Magnetic particles having an average particle size of 10 to 200 xcexcm, comprising:

The present invention relates to magnetic particles and a magnetic carrier for an electrophotographic developer comprising the magnetic particles, and more particularly, to magnetic particles for use as an electrophotographic magnetic carrier in an electrophotographic developer, which have an excellent durability and a stable charging property, an electrophotographic magnetic carrier for an electrophotographic developer, and an electrophotographic developer using the electrophotographic magnetic carrier.
In electrophotographic developing methods, a photosensitive member composed of a photoconductive material such as selenium, OPC (organic semiconductor), a-Si or the like has been used to form an electrostatic latent image thereon by various means. Then, by using a magnetic brush method or the like, a toner having a polarity reverse to that of the latent image is attached thereon to form the latent image by the electrostatic force.
As is well known in the art, in the above developing methods, there have been used support particles called a magnetic carrier. The magnetic carrier acts for imparting an appropriate positive or negative electrical quantity to the toner by frictional electrification, and transferring the toner into a developing zone near the surface of the photosensitive member by a developing sleeve in which magnets are accommodated, using the magnetic force thereof.
In recent years, the electrophotographic developing method has been widely applied to copying machines or printers. In these apparatuses, it has been demanded to meet various requirements including not only reproduction of thin lines, small characters, photographs, color originals or the like, but also a high image quality, a high image grade, a high copying or printing speed, a continuous image formation or the like. The requirements for these properties have been estimated to become increased more and more in future.
In order to satisfy not only the applicability to various objectives but also the high image quality and the high image grade, the reduction in a particle size of the toner particles and the magnetic carrier particles, has been studied. In particular, it has been strongly demanded to provide magnetic carrier particles having an average particle size as small as 10 to 50 xcexcm.
On the other hand, in order to satisfy the high copying or printing speed and the continuous image formation, it has been strongly demanded to enhance the durability of these particles as developer. In the case of the magnetic carrier, there has been proposed such a method which comprises iron particles obtained by a mechanical pulverization method, an electrolytic method, a reduction method, a heat-decomposition method, a sintering method or the like; granulating and then heat-sintering various ferrite fine particles or magnetite fine particles to form granulated sintered particles; dispersing magnetic particles or magnetic particle and non-magnetic particles in a binder resin to form composite particles (hereinafter referred to merely as xe2x80x9cmagnetic core particlesxe2x80x9d); and then coating the surfaces of the obtained magnetic core particles with various resins. The above magnetic carrier has been already put into practice.
There is no end of a demand for the enhancement in properties of the electrophotographic developers. In order to continuously obtain a clear image, it is desired that the charge amount of the magnetic carrier is kept unchanged and stable even after the magnetic carrier is used for a long period of time. Specifically, when the magnetic carrier is used for a long period of time, there arises such a problem that the coating resin layer is peeled off from the surfaces of the magnetic core particles, so that the charging property of the magnetic carrier is deteriorated, whereby the magnetic carrier cannot impart an appropriate charge to the toner. Therefore, it has been demanded that the coating resin layer can be prevented from being peeled off from the surfaces of the magnetic core particles in order to enhance the durability of the magnetic carrier, thereby allowing the magnetic carrier to show a more stable charging property.
Hitherto, in order to enhance the durability of the magnetic carrier, there have been proposed a magnetic carrier obtained by coating the surfaces of magnetic core particles with a silicone resin (Japanese Patent Publication (KOKOKU) No. 2-3181(1990), Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) Nos. 62-66269(1987) and 3-242657(1991), etc.); a magnetic carrier obtained by coating the surfaces of magnetic core particles with a silicone resin containing a silane-based coupling agent (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 5-107819(1993), etc.); or the like.
At the present time, it has been strongly required to provide an electrophotographic magnetic carrier having an excellent durability and a stable charging property. However, such a magnetic carrier has not been obtained yet.
That is, in the production of the above-mentioned conventional magnetic carriers, when the coating resin layer is formed on the surfaces of the magnetic core particles, fatty acid metal salts, especially organic tin compounds, have been used together with the silicone resin in order to cure the resin. The more the amount of the organic tin compound used is increased, the more the resin can be cured more readily. As a result, it becomes possible to form a uniform and satisfactory coating resin layer without causing the aggregation between the magnetic carrier particles. However, when the amount of the organic tin compound used is as large as not less than 0.4% by weight based on the weight of the resin solid content, the obtained coating resin layer becomes brittle, so that upon a long-term use of the magnetic carrier, the coating resin layer tends to be peeled off from the surfaces of the magnetic core particles, resulting in change in charge amount, i.e., unstable charge amount of the magnetic carrier.
On the other hand, when the amount of the organic tin compound used is reduced, it is difficult to cure the coating resin and, therefore, to form a uniform and satisfactory coating resin layer on the surfaces of the magnetic core particles. In addition, there arises such a problem that upon forming the coating resin layer or upon subsequent heat-treatments, the magnetic carrier particles are aggregated together, thereby deteriorating the yield. This phenomenon becomes more remarkable in the case where it is intended to sufficiently and uniformly coat the magnetic core particles having a small particle size especially not more than 50 xcexcm, with a silicone resin.
As a result of the present inventor""s earnest studies, it has been found that by coating each surface of the magnetic core particles with a silicone resin composition comprising at least one metal alkoxide, at least one silane-based coupling agent and a silicone resin, the obtained magnetic particles are useful as an electrophotographic magnetic carrier for an electrophotographic developer. The present invention has been attained on the basis of the finding.
It is an object of the present invention to produce magnetic particles having an excellent durability and a stable charging property with a high yield without using any organic tin compound.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic magnetic carrier for an electrophotographic developer which has an excellent durability and, therefore, a stable charging property.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic developer having an excellent durability.
To accomplish the aims, in a first aspect of the present invention, there are provided magnetic particles having an average particle size of 10 to 200 xcexcm. which comprise magnetic core particles, and a coating layer formed on each of said magnetic core particles, comprising at least one metal alkoxide represented by the general formula (I):
(RO)nMxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I)
wherein R is a C1 to C16 alkyl group; M is Al, Ti, Na, K, Ca, Zn or Fe; and n is an integer of 1 to 4, at least one silane-based coupling agent and a silicone resin.
In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic carrier for an electrophotographic developer which comprises magnetic particles having an average particle size of 10 to 200 xcexcm, which comprise magnetic core particles, and a coating layer formed on each of said magnetic core particles, comprising at least one metal alkoxide represented by the general formula (I):
(RO)nMxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I)
wherein R is a C1 to C16 alkyl group; M is Al, Ti, Na,
K, Ca, Zn or Fe; and n is an integer of 1 to 4, at least one silane-based coupling agent and a silicone resin.
In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developer comprising a toner and a magnetic carrier which comprises magnetic particles having an average particle size of 10 to 200 xcexcm, which comprise magnetic core particles, and a coating layer formed on each of said magnetic core particles, comprising at least one metal alkoxide represented by the general formula (I):
(RO)nMxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I)
wherein R is a C1 to C16 alkyl group; M is Al, Ti, Na,
K, Ca, Zn or Fe; and n is an integer of 1 to 4, at least one silane-based coupling agent and a silicone resin.
Various conditions for carrying out the present invention are described below.
First the magnetic particles according to the present invention are described.
The magnetic particles according to the present invention have an average particle size of usually 10 to 200 xcexcm. When the average particle size is less than 10 xcexcm, there is caused such a phenomenon that a toner is firmly adhered onto the surfaces of the magnetic particles, so that the charging property inherent to the magnetic particles is lost, i.e., a so-called spent toner. On the other hand, when the average particle size is more than 200 xcexcm, it is difficult to obtain a clear image. In particular, in order to obtain images having a more high quality and a more high grade, the average particle size of the magnetic particles are preferably 10 to 100 xcexcm, more preferably 10 to 50 xcexcm.
As the magnetic core particles used in the present invention, there may be used any kind of the magnetic core particles described hereinbefore.
As the granulated sintered particles, there may be used magnetic particles such as ferrite particles containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of lithium, manganese, magnesium or the like or magnetite particles. Specific examples of the preferred fine particles may include lithium-manganese ferrite, lithium-manganese ferrite, magnesium ferrite and copper-zinc ferrite.
As the composite particles, there may be used those particles obtained by granulating a mixture composed of a resin, magnetic fine particles such as the above-mentioned ferrite fine particles or magnetite fine particles and, if required, non-magnetic fine particles such as hematite fine particles, by a kneading and pulverizing method or a polymerization method. In order to obtain a magnetic carrier having a further enhanced durability, the use of composite particles having a specific gravity as low as especially 2 to 4, is preferred. Also, in order to obtain such a magnetic carrier having a high magnetization value, the use of the granulated sintered particles is preferred.
