2) less than 1.8 for a wavelength xcex2, a signal amplitude during recording at a wavelength xcex2 cannot be ensured while when k(xcex2) greater than 0.30, absorption is also increased, leading to deterioration in a reproduction light signal at a wavelength xcex2.
It is preferable to introduce a substituent for improving optical properties as a recording film, durability, solubility and application properties. In particular, the azaporphyrin compound tends to be subject to association, leading to deterioration in optical properties (a refractive index). It is, therefore, desirable to introduce a substituent increasing steric hindrance in the molecule.
Examples of a variety of substituents which may be introduced in R1 to R8 in this compound include hydrogen; halogen such as fluorine, chlorine and bromine; substituted or unsubstituted alkyl with 1 to 12 carbon atoms such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, hexyl, amyl, cyclohexyl and methylcyclohexyl; aryl with 6 to 20 carbon atoms including aromatic rings such as phenyl and benzyl; ether such as methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, butoxy, heptoxy and phenoxy; hydroxyl; substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy; substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy; amino or alkylamino; nitro; cyano; carboxy; substituted or unsubstituted carboxylate; substituted or unsubstituted carboxamide; alkylthio; arylthio; sulfonic; substituted or unsubstituted sulfonate; substituted or unsubstituted sulfonamide; substituted or unsubstituted silyl; and siloxy, which are independently selected. When two or more of these exist in one molecule, these substituents may be linked together. The central metal M represents a transition metal such as Ni, Co, Cu, Pd, Zn, Mn and Pt. The metal M may be charged to have a cationic salt structure.
A substrate used in this invention may be made of any transparent material because recording/reproduction is conducted with a light. Examples of a material which may be used include organic polymers such as polycarbonates, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polystyrene, polyesters, polyolefins and epoxy resins and inorganic materials such as glass. A polycarbonate resin is more preferable because it exhibits good balance between a light transmittance and heat resistance and may be easily molded. A polyolefin having a ring structure is also preferable because it exhibits reduced optical anisotropy, lower water absorptivity and good transparency in a blue-violet region.
Such a substrate may have, in its surface, a guide groove or pit for indicating a recording position and/or a prepit for, for example, partially read-only data. Such a guide groove or pit may be generally formed during preparing a substrate by injection molding, but alternatively may be formed by, for example, a laser cutting or 2P method.
For stably obtaining a tracking error output and a good reproduction signal without distortion even for an HF signal not only at xcex1, a recording/reproduction wavelength for DVD but also at xcex2 selected from the range of 390 to 420 nm which is shorter than xcex1, a groove pitch is, according to the specifications, limited to a range of 0.7 to 0.85 xcexcm, preferably 0.74 to 0.80 xcexcm for first achieving DVD reproduction compatibility. When evaluating reproduction compatibility at xcex2 under the pitch conditions, controlling a half-value width of a groove formed and an inclination angle in a cross section along the radius of the groove is important. It was found that the half-value width and the inclination angle were suitably within the ranges of 0.20 to 0.35 xcexcm and 45 to 65xc2x0, respectively. In terms of a groove has a shape deviated from these ranges, for example, when a half-value width was more than 0.35 xcexcm, a tracking error output could not be ensured at xcex2 while when a half-value width was less than 0.20 xcexcm, distortion in an HF signal was increased. Furthermore, when an inclination angle is more than 65xc2x0, transcription failure reached a significant level during molding a substrate while when it is less than 45xc2x0, it became difficult to ensure a tracking error output at xcex2.
A recording layer used in this invention is basically made of a compound represented by formula (1), which may be irradiated with a laser beam to conduct recording. Alternatively, a recording layer may be made of the dye represented by formula (1) in combination with one or more additional dyes or may be made of a mixture of the dye represented by formula (1) and another dye in conjunction with a material other than a photoabsorptive material.
Examples of a dye which may be combined in this recording layer include macrocyclic azaannulene dyes such as phthalocyanine dyes, naphthalocyanine dyes and azaporphyrin dyes with 1 to 4 meso-nitrogen atoms other than the azaporphyrin represented by formula (1) of this invention; polymethyne dyes such as cyanine dyes, melocyanine dyes, squalilium dyes; anthraquinone dyes; azulenium dyes; azo dyes; and indoaniline dyes. Among these, particularly preferred are phthalocyanines exhibiting good durability and light stability.
A recording layer comprising a dye may be a monolayer or of a laminated structure of two or more layers wherein the dye represented by formula (1) may be used in only one layer or in two or more layers.
Examples of a dye which may be used in a lamination structure include macrocyclic azaannulene dyes such as phthalocyanine dyes, naphthalocyanine dyes and azaporphyrin dyes; polymethyne dyes such as cyanine dyes, melocyanine dyes, squalilium dyes; anthraquinone dyes; azulenium dyes; azo dyes; and indoaniline dyes.
The recording layer comprising a dye may be generally deposited by an appropriate application method such as spin coating, spray coating, dip coating and roll coating. Materials constituting a recording layer including a dye and a resinous binder may be dissolved in a solvent which does not harmful to the substrate, applied to the substrate and then dried. Preferable examples of a solvent which may be used include aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbons such as hexane, heptane, octane, decane and cyclohexane; aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene and xylenes; ethers such as diethyl ether, dibutyl ether and tetrahydrofuran; alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, tetrafluoropropanol and methyl cellosolve; and halogenated compounds such as chloroform, dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroathane, which may be used alone or in combination of two or more. When depositing two or more recording layers, a solvent which does not penetrate a previously applied layer is preferably selected.
A recording layer may be formed by vacuum deposition, which is effective when a recording layer material is insoluble in a solvent or a solvent not harmful to a substrate cannot be chosen.
A recording layer may have a thickness of 10 nm to 300 nm, desirably 40 nm to 150 nm.
A variety of base layers may be formed between a recording layer and a substrate for, e.g., preventing the recording layer from being deteriorated. For example, a layer made of an organic material such as polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) or an inorganic material such as SiO2 may be used. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, two or more layers may be laminated.
A reflective layer made of a metal such as Au, Al, Pt, Ag and Ni, or an alloy thereof may be formed on the above recording layer. In particular, it is desirable to use gold which is stable to oxygen or moisture. A reflective layer may be deposited by an appropriate method such as vapor-phase deposition, sputtering and ion-plating to a thickness of 10 nm to 300 nm, desirably 30 nm to 150 nm.
An intermediate layer may be formed between a metal reflective layer and a recording layer for, e.g., improving interlayer adhesion and increasing a reflectance.
A protective layer may be formed on the above reflective layer, using, for example, a polymerizable material such as an acrylate or methacrylate which may be polymerized by a general radical reaction and an epoxy which may be subject to optical cationic polymerization. These resins may be formed by homopolymerization or copolymerization with other monomers or oligomers. These may be dissolved in a solvent before application. Among these, a UV curing material is preferable in the light of workability. A protective layer may be formed by an appropriate method such as spin coating, dip coating, bar coating and screen printing and frequently formed by spin coating because of its higher workability. The layer may be formed to a thickness of 1 xcexcm to 100 xcexcm, preferably 1 to 20 xcexcm.
A protective layer thus formed may protect a recording and a reflective layers, but a more effective protective layer may be sometimes needed depending on a status of use. In such a case, the protective layer may be coated with an organic material such as a UV curing resin, a thermosetting resin and a solvent-containing polymer or an inorganic material such as SiO2, which may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Two or more films may be laminated for, e.g., improving adhesiveness to other layers.
In another structure in this invention, a first substrate having a recording layer may be laminated with a second substrate. The second substrate may be the same as the first substrate. Alternatively, substrates on which a recording and a reflective layers have been formed are laminated together such that the recording layer sides of the substrates are faced to each other. Such lamination may be conducted by, e.g., a hot melt process, a process using a UV curing adhesive or a process using a one-liquid or two-liquid mixture type of reactive adhesive.


The present disclosure discloses a method and a device for managing execution of scripts by a virtual computing unit configured in a host computing device. The method comprises configuring one or more ports for establishing a communication interface between the host computing device and a virtual computing unit, providing one or more scripts to be executed by the virtual computing device and one or more parameters to the virtual computing unit for execution receiving execution data from the virtual computing unit and monitoring execution of the one or more scripts based on the execution data received from the virtual computing unit. Thus, the host computing device manages execution of the one or more scripts by the virtual computing unit.

