An acrylic-free, waterborne coating composition is disclosed. The waterborne coating composition produces a waterborne paint film having improved chip resistance on a substrate. The waterborne coating composition comprises an aqueous polyurethane dispersion substantially free from co-solvents. The polyurethane dispersion has a glass transition temperature from 0xc2x0 C. or less and at least one carboxyl group. The waterborne coating composition also includes a melamine reactive with the carboxyl group. The aqueous polyurethane dispersion and the water-soluble cross-linker form a binder component of the waterborne coating composition. The binder component includes from 60 to 90% by weight of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion based on 100% by weight of the binder component and from 10 to 40% by weight of the water-soluble cross-linker based on 100% by weight of the binder component. The waterborne coating composition is applied having a film build of 0.5 to 5.0 mils and produces a paint film loss of from 0.05 to 0.8% according to a Gravel Chip Test.

The subject invention generally relates to an acrylic-free, waterborne coating composition for producing a waterborne paint film having improved chip resistance on a substrate. More specifically, the waterborne coating composition of the subject invention includes an aqueous polyurethane dispersion and a water-soluble cross-linker for producing the waterborne paint film to have improved chip resistance on the substrate of from 0.05 to 0.8 percent paint film loss according to a Gravel Chip Test.
Waterborne coating compositions are known in the art. In both the refinish and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coating industries, waterborne coating compositions are applied to a substrate, such as an automobile body, to produce a paint film on the substrate. Such paint films serve both functional and aesthetic purposes.
Many of these waterborne coating compositions incorporate polyurethane as a primary binder resin. To effectively disperse the polyurethane resin in water, the waterborne coating compositions incorporate a neutralizing agent such as an amine. Amines neutralize certain functional groups associated with the polyurethane to form salts of the polyurethane. The salts of the polyurethane promote dispersibility of the polyurethane in water. These polyurethanes are known in the art as amine dispersible polyurethane resins. Many of the prior art polyurethanes also include a third component, usually any epoxy or acrylic resin. The third component is typically utilized to increase a particular property of the waterborne coating composition such as adhesion, hardness, or appearance of the paint film.
More specifically, the waterborne coating compositions of the prior art have acrylic resin as the third component. The acrylic resin increases the hardness of the paint film produced by the waterborne coating composition upon the substrate. The disadvantage of utilizing acrylic resins is that the increased hardness of the paint film increases the amount of film loss due to chipping. If the waterborne coating composition is applied to an automotive body, the paint film will be subjected to extreme environmental chip conditions.
In sum, the waterborne coating compositions of the prior art are characterized by one or more inadequacies. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a novel waterborne coating composition that does not include acrylic resins and that produces an improved paint film having increased chip resistance.
An acrylic-free, waterborne coating composition is disclosed. The waterborne coating composition of the subject invention produces a waterborne paint film having improved chip resistance on a substrate. The waterborne coating composition includes an aqueous polyurethane dispersion substantially free from co-solvents. The aqueous polyurethane dispersion has carboxyl groups, and a glass transition temperature from 0xc2x0 C. or less. The waterborne coating composition also includes a water-soluble cross-linker reactive with the carboxyl groups.
Together, the aqueous polyurethane dispersion and the water-soluble cross-linker form a binder component of the waterborne coating composition. The binder component includes from 60 to 90% by weight of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion based on 100% by weight of the binder component and from 10 to 40% by weight of the water-soluble cross-linker based on 100% by weight of the binder component.
The waterborne paint film produced by the waterborne coating composition of the subject invention exhibits improved resistance to chip. Furthermore, the waterborne paint film also exhibits improved resistance to chip as film build increases. Accordingly, the subject invention provides a novel acrylic-free waterborne coating composition utilizing an aqueous polyurethane dispersion and a water-soluble cross-linker. The subject invention also provides a layered paint system utilizing the novel acrylic-free waterborne coating composition.
A waterborne coating composition for producing a waterborne paint film having improved chip resistance on a substrate is disclosed. More specifically, the waterborne coating composition of the subject invention is acrylic-free and therefore does not include acrylic resins as a component of the waterborne coating composition. However, acrylic resins may be included in other layers applied to the substrate before or after the application of the waterborne coating composition. The waterborne coating composition includes an aqueous polyurethane dispersion and a water-soluble cross-linker.
The aqueous polyurethane dispersion is substantially free from co-solvents. It is to be understood that, in the context of the subject invention, substantially free of co-solvents is intended to indicate that the aqueous polyurethane dispersion has less than about 5% by weight of volatile organic solvents based on 100% by weight of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion. Preferably, the aqueous polyurethane dispersion has less than about 2.5% by weight of volatile organic solvents based on 100% by weight of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion. The waterborne coating composition is also free of polyesters in accordance with the above description of acrylic.
The aqueous polyurethane dispersion has at least one carboxyl group. The water-soluble cross-linker has at least one amine group that is reactive with the carboxyl group. As understood by those skilled in the art, the carboxyl group of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion cross-links with the amine group forming the waterborne paint film.
The aqueous polyurethane dispersion is prepared by reacting at least one polyisocyanate with at least one polyol. The reactants used to prepare the aqueous polyurethane dispersion are selected and apportioned to provide the desired glass transition temperature. Suitable polyisocyanates include, but are not limited to, aliphatic polyisocyanates, alicyclic polyisocyanates, and combinations thereof. Owing to their good resistance to ultraviolet light, aliphatic and alicyclic polyisocyanates produce paint films having a low tendency toward yellowing. This tendency is highly desirable, especially for use in automotive coatings. However, aromatic polyisocyanates may still be utilized to achieve the desired results of the subject invention.
Illustrative examples of polyisocyanates include, without limitation, isophorone diamine dissocyanate, ethylene diisocyanate, 1,2-diisocyanatopropane, 1,3-diisocyanatopropane, 1,4-butylene diisocyanate, lysine diisocyanate, 1,4-methylene bis(cyclohexyl isocyanate), toluene diisocyanates (e.g., 2,4-toluene diisocyanate and 2,6-toluene diisocyanate)diphenylmethane 4,4xe2x80x2-diisocyanate, methylenebis-4,4xe2x80x2-isocyanatocyclohexane, 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, p-phenylene diisocyanate, tetramethyl xylene diisocyanate, meta-xylene diisocyanate, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, 1,12-dodecamethylene diisocyanate, cyclohexane-1,3- and-1,4-diisocyanate, 1-isocyanato-2-isocyanatomethyl cyclopentane, bisphenylene diisocyanate, naphthylene diisocyanate, diphenylmethane diisocyanate, cyclobutane diisocyanate, cyclopentylene diisocyanate, cyclohexylene diisocyanate, pentamethylene diisocyanate, propylene diisocyanate, and combinations thereof. Biurets, allophonates, isocyanurates, carbodiimides, and other such modifications of these isocyanates can also be used as the polyisocyanates.
More highly functional polyisocyanates may also be used to form the polyisocyanate provided that this does not cause any gelling of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion and ultimately of the waterborne coating composition. One example of highly functional polyisocyanates are triisocyanates which are products formed by trimerization or oligomerization of diisocyanates or by reaction of diisocyanates with polyfunctional OH- or NH-containing compounds. The polyisocyanate has a functionality, which may be lowered by addition of monoisocyanates.
The polyol or polyols used to prepare the aqueous polyurethane dispersion can be selected from any of the polyols known to be useful in preparing aqueous polyurethane dispersions, including, but not limited to, 1,6-hexanediol, cyclopentanone, 1-hexen-6-ol, 1-dodecanol, isopropyl acetone, 1,4-butanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 2,3-butanediol, neopentyl glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,9-nonanediol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol and tetraethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol, cyclohexanedimethanols, 2-methyl-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol, thiodiglycol, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol, cyclohexanediols, trimethylolpropane, 1-hexen-6-ol, 1-dodecanol, trimethylolethane, and glycerin.
Suitable aqueous polyurethane dispersions can be prepared by any of the known methods. In one method for preparing aqueous polyurethane dispersions, the polyisocyanate component can be reacted with an excess of equivalents of the polyol component. Alternatively, an excess of equivalents of the polyisocyanate component can be reacted with the polyol component to form an isocyanate-functional prepolymer. The prepolymer can then be reacted further in different ways. First, the prepolymer can be reacted with a mono-functional alcohol or amine to provide a non-functional aqueous polyurethane dispersion. Examples of mono-functional alcohols and amines that may be used include polyethylene oxide compounds having one terminal hydroxyl group, lower mono-functional alcohols having up to 12 carbon atoms, amino alcohols such as dimethylethanolamine, and secondary amines such as diethylamine and dimethylamine. Secondly, the prepolymer can be reacted with a polyfunctional polyol, polyamine, or amino alcohol compound to provide reactive hydrogen functionality. Examples of such polyfunctional compounds include, but are not limited to, the polyols already mentioned above, including triols such as trimethylolpropane; polyamines such as ethylenediamine, butylamine, and propylamine; and amino alcohols, such as diethanolamine. Finally, the prepolymer can be chain extended by the water during emulsification or dispersion of the prepolymer in the aqueous medium. The prepolymer is mixed with the water after or during neutralization.
The aqueous polyurethane dispersion may be polymerized without solvent. Solvent may be included, however, if necessary, when the aqueous polyurethane dispersion or prepolymer product is of a high viscosity. If solvent is used, the solvent may be removed, partially or completely, by distillation, preferably after the aqueous polyurethane dispersion is dispersed in the water. The aqueous polyurethane dispersion may have nonionic hydrophilic groups, such as polyethylene oxide groups, that serve to stabilize the aqueous polyurethane dispersion. The aqueous polyurethane dispersion is prepared with pendant acid groups as described above, and the acid groups are partially or fully salted with an alkali, such as sodium or potassium, or with a base, such as an amine, before or during dispersion of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion or prepolymer in water.
The aqueous polyurethane dispersion and the water-soluble cross-linker form a binder component of the waterborne coating composition. The binder component includes from 60 to 90% by weight of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion based on 100% by weight of the binder component. The binder component also includes from 10 to 40% by weight of the water-soluble cross-linker based on 100% by weight of the binder component. Preferably, the binder component comprises 65 to 85% by weight of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion based on 100% by weight of the binder component and from 15 to 35% by weight of the water-soluble cross-linker based on 100% by weight of the binder component.
The aqueous polyurethane dispersion also has a glass transition temperature from 0xc2x0 C. or less. Preferably, the glass transition temperature is from xe2x88x9280xc2x0 C. to xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C., more preferably, from xe2x88x9260xc2x0 C. to xe2x88x9240xc2x0 C. The aqueous polyurethane dispersion having the glass transition temperature within these ranges is suitable for producing the improved chip resistance described below. As the glass transition temperature of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion increases, the increased film loss due to chip of the waterborne paint film also increases.
The aqueous polyurethane dispersion includes a number-average molecular weight of from 1,000 to 40,000. Preferably, the number-average molecular weight is from 15,000 to 30,000, more preferably, from 19,000 to 28,000. The aqueous polyurethane dispersion includes an acid number of from 5 to 25 mg KOH/g. Preferably, the acid number is from 6 to 24 mg KOH/g, more preferably, from 9 to 19 mg KOH/g. The aqueous polyurethane has a softening point from 275xc2x0 C. to 345xc2x0 C. according to ASTM D6090-99. Preferably, the softening point is from 290xc2x0 C. to 330xc2x0 C., more preferably, from 305xc2x0 C. to 315xc2x0 C.
