A low-cost, fluidized-bed drying process for the production of solidified alkaline earth salts is provided which is especially useful for the production of MgCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2 O from a starting brine nominally containing MgCl.sub.2.12H.sub.2 O. The process includes the steps of passing the starting brine into a drying chamber (12) and fluidizing the brine by contact with hot air for a period of from about 1-15 minutes while heating the brine to a maximum temperature of from about 200.degree.-275.degree. F. This creates a molten salt product, which can then be cooled using ambient air to yield the desired final product. Preferably, the brine is heated to a temperature of from about 230.degree.-250.degree. F., and is subjected to fluidizing contact with hot air for about 5-8 minutes. Ambient air cooling is accomplished by contacting the intermediate melt with ambient air for a period of from about 10 seconds to 3 minutes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with a low cost process for the production of solidified alkaline earth salts from starting liquid brines containing the relevant salts. The method is particularly adapted for the production of magnesium chloride hexahydrate (MgCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2 O, also known as bischofite), although other salts such as calcium chloride, calcium nitrate and magnesium nitrate may also be prepared. The invention contemplates production of salts of this type by feeding a brine into a fluidized bed drying chamber in order to dehydrate the brine using a relatively short time fluidizing step.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnesium chloride hexahydrate is used primarily in the production of magnesium metal and as a gauging solution for the production of oxychloride cements for flooring, plaster, fire-resistant panels, fire proofing of steel beams, and grinding wheels; it also has a significant use as a road deicer. Magnesium chloride is also used as a fire proofing agent for wood, as a dust binder on roads and in mines, in sugar-beet processing, textiles, water treatment, and as a fire extinguishing agent. Although magnesium chloride forms hydrates with 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 molecules of water, the hexahydrate and 12-hydrated form are of primary commercial importance. Magnesium chloride is a main constituent of sea water and is found in most natural brines and evaporite deposits. It occurs in scattered deposits as the mineral bischofite and in large commercial deposits as the mineral carnallite.
A number of methods have been followed in the past for the production of magnesium chloride hexahydrate. One of the most common techniques involves the evaporation of sea water and natural brines, but this has heretofore only been economical where the dilute solutions can be preconcentrated by solar evaporation. In one specific example of this process, brine from the Great Salt Lake containing approximately 35% by weight MgCl.sub.2 solution (nominally MgCl.sub.2 .multidot.12H.sub.2 O) is first subjected to solar evaporation, followed by vacuum evaporation until the 6-hydrated form of MgCl.sub.2 and MgSO.sub.4 are precipitated. Thereafter, the precipitated crystals are heated to 120.degree.-150.degree. C. to redissolve the MgCl.sub.2 .multidot.6H.sub.2 O and allow removal of magnesium sulfate. The MgCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2 O can then be crystallized out. Alternately, the initially evaporated solution can be maintained at 120.degree. C. until the magnesium sulfate content decreases to less than 20 g/L as a result of crystallization of kieserite. The MgCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2 O is then crystallized by vacuum evaporation at 90.degree. C.
The prime difficulty with evaporative processes of this type stems from the high energy input and hence costs associated with the ultimate production of MgCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2 O. Indeed, the cost of brine dehydration is by far the most significant expense associated with production of the desired product.
It has also been known to manufacture magnesium chloride as a by-product of the potash industry or by direct chlorination of magnesium oxide in the presence of an organic reducing agent. However, these methods are generally even more expensive than those involving evaporation of brines.
In a similar fashion, salts such as calcium chloride have been produced in commercial quantities by a number of processes including the refining of natural brines, reaction of calcium hydroxide with ammonium chloride in Solvay soda ash production, and the reaction of hydrochloric acid with calcium carbonate. Here again, the brine processes are relatively expensive, and involve multiple steps such as reaction of the brines with lime and subsequent concentration.
There is therefore a need in the art for a simplified, low cost process for the production of alkaline earth metal salts, and particularly MgCl.sub.2 6H.sub.2 O, which avoids multiple, energy-intensive evaporation and/or chemical separation steps.

Method of producing magnesium chloride hexahydrate and other alkaline earth salts


A memory includes a wafer having at least a first and second edge, at least one memory bank array, a data path, and a plurality of data pads. The data path is coupled to the memory bank array. The plurality of data pads are coupled to the data path and configured with the data path to bus data to and from the memory bank array. The data pads are further configured such that each of the data pads are located adjacent the first and second edges of the wafer. The memory component is configurable for alternative applications such that in a first application all of the data pads used to bus data are located only on the first edge of the wafer and such that in a second application at least one of the data pads used to bus data is located on the first edge of the wafer and at least one of the data pads used to bus data is located on the second edge of the wafer.

Semiconductor circuits are formed on semiconductor chips assembled into packages. Generally, the packages of the semiconductor chip device help protect the semiconductor chip against external contamination sources and external stresses and electromagnetism. In some cases, the semiconductor circuit is formed on a die by a first manufacture and then delivered to its customer as a "known good die" or "KGD." The customer then integrates this KGD into its own product before finally packaging the semiconductor circuit as a semiconductor chip or finished application package. In yet other applications, the manufacture of the semiconductor circuit completely forms the semiconductor chip as a component, such as a ball grid array (BGA) or similar type of package.
Depending on the particular type of application, the pad locations for the semiconductor package are different. Providing a different pad arrangement for each different type of chip application typically requires providing a custom pad arrangement that is dependent upon the particular application. For these and other reasons, there exists a need for the present invention.

Edge pad architecture for semiconductor memory


An air purifier has a simply manufactured and assembled ionizer, which improves the charging efficiency for dust particles using multi-directional discharge and prevents electrical accidents. The air purifier includes an ionizer and a collector. The ionizer includes a first electrode and at least two second electrodes, the first electrode having at least two hollow, semi-cylindrically shaped electrodes, the at least two electrodes being connected successively and in parallel so that the first electrode has a corrugated shape, and the at least two second electrodes are positioned at inner spaces defined by the hollow semi-cylindrically shaped electrodes, respectively. The collector is electrically charged with a polarity opposite to a polarity of charged dust particles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an air purifier and, more particularly, to an air purifier which includes an electric dust collecting device that electrically charges dust particles in air and collects the charged dust particles.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known to those skilled in the art, an air purifier is used to provide purified clean air after dust, bacteria and contaminants in air are eliminated. The air purifier is provided with an electric dust collecting device to collect dust, etc. In the electric dust collecting device, dust particles electrically charged by corona discharge of an ionizer are collected by electrostatic attraction of a collector electrically charged to have a polarity opposite to a polarity of the charged dust particles.
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a conventional air purifier. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional air purifier includes a pre-filter 102, an ionizer 104, a collector 106, a final filter 108, and a fan 110. The pre-filter 102 acts primarily to filter relatively large dust particles. The ionizer 104, which constitutes the electric dust collecting device along with the collector 106, functions to charge the dust particles electrically to bear a positive polarity by corona discharge between a discharge electrode unit 104b and ground electrode units 104a positioned at both sides of the discharge electrode 104b. The collector 106 has a plurality of horizontal partitions 106a bearing a negative polarity. When the positively charged dust particles flow between the horizontal partitions 106a of the collector 106, the dust particles are adsorbed to, and collected on, the negatively charged horizontal partitions by electrostatic attraction. The final filter 108 functions to filter fine dust or mold not filtered by the collector 106. The fan 10 circulates air by forcibly circulating air from the pre-filter 102 to the final filter 108.
In the above-described conventional air purifier, when the discharge electrode unit 104b and the ground electrode units 104a constituting the ionizer 104 are perpendicular to each other, the discharge occurs. However, if plate-shaped ground electrodes are used, discharge spaces are limited to very small spaces, so that some of dust particles, which quickly move along circulating air generated by the fan 110, may not be electrically charged. The dust particles not electrically charged in the ionizer 104 are not collected by the collector 106, so that the filtering burden of the final filter 108 positioned behind the electric dust collecting device is increased.


A molded brush segment having a plurality of integrally molded bristles extending from a generally planar center portion. The brush segment is molded from a moldable polymer such a thermoset polymer, thermoplastic polymer, or thermoplastic elastomer. The moldable polymer preferably includes a plurality of organic or inorganic abrasive particles interspersed throughout at least the bristles, and can be interspersed throughout the brush segment. The molded brush segments can be generally circular, with the bristles extending radially outward in the plane defined by the central portion. A plurality of brush segments can be combined to form a brush assembly. Also disclosed is a method of making a molded abrasive brush and a method of refining a workpiece surface with a molded abrasive brush.