In current scenario, numerous scripts are executed on computer systems. During execution of scripts, the computer system may interact with other computer systems. Also, remote monitoring of systems is required in few instances. Hence, during execution of scripts, the computer systems are completely occupied in performing one task. Therefore, the computer system cannot be used for performing alternate tasks until the ongoing execution of scripts are completed. Also, the computer system has to queue the tasks to be performed and only after execution of the ongoing tasks, further tasks can be executed.
In another scenario, execution of few tasks may be prioritized over the execution of the scripts. The execution of scripts has to be halted in order to perform these task. Hence, efficiency of the computer system may reduce.

Method and device for managing execution of scripts by a virtual computing unit


A signal processing system including a plurality of receivers configured to receive a return signal from a transmitted radio frequency (RF) waveform. A mode control processor is configured to selectively and independently alter at least one characteristic of a signal down conversion process performed by each receiver. A digital signal processor is configured to integrate the outputs of the plurality of receivers.

Signal processing systems, such as radar and sonar systems, are useful for detecting, characterizing and monitoring various kinematic parameters associated with natural and/or man-made objects, and are important for both civilian and military operations. In radar systems, for example, one or more transmitted electromagnetic (EM) signals, referred to herein as radio frequency (RF) waveforms or pulses, are intended to engage one or more objects or targets. Reflected return signals (or echoes) are received and processed for object identification and characterization. Several types of transmitted signals may be used. For example, single pulse, multiple pulse, and linear frequency modulated (LFM) waveforms may be used, with each waveform type having particular advantages in terms of target detection and velocity and acceleration estimation, by way of example only.
Current signal processing systems have difficulty simultaneously providing high dynamic range, large instantaneous bandwidth, large wideband range window coverage, and high sensitivity in a cost effective manner. More specifically, in the context of radar applications, systems are designed to support either high dynamic range or high sensitivity. Moreover, these systems are limited by their receiver bandwidth. Traditional mitigation approaches are inefficient, requiring multiple pulse repetition intervals (PRIs) to mitigate, including time consumption. For example, multiple PRI frequency waveforms may be employed for large wideband coverage. Moreover, in multiple PRI stretch processing approaches each range window limits a range coverage region according to a ratio of the receiver's intermediate frequency (IF) bandwidth and a desired or target wideband waveform bandwidth.
Improved systems and methods for providing high dynamic range, large instantaneous bandwidth, large wideband range coverage, and high sensitivity in a single system are desired.

Flexible wideband radar receiver architecture with enhanced sensitivity, dynamic range, instantaneous bandwidth, and range window capability


Medium modulus molded polyethylene materials with improved impact strength are made. The polyethylene material is molded to pipes, bars, and sheets. The molded material comprises high molecular weight linear polyethylene and a substantially linear ethylene/.alpha.-olefin interpolymer. The material is more than about 0.23 mm thick, has a density in the range of about 0.923 to about 0.95 grams/cubic centimeter (g/cc) and has an excellent impact resistance.

Molded polyethylene materials find wide usage, for example in gas pipe or water pipe applications. Such materials must have a sufficient stiffness to provide long term dimensional stability. Furthermore, they must have a high impact strength to minimize failures during usage. Advantageously, the materials should also be resistant to crack propagation, that means that an accidental crack or failure should stop and not run over extended length of the material.
It is known to blend polyethylene with various polymers to improve its impact properties. E. Ceaucescu et al. (Revue Roumaine de Chimie, 34, 3, 711-724 (1989)) disclose that the shock resistance of a high density polyethylene (HDPE) can be improved by incorporating a butadiene-styrene block copolymer therein. J. Rhee and B. Crist (Journal of Polymer Science: Part B: Polymer Physics, Vol 32, 159-169 (1994)) discuss the plain strain fracture toughness of blends of HDPE and hydrogenated polybutadiene. W. S. Smith (Soc. Plast. Eng., Tech. Pap. (1975), 21, pages 394-396 describe the use of ethylene-propylene rubber for improving the impact strength and/or environmental stress crack resistance of polypropylene. Alternatively, the ethylene-propylene rubber may be blended with low density polyethylene or high density polyethylene.
Matsuura et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,639 disclose a polymer composition to form polyethylene films which are said to have a high impact strength and a high tear strength. The polymer composition comprises an ethylene/C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 .alpha.-olefin copolymer having an intrinsic viscosity of 1.3 to 8.3 dl/g and a density of 0.850 to 0.930 and an ethylene polymer having a melt index of 0.01 to 0.2, a flow parameter of 1.9 to 2.8 and a density not lower than 0.940.
Bailey et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,873) disclose ethylene polymer mixtures having a density in the range of 0.940 to 0.965 g/cc and comprising (a) 40 to 70 weight parts of a high molecular weight, low density ethylene polymer having a high load melt index in the range of about 0.1 to about 1.5 g/10 min., a density of about 0.930 to 0.945 g/cc, a heterogeneity index of less than 10 and having essentially no other branching than short chain branching, and (b) 60 to 30 weight parts of a low molecular weight, high density ethylene polymer having a melt index in the range of 45 to 300 g/10 min., a density above 0.950, a heterogeneity index of less than 6 and being essentially linear. The polymer composition is said to be useful for the production of polyolefin films, pipe production and wire coating. The films are said to have good environmental stress crack behavior.
Shirodkar (U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,501) discloses polymer blends of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) with a minor amount of an isotactic, partially crystalline butene-1 polymer for producing blown films having improved impact properties. Shirodkar (U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,922) discloses polymer blends of HDPE with a minor amount of an isotactic, partially crystalline butene-1 polymer for producing containers with lower swell compared to those of the unblended HDPE.
Thiersault et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,688) discloses polyethylene compositions containing from 50 to 98 weight percent of HDPE and from 2 to 50 weight percent of LLDPE with a density below 0.930. The composition is said to be particularly adapted for the manufacture of films and hollow bodies by blow-molding.
Calabro et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,955) disclose a low density polymer having a broad molecular weight distribution, such that its melt flow ratio is about 50 to about 250, and a substantially constant melt index-corrected density. The polymer is produced by blending a first polymer component of high molecular weight with a second polymer component of low molecular weight, with both polymer components having substantially the same melt index-corrected density. The polymer is said to produce films having improved strength properties, as compared to films made from individual polymer components.
European patent application EP-A-0,517,222 discloses a polyethylene moulding material which consists of from 50 to 80 weight percent of a HDPE, having a density of from 0.940 to 0.960 g/cm.sup.3 and a MFI 190/2.16 of from 0.01 to 0.5 g/10 min. and a broad bimodal molar mass distribution, and of from 20 to 50 weight percent of a polyethylene of a density of from 0.910 to 0.925 g/cm.sup.3 and a MFI 190/2.16 of from 0.5 to 2.0 g/10 min. The polyethylene moulding material has a density of from 0.930 to 0.940 g/cm.sup.3 and a MFI 190/2.16 of from 0.05 to 1.0 g/10 min. The polyethylene of low density may be a linear polyethylene (LLDPE) with a narrow unimodal molar mass distribution. The European patent application discloses that pipes, sheets and films of good long term and low temperature properties can be produced. Particularly, the material is said to have extraordinary resistance to slow crack propagation (ESCR).
Additionally, ternary polymer blends are known. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,912, Su et al. disclose LLDPE blended with minor amounts of a low molecular weight HDPE (LMW-HDPE) and a high molecular weight HDPE (HMW-HDPE) for processability and film property improvements over LLDPE used alone. The disclosures of all the above-cited references are incorporated herein by reference.

Medium modulus molded material comprising substantially linear polyethlene and fabrication method


A trailer hitch safety assembly and a method of use for inhibiting uncoupling of a trailer coupler from a towing hitch. The trailer hitch safety assembly includes a mounting ring that is received on the shank portion of a towing hitch. The trailer hitch safety assembly also includes a base having first and second base portions that are releasably connected together around the mounting ring to retain the base on the shank portion. A locking arm releasably connects to the base and extends over the coupled trailer coupler and towing hitch to inhibit uncoupling of the trailer coupler from the towing hitch.

