A composite implantable biocompatible vascular access port device for delivering a fluid medication to or withdrawing a fluid medication from the body. The device has a non-metallic housing defining an interior chamber with inlet and outlet openings, a self-sealing penetrable septum, a non-reactive chamber liner, and a non-reactive delivery conduit. The septum closes the inlet opening and provides a seal through which fluid medication may be injected into the chamber. The chamber liner underlies the septum and cooperates with it to isolate the injected fluid medication from the housing and from leakage into body tissue. The delivery conduit communicates with the interior of the liner, and extends through the outlet opening to convey fluid medication to the exterior of the housing.

The invention relates to implantable biocompatible vascular access port devices used in the delivery of medicines, treatments, or any other fluids into a body and/or the withdrawal of fluids from the body.
Access port devices are surgically implanted under the skin and generally include an outlet opening connected by means of a tubular conduit (catheter) system to a blood vessel within the body. Typically, such devices include septums which serve as covers for the medicine chambers and are comprised of materials which automatically reseal themselves after having been penetrated by a hypodermic needle. Fluid medications are typically infused via hypodermic needles attached to a syringe. The needle passes through the skin and through the septum into the chamber, allowing the fluid to be injected into the chamber and expelled through the catheter into the selected body site.
Conventional access port devices have either all-plastic or all-metal constructions. The plastic constructions are advantageous in that they are inexpensive to fabricate utilizing conventional molding techniques. However, plastic constructions have the disadvantage that fluids being infused into a patient sometimes react with the material and leach out unwanted or harmful compounds from the plastic material in the fluids being infused. For example, polyethersulfone is a material commonly used in plastic devices. Substances found to be incompatible with polyethersulfone are acetaldehyde, aniline, benzaldehyde, chlorobenzene, chloroform, phenol, pyridine, and toluene.
Plastic constructions also have the drawback that certain compounds from the fluids sometime adhere to the plastic reservoir surfaces, and in so doing result in a reduction or change of the potency of the fluid being delivered to the patient.
All-metal constructions significantly increase implant weight, are limited in possible design shapes, and are labor intensive to manufacture. In some cases, the metal structures are enveloped with a silastic rubber coating to improve the exterior surface and to make the device softer and more desireable for implantation and tissue contact. Such surface coatings, however, fail to address the basic shortcommings of all-metal structures and in some cases may create new hazards.
There is a need therefore for an access port device which has non-reactive surfaces in contact with the fluid medications, is similar in weight to the all-plastic devices, and is easy to manufacture.
With the foregoing in mind the object of the invention is to provide a composite structure which takes advantage of the low cost, high quality construction methods available through the use of molded plastic materials, and which also takes advantage of the non-reactive characteristics of metallic o ceramic surfaces

Composite implantable biocompatible vascular access port device


A thermal-type infrared imaging device includes a first thermo-electric converting element (101) for generating an electric signal which corresponds to temperature determined according to heat generated by absorbing an incident infrared ray, a first bipolar transistor (102) having its emitted connected to the first thermo-electric converting element (101), and a second bipolar transistor (104) having its collector connected to the collector of the first bipolar transistor (102). The thermal-type infrared imaging device further includes a resistor (103) connected at one end thereof to a power supply and at the other end to the emitter of the second bipolar transistor (104), and an integration capacitor (105) connected to a connecting point of the respective collectors of the first and second bipolar transistors (102 and 104).

The present invention relates to an infrared imaging device, and more particularly to a thermal-type infrared imaging device which detects an incident infrared ray as heat.
The thermal-type infrared imaging device is used, for example, for the purpose of measuring the surface temperature distribution of an object by absorbing infrared rays irradiated from each part of an object and converting them to heat, furthermore converting heat to an electric signal, and displaying the signal as an image.
In the thermal-type infrared imaging device, it is necessary to filter out noise to enhance a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and also to make a fluctuation between pixels smaller.
A conventional thermal-type infrared imaging device is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-193752 and Japanese Patent Application No. 6-189144, which are inventions of a prior application of the present inventor.
FIG. 21 shows a sectional view of a conventional thermal-type infrared imaging device, and FIG. 22 shows a plan view of the conventional thermal-type infrared imaging device. The thermal-type infrared imaging device according to the prior application, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, has a semiconductor substrate 20 and a scanning circuit 21 on the substrate, and on the scanning circuit 21, has a light receiving section for converting an incident infrared ray to an electric signal.
The light receiving section has a silicon oxide film 22, a cavity 23, a ground wire 24 consisting of aluminum (Al), a signal wire 25 consisting of Al, a slit 26, a titanium bolometer 27, a silicon oxide film 28, titanium nitride 29, and a vertical selection line 30.
The scanning circuit and the light receiving section integrate a plurality of circuits and light receiving sections with respect to a pixel so that a two-dimensional infrared image can be obtainable.
The light receiving section comprises an infrared-ray absorbing layer for absorbing an infrared ray, a diaphragm for preventing escape of heat, and a thermo-electric converting element for converting heat to an electric signal. The diaphragm forms a floating film structure by removing the underlying layer by etching. The thermo-electric converting element in this example employs a bolometer where the electric resistance value varies with temperature and employs titanium as material of the bolometer.
The infrared ray incident on each pixel is absorbed by the infrared-ray absorbing layer of each pixel and causes the temperature of the diaphragm of each pixel to rise. This temperature rise is converted to an electric signal by the titanium bolometer, and the electric signal is output in sequence to an external circuit through the circuit on the substrate. Note that the details of these are described in No. 6-189144.
Objects irradiate an infrared ray having a certain power corresponding to the temperature, based on Plank's equation. For this reason, the infrared imaging device has a large bias component unlike an imaging device for visible light. For example, when the infrared ray of an object of near 300.degree. K. is imaged, there is the need to take out a slight signal component which is above a large bias component irradiated by an object of 300.degree. K.
Furthermore, in the infrared imaging device of the bolometer type, it is necessary that a bias current flows in order to read out a signal. In the infrared imaging device of the bolometer type which operates at normal temperature, the rate of a bias current becomes larger particularly to a signal current and this is also causative of making the bias component larger.
On the other hand, a conventional thermal-type infrared imaging device is provided with a constant current source in addition to a transistor which converts a signal to a current, and a very large bias component is canceled with respect to this signal.
FIG. 23 shows a circuit diagram of the conventional thermal-type infrared imaging device. The thermal-type infrared imaging device has a bolometer 1, a pixel switch 2, a vertical AND element 3, a horizontal switch 4, a horizontal AND element 5, a ground wire 6, a vertical signal line 7, a horizontal signal line 8, a vertical shift register 9, a latch 10, a horizontal register 11, a first output 12, a second output 13, a first integration circuit 14, and a second integration circuit 15. Note that the details of these are described in No. 7-193752.
In addition, in another example an integration capacitor is provided in each pixel. With this, integrating time can be made larger, and the band of noise is narrowed and noise can be reduced (see No. 7-193752). As another example, a quantum-type infrared imaging device is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-87406 (Japanese Patent Application No. 5-229946). An integration capacitor is provided in each line so that it can be made larger.
Generally, in the infrared imaging device there exists a fluctuation in the bias level which results from a fluctuation in the detector of each pixel. This is referred to as fixed pattern noise (FPN), and a correction circuit is usually provided to correct the noise. As a conventional example, memory for holding the fluctuation quantity of a bias level is provided exteriorly of an infrared imaging element, and fixed pattern noise is corrected (see No. 6-189144).
Also, in the example of the prior application, the output of a device has an integration transistor, the emitter of the transistor is connected to the output, and the collector is connected to an integration capacitor (see No. 6-189144).
The technique, disclosed in No. 7-193752 of the related application can filter out a large bias component and take out a signal component, but it has the following problems.
In order to integrate the signal of the thermo-electric converting element, there is the need to convert the resistance change or voltage change of the thermo-electric converting element to a change in the current. For this reason, an amplifying element, such as a transistor, or a nonlinear element becomes necessary. However, transistors have noise such as shot noise and Johnson noise regardless of the transistor type such as the bipolar type and the MOS type. In order to improve the S/N ratio, the noise caused by the transistor needs to be made as smaller as possible.
The integration circuit, used in No. 6-189144, has very low noise, but there is no consideration for the aforementioned canceling of the bias component. Even if the techniques of both prior applications were combined with each other, the combination would further have the following problems.
In a thermal-type infrared imaging device using a bolometer, such as that shown in FIG. 22, when the temperature of the device changes, the temperature of the bolometer on the device also changes and therefore the temperature change, as it is, will appear in a signal. For example, when an object with a temperature difference of 1.degree. C. is viewed, the temperature change of the diaphragm is a slight temperature difference of about 0.002.degree. C. and therefore the temperature change (drift) of this device gives a large influence. Therefore, to cope with this, a constant temperature device and a correction circuit become necessary, and in addition, there arises the problem that the dynamic range of a signal is narrowed.
Furthermore, the noise of the circuit, which cancels a bias component, needs to be made as small as possible for an improvement in the S/N ratio. However, in the conventional example there is no consideration for this.
Moreover, the conventional thermal-type infrared imaging device has an integration capacitor for each pixel, so there is a limit to an enlargement in the capacity of a capacitor. For this reason, there arises the problem that the dynamic range of a signal is restricted. On the other hand, there is an example of the quantum type where an integration capacitor is arranged in each column of pixels, but the quantum type, as it is, is not applicable to the thermal-type infrared imaging device.
For an improvement in an S/N ratio, there is the need to make bias current larger. In such a case, the operating voltage of a device is increased. However, a countermeasure in the case has not been considered in the conventional example.
If current flows through a bolometer, the self-heat generation of the bolometer will take place and there will be cases where the dynamic range of a signal will be restricted. However, a countermeasure in the case has not been considered in the conventional example.
The aforementioned fixed pattern noise has the problem that the dynamic range of a signal is narrowed, and therefore, in the conventional example a correction is made, for example, by a correction circuit. However, there arises the problem that the correction circuit requires a large-scale circuit such as an A/D converter and memory.