Brushes have been used for many years to polish, clean, and abrade a wide variety of substrates. These brush products typically have a plurality of bristles that contact the substrate. Abrasive particles can be added to bristles to increase their abrasiveness. There are many manufacturing steps necessary to manufacture a conventional abrasive brush having bristles which contain abrasive particles. A mixture of abrasive particles and a thermoplastic binder may be combined and then extruded to form a bristle. The bristle is then cut to the desired length. A plurality of these bristles are then mechanically combined to form a brush segment. Next, a plurality of these brush segments may be installed on a hub or plate to form a brush.
One example of such a brush is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,091, "Method of Making Rotary Brush With Removable Brush Elements" (Abrahamson et al.). In Abrahamson et al., a plurality of abrasive bristles are mechanically clamped together and a root system is installed to form a brush segment. A plurality of these brush segments is installed on a rotary hub to provide a radial brush. Another arrangement for mechanically mounting bristles on a hub to form a radial brush segment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,719, "Apparatus and Brush Segment Arrangement for Finishing Wheel Brushes" (Young et al.). Young et al. teach a brush segment comprising a substrate with a carpet of bristles mounted on one side of the substrate, by means of a polymeric resin for example, and a root system extending from the opposite side of the substrate. The individual brush segments are adapted for mounting in longitudinal slots in a cylindrical hub. U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,458 (Rambosek) teaches a brush segment having a plurality of bristles embedded in a polymeric base portion. A root means for attaching the segment to a hub can be integrally molded with the base.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/431,910 (Johnson et al.) , issued as U.S. Pat No. 5,679,067. discloses an integrally molded abrasive brush for rotary tools, comprising a generally planar flexible base having a first side and a second side, and a plurality of bristles extending from the first side of the base. The bristles have an aspect ratio of at least 2 and are integrally molded with the base. The molded abrasive brush comprises a moldable polymeric material which includes abrasive particles interspersed throughout at least the bristles. The bristles extend generally perpendicular to the base, parallel to the axis of rotation of the molded abrasive brush. In a preferred embodiment, the bristles contact the workpiece at the juncture of the leading edge of the tip of the bristle and the outermost portion of the side surface of the bristle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,595 (Pihl et al.) discloses an extruded abrasive filament including a first elongate filament component having a continuous surface throughout its length and including a first hardened organic polymeric and a second elongate filament component coterminous with the first elongate filament component, including a second hardened organic polymeric material in melt fusion adherent contact with the first elongate filament component along the continuous surface. The second hardened organic polymeric material can be the same or different than the first hardened organic polymeric material. At least one of the first and second hardened organic polymeric materials includes a thermoplastic elastomer having abrasive particles adhered therein. Also disclosed is an abrasive article comprised of at least one abrasive filament mounted to a substrate such as a hub adapted to be rotated at a high rate of revolution.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,883 (Barber et al.) discloses a composite abrasive filament which includes at least one preformed core at least partially coated with a thermoplastic elastomer having abrasive particles dispersed and adhered therein, the thermoplastic elastomer and abrasive particles together comprising a hardened composition. The composite abrasive filament has a hardened composition over at least a portion, preferably over the entire surface of at least one preformed core. The preformed core is formed in a step separate from and prior to one or more coating steps, one of which coats the preformed core with abrasive-filled thermoplastic elastomer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,154, "Brush," Muhler et al.), discloses brushes, and more particularly an integrally molded, one-piece brush, especially a toothbrush, in which the plastic material from which the brush is molded incorporates up to about 30% by weight of an abrasive material, especially a dental abrasive material. Muhler states that, depending upon the individual use to which the brush may be put, the abrasive component thereof may be omitted. Without providing any details as to the configuration of such an embodiment, Muhler states that a relatively thin elongated brush head with bristles formed thereon could be attached to a wheel and thereby serve as a buffing brush.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,272, "Rotary Brush," (Pambello), discloses brushes, particularly rotary brushes of the annularly or spirally arranged brush strip type which are primarily adapted for heavy duty such as brushing paved streets, sidewalks, concrete flooring and the like. In one embodiment, the rotary brush of Pambello comprises a cylindrical rotatable structure, a brushing element formed of a unitary strip of yieldable plastic material spirally arranged on the drum, the strip having a lengthwise extending base and having vane means extending outwardly from the base and formed with a tip at the outer end thereof. Alternatively, there may be a number individual strips circularly arranged on the drum. The brush strip of Pambello may be formed of plastic materials by molding or extruding and cutting operations.
It is seen that there is a need to provide a radial abrasive brush segment, and a brush comprising the brush segments, that is easily and inexpensively manufactured, and which provides suitable durability and abrading characteristics.

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


The present invention provides a process for preparing a highly pure form of malathion having a reduced level of toxic impurities. In addition, the malathion prepared by the process of this invention is storage stable. The level of toxic impurities in the malathion, e.g., isomalathion, O,O,S-trimethyl phosphorodithioate (MeOOSPS), O,O,S-trimethyl phosphorothioate (MeOOSPO), O,S,S-trimethyl phosphorodithioate (MeOSSPO), malaoxon, isomalathion, diethyl fumarate, methyl malathion, dimethyl malathion, O,O-methyl,ethyl-S-(1,2-dicarboethoxy)ethyl-phosphorodithioate are lower than that of any other commercial preparation of malathion that may be used for pharmaceutical purposes.

Malathion ([(dimethoxyphosphinothioyl)thio]butanedioic acid diethyl ester; CAS # 121-75-5) is an organophosphate insecticide that inhibits cholinesterase activity in vivo. Malathion has the following chemical structure:

Malathion may be prepared by reacting O,O-dimethyldithiophosphoric acid (DMDP) with diethyl maleate (U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,578,652, 2,879,284, 3,403,201, 3,463,841, 3,470,272, 4,367,180 and 4,681,964).

Numerous impurities are found in malathion preparations; these impurities include, O,O,S-trimethyl phosphorodithioate (MeOOSPS), O,O,S-trimethyl phosphorothioate (MeOOSPO), O,S,S-trimethyl phosphorodithioate (MeOSSPO), malaoxon, isomalathion, diethyl fumarate, methyl malathion, dimethyl malathion, O,O-methyl,ethyl-S-(1,2-dicarboethoxy)ethyl-phosphorodithioate, and tetraethyl dithiodisuccinate (See, WHO Specifications and Evaluations for Public Health Pesticides: Malathion, World Health Organization, 2003). Some of these impurities are formed as breakdown products during storage, but, the majority of these impurities are generated as unintentional byproducts during synthesis. (Health Risk Assessment of Malathion Coproducts in Malathion-Bait Used for Agricultural Pest Eradication in Urban Areas, Report of the California Environmental Protection Agency, 1997). For example, during storage, malathion can convert to isomalathion by dimerization, and the extent of isomerization is dependent on particular storage conditions. (Health Risk Assessment of Malathion Coproducts in Malathion-Bait Used for Agricultural Pest Eradication in Urban Areas, Report of the California Environmental Protection Agency, 1997).
Storage of malathion at elevated temperatures, e.g., 40° C., significantly enhances toxicity of the malathion preparation (Umetsu et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 25:946-953 (1977)). In part, this enhancement is due to an increase in isomalathion after storage. For example, after storage for 6 months at 40° C., there was an increase in isomalathion content from 0.2% to 0.45%, with an accompanying 35% increase in toxicity as measured by LD50 in mice (Umetsu et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 25:946-953 (1977)). Because even small or trace quantities of malathion impurities such as isomalathion have been shown to be highly toxic, the presence of these impurities in any malathion preparation, but especially one developed for pharmaceutical use, should be reduced as much as possible. Moreover, given that malathion breaks down into toxic by-products during storage, it is also desirable to prepare malathion which is storage stable.
Many of these malathion impurities have been found to be toxic. MeOOSPO and MeOSSPO can cause liver damage (Keadtisuke et al., Toxicology Letters 52:35-46 (1990)), or immune suppression (Rodgers et al., Immunopharmacology 17:131-140 (1989)). Isomalathion has been shown to cause death in people after spraying during insect eradication programs. (Aldridge et al., Archives Toxicology 42:95-106 (1979)). The toxicity of isomalathion is due to its ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase; in fact, isomalathion is approximately 1,000 times as active against acetylcholinesterase as compared with malathion. (Berkman et al. Synthesis of Chiral Malathion and Malathion, Terahedron Letters 33(11):1415-1418 (1992)). O,O-methyl,ethyl-S-(1,2-dicarboethoxy)ethyl-phosphorodithioate, isomalathion and MeOOSPO all exhibit pulmonary toxicity and can cause death from hypoxia. (Imamura et al., Pharmacology and Therapeutics 38(3):419-427 (1988)). Malaoxon inhibits cholinesterase enzymes. (Umetsu et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 25:946-953 (1977)). Diethyl fumarate can cause contact urticaria. (Maibach, Contact Dermatitis 12(3):139-140 (1985)). Malathion's physical properties make it difficult to remove impurities by conventional means. For example, because malathion is a liquid at ambient temperature (melting point=2.9° C.), crystallization is difficult. Malathion also has a high boiling point (156-157° C.), consequently, distillation also has its problems, especially as malathion is unstable at elevated temperatures.
We have now developed a novel method for synthesizing and purifying malathion for pharmaceutical use. The malathion prepared by the methods of this invention has significantly lower levels of toxic impurities such as isomalathion when compared with other, commercially available malathion preparations that are currently used for pharmaceutical purposes. Moreover, because malathion is known to be unstable, the levels of toxic impurities, e.g., isomalathion, are known to increase over time, there is a need to develop a stable form of malathion. The malathion of the present invention is storage stable, i.e., even after storage at elevated temperature and humidity, the levels of toxic impurities do not increase significantly.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for preparing malathion for pharmaceutical use

Taro Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.


A magnetic recording medium having a substrate, an interlayer and a magnetic layer, the interlayer having at least a first intermediary layer, a second intermediary layer and a third intermediary layer, wherein the first intermediary layer or the third intermediary layer is non-magnetic or magnetic and the second intermediary layer has a hexagonal close pack crystal structure and a property of providing RKKY coupling between the first intermediary layer and the third intermediary layer when the first intermediary layer and the second intermediary layer are magnetic layers is disclosed.