The present invention relates to trailer hitch safety assemblies for inhibiting uncoupling of a trailer coupler from a towing hitch.
Hauling of a trailer by a vehicle typically includes connecting the trailer to the vehicle by coupling the trailer to a towing hitch mounted to the vehicle. A typical configuration includes fitting a coupler mounted on the trailer over a hitch ball mounted to the vehicle. One concern during hauling and storage of the trailer is that the trailer will become unhitched and separate from the vehicle. A conventional coupler includes a locking latch mechanism with a separate latch pin that secures the coupler onto the hitch ball. However, the latch mechanism does not ensure that the trailer will not come unhitched from the vehicle.
Multiple factors can contribute to a conventional trailer coupler and towing hitch separating and thus failing to keep the trailer attached to the towing vehicle. User error in failing to properly couple the trailer often plays a role in unintended separating of the trailer coupler and towing hitch. Trailer couplers and hitch balls typically come in three standard sizes, which requires the coupler on the trailer to be paired with the correct size hitch ball on the towing vehicle. Users may knowingly or unknowingly incorrectly pair mismatched trailer couplers and hitch balls and/or not properly engage the coupler, which can result in an unreliable connection with the coupler latch mechanism due to improper fit of the trailer coupler and hitch ball. Whether properly or improperly paired, the trailer coupler may not fully or properly engage over the hitch ball prior to engaging the latch mechanism, which may result in failure of the latch mechanism.
Many latch mechanisms include a latch pin that is inserted through the latch mechanism to help prevent the latch mechanism from unintentionally disengaging, However, many users fail to use the latch pin, either intentionally or unintentionally. In addition, over time the trailer coupler and its components may wear or loosen from repeated use which may result in a loose or improper fit of the trailer coupler on the hitch ball. Loose or improper mounting of the hitch ball on the towing vehicle, such as the fit of the hitch ball in its mounting hole on the towing vehicle or an unsecure nut mounting the hitch ball on the towing vehicle can also contribute to unintended uncoupling of the trailer.
These factors can contribute to the risk of unintended disconnection of the trailer from the vehicle and thus an additional safety device is often used, and sometimes required by government regulations, to inhibit separation of the trailer from the towing vehicle. Typically, a minimum of two chains are used to connect the trailer to the towing vehicle to prevent the trailer from separating from the towing vehicle completely in the event that the trailer becomes unhitched. However, the safety chains only become useful after the trailer has uncoupled and are only of use if they've been properly selected and installed.
Properly installed safety chains may help to decrease the risk of harm to surrounding drivers, however, once the trailer comes uncoupled, the trailer may become uncontrollable yet is still attached to the towing vehicle. This scenario can result in an increased risk of harm to the towing vehicle and its driver, especially at high speeds. In addition, depending on the type of trailer being towed and its contents, an uncoupled trailer attached to the towing vehicle via chains can cause the trailer's contents to shift. This can result in the contents of the trailer becoming dislodged and potentially falling off the trailer, especially in the case of an open trailer, which can present a safety hazard to surrounding drivers.
Properly installed safety chains require the correct gauge of chain and hooks to be selected based on the weight of the trailer and the load being towed. The correct number of chains must also be determined to ensure that the safety chains are strong enough to remain intact should the trailer come unhitched. The wrong gauge or length of chains or hooks or improperly installed chains may cause the chains and/or hooks to fail, break or unhook, resulting in separation of the trailer from the vehicle in the event the trailer comes unhitched. Furthermore, the safety chains are bulky and can be cumbersome to install and store. In addition, the safety chains may drag on the ground during use and possibly become disconnected or entangled with other components of the trailer or towing vehicle. In some instances, improperly installed safety chains have caused fires. The safety chains are also limited in their ability to prevent theft of the trailer.


The present invention relates to the compounds of formula:

The present invention relates to new nitromethyl ketones, to their preparation and to their use as medicaments, especially in the treatment or prevention of the complications of diabetes.
Diabetes is characterized by a high concentration of glucose in the blood. This glucose is normally metabolized by the enzyme hexokinase during the first stage of glycolysis, leading to the degradation into pyruvate. When the glucose concentration is too high, hexokinase becomes saturated and a second pathway for glucose metabolism comes into play. It is the polyol pathway which involves two enzymes successively: aldose reductase which converts glucose to sorbitol arid sorbitol dehydrogenase which converts sorbitol to fructose. In the event of diabetes, the excess glucose accelerates the formation of sorbitol which tends to accumulate. This results in serious metabolic disturbances, such as for example an increase in osmotic pressure which can lead to tissue degeneration. Aldose reductase inhibitors are therefore useful for treating or preventing certain complications induced by diabetes.
Numerous products are described in the literature, such as aldose reductase inhibitors which are active in vitro and in vivo.
They are mainly derivatives of hydantoins, of succinimides and of acetic acids and more recently derivatives of sulfonylnitromethanes.
The present invention relates to nitromethyl ketone derivatives and their addition salts with physiologically acceptable bases, corresponding to the general formula (I):
in which
A represents C6-C10 aryl or an optionally aromatic three- to ten-membered heterocycle in which one to four ring atoms are identical or different heteroatoms chosen from O, S and N;
X represents halogen, cyano, C1-C7 alkyl, trifluoromethyl, C2-C7 alkoxy or trifluoromethoxy;
R1 and R2, which are identical or different, represent a hydrogen atom, a C1-C7 alkyl group, a C3-C12 cycloalkyl group, a trifluoromethyl group, a C1-C7 alkoxy group or R1 or R2 together form an alkylene chain of the xe2x80x94(CH2)rxe2x80x94 type, where r is chosen from 2, 3 and 4;
is chosen from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5;
Z represents a bond, the divalent radical xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94 in which the carbonyl function is linked to R3, the divalent radical xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94 in which the sulfonyl function is linked to R3, a C2-C7 alkenylene radical, a sulfur atom, the sulfinyl group or a sulfonyl group;
R3 represents a hydrogen atom; a halogen atom; a tri-(C1-C7-alkyl)silyl group; a C1-C7 alkyl group optionally substituted with one or more identical or different Y radicals; a C6-C10 aryl group optionally substituted with one or more identical or different Y radicals;, a C6-C10 aryloxy group optionally substituted with one or more identical or different Y radicals; a C3-C12 cycloalkyl group optionally substituted with one or more identical or different Y radicals; an optionally aromatic three- to ten-membered heterocycle in which one to four ring atoms are identical or different heteroatoms chosen from O, S and N, the heterocycle being optionally substituted with one or more identical or different Y radicals, or R3 represents indanyl, 1,3-dihydro-1,3-dioxo-2H-iso-indol-2-yl, 1,3-benzodioxolyl, 2-oxopiperidinyl or 2-[(4-nitromethylcarbonyl-3-chlorophenyl)amino-carbonyl]-1-(phenyl)ethyl;
Y represents a halogen atom, C1-C7 alkyl, C1-C7 alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, carboxy, carbamoyl, (C1-C7)alkylcarbamoyl, di-(C1-C7)alkylcarbamoyl, C1-C7 alkoxycarbonyl, amino, C1-C7-alkylamino, di-(C1-C7)-alkylamino, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, trifluoromethoxy, C3-C12 cycloalkyl, sulfo, C1-C7 alkylthio, C1-C7 alkylsulfinyl, C1-C7 alkylsulfonyl, C2-C8 alkylcarbonyl, C2-C8 alkylthiocarbonyl, C2-C8 alkylcarbonylamino, or C6-C10 aryl;
E represents a divalent radical chosen from:
(i) xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94 in which the carbonyl group is linked to xe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94 and R4 represents the radical xe2x80x94(CH2)qxe2x80x94R5 where q is chosen from 0 and 1; and where R5 represents a hydrogen atom; a C1-C7 alkyl group; a C6-C10 aryl group or an optionally aromatic three- to ten-membered heterocycle in which one to four ring atoms are identical or different heteroatoms chosen from O, N and S; or R5 and R3 together form a bond;
(ii) xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94 in which the sulfonyl group is linked to xe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94 and R4 is as defined above;
(iii) xe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94 in which R4 is as defined above;
(iv) xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94 in which the nitrogen atom is linked to A; and
(v) an oxygen atom;
n represents 0 or 1; on the condition that xe2x80x94A(X)xe2x80x94(E)nxe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94Zxe2x80x94R3 does not represent halophenyl, methylphenyl, dichlorophenyl, dimethylphenyl, 4-ethoxy-2-methylaminophenyl, methylindolyl, dimethylindolyl, 2-hydroxyphenyl substituted with a group X, 2-methoxyphenyl substituted with a group X and optionally substituted 2-fluorophenyl as defined above, and on the condition that when A represents pyridyl, X represents methyl and n is equal to 1, E does not represent xe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94.
These compounds are inhibitors of the enzyme aldose reductase and may be used in the treatment or prevention of the complications of diabetes: neurological, peripheral and autonomous complications, renal complications and ocular complications such as cataract and retinopathy.
The physiologically acceptable salts of the compounds of formula (I) comprise the salts formed with metals (such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, aluminum), or with bases such as ammonium hydroxide or substituted amines (such as diethylamine, triethylamine, piperidine, piperazine, morpholine) or basic amino acids (such as lysine, arginine) or with osamines (such as meglumine) or with amino alcohols (such as 3-aminobutanol, 2-aminoethanol).
The term xe2x80x9carylxe2x80x9d represents an aromatic mono- or bicyclic group comprising 6 to 10 carbon atoms, such as phenyl or naphthyl.
The term xe2x80x9cheterocyclexe2x80x9d denotes a mono- or bicyclic ring with an aromatic character or otherwise, comprising 3 to 10 ring atoms of which 1 to 4 are identical or different heteroatoms chosen from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen, such as for example, the aziridinyl, oxiranyl, oxazolyl, furyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, thienyl, imidazolyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, benzothienyl, benzopyranyl, benzofuryl, benzothiazolyl, pyrimidinyl, pyridazinyl, piperidinyl, quinolyl, tetrahydroquinolyl, tetrazolyl, phthalazinyl, purinyl, indolyl, chromenyl, chromanyl, isochromanyl and pyrrolyl.
The term xe2x80x9ccycloalkylxe2x80x9d denotes saturated hydrocarbon groups containing 3 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably 3 to 8, such as cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl, cyclononyl, cyclodecyl, cycloundecenyl and cyclododecyl.
The term xe2x80x9chalogenxe2x80x9d represents a fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine atom.
The term xe2x80x9calkylxe2x80x9d denotes a linear or branched hydrocarbon radical such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, tert-butyl, isobutyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl.
The term xe2x80x9calkoxyxe2x80x9d denotes an alkyl group linked to an oxygen atom. Examples thereof are the methoxy, ethoxy, isopropyloxy, butoxy, hexyloxy radicals.
Likewise, xe2x80x9caryloxyxe2x80x9d denotes an aryl radical as defined above linked to an oxygen atom, such as phenoxy and naphthyloxy.
According to the invention, xe2x80x9calkenylenexe2x80x9d radical is understood to mean, moreover, a divalent hydrocarbon radical, carrying one or more ethylenic double bonds such as, for example, xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94 or CHxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94.
xe2x80x9cCarbamoylxe2x80x9d radical denotes the monovalent radical of formula xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NH2. The radical xe2x80x9c(C1-C7)alkylcarbamoylxe2x80x9d denotes a carbamoyl radical substituted with. a C1-C7 alkyl group on the nitrogen atom and the radical xe2x80x9cdi-(C1-C7)alkylcarbamoylxe2x80x9d denotes a carbamoyl radical substituted on the nitrogen atom with two C1-C7 alkyl groups.
The radical xe2x80x9c(C1-C7)alkoxycarbonylxe2x80x9d denotes a radical Rxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94 in which R represents a C1-C7 alkyl group.
The radical xe2x80x9c(C1-C7)alkylaminoxe2x80x9d denotes an amino group substituted on the nitrogen atom with a (C1-C7)alkyl radical and the radical xe2x80x9cdi-(C1-C7)alkylaminoxe2x80x9d denotes an amino group substituted on the nitrogen atom with two (C1-C7)alkyl radicals.
The terms xe2x80x9calkylthioxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9calkylsulfinylxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9calkylsulfonylxe2x80x9d represent an alkyl group linked to a sulfur atom which is respectively nonoxidized, mono-oxidized or di-oxidized, such as methylthio, methylsulfinyl or methylsulfonyl.
Some compounds related to this type are known. For example, DE 2,415,350 describes antiallergic compounds of formula:
in which R1, R2, R3, R4, which are identical or different, may represent a hydrogen or halogen atom, an alkyl, alkoxy, aryl or arylalkyl group, a heterocycle or, two by two, a carbocycle or a heterocycle.
In patent DE 2,741,011, antihistaminic-antiallergic compounds are described, which are of the formula:
in which R0 represents a hydrogen atom, a (C1-C6)alkyl, (C3-C6)cycloalkyl, (C3-C6)cycloalkyl-(C1-C2)alkyl, (C3-C6)alkenyl or (C3-C6)alkynyl group or a radical of formula
Nitromethyl ketone derivatives attached to polysubstituted naphthyridines and quinolones are described in patent EP 574 231 for an antibiotic activity.
Other nitromethyl ketone derivatives have been described in the literature, for example as synthesis intermediates, but the prior art does not refer at all to a potential therapeutic use of these compounds. There may be mentioned for example J. SETER, Israel J. Chem (1966) 4, 7-22 or BAKER D. C. and PUTT S. R., Synthesis (1978) 678-9 or FIELD G. F. and ZALLY W. J., Synthesis (1979) 295-6 or HAMADA Yasumasa et al., Chem. Pharm. Bull (1981) 29, 259-61.
The known nitromethyl ketone derivatives do not correspond to the formula (I) of the compounds of the invention; moreover, none of these compounds is described as having any inhibitory activity towards aldose reductase.
Preferred compounds of the invention are those for which, in the formula (I):
A represents phenyl, n and p represent 0, Z represents a bond and R3 represents a hydrogen atom, or
A represents phenyl, n represents 1 and E represents xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94, and more particularly those for which p represents 1, R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom and Z represents a bond; or
A represents phenyl, n represents 1, E represents xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94; or
A represents phenyl, n is equal to 1, E represents xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94, p is equal to 0 and Z represents xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94; or
A represents an aromatic heterocycle such as benzothienyl or thienyl; or