The aqueous polyurethane dispersion includes an ultimate tensile strength of greater than 6000 PSI. The ultimate tensile strength is reached when the sample breaks into two pieces. The ultimate tensile strength is measured by producing a sample of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion having a film build of 10 mils. The sample is then cured at 80xc2x0 C. for thirty minutes followed by 150xc2x0 C. for twenty minutes. The sample is cut into one-inch straight strips and put into a testing machine. The testing machine applies a constant rate of motion to each end of the sample of 20 inches per minute. The preferred aqueous polyurethane is commercially available from C. L. Hauthaway and Sons Corporation as Hauthane HD-4664.
As described above, the waterborne coating composition includes a water-soluble cross-linker. Preferably, this water-soluble cross-linker is an aminoplast resin that is reactive with the carboxyl groups of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion. The aminoplast resin is the reaction product of a formaldehyde and an amine selected from the group consisting of ureas, melamines, and combinations thereof. Melamine and urea are the preferred amines, but other amines may be used including, but not limited to, triazines, triazoles, diazines, guanidines, or guanamines. The aminoplast resins are preferably amine/formaldehyde condensates, although other aldehydes, such as acetaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, and benzaldehyde, may be used. Non-limiting examples of preferred aminoplast resins include monomeric or polymeric melamine formaldehyde resins, including melamine resins that are partially or fully alkylated using alcohols that have one to six carbon atoms, such as hexamethoxy methylated melamine; urea-formaldehyde resins including methylol ureas and siloxy ureas such as butylated urea formaldehyde resin, alkylated benzoguanimines, guanyl ureas, guanidines, biguanidines, polyguanidines, and the like. The preferred water-soluble cross-linker is commercially available from Cytec Industries as Cymel(copyright) 327.
One suitable water-soluble cross-linker has a non-volatile weight percent in the range of 85 to 95 percent and a viscosity of 1,000 to 7,500 centipoise. The water-soluble cross-linker having these characteristics improves the sprayability of the waterborne coating composition. If the waterborne coating composition has too high of a viscosity, the waterborne coating composition will not be able to be applied using standard application equipment.
The waterborne coating composition may also include at least one additive. The additive is selected from the group consisting of surfactants, flow and appearance control agents, defoaming agents, and pigments. Of course, combinations of the above-referenced additives are suitable for the waterborne coating composition. The surfactants reduce the surface tension of the waterborne coating composition. Examples of suitable surfactants include BYK 345, available from Chemie, and Disparlon EXQ 200P. The flow control agents increase the sprayability of the waterborne coating composition, while the appearance control agents improve the final appearance of the waterborne coating composition. The defoaming agents improve the appearance of the waterborne coating composition by destabilizing the surface films of bubbles. The defoaming agent may also spread on the surface of these films as the bubbles form thereby breaking the bubbles. A suitable defoaming agent is Surfynol DF-37 available from Air Products Chemical. Rheology control agents may also be used to control the flow the waterborne coating composition. One suitable product may be obtained from KIA Inc., under the tradename Acrysol RM-12W.
The waterborne coating composition may also comprise at least one pigment. The pigment preferably does not react with water and/or do not dissolve in water. The pigment may consist of inorganic or organic compounds and may impart a special effect and/or color to the film of the waterborne coating composition. Special effect pigments that may be utilized include metal flake pigments, such as commercial aluminum bronzes, and also non-metallic effect pigments such as pearlescent or interference pigments.
Most paint systems use a combination of white pigments and color pigments. The most widely used white pigment is the crystal form of titanium dioxide (TiO2). Other white pigments are zinc oxide (ZnO), zinc sulfide (ZnS), barium sulfate (BaSO4), and lithopone. Some commonly used color pigments are copper phthalocyanine-based greens and blues, quinacridone red, iron oxide red, iron oxide yellow, dirarylide yellow, perinone orange, indanthrene blue, cromophthal red, irgazine orange, and heliogen green.
The waterborne coating composition includes a pigment-to-binder (P/B) ratio which is based upon the amount of solid pigment to the amount of binder component. It is to be understood that the amount of pigment present in the waterborne coating composition varies depending on many compositional factors including, but not limited to, a particular color family. The waterborne coating composition has a P/B ratio of 0 to 0.7. Preferably, the P/B ratio is 0 to 0.5, and more preferably 0 to 0.4. The waterborne coating composition exhibits an increased chip resistance as the P/B ratio decreases.
The waterborne coating composition is preferably applied to form the waterborne paint film on a metallic substrate such as an automobile body. However, the waterborne coating composition may be applied to other substrates without varying the scope of the subject invention. By way of example, the waterborne coating composition of the subject invention may be applied to a plastic substrate such as a bumper, mirror, or internal dashboard, of the automobile. The waterborne coating composition may also be applied to aluminum and galvanized steel and to any of the above materials after these materials are electrocoated. The substrate is for use in automotive applications because automobiles have predetermined areas, such as rocker panels and leading edges, which are more susceptible to becoming chipped and would benefit from the waterborne coating composition having improved resistance to chip.
The waterborne coating composition of the subject invention is used as a primer layer applied to an electrocoat and is also used as an anti-chip primer layer applied between the primer layer and the electrocoat. The paint system utilizing the waterborne coating composition of the subject invention produces a waterborne paint film. The waterborne paint film is produced from having the electrocoat, the waterborne coating composition as the primer layer and/or the anti-chip primer layer, and a topcoat layer. The following description illustrates the subject invention being used as a primer layer applied upon the electrocoat. The same description applies to the waterborne coating composition being used as the anti-chip primer layer with a different composition as the primer layer. The waterborne coating composition is cured to form the waterborne paint film. Preferably, the electrocoat is cured before application of the waterborne coating composition. However, the electrocoat may be cured at the same time as the primer layer of the invention in a process known as xe2x80x9cwet-on-wetxe2x80x9d coating. The waterborne coating composition is applied to the substrate to have a film build of from 0.5 to 5 mils. Preferably the film build is from 0.8 to 4 mils, more preferably from 1 to 3 mils. The substrate is flashed for ten minutes in ambient conditions and then flashed for ten minutes at 180xc2x0 F. The substrate is then baked for thirty minutes in an oven at 300xc2x0 F.
A topcoat layer is applied to the primer layer. The topcoat layer includes a basecoat layer and a clearcoat layer. The topcoat layer serves both aesthetic and functional purposes such as increasing gloss and resistance to acid-etch, respectively. The topcoat layer is applied to the primer layer and cured. The basecoat layer may contain any of the pigments discussed above. The clearcoat layer is a transparent coating that provides an attractive smooth and glossy finish to the substrate and is applied to the basecoat layer. The basecoat layer and the clearcoat layer are usually applied wet-on-wet. The layers are applied in coats separated by a flash, as described below, with a flash also between the last coat of the color composition and the first clearcoat layer. The two coating layers are then cured simultaneously. Preferably, the film build of the cured basecoat layer is 0.6 to 1.6 mils, more preferable 0.8 to 1.4 mils thick, and film build of the cured clear coat layer is 1 to 3 mils, more preferably 1.4 to 2.4 mils.
The primer layer of the subject invention and the topcoat can be applied wet-on-wet. For example, the waterborne coating composition can be applied, then the applied layer flashed, then the topcoat can be applied and flashed, then the primer and the topcoat can be cured at the same time. Again, the topcoat can include the basecoat layer and the clearcoat layer applied wet-on-wet.
It is also to be understood that different types of topcoats are compatible with the waterborne coating composition of the subject invention. These different types include, but are not limited to, one-component solvent borne clearcoats, one-component waterborne clearcoats, two-component solvent borne clearcoats, and two-component waterborne clearcoats. In the preferred embodiment, the topcoat is a crosslinking composition. Polymers known in the art to be useful in basecoat and clearcoat compositions include, without limitation, acrylics, vinyls, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, polyesters, alkyds, and polysiloxanes. Acrylics and polyurethanes are preferred. Thermoset basecoat and clearcoat compositions are also preferred, and, to that end, preferred polymers comprise one or more kind of crosslinkable functional groups, such as carbamate, hydroxy, isocyanate, amine, epoxy, acrylate, vinyl, silane, acetoacetate, and so on. The polymer may be self-crosslinking, or, preferably, the composition may include a crosslinking agent such as a polyisocyanate or an aminoplast resin of the kind described above.
Each layer can be applied to the substrate according to any of a number of techniques well known in the art. These include, for example, spray coating, dip coating, roll coating, curtain coating, and the like. The electrocoat is preferably applied by electrodeposition. For automotive applications, the waterborne coating composition of the invention and the topcoat layer or layers are preferably applied by spray coating, particularly electrostatic spray methods. Coating layers of one mil or more are typically applied in two or more coats, separated by a time sufficient to allow some of the solvent or aqueous medium to evaporate, or xe2x80x9cflash,xe2x80x9d from the applied layer. The flash may be at ambient or elevated temperatures, for example, the flash may use radiant heat. The layers described are preferably cured with heat. Curing temperatures are preferably from 70xc2x0 C. to 180xc2x0 C., and particularly preferably from 170xc2x0 C. to 200xc2x0 C. for a composition including an unblocked acid catalyst, or from 240xc2x0 C. to 325xc2x0 C. for a composition including a blocked acid catalyst. Typical curing times at these temperatures range from 15 to 60 minutes, and preferably the temperature is chosen to allow a cure time of from 15 to 30 minutes. In a preferred embodiment, the coated substrate is an automotive body or part. The coats as applied can be from 0.5 mil up to 3 mils dry, and a sufficient number of coats are applied to yield the desired final coating thickness.
After the substrate has been prepared as described above, the substrate is subjected to a Gravel Chip Test. According to the Gravel Chip Test, the substrate is cooled to xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. for at least one hour prior to the test. The substrate is positioned in a test machine in an upright position, 90 degrees from the path of gravel. Three pints of gravel are then blown onto the substrate with an air pressure of 70 PSI. The gravel is preferably water-worn road gravel, not crushed limestone or rock, which will pass through a ⅝xe2x80x3 space screen when grated, but will be retained on a xe2x85x9cxe2x80x3 space screen. The gravelometer is preferably available from Q-Panel Lab Products. The substrate is then analyzed using image software and a scanner. The substrate is scanned and the image software measures the percent paint film loss from the surface of the substrate. In the preferred embodiment, the percent paint film loss described below was obtained by scanning the substrate as a black and white drawing on a HP Scanjet 4c having a resolution of 75 dpi and a contrast of 125 (on a 0 to 250 scale). The HP Scanjet 4c utilized HP DeskScan II V2.4 software to accomplish the scanning. The scanned image of the substrate was then analyzed using Visilog 5.1 software available from Noesis Vision, Inc. The analysis was preformed on a 12.5 by 6.8 cm area of the substrate. The percent paint film loss was calculated using the xe2x80x9cAreaxe2x80x9d routine in the software. The software calculates the percent paint film loss based on the number of dark pixels versus the total number of pixels (approx. 74,000). Alternately, the substrate can be visually evaluated and measured on a scale. Of course, one skilled in the art could vary the equipment or the gravel to produce a different percent paint film loss with the waterborne coating composition of the subject invention.
The substrate, after being prepared as discussed above, produces a paint film loss of from 0.05 to 0.8 percent according to the Gravel Chip Test. The paint film loss is related to the film build of the waterborne coating composition. As the film build of the waterborne coating composition increases, the paint film loss on the substrate decreases. More specifically, the paint film loss is reduced by about half when the film build of the waterborne coating composition is doubled. Therefore, the waterborne coating composition provides improved chip resistance as compared to previously known primers, while retaining other desirable properties, such as gloss, peel, and DOI.
The following examples, illustrating the formation of the waterborne coating composition according to the subject invention and illustrating certain properties of the waterborne coating composition and of the paint film produced by the waterborne coating composition as applied onto the substrate, as presented herein, are intended to illustrate and not limit the invention.