Magnetic disks and disk drives are conventionally employed for storing data in magnetizable form. Preferably, one or more disks are rotated on a central axis in combination with data transducing heads positioned in close proximity to the recording surfaces of the disks and moved generally radially with respect thereto. Magnetic disks are usually housed in a magnetic disk unit in a stationary state with a magnetic head having a specific load elastically in contact with and pressed against the surface of the disk. Data are written onto and read from a rapidly rotating recording disk by means of a magnetic head transducer assembly that flies closely over the surface of the disk. Preferably, each face of each disk will have its own independent head.
In a magnetic media, digital information (expressed as combinations of "0's" and "1's") is written on tiny magnetic bits (which themselves are made up of many even smaller grains). When a bit is written, a magnetic field produced by the disc drive's head orients the bit's magnetization in a particular direction, corresponding to either a 0 or 1. The magnetism in the head in essence "flips" the magnetization in the bit between two stable orientations.
Magnetic thin-film media, wherein a fine grained polycrystalline magnetic alloy layer serves as the active recording medium layer, are generally classified as "longitudinal" or "perpendicular," depending on the orientation of the magnetic domains of the grains of the magnetic material. In longitudinal media (also often referred as "conventional" media), the magnetization in the bits is flipped between lying parallel and anti-parallel to the direction in which the head is moving relative to the disc. In perpendicular media, the magnetization of the disc, instead of lying in the disc's plane as it does in longitudinal recording, stands on end perpendicular to the plane of the disc. The bits are then represented as regions of upward or downward directed magnetization (corresponding to the 1's and 0's of the digital data).
FIG. 1 shows a disk recording medium and a cross section of a disc showing the difference between longitudinal and perpendicular recording. Even though FIG. 1 shows one side of the non-magnetic disk, magnetic recording layers are sputter deposited on both sides of the non-magnetic aluminum substrate of FIG. 1. Also, even though FIG. 1 shows an aluminum substrate, other embodiments include a substrate made of glass, glass-ceramic, NiP/aluminum, metal alloys, plastic/polymer material, ceramic, glass-polymer, composite materials or other non-magnetic materials.
Efforts are continually being made to increase the areal recording density, i.e., the bit density, or bits/unit area, and signal-to-medium noise ratio (SMNR) of the magnetic media. To continue pushing areal densities and increase overall storage capacity, the data bits must be made smaller and put closer together. However, there are limits to how small the bits may be made. If the bit becomes too small, the magnetic energy holding the bit in place may become so small that thermal energy may cause it to demagnetize over time. This phenomenon is known as superparamagnetism. To avoid superparamagnetic effects, disc media manufacturers have been increasing the coercivity (the "field" required to write a bit) of the disc. However, the fields that can be applied are limited by the magnetic materials from which the head is made, and these limits are being approached.
Newer longitudinal recording methods could allow beyond 140 gigabits per square inch in density. A great challenge however is maintaining a strong signal for the bits recorded on the media. When the bit size is reduced, the signal is decreased, making the bits more difficult to detect, as well as more difficult to maintain stable after recording information.
One of the key challenges to extending magnetic recording technology beyond the currently achieved 35-100 Gbit/in2 areal densities is to improve the signal to noise ratio by media noise suppression. It is well known that the longitudinal scaling approach, which is to reduce the media grain surface area in proportion to the bit cell surface area, is limited by the onset of super-paramagnetic instability, which is explained above. Several options exist to avoid this problem. Traditionally, one has compensated the loss in grain volume by increasing the magnetic hardness (anisotropy); however, the write field of the recording head limits this approach. Anti-ferromagnetically coupled (AFC) dual-layer media have offered some relief by increasing the effective media thickness and consequently grain volume without compromising writability. The extendibility of this approach, however, appears to be rather limited. On the other hand, with three times smaller grain diameters, from currently about 9 nm down to about 3 nm, and correspondingly about ten times higher areal densities could be feasible if writing magnetically much harder materials, such as face-centered-tetragonal FePt alloys, can be accomplished.
Thus, one approach to enhancing the areal density in magnetic recording is to reduce the grain-count per bit. This approach could lead to higher media noise and would, among many other things, require significantly improved channel detectors. On the media side, the grain size distribution needs to be trimmed below 10% (sigma over mean), in order to reach grain-counts as low as five to ten grains per bit. Current state-of-the-art sputtered media have grain size distributions of about 25%. Thus, it remains an open challenge to bring out the required improvements in grain size and grain size distribution using physical, thin film sputtering processes. This challenge has been addressed in this invention by the use of a magnetic recording media having a structure substantially similar to that of anti-ferromagnetically coupled (AFC) media.


Methods for heat treating glass sheets (13) are disclosed in which the sheets (13) are held in a vertical orientation in a treatment container (15) during the heat treatment. The container (15) includes a support system for the glass sheets (13) that comprises a bottom support (17), two side supports (19a, 19b), and a top support (21). The sheets (13) are slid into the container (15) without contact between their side edges (23a, 23b) and the side supports (19a, 19b). The top support (21) is then slid onto the tops of the sheets (13) without contacting the sheets' top edges (25). In certain embodiments, flushing air which has been HEPA filtered and pre-heated is passed through the container (15) during the heat treatment. Apparatus for practicing the methods of the invention are also disclosed.

U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2005/0193772, entitled "Closed Cassette and Method for Heating Treating Glass Sheets," (the '772 publication) discloses a cassette for use in heat treating glass sheets. As explained in the '772 publication, manufacturers of glass sheets often heat treat glass sheets prior to shipping them to customers so that the sheets do not shrink or shrink very little when used in the customers' processes. Such heat treatments are known as "pre-shrinking," "pre-compacting," or simply "compacting." These heat treatments differ from annealing in that they are performed at lower temperatures, e.g., temperatures below the strain point of the glass making up the sheets.
As one example of the need for pre-shrinking, the glass substrates used in the manufacture of liquid crystal displays, especially those employing poly-Si technology, are exposed to relatively high temperatures during the display manufacturing process. If not pre-shrunk, the substrates can undergo shape changes which are large enough to adversely impact the quality of the finished display. By pre-shrinking the glass sheets which form the substrates, the occurrence of this problem can be significantly reduced.
In addition to exhibiting low levels of residual compaction in customers' processes, the glass substrates used in the manufacture of liquid crystal displays, as well as in other electronic applications, need to satisfy a variety of additional demanding criteria. For example, the surfaces of the substrates need to be free of glass chips and particles which can cause defects in the finished displays. Also, the substrates need to have substantially flat surfaces with low levels of warp and other surface distortions. Such flat surfaces are, for example, important in liquid crystal displays because the operation of the display depends on the local thickness of the liquid crystal material used in the display.
Accordingly, the pre-shrinking of glass sheets for use in electronic applications including liquid crystal display applications represents a challenging problem because the heat treatment used to achieve the pre-shrinking must not lead to other problems. In particular, the pre-shrinking needs to be performed without creating glass chips which can contaminant the surfaces of the glass and without distorting the flatness of the sheets' surfaces through spatially non-uniform heating and/or cooling patterns.
The '772 publication discloses a cassette and heat treatment process which address various aspects of the challenges of the pre-shrinking problem. In accordance with the '772 publication, a plurality of glass sheets are held in a vertical orientation in a plurality of what is referred to in the '772 publication as "enclosed sections" of a "cassette" (see reference numbers 406 and 400 in the '772 publication). The "enclosed sections" (referred to in the present application as "containers") include horizontal and vertical support bars (see reference numbers 424 and 428 in the '772 publication).
The present invention is directed to providing improved containers and support systems for use in heat treating glass sheets. It is also directed to improved methods for performing heat treatments, which methods preferably employ the improved containers and support systems of the apparatus aspects of the invention but can employ other equipment if desired. The heat treatments are preferably employed to achieve pre-shrinking of glass sheets, but can be used for other purposes, e.g., annealing. The apparatus and methods of the invention are preferably employed in the overall system and methods of the '772 publication, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, but can be employed in connection with other systems and methods if desired.

Methods and apparatus for heat treating glass sheets


A floating wind farm having wind machines positioned on a generally V-shaped floating platform, the platform being tethered to an anchor such that the platform is free to be repositioned by the wind for optimum production. The wind machines power air compressors and the floating platform itself comprises large storage chambers to receive the compressed air, or storage chambers to receive liquefied air.

This invention relates generally to the field of wind powered devices, commonly referred to as wind machines. More particularly the invention relates to wind machines used to provide a stored source of energy, typically electrical energy. Even more particularly, the invention relates to wind machines that are mounted to floating structures, such that wind farms comprising multiple wind machines can be situated in bodies of water.
Wind machines comprising bladed rotor members are well known and have been around for hundreds of years. The rotating blade assemblies are positioned on towers or other static structures and the rotational energy is used to drive a generator, air compressor, water pump, grinding mill or other equipment. In recent times interest in wind machines has increased as a viable alternative energy source to replace the reliance on fossil fuels. Generating large amounts of energy require large numbers of wind machines, and such collections are referred to as wind farms. One of the problems with wind farms are that they occupy a large area and are not aesthetically pleasing. A solution to these problems is to locate the wind machines offshore, which create additional problems, such as the need for underwater support structures. To address this problem, floating wind machines have been developed, wherein single or multiple wind machine towers are supported by a floating platform.
The known floating wind machines are electrical generators and the electricity generated by the wind machine is transferred to shore using cables and sold as "as available" electricity. Such systems complicate the delivery and storage of the generated power, and the wind machines may be non-productive for extended periods of time if the winds are not steady. It is an object of this invention to provide a plurality of wind machines supported by a floating platform, thereby defining a wind farm, wherein known problems of traditional floating wind farms are addressed by utilizing the wind machines to compress and/or liquefy air which is then stored in the floating platform, the compressed or liquified air then being released at a steady-state pressure to drive one or more generators to produce electricity, thereby providing power at a steady rate even when the wind is intermittent. Alternatively, the compressed or liquified air may be transferred to tanker vessels for delivery elsewhere, or the compressed or liquified air may be delivered to shore through suitable conduits. Other objects of the invention are to provide optimal configurations for the floating platform such that production is maximized, maintenance and repair of the wind machines is simplified, and transport and anchoring of the wind farm is more easily accomplished.