A represents naphthyl; or
n represents 1 and E represents an oxygen atom.
Another group of preferred compounds consists of the compounds of formula:
in which
A represents phenyl, naphthyl, benzothienyl or thienyl;
X represents halogen, cyano, C1-C7 alkyl, trifluoromethyl, C2-C7 alkoxy or trifluoromethoxy;
R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom, or R1 and R2 together form an alkylene chain of the xe2x80x94(CH2)rxe2x80x94 type, where r is chosen from 2, 3 and 4;
p is chosen from 0, 1, 2 and 3;
Z represents a bond, the divalent radical xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94 in which the carbonyl function is linked to R3 or the divalent radical xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94 in which the sulfonyl function is linked to R3;
R3 represents a hydrogen atom, C1-C7 alkyl optionally substituted with one or more identical or different Y radicals; phenyl optionally substituted with one or more identical or different Y radicals; phenoxy optionally substituted with one or more identical or different Y radicals; C3-C12 cycloalkyl optionally substituted with one or more identical or different Y radicals; benzothienyl; benzofuryl; or R3 represents 1,3-dihydro-1,3-dioxo-2H-isoindol-2-yl or 2-oxo-piperidinyl;
Y represents a halogen atom, C1-C7 alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, carboxy, trifluoromethoxy or phenyl;
E represents a divalent radical chosen from:
(i) xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NR4 in which the carbonyl group is linked to xe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94 and R4 represents the radical (CH2)qxe2x80x94R5 where q is chosen from 0 and 1, and where R5 represents a hydrogen atom, a C1-C7 alkyl group or a phenyl group;
(ii) xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94 in which the sulfonyl group is linked to xe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94 and R4 is as defined above;
(iii) xe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94 in which R4 is as defined above;
(iv) xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94 in which the nitrogen atom is linked to A; and
(v) a hydrogen atom;
n represents 0 or 1; on the condition that xe2x80x94A(X)xe2x80x94(E)nxe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94Zxe2x80x94R3 does not represent halophenyl, methylphenyl, dichlorophenyl, dimethylphenyl, 4-ethoxy-2-methylaminophenyl, methylindolyl, dimethylindolyl, 2-hydroxyphenyl substituted with a group X, 2-methoxyphenyl substituted with a group X and optionally substituted 2-fluorophenyl as defined above, and on the condition that when A represents pyridyl, X represents methyl and n is equal to 1, E does not represent xe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94, as well as their addition salts with pharmaceutically acceptable bases.
Among the preferred compounds of the invention, there may be mentioned:
(1) nitromethyl 2-trifluoromethoxyphenyl ketone;
(2) nitromethyl 2-cyanophenyl ketone;
(3) nitromethyl 2-ethylphenyl ketone;
(4) nitromethyl 2-trifluoromethylphenyl ketone;
(5) nitromethyl 2-ethoxyphenyl ketone;
(6) nitromethyl 2-isopropyloxyphenyl ketone;
(7) nitromethyl 2-methyl-1-naphthyl ketone;
(8) nitromethyl 3-chloro-2-naphthyl ketone;
(9) nitromethyl 3-chlorobenzo[b]thien-2-yl ketone;
(10) nitromethyl 6-methoxy-5-trifluoromethyl-1-naphthyl ketone;
(11) 4-methyl-N-[2-nitromethylcarbonyl-3-methyl-benzo[b]thien-5-yl]benzenesulfonamide;
(12) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]acetamide;
(13) nitromethyl 4-amino-2-chlorophenyl ketone;
(14) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]benzamide;
(15) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-chlorobenzamide;
(16) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-methylbenzamide;
(17) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-methoxybenzamide;
(18) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl)-2-trifluoromethylbenzamide;
(19) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropanecarboxamide;
(20) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]hexaneamide;
(21) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]cyclopentylacetamide;
(22) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-3-phenylpropaneamide;
(23) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2-phenylpropaneamide;
(24) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]phenylacetamide;
(25) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]benzo[b]thienyl-2-carboxamide;
(26) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]benzofuryl-2-carboxamide;
(27) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-chlorophenoxyacetamide;
(28) 2-chloro-N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]phenylacetamide;
(29) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclopropylcarboxamide;
(30) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2-trifluoromethylphenylacetamide;
(31) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-chlorobenzenesulfonamide;
(32) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]benzenesulfonamide;
(33) nitromethyl 4-[N,N-di(phenylmethyl)amino]-2-chlorophenyl ketone;
(34) N-[2-chloro-3-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]acetamide;
(35) N-[2-chloro-3-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2-methylphenylacetamide;
(36) N-[4-chloro-3-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]acetamide;
(37) N-[4-chloro-3-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2-methylphenylacetamide;
(38) N-[4-chloro-3-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]benzenesulfonamide;
(39) 2-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenylaminocarbonyl-methylaminocarbonyl]benzoic acid;
(40) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-1,3-di-hydro-1,3-dioxo-2H-isoindol-2-ylacetamide;
(41) 1-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-3-phenylsulfonylurea;
(42) nitromethyl 3-methyl-2-thienyl ketone;
(43) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2-methylphenylacetamide;
(44) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2-oxo-piperidine;
(45) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclopentanecarboxamide;
(46) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]indan-2-ylacetamide;
(47) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-chlorophenylacetamide;
(48) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-3-chlorophenylacetamide;
(49) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-3,4-di-chlorophenylacetamide;
(50) N-[3-chloro4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-methylphenylacetamide;
(51) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-3-methylphenylacetamide;
(52) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-3,4-di-methylphenylacetamide;
(53) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-trifluoromethylphenylacetamide;
(54) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-methoxyphenylacetamide;
(55) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-nitrophenylacetamide;
(56) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2-fluorobromophenylacetamide;
(57) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-fluorophenylacetamide;
(58) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-3-phenyl-2-propeneamide;
(59) N-[3-methyl-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2-methylphenylacetamide;
(60) N-[2-bromo-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2-methylphenylacetamide;
(61) nitromethyl 2-chloro-4-methoxyphenyl ketone;
(62) nitromethyl 2-isopropylphenyl ketone;
(63) N-[4-chloro-2-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2-methylphenylacetamide;
(64) nitromethyl 2-chloro-4-phenylthiophenyl ketone;
(65) N-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-4-[3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenylaminocarbonyl]-3-phenylbutaneamide;
(66) nitromethyl 2-chloro-4-phenylsulfinylphenyl ketone;
(67) nitromethyl 4-chloro-2-trifluoromethoxyphenyl ketone;
(68) N-[2-(3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenylethyl)]-2-methylbenzenesulfonamide;
(69) N-[3-bromo-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-2-methylphenylacetamide;
(70) N-(3-chloro-4-nitromethylcarbonylphenyl]-N-iso-propylbenzenesulfonamide.
The compounds of the invention are for example prepared according to the following methods (A) and (B):
(A) The products of formula (I) may be prepared from the carboxylic acids (II)
by the action of di-(C1-C7)alkyl cyanophosphonate and nitromethane in the presence of a base in a solvent which is inert towards the reaction, preferably in a polar aprotic solvent such as dimethylformamide or tetrahydrofuran. Advantageously, the molar ratio of the carboxylic acid of formula (II) to the nitromethane varies between 0.6/1 and 2/1, preferably between 0.8/1 and 1.2/1. As base, use is preferably made of an amine, an alkyllithium, an alkali metal hydride, an alkali metal carbonate, an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkali metal alcoholate and especially triethylamine, pyridine, butyllithium, sodium hydride, potassium carbonate, potassium hydroxide or potassium tert-butoxide in a ratio of the carboxylic acid of formula (II) to the base of between 0.2/1 and 0.5/1, or better still in a ratio of 0.4/1.
The reaction temperature is generally between xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C. and the reflux temperature of the solvent and preferably between xe2x88x925xc2x0 C. and 80xc2x0 C. Generally, the reaction is continued for 2 to 72 hours, preferably for 2 to 18 hours.
(B) As a variant, the product of formula (I) may be prepared from the carboxylic acids of formula (II) by prior conversion to the phenyl ester of formula (III) according to the following reaction scheme:
a) The preparation of the phenyl esters (III) may be carried out by reacting successively or simultaneously SOCl2, or POCl3, and phenol in the absence or in the presence of a solvent which is inert towards the reaction. When a solvent is used, it is preferably an aprotic solvent such as dichloromethane, benzene or toluene. In this first step, the molar ratio of SOCl2, respectively POCl3, to the carboxylic acid of formula (II) is preferably between 1/1 and 50/1, or better still the ratio is 10/1. Likewise, it is preferable that the molar ratio of the carboxylic acid to the phenol is between 1/0.9 and 1/1.2, or better still this ratio is 1/1.05. The reaction temperature is advantageously between xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C. and the reflux temperature of the solvent, preferably between 0xc2x0 C. and the reflux temperature of the solvent. This reaction is continued for 1 to 48 hours, preferably for 1 to 8 hours.
b) The phenyl esters of formula (III) thus formed are then treated with nitromethane in the presence of a base at a temperature of between 20xc2x0 C. and the boiling point of the solvent and, preferably, between 20xc2x0 C. and 40xc2x0 C. The duration of the reaction varies advantageously between 2 and 72 hours, preferably between 2 and 48 hours. For this stage, the molar ratio of the compound of formula (III) to the nitromethane will be set at between 1/1 and 1/5, this ratio being preferably equal to 1/3. As appropriate base, there will be used for example an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkali metal carbonate, an alkali metal hydride, an alkyllithium, an amine or an alkali metal alcoholate. Thus, the base may be, for example, selected from potassium tert-butoxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, sodium hydride, butyllithium and pyridine. The molar ratio of the phenyl ester of formula (III) to the base will be advantageously between 1/1 and 1/5, this ratio being preferably equal to 1/3.