Waterborne coating composition and a paint system thereof having improved chip resistance


A coreless motor able to be downsized and easy to be assembled and to ensure the concentricity between a motor shaft, a magnet, and an outer cylinder. The coreless motor includes an outer cylinder gear unit having an output shaft and a speed-reducer mechanism incorporated into a field assembly having a magnet fitted on an inner yoke and an outer cylinder fitted on an outer periphery of the magnet, a motor shaft unit having an inner lid rotatably supporting a motor shaft via ball bearings, a rotor unit having a circular plate attached with a commutator electrically connected to a coil, an outer lid unit having an outer lid mounted with brushes. The inner lid is incorporated in the inner yoke, the coil is incorporated in between the outer cylinder and the magnet, and the outer lid unit is attached to the rotor unit and the outer cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coreless motor with speed-reducer mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
To attain a speed-reduced motor output, a speed-reducer mechanism is generally provided between a motor output shaft and a desired output shaft. The speed-reducer mechanism is disposed outside or inside the motor. Even in the case of speed-reducer mechanisms disposed inside the motor, most of them are merely disposed inside a motor housing, but disposed outside basic motor components such as an armature and a rotor (Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 8-186955).
The advantages of an arrangement having a motor and a gear head (speed-reducer mechanism) both incorporated in the same housing as disclosed in the just-mentioned patent publication are that intermediate component parts can be eliminated, which are required for coupling and positioning the motor and the speed-reducer mechanism when they are constructed independently of each other, and that an  operation for positional adjustment of the motor and the speed-reducer mechanism can be eliminated, resulting in a corresponding reduction of man-hour of assembly.
With the arrangement disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 8-186955, however, a downsizing of the motor can only slightly be achieved by the one-piece design of the motor and the speed-reducer mechanism. This indicates that a drastic revision including improvement in motor structure is required to achieve a further downsizing of the motor integrated with the speed-reducer mechanism, i.e., to further reduce the entire motor length.


A developer for a presensitized plate for use in making a lithographic printing plate requiring no dampening water comprises: (1) 1 to 39% by weight of at least one alcohol derivative selected from the group consisting of those represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## (wherein R.sup.1 represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms; R.sup.2 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and n is an integer ranging from 1 to 6); (2) 1 to 39% by weight of at least one water-soluble organic solvent having a boiling point of not less than 100.degree. C.; and (3) 60 to 98% by weight of water. If this developer is used, foaming is hardly caused during the development processing a PS plate requiring no dampening water, it has excellent developing ability and half tone dot reproduction and can provide an excellent lithographic printing plate free of defects such as scratch marks.

The present invention relates to a developer for a presensitized plate (hereunder referred to as "PS plate requiring no dampening water") for use in making a lithographic printing plate which does not require dampening water during printing and which comprises a silicone rubber layer serving as an ink repellent layer (hereunder referred to as "lithographic plate requiring no dampening water") and in particular to a developer for a PS plate requiring no dampening water which is excellent in particular in developing ability and half tone dot reproduction and which hardly causes foaming.
There have already been proposed a variety of PS plates requiring no dampening water which comprise, as an ink repellent layer, a silicone rubber layer. Among these, particularly preferred are those comprising a substrate provided thereon with, in order, a light-sensitive resin layer and a silicone rubber layer, specific examples of which are those disclosed in, for instance, Japanese Patent Publication for Opposition Purpose (hereinafter referred to as "J.P. KOKOKO") Nos. Sho 54-26923 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,873) and Sho 55-22781 (Brit. Pat. 1,419,643).
These PS plates requiring no dampening water can be roughly divided into two groups, one of which are those disclosed in, for instance, J.P. KOKOKU Nos. Sho 42-21879, Sho 46-16044(U.S. Pat. No. 3,511, 178) and Sho 55-22781 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication (hereunder referred to as "J.P. KOKAI") Nos. 49-86103 and Sho 49-68803 and whose non-exposed portions (image areas) are dissolved by a developer and in which the silicone rubber layer on the image areas is accordingly removed and the other of which are those disclosed in, for instance, J.P. KOKOKU Nos. Sho 54-26923, Sho 56-23150 and Sho 56-12861 and whose exposed portions (non-image areas) are firmly adhered to the light-sensitive layer through photoadhesion and in which only the silicone rubber layer on the non-exposed portions (image areas) is removed by the action of an organic solvent capable of swelling only the silicone rubber layer on the non-exposed areas.
Though these PS plate requiring no dampening water can be developed with an appropriate organic solvent, developers mainly comprising water have been proposed for eliminating any possibility of firing (see, for instance, J.P. KOKAI No. Hei 1-159644 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,296) and Japanese Patent Application Serial (hereunder referred to as "J.P A.") No. Hei 1-139558(EP 0400657A)).
However, these developers mainly comprising water are those obtained by dissolving a solvent hardly soluble in water with the aid of a surfactant and correspondingly they cause foaming during developing operations. Thus, if they are used in an automatic developing machine, the solution overflows from a tank due to the foaming. Moreover, the surfactant does not swell or dissolve a light-sensitive layer at all, accordingly the developing ability of the developer is not improved by the addition of a surfactant and the addition thereof simply leads to the reduction in the water content. Therefore, the developing ability thereof is not good although water content is rather high.