Provided are a nano structure, a fabrication method thereof, and an application device using the same. The nano structure includes: a substrate; a plurality of linkers formed over the substrate; and one or more metallic nanoparticles grown from a plurality of metal ions bonded to the linkers. In the nano structure, metallic nanoparticles may have an average particle diameter of about 0.5 to 3.0 nm.

1. Field
Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a nano structure, a fabrication method thereof, and application device thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nano structures exhibit characteristics such as the quantum confinement effect, the Hall-Petch effect, dropping melting point, resonance phenomenon, excellent carrier mobility and so forth as compared, to conventional bulk and thin film-type structures. For this reason, nano structures are being applied to chemical batteries, solar cells, semiconductor devices, chemical sensors, photoelectric devices and the like.
Nano structures are fabricated in a top-down method or a bottom-up method. The bottom-up method includes a vapor-liquid-solid growth method and liquid growth method. The vapor-liquid-solid growth method is based on a catalytic reaction, such as the Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition (thermal-CVD) method, the Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) method, the Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) method, and the Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) method. As for the liquid growth method, a self-assembly technology and a hydrothermal method are being suggested.
According to the conventional bottom-up method, nanoparticles are prepared in advance and then attached to a substrate having a modified surface. However, this method is limited because of nano-particle size constraints and nano-particle size distributions, which cause issues with memory reproducibility and reliability. In other words, with the method of fabricating nanostructures by simply attaching nanoparticles to a substrate, it is likely impossible to improve memory performance unless nanoparticle synthesis technology makes remarkable progress.
To overcome this limitation, nanoparticles may be prepared in a top-down method, such as lithography. However, the use of the top-down method requires a great deal of investment in equipment because a high-end lithography facility is needed. Moreover, since the process is quite complicated, mass-production ability is limited. Also, although the etch process is performed using an electron beam, it is difficult to keep the nanoparticle size under a predetermined level.


Methods, systems, and devices for contention-based transmissions using differential coding techniques in mobile communication technology are described. An exemplary method for wireless communication includes transmitting, by a wireless device, a payload including a first portion that is modulated using a differential coding technique and a second portion that is modulated using an amplitude-shift keying (ASK) or phase-shift keying (PSK) modulation, and where the payload includes an identity of the wireless device and at least one of a user plane data or a control plane data.

Wireless communication technologies are moving the world toward an increasingly connected and networked society. The rapid growth of wireless communications and advances in technology has led to greater demand for capacity and connectivity. Other aspects, such as energy consumption, device cost, spectral efficiency, and latency are also important to meeting the needs of various communication scenarios. In comparison with the existing wireless networks, next generation systems and wireless communication techniques need to provide support for an increased number of users and devices, as well as support for higher data rates, thereby requiring user equipment to implement contention-based transmissions using differential coding techniques.

Contention-based payload transmissions using differential coding


A system for analysis of explosives. Samples are spotted on a thin layer chromatography plate. Multi-component explosives standards are spotted on the thin layer chromatography plate. The thin layer chromatography plate is dipped in a solvent mixture and chromatography is allowed to proceed. The thin layer chromatography plate is dipped in reagent 1. The thin layer chromatography plate is heated. The thin layer chromatography plate is dipped in reagent 2.

1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to testing and analysis and more particularly to a system for analysis of explosives.
2. State of Technology
U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,205 for a hand portable thin-layer chromatography system issued Apr. 1, 2000 to Jeffrey S. Haas, Fredrick R. Kelly, John F. Bushman, Michael H. Wiefel, and Wayne A. Jensen provides the following state of the art information: "Various analytical techniques are used to measure the type and amount of contamination from unknown chemicals in environmental, industrial, civilian, and military situations. Conventional thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis is routinely used in analytical laboratories worldwide for quantitative and qualitative characterization of unknowns. This technique is ideal for rapid pre-screening and identification of known and unknown chemicals. TLC allows multiple samples and standards (in mg to ng quantities) to be chromatographed simultaneously on a TLC plate in a solvent tank. Semiquantitative and qualitative assessment from all samples is then readily obtained by inspection of the plates, which may be chemically developed and then illuminated to display the separated components (appearing as spots). Further quantitative analysis may be performed using an illumination box, camera, and data acquisition equipment. Unfortunately, conventional TLC apparatus is cumbersome, typically made of glass, and is not field-deployable or field-ruggedized for on-site analysis. Current TLC hardware is not hand portable when including all the necessary support equipment such as plates, tanks, solvent, pipettes, ruler, etc. Furthermore, the illumination and data acquisition equipment needed to fully analyze samples is oversized and extremely heavy. Thus, there is a need for a hand portable, field-ready TLC system, including data acquisition capability, that is cost-effective and efficient for analyzing multiple samples of unknown chemicals on-site in a variety of emergency and non-emergency situations."

Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC


The invention relates to a combination of a first container and a second container to form a dispensing unit. The first and second containers each have a reservoir for a liquid substance and pump which is secured to the reservoir, can be actuated by hand and has a dispensing opening and a pump-actuating button for dispensing substance from the reservoir. The combination also comprises coupling means for coupling together the first and second containers in a position next to one another. The invention is characterized in that the coupling means comprise: one or more first coupling members, which are each arranged on the first container, and one or more second coupling means, which are each arranged on the second container and which can each be directly coupled to an associated first coupling member on the first container. It is preferable for a first coupling member and an associated second coupling member each to be arranged fixedly on the assembly of reservoir and pump of the associated container in order to create a stable coupling between the assemblies reservoir and pump of the two containers.

EP 0 243 667 has disclosed a dispensing unit with two containers which each have a reservoir for a liquid substance. On the top side, each of the containers has an opening in which a pump is positioned. The containers are connected to one another in a position next to one another by a common bridge piece. The bridge piece has two openings, in which the open end of the respective containers can be positioned and secured by means of a screw thread or a bayonet connection. In this case, the pumps are in each case clamped between the bridge piece and the top edge of the associated container. In the known dispensing unit, the pumps are actuated with the aid of a common pump-actuating head.
A drawback of the known dispensing unit resides in particular in the field of the production of filled dispensing units. For example, the reservoirs in the known unit have to be secured to the bridge piece immediately after they have been filled, so that the reservoirs are closed off by means of the pumps. An alternative could be for the filled reservoirs initially to be closed off by means of a temporary lid or the like, which then has to be removed again later in the production process in order for the reservoirs to be secured to the bridge piece. This temporary closure and reopening of a reservoir is undesirable.


An underwater transmitter may generate underwater pressure waves that encode bits of data. The pressure waves may travel to, and created minute vibrations in, the water's surface. An airborne radar may detect radar signals that reflect from the water's surface. The surface vibrations may modulate the phase of the reflected radar signal. The radar receiver may, based on the variation in the phase of the reflected radar signal, decode the data that was initially encoded in the underwater pressure waves. The underwater pressure waves may be frequency modulated, such as by orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing. Alternatively, the surface vibrations may be detected by a camera, interferometer or other light sensor. Alternatively, the pressure waves may propagate through a media other than water. For instance, the pressure waves may propagate through bodily tissue, or may propagate through oil or a liquid fracking mixture in an oil or gas well.

Conventional technologies exist for sending data from an underwater node to a node that is above the water. However, these conventional approaches have major drawbacks.
In deep-sea exploration, a fleet of AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles) may act as data mules. These AUVs may dive deep into the ocean to collect data from underwater sensors, then rise to the ocean surface to transmit radio signals that encode the collected data, and then repeat the cycle over and over again. Yet this AUV approach is time-consuming and costly, particularly in offshore oil exploration which requires scanning vast areas of the seabed and where searching for and establishing a single deep-sea well can cost more than $100 million.
A military submarine may rise to the ocean's surface (or at least raise an antenna above the ocean's surface) in order to transmit a radio signal. But doing so may reveal the submarine's position and expose it to attack by hostile forces.
Another approach is to use a network of partially submerged relay buoys. Each buoy may include both a submerged hydrophone that detects an underwater acoustic signal and an above-water antenna that transmits a radio signal. Each buoy may thus relay, via the radio signal, data that was in the underwater acoustic signal. However, a stationary network of partially submerged buoys is not well-suited for submarines, which may roam through vast regions of an ocean.
The US and Soviet navies developed ELF (extremely low frequency) communication systems which operate at 30-300 Hz and are capable of communicating across the air-water boundary. However, due to their very long wavelengths, ELF systems typically require kilometers-long antennas, which make them infeasible to incorporate into underwater vehicles. Thus, a submerged craft cannot use ELF communication to transmit a signal across the water-air barrier. ELF communication is only one-way, from a land-based transmitter to the submerged craft.
Conventional technologies are not able to transmit a wireless signal from an underwater node across the water-air surface to a receiver that is located above the surface.