Incidentally, the magnetic fine particles or non-magnetic fine particles used upon the production of the composite particles as the magnetic core particles, may have any particle shape including a spherical shape, a plate-like shape, an acicular shape or the like. The average particle size of the magnetic fine particles or the non-magnetic particles is preferably 0.05 to 5.0 xcexcm. Further, in order to improve the properties of these particles such as dispersibility in resins, the magnetic fine particles or non-magnetic fine particles may be surface-treated with a coupling agent or the like to impart a hydrophilic property thereto.
The magnetic core particles may also have any particle shape such as a spherical shape, a granular shape, a plate-like shape or the like.
The average particle size of the magnetic core particles is usually 8 to 195 xcexcm, preferably 10 to 100 xcexcm. When the average particle size of the magnetic core particles is less than 8 xcexcm, the particle size of the obtained magnetic particles becomes less than 10 xcexcm. On the other hand, when the average particle size of the magnetic core particles is more than 195 xcexcm the particle size of the obtained magnetic particles becomes more than 200 xcexcm.
The coating resin composition used for the magnetic particles according to the present invention, comprises a silicone resin, a metal alkoxide and a silane-based coupling agent. As to the silicone resins, in the consideration of the durability of the obtained magnetic particles, the ratio of trifunctional silicone (hereinafter referred to merely as xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d) to bifunctional silicone (hereinafter referred to merely as xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d) is preferably in the range of 95:5 to 40:60, more preferably 95:5 to 50:50.
The amount of the coating resin composition is usually 0.05 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the magnetic core particles. When the amount of the coating resin composition is less than 0.05% by weight, the obtained coating resin layer tends to become insufficient and non-uniform, so that it may be difficult to enhance the durability of the magnetic particles. On the other hand, when the amount of the coating resin composition applied is too large, the obtained coating resin layer tends to be peeled off from the surfaces of the magnetic core particles, so that it may be difficult to produce a magnetic carrier having a stable charging property. The amount of the coating resin composition is preferably 0.1 to 10% by weight, more preferably 0.2 to 5% by weight based on the weight of the magnetic core particles.
The metal alkoxide of the coating resin composition used in the present invention, is represented by the general formula:
(RO)nM
wherein R is a C1 to C16 alkyl group; M is Al, Ti, Na, K, Ca, Zn or Fe; and n is an integer of 1 to 4.
In the consideration of industrial or economical uses, the R is preferably a C2 to C8 alkyl group, more preferably a C2 to C4 alkyl group. In order to further enhance the durability of the coating resin layer, the M is preferably Al or Ti. Specific examples of the metal alkoxides usable in the present invention, may include aluminum-tri-n-butoxide (n=4, M=Al), aluminum-tri-ethoxide (n=2, M=Al), aluminum-tri-sec-butoxide (n=4, M-Al), aluminum-tri-isopropoxide (n=3, M=Al), titanium-tetra-n-butoxide (n=4, M=Ti), titanium-tetraethoxide (n=2, M=Ti), titanium-tetra-iso-propoxide (n=3, M=Ti) or the like.
The amount of the metal alkoxide used is preferably 0.05 to 0.4% by weight, more preferably 0.05 to 0.35% by weight based on the solid content of the silicone resin. When the amount of the metal alkoxide used is less than 0.05% by weight, the curing speed of the silicone resin may be low, so that the magnetic carrier particles tend to be agglomerated together, resulting in low yield. On the other hand, when the amount of the metal alkoxide used is more than 0.3% by weight, the obtained coating resin layer may become brittle, resulting in deteriorated durability thereof.
As the silane-based coupling agents used in the coating resin composition of the present invention, there may be exemplified coupling agents containing an amino group, an epoxy group, a vinyl group, a mercapto group, a halogen atom and/or an alkyl group therein. Specific examples of the silane-based coupling agents may include amino-containing silane-based coupling agents such as xcex3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane, N-xcex2-aminoethyl-xcex3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane, N-xcex2-aminoethyl-xcex3-aminopropylmethyl dimethoxysilane, N-phenyl-xcex3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane or the like; epoxy-containing silane-based coupling agents such as xcex3-glycidoxypropylmethyl diethoxysilane, xcex2-3,4-epoxycyclohexyl trimethoxysilane, xcex3-glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane or the like; vinyl-containing silane-based coupling agents such as vinyl trichlorosilane, vinyl triethoxysilane, vinyl-tris(xcex2-methoxy) silane or the like; halogen-containing silane-based coupling agents such as dimethyl dichlorosilane, methyl trichlorosilane, allyl dimethyl chlorosilane, allyl phenyl dichlorosilane, benzyl dimethyl chlorosilane, bromomethyl dimethyl chlorosilane, xcex1-chloroethyl trichlorosilane, xcex2-chloroethyl trichlorosilane or the like; mercapto-containing silane-based coupling agents such as xcex3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane; or alkyl-containing silane-based coupling agents such as trimethyl silane or the like. In the case where the charge amount of a negative toner is required to increase, the use of the amino-containing silane-based coupling agents is preferable. Also, in the case where the charge amount of the toner is to be kept unchanged, the use of the epoxy-containing silane-based coupling agents is preferable.
The amount of the silane-based coupling agent used is preferably 0.1 to 20.0% by weight, more preferably 1 to 15% by weight based on the solid content of the silicone resin. When the amount of the silane-based coupling agent used is less than 0.1% by weight, the curing speed of the silicone resin may be low, so that it may be difficult to form the aimed coating resin layer having an excellent durability, and the obtained magnetic particles tend to agglomerate together. On the other hand, when the amount of the silane-based coupling agent used is more than 20.0% by weight, the obtained coating resin layer may become brittle, resulting in deteriorated durability, so that the obtained magnetic carrier tends to show an unstable charging property.
In the coating silicone resin composition used in the present invention, at least two of the metal alkoxide, the silane-based coupling agent and the silicone resin may be interacted to each other.
Next, the process for producing the magnetic particles, is explained.
As described above, the magnetic particles according to the present invention, can be obtained by diluting the silicone resin composition composed of the silicone resin, the metal alkoxide and the silane-based coupling agent with an organic solvent such as toluene or the like so as to adjust the solid content thereof to 5 to 30% by weight; and then adding to the magnetic core particles a coating solution which is prepared by adjusting the amounts of the above respective components added such that the gelation time of the silicone resin composition becomes in the range of 2 to 5 hours, thereby coating each surface of the magnetic core particles with the coating solution. Almost a whole amount of the thus applied coating solution is deposited over the surfaces of the magnetic core particles, thereby forming a coating resin layer on the magnetic core particles.
When the solid content of the coating solution is less than 5% by weight, the removal of the solvent such as toluene, etc., may need a long period of time, resulting in industrially and economically disadvantageous process. On the other hand, when the solid content of the coating solution is more than 30% by weight, it may be difficult to form a sufficient and uniform coating resin layer composed of the silicone resin composition on the surfaces of the magnetic core particles. When the gelation time is less than 2 hours, the viscosity of the coating solution itself may be increased, so that it may be also difficult to form a sufficient and uniform coating resin layer composed of the silicone resin composition on the surfaces of the magnetic core particles. On the other hand, when the gelation time exceeds 5 hours, the magnetic core particles tend to be agglomerated together.
The amount of the coating solution added is preferably 0.05 to 10.0% by weight (calculated as solid content) based on the weight of the magnetic core particles. When the amount of the coating solution added is less than 0.05% by weight, there is a tendency that the magnetic core particles are insufficiently and non-uniformly coated with the silicone resin composition. On the other hand, when the amount of the coating solution added is more than 10.0% by weight, the obtained magnetic carrier may show a too high electrical resistance, thereby causing deteriorated images such as charge-up or the like.
The magnetic particles according to the present invention have (1) a true specific gravity of usually 2 to 7, preferably 2.5 to 4.5; (2) a volume resistivity of usually not less than 106 xcexa9xc2x7cm, preferably 107 to 1015 xcexa9xc2x7cm; (3) a saturation magnetization value of usually 10 to 90 emu/g, preferably 20 to 90 emu/g; and (4) a durability (change in charge amount) of usually not more than 15%, preferably not more than 10%.
The important point of the present invention is such a fact that the magnetic particles obtained by coating each surface of the magnetic core particles with the silicone resin composition comprising the silicone resin, the metal alkoxide and the silane-based coupling agent, can show an excellent durability and a stable charging property.
The reason why the magnetic particles according to the present invention can show an excellent durability, is considered as follow. That is, the coating resin layer and the magnetic core particles are firmly adhered to each other, and the coating resin layer is effectively prevented from being deteriorated because any organic thin compound is not used therein, so that the peeling-off of the coating resin layer can be inhibited even after being used for a long period of time.
The reason why the magnetic particles can be produced with a high yield even though the magnetic core particles used have a small particle size, is considered as follows. That is, since the magnetic core particles are sufficiently and uniformly coated with the silicone resin composition so as to eliminate an exposed surface portion thereof, the obtained magnetic particles can be prevented from being agglomerated together.
Thus, the magnetic particles according to the present invention can exhibit an excellent durability and is free from the peeling-off of the coating resin layer even after being used for a long period of time. In addition, the magnetic particles show a stable charging property and, therefore, are suitable as an electrophotographic magnetic carrier for electrophotographic developer.
Further, since the magnetic particles are prevented from being agglomerated together upon forming the coating resin layer or upon subsequent heat-treatments especially even though the magnetic core particles used have a small particle size, the magnetic particles according to the present invention can be produced with a high yield and is, therefore, industrially and economically advantageous.
The electrophotographic magnetic carrier for electrophotographic developer according to the present invention shows an excellent durability and a stable charging property.
The electrophotographic developer according to the present invention shows an excellent durability and achieves a high copying and printing speed and continuous image formation in the electrophotographic developing method.