Developer for PS plate requiring no dampening water


Static pressure sensing and free airstream temperature sensing is obviated in a method for determining aircraft velocity relative to an airmass by utilizing a static pressure and temperature component present in pressure variations sensed by a total pressure sensor located on a rotating arm mounted on the fuselage of an aircraft. A harmonic analysis of a quasi-sinusoidal total pressure variation includes a determination of steady state and both first and second harmonic components. These harmonic components are used to determine the static pressure, the free airstream temperature and the aircraft airspeed without separately sensing these parameters.

Early aircraft speed sensors placed a pressure sensor on a rotating arm and interpreted the pressure variations resulting as a result of aircraft movement through an air mass by assuming that the pressure sensed on the rotating arm was a pure sinusoid. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,888 to Onksen et al and U.S. Pat. No. 3,332,282 to Daw. Other rotating pressure sensing devices are disclosed by Beilman in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,400,584; 3,726,139; 4,065,957 and 4,074,570.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,261, on the other hand, assumed that the pressure samples taken from a position on the rotor were only quasi-sinusoidal and demonstrated that a performance improvement would be obtained by performing a Fourier analysis on the pressure samples. Based on the Fourier extraction and use of the steady state (DC) and first harmonic Fourier terms from the sensed total pressure, a sensed static pressure, a sensed free air stream temperature, a sensed reference indicative of the blade passing a reference position, and a sensed reference signal indicative of rotor velocity were all used to produce a more accurate determination of aircraft direction and velocity. The Fourier analysis was carried out in a discrete manner and was performed on the sensed total pressure signals using a plurality of subrevolution pressure samples that could be averaged over each subrevolution interval.
The above prior art required the direct measurement of three air data parameters: static pressure (P.sub.s), total pressure (P.sub.T) and free air stream temperature (T.sub.FAT) in order to determine the air speed velocity (V.sub.A) of an aircraft.

Multi-parameter air data sensing technique


There are provided a process for obtaining a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals easily and with cheap cost and excellent efficiency from a wide variety of vinyl-based compounds, a composition containing said polymer and its use, and a polymer derived from said composition and its use.. The polymerization reaction of a vinyl-based monomer (b) is carried out by using a radical polymerization initiator (c) in the presence of a compound (a) represented by the general formula: EQU HO--A--(S).sub.x --B--OH (I). and, a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals is obtained under conditions that, in the above reaction, any compound other than (a), (b) and (c) is not practically used and the compound (a) always exists in 50 mole times or more of the initiator (c) in the course of reaction in a reactor; and either a composition containing this polymer or a polymer derived from this composition is used.

A polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals is able to convert easily the hydroxyl groups into other functional groups by carrying out a suitable reaction on the groups and also, the polymer itself converts into a linear molecule and/or a network molecule by using reactivity of the terminal hydroxyl groups and carrying out a suitable reaction on these hydroxyl groups and, as a result, the polymer becomes a high-molecular compound having excellence in various properties such as strength, heat resistance, weather resistance, durability and so forth.
This polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals has, for example, the undermentioned great advantage by displaying a feature such as having the hydroxyl groups at both terminals.
In the case where the polymer is used as various kinds of resin materials such as a polyester resin, polyurethane resin, polycarbonate resin and the like, there is not any unreacted material which may damage material properties, and all polymers are surely assembled in a resin-crosslinked structure.
A polymer which a functional group was introduced into the side chain by copolymerizing a vinyl-based monomer having a functional group such as a hydroxyl group, carboxyl group, an and the like (hereinafter, referred to as "a copolymer of a functional group-containing vinyl-based monomer"); when said polymer was used for a reaction, the terminals become a play part (a free terminal) which is not assembled in the resin (crosslinked) structure, but such a thing does not occur in a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals.
Compared with the copolymer of a functional group-containing vinyl-based monomer, because scattering in the distances among the functional groups is very small, the distances among reacting sites (crosslinking sites) are nearly constant, so that a homogeneous resin (crosslinked) structure is made.
In the case of a copolymer of a functional group-containing vinyl-based monomer, even if the synthesis of a thermoplastic polymer is attempted by making a material of 2.0 in average functional group number and by allowing this to react with a chain-elongating agent having two functionalities, since a polymer having three or more functionalities is statistically included because of a reason originated from the synthetic process, a thermosetting polymer is obtained as the major part, and a thermoplastic polymer can not be synthesized. However, in the case of a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals, and not containing a polymer having three or more functionalities, a thermoplastic polymer, of which chain has been elongated, can be easily synthesized.
The polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals, by taking the above-described advantage, is very useful as raw materials for various resins such as a polyester resin, polyurethane resin, polycarbonate resin and the like, and further, as raw materials for coating, tacky and non-tacky adhesive, a sealing compound, urethane foam, a gel court material, thermoplastic elastomer, molding material, resin modifier (a material to afford impact resistance), vibration-controlling material, an elastic wall material, a floor material, fiber-processing material, an UV.EB curing resin, a reactive diluent used for high solid coating, etc. and so forth. In addition, the polymer is useful as various kinds of resin additives and their raw materials.
Preferable examples of the polymer having hydroxyl groups used as raw materials for coating, a tacky and nontacky adhesive, urethane foam, a sealing compound, a gel court material, thermoplastic elastomer, various kinds of molding materials, a resin modifier (a material to afford impact resistance), vibration-controlling material, an elastic wall material, a floor material, fiber-processing material, an UV.EB curing resin, a reactive diluent used for high solid coating, etc. and so forth: those are a copolymer of a vinyl-based monomer having hydroxyl groups on its side chain as well as a polyether, polyester, polybutadiene and polycarbonate having hydroxyl groups at terminals and the like. However, those polymers have the undermentioned problems. At first, since a copolymer of a vinyl-based monomer having hydroxyl groups on its side chain is prepared by a random type radical polymerization reaction between a vinyl-based monomer having the hydroxyl group and a vinyl-based monomer having no hydroxyl group, by-product formation of a copolymer having no hydroxyl group is difficult to suppress and, in order to avoid this formation, it is necessary to increase the hydroxyl group content in the copolymer and also, there was found scattering in the number of hydroxyl groups contained in one molecule. Because of this, in a case where a reaction was carried out between the copolymer of a vinyl-based monomer having hydroxyl groups on its side chain and a polyfunctional compound capable of reacting with the hydroxyl groups, a polymer showing sufficient stretching (processing performance for bending is excellent) and strongness is not obtained by reasons of remaining unreacted copolymer and large scattering in distances among reaction sites, and by that a play chain part which does not directly participate in the structure of a crosslinked polymer obtained after reaction is formed and a hydroxyl group not participating in the reaction remains.
Next, a polyether, polyester, polybutadiene and the like having hydroxyl groups at terminals, because they have the hydroxyl groups at terminals, have a little defect that a copolymer of a vinyl-based monomer having hydroxyl groups on its side chain has. However, in the case of polyethers because of the ether bond on the main chain, in the case of polyesters because of the ester bond on the main chain, and in the case of polybutadiens because of the unsaturated double bond on the main chain, these polymers have defects such as badness in weather resistance, water resistance and heat resistance.
As described above, at present, in a polymer having hydroxyl groups, which is used as raw materials for coating, a tacky and non-tacky adhesive, urethane foam, a sealing compound, gel court material, thermoplastic elastomer, various kinds of molding materials, a resin modifier (a material to afford impact resistance), vibration-controlling material, an elastic wall material, a floor material, fiber-processing material, an UV.EB curing resin, a reactive diluent used for high solid coating, etc. and so forth; there is not found any member satisfactory for all demands and capabilities such as strongness, stretching (processing performance for bending), weather resistance, water resistance and so forth.
Although it is considered that a problem of this sort may be solved by a vinyl-based polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals, as mentioned below, the real situation is that any process for producing industrially a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals from a wide range of vinyl-based monomers involving polar vinyl-based monomers such as acrylic acid, acrylate, methacrylic acid, methacrylate and the like has not been established.
An example of a process for producing a vinyl-based polymer having hydroxyl groups at terminals is a process such as introducing one hydroxyl group into one terminal of the polymer by using, for example, 2-mercaptoethanol and the like as a chain-transfer agent and introducing another one (as an average) hydroxyl group into a polymer molecule by copolymerizing with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and the like.
However, in this process, al though two hydroxyl groups per one molecule of a polymer are introduced as average, only one of the two hydroxyl groups is introduced into one terminal of the polymer and another hydroxyl group is introduced into the middle of a main chain, but not into the terminal. Furthermore, since another hydroxyl group is introduced by a copolymerization reaction, the to total number of hydroxyl groups per one molecule of the polymer is in a scatter distribution such as being from one to three or more, and a wide distribution is seen in the distances among hydroxyl groups. Accordingly, an obtained polymer can not almost display any merit which the polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals has. Furthermore, by adding a mercaptan compound, there were problems that the polymerization reaction became extremely slow, the polymerization degree did not raise, and the smell of residual mercaptan remained.
Other examples of a process for producing a vinyl-based polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals are, as shown in the undermentioned (i) to (iii), processes of carrying out radical polymerization reactions of vinyl-based monomers in the presence of various kinds of initiators and chain-transfer agents.
(i) A process for producing a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals by polymerizing styrene or butadiene by using an initiator having the hydroxyl group. Refer to Journal of Polymer Science, Part A1, Volume 9, p. 2029 (1971). PA1 (ii) A process for producing a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals, comprising a thermal polymerization reaction or a photopolymerization reaction carried out by using a dithiocarbamate or thiuram disulfide having the hydroxyl group as an initiator, or comprising a polymerization reaction carried out by using the dithiocarbamate or thiuram disulfide as a chain transfer agent and using hydrogen peroxide as an initiator. Refer to Japanese Official Patent Provisional Publication, showa 61-271306. PA1 (iii) A process for producing a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals, comprising a polymerization reaction carried out by using a disulfide or trisulfide having hydroxyl groups at both terminals as a chain transfer agent. Refer to Japanese Official Patent Provisional Publication, showa 54-47782. PA1 1 A process which comprises using two kinds or more of polyols as the polyol component (1) containing the polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals obtained from the production method of this invention and carrying out a reaction of the polyols with a compound having two or more of a functional group capable of reacting with a hydroxyl group per one molecule. PA1 2 A process which comprises carrying out a reaction of the polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals obtained from the production method of this invention with a polymer having only one hydroxyl group per one molecule and a compound having two or more of a functional group capable of reacting with the hydroxyl group per one molecule. PA1 3 A process which comprises carrying out a reaction of the polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals obtained from the production method of this invention with a compound having two or more of a functional group capable of reacting with the hydroxyl group per one molecule. PA1 4 A process which comprises using the polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals obtained from the production method of this invention as an initiator and obtaining an ABA type block polymer by carrying out a ring-opening polymerization reaction of one kind or two or more kinds of a cyclic ether such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, tetrahydrofuran and the like.
However, the aforementioned, conventional processes for producing a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals (i) to (iii) have respective defects, as mentioned below, and it is not easy to synthesize a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals surely, with a cheap price, simply and industrially, from many kinds of vinyl-based monomers.
At first, in Process (i), there was a problem that usable vinyl-based monomers were limited to butadienes and styrenes, and polar vinyl-based monomers such as acrylates and methacrylates could not be used.
In the aforementioned process (ii), there was a problem that the thiuram disulfide having a functional group such as a hydroxyl group is unstable and, thereby, its treating was difficult and also, a produced polymer was colored in yellow.
Finally, in the aforementioned process (iii), there is a problem that, because attention to the ratio of a chain-transfer agent to an initiator is not paid, in a case where the chain-transfer agent is not sufficiently in excess compared with the amount of an initiator, a flake of the initiator is introduced into the terminals of a polymer and a polymer having the hydroxyl group at only one terminal is formed as a by-product and, therefore, a polymer having the terminal hydroxyl groups in a low number is formed.
As described above, at the present time there has not been established any process for producing industrially a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals from a wide field of vinyl-based monomers including polar vinyl-based monomers such as acrylic acid, acrylate, methacrylic acid, methacrylate and the like.
Under these circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process for obtaining a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals easily, with a cheap price and good efficiency, from a wide field of vinyl-based monomers including polar vinyl-based monomers such as acrylic acid, acrylate, methacrylic acid, methacrylate and the like, a composition containing this polymer and showing superiority in strongness, weather resistance, water resistance and so forth, and its use, and a polymer derived from the composition and its use.