A data processing system improved in respect to the processing speed and a method of describing programs for the system. The data processing system includes a plurality of devices capable of processing data and interconnection managing units connected to one another and provided at least in one-to one correspondence in association with the devices. The interconnection managing unit is so designed as to allow processing to be executed on the associated device in accordance with an input program while transferring the program to the other interconnection managing unit(s). Further, the data processing system includes a program managing unit which is connected to all the interconnection managing units for managing execution of program in the individual interconnection managing units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing system including a plurality of devices, in which data processings are performed in the devices in accordance with a program or programs.
2. Description of the Related Art
For having better understanding of the concept underlying the present invention, description will first be made of a conventional data processing system known heretofore. FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings is a schematic diagram for illustrating, by way of example, data processing executed by a conventional data processing system by taking as example the addition of "3" a given augend. In that case, instructions mentioned below are executed as the arithmetic processings involved in the addition of "3".
0000 LOAD H, 3 . . . place "3" in an H-register of a CPU of the data processing system. PA1 0001 LOAD 0100, H . . . transfer the data placed in the H-register to a memory at an address "100" thereof. PA1 0002 IN L, 0200 . . . transfer augend data to an L-register of the CPU from an input/output unit having an address "200". PA1 0003 ADD H, L . . . add together the data stored in both the H-register and the L-register, whereon a sum data resulting from the addition is placed in the H-register. PA1 0004 LOAD 0101, H . . . transfer the sum data of the H-register to the memory at the address "101" thereof. PA1 0005 OUT 0200, H . . . transfer the data of the H-register incorporated in the CPU to the input/output unit having the address "200".
As can be seen from the above elucidation, in any processing step, the data necessarily undergoes the processing executed by the CPU (Central Processing Unit), which in turn means that the processing speed of the data processing system depends on the processing speed or capability of the CPU incorporated in the data processing system. To say in another way, the processing speed of a data processing system is inevitably determined by the processing capability or speed of the CPU, thus giving rise to a problem.

Data processing system and programming method therefor


A coil includes a toroid with a first gap having a gap width smaller than 1.5 mm. The toroid is at least partly coated with a first polymer. Preferably, the toroid has a second gap which can be coated with a second polymer. This toroid can be manufactured by the method of the invention, which includes providing the gap, subsequently covering the gap and at least neighboring portions of the toroid with a polymer coating, and then providing the second gap.

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a geometrically substantially closed core provided with a first gap which is at least partly filled, which core is mechanically stable and suitable for use in a magnetic coil.
The invention also relates to a core which is substantially closed and provided with a first gap which is at least partly filled, which core is mechanically stable and suitable for use in a magnetic coil.
The invention further relates to a magnetic coil comprising a core and a number of turns, which coil is geometrically substantially closed and provided with a first gap which is at least partly filled.
Such a magnetic coil is known from EP-A 821375. The core of the known coil comprises a highly permeable material such as a ferrite. A stiff epoxy material is introduced into the first gap, whereby the noise generation is reduced.
A disadvantage of the known coil is that the epoxy material is to be placed in the gap and is to be retained to the core by means of an adhesive. This placement is effected mechanically and involves a considerable cost.
It is a first object of the invention to provide a method of manufacturing a core of the kind described in the opening paragraph which is simpler.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a core of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph which has good characteristics and can be inexpensively manufactured.
It is a third object of the invention to provide a magnetic coil of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraphs in which the above disadvantages are counteracted.
The first object is achieved in that the method comprises the following consecutive steps:
the provision of the first gap in the core with a gap width of at most 1.5 mm, and
coating of the core and of the first gap with a layer of a first synthetic resin.
It was found that the first gap in the core can be fully closed by the application of a protective layer of the first synthetic resin, provided the gap is narrow enough. A sufficiently narrow gap is a gap having a width of at most 1.5 mm. A core with a gap having such a gap width is preferably used in the case of cores having diameters smaller than approximately 25 mm. The first synthetic resin has a small, preferably negligibly small magnetic susceptibility and preferably has a melting temperature which is at least 10 to 30 degrees higher than the continuous operational temperature of a magnetic coil in which the core is to be used. Many known synthetic resins are suitable for use as the first synthetic resin. The first synthetic resin is, for example, a polyamide with a melting temperature of approximately 150xc2x0 C. The first synthetic resin forms a layer around the core which need not be adhered to the core anymore. It is not necessary for the layer to fill the first gap entirely; by enveloping the first gap it prevents first of all that turns of the coil are passed through the first gap, which would make the coil useless, when the core is used in a magnetic coil. In addition, the layer provides a higher mechanical stability against vibrations because the layer fixes the positions of the edges of the core on either side of the gap.
An advantage of the use of the first synthetic resin is that this type of material is electrically insulating and forms a protective layer which prevents electrical contact between the core, which is preferably made of ferrite, and the turns. This renders it unnecessary to apply a supplementary protective layer. The absence of a supplementary protective layer eliminates a step in the manufacture and increases the quantity of material of high magnetic permeability in the core at unchanged dimensions.
In an embodiment, the method according to the invention comprises the provision of a second gap in the core after the core and the first gap have been coated. It was surprisingly found that the core with its first gap coated with a layer of the first synthetic resin is mechanically so strong that a second gap can be provided therein without the core becoming deformed. It is in fact important for the operation of the core that the gap width does not change. It is accordingly possible to provide a second gap in the coated core. If a core has two gaps, each of the gaps can be made narrower. A core having narrower gaps is preferred because the magnetic field widens as the width of a gap increases and because this widening leads to energy losses in the operation of a coil provided with a core. The second gap may be provided, for example, in that the core is incised with a diamond saw, as can indeed the first gap. The gap width can be adjusted in this operation.
It is favorable when at least the second gap and an adjoining portion of the core are coated with a layer of a second synthetic resin. Coating of the second gap has the same advantages as coating of the first gap, inter alia the fixation of the gap width, insulation of the ferrite, fixation of the turns, provision of mechanical stability, and the possibility of providing an additional gap. Preferably, the gap widths in a core having two gaps are chosen to be smaller by a factor two as compared with a core having one gap. It may be that the first gap and the second gap have the same gap width. It is furthermore possible that not the entire core is coated with a layer of the second synthetic resin but that this synthetic resin is applied selectively.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the second synthetic resin is a material having a melting temperature which lies between the operational temperature of the core in the magnetic coil and the melting temperature of the first synthetic resin. The second synthetic resin in this embodiment may be provided by means of a powder coating technique. In this case, the ferrite core is preheated to above the melting temperature of the second synthetic resin, whereupon the second synthetic resin is provided in powder or suspension form on the core, melts thereon, and forms a layer. To safeguard the characteristics of the core in the long term, it is stipulated that the melting temperature of the second synthetic resin must lie at least 10 to 30xc2x0 C. above said operational temperature. An operational temperature of 50 to 100xc2x0 C. is usual for a ferrite core, depending furthermore on the application of the magnetic coil in which the core is incorporated.
In another embodiment of the method according to the invention, the layer of the second synthetic resin is provided through the application of a curable material, which material is subsequently cured. Examples of curable materials are inter alia acrylates and epoxides. A reaction can be initiated in the layer through the supply of heat or ultraviolet radiation after the core has been coated. The use of ultraviolet radiation as an initiator means that the melting temperature is less relevant. The curable material is applied, for example, by immersion. Preferably, not the entire core is coated with the second synthetic resin.
In an alternative embodiment, the method according to the invention comprises the following steps prior to the provision of the first gap:
the provision of a third gap in the core, and
coating of at least said third gap and an adjoining portion with a layer of a third synthetic resin.
In this embodiment, the layer of the first synthetic resin is not provided as the first layer, but preferably as the final layer. This provides the advantage that the uninterrupted layer of the first synthetic resin forms an additional protective layer for the core and for the gaps in the core.
It is furthermore possible to manufacture a core with several gaps in a simple manner through a suitable choice of synthetic resins of various melting temperatures, each lying above the continuous operational temperature. A third synthetic resin which may be used is, for example, parylene, the first synthetic resin may be polyamide, and the second a polyalkylene.
The second object of the invention is realized by means of a core of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraphs in that the first gap is coated with a layer of a first synthetic resin which covers the core at least partly and seals off the first gap.
The third object of the invention is realized by means of a magnetic coil of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraphs in that a first layer is present which covers the core at least partly and at the same time closes off the first gap. The core of such a magnetic coil may be manufactured by the method according to the invention. The core may be annular, or alternatively rectangular. An example of a rectangular core is the core such as used in integrated inductive components. Preferably, the core is a ferrite ring or toroidal core with a diameter of less than 15 mm. A magnetic coil with a toroidal core of such a size is small enough for use in a wide variety of modern, preferably portable devices. Usual sizes are outer diameters of approximately 4 and 9 mm. Preferred gap widths are 0.050; 0.100; 0.250; 0.500; and 1.0 mm. Preferably, the core comprises a ferrite material such as MnZn, NiZn, and MgZn. The layer comprises a synthetic resin. Advantages of synthetic resins include their elasticity, low mass, electrical insulation, chemical and magnetic inertia, low cost price, and flexibility in applying techniques. An example of a material is polyamide. The number of turns is usually between 10 and 100. It is possible for primary turns and secondary turns to be present around the core.
Furthermore, a second gap may be present. The angle enclosed by the first and the second gap is variable. An advantage of this angle variation between 5 and 355 degrees is the greater degree of freedom in design and production methods. A further advantage is that the core may comprise more than two gaps, in particular an odd number. This is in contrast to the toroidal core for a magnetic coil known from B. D. Wiese and G. E. Schaller, The Micro-Gapped Toroid, A New Magnetic Component (Ceramic Magnetics Inc.). This toroidal core with a diameter smaller than 15 mm comprises two gaps which enclose an angle of 180xc2x0 with one another. The gaps of this toroidal core are found to be filled up with a foil fastened to the core with glue. The core is cut through into two halves in the manufacture of this toroidal core. Then the first and the second half of the core are placed against one another again, a foil being provided between the two halves. The foil is adhered to the core with glue. Then the foil is cut off in the shape of the core. A disadvantage of this toroidal core is the placement of the two halves of the core onto one another. This placement is a labor-intensive job and involves the risk that the positioning is not accurate enough, so that the toroidal core is magnetically below par.