Magnetic particles and magnetic carrier for electrophotographic developer

Abstract: magnetic core particles; and

Abstract: a coating layer formed on each surface of said magnetic core particles, comprising at least one metal alkoxide represented by the general formula (I):

Abstract: xe2x80x83wherein R is a C1 to C16 alkyl group; M is Al, Ti, Na,

Abstract: K, Ca, Zn or Fe; and n is an integer of 1 to 4, at least one silane-based coupling agent, and a silicone resin.

Abstract: Such magnetic particles have an excellent durability and a stable charging property.


The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prevention of viral infections comprising as an active principle at least one imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine derivative having the general formula (Z): (formula). The invention also relates to processes for the preparation of compounds according to the invention having above mentioned general formula and their use as a medicine or to treat or prevent viral infections.

The family of the Flaviviridae consists of 3 genera, the pestiviruses, the flaviviruses and the hepaciviruses and also contains the hepatitis G virus (HGV/GBV-C) that has not yet been assigned to a genus. Pestiviruses such as the Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV), the Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) and the Border Disease Virus (BDV) cause infections of domestic livestock (respectively pigs, cattle and sheep) and are responsible for significant economic losses world-wide. BVDV, the prototypic representative of the pestivirus genus is ubiquitous and causes a range of clinical manifestations, including abortion, teratogenesis, respiratory problems, chronic wasting disease, immune system dysfunction, and predisposition to secondary viral and bacterial infections and may also cause acute fatal disease. Foetuses of cattle can be infected persistently with BVDV, these animals remain viremic throughout life and serve as a continuous sources for virus spread in herds.
Vaccines are used in some countries with varying degrees of success to control pestivirus disease. In other countries, animal culling and slaughter are used to contain pestivirus disease outbreaks.
The World Health Organization estimates that world-wide 170 million people (3% of the world's population) are chronically infected with HCV. These chronic carriers are at risk of developing cirrhosis and/or liver cancer. In studies with a 10 to 20 year follow-up, cirrhosis developed in 20-30% of the patients, 1 to 5% of whom may develop liver cancer during the next then years. The only treatment option available today is the use of interferon α-2 (or its pegylated from) either alone or combined with ribavirin. However, sustained response is only observed in about 40% of the patients and treatment is associated with serious adverse effects. There is thus an urgent need for potent and selective inhibitors of the replication of the HCV in order to treat infections with HCV. Furthermore, the study of specific inhibitors of HCV replication has been hampered by the fact that it is not possible to propagate HCV (efficiently) in cell culture. Since HCV and pestiviruses belong to the same virus family and share many similarities (organisation of the genome, analogous gene products and replication cycle), pestiviruses have been adopted as a model and surrogate for HCV. For example BVDV is closely related to hepatitis C virus (HCV) and used as a surrogate virus in drug development for HCV infection.
The compound 3-[((2-dipropylamino)ethyl)thio]-5H-1,2,4-triazino[5,6-b]indole has been reported to selectively inhibit the replication of BVDV and other pestiviruses (Baginski S G et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2000 Jul. 5; 97(14):7981-6). Currently, there is no treatment strategy available for controlling infections caused by pestiviruses.
Coxsackie viruses belong to the group of the enteroviruses, family of the Picornaviridae. They cause a heterogeneous group of infections including herpangina, aseptic meningitis, a common-cold-like syndrome, a non-paralytic poliomyelitis-like syndrome, epidemic pleurodynia (an acute, febrile, infectious disease generally occurring in epidemics), hand-foot-mouth syndrome, pediatric and adult pancreatitis and serious myocarditis.
Currently only pleconaril (3-13,5-dimethyl-4-[[3-methyl-5-isoxazolyl)propyl]phenyl]-5-(trifluoromethyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole)) and enviroxime (2-amino-1-(isopropylsulfonyl)-6-benzimidazole phenyl ketone oxime) have been studied clinically for the treatment of infections with enteroviruses. Pleconaril is a so called "capsid function-inhibitor"; enviroxime prevents the formation of the RNA replicative intermediate. Enviroxime resulted in only modest clinical and virological benefit in some studies and no benefits in others. Clinical response with pleconaril has been observed in some studies, but the compound has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (hearing of Mar. 18th, 2002).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,914,108, 4,990,518, 4,988,707, 5,227,384, 5,302,601 and 5,486,525 describe 5-substituted [4,5-c]imidazopyridine derivatives useful in the treatment of diseases or disorders mediated by platelet-activating factor. The compounds were found to inhibit 3H-PAF binding to human platelets.
EP 1132381 describes esters of 2,2-dimethylpropionic acid comprising a benzmidazole structure having an inhibitory activity of elastase.
WO 96/1192 describes compounds of the general formula Ar1-Q-Ar2-YR-Z, wherein Z is optionally a [4,5-c]imidazopyridine which are proposed as LTA4 hydrolase inhibitors useful for the treatment of inflammatory diseases mediated by LTB4 production
WO 96/12703 describes heteroarylthioalkyl thiophenolic compounds having 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity which are suggested to be useful in the treatment of 5-lipoxygenase mediated conditions.
Chemical Abstracts acc no. 1987:18435 and Chemical Abstracts acc no. 1983:594812 describe the synthesis of two imidazo[4,5-b] and of imidazo[4,5c]pyridine derivatives substituted with piperazinyl and furanyl groups.
EP 1162196 describes fused ring compounds for the use as therapeutic agents for hepatitis C. The fused 5 and 6 membered ring is made up of optionally substituted carbon atoms or nitrogen atoms and optionally one oxygen, sulfur atom or substituted nitrogen atom on the 5 membered ring. WO 95/02597 describes imidazo[4,5c]pyridine derivatives not substituted at the N5 with antiviral activity
GB2158440 describes 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroimidazo[4,5-c]pyridine derivatives with antiviral activities.
STN database accession 110:165603 & Khimiko-Farmatsevtichsskii Zurnal, 23:1, (1989), 26-59, describe spinaceamine derivatives such as 5H-imidazo [4,5-c]pyridine-5-ethanol, 1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-alpha-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,2-dimethyl compounds with antiviral activity (small pox virus).
STN database accession 132:222537 and HU73019 describe N-alkylated azoles with antibacterial activity.
WO9927929 describes [4.3.0] nitrogen containing ring systems and homologous compounds which are proposed as famesyl-protein transferase inhibitors applicable in the treatment of cancer.
WO9611192 describes 5-substituted imidazo(4,5)pyridine compounds and related molecules for use as anti-inflammatory compounds by inhibiting leukotriene A4 hydrolase.
EP344414 describes 5-Substituted imidazo[4,5-c]pyridines for the treatment of diseases such as inflammation, cardiovascular disorders and asthma.
WO9516687 describes imidazopyridine indoles which act as platelet activating factor antagonists:
J. Comb. Chem. (2000) 4:5, 475-483 describes the synthesis of benzimidazole compound for use in small organic libraries.
In view of their important pharmacological value, there is a need for drugs having antiviral activity, optionally selective activity against viruses belonging to the family of Flaviviridae including hepatitis C virus, and against viruses belong to the family of Picornaviridae.


For monitoring a wireless line usage status more effectively, a mobile station extracts a synchronizing signal of each of frames received from a plurality of base stations and a known signal transmitted together with transmission data within a time slot in which the transmission data are included but not transmitted within a time slot in which the transmission data are not included. The mobile station then measures a reception power of the synchronizing signal and a reception power of the known signal for each base station. And the mobile station determines a usage status of a wireless line of each base station based on the reception power of the synchronizing signal and the reception power of the known signal.

FIG. 13 illustrates an arrangement of a mobile communication system generally known in the art. This mobile communication system 1 is composed of a mobile station 10, base stations 20_1-20—n (hereinafter, occasionally represented by a base station 20) respectively communicating with the mobile station 10 through wireless lines RL1-RLn (hereinafter, occasionally represented by a wireless line RL) and network connecting devices 30_1-30—m connected to the base stations 20 with a wired line WL to relay signals between the base stations 20 and a communication network NW.
It is to be noted that in order to effectively use the wireless line RL with a restricted frequency band or the like, there is a method by which the mobile station 10 or the base stations 20 monitor a wireless line usage rate (using or use rate) indicating a usage status of the wireless lines.
Related art examples [1] and [2] for the monitoring technology will now be described referring to FIGS. 14-17:

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Wireless line usage status monitoring method and device


An external rotor motor, suitable for driving a cooling fan, has a structure which facilitates automated assembly with proper angular registration. The rotor has a central shaft which is rotatably supported inside a bearing support tube having a tapered outer surface formed with a circumferential stop and longitudinal guide grooves. An inner stator structure is located radially between the bearing support tube and the rotor. The stator has an internal recess containing a securing ring or disk with inwardly extending tabs. During assembly of the inner stator onto the bearing support tube, the tabs slide in the guide grooves, then bend to form barbs which engage into the outer surface of the bearing support tube, thereby securing the stator on the bearing support tube in a predefined angular orientation. The circumferential stop assures insertion of the bearing support tube to the correct depth.