Process for producing polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals


The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a data analyzer with a modular bus interface that provides increased flexibility over prior art designs. The modular bus interface allows physical layer devices to be easily swapped, allowing a wide variety of link layer and physical layer device combinations to be tested while minimizing system downtime. In the preferred embodiment, the link layer devices are mounted onto an expansion card that includes a releasable connector. Physical layer devices are mounted onto cards that can plug into the releasable connector. The releasable connector provides the electrical and mechanical connection between the link layer device and the physical layer device, and allows different link layer and physical layer devices to be tested together. By including such a modular bus interface, the preferred embodiment data analyzer provides increased flexibility and performance over prior art systems.

1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to data analyzers and more specifically relates data analyzers used to monitor bus traffic.
2. Background Art
Computer systems have evolved into extremely sophisticated devices, and computer systems may be found in many different settings. The widespread proliferation of computers prompted the development of computer networks that allow computers to communicate with each other. With the introduction of the personal computer (PC), computing became accessible to large numbers of people. Networks for personal computers were developed that allow individual users to communicate with each other.
Computer systems typically include operating system software that controls the basic function of the computer, and one or more software applications that run under the control of the operating system to perform desired tasks. For example, a typical Personal Computer may run the Windows operating system, and under the control of the Windows operating system, a user may execute an application program, such as a word processor.
Computer systems also include a bus system that is a transmission path on which signals are dropped off or picked up at every attached device. These bus systems generally include an internal bus that connects all the internal computer components to the processor to the main memory, and an expansion bus that enables expansion boards to access the processor and memory. Most modern personal computers also include a local bus that provides a high speed path for video data. Computers also typically include one or more serial ports and one or more parallel ports. The serial ports can be used as a general-purpose interface for almost any type of device, including modems and mice. Parallel ports are commonly used for scanners, printers and other peripherals that require more data throughput.
Recently, computers and other consumer electronics have begun to include new, very fast external bus standard that supports data transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps (400 million bits per second). This bus, typically referred to as the 1394 bus (for the IEEE 1394 standard that defines it) or by the trademarked name FireWire, offers significant improvement over previous external bus designs. For example, a single 1394 port can be used to connect up 63 external devices. In addition to its high speed, 1394 bus also supports isochronous data--delivering data at a guaranteed rate. This makes it ideal for devices that need to transfer high levels of data in real-time, such as video devices. 1394 buses also support both Plug-and-Play and hot plugging, and also provide power to peripheral devices. IEEE 1394 is expected to be used mostly for devices that require large throughput, such as video cameras, scanners, printers, and storage devices.
The IEEE 1394 bus is typically implemented using two chips, a link layer chip and a physical layer chip (generally referred to as a PHY). These two chips together provide the 1394 bus hardware requirements. The link layer chip formats the data into packets. The PHY chip has the physical signaling circuits and logic that are responsible for power-up, initialization, arbitration, bus-reset sensing and data signaling.
Unfortunately, there has been some difficulty in consistently implementing the 1394 bus. In particular, incompatibility between different implementations of the physical layer and link layer chips from different vendors has led to compliance and interoperability problems that are slowing down the further growth of this technology.
Bus data analyzers are tools used to monitor bus traffic to facilitate development and testing of bus systems. For example, developers use data analyzers to monitor buses in order to optimize performance and functionality of the bus. Common tools for this task are data analyzers that have passive bus snooping capability on one hand but are capable of simulating the bus by active data generation on the other hand. Hence, these instruments typically perform a variety of functions, including data capturing, data generation, protocol analysis and event identification. Unfortunately, the flexibility of these data analyzers to work with different bus implementations is limited. In particular, there has been no easy way to test the influence of different combinations of bus chip sets on a device communicating with the bus.
Therefore, without a more flexible and efficient mechanism for analyzing bus traffic data, the task of testing specific devices with multiple bus implementations will continue to be very cumbersome and difficult.

Bus data analyzer including a modular bus interface


A turbocharger for a motor vehicle, including a compressor, which has a compressor wheel situated on a rotatably supported shaft, an electric machine being situated in a pipe section of an axial compressor inlet, the electric machine including a rotor situated on the shaft and a stator situated on the pipe section. The stator has multiple webs projecting inward which are distributed over the circumference and extend at least essentially in an axial direction, the webs being used for forming flow channels which extend in an axial direction and are situated at a distance from one another.

A turbocharger is described in, for example, European Patent Application No. EP 1 995 426 A1. In this European patent, an electric motor is described which is integrated into a turbocharger, the electric motor being a so-called media gap motor, which forms a media passage opening between the rotor and the stator and is situated in the compressor inlet in such a way that the medium to be compressed is guided through the media gap between the rotor and the stator. This makes it possible for the turbocharger to have a particularly compact size. In particular, the achievement of this is that in the case of exhaust gas turbochargers, compared to approaches in which the electric motor is situated between the compressor and the turbine, no substantial change of the overall concept of the exhaust gas turbocharger is required for integrating the electric motor.
One disadvantage of the above-named approach is that due to the large air gap between the rotor and the stator, very strong permanent magnets must be provided on the rotor in order to be able to deliver the required torque characteristic of the electric machine. Conventionally, this results in a requirement for high currents and consequently a low efficiency of the electric machine.