Method of manufacturing a substantially closed core, core, and magnetic coil


An apparatus provides coherent data copying operations where data replication is controlled by a source storage controller directly to a destination controller and managed by a remote application. The apparatus generates a snapshot version for each source data block changed by one or more write operations to the source data block during the course of a copy operation; and copies each block of the source data to a corresponding block in the destination data in the absence of the snapshot version of the block and otherwise copying the snapshot version of the source data block to the corresponding block in the destination data.

The invention relates to systems and methods for replicating distributed data over a network.
The advent of client-server technology has led to a widespread sharing and communication of data over one or more computer networks, including local area networks and wide area networks such as the Internet. In client-server systems, users perform processing in connection with data and programs that may be stored in the network's mass storage systems through network-attached personal computers and workstations. The personal computers/workstations, operating as clients, download the data and programs from the network mass storage systems for processing and upload the resulting data to the network mass storage systems. The ubiquity of client applications has led to an explosion of data that needs to be stored.
To meet growing storage demand, new storage architectures have been developed: Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Network (SAN). In a NAS, intelligent storage devices connect directly to the network and are dedicated to file serving in a client/server relationship. The NAS device has its own processor with an operating system or micro kernel, and processes file I/O protocols, such as NFS, to manage the transfer of data between itself and its clients. To applications running on the network, the NAS device appears to be a server. To a client, the NAS device is a large file system.
In an SAN environment, the function of storage is detached from network servers and centralized and managed as a separate network resource. SANs that are based on Fibre Channel buses have recently emerged as one of the high performance data communications environments available today to interconnect servers and storage. Running at Gigabit speeds and built on open standards, SANs offer better scalability, fault recovery and general manageability than conventional client-server LAN based approaches.
Data stored in the data storage devices needs to be backed-up to protect against data corruption and to permit the recovery of the data exactly as they existed at a particular point in time in the event of system failure or inadvertent loss of data. The data is typically automatically backed up on a daily or other periodic basis and is stored on either tape or optical archive media. However, during a data back-up operation, the data being backed-up may be accessed by an application and changed.
Since denying access to data during the back-up operation is normally unacceptable, the file server typically captures a snapshot of changed data during the back-up operation. During the snapshot operation, the file server intercepts write operations to the data while backing-up the unchanged data before allowing the write operations to modify the data. During the copy operation, the file server reads each data block to be copied and writes it to the target storage device. Snapshot data bytes are inserted in their proper locations to maintain data coherency. The read/write operation requires the data to travel across a storage channel twice. As such, significant file server processor and memory resources and SAN bandwidth are used during the data copy operation.

Coherent device to device data replication


The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of pure lycopene or of lipophilic extracts containing it from whole fruits of Lycopersicum esculentum and similar species or parts thereof obtainable as by-products of food industry processes. The partially dehydrated fresh material is extracted with aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons or water-immiscible solvents in the presence of phospholipids as surfactant and stabilizing agents and the extracts are concentrated to an oil or fractionated to the desired lycopene concentration.

Lycopene is a highly lipophilic procarotenoid present in greatest amounts in the species Lycopersicum although it may be found in lower amounts in other vegetable and algae species. Lycopene is present in common tomatoes in concentrations ranging from 30 to 100 ppm, on the average at 50 ppm. It is usually present as a secondary metabolite in mammals, where it plays an important role as an antioxidant and free-radicals scavenger, together with substances such as Vitamin E, Vitamin C and other compounds. At the plasma level, lycopene has been found to be incorporated in low-density lipoproteins in which it decreases the oxidation of cholesterol and of other lipids, thus preventing vascular damage. Moreover, an inverse correlation between lycopene blood levels and prostate tumor has recently been proved. The administration of lycopene to humans is therefore important in reducing the risk of tumors and atherosclerosis; hence the need for stable formulations containing lycopene for a preventive chronic treatment in humans.

Process for the extraction of lycopene using phospholipid in the extraction medium


This invention describes a thermoelectric energy generation device based on the ExB drift in a semiconductor. The material is in depletion mode to avoid cancellation of the electric field by space charges. Under ideal, infinite mobility, zero-collision conditions, electrons and holes drift in the same direction, perpendicularly to the electric and magnetic fields, resulting in a zero-output current. However, when mobility is finite, their differing properties such as mobility, effective mass, and charge, manifest themselves as different drift velocity and drift direction resulting in a net output current and power. This invention leverages carriers' properties to accentuate these differences and maximize the output power. Quantities being optimized include, mobility, the product of mobility and the magnetic field, positioning electrodes along the drift axis of the overriding carriers, and adjusting the thickness of the semiconductor layer to accommodate the cycloid motion of one type of carrier but not the other.

The ExB drift is a well-known, but counterintuitive phenomenon: in the presence of a magnetic field and an electric field perpendicular to each other, electrical carriers move along cycloid paths in the same average direction independently of their charge. The cycloids can be viewed as circles traced at a constant distance around a drifting point called guiding center. The motion of the guiding center determines the direction of the ExB drift. In a collision-less medium (one with infinite mobility) this motion is independent of the carriers' charge or mass, and perpendicular to both fields.
This invention relies on the ExB drift that occurs in a medium with finite mobility. In contrast, US patent application 20180026555 [1] and publication [2] by the same inventor relies on surface drift in a medium with infinite mobility, in which particles follow partial orbits interrupted by the surface. This surface drift occurs in a direction opposite to the cross product of E and B, in other words, in a direction opposite to the ExB drift of this invention. (see the figures and equations 5, 6, 9 and 12 of that application).
This invention is also different from U.S. Pat. No. 10,439,123 and publication [4] by Fu and Skinner which relies on an ExB drift in which particles are transported parallel to the E field (see their FIG. 1 and claims 1, 10 and 19). Their invention is restricted to materials with a band gap energy EG smaller than kBT which result in the saturation (non-depletion) of the material and a loss in performance. It is also restricted to devices that produce a heat flow in the direction of the E field (see their claims 1, and 19) and are accordingly limited in their configuration to utilize such a heat flow. Fu and Skinner's invention is also restricted to devices that produce an electric field in the direction of the heat flow (their claim 10) and are accordingly limited in their configuration to utilize such an electric field. Their application does not mention the production of any output current or output power.