The assignee of the present invention, ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KG (hereinafter simply "PAPST") manufactures small motors which serve, for example, for cooling of the processors in computers, for device cooling of other small devices, etc. These motors have small dimensions. For example:    fans of the PAPST Series 250 have dimension 8×25×25 mm;    fans of the PAPST Series 400F have dimensions 10×40×40 mm;    fans of the PAPST Series 400 have dimensions 20×40×40 mm;    fans of the PAPST Series 600 have dimensions 25.4×60×60 mm. The power consumption of such fans falls in the range from 0.4 to 0.6 watts for the Series 250, 0.7 to 0.9 watts for the Series 400F, and 0.9 to 1.6 watts for the Series 400 and 600.
External rotor motors in the form of small or miniature motors are often used to drive fans, e.g. those in computers for cooling of the processors. The components of such motors are so small that they look like toys or parts of watches. This is necessary, in order that such motors can, despite their smallness, be assembled simply, with high precision, and economically, preferably by means of an automated assembly process.


The decorative laminate formed in accordance with the present invention is a flexible, organic polymer-based laminate that overcomes the disadvantages of conventional laminates that include thermosetting emboss resins for imparting texture to the laminate. The laminate formed in accordance with the present invention includes a polyvinylidene fluoride-based material that serves to receive and retain texture or surface relief, and also to impart further decorative features to the laminate.

Commercial aircraft interiors are generally composed of composite panels decorated with plastic decorative laminates. Preferred decorative laminates have exterior surfaces that are textured and exhibit surface relief. Decorated interior panels are typically formed by heating and then stretching a plastic decorative laminate onto the panel. While textured panels generally retain their surface relief when formed onto smooth and relatively simple contoured panels, significant loss of texture occurs for conventional plastic laminates when they are formed onto compound contoured panels, or when they are formed at higher temperatures and/or under vacuum.
Textured decorative laminates generally include at least two layers; a first embossed layer that imparts surface relief to the laminate and a second decorative layer that overlies the first. The decorative layer is typically either screen printed (i.e., multigraphics) or integrally colored (i.e., internally pigmented).
A laminate construction having a first embossed layer and a second decorative layer is commonly referred to as a single decorative laminate. Generally, the single laminate includes a textured layer consisting of a thermosetting emboss resin (e.g., a 3 mil thick layer of a polyurethane-phenoxy emboss resin) overlaid with a decorative layer composed of a thin layer of pigmented thermoplastic film (e.g., a polyvinyl fluoride film, such as Tedlar.RTM., having a thickness of about 2 mil). A second decorative laminate, commonly referred to as a double decorative laminate, is a laminate construction that includes, in addition to an embossed layer and a decorative layer, a structural layer (e.g., a thermoplastic resinous layer). A typical double decorative laminate includes two thermoplastic layers, an outer decorative layer and an inner structural layer, with an emboss resin layer positioned in between. These decorative laminates are generally prepared by collating sheets of the component plastic materials followed by simultaneously laminating and embossing in a hot press process.
Surface relief or texture is ordinarily imparted to the laminate by a hot press process. During the press cycle, the laminate's thermosetting emboss resin is "molded" by the texture media (i.e., the textured press). The emboss resin is said to be molded because shear flow occurs within the thermosetting resinous material resulting in the layer's cross-sectional thickness variation, i.e., the creation of an embossed or textured surface. The hot press also "forms" the decorative layer. The decorative thermoplastic layer or film is said to be formed because its viscosity is too high for shear flow to occur, and thus cannot be molded and, although the film does stretch during forming onto the textured layer, the decorative film remains relatively uniform in thickness. Furthermore, the heat and length of the hot press cycle result in emboss resin curing or crosslinking, which effectively raises the emboss layer's viscosity and counteracts the residual stresses of the thermoplastic film layer during forming. The crosslinked emboss resin provides for texture retention in subsequent application processes in which the decorative laminate is heated and vacuum formed onto composite panels. However, in some instances, texture inversion can occur as a result of the relatively greater elastic modulus of the decorative thermoplastic layer compared to the textured thermosetting emboss layer.
The conventional thermoset resin-containing decorative laminate constructions described above suffer from several disadvantages including loss of texture retention when the laminate in heated and formed onto a composite panel. For example, single decorative laminates perform poorly when they are elongated more than about 5%, and double decorative laminates begin to lose texture at about 10% elongation. Furthermore, because of the presence of the thermosetting emboss resin, these decorative laminates can only be practically produced in press processes, which are economically disadvantageous for the production of large quantities of laminate.
Accordingly, a need exists for economically produced decorative laminates that retain texture or surface relief when the laminate is heated and formed onto a panel that requires substantial forming or stretching.
There also exists the need for decorative laminates that can be produced by methods other than hot press processes. Because the emboss resin is a thermosetting resin, sufficient time (e.g., from 15 to 30 minutes) above a specific cure or thermoset temperature (e.g., 285.degree. F.) is required to soften and "wet out" the thermoplastic's surface with the thermoset resin for bonding; for shear flow and accommodation of the texture media; and to cure (i.e., crosslink) the thermoset resin for texture retention. Single decorative laminates are generally difficult to roll process because of the misbalance of the elastic modulus of the thermosetting emboss resin and the thermoplastic layer.
A need also exists to overcome the disadvantageous surface properties associated with some pigmented thermoplastic decorative layers. For example, the surface of pigmented polyvinyl fluoride, a common decorative layer, is disrupted by pigment particles that protrude from the material's surface. Because these particles are generally inorganic oxides, the particles are harder than most materials, including metals, that contact the surface. Thus, when metal objects (e.g., jewelry, buckles, coins) rub against this surface with sufficient force, metal is ablated and left on the surface as a dark streak. This phenomena is commonly referred to as "coining." These metallic streaks are difficult to clean because the residual metals are typically not affected by cleaners ordinarily used for cleaning plastic surfaces, and therefore must be abraded from the decorative surface. The pigment particles may also absorb or adsorb other chemicals leaving stains that are also difficult to clean. While it may be possible to force the particles back into the polymer matrix during embossing with heat and pressure, the relatively inelastic nature of the polyvinyl fluoride material requires relatively harsh conditions.
The present invention seeks to provide a decorative laminate that overcomes the difficulties noted above, and provides a decorative laminate that is characterized as having high texture retention when stretched or formed on a composite panel, is readily formed by economical processes, and yet is soft enough so as not to suffer from disadvantageous surface properties.

Polyvinylidene fluoride-based decorative laminate


In one embodiment of the invention, a disk storage accessing system for enabling a plurality of computers to share and access a plurality of disk storages comprises a plurality of computers that refer to the disk storages. Each of the computers includes a counting module for counting a frequency of accesses to each of the disk storages, and a module for receiving an access path change command to change access paths for the computer to access a different disk storage according to the command. The system further comprises an instructing module for collecting and totaling a frequency of accesses to each disk storage, and for instructing the receiving module of a computer that accesses the copy source disk storage after receiving a report of copy completion, to change access paths so as to access a target disk storage instead of the copy source disk storage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to accesses to SAN (Storage Area Network) disk storages, more specifically to an accessing system for disk storages that disperse the access load of each of those disk storages.
2. Description of Related Art
There is a well-known method in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) JP 2000-099272 for sharing disk storages among a plurality of computers connected to those storages via a dedicated network such as fiber channel.
This technique is referred to as storage area network (SAN), which assures the high freedom in assignment of disk storages and computers so that a computer can be assigned to any of necessary disk storage areas flexibly.
In recent years, information handling systems that are accessed via the Internet are considered increasingly to be important. In particular, many computer systems have come to be built as Web servers for supplying various kinds of contents.
Such a Web server often includes an unspecific number of client computers, and accordingly it is accessed so frequently that it is difficult to estimate the peak time of accesses.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) JP 10-271447 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) JP 10-069467 disclose well-known methods for dispersing accesses to such a computer system so as to solve the above problem.
The JP 10-271447 reference discloses a technique for dividing for dispersing accesses in which each content is divided into small pieces so as to be stored in a plurality of disk storages.
In this case, the access load in proportion to the number of disk storages can be dispersed, but the technique cannot cope with accesses over an estimated value.
The JP 10-069467 reference also discloses a technique for dispersing the access load with use of a plurality of server computers, but it is still difficult to disperse the load of each disk storage.
The SAN enables a plurality of computers to share a plurality of disk storages, but it cannot maintain its performance when the number of computers increases excessively, since the load of each of the shared disk storages increases.