Turbocharger including an electric machine


A thin weighing scale having a thickness of less than 25 mm, comprising a first rigid bottom plate, extending along a reference plane defined by a first direction and a second direction, a second rigid top plate, at least four load cells 4, interposed between the first and second rigid plates, a set of linkages comprising arms, some arms extend in the first direction and some other arms extend in the second direction, each arm having an elongated shape with a first end attached to the first rigid plate and a second end rigidly connected to the second rigid plate, whereby a movement is provided along a third direction, the set of linkages preventing relative movement between first and second rigid plates along the first and second direction.

There is a constant trend to try to decrease the thickness of electronic scales. In the prior art, the electronic scales are provided with 4 feet bearing on the floor, tiles, carpet, etc. Each foot houses a load cell. One example of such configuration is given by document U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,973.
One problem arises when the overall thickness of the scale is decreased, because the height of the feet (i.e. clearance) is not large enough in case the scale is lying on a rather deep carpet, like in a bedroom fitted carpet, or on an uneven floor. If the underbody of the scale touches the floor, this results in an inaccurate, even substantially wrong, weight measurement.
Therefore, some attempts have been done to provide a so-called "sandwich structure" with a rigid top plate and a rigid bottom plate. The structure taught by US20100133016 exhibits shortcomings because the top plate may rub against the bottom plate which causes inaccurate weight measurement.
As a matter of fact, the issue is to prevent relative movement of bottom and top plates in any horizontal direction, while enabling a movement and an accurate weight measurement in the vertical direction.
According to EP0505493, the load cells themselves provide guidance to prevent movement in horizontal directions. However, it turns out that under the stress of a person standing on the scale, there are parasitic stresses which distort the measurement.
Therefore it remains a need to propose a sandwich structure weighing scale which exhibits a thickness of less than 25 mm, and which exhibits an improved accuracy.

Thin weighing scale with a sandwich structure


An aromatic polyamide resin composition useful for producing compression-molded resin articles having an excellent impact strength, comprising 3 to 40% by weight of PEEK resin fibers, the balance consisting of an aromatic polyamide resin particles, and optionally, 10% by weight or less of PTFE resin particles, which effectively enhance the abrasion resistance of the compression-molded resin article.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aromatic polyamide resin composition for compression molding. More particularly, the present invention relates to an aromatic polyamide resin composition useful for producing compression molded articles having an high impact strength and a superior abrasion resistance.
2) Description of the Related Art
It is known that shaped articles having a high thermal resistance can be produced by compression-molding aromatic polyamide resin particles. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 62-121731 discloses aromatic polyamide resin particles having an average particle size of from 10 to 400 .mu.m and an average particle surface area of from 1 to 20 m.sup.2 /g, and useful for compression-molding.
The shaped aromatic polyamide resin articles have a high acid-resistance, flame-retardance, machinability, and self-lubricity. Nevertheless, the shaped aromatic polyamide resin articles exhibit an unsatisfactory mechanical property, for example, impact strength, and thus are not suitable for uses in which a high impact strength is required.
To enhance the impact strength, attempts have been made to blend reinforcing fibers with the aromatic polyamide resin. Usually, the reinforcing fibers were selected from carbon fiber particles and short cut aramide fibers. Nevertheless, it was found that the conventional reinforcing fibers do not satisfactorily enhance the impact strength of the compression-molded aromatic polyamide resin articles. Also, to ensure the enhancement of the impact strength, a large amount of the conventional reinforcing fibers must be blended with the aromatic polyamide resin, and this blending of a large amount of reinforcing fibers results in a lowering of the abrasion resistance of the resultant shaped articles. Accordingly, the conventional shaped aromatic polyamide resin articles blended with the conventional reinforcing fibers exhibit the highest impact strength of 8.5 kgf/cm.sup.2.
Accordingly, a strong demand has arisen for a new type of aromatic polyamide resin composition capable of forming shaped articles having an enhanced impact strength and a satisfactory abrasion resistance.

Aromatic polyamide resin composition for compression molding


A gas permeable filter element formed solely from filter material defines a substantially cylindrical inner filter element and a substantially cylindrical outer filter element joined together by an end filter element. The outer filter element is radially spaced and concentric with said inner filter element, so that the inner and outer filter elements define an annulus having an inlet end. A particulate laden gas stream directed into the open end of the annulus defined by the inner and outer filter elements passes through either the inner filter element, the outer filter element, or the end filter element.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to filters for removing particulates from particulate laden gas streams and more specifically to a low-cost disposable particulate filter for removing particulates from the exhaust of internal combustion engines.
2. Background of the Invention
Particulate filters have long been used in a wide range of applications where it is necessary to remove particulate matter from gas or liquid streams with high collection efficiencies. Particulate filters are also being used with increasing frequency to remove soot and other particulate matter from the exhaust of internal combustion engines, particularly diesel engines.
As is well known, the exhaust from diesel engines contains numerous components thought to be harmful to humans, such as unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NO.sub.x), sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2), sulfates, and various aerosols. The solid particulate matter in diesel engine exhaust typically comprises small, solid, irregularly shaped particles, which are themselves agglomerates of smaller sub-particles. The particles may often have high molecular weight hydrocarbons absorbed on their surfaces, thus making the particulate matter a complex mixture of pure carbon and various kinds of organic materials, the sizes of which may range from very small particles of about 0.01 microns to relatively large clusters in the range of 10-30 microns. Turbocharged diesel engines tend to emit more of the smaller particles, but with much lower levels of retained organic compounds. Particle sizes of 10 microns and less are considered to be the most damaging to human lungs, and certain characteristic components of diesel exhaust particulate emissions are known carcinogens.
Many different types of exhaust treatment systems have been developed in an attempt to remove or eliminate the particulate matter before it is released into the atmosphere. Such systems almost always use some type of filter to trap the particles in the exhaust stream. Ceramic materials, stainless steel wire mesh, and other filter materials capable of withstanding the high-temperature exhaust gases have been tried and are being used with some degree of success. Unfortunately, because of the large quantities of particulate matter that are generated by most diesel engines, most filters tend to clog quickly, which increases back pressure in the engine exhaust and adversely affects the performance and efficiency of the engine. Of course, one remedy is to replace the filter when the back pressure exceeds some predetermined limit. However, the metal or ceramic filter materials used in most exhaust filters are expensive, so it is not practical to throw away the filters when they become clogged. As a result, several filter regeneration methods have been developed in attempts to solve the clogging problem. Unfortunately, the space, cost, and energy consumption required by such regeneration methods are substantial. Furthermore, in-situ filter regeneration techniques, where the filters rely on the hot exhaust gases themselves to raise the temperature of the filter high enough to oxidize the trapped particles, cannot be used with engines that operate under light duty-cycles.
Another type of exhaust treatment system, described in my co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 07/765,689, filed on Sep. 26, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,874, represents a significant breakthrough in exhaust filtration technology. That system uses an exhaust-to-water heat exchanger to lower the temperature of the exhaust gases, thereby allowing the use of inexpensive, low-temperature filter materials to trap exhaust-borne particulates.
While the low-temperature particulate filter described in that patent is effective in removing the particulate matter with a high collection efficiency, it is not without its drawbacks. For example, while the low-temperature filter is substantially less expensive then filters made from materials that can withstand higher temperatures, such as ceramic materials, the filter requires metal end plates and metal screens on both sides of the filter media to provide the required structural integrity and support for the filter element. Besides increasing the cost of the filter, such metal components complicate filter disposal. That is, since the filter media traps primarily carbon particles and other unburned hydrocarbons, old filters are well suited for incineration. However, the presence of the metal components complicates the incineration process. The metal components are also a concern if the old filters are disposed of in landfills.
Another disadvantage associated with the filter described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,874 is that it is a conventional cylindrical design, which limits the surface area of the filter. Obviously, it is desirable to maximize the surface area of the filter to reduce the exhaust back pressure and to increase filter life. Of course, one way to increase the surface area of such a cylindrical filter would be to increase either the diameter or length of the filter, or both. Another way to increase the filter area would be to install another filter element in parallel with the existing element. Unfortunately, however, neither of the foregoing options are particularly desirable, since the space that can be devoted to the filter assembly is limited in most installations. In fact, the space constraints in most vehicles require that the filter be as small as possible.
Another problem associated with conventional cylindrical filter designs used in such applications is that the filters do not adequately contain the fine, powdery soot accumulated therein, and a substantial amount of the loosely captured soot usually falls out of the filter after it is removed from the filter housing. Besides making a mess, the escaping soot can pose health problems because of the extremely small sizes of the particles released.
Consequently, there remains a need for an improved disposable particulate filter that can be used in conjunction with exhaust treatment systems for internal combustion engines. Such a filter should provide a large surface area to minimize the pressure drop across the filter element and maximize filter life, but without substantially increasing the size of the filter. The filter should also be inexpensive to manufacture, yet maintain high collection efficiency, all while requiring few or no integral metal components.


A clamp adapted to clamp a bar, particularly supporting components such as guides of conveyors of articles. The clamp includes: a clamp body, adapted to accommodate the support bar for supporting the components, with the possibility of adjusting the relative position of the bar with respect to the clamp by longitudinally sliding the bar; positioning means arranged to have a first working position in which the positioning means are elastically urged in abutment against the bar to engage at least positioning notch, provided on the bar, upon reaching a predetermined position, so as to essentially prevent a further longitudinal sliding of the bar once said predetermined position is reached. The clamp further includes tightening means, distinct from said positioning means and adapted in use to hold the bar in position against displacements with respect to the clamp body.