ExB drift thermoelectric energy generation device


A sealing cap for watertightly closing an access opening in the lamp housing of an aimable vehicle headlamp having a bulb tiltably mounted therein. The sealing cap comprises a relatively rigid framing part and a relatively pliant cap part closely interengaged into an essentially single unit. The framing part has a core of annular shape, and a plurality of hooks formed in one piece with the core and coacting therewith to engage the edge of the lamp housing bounding the access opening. The cap part is generally disklike in shape, comprising an outer sheath of annular shape enveloping the core of the framing part, a central bulb holder of tubular shape to be sleeved upon the base of the bulb, and an intermediate flexible connective portion of annular shape joining the sheath and the bulb holder.

This invention relates to vehicle headlamps in general and, in particular, to a sealing cap for vehicle headlamps and to a method of fabricating the sealing cap.
An aimable headlamp is known which comprises a lamp housing immovably mounted to a vehicle body, a reflector tiltably mounted to the lamp housing, and an electric bulb replaceably mounted to the reflector. The reflector together with the bulb is tilted relative to the reflector for aiming the beam of light thrown by the headlamp. The lamp housing has a relatively large access opening for electrical connection of the lamp bulb to a power supply and for replacement of the bulb. A disklike sealing cap is generally employed for watertightly closing the annular gap between the lamp housing edge defining the access opening and the base of the bulb.
One known sealing cap is a substantially disklike piece of rubber or like elastic material comprising a peripheral portion with an annular groove to engage a rim which is formed on the lamp housing so as to surround the access opening, a tubular central portion to fit over the base of a lamp bulb, and an annular, pleated intermediate portion joining the peripheral portion and the central portion.
An objection to this prior art device is that, in remounting the sealing cap as after bulb replacement, the groove in the peripheral portion may not properly engage the rim of the lamp housing. The peripheral portion must of necessity be of considerable thickness in order to prevent accidental detachment from the lamp housing. A touch on this thick peripheral portion was therefore insufficient to make sure that its groove was in full engagement with the lamp housing rim. Any incomplete engagement led to a failure in watertightly closing the gap between lamp housing and lamp bulb.
This weakness is absent from another known sealing cap which has an annular peripheral portion of L shaped cross section to engage the lamp housing rim. This second known sealing cap is intended for use with a separate disklike locking cap to fit over the sealing cap. The locking cap has an annular peripheral groove to engage the lamp housing rim together with the peripheral portion of the sealing cap and hence to lock the sealing cap in position on the lamp housing.
Once the locking cap is mounted in place, the sealing cap infallibly makes watertight engagement with the lamp housing. However, the necessity for manipulation of both sealing cap and locking cap made bulb replacement troublesome. Also, being engaged with the lamp housing via the elastic sealing cap, the locking cap required considerable manual effort for its mounting and dismounting. Although the locking cap had ribs formed on its periphery to prevent slipping, they were insufficient to afford a firm grip on the cap.
The two prior art devices discussed above are subject to an additional inconvenience in common. Both presuppose the existence of the annular rim on the lamp housing. This rim necessitated the use of sliding molds for the fabrication of the lamp housing. Such molds were complex and expensive in construction.

Sealing cap for vehicle headlamps and method of fabrication


A system includes multiple lifting devices, where each lifting device includes a drum to draw in or let out a line, and a motor and transmission coupled to the drum to apply a torque thereto. A grouping module groups the lifting devices for synchronized operation in lifting a shared load. A load distribution management module monitors an amount of weight carried by each of the grouped lifting devices and provides feedback to a user to enable more optimal distribution of the shared load amongst the grouped lifting devices.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hoists, winches, and other pulling and/or lifting devices.
Background of the Invention
Hoists and winches are used extensively to lift, lower, or pull loads of various kinds Such devices typically include a line, such as a cable or chain, wrapped around a spool. To lift, lower, or pull a load, the spool may be manually rotated or driven with a motor, such as an electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic motor. When rotation is not desired, a braking mechanism may be used to prevent the spool from turning. This may maintain tension in the line, keep a load suspended, or prevent the release or unspooling of the line. To keep the line from bunching on the spool, some hoists or winches may include guides or other mechanisms to evenly wind the line around the spool.
Although a wide variety of hoists and winches are available, many have shortcomings that prevent or discourage their use in various applications. For example, some hoists or winches are bulky or cumbersome, which may prevent their use in applications where greater compactness is required or desired. Other hoists and winches may be economically infeasible for use in applications such as consumer or residential applications due to their complexity or expense.
The accuracy and precision of some hoists and winches may also be lacking in certain applications. For example, because the line of a hoist or winch may be wound around itself in an irregular or unpredictable manner, the effective diameter of the spool may change for line that is drawn in or let out from the spool. The result is that, for any given angle of rotation of the spool, an unpredictable amount of line may be drawn in or let out. This can make the hoist or winch unsuitable for applications where a high degree of precision is required. It can also make the winch or hoist unsuitable for operations that require a high degree of repeatability.
Some hoists and winches may also have shortcomings in terms of the control and information they provide. For example, current hoists and winches may lack mechanisms for determining certain parameters during operation. For example, short of manually measuring or observing a hoist or winch, it may be difficult or impossible to determine how much line is let out from the hoist or winch at any given time. Even if possible, it may not be possible to do so with a desired degree of precision. In other cases, the ability to determine a load on the hoist or winch, or adjust the speed of a hoist or winch (which may depend on the load) may be lacking. In yet other cases, an event such as a power outage or reset may cause a hoist or winch to forget or lose information regarding current operating parameters.
As with most fields of endeavor, improvements are constantly sought after by those of skill in the art. As it relates to hoists and winches, improvements are needed to address bulkiness, complexity, expense, precision, and control, as discussed herein. Ideally, such improvements will create new applications for hoists or winches, or make hoists or winches more economically or practically feasible for existing applications.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Load distribution management for groups of motorized lifting devices


A control system for interactively operating a show control system (audio plus data) provided in a walk-around character costume. The system includes an interactive controller wearable with the walk-around character costume. The system includes an audio base station and a host controller communicatively linked to the audio base station. The interactive controller and the audio base station communicate via a wireless communications link. The control system includes a speaker controlled by the interactive controller, and the host controller transmits data over the wireless communications link via the audio base station including commands to play an audio file and an animation file, stored in memory accessible by the interactive controller, with the speaker. The control system includes microphones, linked to the interactive controller, capturing sounds near the walk-around character costume, and the interactive controller transmits the captured sounds over the communications link to the host controller via the audio base station.

1. Field of the Description
The present invention relates, in general, to walk-around costumed characters and control over audio output (e.g., a character may sing or talk when its systems are selectively operated) on such walk-around characters, and, more particularly, to methods and systems for implementing remote triggering or control over a walk-around character costume (i.e., its audio and/or animating components) to selectively and more effectively trigger audio playback of pre-recorded and stored audio clips in an asynchronous manner (and, in some cases, to concurrently or separately trigger operation of mechanical and/or electrical components that cause the costume components to move or to be animated).
2. Relevant Background
Walk-around or costumed characters are used to entertain and interact with visitors of many facilities including theme or amusement parks such as during meet-and-greet shows and theatrical shows at such facilities. A walk-around character may be provided by an operator or performer wearing a costume including a head that covers the performer's face. The costume head is mounted to or supported on a headband worn by the performer or head-worn suspension or hat suspension may be used to support the costume head. In the head and/or costume, equipment including sound equipment (e.g., a speaker for playing pre-recorded audio) and robotics are provided so that a walk-around character can "speak" with visitors by playing back pre-recorded lines of conversation that may be scripted in advance, by playing live voice from backstage performers, and/or by outputting the in-costume performer's voice to provide a meetable character or "hero" that can also, if desired, be animated to move their eyes, mouth, and other features on their head or face while they talk and interact with the visitors.
In many applications, the walk-around character is representing a character from a movie, a video game, a cartoon, or the like. The visitors expect that character to have a particular or a single voice, e.g., the voice used in the movie, and the quality and believability of this voice-over content often cannot be recreated electronically, e.g., with a voice changer. As a result, the performer cannot use their own voice when they meet and talk with visitors, and, instead, scripted lines and dialog (i.e., audio content) typically are recorded by pre-approved voice talent for each of the walk-around characters to provide the expected voices. Onboard audio or sound equipment in the worn costume is provided to store the audio clips, to allow their ready retrieval, and to provide speakers for local output of the audio content to nearby visitors when the audio equipment is controlled or triggered to playback these lines at appropriate times. The character's head may simultaneously be animated such as by operating robotics to provide mouth movement and eye blinks synchronized to the audio playback.
To allow each walk-around character to speak to visitors, there has to be an effective way to trigger the audio that cannot be detected by the nearby visitors. The triggering mechanism should not be audible to the visitor. In some implementations, control is provided to the performer within the costume using finger paddles that the performer can operate to lip sync the character mouth to the pre-recorded audio track being played back to the visitor. Use of finger paddles by the actor or puppeteer wearing the costume, though, may be apparent to the visitors, which can detract from the illusion or desired effect.
Other implementations use a backstage operator who has control over the audio and animation by selectively sending wireless control signals to the costume's sound and animation system. However, it has proven very difficult for this backstage operator to control, in real time, the simultaneous audio playback and animation of the costume's features in a manner that appears interactive with visitors and works for a real-time meet and greet with these visitors. Hence, many applications have been limited to playback of predetermined "canned" animation of the costume's features with audio playback synchronized with such animation, e.g., in a show or a parade audio or a soundtrack and/or dialog is synchronized with animation by robotics via a Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers (SMPTE) time code or the like.
There remains a need for effective ways to control walk-around character equipment such as to control an audio playback and animation of the character's mouth. Preferably, the controls would not be audible and would not be detectable by an observer. Also, it would be useful for such controls to be in adaptive in real time to provide a walk-around costumed character that interacts in a conversational manner with visitors in a meet-and-greet or similar interactive experience.