Methods and apparatus for cross-medium communication


In one embodiment, a device is packaged using a low-cost thermally enhanced ball grid array (LCTE-BGA) package. The device may include a die with its backside mounted to the bottom side of a multi-layer packaging substrate. Thermal vias may be formed through the substrate to allow heat to be conducted away from the backside of the die to a top most metal layer of the substrate. Thermal balls may be attached to the bottom side of the substrate on the same plane as the die.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to integrated circuits, and more particularly but not exclusively to integrated circuit packaging.
2. Description of the Background Art
Semiconductor integrated circuits dissipate power during operation, referred to by the term "Pd." In the past, the majority of integrated circuits had Pd's of less than 2 Watts. Some types of integrated circuits (e.g. microprocessors) had Pd's greater than 2 Watts. These integrated circuits require packaging capable of efficiently dissipating power in order to keep the junction temperature of the integrated circuit within acceptable limits. Such packaging is referred to as "thermally enhanced." There are many techniques to thermally enhance a package. A common theme of these conventional techniques is to provide high thermally conductive paths from the silicon die to the outside of the package where the power is dissipated into the printed circuit board (PCB) on which the integrated circuit is mounted and/or into the air above the top surface of the integrated circuit. Each conventional thermal enhancement tends to add additional cost to the package. In general, greater performance results in higher cost. Generally speaking, the Pd of integrated circuits has increased with advancements in integrated circuit technology (in terms of the number of features and feature size) to the point that many integrated circuits now require some form of thermal enhancement. However, many of these integrated circuits cannot afford the additional costs associated with thermal enhancement. Thus, there is a need for a thermally enhanced package having a cost close to that of existing standard (non-thermally enhanced) packages, while offering significant thermal performance.
FIG. 1 schematically shows an example Plastic Ball Grid Array (PBGA) package 100 with thermal balls 102. In the PBGA package 100, the die 101 is mounted on the topside of the substrate 105 and covered by a molded cap 104. The substrate 105 is designed with a section of ground plane directly under the die 101 to which it is bonded. This ground plane connects to a similar ground plane on the bottom side of the substrate 105 using an array of thermal vias 103. An array of thermal solder balls 102 is attached to this bottom side ground plane. The thermal vias 103 provide a high thermal conductivity path from the backside of the die 101 through the substrate 105 to the thermal solder balls 102, which then dissipate heat to the PCB on which the PBGA package 100 is mounted. The PBGA package 100 provides enhanced thermal performance when compared to a PBGA package without thermal vias.
FIG. 2 schematically shows an example Heat Sink Ball Grid Array (HSBGA) package 200 with thermal balls 102 coupled to thermal vias 103. The HSBGA package 200 is very similar to the PBGA package 100 except for a metal heat sink 202 embedded in the mold cap 104 above the die 101. The heat sink 202 has tabs that extend down to the topside surface of the substrate 105 where they contact metal traces. These traces are generally connected to a metal area located under the die 101. This allows the traces to conduct heat away from the die 101 to the heat sink tabs, which then conduct the heat to the exposed metal on the topside of the package. This second path for heat conduction to the topside of the package improves thermal performance.
FIG. 3 schematically shows an example L2-Ball Grid Array (L2-BGA) package 300. The L2-BGA package 300 is quite different from the previously discussed packages 100 and 200. In the L2-BGA package 300, the die 301 is mounted upside down in a cavity on the bottom side of the package 300. This is commonly referred to as a "cavity down" package. The die 301 is bonded within the cavity to a flat metal heat spreader 302. The substrate has a cut-out area to accommodate the die 301, which is fitted to the bottom of the heat spreader 302. Mold compound is used to cover the die 301. In the L2-BGA package 300, there is a very direct path for heat to flow from the back-side of the die 301 to the heat spreader 302 and the topside of the package. The L2-BGA package 300 has the best thermal performance compared to packages 100, 200, and 500 (see FIG. 5).
The L2-BGA package 300 operates in the following manner. There are three methods of heat transfer: conduction, convection and radiation. Of the three, conduction is the most effective. At first glance, it appears that the L2-BGA package 300 with its topside heat spreader 302 is designed to enhance thermal performance by providing convective and radiative cooling from the top surface. However, the L2-BGA package 300 still transfers up to 90% of its heat by conduction through its solder balls 303 to the PCB on which the package is mounted. Thus, the heat spreader 302 actually serves to spread heat from the hot central area of the package (around the die) to the whole surface of the package, thereby allowing, more heat to travel through the solder balls 303 at the edges of the package to the PCB.
A second feature of the L2-BGA package 300 is that the topside metal heat spreader 302 provides an excellent place to mount an external heat sink 402 as shown in FIG. 4. The heat sink 402 together with forced airflow greatly increases heat transfer through convection. It is common for very high power integrated circuits (e.g. those with Pd greater than 6 Watts) to be packaged in an L2-BGA package, but require that the customer attaches an external heat sink. The factory does not ship the integrated circuits with heat sinks attached because customers generally want to optimize the heat sink for their particular application.
To summarize, the two essential features of the L2-BGA package 300 are the ability to spread heat across the whole surface of the package and the capability to attach an external heat sink to the top of the package.
FIG. 5 schematically shows an example CSBGA package 500. The CSBGA package 500 is a low cost reduced thermally enhanced ball grid array (BGA) package. In the CSBGA package 500, the die 301 is mounted within a cavity of the substrate 502. The CSBGA package 500 is very similar to the L2-BGA 300 except that the CSBGA package 500 uses a standard 4-layer substrate 502 and it dispenses with the stiffener ring. Both of these features reduce the cost of the starting material compared to an L2-BGA package without greatly impacting thermal performance.
Examples of PBGA, HSBGA, L2-BGA, and CSBGA packages are also available from ASE Inc. (Internet URL: <http://asegloabal.com>).
The above mentioned packages have several disadvantages. Generally speaking, the PBGA and HSBGA packages only work well for integrated circuits that dissipate less than about 3 Watts of power. The L2-BGA package is typically used with integrated circuits with power dissipation greater than 3 Watts. However, the L2 BGA package has two major disadvantages.
The first disadvantage of an L2-BGA package has to do with its starting material, which comprises a combined substrate and heat sink. The substrate usually comprises 3-layers and utilizes laser drilled blind vias. This is a more expensive technology compared to a standard 4-layer substrate with thru-hole vias. In addition, an extra manufacturing step is required to create the center cavity to accommodate the die. The heat sink is actually manufactured from two separate pieces of nickel-plated copper sheet. The top piece is the main heat spreader. The bottom piece has a hole punched out to accommodate the die and acts as a stiffener ring. Both pieces are bonded together with a layer of fiberglass and epoxy resin. This complex assembly is needed to control warping of the package caused by the mismatch of thermal coefficients of expansion of the various different materials used. This heat sink assembly is then bonded to the substrate. This multi-layer assembly is substantially more expensive when compared to a simple 4-layer substrate such as that used in a PBGA package.
The second disadvantage of an L2-BGA package relates to its manufacturability. The L2 BGA package is assembled as individual pieces. This makes it less efficient to manufacture compared to packages that can be assembled in strip form. The L2-BGA package is offered in a number of standard body sizes, for example 27×27 mm, 31×31 mm, and 35×35 mm. For each different body size, a different set of manufacturing tooling is required to handle the package during manufacture. Additionally, because each package is a single piece, each one must be handled separately. In comparison, other packages (e.g. PBGA) are manufactured in a strip of multiple packages. The strips have a common form factor, allowing the use of a single set of manufacturing tools to manufacture many different sizes and configurations of the basic package type. Furthermore, as each strip contains multiple packages (e.g. eight packages) and the manufacturing process needs to only handle strips, there is far less handling on a per-package basis. These factors result in the manufacturing cost of the L2-BGA package being higher due to additional capital, and also result in variable costs to be higher due to increased handling.
A CSBGA package attempts to reduce the cost of an L2-BGA package in two ways. First, the CSBGA package uses standard 4-layer substrate technology. Second, the CSBGA package uses a simpler heat spreader. However, the CSBGA package still suffers from the manufacturability problems of the L2-BGA package. Furthermore, in practice, the CSBGA package is not significantly cheaper than the L2-BGA.
What is needed is a low cost packaging alternative that is capable of spreading heat and readily allows for the use of an external heat sink.

Low cost thermally enhanced semiconductor package


A slag monitoring device 100 for a coal gasifier includes a slag hole camera 11 that observes a slag hole 3 from which molten slag flows out, a water surface camera 12 that observes a situation in which the slag flowing out from the slag hole 3 falls onto a water surface 5H of cooling water 5, a falling sound sensor 13 that observes a sound of the slag falling onto the water surface 5H, and a processing device 20 that determines a solidification and adhesion position of the slag based on an opening area of the slag hole 3 observed by the slag hole camera 11 and falling lines and falling positions of the slag observed by the water surface camera.

There has been a technique that enables to drive a gas turbine with coal gas obtained by gasifying coal, thereby generating power. To gasify the coal, a coal gasifier is used. When the coal is gasified, slag is left as burnt embers in the coal gasifier. This slag needs to be discharged from the coal gasifier. Because the slag has fluidity when it has a sufficiently high temperature, the slag is generally discharged continuously from a slag hole provided in a lower part of the coal gasifier. A slag discharge tube filled with cooling water is provided below the slag hole, so that the slag is cooled by the cooling water and solidified, and then discharged from the slag discharge tube.
It is important in the operation of the coal gasifier to avoid such a situation that the slag hole is blocked by solidified slag or the flow of the slag becomes unstable. Therefore, to operate the coal gasifier normally, the discharge state of the slag needs to be monitored. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a method of monitoring molten slag generated in a gasification fusion furnace. In this method, molten slag flowing down from a slag discharge port is imaged, and when a plurality of separated or branched portions are confirmed in a lower part of the slag flow extracted from the image, it is determined that deposited and solidified slag is generated, which may block the slag discharge hole, so that a solidified-slag removing unit is operated.