Clamps of the above mentioned type are used in conveyors of articles, for instance in belt or chain conveyors, for supporting components thereof, such as guides for the containment/routing of the transported articles.
In such applications, the clamps normally sustain a respective bar (for example a steel rod) intended in turn to support guide-holding elements of the guide for the containment/routing of the articles. The bar has, mounted on one end thereof (also referred to as the head), a guide-holding element, and the bar is clamped by the clamp, with the possibility of adjusting the bar position, the clamp being in turn fixed to the frame of the conveyor.
The conveyors of articles are often used for transporting articles of various shape and size, so that it is necessary to be able to adjust the position of the containment/routing guides, depending on the type of articles to be transported (for instance, plastic bottles for drinks of various size).
A known clamp of the above-mentioned type is shown for instance in the Italian utility model application No. MI99U000397. Such a clamp includes an external body for the operations of positioning and adjusting of the protruding bar section ("pivot"), on which the guide-holding element is mounted. Such external body consists of a hollow cylindrical body having a coaxial pair of through holes (adapted in use to be traversed by the bar) formed in its side wall and close to an upper end thereof, and has an inner diameter that reduces in proximity of a step. A movable member, movable inside the hollow cylindrical body along the longitudinal axis thereof, is urged by a helical spring interposed between the step and the movable body. A handle grip is snap-mounted on an upper appendix of the movable member so as to be rotatable relative to the movable body without substantially moving axially with respect thereto. Particularly, the handle grip has a pair of blades ("plug pins") that, in use, are respectively accommodated in a pair of shaped guide openings formed in the upper part of the external body. In this way, when the handle grip is manually rotated by a user in the sense in which the plug pins are moved downwards into the openings, the movable member is pushed downward, against the action of the spring, until a through hole formed therein aligns with the pair of holes of the hollow cylindrical body, so as to allow the passage of the bar. Once the bar is inserted into the holes, by unscrewing the handle grip (and therefore bringing the plugs upward in the openings) the spring pushes the movable member upwards; an annular projection provided in the hole of the movable member can in this way engage one of the grooves provided in different longitudinal positions along the bar, selected in such a way that the guide-holding element mounted on the head of the bar takes the desired position along the belt conveyor. It is by means of such annular projection that the pushing action of the spring causes the clamping of the bar, necessary to keep the guides in the desired position.
The inventor has observed that such a clamp exhibits some drawbacks. In fact, a drawback of such solution is given by the fact that such a clamp is by its nature unsuitable to guarantee a suitable clamping of the bar, adapted to recover the inevitable plays existing between bar and the through holes in the clamp body, and therefore it does not assure that the articles containment/routing guides are kept in the desired position, as parallel as possible to the transport plane. In fact, the action exerted by the spring is not sufficient to prevent that the existing play between the bar and the edges of the through holes causes a displacement of the bar from the horizontal position. The bar, under its own weight and the weight of the guides mounted thereon, can in this way take an inclination (which is higher the longer the bar) that as a result causes an uncorrected alignment of the containment/routing guides. Such phenomenon is more penalizing in the case of conveyors that have several orders of superimposed, parallel guides: in this case, the inclination of the bars that support the guides can has the consequence that the distance between the axes of the upper guides is reduced, while that between the lower guides increases.
With the purpose of guaranteeing a tight clamping of the bar, it would be necessary to realize the spring in a material having very high elastic constant, so that the pushing action exerted by the spring on the movable body is very high. However, this would reduce the efficacy of the clamp under the viewpoint of the bar positioning easiness: a spring that exerts an excessive pushing action against the movable body would make it very difficult, not to say impossible, to longitudinally slide the bar so as to bring one of the grooves formed thereon in correspondence of the annular projection. In fact, in the mentioned clamp the longitudinal positioning of the bar relative to the axis of the hollow cylindrical body takes place simultaneously to the bar clamping, and always with the aid of the spring. In order to allow the sliding of the bar necessary to the positioning thereof, the action exerted by the spring necessarily has to be limited, and this jeopardizes the performances of the clamp in terms of bar clamping action. Thus, even if the force exerted by the spring is increased, this can never guarantee a stable blocking of the bar.
Moreover, the use of the mentioned clamp significantly impacts on the time necessary for the adjustment of the position of the containment/routing guides. In fact, when it is necessary to modify the position of the guides, for every clamp (in a typical transport line their number can be of several tens) the operator in charge of the conveyor set-up has to screw the handle grip up in order to release the bar, then slightly move the bar from its current position, subsequently unscrew the handle grip, checking that the guide-holding element mounted on the bar is brought into the desired position.
In view of the state of the art outlined above, the inventor has faced the problem of providing an improved clamp, that is not, or at least less affected by the above mentioned problems.

Clamp for supporting bar of components of conveyors of articles


An air conditioning system having an inlet air temperature calculating block that calculates a variation in air temperature at an inlet port of each unit based on position information and also calculate the air flow rate through each unit. A temperature sensitivity calculating block calculates temperature sensitivity of each unit obtained by dividing the variation in air temperature at the inlet port by a variation in air temperature at an outlet port of each unit. An inlet air temperature calculating block calculates the air temperature at the inlet port of each unit on the basis of the air temperature at the outlet port of each unit, and the temperature sensitivity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to air-conditioning control apparatuses that control air conditioners and other cooling equipment. More particularly, the invention relates to an air-conditioning control apparatus that controls cooling equipment for a data center in which is installed an information-processing system that includes information-processing units such as server units and the cooling equipment that cools such information-processing units.
2. Description of the Related Art
Information-processing units such as server units have increased remarkably. For cooling of heat generated in such units, accordingly, electric power that cooling equipment consumes, i.e., electric power for cooling has also increased. This leads to a problem with overall power reduction in which electric power consumed by the information-processing units and electric power consumed for cooling of these units are considered totally.
Efforts associated with electric power saving in information-processing units, cooling equipment, and their operational management are made with a view towards saving electric power in data centers.
These efforts in information-processing units are being made by improving performance per power consumption by the use of lower-power devices, and by adopting a function that saves power by switching an operation state according to workload.
In cooling equipment, efforts are being made by improving the operating efficiency of the installed air conditioners, by optimizing the airflow design of air supply and exhaust ports, and by introducing local cooling or liquid cooling.
In terms of operational management, efforts are being undertaken primarily in the forms of operating state information monitoring, job scheduling, and the operating efficiency improvement and consolidation of hardware by virtualization.
Cooling equipment such as air conditioners is generally designed in accordance with a maximum total electric power rating of information-processing units. During actual equipment operation, however, not all of the information-processing units are used and loads of the information-processing units actually used do not always become a maximum, either.
With the future progress of the operational management technology for data centers, the consolidation of the information-processing units is expected to be further utilized by the use of virtualizing technology to save electric power.
To ensure electric power saving in a data center under such circumstances, it is effective to implement measures towards reduced overall electric power of cooling equipment allowing for the possible non-uniformity and hourly variations in a power distribution of information-processing units with respect to the cooling equipment.
Referring to the reduction in the overall electric power of the cooling equipment, there are several known operational management methods for the information-processing system that includes the information-processing units and the cooling equipment.
Firstly, in a management server that conducts job scheduling upon parallel computers is known a method for loading a new job into a computer with less heat (this indicates that the computer is not too heavily loaded) in accordance with computer temperature sensor information, next moving a job from a computer with high heat (this indicates that the computer is heavily loaded), into the lower-temperature computer, and thus preventing a failure in the parallel computers or a decrease in performance of these computers from resulting from high temperatures. This method is described in, for example, JP-2004-126968-A (referred to as Patent Document 1). In this method, whether the movement of the job can be executed is determined by estimating, from temperature information, the amount of electric power consumed by the corresponding computers before and after the movement of the job, and the amount of electric power consumed by cooling units provided for each computer.
Secondly, in a management system for a plurality of computers is known a method for selecting a computer of a relatively high temperature (a heavily loaded computer) and a computer of a relatively low temperature (a lightly loaded computer) in accordance with a temperature distribution of and operating state information about the computers, next moving software from the higher-temperature computer and the lower-temperature computer, and thus saving electric power. This method is described in, for example, JP-2007-179437-A (referred to as Patent Document 2). In this method, whether the movement of the software can be executed is determined by comparing variations in the amount of electric power consumed by the selected computers before and after the movement of the software, and in the amount of electric power consumed by air conditioners. The power consumption in the computers is calculated from operating state information, the power consumption in the air conditioners is calculated from the temperature distribution, and the temperature distribution is calculated from temperature sensor information, temperature histories, and the operating state information.
Thirdly, in a known method of allocating a workload to a plurality of servers present in a data center, a profile of a requested workload is compared with historical workload profiles, next the requested workload is allocated to the servers in accordance with a historical workload profile denoting the fact that the amount of electric power consumed by the servers and air conditioners is minimized, and if a matching history is absent, the workload is allocated in a random manner. This method is described in, for example, US Patent Application Serial No. 2006/0259621 (referred to as Patent Document 3). In this method, the historical workload profile contains server locations, classes, and operating state information, server intake air temperatures and exhaust air temperatures, workload types, and the amount of electric power consumed by the servers and the air conditioners. The amount of electric power consumed by the servers and the air conditioners is either calculated from the server intake air temperatures and exhaust air temperatures, specific heat, and the quantities of air, or measured by a wattmeter.
Fourthly, in a known method of distributing electric power to a plurality of servers present in a data center, the occurrence of server failures due to hot spots or cold spots can be prevented by lending and borrowing a power budget between geographically adjacent servers or racks so that the distribution of the power approaches an ideal analog-like temperature distribution, or power distribution, and specifying discretized power states of the servers according to the particular budget allocations. This method is described in, for example, US Patent Application Serial No. 2006/0259793 (referred to as Patent Document 4). In this method, thermal multipliers that denote ideal power for the servers are determined from exhaust air temperatures of the servers, a reference exhaust air temperature of an average server, and supply air temperatures of air conditioners.
Fifthly, there is a known method in which an air conditioner operating coefficient relating to information-processing units is calculated for air conditioners and a unit-related power consumption scheme is created for the information-processing units. This method is described in, for example, JP-2011-34578-A (referred to as Patent Document 5). In this method, a power-saving performance evaluation index based on the unit-related power consumption scheme for the information-processing units is used to determine workload allocations for power saving in the entire computer room. In this known method, a workload of the information-processing units is controlled in accordance with workload allocation results, power consumption in the air conditioners is calculated from the air conditioner operating coefficient and a measured value of power consumption in the information-processing units, and air conditioner output is controlled.