Full-duplex, wireless control system for interactive costumed characters


Device and method for the automatic register setting of printings printed by plate cylinders in a rotary machine using inks of a plurality of colors. The printing machine particularly comprises a succession of printing units, at least one pulse generator, two pull rollers located downstream of the printing units, a combination of plate cylinders and compensating rollers to correct some register errors, scanning heads each located near and downstream to the respective printing units. Each printing unit particularly includes one of the plate cylinders as well as one of the pressing cylinders. Each pressing cylinder is controlled by a control unit.

The present invention is related to a method of automatic register setting of printings in a rotary machine and to a device for working the method.
1. Background of the Invention
The method refers in particular to the automatic register setting of printings printed by plate cylinders in a rotary machine such as a heliographic, flexographic or other printing machine, printing a web such as paper, cardboard or a flexible material like, for example, polyethylene.
2. Description of the Related Art
This kind of machine usually comprises several printing units placed one after another and each printing a different color. A printing unit includes a plate cylinder and a pressing cylinder between which travels the material to be printed. The plate cylinder is either and engraved cylinder or a cylinder equipped with a printing plate reproducing the printing pattern. To obtain a perfect result, it is necessary that the various printings performed by the printing units are accurately superimposed. Each printing unit prints a register mark on the material web and the register setting of the various colors is achieved by superimposing the various register marks by acting, for example, on the lengthening or on the tension of this web by means of one or more compensating rollers arranged between the printing units. Such a method of register setting is described in patent CH 539 509. This method determines the register error at a printing station, then, from the result of this determination is calculated, according to the travelling of the web, a reference tension or lengthening of this web between the printing station concerned and the preceding one, this tension or this lengthening allowing an optimal correction of the register error. The following operation consists in comparing the reference tension or lengthening with the real tension or lengthening of the web between the printing station in question and the preceding one, in order to act on the web according to the result of this comparison in order to bring the tension or lengthening of the web to the value of the reference tension or lengthening.
This method requires of course a register mark scanning which requires the creation of a scanning gate in order to be absolutely sure to scan only the marks previously printed on the web, excluding any other printing part. Usually, the register marks are printed on a space free of any other printing, for example between two printed patterns or images, or in one of the edges of the web called xe2x80x9cbank edgexe2x80x9d. Patent CH 548 933 describes in detail a method of obtaining a scanning gate.
It is quite clear that this method of register setting will function accurately only at constant operating speed of the printing machine, i.e. in the production phase, but when starting the machine, it will first be necessary to adjust the various plate cylinders with one another. This operation is carried out manually by the machine operator or by means of a system of prepositioning. To do so, the operator will carry out a manual presetting of the plate cylinders and/or the compensating rollers in order to bring all the register marks printed by each plate cylinder in the space defined by the scanning gate. Then he will enter into the memory of the calculator of the register setting device various parameters such as the data related to the angular position of the plate cylinders, the data related to the position of the compensating rollers, as well as other information so that, when repeating the same job, it will not be necessary to start again this operation.
This presetting can also be realized by calculating the angular position of the plate cylinders according to the web length between two printing units and to the circumference of the plate cylinders which corresponds to the printing size. In this calculation, the ratio must necessarily be an integral number.
After this presetting, it may occur that the position of the register marks is somewhat out of the limits of the scanning gate. If required, a repositioning should be carried out, to bring these register marks back in this gate by an additional operation called xe2x80x9cphasingxe2x80x9d. It may even occur that, the presetting having been badly done, the marks are within the printing and that the phasing is not possible to be carried out, in this case a new setting will be necessary.
Generally in the prior art, the various stages for adjusting the cylinders and/or compensating rollers require at least the following operations: the operator will first arrange the plate cylinders in their respective position according to their point of reference. Then he will preposition the cylinders and/or compensating rollers by modifying, in that case, the web length between the printing units. He will then carry out a rough manual setting at slow run before proceeding with the phasing operation by means of an oscilloscope or automatically by means of a code. Resulting from this last stage, necessary corrections will be made in a new manual register which will imply by recurrence effect a new phasing operation followed by precise adjustments before being able to undertake the production phase.
The application of the operations just described hereinbefore involves, in most cases, a high consumption of web for bringing the machine, from the start-up phase, to a constant operating speed in the production phase.
This high consumption of web comes from several factors but principally from the fact that the presetting of the plate cylinders and/or compensating rollers is carried out visually by the machine operator and that he may make important appreciation errors in setting at once all the plate cylinders. Indeed, a bad setting may involve that the register mark is not printed in the scanning gate, in which case there is no possible phasing. Moreover, at the time of the start-up, the possibility of setting errors can be to the maximum of more or less a half printing size if the presetting is not correct, with the risk that the register mark is printed in the area corresponding to the printed image so that any detection of the register mark and hence any phasing is impossible. Numerous other problems affect the setting operation of the plate cylinders which depends in particular on the precision in inserting the cylinders, on the variety of the substrates used, on the different tension levels of the web between the printing units or the sometimes variable webs. These parameters, to quote only those, are often difficult to control. They cause inaccuracies which have repercussions in series and intensify downstream between the various printing units in order to finally exceed the tolerable values specified for the automatic register setting.
To face competition and to increase the flexibility of the services offered in the field of industrial graphic arts, the production series became increasingly smaller thus causing frequent job changes. These changes cause much waste paper and lost time in the preparation phase, which will finally reflect on the cost prices of the finished products.
The aim of the present invention is to overcome the aforecited disadvantages and particularly to reduce on a large scale the time and the consumption of web when setting a rotary printing machine.
The invention, such as described hereafter, allows a simple and automatic register setting which authorizes a maximal initial register error. The method is the same for the preparation of a new job or about an old job. The data relating to the web and to the length between the units are not necessary any more. The phasing and the register setting are done with only one color which avoids any misunderstanding or overlapping of the marks resulting from several overprintings. The corrections of the register errors can be settled very quickly by moving the compensating rollers at high speed, typically about 15 mm/s, without causing any change in the web tension. A possible error of the web path in its travelling around the numerous idling rollers used between the printing units, for example for the web drying, modifies without consequence the length of the web path. According to the invention, the register setting method is not affected by an operation which requires the change of a plate cylinder or a pressing cylinder. Finally, owing to the method of this invention, the printing units must not necessarily be adjacent to one another. It may occur that, for example for maintenance, any printing unit is set out of function in the middle of the rotary printing machine. This setting out of function would not disturb in any way the automatic register setting method.

Method of automatic register setting of printings in a rotary machine and device for working the method


The disclosed sterilizer includes a humidity control system for controlling humidity. The sterilizer for sterilizing objects comprises a chamber for receiving objects to be sterilized and a humidity control system. The humidity control system comprises a water control system which can be connected to a water source for injecting a first quantity of water vapor into the chamber, a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the chamber for measuring pressure in the chamber, a humidity sensor in fluid communication, or in selective fluid communication, with the chamber for sensing a first humidity value (RHchamber) of the first quantity of water vapor in the chamber; and a controller configured to inject a second quantity of water vapor into the chamber.

