A phased array sector scanning ultrasonic imaging system produces simultaneously, and samples, three receive beams for each transmitted ultrasonic pulse directed upon flowing reflectors. Flow velocity is measured in the cross range direction using a correlation technique while flow velocity in the range direction is simultaneously measured using a Doppler method. By performing cross correlation in both the range and cross range directions with data acquired from a set of such multi-beam acquisitions, a B-scan image is produced which indicates both magnitude and direction of the flowing reflectors.

This invention relates to coherent imaging using vibratory energy, such as ultrasound and the like and, in particular, to ultrasound imaging of flowing tissues such as blood.
There are a number of modes in which ultrasound can be used to produce images of objects. The ultrasound transmitter may be placed on one side of the object and the sound transmitted through the object to the ultrasound receiver placed on the other side ("transmission mode"). With transmission mode methods, an image may be produced in which the brightness of each pixel is a function of the amplitude of the ultrasound that reaches the receiver ("attenuation" mode), or the brightness of each pixel is a function of the time required for the sound to reach the receiver ("time-of-flight" or "speed of sound" mode). In the alternative, the receiver may be positioned on the same side of the object as the transmitter and an image may be produced in which the brightness of each pixel is a function of the amplitude or time-of-flight of the ultrasound reflected from the object back to the receiver ("refraction", "backscatter" or "echo" mode). The present invention relates to a backscatter method for producing ultrasound images.
There are a number of well known backscatter methods for acquiring ultrasound data. In the so-called "A-scan" method, an ultrasound pulse is directed into the object by the transducer and the amplitude of the reflected sound is recorded over a period of time. The amplitude of the echo signal is proportional to the scattering strength of the refractors in the object and the time delay is proportional to the range of the refractors from the transducer. In the so-called "B-scan" method, the transducer transmits a series of ultrasonic pulses as it is scanned across the object along a single axis of motion. The resulting echo signals are recorded as with the A-scan method and either their amplitude or time delay is used to modulate the brightness of pixels on a display. With the B-scan method, enough data are acquired from which an image of the refractors can be reconstructed.
In the so-called C-scan method, the transducer is scanned across a plane above the object and only the echoes reflecting from the focal depth of the transducer are recorded. The sweep of the electron beam of a CRT display is synchronized to the scanning of the transducer so that the x and y coordinates of the transducer correspond to the x and y coordinates of the image.
Ultrasonic transducers for medical applications are constructed from one or more piezoelectric elements sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. Such piezoelectric elements are typically constructed of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), or PZT ceramic/polymer composite. The electrodes are connected to a voltage source, and when a voltage is applied, the piezoelectric elements change in size at a frequency corresponding to that of the applied voltage. When a voltage pulse is applied, the piezoelectric element emits an ultrasonic wave into the media to which it is coupled at the frequencies contained in the excitation pulse. Conversely, when an ultrasonic wave strikes the piezoelectric element, the element produces a corresponding voltage across its electrodes. Typically, the front of the element is covered with an acoustic matching layer that improves the coupling with the media in which the ultrasonic waves propagate. In addition, a backing material is disposed to the rear of the piezoelectric element to absorb ultrasonic waves that emerge from the back side of the element so that they do not interfere. A number of such ultrasonic transducer constructions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,217,684, 4,425,525, 4,441,503, 4,470,305 and 4,569,231, all of which are assigned to the instant assignee.
When used for ultrasound imaging, the transducer typically has a number of piezoelectric elements arranged in an array and driven with separate voltages (apodizing). By controlling the time delays (or phase) and amplitude of the applied voltages, the ultrasonic waves produced by the piezoelectric elements (transmission mode) combine to produce a net ultrasonic wave focused at a selected point. By controlling the time delays and amplitude of the applied voltages, this focal point can be moved in a plane to scan the subject.
The same principles apply when the transducer is employed to receive the reflected sound (receiver mode). That is, the voltages produced at the transducer elements in the array are summed together such that the net signal is indicative of the sound reflected from a single focal point in the subject. As with the transmission mode, this focused reception of the ultrasonic energy is achieved by imparting separate time delays (and/or phase shifts) and gains to the signal from each transducer array element.