Disk storage accessing system and method for changing access path to storage devices


An environmentally safe, nontoxic energetic time delay composition useful in small diameter aluminum tubes (i.e., typical military delay housings), which provides desired delay propagation rates of from less than about 2 to about 38 mm/s through such delay housings—the compositions being compressed stoichiometric mixes of Ti and C powders; Ni and Al powders; a combination of Ti/C and 3Ni/Al powders; and a combination of Ti/C and Ni/Al powders, diluted with inert alumina.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to energetic time delay compositions that are useful in military flares, signals, grenades, and various munitions which require a delay between initiation and detonation/ignition; which compositions are environmentally benign and nontoxic, and which repeatably exhibit the desired delay times/burning rates.
2. Background Art
In general terms, energetic materials produce a self-sustained exothermic chemical reaction upon ignition. Pyrotechnic compositions are widely used for a variety of military and civilian applications including explosive and fragmentation munitions, igniters, flares, smoke/gas generators and fireworks. Typically, pyrotechnics are composed of a fuel or combination thereof (e.g., aluminum, tungsten, silicon, boron, and magnesium) that is mixed with an oxidizer or combination thereof (e.g., perchlorates, chlorates, nitrates, and metal oxides)—which ingredients readily react in exothermic, reduction-oxidation (redox) type reactions to produce the desired pyrotechnic effects. These compositions can be tailored to meet various application requirements, such as burning rate, by changing a variety of control parameters including particle size/morphology, stoichiometry, degree of confinement and consolidation density to name a few. For example, some energetic reactants such as nano-thermites can have a burning rate as high as 1000 m/s (meters per second), while pyrotechnic delay compositions can have burning rates as low as 0.6 mm/s (millimeters per second).
Slow-burning delay compositions are uniformly required to produce a repeatable time interval between energetic stages or elements. Such materials are commonly used in delay fuzes that are widely used by the military in flares, signaling devices, grenades, mortars, and artillery projectiles. Having a reliable timed delay in such devices is critical, to provide a safe time interval after the user initiates the device and before the ignition of the device's primary charge, e.g., to provide the desired flare, signal, smoke, or the detonation/fragmentation—such as of a grenade. The delay interval is a function of the time that it takes the slow-burning delay composition to propagate a set distance. Typically, slow-burning delay compositions are housed in aluminum, zinc alloy, or lead tubes, contained within the flares, signals, and grenades or similar devices. The delay composition is ignited by an electrical or chemical igniter and after the slow-burning composition completes its propagation, along the length of its container, it in-turn ignites an output charge, which in-turn ignites the main charge of the device, i.e., the flare, signal, smoke, or detonation component. Further, considering the heat loss resulting from the metal tube enclosures used for such devices, the energetic delay composition must maintain an adequate reaction temperature to avoid being quenched and extinguished by the heat loss to and through the housing itself.
Many of today's pyrotechnic time delay compositions contain environmentally hazardous and toxic materials including heavy metals, chromates, and perchiorates (e.g., BaCrO4, PbCrO4, and KClO4). Even while these materials are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny, they are still in widespread use in military delay systems, due to their proven reliability and their ability to provide a wide range of combustion velocities, i.e., delays. Commonly used compositions include the tungsten delay (W/BaCrO4/KClO4/diatomaceous earth), the manganese delay (Mn/BaCrO4/PbCrO4), the zirconium-nickel delay (Zr—Ni alloy/BaCrO4/KClO4), and the T-10 delay (B/BaCrO4). One of the most versatile of these pyrotechnic delays is the W/BaCrO4/KClO4/diatomaceous earth system (the tungsten delay), that may be tuned to give combustion velocities ranging from 0.6-150 mm/s. This system has proven viable in the small diameter tube housings typically used for military applications—housings where heat losses can be substantial due to the high thermal conductivity of the metal housing (often die-cast zinc alloy or aluminum), and where the housing may have an internal diameter as small as 5 mm. Due to such high heat loss environments, finding alterative energetic materials that do not fail due to combustion front instabilities (e.g., oscillations, pulsations), or simply due to extinction, has proven challenging. Further, the current W/BaCrO4/KClO4/diatomaceous earth compositions are also "gasless" (producing less than 10 ml of gas per gram of composition) allowing them to be used in sealed/semi-sealed housings with a reduced risk of premature case rupture. Finding an alternative which functions and propagates slowly in a high heat loss environment, while also not producing any significant amount of gas, has proven challenging.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an environmentally benign and sustainable (i.e., safe) replacement for the current environmentally hazardous and toxic commonly used pyrotechnic delay compositions (e.g. W/BaCrO4/KClO4/diatomaceous earth, Mn/BaCrO4/PbCrO4, Zr—Ni alloy/BaCrO4/KClO4, and B/BaCrO4)—a replacement that will repeatably and fully propagate the entire length of the narrow, metal, tube delay housings typically used in military applications and that will burn without generating any significant gas by-products. Further, any replacement should be "tunable" to burn faster or slower—so as to provide a range of desired delay times.

Condensed phase energetic time delay compositions

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


Locking devices are provided that can be opened by alternate users with different keys. The devices generally include a lock slider anchored to an anchor tab through one or more link sliders. The sliders can be slidably mounted to a slide mount, such as, e.g., a slide shaft or slide slit in a housing. When the anchor tab, link slider and lock slider are all shackled together with, e.g., two or more padlocks, the lock bolt of the lock slider is substantially immobilized with the device in a locked configuration. When one or more of the shackles is removed, the lock slider is free to moved to an unlocked position along the slide mount.

It is a common situation to have a large number of people or institutions that require access to an area secured with a lock. One solution to this problem of multiple user access is to provide each user with a key to the lock. However, this presents logistic problems in distribution and control of access authorization. With this solution, users that need access to many sites can be required to carry and organize an unmanageable number or keys. In many cases, users prefer to each maintain their own system of locks having the same key (e.g., master key) to access many sites. The default solution to provide multiple lock access to gated areas appears to be by securing the gate with a chain and several padlocks linked to each other in a sequential "daisy chain" loop. However, besides being unsightly, this system often leads to a lock out of other users when one user directly locks the chain leaving the other locks out of the loop. Many other solutions to the multiple lock problem have been offered. However, these solutions are often overly complex in manufacture, require retrofit to existing gates, require organized administration of key distribution, are not applicable to chain lock systems, are prone to intentional or accidental disassembly by users, and/or openly expose the separate locks to attack by intruders.
The Multiple Padlock Latch of McNeil (U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,299) includes a door latch that can be pushed open by any one of a series of pins. The pins can each be secured with a separate padlock. To open the latch, a user removes his padlock from one of the pins, allowing the pin to be pushed in to disengage the latch so the door can be opened. However, this system is somewhat complex, is easily damaged, is not easily installed on existing doors, and does not functionally interact with chains common to many gated fences
Sliding bolt latches with multiple locks, such as those of Domes (D267,698), and Eaker (U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,015), have a latch mounting body on a gate with series of sliding link sections mounted to the gate bolt between anchor tabs. A series of padlocks can connect the anchor tabs through the sliding links so that the bolt can not be withdrawn from a receiver, thus preventing the gate from being opened. Removal of any one padlock disconnects the anchor tabs, allowing the bolt to slide from the receiver, so the gate can be opened. Still, these systems can suffer from too open exposure of the locks to intruders, retrofit difficulties, and a lack of ready functional interaction with existing chain systems.
In view of the above, a need remains for a multi-user locking system that is simple yet shielded from attack. It would be desirable to have a multilock system that is compatible with existing chain lock systems and easily retrofitted to common gates. The present invention provides these and other features that will be apparent upon review of the following.


Apparatus and methods for determining suitable displacement fluids for use in subterranean cementing operations, and methods of cementing that use such displacement fluids, are provided. Examples of methods include methods of water-wetting an annulus in a subterranean formation having an oleaginous-external/aqueous-internal fluid disposed on at least a portion of one or more surfaces of the annulus. Another example of a method is a method of using an inverter fluid in a subterranean formation that includes a tubular string disposed therein having an annular region adjacent the outer surface of the tubular string, at least part of the annular region having an oleaginous-external/aqueous-internal fluid on a surface thereof. Another example of a method of the present invention is a method of identifying an inverter fluid to use for inverting an oleaginous-external/aqueous-internal fluid in a subterranean formation.