Goods that cannot withstand autoclaving temperatures can be sterilized with sterilizers using a biocidal gas such as ethylene oxide. Ethylene oxide sterilizers have a sterilizing chamber where the goods to be sterilized can be placed. The door of the sterilizing chamber can then be sealed, and the operator can initiate a sterilizing cycle. For ethylene oxide to exert maximum effect, the goods can be pre-treated with the proper amount of humidity; to achieve this, a vacuum (e.g., partial vacuum) can be drawn within the sterilizing chamber and then water can be released into the chamber. When the correct amount of humidification has been achieved within the chamber, an appropriate charge of ethylene oxide gas can be released and allowed to act on the surfaces and be absorbed by the goods for a period of time. Once the goods are sterile, the ethylene oxide gas can be purged from the chamber and the goods, and the chamber door can be released so the goods can be unloaded.
It can be desirable to achieve the proper humidification within the chamber, i.e., prior to releasing the ethylene oxide gas, at a relatively quick rate, ideally without over-humidifying the chamber, which may require premature chamber evacuation and/or disrupt an entire sterilization cycle.

Sterilizer with a humidity control system


A CPU of a microprocessor includes a common bus, a bus interface unit (BIU), and a plurality of module units. The BIU has a plurality of first ports coupled to respective first ports of the module units via dedicated buses therebetween and has a second port coupled to a first port of the common bus. The module units each include a second port coupled to respective second ports of the common bus. Communication between the module units is routed through and controlled by the BIU. To request a transaction, a module unit (the initiator) sends a request to the BIU via its dedicated bus to the BIU. The BIU arbitrates among present requests and, in response thereto, grants the arbitration winner's request and transmits a command to the target of the requested transaction. Preferably, both of these signals being are transmitted via the dedicated buses. Thereafter, data is routed from, for instance, the target, to the BIU via a corresponding dedicated bus. The BIU then routes the data to the initiator via the common bus.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to a central processing unit of a microprocessor and specifically to a bus system within such a central processing unit.
2. Description of Related Art
In a typical microprocessor based computer system, module units within the central processing unit (CPU) such as, for instance, instruction caches, data caches, a DRAM memory controller, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) interface unit, and so on, communicate with one another via a common bus. Typically, each of the module units communicates with the common bus through a tri-state I/O driver which, in turn, is controlled by a central bus controller. Since the common bus handles only one transaction at a time, a bus control system is necessary to arbitrate control of the common bus to the module units in a manner which optimizes CPU performance. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,380 to Yamada et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,767 to Chen. In some bus control and arbitration systems, bus control is granted to a particular module unit until the present transaction is completed. In other systems, bus control is granted for a predetermined period of time, regardless of whether the present transaction is completed. Most conventional bus control and arbitration systems have an interrupt feature whereby bus control is immediately granted to a specific unit such as, for instance, the memory controller when it is desired to receive streamline audio video information from an external source, e.g., the Internet.
Unfortunately, conventional bus control and arbitration systems undesirably limit CPU performance. For instance, the transmission and reception of data to and from each module unit during a transaction is controlled by the tri-state I/O drivers within the module units. The tri-state drivers, in turn, are controlled by the central bus controller. Thus, when a transaction requires data and control signals to be sent back and forth between two module units, the tri-state drivers within these two module units must first alert the central bus controller which, in response thereto, provides control signals back to the tri-state drivers. This command hierarchy consumes an undesirable amount of time and, therefore, undesirably limits CPU performance. In addition, the time required to switch the tri-state drivers between states consumes time and, thus, further limits CPU performance. CPU performance is further limited by the time required to arbitrate among present transaction requests.

High speed modular internal microprocessor bus system


An oriented polyester film (A) which comprises modified polyethylene-2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate containing a 4,4'-diphenyldicarboxylic acid component and having a heat of crystallization of 16 to 25.5 Joule/g, and (B) which is biaxially oriented; and an oriented polyester film (A') which comprises modified polyethylene-2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate containing of a glycol component derived from a compound represented by the following formula, ##STR1## wherein each of n and m is independently a positive number of 1 to 9 as an average, provided that m+n equals 2 to 9 as an average and having a heat of crystallization of 6 to 20 Joule/g, and (B) which is biaxially oriented. These films are useful as a base film for a magnetic recording tape or as an electric insulation film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a biaxially oriented polyester film, and more specifically, it relates to a biaxially oriented polyester film which is formed from modified polyethylene-2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate, and is particularly useful as a base film for a magnetic recording tape and as an electrically insulating film.
2. Prior Art
A biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film has been hitherto known as a base film for a magnetic recording tape. A magnetic recording tape formed of such a base film has a low coercive force. It is therefore necessary to decrease the tape thickness in order to make it possible to encase a longer tape in a cassette for recording of longer duration. However, when the tape thickness is decreased, there is a problem in that the running properties and durability of the tape deteriorate.
There are therefore a number of proposals for use of a biaxially oriented polyethylene-2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate film having a high Young's modulus as a base film for a magnetic recording tape.
However, even if a magnetic recording tape is produced from the above polyethylene-2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate film having a high Young's modulus and a low heat shrinkage factor, several problems occur when the thickness of the base film is decreased in order to achieve the long recording and reproduction.
For example, the tape undergoes elongation and deformation due to a varied tension at the time of start and stop in tape running, and due to this, a strain consequently occurs in recorded data. Further, such problems occur that one edge of the tape is elongated and bent, and the running tape is stuck in a guide.
Further, there might be another problem. Due to a reason that the affinity between various fine particles added for imparting lubricity and polyethylene-2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate is insufficient, voids might be formed between the fine particles and the polymer, and the fine particles and peeled portions of the polymer might drop from the film. As a result, the base film is abraded at steps of die coater treatment and calender treatment in producing a magnetic tape.
On the other hand, a biaxially oriented polyethylenenaphthalate film is used as an electrically insulating film, and a biaxially oriented polyethylene-2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate film is recently attracting attention. An electrically insulating film is required to have the following properties. (1) It is required to show no deterioration in mechanical properties, insulation performance and electric breakdown even when exposed to a high temperature for a long time. (2) It is required to cause no delamination (interlayer peeling) when used. (3) The amount of low-molecular-weight substances (oligomers) present in the film and on its film surface is required to be small.
A method of increasing the molecular orientation by increasing the draw ratio is effective for improving the heat deterioration resistance and decreasing the amount of oligomers exuded from the film surface, and this method is employed in general practice. However, this method involves another problem in that as a result of the increase in the area drawing ratio, the film tends to cause delamination. Therefore, the increasing of the draw ratio has a limit.
Oh the other hand, a decreasing of the area draw ratio might avoid the film delamination. However, in this case, the heat deterioration resistance decreases, and the amount of oligomers exuded from the film surface increases.