Air-conditioning control apparatus for data center


An optic modulator having a transparent piezoelectric substrate, an active multiple quantum well (MQW) epilayer with bottom electrical contacts bonded to the substrate, wherein the substrate is cut such that its thermal expansion coefficient is matched or roughly matched to that of the MQW epilayer in the direction parallel to the long axes of the bottom contacts and so that the piezoelectrically-active direction of the substrate is normal to the long axes of the bottom contacts. In order to control the bias of the MQW epilayer a transparent contact is disposed over the MQW epilayer. In operation, the piezoelectric substrate, when activated, will displace an anisotropic strain on the MQW epilayer which will break the rotational symmetry in the plane of the MQW. This will result in anisotropic mixing of the heavy and light holes in the MQW epilayer and thus, will result in an anisotropic excitonic absorption of light normal to the MQW epilayer.

Semiconductor multiple quantum well (MQW) modulators operating with incident light normal to the plane of the device are of considerable interest because they are the fundamental elements for spatial light modulators, and have the potential for being high speed, high dynamic range devices integrable with detector and control electronic circuits. Prior research on normal incidence multiple quantum well light modulators has concentrated on amplitude modulation, relying on a sufficient difference in the absorption coefficient between the on/off states at the operating wavelength to achieve useful contrasts. Such changes in the absorption coefficient have typically been effected by means of the quantum confined Stark effect (QCSE), Wannier Stark localization, or photoinduced excitonic absorption saturation. Unfortunately, thickness constraints due to growth considerations, coupled with the limitation that the maximum obtainable change in the excitonic absorption due to line broadening is .about.2.times.10.sup.4 cm.sup.-1, prevents the contrast ratio in a normal incidence MQW light modulator from exceeding a value of .about.10:1. This on/off ratio can be improved considerably by incorporation of the modulator structure within an asymmetric Fabry-Perot (ASFP) cavity which has a 100:1 contrast in a reflection electro-optic absorption modulator and a 27:1 contrast in an all-optical modulator. Conversely, optical modulators utilizing polarization rotation, such as liquid crystal and magneto-optic devices, have achieved significantly higher contrast ratios (>10.sup.4 :1), but they are hampered by poor high frequency performance.

Optical modulator based on piezoelectrically driven anisotropic optical absorption

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


Gradation transform considering a scene transitional direction is executed for a video signal. The statistic of the luminance distribution of the input video signal is detected. The transitional direction of brightness of a scene of the input video signal is detected. A transform characteristic in transforming the gradation characteristic of the input video signal is set based on the detection results of the statistic and transitional direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing for outputting a video signal (image data) obtained by processing an input video signal (input image data) and, more particularly, to image processing for transforming the gradation characteristic of a video signal on the basis of the transitional direction of the brightness of a video scene.
2. Description of the Related Art
A video display apparatus such as a television executes signal processing of executing gradation transform of a video signal. In this signal processing, predetermined gradation transform of a video signal is executed in consideration of the characteristic of the display and the contrast and gradation level of video data itself. For example, a process called black stretch allocates a lot of black gradation steps to a video signal, thereby improving black expression. A liquid crystal TV executes inverse transform (inverse gamma conversion) to cancel gradation transform which a broadcaster has executed for a video signal and make the video signal have a linear gradation characteristic and then displays a video image.
In general, gradation transform is often executed by using a lookup table (LUT). The data of an LUT contains the sets of inputs and outputs corresponding to them. Upon receiving data, the LUT outputs data corresponding to the input data. An LUT used in, for example, a video display apparatus often has an input-output characteristic that draws a curve. This curve is generally called a gamma conversion curve or a gamma curve.
A technique called a dynamic gamma process has recently been invented, which executes optimum gradation transform for each scene (single frame or a plurality of frames) of video data. In this process, input data is corrected to visually optimize the image of each scene in accordance with the pixel value distribution of each scene or the degree of change between scenes.
However, the dynamic gamma process executes gradation transform without considering the adaptability of eyes. For this reason, the video contrast sometimes visually lowers when the scene changes. For example, when bright scenes continue, the eyes adapt to the bright image region, and their sensitivity to a dark image region becomes low. If a dark scene follows consecutive bright scenes, the user cannot see the dark scene well.


The present invention provides a novel insecticidal, miticidal, nematicidal, microbicidal, or bactericidal composition and a novel pest control method. An insecticide, miticide, nematicide, molluscicide, disinfectant, or bactericide composition containing one or two substances selected from 4-[5-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-(trifluoromethyl)isoxazole-3-yl]-2-methyl-N-[2-oxo-2-[(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)amino]ethyl]benzamide or (Z)-4-[5-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-5-trifluoromethyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazole-3-yl]-N-(methoxyiminomethyl)-2-methylbenzamide, and one or more substances selected from known insecticide, miticide, nematicide, molluscicide, disinfectant, or bactericide compounds.

First active ingredient compounds of a composition of the present invention, that is, 4-[5-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-(trifluoromethyl)isoxazole-3-yl]-2-methyl-N-[2-oxo-2-[(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)amino]ethyl]benzamide and (Z)-4-[5-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-5-trifluoromethyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazole-3-yl]-N-(methoxyiminomethyl)-2-methylbenzamide, have been known as isoxazoline-substituted benzamide compounds having activities as pesticides (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).
Also, compounds described as active ingredient groups A to R having insecticidal activities, miticidal activities, nematicidal activities, molluscicidal activities, microbicidal activities, or bactericidal activities are second active ingredient compounds of the composition of the present invention (hereinafter, abbreviated as "second active ingredient compounds II"), and all of them are well-known (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1).
In addition, compositions containing the first active ingredient compound of the present invention, that is, 4-[5-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-(trifluoromethyl)isoxazole-3-yl]-2-methyl-N-[2-oxo-2-[(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)amino]ethyl]benzamide or (Z)-4-[5-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-5-trifluoromethyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazole-3-yl]-N-(methoxyiminomethyl)-2-methylbenzamide and known insecticides, miticides, nematicides, molluscicides, microbicides, or bactericides, have also been known (see, for example, Patent Documents 3, 4, and 5).

Insecticidal, miticidal, nematicidal, molluscicidal, microbicidal, or bactericidal composition and method for controlling pest


A three-dimensional (3D) endoscope is provided. The 3D endoscope comprises a probe; a positioning device to locate a tip of the probe at a first position O and a second position O′; a light guide extending through the probe and configured to guide a light propagating through the probe configured to project on a surface a first light beam from the tip at the first position and a second light beam from the tip at the second position; a detector configured to detect the first light beam reflected from the surface and the second light beam reflected from the surface; and an image processor configured to determine a first distance R between the first position and the surface based on a position difference between the first and second positions, a first deflection angle θ of the first light beam deflected from the probe at the first position and a second deflection angle θ′ of the second light beam deflected from the probe; obtain image data carried by the first and second light beams detected by the detector; and obtain a 3D image based, the first distance R, the first deflection angle θ, and the first rotation angle φ associated with each pixel on the image.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates in general to a spectrally encoded endoscope (SEE), and more particularly, to three-dimensional endoscope design and image reconstruction process for a spectrally encoded endoscope.
Description of the Related Art
The first endoscope was invented more than 50 years ago and consisted of a bundle of optical fibers. Since then, significant progress in minimally invasive surgeries and thereby reducing the risk of complications, costs, and recovery times has been made.
With the advent of inexpensive and miniature CMOS sensors which are mainly used in smart phones, endoscopes are shifting from fiber bundles into designs with imaging sensors at the distal tip of a probe. One significant drawback on these CMOS sensor based endoscopes is the tradeoff between the scope diameter and the resolution. The spectrally encoded endoscope (SEE) is one of the smallest endoscope that has shown a great potential for the use in minimally invasive surgeries. The original SEE system is designed for side view applications. Due to its smaller diameter of only several hundred microns, the probe itself is much more flexible compared to other scopes available on the market. However, currently, the SEE probes provide distorted two-dimensional view of a target to be imaged. It is desirable to provide a stereovision or even three-dimensional (3D) vision of the target using SEE technology without increasing the diameter of the probe.