The present invention relates generally to subterranean operations involving displacement fluids and water-wetting surfaces within a subterranean formation. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for determining suitable displacement fluids for use in subterranean cementing operations, and methods of cementing that use such displacement fluids.
The drilling of well bores in subterranean formations commonly involves pumping a "drilling fluid" into a rotated drill string to which a drill bit is attached. The drilling fluid typically exits through openings in the drill bit, inter alia, to lubricate the bit and to carry cuttings up an annulus between the drill string and the well bore for disposal at the surface. One type of drilling fluid is an emulsion of substances that define a non-aqueous external phase and an aqueous internal phase. In this drilling fluid a non-aqueous "oleaginous" external phase (e.g., oil or synthetic polymers) may be used to inhibit swelling of water-sensitive drill cuttings (e.g., shale). Typical oil-based drilling fluids contain some amount of an internal aqueous phase. The emulsion often may be prepared by using an aqueous (water-based) internal phase comprising salts (e.g., calcium chloride). These oil- or synthetic-based drilling fluids also typically include chemical emulsifying agents that act to form oleaginous external phase emulsions, also known as "invert" emulsions. These chemical emulsifying agents also promote the oil-wetting of surfaces. This oil-wetted state promotes lubrication of the drill bit and further stabilization of formation materials.
After drilling is completed, a casing string commonly is cemented in the well bore as part of completing the well. One type of cementing operation includes placing a cement composition through the casing string and into the annulus to displace the drilling fluid from the annulus to the surface (however, flow in the opposite direction can occur in some operations, such as in reverse circulating or reverse cementing). A successful cementing operation also includes bonding the cement composition with the outer surface of the casing string and the inner surface of the well bore defining the annulus.
The bond formed between the cement composition and the outer surface of the casing string as well as the inner surface of the well bore may not be optimal if the casing string and well bore surfaces are not conducive to bonding with the cement composition. For example, the non-aqueous portion of the drilling fluid may coat the casing string and well bore surfaces. This may interfere with the bonding of the cement composition to the surfaces, because the aqueous cement composition generally will not bond readily with the non-aqueous substances that may coat the surfaces. If improper or incomplete bonding occurs at either of these surfaces, a thin region called a "micro-annulus" may be formed. Formation of a micro-annulus may lead to the loss of zonal isolation of the well bore, and undesirable fluid migration along the well bore casing string. Further, casing lifetime may be compromised if migrating fluids are corrosive.
Conventional attempts to solve this problem have involved displacement of the drilling fluid from the annular space between the formation and casing string, or between an inner casing and an outer casing strings so as to water-wet the formation and/or casing surfaces. Accordingly, it often may be desirable for the displacement fluid to invert the emulsion within the drilling fluid, while water-wetting the formation and/or casing surfaces.
A displacement fluid may be pumped ahead of the cement composition to create water-wet surfaces. Certain embodiments of such displacement fluids may cause a non-aqueous (hereafter "oleaginous") external drilling fluid to invert, such that the aqueous internal phase becomes external, and the oleaginous phase becomes internal. Fluids that cause this inversion may be referred to as "inverter fluids," and often may be suitable for use as displacement fluids. Examples of suitable inverter fluids include, inter alia, spacers and/or preflushes. Other nonlimiting examples of suitable inverter fluids include settable fluids and other compositions that comprise cementitious components such as hydraulic cements. Other nonlimiting examples of suitable inverter fluids are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,138,759, 6,524,384, 6,666,268, 6,668,929, and 6,716,282, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Conventional inverter fluids typically comprise an aqueous base fluid, viscosifying agents, and fluid loss control additives. Certain inverter fluids also may comprise, inter alia, weighting agents, surfactants, and salts. The weighting agents may be included in an inverter fluid, inter alia, to increase its density for well control, and to increase the buoyancy effect that the inverter fluid may impart to the drilling fluid and filter cake that may adhere to the walls of the well bore. Viscosifying agents may stabilize the suspension of particles within the inverter fluid, and may control fluid loss from the inverter fluid. The presence of a surfactant in the inverter fluid may enhance the chemical compatibility of the inverter fluid with other fluids (e.g., the drilling fluid, and/or a cement composition that subsequently may be placed within the formation) and may water-wet downhole surfaces, thereby improving bonding of the cement composition to surfaces in the formation, and may facilitate improved removal of well bore solids. A salt may be included in the inverter fluid, inter alia, for formation protection, improved compatibility among fluids in the formation, and to desirably affect wettability.
Inverter fluids also may be used to displace oleaginous-external/aqueous-internal fluids from cased hole or open hole well bores in operations other than cementing. One example involves replacement of these inverter fluids with a completion fluid (e.g., a solution of calcium chloride or bromide). This operation may be conducted to clean the well bore for further operations, such as perforation of the casing or, in the case of an open hole, the onset of production of the well. In this case, the inverter fluid may serve to displace the previous fluid and leave the formation surfaces in a water-wet state.
The use of inverter fluids in cementing and other subterranean operations often may be problematic, because of, inter alia, difficulties in identifying a specific inverter fluid composition that may desirably invert a particular drilling fluid composition in a manner so as to water-wet the annulus to a desired degree. Conventional attempts to identify specific inverter fluid compositions that may desirably invert a particular drilling fluid composition in a desired manner, at the temperature and pressure to which both fluids may be exposed in a subterranean formation, often have involved a multi-step process that may fail to identify incompatibilities between components of the fluids at the anticipated subterranean conditions. Commonly, a proposed inverter fluid composition has been pre-conditioned to the anticipated temperature and pressure using a high-pressure, high-temperature apparatus, then cooled, de-pressurized, and removed from the first apparatus, and placed in a testing apparatus at atmospheric pressure and only slightly elevated temperature, along with a sample of the drilling fluid that is to be inverted. This method is problematic because it may mask certain changes or conditions (e.g., cloud point changes, solubility changes, and the like) that may result in an incompatibility between the fluids and/or that may indicate that the proposed inverter fluid composition will not invert a particular drilling fluid composition in a desired manner at the desired temperature and pressure.

Apparatus and methods for improved fluid displacement in subterranean formations


A seal assembly (10) is provided for sealing between an interior surface (14) on a wellhead (12) and a tapered exterior surface (18) on a hanger (16). A unitary seal body (20) includes an upper portion for engagement with a force tool and a lower portion for sealing with the wellhead and the hanger. A first locking ring (24) is movable radially inward for securing the sealing assembly to the hanger, and a second locking ring (22) is movable radially outward for securing the seal assembly to the wellhead. An actuation member (60) including a plurality of downward extending fingers passing through slots in the seal body move downward through a portion of the body to force the first and second locking rings into engagement with the wellhead and the hanger.

Various types of seal assemblies have been devised of the past fifty years for sealing between a casing hanger and a wellhead. Some seal assemblies are suitable for either high temperature or high pressure application, but not both high temperature and high pressure applications. Other seal assemblies are only suitable for modest temperature and pressure applications. Other seal assemblies initially form a seal, but over time lose their sealing effectiveness.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,615 discloses a seal assembly for sealing between a cylindrical surface and a tapered surface. Another type of seal assembly suitable for sealing between a cylindrical surface and tapered surface is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,276. A split carrier seal assembly for sealing between a sub-sea wellhead housing and a casing hanger is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,070. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,757,860 and 5,076,356 and discloses another form of seal assembly for sealing between a cylindrical surface and a tapered surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,956 discloses a downhole tool for activating a seal assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,745 discloses a casing hanger positioned within a wellhead.
Most downhole wellhead-hanger seal assemblies are manufactured from two or more components which make up the seal body which supports one or more seals that seal with the wellhead and the hanger. In many cases, these components are interconnected by threads, which inherently allow axial travel between components. This axial travel between seal body components allows travel and thus wear on both the seals and the sealing surfaces. High seal setting forces are also conventionally difficult to transmit through a seal body with threaded components.
Another significant problem with prior art sealing assemblies is that when fluid pressure is applied from below the set seal assembly, the interior wellhead wall expands radially outward, and the exterior hanger wall contracts radially inward, thereby creating a significant increase in the radial gap, which inherently detracts from sealing effectiveness. The disadvantages of this created gap are particularly significant when high downhole pressure is applied from below the seal assembly.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and an improved seal assembly and method are hereinafter disclosed.


The present invention relates to improved, efficient chemical syntheses of 3-aminopyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-AP) and 3-amino-4-methylpyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-AMP).