Overhead and data loss are reduced when transferring data via magnetic recording in a magnetic layer of an elongate photographic filmstrip, by providing a trappable data sentinel at the beginning of a data field. The data sentinel comprises a pair of reserved characters which establish a data character boundary for data in the field and also identify the nature of this data. The data sentinel is trapped by an identity comparator and also read by a host computer or processor. Data fields employing the data sentinel format can be embedded within a start sentinel/end sentinel track architecture.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to data communication between stages of photographic filmstrip use and processing wherein data is recorded in a magnetic layer of the photographic filmstrip at a first stage and read out at a second stage. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing overhead and data loss due to drop-outs and other data corruption errors, in such data transfer.
2. Background Information
Data communication between different stages of film use and processing (e.g. a camera user and dealer or photofinisher) has traditionally required separate written forms. This has not proven to be a very convenient or efficient method of relaying important information from one stage to another.
In the early 1960's, an innovation in data communication for motion picture film was introduced. A thin layer of magnetic oxide, referred to as a DATAKODE Magnetic Control Surface, was coated across the entire back surface of a roll of motion picture film to provide the capability to magnetically record digital data on the film without interfering with normal photographic use of the film.
The DATAKODE Magnetic Control Surface permitted recording of different types of digital data at different stages of production of a motion picture. Such data could range from camera, lighting and filter data at the time of shooting to printer exposure control information in the laboratory to theatre automation control signals during exhibition. The availability of the DATAKODE Magnetic Control Surface over the entire surface of the motion picture film allowed multiple types of data to be recorded on the same piece of film.
The DATAKODE Magnetic Control Surface was specifically applied to the recording of SMPTE time code on motion picture films. Two formats were proposed for recording the SMPTE time code: a standard continuous longitudinal time code format, and a frame limited burst type format. The latter format was preferred because of its ready adaption to the intermittent motion of the film during normal picture exposure and projection operations.
The SMPTE time code served essentially as a machine-readable frame address code for the motion picture film. The continuous time code included 26 bits of frame identification, 32 spare user bits, a 16-bit sync word, and 6 other miscellaneous data bits. The burst type code added a 16-bit sync word and an 8-bit preamble to the beginning and an 8-bit postamble to the end of the 80 bits of continuous time code. Gaps between time code bursts of different frames were filled with a pattern of alternating ones and zeros.
Regardless of whether the continuous or burst format was employed, the binary structure of each data field was exactly the same as every other data field, pre-defined by the SMPTE time code application.
More recently, a film information exchange system using dedicated magnetic tracks has been developed for use in still photography. A virtually transparent magnetic layer on the still photography filmstrip facilitates the magnetic recording of data in one or more longitudinal tracks of each film frame. With a virtually transparent magnetic layer, data recording may be done everywhere on the film including in the image area, so that all relevant information can be theoretically recorded with each frame of the film. In order to provide quick access to particular data at any stage of film use, related data is preferably grouped and recorded in specific predetermined tracks. Camera data, for example, can be recorded in several dedicated longitudinal tracks along the filmstrip edges. The camera data, as well as other data, is preferably recorded in pulse position encoded form in order to be independent of film transport velocity.
In this earlier system, each track is preferably frame limited and a two character start sentinel is recorded at the beginning of the track and a two character end sentinel is recorded at the end of the track. Between the start sentinel and end sentinel, a plurality of consecutive self-identifying data fields can be recorded. Each field begins with a single character field sentinel followed by a two character identification (ID) code, appropriate data characters and a parity character. The field sentinel signifies the beginning of each field and preferably identifies the source of the data in the field. The identification code, by reference to a dictionary stored in memory, identifies the nature of the data in the field and an appropriate decoding scheme. The parity character facilitates error correction for the ID code and data characters within the field. This basic data architecture, as well an alternative employing virtual identification codes, are fully described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,627, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The self-identifying data field feature of the Film Information Exchange System Using Dedicated Magnetic Tracks facilitates rapid accessing and reading of particular desired data by different stages of film use and processing. These and other significant advantages and benefits are fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,627 and the related patents referenced therein.
However, under certain circumstances, the data architecture of this earlier system may not be optimal. If a drop-out (e.g. lost bit) occurs early in a track, decoding of all subsequent data in the track may be compromised, potentially resulting in significant data loss or difficult data reconstruction. Also, particularly when a short data field is to be repetitively recorded, the Film Information Exchange System Using Dedicated Magnetic Tracks may involve excess overhead. Overhead refers to characters or bits recorded for control or identification purposes. Commonly assigned, concurrently filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/811390 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAGNETICALLY COMMUNICATING VIA A PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMSTRIP WITH ENHANCED RELIABILITY by Arthur Whitfield, et al., describes an approach for extending the Film Information Exchange System to a simple, low cost camera, in which a data field containing a limited data set is repetitively recorded along a track of a film frame. In such systems, it is desirable to reduce overhead in order to increase the number of repeating data fields that can be recorded within the limited track length.
In other environments, various approaches have been developed for formatting data to be recorded in a magnetic track. U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,628 to Hinz, et al. describes an apparatus and method for formatting and recording digital data in discrete stripes on magnetic tape using a helical scan arrangement. Formatting in the data area of each stripe includes recording of digital information within preamble, data block, and postamble sections. The preamble section provides frequency/phase and location referencing, the data block section includes a plurality of physical data blocks each of which are divided into sub-blocks that include synchronizing and segment identifying information along with data to be recorded, and the postamble section ensures compatibility of physical alignment between the recording heads and magnetic tape.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,111 to Moeller, et al. describes a method of preformatting magnetic tape intended for use in high capacity data cartridges by prerecording identifying blocks on the tape across the full width of the tape in order to segment the tape into identifying sections between which data can be recorded in eight tracks following a serpentine pattern. Data frames in the tracks comprise a preamble, header, data portion, CRC code word, and an interframe gap. The header portion includes a track and frame number, record number, a record type number, and a character count. By inference, it would appear that prior to looking for an address in this data structure one has to consult a dictionary and determine the tape address of the data of interest.
In addition to overhead and data loss considerations, the application of magnetics on photographic film to transfer data raises other unique concerns. As a magnetic recording material, photographic film is relatively thick and not as compliant as typical magnetic tape. Further, the recording environment in many cameras is not as controlled and can suffer from higher error rates due to unsophisticated film transports systems, low power batteries, poor head-to-film interface and other physical disturbances.
A need therefore exists for a data formatting approach which ensures the reliable transfer of data via magnetic recording on a photographic filmstrip with low overhead and data loss even when the data transfer is subject to such corruption errors.

Method and apparatus for magnetic communication via a photographic filmstrip using trappable data sentinels


A composition comprising a cationically-polymerizable compound, an iodonium-based cationic initiator, a sensitizer for said cationic initiator and an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of phenol antioxidants, lactone antioxidants, and combinations of these antioxidants is provided. The addition of this antioxidant to this composition contributes to the reduction of potential run-away reaction when it is exposed in-bulk to actinic radiation.

Cationically-polymerizable iodonium-based formulations are known in the art. Various means to enhance the shelf-stability of such formulations utilizing particular stabilizers have been taught, however the art has not dealt with reduction of run-away reactions when iodonium-based cationically-polymerizable compositions are exposed in-bulk to actinic radiation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,020 describes tetrakis (pentafluorophenyl) borate tolylcumyliodonium and diacetone mixtures containing amino agent stabilizers. It is suggested that such mixtures provide improved shelf-stability.
WO 2005/070989 A2 teaches the use of organic phosphorous stabilizers and hindered nitroxyl stabilizers in cationically-polymerizable formulations to improve shelf stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,649,259 B1 discloses a cationically-polymerizable iodonium-based epoxy composition containing a hindered phenol antioxidant. The composition is used as an adhesive coating on a heat-shrinkable polymer film.
Although previously disclosed stabilizers may be useful in improving shelf-life stability, such stabilizers are often of sufficient basicity to reduce cure speeds in cure sensitive cationic applications and to limit continued dark-reaction cationic cure in applications such as stereolithography.

Cationic compositions and methods of making and using the same


Butane-utilizing bacteria are used to degrade hydrocarbon pollutants such as trichloroethene (TCE). In-situ or ex-situ techniques may be used to reduce or eliminate hydrocarbon pollutants from liquid, gas and solid sources. In a preferred embodiment, TCE concentrations in various aqueous environments are reduced by contacting a contaminated water source with butane-utilizing bacteria in the presence of oxygen to degrade the TCE by cometabolism or direct metabolism. Suitable butane-utilizing bacteria include Pseudomonas, Variovorax, Nocardia, Chryseobacterium, Comamonas, Acidovorax, Rhodococcus, Aureobacterium, Micrococcus, Aeromonas, Stenotrophomonas, Sphingobacterium, Shewanella, Phyllobacterium, Clavibacter, Alcaligenes, Gordona, Corynebacterium and Cytophaga. The butane-utilizing bacteria have relatively low TCE toxicity in comparison with conventional methane-utilizing bacteria, and demonstrate an improved ability to degrade TCE.

Chlorinated, volatile, aliphatic hydrocarbons such as trichloroethene (TCE) are the most commonly reported contaminants of groundwater. Through releases of solvents, degreasers and other compounds, chlorinated compound contamination in surface and subsurface environments has reached high levels, and in many areas has seriously jeopardized drinking water aquifers and reservoirs. TCE is a suspected human carcinogen and remains the number one priority pollutant on the National Priority List of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
When the discovery of the magnitude of chlorinated contamination in aquifer systems in the United States, and worldwide, came to light in the early 1980s, few approaches were developed to aggressively remediate the chlorinated contaminated sites. Available remediation methods for subsurface environments include air sparging of the groundwater and the vacuum extraction of contaminants from the vadose zone. These remedial strategies transfer contamination from the subsurface environment to either the air or to activated carbon which must then be landfilled or incinerated. Landfilling contaminated activated carbon transfers the contamination from one source area to another while incineration is costly and requires considerable energy and costly equipment to completely volatilize organic compounds. Treatment strategies based on oxidation of contaminants that use ultraviolet radiation in combination with a chemical oxidant like hydrogen peroxide are also energy costly and require the injection of expensive chemicals.
Bioremediation is a method of harnessing the ability of microorganisms to degrade toxic pollutants. Anaerobic biodegradation of TCE usually results in the formation of harmful metabolites such as dichloroethylenes and the known carcinogen vinyl chloride.
The ability of aerobic methane-utilizing bacteria to degrade TCE cometabolically is known. However, the use of methane-utilizing bacteria is limited due to the toxic effects of chlorinated hydrocarbons like TCE in rather low concentrations. As disclosed by Broholm et al., "Toxicity of 1,1,1-Trichloroethane and Trichloroethene on a Mixed Culture of Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria", Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August 1990, p. 2488-2493, the toxic effects of trichloroethene become substantial above 6 mg per liter (ppm) in water. In addition, trace amounts of copper have proven to inhibit methane monooxygenase.
The use of methane-utilizing bacteria to degrade TCE is disclosed in several patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,551 to Barkley and U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,221 to Bryant et al. disclose ex-situ bioreactors using a rigid substrate bed to support aerobic methanotrophic microorganisms which degrade halogenated organic compounds. The substrate bed may be made of manufactured solid material, such as activated carbon particles or contoured plastic spheres. In each of these patents, examples are provided wherein methane is supplied to an ex-situ bioreactor to degrade the halogenated organic compounds. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,221 includes an example wherein propane is supplied to the bioreactor bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,048 to Hazen et al. discloses an in-situ groundwater bioremediation apparatus and method using a methane nutrient source. Bioremediation is carried out by periodically injecting nutrient fluid into the contaminant groundwater plume to stimulate the subsurface population of the microorganisms to increase. An oxygenated fluid is also injected into the plume to allow the aerobic microorganisms to break down the contaminants. The particular microorganisms disclosed are indigenous methanotrophs capable of biodegrading TCE by a series of enzymes including methane monooxygenase which are unique to this group of bacteria.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,703 to Hazen et al. discloses another in-situ method for biodegrading contaminants such as TCE.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,887 to Hanson et al. discloses an ex-situ method for biodegrading halogenated hydrocarbons by soluble methane monooxygenase. In the examples of this patent, methane is used as the food source for the methanotrophic bacteria.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,343 to Wilson Jr. et al. discloses a method for biodegrading halogenated hydrocarbons such as TCE. The method may be performed either in-situ or ex-situ, and uses microorganisms such as methanotrophic bacteria.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,940 to Georgiou et al. discloses an ex-situ packed bed bioreactor utilizing a specific mutant methanotrophic bacteria to biodegrade TCE. Methane or methanol is used as the energy source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,769 to Hunter et al. discloses an ex-situ bioremediation method for removing contaminants such as TCE from groundwater. A specific natural methanogenic bacteria is used in the process, along with methane as the food source.
Each of the above-noted patents is incorporated herein by reference.
Despite these bioremediation efforts, a need still exists for the effective degradation of pollutants such as chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons. The present invention has been developed in view of the foregoing, and to remedy other deficiencies of the prior art.