Slag monitoring device for coal gasifier and coal gasifier

HOKKAIDO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INCORPORATED

THE TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INCORPORATED

CENTRAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY


The floor advertising apparatus is used in a cavity formed in the floor of a building or the like. A thin lower layer is located and secured in the bottom of the cavity. A thin transparent layer is located in the cavity with its surrounding edge portion secured to the lower layer with adhesive. An advertising layer is located between the transparent layer and the lower layer below a viewing portion within the surrounding edge portion such that the advertising layer can be seen through the transparent layer when viewed from above. The advertising layer may be separate from the transparent layer or secured to its lower side. An opaque border is secured to the transparent layer in a position to cover the edge portion and adhesive such that the adhesive cannot be seen when the transparent layer is viewed from above. Double sided tape is used to secure the lower layer to the floor of the cavity. For installation in cavities formed in floors having conventional vinyl floor tiles, the total thickness of the apparatus is of the order of 1/8 of an inch.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the use of adhesive to secure a thin advertising medium in a cavity in a floor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,023,573; 4,744,012; and 4,907,361; Italian Patent No. 558,442; and British Patent No. 2,040,534 disclose various type of sidewalk, street, or ground display devices which are thick and require extensive installation procedures.


A control device for controlling a linear actuator having a linear motor and a brake device includes a magnetic pole position estimation means to estimate which of a plurality of sections obtained by dividing a magnetic pole position of 0° to 360°, the mover is located in on the basis of a direction of movement of the mover by pulse energization, a magnetic pole position setting means to perform direct current excitation at an estimated magnetic pole position estimated by the magnetic pole position estimation means and set the estimated magnetic pole position as a magnetic pole position of the mover, and a brake control means to turn on a brake device before pulse energization by the magnetic pole position estimation means is performed and turn off the brake device after the magnetic pole position estimation means estimates the section in which the mover is located.

A linear motor used for a linear actuator or the like cannot generate a thrust according to the thrust constant of the linear motor unless energization is performed according to a relative positional relationship (a magnetic pole position) between a plurality of coils provided on one of a mover or a stator and a driving magnet provided on the other. Therefore, when driving of the linear motor starts, it is necessary to determine the relative position of the mover with respect to the stator. For example, when driving of the linear motor starts, the mover is pulled to the magnetic pole position (i.e., DC excitation is performed) by applying a current corresponding to a predetermined magnetic pole position to the linear motor for a certain period of time (Patent Literature 1).

Device and method for controlling linear actuator


An actuator assembly includes an actuator, an output member, and a spring arrangement having at least one spiral return spring. The output member has a neutral position, a first actuated position, and a second actuated position. The neutral position is between the first actuated position and the second actuated position. The output member capable of being driven by the actuator from the neutral position to the first actuated position and to the second actuated position. The spring arrangement is arranged to bias the output member towards the neutral position from the first actuated position and is arranged to bias the output member towards the neutral position from the second actuated position.

The present invention relates generally to actuator assemblies, and more particularly to actuator assemblies for use with latches in vehicle doors and other closures.
A known vehicle door latch actuator assembly includes an actuator in the form of an electric motor that moves components of a latch from a neutral position to a locked position and an unlocked position.
After the electric motor has moved the latch to the locked position or the unlocked position, the electric motor is powered in the opposite direction to return to the neutral position. When the latch is manually locked or unlocked by, for example, using a key or a sill button, it is not necessary to manually drive the electric motor back to the neutral position, reducing the effort required.
Known vehicle door latch actuator assemblies include a return mechanism employing a helical spring, as shown in European Patent Application EP0267423.
As the electric motor drives in one direction, one end of the helical spring rotates about a longitudinal axis relative to the other end, leaving the helical spring in a torsionally loaded state. When power to the electric motor stops, the helical spring torsionally unwinds to bias the electric motor back towards the neutral position. Therefore, the electric motor does not need to be driven in the opposite direction.
In its simplest form, a helical spring is a spring that is formed by winding wire into a helix along a curved outer surface of an imaginary cylinder. A base of the imaginary cylinder forms a radial plane that, at one end of the spring, lies at 90 degrees to the central elongate (longitudinal) axis of the spring. A coil of the spring is a loop of wire that completes a 360 degree circumnavigation of the imaginary cylinder, and no two points along any given coil exist in any single plane that lies parallel to the radial plane. FIG. 14 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,912 shows an example of a helical spring. The elongate axis may also be curved, i.e., where the spring is wound on part of an imaginary torus rather than being wound on an imaginary cylinder.
Further, helical springs are to be distinguished from conical springs, which are distinct from helical springs in that they are formed by winding wire into a helix along the outer curved surface of a cone. FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,521 shows an example of a conical spring. Typically, helical and conical springs are used to provide either a compressive force or a tensile force, in other words, to act in an axial manner. However, it is also possible to employ each of these types of spring to provide a torsional bias.
It will be appreciated that helical springs and conical springs are distinct from spiral springs, which will be described in further detail shortly.
A problem with known return mechanisms including helical springs is that, when loaded, there is a tendency for the stress to concentrate in one area of the helical spring, thereby reducing the fatigue life and possibly resulting in the failure of the return mechanism.
The present invention provides an actuator assembly with an increased fatigue life.

ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Systems (UK) Ltd.


A sensor includes a pair of resiliently loaded jaws for receiving a finger, the sensor including a pair of fiber optic light transmitting guides secured in fixed spaced relation to one of the jaws for sensing blood in the finger tip. A control unit includes a light generator for transmitting light modulated at first and second frequencies to one of the guides via a light guide transfer section. The finger pulse modulates the received transmitted light. The modulated light is sensed by the other guide and returned to a receiver in the control unit via the transfer section for separating and demodulating the different frequency signals. The control unit includes a calculating unit which has two branches for processing and then combining by dividing the processed demodulated signals for determining the oxygen content of the blood from the relative magnitudes of the pulse-dependent modulation factor of the wave reflected from the finger.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a non-invasive oximeter arrangement with a clamp-like sensor for a finger, a self-calibrating control unit for generating and processing two electromagnetic waves of specific wavelength and an interposed transfer stretch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Arrangements of this type are generally used in order to monitor the oxygen saturation in human blood, for example as a check on the vital functions of anaesthetized patients. With the aid of optical scatter measurements on body parts through which there is flow close to the surface, such as for example earlobes or fingertips, a measure of the absorption coefficient of the blood is obtained. The magnitude of the absorption coefficient of blood is greatly dependent on the oxygen content in the case of red light and is almost independent thereof in the case of light in the near infrared range. By measuring the intensity ratio of the light in the two wavelength ranges, a measure of the oxygen saturation of the blood can be obtained.
However, when using this measurement principle, considerable sources of interference and sources of error have been found. Thus, the optically measurable signal is for example greatly dependent on the coupling factors of the optical transmitter and of the receiver to the skin surface, so that the application of the sensor, for example on a finger, is extremely sensitive to movement. Furthermore, the optically measurable signal is dependent on the magnitude of the optically recorded blood volume in the body tissue in question. In addition, for an exact quantitative recording of the oxygen content, knowledge of the ratio of the tissue absorptions, that is to say without blood, is necessary for both wavelength ranges.
An oximeter arrangement is known from the instructions for use of the "Nellcor Pulsoximeter, Modell N-100E, pp. 27, 28, 39 und 40", which is a German translation by Drager Werke AG, Lubeck, September 1986, of the "USERS MANUAL" A 2044, REV A, of the company Nellcor Incorporated, Hayward, Calif., and this oximeter arrangement consists of a clamp-like sensor, an electrical signal transfer section and a signal-processing unit with a microprocessor and displays. The clamp-like sensor has hollow regions which partially receive a finger, the hollow regions are formed by elastic synthetic material and in each case have a window of transparent material, behind which there is arranged in the upper clamp part a double LED and in the lower clamp part a photodiode of large surface area. The LEDs transmit red light in the region of 660 nm and light in the infrared region of 920 nm into the perfused tissue. The portion of the light which is absorbed by the tissue and the non-pulsating blood is different for both wavelengths. However, this portion does not significantly alter during a pulsation. The transmitted residual light is picked up by the photodiode. When the pulsating portion has momentarily disappeared, this intensity represents the initial intensity or reference intensity for the pulsating portion of the absorption. When the pulsating component is present, then the light received by the photodiode at both wavelengths is further reduced by the amount which is absorbed by the pulsating blood at the specific wavelength. With this intensity at both wavelengths, together with the initial intensities at both wavelengths, the ratio of oxygenated blood to the total blood is determined in the control unit. This known oximeter arrangement is expensive and is not suitable for completely solving the abovementioned problems, such as, for example, operating in a strongly electromagnetically disturbed environment in a manner free from interference and safe for the patient. In addition, there is movement sensitivity with respect to the coupling factor, and the effects of extraneous light can falsify the measured result, and there is also the mutually moveable arrangement of the optical transmitter and the optical receiver.
Particularly in view of the important clinical use of treatments involving strong electromagnetic sources, such as, for example, magnetic resonance imaging, in which the use of an oximeter arrangement for monitoring the vital functions of anaesthetized patients in th magnetic resonance imager plays an especially important role, it is extremely important to use an arrangement which, on the one hand, does not disturb the homogeneous electromagnetic field of the imager and, on the other hand, rules out any risks to the patient, such as burn injuries or electric shocks, which can occur as a result of induction, for example in electrical supply lines. This known oximeter arrangement does not satisfy these requirements.