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death known today, and effective treatment of many solid tumors still remains elusive. It is believed that novel antitumor drugs possessing a strong inhibitory effect on ribonucleotide reductase, an essential enzyme for cellular replication would be a useful addition to present drug regimens for treating cancer.
It is well-known that the reductive conversion of ribonucleotides to the corresponding deoxyribonucleotides is a key step in the biosynthesis of DNA. Since deoxyribonucleotides are present in extremely low levels in mammalian cells, investigators have assumed that an inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase could be more effective than an inhibitor of DNA polymerase in blocking DNA synthesis. See, Cory and Chiba, "Combination Chemotherapy Directed at the Components of Nucleoside Diphosphate Reductase", Inhibitors of Ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase Activity, Cory, J. G. and Cory, A. M. Eds.; Pergamon Press: Oxford, 1989; pp 245-264. Consequently, through this work it was believed that the development of strong inhibitors of ribonucleotide reductase would create potential powerful weapons against cancer.
For many years, studies of novel .alpha.-(N)-heterocyclic carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazones (HCTs), a class of the most potent inhibitors of ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, has attracted considerable interest. A variety of HCTs such as 5-hydroxypyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (5 HP), 4-methyl-5-amino-1-formylisoquinoline thiosemicarbazone (MAIQ-1), 5-(acetylamino)pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (5-AAP), 3- and 5-aminopyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-AP and 5-AP) and their 4-methyl derivatives (3-AMP and 5-AMP), 3- and 5-hydroxy-4-methylpyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-HMP and 5-HMP) have been reported. See, DeConti, et al., Cancer Res., 1972, 32, 1455-1462; Agrawal, et al., J. Med. Chem. 1976, 19, 970-972; French, et al., J. Med. Chem., 1974, 17, 172-181; Liu, et al., J. Med. Chem. 1992, 35, 3672-3677; Wang, et al., J. Med. Chem. 1992, 35, 3667-3671.
Structure-activity relationship studies of a series of HCTs revealed that both 3-AP and 3-AMP showed much better therapeutic effects against L1210 leukemia, M-109 lung carcinoma and A2780 human ovarian carcinoma than other HCTs reported to date. Liu, et al., J. Med. Chem. 1992, 35, 3672-3677; Agrawal, et al., "The Chemistry and Biological Activity of the .alpha.-(N)-Heterocyclic Carboxaldehyde Thiosemicarbazones." Progress in Medicinal Chemistry; Ellis, G. P.; West, G. B., Eds.; Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press: New York, 1978; Vol. 15, pp 321-356. In addition, 3-AP and 3-AMP are potent agents with significant antineoplastic activity in comparison with hydroxyurea (HU), an approved ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor used in clinics. The study of these compounds on a much larger scale has necessitated scale-up production of these agents.
As outlined in FIG. 1, the first syntheses of 3-AP and 3-AMP were accomplished in Dr. Alan Sartorelli's laboratories at Yale University. Although the previous synthesis has the advantage of low cost of the materials used in the synthetic procedure, the scheme has proved to be troublesome due to long reaction sequences, low yields and difficult handling. For this reason, the present inventors investigated the synthesis and have developed new methods to prepare 3-AP and 3-AMP.

Process for the synthesis of ribonucleotide reductase inhibitors 3-AP and 3-AMP


A camera apparatus includes an adjusting member configured to adjust a pan of an optical member included therein; a cover member configured to cover the optical member; and a fixing member fixed to an installation surface and configured to include a first engaging mechanism and a second engaging mechanism for respectively engaging the adjusting member and the cover member thereto. The pan of the optical member is adjusted by respectively engaging a groove or a protrusion of the first engaging mechanism and protrusion or a groove of the adjusting member, and rotating the adjusting member along the groove. The cover member is locked to the fixing member by respectively engaging a groove or a protrusion of the second engaging mechanism and a protrusion or groove of the cover member, and rotating the cover member a given angle along the groove.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional surveillance dome camera apparatuses generally have a configuration in which a cover member that covers an optical member is fixed to an adjusting member that adjusts the pan of the optical member (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. H11-243500). In many cases, the cover member is engaged with the adjusting member, rotated with respect to the adjusting member, and locked at a given angle so that the cover member is easily attached to/detached from the adjusting member. In some cases, the cover member is attached to the adjusting member by screw members (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-221637).
However, in the conventional arts described above, when the cover member is rotated to be fixed to the adjusting member, the adjusting member also rotates along with the cover member, requiring re-positioning and re-adjustment of the adjusting member, resulting in inefficient assembly and installation.
Although configurations in which the cover member is fixed by the screw members mitigate this problem, the screw member protrudes exteriorly, resulting in a larger overall size of the camera apparatus, an unfavorable appearance, and a greater number of elements.


A crimp tool for concurrently crimping and trimming includes a first jaw member and a second jaw member pivotally coupled to the first and second jaw members moveable between a crimp position and a release position. The crimp tool also includes a first crimp die coupled to the first jaw member and having a first recessed surface and a second crimp die coupled to the second jaw member and having a second recessed surface, the first and second recessed surfaces being complementary to each other and forming a crimping opening in the crimp position to receive a connector having a conductor received therein. The crimp tool includes cutting members that are spaced apart relative to the respective jaw members to trim an exposed inner conductor of the conductor when substantially abutting one another in the crimp position, and may be adjustable depending on the desired protrusion of the inner conductor.

Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to crimp tools and, more particularly, to a multi-functional crimp tool for crimping connectors to electrical cables and trimming the cable in a single crimp step.
Description of the Related Art
Various tools are used to crimp a connector to an electrical cable, such as a coaxial cable. The cables are mechanically and electrically secured to a connector by crimping a portion of the connector over the cable.
A crimping operation typically includes stripping one or more outer layer(s) of an insulator from the cable in order to expose an inner electrical conductor, such as a copper wire or a copper plated steel wire, for example. The inner conductor is exposed so that it conducts electrical signals when mated with a female receiving element. After stripping the outer layer(s) of the insulator, the connector is generally inserted through the cable, with the inner conductor protruding therefrom. The cable is then compressed at a lower portion of the connector to form a crimped joint.
However, sizing the length of the outer insulation layer(s) to be stripped to expose a precise length of the inner conductor has been problematic. For example, a longer protrusion of the inner conductor may damage a solder joint or the connector itself when mated with the female receiving element. Further, to maintain a proper length of the protrusion of the inner conductor may require a user to measure the length of the protrusion and then use cutters or scissors to cut a portion of the additional length of the protrusion. Such additional steps promote inefficiencies and involve time-consuming tasks.


A heterodyne interferometer, adaptive optics system, method of measuring movement of a target and/or variations in a beam propagation medium, and method of controlling an adaptive optics system are provided. The heterodyne interferometer includes an acoustic-optical modulator that can superimpose a RF signal on a source signal, and output a zero order beam and a higher order beam. One of the beams comprises a target beam and the other beam comprises a local oscillator beam. A telescope can receive the target beam, and direct the target beam through the beam propagation medium to the target. A beam splitter can receive the local oscillator beam and the reflected beam from the target, and coherently combine the local oscillator beam and the reflected beam to produce a fringe pattern. A detector can receive the fringe pattern and generate an electrical beat signal, which can be demodulated based upon the RF signal.

Heterodyne interferometers are utilized in a variety of commercial and noncommercial applications, such as to measure displacement, force, pressure or other physical quantities that create a measurable displacement in a respective transducer. For example, heterodyne interferometers may be utilized in an adaptive optics system to measure movement of a target and/or variations in a medium of beam propagation, such as may be due to atmospheric turbulence. By measuring movement and/or variations in the beam propagation medium, then, the adaptive optics system can correct for such movement and/or variations to accurately image the target.
Heterodyne interferometers include a stable optical source, such as a laser, for providing coherent optical signals. The optical source can provide signals directly to the system or the optical source can be remotely located and connected to the system via optical fibers. Regardless of the location of the optical source, conventional heterodyne interferometers require coherent signals having two different frequencies. In addition, most conventional heterodyne interferometers require that the signals having the first frequency be orthogonally polarized relative to the signals having the second frequency. These heterodyne interferometers are therefore classified as polarizing interferometers. For example, the Hewlett Packard 10715 differential interferometer is a type of polarizing heterodyne interferometer as described in an article by C. Steinmetz, et al., entitled Accuracy Analysis and Improvements to the Hewlett-Packard Laser Interferometer System, SPIE 816, Interferometric Metrology, p. 79 (1987). Similarly, the Hewlett Packard 5527 Laser Position Transducer System is another type of polarizing heterodyne interferometer as described in HP product brochure No. 5964-6190 E entitled Optics and Laser Heads for Laser-Interferometer Positioning Systems (1995).
More specifically, conventional polarizing interferometers include a first laser source for providing a first beam having a first frequency and a first linear polarization and a second laser source having a second frequency and a second linear polarization that is orthogonal to the first polarization state. A polarizing interferometer also includes reference and measurement arms as well as a polarizing beam splitter for separating the first and second beams based upon their polarization such that one of the beams is directed to the measurement arm of the interferometer, while the other beam is directed to the reference arm of the interferometer. Upon returning from the measurement and reference arms, the first and second beams are mixed by a polarization analyzer or other polarization manipulating optical elements so as to create an interference pattern. While the reference arm typically has a fixed or predetermined length, the measurement arm has a length that is defined by the position of a target. As such, as the target is displaced, the optical path length of the measurement arm is accordingly altered. By measuring the phase of the resulting fringes created by the interference of the first and second beams, however, the heterodyne interferometer permits the displacement of the target to be determined.
Nonpolarizing heterodyne interferometers have also been developed. By avoiding the mixing of beams of different polarization states, nonpolarizing interferometers reduce or eliminate the nonlinear errors in the final phase measurement that otherwise arise as a result of polarization crosstalk. See, for example, M. Tanaka et al. "Linear Interpolation of Periodic Error in a Heterodyne Laser Interferometer at Subnanometer Levels," IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 552–54 (April 1989); Jack A. Stone et al., "Wavelength Shift Interferometry: Using a Dither to Improve Accuracy," Proc. of the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the American Society for Precision Engineering," pp. 357–62 (Nov. 9–14, 1996); and Chien-ming Wu et al., "Heterodyne Interferometer with Subatomic Periodic Nonlinearity," Applied Optics, Vol. 38, pp. 4089–94 (1999).
Whereas conventional heterodyne interferometers are adequate in measuring displacement due to movement of a target and/or atmospheric turbulence, such interferometers have drawbacks. Among the drawbacks, conventional heterodyne interferometers are often complex systems that can be expensive to produce. In this regard, conventional phase measuring heterodyne interferometers typically require elements to provide an absolute phase measurement of the resulting fringes created by the interference of the first and second beams, such as by utilizing techniques including fringe counting, zero-crossing phase detecting, and the like. More particularly with respect to adaptive optics applications, conventional lateral shear heterodyne interferometers are typically utilized in wavefront sensors and require ea matrix reconstructor to determine phase, which is required to correct for optical phase differences to the target, which may be represented by the phase measurement of the resulting fringes. Further, many conventional interferometers require an undesirable number of detectors to receive the beam from the measurement arm of the interferometer due to required signal-to-noise ratios.