Other procedures allow the preparation of the compounds of formula (I).
When in the formula (I) above, n is equal to 1 and E represents xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94, the compounds of the invention may be obtained by reacting an acid halide of formula R3xe2x80x94Zxe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94CO-hal where R1, R2, R3, Z and p are as defined above and hal is a halogen atom, with an amine of formula (IV):
in which A and X are as defined above.
The procedure is carried out in the presence of a base, preferably an amine, such as pyridine, triethylamine or dimethylaminopyridine, in a solvent, preferably an aprotic solvent, at a temperature of between xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. and the reflux temperature of the solvent, for example between 0 and 40xc2x0 C. The duration of the reaction is between 2 and 48 hours.
Examples of preferred solvents are dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, benzene or toluene.
When, in the formula (I) above, n is equal to 1 and E represents xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94, the compounds of the invention may be obtained by reacting a sulfonyl halide of formula R3xe2x80x94Zxe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94SO2-hal where R1, R2, R3, Z and p are as defined above and hal is a halogen atom, with an amine of formula (IV) as defined above. Here again, the procedure is advantageously carried out in the presence of a base in a solvent at a temperature of between xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. and the reflux temperature of the solvent. The preferred operating conditions are the same as for the reaction of the acid chloride with the amine of formula (IV) above.
As a variant, it is possible, in a first instance, to synthesize the benzyl ester of formula (III):
according to one of the reaction steps (i) to (vi) below, and then to treat the benzyl ester of formula (III) by the action of nitromethane in the presence of a base as described above:
step (i) when n is equal to 1 and E represents xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94, an acid halide of formula R3xe2x80x94Zxe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94CO-hal, where R1, R2, R3, Z and p are as defined above and hal is a halogen atom, is reacted with an amine of formula (V):
xe2x80x83in which A and X are as defined above; or
step (ii) when n is equal to 1 and E represents xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94, a sulfonyl halide of formula R3xe2x80x94Zxe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94SO2-hal, where R1, R2, R3, Z and p are as defined above and hal is a halogen atom, is reacted with an amine of formula (V) as defined above; or
step (iii) when n is equal to 1 and E represents xe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94, a compound of formula R3xe2x80x94Zxe2x80x94(CR1R2)p-hal, where R1, R2, R3, Z and p are as defined above and hal is a halogen atom, is reacted with an amine of formula (V) as defined above; or
step (iv) when n is equal to 1 and E represents xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94, an aldehyde of formula R3xe2x80x94Zxe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94CHO, where R1, R2, R3, Z and p are as defined above, is reacted with an amine of formula (V) as defined above; or
step (v) when n is equal to 1 and E represents xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, a compound of formula R3xe2x80x94Zxe2x80x94(CR1R2)p-hal, where R1, R2, R3, Z and p are as defined above and hal is a halogen atom, is reacted with an alcohol of formula (VI):
xe2x80x83in which A and X are as defined above;
step (vi) when n is equal to 1, E represents xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94, p is 0 and Z represents xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94, an isocyanate of formula R3xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90Cxe2x95x90O, in which R3 is as defined above, is reacted with an amine of formula (V) as defined above;,
step (vii) when n is equal to 1 and E represents xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NR4xe2x80x94, an acid of formula R3xe2x80x94Zxe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94COOH, where R1, R2, R3, Z and p are as defined above, is reacted with an amine of formula (V) as defined above.
Some compounds of formula (I) may be obtained from compounds of formula (I) using simple conversion steps.
Thus, the compounds of formula (I) in which n is equal to 1, E represents xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94, p represents 1, R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom, Z represents a bond and R3 represents 1,3-dihydro-1,3-dioxo-2H-isoindol-2-yl may be prepared from the corresponding compounds (having meanings of A and X which are identical) in which n is equal to 1, E represents xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94, p represents 1, R1 and. R2 represent a hydrogen atom, Z represents xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94 and R3 represents 2-carboxyphenyl, by the action of hydrochloric acid.
Likewise, the compounds in which n represents 1, E represents xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CR1R2)pxe2x80x94 represents CH2 and R3 represents 2-((4-nitromethylcarbonyl-3-chlorophenyl)-aminocarbonyl]-1-(phenyl)ethyl may be prepared by reacting the dichloride of formula
Clxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(C6H5)xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Cl
xe2x80x83with two equivalents of the ester of formula
NH2xe2x80x94A(X)xe2x80x94COOC6H5
xe2x80x83in the presence of a base, and then treating the compound obtained with nitromethane in the presence of a base.
The compounds of formula (IV) are easily synthesized from commercially available compounds by methods known in the art.
By way of example, the compounds of formula (IV) may be obtained from the corresponding amines of formula (VII):
NH2xe2x80x94A(X)COOPhxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(VII)
according to a procedure comprising the steps consisting of:
protecting the amino function with a protective group such as a (C1-C7)alkylcarbonyl group, for example acetyl;
reacting the amine thus protected with di (C1-C7) alkyl cyanoqphosphonate and nitromethane in the presence of a base; and then
deprotecting the amino function, for example by the action of sodium hydroxide when the protective group is an acetyl group.
The capacity of the compounds of the invention to inhibit the enzyme aldose reductase and to prevent the accumulation of sorbitol may be demonstrated during standard laboratory tests below:
1) Study in Vitro: Inhibition of Aldose Reductase
The aldose reductase used is obtained from male Wistar rat crystalline lenses according to a modification of the method of S. HAYMAN et al. (Journal of Biological Chemistry 240, p., 877, 1965). The enzymatic extract is diluted in a phosphate buffer in the presence of NADPH and various concentrations of the test products. The reaction is initiated, with L-glyceraldehyde and the reaction rate is measured by monitoring the disappearance of NADPH by spectrophotometry at 340 nm. The reaction rate is calculated for each product concentration and then the concentration necessary for a 50% reduction in the reaction rate (IC50) is evaluated by linear interpolation. The results are presented in Table 1 below.
2) Study in Vivo: Reduction of Sorbitol Accumulation
200 to 250 g male Wistar rats are made diabetic by intravenous injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). They then receive an oral treatment of the test products, in the form of a suspension, 4 hours, 30 hours and 52 hours after the injection of streptozotocin. Eighteen hours after the last oral treatment, the rats are stunned and decapitated and then their sciatic nerves are removed. After extraction, the sorbitol level in the nerves is measured according to the enzymatic method described by H. U. BERGMEYER (Methods of enzymatic analysis. H. U. BERGMEYER ed., Academic Press New York 3, p. 1323, 1974).
The percentage protection is calculated for each product relative to the batch of diabetic animals taking into account the sorbitol level in the sciatic nerves of nondiabetic rats.
By way of example, the results obtained for some of the test products are given in the following table:
The compounds of the invention may be used by way of medicaments as aldose reductase inhibitors, and are especially useful in the treatment of the complications of diabetes such as cataracts, retinopathies, neuropathies, nephropathies and certain vascular diseases. The daily dosages may vary from 5 mg to 200 mg of active ingredient, for example.
These medicaments may be administered by the oral route in the form of tablets, gelatin capsules or granules affording immediate release or controlled release, by the intravenous route in the form of an injectable solution, by the transdermal route in the form of an adhesive transdermal device, by the local route in the form of a collyrium, solution, cream or gel.
A solid medicament for oral administration containing a compound of the present invention, as active ingredient is prepared by supplementing the said compound with a filler and, where appropriate, a binder, a disintegrating agent, a lubricant, a coloring or a taste enhancer, and by forming the mixture into a tablet, a coated tablet, a granule, a powder or a capsule.
Examples of, a filler comprise lactose, maize starch, sucrose, glucose, sorbitol crystalline cellulose and silicon dioxide, and examples of a binder comprise poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl ether), ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, acacia, tragacanth gum, gelatin, shellac, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, calcium citrate, dextrin and pectin. Examples of lubricants comprise magnesium stearate, talc, poyethylene glycol, silica and hardened vegetable oils. The coloring may be any of those permitted for use in medicaments. Examples of taste enhancers comprise cocoa powder, mint in herb form, aromatic powder, mint in oil form, borneol and cinnamon powder. Of course, the tablet or granule may be suitably coated with sugar, gelatin and the like.
An injectable form containing the compound of the present invention as active ingredient is prepared, where appropriate, by mixing the said compound with a pH regulator, a buffering agent, a suspending agent, a solubilizing agent, a stabilizer, a tonic agent and/or a preservative, and by converting the mixture to a form injectable by the intravenous, subcutaneous or intramuscular route, according to a conventional process. Where appropriate, the injectable form obtained may be freeze-dried by a conventional process.
Examples of suspending agents comprise methyl cellulose, polysorbate 80, hydroxyethylcellulose, acacia, tragacanth gum powder, sodium carboxymethylcellulose and polyethoxylated sorbitan monolaurate.
Examples of a solubilizing agent comprise castor oil solidified with polyoxyethylene, polysorbate 80, nicotinamide, polyethoxylated sorbitan monolaurate and the ethyl ester of castor oil fatty acid.
In addition, the stabilizer comprises sodium sulfite, sodium metasulfite and ether, whereas the preservative comprises methyl p-hydroxybenzoate, ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate, sorbic acid, phenol, cresol and chlorocresol.
A few pharmaceutical formulations are given below by way of nonlimiting examples:

Nitromethyl ketone compounds having aldose reduction inhibiting properties and methods for their use

Abstract: in which R1, R2, R3, E, A, X, Z, p and n are as defined herein. These compounds are aldose reductase inhibitors.


A transportable floating bridge includes a bridge unit, a buoyant pontoon for supporting the bridge unit, a device carried by the pontoon for lifting and pivoting the bridge unit, a coupler for swingingly linking the bridge unit to a like pontoon supported bridge unit, and a coupling for rigidly coupling the bridge units together, whereby the floating bridge is easily formed from a plurality of bridge units regardless of whether the bridge units are located end-to-end or side-by-side after off-loading from their transport vehicle.

The invention relates to a floating bridge for transportation and transfer by means of a vessel, comprising a buoyant pontoon and a bridge borne thereon that is pivotably disposed on the pontoon, for formation of a bridge unit that consists of a plurality of bridges.
Floating bridges are known (German AS No. 1,939,116) that are pivotably borne on a pontoon and that can be off-loaded in the water by an off-loading device of a vessel. During the off-loading process, the bridge is held longitudinally on the pontoon. For putting together a floating bridge unit that comprises a plurality of bridges, the bridges are pivoted on the pontoons so that they are disposed crosswise thereto. The bridges are fixedly joined via frontal coupling means.
Such bridges have to be in an exact position with respect to each other, to form a bridge unit, in order that a firm connection between them can be ensured. Constant maneuvering of the pontoons is necessary for this, until the coupling position is attained, and this is often associated with difficulties in rough water or with adverse wind conditions.
The invention therefore concerns the problem of simplification of the operation of putting the bridges in a coupling position, so that the off-loading time for production of a continuous long bridge unit comprising a plurality of bridges can be kept to a minimum.
This problem is solved according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in that a lifting and pivoting device disposed in retaining elements on the pontoon side serves for pivoting the bridges, and in that off-loading the bridges are first received in a rotatable fixing device and then firmly joined by a coupling device. According to an example of embodiment of the invention, it is provided that for formation of a floating bridge comprising a plurality of bridges, the bridges which are disposed more or less in parallel next to each other can be hung at the corners by means of the fixing device, and can be shifted by the pivoting and lifting device into a position for frontal connection. It is further provided that the lifting and pivoting device includes an external housing braced on the pontoon, and a pivot mount borne therein, so as to be rotatable and adjustable in height, which pivot mount presents retaining elements for connection with the bridge. The pivot mount has a centrally disposed lift cylinder braced on the pontoon, said cylinder being connected with a pivot drive, whereby the pivot drive is comprised of an adjusting cylinder that engages a bracket of the pivot mount or of the lift cylinder, the said adjusting cylinder being braced on the housing. It is further provided according to the preferred embodiment of the invention that the fixing device includes a rotatably borne funnel-shaped receiving part as well as a rotatably borne counter piece shaped like a conical mandrel that is received thereby, and these parts are disposed respectively at the corners of the tracks of the bridges that are to be joined, and are engaged for the connection.
The advantages that derive from the invention are essentially to be seen in that the bridges are simply connectable by mutual fixation, and are firmly connectable with each other by a pivoting of the bridges on the pontoons without any further correction of position, and thus a plurality of bridges can be coupled to form a bridge unit in the briefest period of time. Time-consuming maneuvering of the pontoons for connection of the bridges can thus be eliminated.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with the present invention .


The present invention relates to a method for micro-fabricating a pixelless thermal imaging device. The imaging device up-converts a sensed 2-dimensional M/FIR image into a 2-dimensional image in the NIR to visible spectrum in dependence thereupon. A plurality of layers forming an integrated QWIP-LED wafer are crystallographically grown on a surface of a first substrate. The layers comprise an etch stop layer, a bottom contact layer, a plurality of layers forming a QWIP and a LED, and a top contact layer. At the top of the QWIP-LED wafer an optical coupler such as a diffraction grating for coupling at least a portion of incident M/FIR light into modes having an electric field component perpendicular to quantum wells of the QWIP is provided. In following processing steps the first substrate and the etch stop layer are removed. Various different thermal imaging devices are manufactured by changing the order of manufacturing steps, omitting some steps or using different materials. Therefore, it is possible using a same manufacturing equipment for producing a large variety of different imaging devices considerably reducing manufacturing costs.