In an image recording apparatus, light having been modulated in accordance with an image signal is irradiated to a photographic material from one surface side of the photographic material, and an image is thereby recorded on the photographic material. The photographic material is composed of a plurality of layers including an approximately transparent substrate and an emulsion layer overlaid on at least one surface of the substrate. Degrees of gloss of the front surface and the back surface of the photographic material are different from each other. A selection device selects a surface of the photographic material, from the side of which surface the image recorded on the photographic material is to be seen. An inversion device inverts the image signal in accordance with an output of the selection device such that an erect image may be seen from the side of the surface of the photographic material, which surface has been selected by the selection device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image recording apparatus, wherein a photographic material is exposed to light, which has been modulated in accordance with an image signal, and an image represented by the image signal is thereby recorded on the photographic material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Image recording apparatuses, wherein a photographic material is exposed to light, which has been modulated in accordance with an image signal, and an image represented by the image signal is thereby recorded (reproduced) on the photographic material, have heretofore been used in various fields.
For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 61(1986)-5193, an X-ray image is recorded on an X-ray film having a small gamma value chosen according to the type of image processing to be carried out, the X-ray image is read out from the X-ray film and converted into an electric signal, and the electric signal (image signal) is processed and then used in an image recording apparatus for reproducing the X-ray image as a visible image on photographic film. In this manner, a visible image having good image quality with high contrast, high sharpness, high graininess, or the like, can be reproduced.
Also, when certain kinds of phosphors are exposed to radiation such as X-rays, .alpha.-rays, .beta.-rays, .gamma.-rays, cathode rays or ultraviolet rays, they store part of the energy of the radiation. Then, when the phosphor which has been exposed to the radiation is exposed to stimulating rays, such as visible light, light is emitted by the phosphor in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to the radiation. A phosphor exhibiting such properties is referred to as a stimulable phosphor.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,258,264, 4,276,473, 4,315,318, 4,387,428, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 56(1981)-11395, it has been proposed to use stimulable phosphors in radiation image recording and reproducing systems. Specifically, a radiation image of an object, such as a human body, is recorded on a sheet provided with a layer of the stimulable phosphor (hereinafter referred to as a stimulable phosphor sheet). The stimulable phosphor sheet, on which the radiation image has been stored, is then scanned with stimulating rays, such as a laser beam, which cause it to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to the radiation. The light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet, upon stimulation thereof, is photoelectrically detected and converted into an electric image signal. The image signal is then used in an image recording apparatus for reproducing the radiation image of the object as a visible image on photographic film.
Radiation image recording and reproducing systems which use stimulable phosphor sheets are advantageous over conventional radiography using silver halide photographic materials, in that images can be recorded even when the energy intensity of the radiation to which the stimulable phosphor sheet is exposed varies over a wide range. More specifically, since the amount of light which the stimulable phosphor sheet emits when being stimulated varies over a wide range and is proportional to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to the radiation, it is possible to obtain an image having a desirable density regardless of the energy intensity of the radiation to which the stimulable phosphor sheet was exposed. In order for the desired image density to be obtained, an appropriate read-out gain is set when the emitted light is being detected and converted into an electric signal to be used in the reproduction of a visible image on a recording material, such as a photographic material, or on a display device, such as a CRT display device.
As described above, with image recording apparatuses utilized in various types of image recording and reproducing systems, images are recorded (reproduced) on photographic materials in accordance with image signals representing the images. The degree of surface gloss of the photographic material varies in accordance with the size of emulsion particles contained in the emulsion layer, the presence or absence of a protective layer, and the presence or absence of a matting agent in the protective layer. For example, if the emulsion particles contained in the emulsion layer are fine particles, the surface of the photographic material will be glossy. If the emulsion particles contained in the emulsion layer are coarse particles, the surface of the photographic material will be matte (non-glossy). Also, if a matting agent is contained in the protective layer, the surface of the photographic material will be non-glossy. If no matting agent is contained in the protective layer, the surface of the photographic material will be glossy. As a photographic material containing a matting agent, a novel silver halide photographic material has been proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2(1990)-191941. The proposed silver halide photographic material comprises a substrate and a non photosensitive layer, which is overlaid at least on one side of the substrate and which contains 5 to 70 mg/m.sup.2 of coarse particles having particle diameters falling within the range of 2 to 10 .mu.m and 70 to 190 mg/m.sup.2 of water-insoluble fine particles having particle diameters falling within the range of 0.3 to 1.3 .mu.m.
Whether the surface of the photographic material is or is not to be glossy depends on choice of a person who uses the photographic material. For example, some users will prefer a photographic material having a matte surface for the reason that, if the surface of the photographic material is glossy, an image recorded on the photographic material will be difficult to see due to light reflection from the surface. Other users will prefer a photographic material having a glossy surface for its high quality impression. In order for such requirements of users of photographic materials to be satisfied, it is necessary to prepare two kinds of photographic materials having identical photographic properties but having different degrees of gloss of surfaces, from the sides of which the recorded images are seen. Preparation of two such kinds of photographic materials has been a heavy burden to the manufacturers who supply photographic materials and to users who uses the photographic materials.


A method for producing a copolyester resin film laminated metal sheet having an excellent heat resistance which comprises laminated a biaxially oriented copolyester resin film having specified characteristics on one or both sides of a metal sheet coated with a single layer of hydrated chromium oxide or a double layer consisting of a lower layer of metallic chromium and an upper layer to hydrated chromium oxide which has been heated to a temperature of Tm-50.degree. C. to Tm, where Tm represents the melting temperature of said copolyester resin film.. This copolyester resin film laminated metal sheet is suitable for the materials for can stock which is reheated for curing the coated lacquer or treated with hot steam for sterilization of food after packing food in the cans, such as deeply drawn cans, drawn and redrawn cans, can ends, screwed caps and crown caps.

At present, metal sheets such as electroinplate, tin free steel and aluminum sheet are widely used for can stock after coating with lacquer one or several times. The lacquer coating is disadvantageous from the standpoint of energy cost because a long time is required for curing the lacquer and a large volume of solvent discharged during lacquer curing must be burned in another furnace in order to prevent air pollution.
Recently, the lamination of thermoplastic resin film on a metal sheet was attempted in order to avoid these problems. For example, the methods shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 60-47103, Laid--Open Japanese Patent Application No. Sho 61-149340, Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 63-13829, Laid-Open Japanese Patent Application No. Sho 61-149341 and Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 59-46786 are already known.
Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 60-47103 and Laid-Open Japanese Patent Application No. Sho 61-149340 relate to a process for lamination of a crystalline polyester resin film to a metal sheet by heating the sheet to above the melting point of said polyester resin film and thereafter immediately quenching the laminate. In these patents, the crystalline polyester resin film is sufficiently adhered to the metal sheet by an amorphous non-oriented polyester resin layer which is formed at the interface of the crystalline polyester resin film and the metal sheet as a result of the heating step. However, when the polyester resin film laminated metal sheet according to said patents is reheated to the temperature of 160.degree. to 210.degree. C. for 10 to 30 minutes required for curing the printing ink or lacquer coated on said metal sheet before forming, adhesion of the polyester resin film becomes noticeably poor. Furthermore, when the polyester resin film laminated metal sheet according to the above cited patents is treated by hot steam at 100.degree. to 135.degree. C. in a retort, the surface of the polyester resin film laminated metal sheet becomes milky. Especially, the part of the surface of said polyester resin film laminated metal sheet, where the hot water droplets pile up, becomes noticeably milky. The reasons for the deterioration of adhesion strength and the discoloration of the surface appearance described above are due to the recrystallization of the amorphous non-oriented polyester resin layer by reheating or by contact with hot steam.
On the other hand, the surface of the polyester resin film laminated metal sheet according to Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 63-13829 and Laid-Open Japanese Patent Application No. Sho 61-149341 does not become milky by contact with hot steam in a retort, because an amorphous non-oriented polyester resin layer is not present as a result of lamination at a temperature below the melting point of said polyester resin film. However, the coating and curing of the specified adhesive which is indispensable in said patents is disadvantageous from the standpoint of production cost.
In Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 59-46786, there is disclosed a process for laminating an oriented polyester sheet to metal by a simultaneous insertion of said polyester sheet and metal between a pair of rolls which is heated to a temperature below the melting point of said polyester sheet. However, the adhesion strength of the polyester sheet to the metal is remarkably poor as shown in the examples in the above patent because the polyester sheet is directly laminated to an untreated metal surface. Therefore, the laminate according to that patent is not applications where excellent adhesion of the laminated polyester film to a metal sheet is required even after forming i.e. to deep drawn cans and can ends.
Accordingly, it is a first objective of the present invention to provide a polyester resin film laminated metal sheet having excellent heat resistance wherein the laminated polyester resin film is not peeled off from the surface of the metal by forming even after reheating before forming and the surface appearance does not change after treatment by hot steam in a retort.
It is the second objective of the present invention to provide a method for the continuous lamination at high speed of polyester resin film on one or both sides of a metal sheet.