Heterodyne frequency modulated signal demodulator and method of operating the same


A content reproduction method is provided. First, a broadcast program having a program content is received and electronic program guide data including program information on the broadcast program is received. Then, a content corresponding to the program content of the broadcast program is retrieved from a network based on the electronic program guide data. Finally, identification information identifying the content is displayed with the program information.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, a method, and a computer-readable medium for receiving and reproducing broadcast programs and contents on networks.
2. Related Art
In the past, electronic apparatuses such as a television apparatus receive broadcast signals of terrestrial broadcasting, cable television broadcasting, and satellite broadcasting, and allow users to view broadcast programs. The broadcast programs are previously scheduled to be broadcasted in predetermined time slots. So when users want to view broadcast programs, they must view the programs in broadcast time slots of the broadcast programs or set recording reservation of the broadcast programs.
Meanwhile, as a broadcast environment has developed recently, services that allow users to view contents corresponding to program contents of broadcast programs through a network such as the Internet have come into use. Most of the services employ a so-called video on demand (VOD) system. Users can view contents anytime they want without being bound by broadcast time slots.
However, there are various ways of obtaining contents that can be viewed with the VOD, so users must search the plurality of ways of obtaining desired contents. Furthermore, users can refer to electronic program guides (EPGs) obtained by electronic apparatuses through broadcast waves or through a network, select desired broadcast programs, and confirm their schedules. However, the users cannot obtain from the EPGs whether they can view contents corresponding to the program contents of the broadcast programs through the Internet with VOD. So, the users are forced to execute troublesome, additional search for contents of VOD by using, for example, search engines on the Internet.
Japanese Patent Application JP 2003-125305 describes a television receiver capable of obtaining a program title and uniform resource locator (URL) referring to program information in an electronic program guide to a hard disk recorder connected to the television apparatus while viewing a broadcast program, searching the Internet using a personal computer for program auxiliary information on the broadcast program based on the program title and the URL, and displaying the program auxiliary information.
However, in the television receiver described in JP 2003-125305, the information retrieved from the Internet and displayed on the personal computer is merely auxiliary information regarding the broadcast program such as, for example, comments on the broadcast program and information on a cast, but information regarding a content on the Internet corresponding to the program content of the broadcast program is never displayed. Thus, users are still bound by broadcast schedules to view broadcast programs, and are forced to execute troublesome search operations to confirm whether a content corresponding to the program content of the broadcast program exists on the Internet.

Content reproducing apparatus, method, and medium


Disclosed is a mobile station for determining a data rate for a packet data service in a mobile communication system including a base station, and the mobile station being provided with a voice service and a packet data service from the base station. In the mobile station, a receiver receives orthogonal code allocation information indicating the number of orthogonal codes allocated for the packet data service, a measurer measures a CIR using a received pilot channel, and a controller determines a data rate corresponding to the measured CIR, controls the determined data rate based on the number of the allocated orthogonal codes, and determines a controlled data rate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile communication system supporting a multimedia service including voice and packet data services, and in particular, to an apparatus and method for determining a data rate of packet data.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical mobile communication system, such as an IS-2000 CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) mobile communication system, has been designed to support a voice service only. However, over time, the mobile communication system has been developed to support a data service as well, in order to meet the growing requirement for high-speed data transmission. Further, a so-called "HDR (High Data Rate)" mobile communication system has been proposed to support a high-speed data service only.
As stated above, the existing mobile communication system was designed to support either the voice service only, or the data service only. That is, although the mobile communication system is required to simultaneously support the voice service and the data service, the conventional mobile communication system was designed to separately support the services. Therefore, there is a demand for a mobile communication system capable of supporting the data service as well as the existing voice service.

Apparatus and method for determining a data rate of packet data in a mobile communication system


A circuit is provided by which in the case of the transmission of a short packet signal through an FSK transmission channel having a frequency error for transmission and reception, directly from one shaped rectangular pulse of a frequency detected bit synchronization signal having a DC offset (this pulse including a bias distortion as it is) a clock signal can be generated indicating the points of time when the base-band signal passes through its center level and the point of time when it arrives its maximum or minimum value (data sampling points of time). This invention utilizes the fact that the bit synchronization signal is in the form of a sine wave because it has been band limited. The sine wave including a DC offset is rectangularity shaped with respect to the zero axis as it is, and a counter is caused to start its counting operation by a raising-up or falling-down transition of this rectangular waveform and the count value of the counter is read out at the time of the falling-down or raising-up transition of the rectangular waveform. On the basis of the count value read out, the count values at a time when the base-band signal passed through its center level and the count value at a time when it arrives its maximum or minimum value (during the data section, a data sampling point of time) can be calculated directly. These calculated values are stored, and when the counter arrived these values, pulses are generated which are used to regenerate a clock.

This invention relates to a clock reproducing circuit constituting technique for reproducing a clock timing component from a demodulated base-band signal, which is adapted to be used in a packet FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) signal receiver.
A first prior art method of extracting a clock signal component from a received signal consists of squaring a demodulated base-band signal, and then passing the squared signal through a band-pass filter in order to extract a clock signal component therefrom. The clock signal component is then passed from the band-pass filter, to an analog or digital PLL (Phase Locked Loop) circuit, in order to produce a clock signal. However, in this method, because it takes some time for the band-pass filter and the PLL circuit to respond, the clock signal is not produced on time when the packet signal is short. In order to produce a clock signal in a shorter period of time, a second prior art method has been used. This second method consists of immediately starting a digital PLL circuit when the base-band signal crosses "zero" (a bit synchronization signal positioned at a head portion of the packet). Thereafter, while the data section of the packet has switched to the next cycle, a clock signal is produced by squaring a base-band signal and then passing the squared signal to a band-pass filter (this second prior art method provides smaller jitter compared to the first prior art method). Within the first prior art method, it is preferred that there not be produced any bias distortion (DC offset) since the clock signal is produced directly from the base-band signal. Because this method requires that the frequency error at the time of transmission and reception be extremely small, a high precision oscillator must be used during transmission and reception. When the frequency error is very small, it is possible to correct the frequency by using an A.F.C. (Automatic Frequency Control) circuit without using a high precision oscillator. However, it has not been possible to eliminate the high precision oscillator, and therefore reduce the size and cost of the resulting apparatus, when the frequency error has been large. As mentioned, in the past, using a high-pass filter to eliminate such a large DC offset has not been possible because it has taken too long to generate a clock signal.
A bit synchronization signal (an information signal consisting of alternately repeated "O's" and "1's") is limited in frequency band during transmission. If the data transmission rate is 9600 bps, a base-band sine wave of 4800 Hz is produced. Using the base-band sine wave, it is possible to eliminate any DC offset using a high-pass filter, such as a differentiation circuit. However, a phase shifting occurs, and this phase shifting must be adjusted.
This can be expressed mathematically as follows. If the value of a DC offset (which is on the basis of a frequency error) is intended to be represented using the angular frequency of a sine wave (the bit synchronization signal), an input signal becomes following equation (1): ##EQU1## where s is Laplace transform operator. Since the transformer functions of a differentiating circuit and phase shifting circuit can be expressed by s/(s+c) and (s-d)/(s+d), respectively, an output signal O.sub.(s) becomes the following equation (2): ##EQU2## This can be developed to partial fractions, as following equation (3): ##EQU3## In the equation (3), A, B and C are residues which are found by the substitution of the radicals of the respective denominators, C is the conjugate of C, and j is an imaginary unit. The first and second terms of equation (3) represent respective transient terms while the third and fourth terms are steady-state terms which represent sine waves. Therefore, the third and fourth terms of equation (3) need not be considered in the instant case. The inverse transform O.sub.T(t) of the first and second, transient, terms can be calculated indirectly using the following inverse transform equation (4): EQU O.sub.T(t) =A.epsilon..sup.-ct +B.epsilon..sup.-dt .sub.-- (4)
In this equation (4), .epsilon. is the base of the naturalized logarithm. This exponential function is the above-mentioned transient, and in order that it can converge, the time is needed of about three times the respective reciprocal numbers of c and d, as is clear from the nature of an exponential function. Therefore, in order that the third and fourth, steady-state, terms (bit synchronization signal components) are available, the first and second transient, terms of the equation (3) must converge. This is the reason why prior art methods have required some time to generate a clock signal.

Clock reproducing circuit for packet FSK signal receiver