This invention relates to infrared thermal imaging devices and in particular to micro-fabrication of pixelless infrared thermal imaging devices comprising epitaxially integrated quantum well infrared photodetector and light emitting diode.
Infrared imaging is widely used in a variety of applications including night vision, surveillance, search and rescue, remote sensing, and preventive maintenance, to name a few. Imaging devices to provide these applications are typically constructed of HgCdTe or InSb focal plane arrays. These focal plane arrays are known to be pixel mapped devices, where an array element is generally mapped to one or more circuit elements. However, such focal plane arrays are difficult to manufacture and expensive. Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIPs) are able to detect Mid to Far InfraRed (M/FIR) light, providing an output current as a result. However, such devices have not been able to be successfully used in efficient and inexpensive image detectors. The basic idea of QWIPs using intraband or intersub-band transition for M/FIR detection have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,33 1, issued May 27, 1980 to Esaki et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,555, issued Oct. 10, 1989, to Coon et al. Embodiments of QWIPs using intraband or intersubband transitions have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,526, issued Jan.16, 1990, to Bethea et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,685, issued Jun. 11, 1991 to Bethea et al. The latter two patents describe a device having improved efficiency by utilizing a series of quantum wells.
An improvement of these earlier technologies was disclosed by one of the present inventors, H. C. Liu, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,955, issued Oct. 22, 1996, to the National Research Council of Canada, incorporated herein by reference, wherein the vertical integration of a Light Emitting Diode (LED) with a QWIP is described. The QWIP-LED is a photon frequency up-conversion device. The device comprises either a photo-diode or a photo-conductor connected in series with a LED. The photo-diode or the photo-conductor acts as a M/FIR detector, whereas the LED emits in the NIR or the visible spectrum. A forward constant bias is applied to the LED with respect to the QWIP. A M/FIR excitation of the detector decreases its resistance and thereby increases the voltage dropped across the LED, leading to an increase in the LED emission intensity. Therefore, the incoming M/FIR radiation has been converted into an increase of the NIR or visible emission. The emission in the NIR is efficiently detected by a Si Charge-Couple Device (CCD), resulting in a highly efficient detector. The vertical integration results from epitaxial deposition of the LED material over the QWIP materials.
Details about the QWIP-LED technology as well as numerous embodiments are disclosed in the following references incorporated herein by reference:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,421, issued Jul. 8, 1997, to H. C. Liu;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,323, issued Feb. 22, 2000, to H. C. Liu;
H. C. Liu, L. B. Allard, M. Buchanan, Z. R. Wasilewski, xe2x80x9cPixelless infrared imaging devicexe2x80x9d, Electronics Letters 33, 5 (1997);
L. B. Allard, H. C. Liu, M. Buchanan, Z. R. Wasilewski, xe2x80x9cPixelless infrared imaging utilizing a p-type quantum well infrared photodetector integrated with a lightemitting diodexe2x80x9d, Appl. Phys. Lett. 70, 21 (1997);
E. Dupont, H. C. Liu, M. Buchanan, Z. R. Wasilewski, D. St-Germain, P. Chevrette, xe2x80x9cPixelless infrared imaging devices based on the integration of n-type quantum well infrared photodetector with near-infrared light emitting diodexe2x80x9d, (Photonics West, San Jose, January 1999), SPIE Proc. 3629, 155 (1999);
E. Dupont, H. C. Liu, M. Buchanan, S. Chiu, M. Gao, xe2x80x9cEfficient GaAs light-emitting diods by photon recyclingxe2x80x9d, Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 1 (2000);
E. Dupont, S. Chiu, xe2x80x9cEfficient light-emitting diodes by photon recycling and their application in pixelless infrared imaging devicesxe2x80x9d, J. Appl. Phys. 87, 1023, (2000);
S. Chiu, M. Buchanan, E. Dupont, C. Py, H. C. Liu, xe2x80x9cSubstrate removal for improved performance of QWIP-LED devices grown on GaAs substratesxe2x80x9d, Infrared Phys. And Techn. 41, 51 (2000); and,
E. Dupont, M. Gao, Z. Wasilewski, H. C. Liu, xe2x80x9cIntegration of n-type and p-type quantum well infrared photodetectors for sequential multicolor operationxe2x80x9d, Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 14 (2001).
A pixelless thermal imaging device is achieved by a suitably fabricated QWIP-LED having a sufficiently large active area for the detection of a 2-dimensional M/FIR image. The up-conversion device is made sufficiently large in area for sensing a 2-dimensional M/FIR image, and an emitted 2-dimensional image in the NIR or visible spectrum is then detected by a standard Si CCD or other standard imaging device. It is possible to manufacture large format 2-dimensional thermal imaging devices having a perfect fill factor without the need for complex readout circuits. The integrated QWIP-LED technology allows manufacture of efficient and inexpensive thermal imaging devices.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a micro-fabrication method for manufacturing efficient and inexpensive pixelless infrared thermal imaging devices.
It is further an object of the invention to provide a micro-fabrication method for manufacturing pixelless infrared thermal imaging devices based on epitaxial integration of a QWIP with a LED.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a micro-fabrication method for manufacturing pixelless infrared thermal imaging devices allowing use of a same manufacturing equipment for producing a large variety of different devices.
The micro-fabrication method according to the invention allows manufacture of numerous different infrared imaging devices based on epitaxial integration of a QWIP with a LED. The various steps of the micro-fabrication method are based on standard manufacturing techniques, for example, epitaxial growth and etching. Furthermore, various different devices are manufactured by changing the order of manufacturing steps, omitting some steps or using different materials. Therefore, it is possible using a same manufacturing equipment for producing a large variety of different imaging devices considerably reducing manufacturing costs.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for micro-fabricating a pixelless thermal imaging device, the imaging device for up-converting a sensed 2-dimensional M/FIR image into a 2-dimensional image in the NIR to visible spectrum in dependence thereupon, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a first substrate, the first substrate having a surface suitable for subsequent crystal growth;
crystallographically growing an integrated QWIP-LED wafer on the surface of the first substrate comprising the steps of:
growing an etch stop layer;
growing a bottom contact layer;
growing a plurality of layers forming a n-type QWP and a LED; and,
growing a top contact layer;
providing at the top of the QWIP-LED wafer an optical coupler for coupling at least a portion of incident M/FIR light into modes having an electric field component perpendicular to quantum wells of the QWIP;
removing the first substrate; and,
removing the etch stop layer.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for micro-fabricating a pixelless thermal imaging device, the imaging device for up-converting a sensed 2-dimensional M/FIR image into a 2-dimensional image in the NIR to visible spectrum in dependence thereupon, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a first substrate, the first substrate having a surface suitable for subsequent crystal growth;
crystallographically growing an integrated QWIP-LED wafer on the surface of the first substrate comprising the steps of:
growing an etch stop layer;
growing a bottom contact layer;
growing a plurality of layers forming a n-type QWIP and a LED; and,
growing a top contact layer;
providing an optical coupler on the top of the QWIP-LED wafer for coupling at least a portion of incident M/FIR light into modes having an electric field component perpendicular to quantum wells of the n-type QWIP;
patterning a device mesa by removing the layers outside the device mesa down to the bottom contact layer, the device mesa approximately comprising an active area of the thermal imaging device, the active area being approximately the size of the 2-dimensional image;
depositing a top metal contact onto the top contact layer such that the top metal contact forms a ring surrounding the active area;
depositing a bottom metal contact onto the bottom contact layer outside the device mesa;
depositing a coating onto the top surface of the active area;
isolating material defects in the active area of the QWIP-LED;
bonding the QWIP-LED wafer to an optical faceplate such that the QWIP-LED is in optical communication with the optical faceplate for light emitted from the LED;
removing the first substrate; and,
removing the etch stop layer.
In accordance with the present invention there is further provided a method for micro-fabricating a pixelless thermal imaging device, the imaging device for up-converting a sensed 2-dimensional M/FIR image into a 2-dimensional image in the NIR to visible spectrum in dependence thereupon, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a first substrate, the first substrate having a surface suitable for subsequent crystal growth;
crystallographically growing on the surface of the first substrate a plurality of layers forming an integrated QWIP-LED wafer;
patterning a device mesa, the device mesa approximately comprising an active area of the thermal imaging device, the active area being approximately the size of the 2-dimensional image; and,
isolating material defects in the active area of the QWIP-LED.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for micro-fabricating a pixelless thermal imaging device, the imaging device for up-converting a sensed 2-dimensional M/FIR image into a 2-dimensional image in the NIR to visible spectrum in dependence thereupon, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a first substrate, the first substrate having a surface suitable for subsequent crystal growth;
crystallographically growing an integrated QWIP-LED wafer on the surface of the first substrate comprising the steps of:
growing an etch stop layer;
growing a bottom contact layer;
growing a plurality of layers forming a n-type QWIP and a LED; and,
growing a top contact layer;
patterning a device mesa by removing the layers outside the device mesa down to the bottom contact layer, the device mesa approximately comprising an active area of the thermal imaging device, the active area being approximately the size of the 2-dimensional image;
depositing a top metal contact onto the top contact layer such that the top metal contact forms a ring surrounding the active area;
depositing a bottom metal contact onto the bottom contact layer outside the device mesa;
isolating material defects in the active area of the QWIP-LED;
bonding the top surface of the QWIP-LED wafer to an optical faceplate such that the QWIP-LED is in optical communication with the optical faceplate for light emitted from the LED;
removing the first substrate;
removing the etch stop layer;
providing an optical coupler at the bottom of the QWIP-LED wafer for coupling at least a portion of incident M/FIR light into modes having an electric field component perpendicular to quantum wells of the n-type QWIP; and,
bonding the bottom surface of the QWIP-LED wafer to a plate such that the QWIP-LED is in optical communication with the plate for M/FIR light.

Method for micro-fabricating a pixelless infrared imaging device


A manhole base or liner for directing the flow of liquid from a manhole inlet opening positioned in one of a plurality of possible locations in a manhole side wall to a manhole outlet opening in the manhole side wall, and a manhole having the base or liner. The base or liner includes a perimeter, an upper surface extending to the perimeter; and a liquid flow path formed in the upper surface. The liquid flow path has, in series, first and second flow path portions, the first flow path portion defined by a first bottom wall and a pair of spaced apart side by side guide walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, the guide walls each having a guide wall inner end and a guide wall outer end, the outer ends being located at the perimeter and being spaced apart a greater distance than the distance between the inner ends, the second flow path portion being defined by a second bottom wall, contiguous with the first bottom wall, and a pair of spaced apart side by side channel walls extending upwardly from the second bottom wall, each channel wall having an inner channel wall end and an outer channel wall end, the inner channel wall ends meeting the respective guide wall inner ends, and the outer channel wall ends being located at the perimeter.

Sanitary and storm sewer systems typically comprise a plurality networked sewer pipelines. These pipelines are occasionally passed through or joined to one another at a manhole structure. This structure serves as a node for the sewer system and also provides access to the pipelines for cleaning or maintenance purposes.
A typical manhole comprises a base and a peripheral side wall extending upwardly therefrom. The side wall typically includes inlet and outlet openings to which corresponding inlet and outlet pipes of the sewer system are coupled. Storm or sewer water flowing through the inlet pipe enters the manhole through the manhole inlet opening and exits the manhole through the manhole outlet opening and outlet pipe.
The inlet and outlet openings may be positioned so as to change the directional flow of water at the site of the manhole. This would occur whenever the inlet and outlet openings are not coaxial. The present invention provides a manhole base or liner which facilitates the redirection of the flow of water through the manhole. Moreover, it is suitable for use in a variety of structures in which inlet openings are positioned in various positions and in which there may be a plurality of such openings.