Method for production of a copolyester resin film laminated metal sheet


Disclosed is a process to produce a dry purified carboxylic acid product comprising furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The process comprises oxidizing a feed stream comprising at least one oxidizable compound to generate a crude carboxylic acid slurry comprising FDCA, removing impurities from a crude carboxylic acid slurry via oxidative purification in a low temperature post-oxidation zone to form a low impurity slurry stream. The low impurity slurry stream is further treated in a high temperature post oxidation zone to produce a secondary oxidation slurry stream which is routed to a crystallization zone to from a crystallized slurry stream.

Aromatic dicarboxylic acids such as terephthalic acid and isophthalic acid are used to produce a variety of polyester products, important examples of which are poly(ethylene terephthalate) and its copolymers. These aromatic dicarboxylic acids are synthesized by the catalytic oxidation of the corresponding dialkyl aromatic compounds which are obtained from fossil fuels (US 2006/0205977 A1). There is a growing interest in the use of renewable resources as feed stocks for the chemical industries mainly due to the progressive reduction of fossil reserves and their related environmental impacts.
FDCA is a versatile intermediate considered as a promising closest biobased alternative to terephthalic acid and isophthalic acid. Like aromatic diacids, FDCA can be condensed with diols such as ethylene glycol to make polyester resins similar to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (Gandini, A.; Silvestre, A. J; Neto, C. P.; Sousa, A. F.; Gomes, M. J. Poly. Sci. A 2009, 47, 295). FDCA has been prepared by oxidation of 5-(hydroxymethyl) furfural (5-HMF) under air using homogenous catalysts (US2003/0055271 A1 and Partenheimer, W.; Grushin, V. V. Adv. Synth. Catal. 2001, 343, 102-111) but only a maximum of 44.8% yield using Co/Mn/Br catalysts system and a maximum of 60.9% yield was reported using Co/Mn/Br/Zr catalysts combination. Recently we report a process for producing furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) in high yields by liquid phase oxidation of 5-HMF using Co/Mn/Br catalysts system that minimizes solvent and starting material loss through carbon burn. Heterogeneous catalysis oxidation of 5-HMF using ZrO2 mixed with platinum (II) acetylacetonate in water has also been reported (U.S. Pat. No. 7,700,788 B2) but due to very low solubility of FDCA in water, this process needs to be conducted under very dilute conditions to avoid precipitation of FDCA on the catalysts surface which makes the process not economical. Another heterogeneous catalysis oxidation of 5-HMF is reported (U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,283) using molecular O2 and a Pt/C catalyst. High FDCA yield was achieved but at the extra expense of feeding purified O2 and continually adjusting pH via sodium hydroxide addition. The reaction product was the disodium salt of FDCA leading to a wasteful salt by-product in the conversion to FDCA. A high yield process (minimum of 90% FDCA yield), to produce a dry purified FDCA product is disclosed in this invention report.

Oxidative purification method for producing purified dry furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid


A test system for a microseismic test of rock mass fractures provided by the present invention includes at least one microseismic sensor, a push rod provided at two ends of the microseismic sensor through a connecting mechanism for feeding the microseismic sensor into a monitoring hole , an introducing mechanism mounted on the push rod for introducing the microseismic sensor into the monitoring hole, a hydraulic system providing support hydraulic oil for the microseismic sensor, a microseismic monitoring computer connected with the signal of microseismic sensor through; the microseismic sensor includes a microseismic probe, a holding component holding the microseismic probe, a support plate and a hydraulic support mechanism; the connecting mechanism can make the push rod swing relative to the microseismic sensor, and the introducing mechanism is three-rollers introducing mechanism.

Rock (rock mass) deformation and damage in engineering construction, especially rock burst dynamic disaster, may directly endanger the safety of the construction of the engineering and can even cause catastrophic impact. Therefore, effective monitoring and prediction of rock (rock mass) stability and rock burst dynamic disaster is one of the important contents of safety in civil engineering. As an important means of non-destructive monitoring, microseismic is used for the monitoring and prediction of rock (rock mass) stability and rock burst dynamic disaster in engineering construction.
During the construction of surrounding rock excavation for underground engineering, microseismic monitoring sensors need to be fixed in the surrounding rock area to be monitored before the excavation in order to accurately predict the possible deformation and failure of the surrounding rock and the dynamic disaster. To use the microseismic technology to accurately determine the locations where surrounding rock failure and dynamic disaster may occur, microseismic sensors need to be arranged in a three-dimensional spatial distribution around the rock mass to be monitored, the more the sensors and the more reasonable is the distribution, the more accurate are the monitoring results. In order to realize the real-time monitoring of the excavation process of the rock mass, it is necessary to drill a monitoring hole in the rock (rock mass) by a drilling machine before the excavation of the rock (rock mass) and install a microseismic sensor in the monitoring hole. The depth of the monitoring hole depends on the buried depth of excavation and the monitored area, the depth of the monitoring hole increases with the increase of buried depth of the engineering and the monitored area. Some monitoring holes are several tens of meters deep or even hundreds of meters deep. For a monitoring hole with a large depth, multiple microseismic sensors are usually used to monitor microseisms in different parts of the monitoring hole, the deeper the monitoring hole is, the more microseismic sensors are installed. It is difficult to ensure concentricity between the upper and lower monitoring holes, and it is difficult to keep the wall surfaces of the monitoring holes smooth, so it is difficult to install microseismic sensors.
The microseismic sensor is expensive. In order to retrieve the microseismic sensor after the monitoring is completed and reduce the engineering cost, in the on-site installation of the microseismic monitoring sensor in the engineering, the microseismic sensor is usually placed directly in the monitoring hole, and the residual water in the monitoring hole is used as a medium for signal transmission between the rock mass and the sensor. However, this method has the following disadvantages: first, the direction of the monitoring hole must be downward, this method is not suitable for monitoring holes that are completely horizontal or have a certain upward angle; second, for inclined or downward monitoring holes, the rock mass needs to be relatively intact, the monitoring hole needs to hold the injected water without losing water along the cracks in the monitoring hole, or avoid seepage from the inside of the monitoring hole to ensure that the sensor is always in the water, but the actual situation on site is difficult to meet these requirements; third, although water can be used as a coupling medium for signal transmission, the density of water is lower and its transmission effect is not as good as that of the sensor directly contacting with the rock wall; fourth, since the liquid can only transmit longitudinal waves and cannot transmit transverse waves, the location of the rock breaking signal on site must be determined by relying on the transverse wave signal, therefore this method results in the loss of a large number of monitoring signals and the reliability of the monitoring results is greatly reduced.
In order to ensure effective coupling between the microseismic sensor arranged in the monitoring hole and the monitoring hole wall, some people poured cement into the monitoring hole at the project site to make the sensor and the rock wall as a whole. This method has the following disadvantages: first, the sensor after pouring cement cannot be recycled, resulting in high economic costs; second, if there is no signal or the signal is bad after pouring cement, the sensor cannot be checked, in order to ensure the monitoring effect, it is necessary to re-drill a monitoring hole and re-install microseismic sensors, which not only takes time and effort, but also leads to high economic costs; third, while injecting cement slurry into the monitoring hole, because the monitoring hole is deep, not only the grouting effect of the sensor installation site is difficult to be guaranteed, but the situation where the sensor installation site fails to achieve effective grouting may occur, thus the sensor will not be coupled to the monitoring hole rock wall and no monitoring signal will be generated. Moreover, the deeper the monitoring hole is, the greater is the total shrinkage deformation of the poured cement after solidification, and the signal transmission cable cemented with the cement will be subjected to tensile force due to shrinkage deformation of the cement, resulting in failing to transmit signals effectively; fourth, the monitoring hole is usually relatively moist, and the solidification of the cement slurry after pouring requires a long cycle, which will lead to the extension of the construction period; fifth, the blasting of explosives during the excavation may loosen the grouting surface and the rock wall surface, resulting in a decrease in the effectiveness of the transmission of monitored signals; sixth, the installation process takes time and effort, requiring a series of professional grouting equipment and grouting personnel, and requiring a lot of labor.
In engineering applications, simple fixed devices are also used to fix the microseismic sensors in a specific device, and then the microseismic sensors are sent to the installation site with a rigid, non-movable metal rod to be fixed. However, this method has the following disadvantages: first, this method is generally only applicable to shallow depth monitoring holes, and requires that the monitoring holes are completely concentric and the hole walls are smooth, but these requirements cannot be guaranteed in actual construction; secondly, the mounting device has a large size and is only applicable to large-diameter monitoring holes, resulting in a high monitoring hole cost; third, the entire transmission rod and the mounting structure are rigidly inserted into the monitoring hole by applying pressure, not only the friction force is high, prone to wear out of the cable or microseismic sensor, but also the transmission rod and the mounting structure are easy to be stuck in the monitoring hole at a specific position and cannot be sent to a specific installation site; fourth, the installation process is time-consuming, labor-intensive and requires a lot of labor. These difficulties have caused microseismic sensors to be limited in monitoring holes with large depths.
Therefore, how to conveniently and effectively install the microseismic sensor in the monitoring hole and effectively couple the installed microseismic sensor with the wall of the hole are still difficult points for on-site monitoring and research, especially for deep monitoring holes that require multiple microseismic sensors for microseismic monitoring of different sites.

Test system for microseismic test of rock mass fractures