Bioremediation of pollutants with butane-utilizing bacteria


Apparatus and method for setting welding run-off tabs in a coil end joiner which includes a support table having a U-channel therein, the U-channel having an opening through a base portion thereof, a left hold down clamp and a right hold down clamp positioned to either side of the U-channel over the support table, a first angled member having an actuator which provides horizontal movement of the first angled member, the first angled member extending upwardly through the opening in the base portion of the U-channel and contacting a corresponding second angled member such that horizontal movement of the first angled member results in vertical movement of the top surface of the second angled member which is parallel to the top surface of the support table. A rear welding run-off tab holder member having a U-channel therein is positioned over the second angled member and includes a rear welding run-off tab clamp which is positioned at a rear end thereof. A forward welding run-off tab holder and copper chill bar member includes a forward welding run-off tab clamp on a forward end thereof. The forward welding run-off tab holder and copper chill bar member is positioned in the U-channel in the rear welding run-off tab holder member. The apparatus and method for setting welding run-off tabs in a coil end welder facilitates the positioning of and retains a rear welding run-off tab and a forward welding run-off tab in position until the coil end welding operation is completed.

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for setting welding run-off tabs in a coil end joiner. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for setting welding run-off tabs in a coil end joiner which facilitates the positioning of and retains welding run-off tabs in position to provide full edge-to-edge weld penetration in a coil end to coil end weld joint.
In many metalworking operations involving stamping, forming or otherwise processing e metallic material provided in a coil configuration, it is desirable to join the trailing end of a coil about to be depleted with the leading end of a new coil to facilitate the manufacturing operations. For example, if coil material is being fed through a press or some other piece of metalworking equipment, it is often desirable to have an "endless" supply of material to reduce or eliminate the necessity of "rethreading" the coil material when a coil is depleted. In the past, various types of coil end joiners have been used to join the trailing end of a coil about to be depleted with the leading end of a new coil to provide such an "endless" supply of material.
However, many prior art coil end joiners have simply butted up the trailing end of a coil about to be depleted with the leading end of a new coil and have joined the two (2) pieces together, typically using an arc welding process, such as gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), or perhaps more commonly known as tungsten insert gas (TIG) welding. As seen in FIG. 1, while such a coil end weld joint provides a good weld joint in the central portion of the joined coil ends, either an unwelded edge area, or even more negatively, a semi-circular "blowout" area or cutting-out of the coil end weld joint typically occurs at both the initial side and the terminal side of the weld joint.
While a partial width, not a full edge-to-edge, coil end weld joint could be tolerated in some metalworking operations, other metalworking operations either require or would benefit from full edge-to-edge integrity of the coil end weld joint. For example, a trend in many metalworking operations is to strive to utilize a greater percentage of the raw material in end products and reduce the remaining "skeleton" web of scrap metal as much as possible. Thus, many stamping operations, such as the stamping of motor laminations, utilize either the entire width or substantially the entire width of the coil to fabricate the end product. If such a product is stamped across a coil end weld joint having a semi-circular "blowout" area or cutting-out of the coil end weld joint on either side of the coil, the end product would be defective and, perhaps in most cases, would have to be scrapped. Further, in other metalworking forming operations, such as forming a coil material into an end product having a tubular configuration, all of the coil material is utilized in the end product. Thus, an end product fabricated with a coil end weld joint having a semi-circular "blowout" area or cutting-out of the coil end weld joint would be defective and, in most cases, would have to be scrapped. Furthermore, in some metalworking operations, it is necessary or desirable to maintain a continuous "skeleton" web to, for example, provide for continuous "pull-through" of the "skeleton" web.
In addition to the semi-circular "blowout" area or cutting-out of the weld joint which sometimes occurs at both the initial side and the terminal side of the coil end weld joint, a significant build-up of metallic material typically occurs at the initial side of the weld joint. Such a build-up of metallic material can have a negative effect on subsequent feeding, machining, tooling and/or other manufacturing operations and, if nothing else, is unsightly in a final end product and may necessitate further end product rework and/or repair operations.
In order to provide a full edge-to-edge coil end weld joint, welding run-off tabs, typically fabricated from a material having a composition and a thickness comparable to that of the coil material, have been manually placed on both the initial and the terminal side of the coil end weld joint. Such welding run-off tabs permit the welding arc to begin on the initial welding run-off tab, continue across the coil end weld joint into the terminal welding run-off tab and be extinguished on the terminal welding run-off tab. As seen in FIG. 2, the use of such welding run-off tabs provides a coil weld joint which extends completely from the initial side to the terminal side of the coil end weld joint with no significant semi-circular "blowout" area or cutting-out of the coil end weld joint occurring either at the initial side or the terminal side of the coil end weld joint. Once the coil end weld joint is completed, the welding run-off tabs are removed from the coil end weld joint. The welding run-off tabs can be snapped off by a gloved hand, or in some cases, by using a hand tool, such as a pair of pliers, and a coil end to coil end weld joint is provided having full edge-to-edge weld penetration.
In the past, welding run-off tabs have typically been manually placed on the initial side and the terminal side of the coil end weld joint. Such manual placement of welding run-off tabs takes a significant amount of time and, at the same time, does not always result in a good fit-up or placement of the welding run-off tabs in relation to the coil end weld joint.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus and method for setting welding run-off tabs in a coil end joiner which facilitates the placement and positioning of an initial welding run-off tab and/or a terminal welding run-off tab in a coil end joiner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for setting welding run-off tabs in a coil end joiner which retains an initial welding run-off tab and/or a terminal welding run-off tab in position in relation to a coil end weld joint until the coil end welding process is complete.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for setting welding run-off tabs in a coil end joiner which is economical to fabricate, maintain and use.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by the provision of an apparatus and method for setting welding run-off tabs in a coil end joiner which includes a support table having a U-channel therein, the U-channel having an opening through a base portion thereof, a left hold down clamp and a right hold down clamp positioned to either side of the U-channel over the support table, a first angled member having an actuator which provides horizontal movement of the first angled member, the first angled member extending upwardly through the opening in the base portion of the U-channel and contacting a corresponding second angled member such that horizontal movement of the first angled member results in vertical movement of the top surface of the second angled member which is parallel to the top surface of the support table. A rear welding run-off tab holder member having a U-channel therein is positioned over the second angled member and includes a rear welding run-off tab clamp which is positioned at a rear end thereof. A forward welding run-off tab holder and copper chill bar member includes a forward welding run-off tab clamp on a forward end thereof. The forward welding run-off tab holder and copper chill bar member is positioned in the U-channel in the rear welding run-off tab holder member. The apparatus and method for setting welding run-off tabs in a coil end welder facilitates the positioning of and retains a rear welding run-off tab and a forward welding run-off tab in position until the coil end welding operation is completed.
Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.