This form of ultrasonic imaging is referred to as "phased array sector scanning", or "PASS". Such a scan is comprised of a series of measurements in which the focused ultrasonic wave is transmitted, the system switches to receive mode after a short time interval, and the reflected ultrasonic wave is received and stored. Typically, the transmission and reception are steered in the same direction (.theta.) during each measurement to acquire data from a series of points along a scan line. The receiver is dynamically focused at a succession of ranges (R) along the scan line as the reflected ultrasonic waves are received. The time required to conduct the entire scan is a function of the time required to make each measurement and the number of measurements required to cover the entire region of interest at the desired resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. For example, a total of 128 scan lines may be acquired over a 90 degree sector, with each scan line being steered in increments of 0.70.degree.. A number of such ultrasonic imaging systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,155,258, 4,155,260, 4,154,113, 4,155,259, 4,180,790, 4,470,303, 4,662,223, 4,669,314 and 4,809,184, all of which are assigned to the instant assignee.
The use of ultrasonic imaging systems to measure the velocity of moving tissues such as blood has many clinical applications. For example, an image of the heart in which pixel brightness is determined by the velocity of the reflecting tissues can provide valuable information concerning the mechanical motion of the heart and the flow of blood through its chambers during a cardiac cycle. There are two well known methods for producing such images using phased array sector scanning techniques--Doppler measurements and correlation measurements.
Ultrasonic echoes backscattered from moving tissues such as blood are frequency shifted by an amount proportional to the frequency of the ultrasonic sound and the velocity of the blood flow. Movement of red blood cells through the sample volume toward the transducer array compresses the wavelength of the reflected echo, increasing its frequency, whereas movement of red blood cells away from the transducer array lengthens the wavelength of the echo, decreasing its frequency. The Doppler method measures only the component of mean velocity in the same direction as the transmitted ultrasonic beam. The formula relating Doppler frequency shift to velocity in the beam direction is: EQU .DELTA.f=2f.sub.0 v/c
where
.DELTA.f=frequency shift, PA0 f.sub.0 =ultrasonic carrier frequency, PA0 v=mean velocity of flow in the beam direction, PA0 c=speed of sound in the tissue (1450 mm/sec).
In typical systems using a carrier frequency of 2-5 MHz, human blood flows produce Doppler frequency shifts of about 0.2 to 8 kHz. Ultrasonic imaging systems which produce Doppler flow images are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,217,909; 4,265,126; 4,182,173; 4,257,278; and 4,530,363, all of which are assigned to the instant assignee.
The second method used to produce ultrasonic flow images correlates the signals produced by two echoes to determine the distance moved by the blood cells between the two ultrasonic beam transmissions. The two transmissions may be directed in the same beam angle and the amplitude of the sampled echo signals correlated with each other to determine the amount of shift in position which takes place between transmissions along the beam direction. Since the time interval between transmissions is known, this measured displacement can be used to calculate velocity. The same method can be used to measure flow velocity across the direction of the beam by emitting a series of beams at different beam angles and then correlating the amplitudes of the received echo signals in both the beam direction and the cross beam direction. Such correlation ultrasonic imaging systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,587,973 and 4,567,898, which are assigned to the instant assignee, and in articles by O. Bonnefous et al. in Ultrasonic Imaging 8, pp. 73-85 (1986) entitled "Time Domain Formulation Of Pulse-Doppler Ultrasound And Blood Velocity Estimation By Gross Correlation"; by P. M. Embree et al. in IEEE 1985 Ultrasonics Symposium, pp. 963-66 entitled "The Accurate Ultrasonic Measurement Of The Volume Flow Of Blood By Time Domain Correlation"; and by Gregg E. Trahey et al. in IEEE 1987 Ultrasonic Symposium, pp. 957-61, entitled "Measurement of Local Speckle Pattern Displacement to Track Blood Flow in Two Dimensions." To correlate in the cross beam direction, however, a plurality of beams at different beam angles must be produced to provide a magnitude envelope in the cross beam direction and the process must be repeated again to produce a second envelope which can be correlated with the first envelope.


A fully synchronous longitudinal position (LPOS) detection system is provided for improving the reliability of servo channels in tape systems. The system is based on the interpolation of the servo channel output signal, which is sampled by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) at a fixed sampling rate, using a clock at a nominal frequency, so that interpolated signal samples are obtained at a predetermined fixed rate, independent of tape velocity. This predetermined fixed rate is defined in terms of samples per unit of length, as opposed to samples per unit of time, which is the measure of the ADC sampling rate. The resolution with which the servo channel signal is obtained at the interpolator output is thus determined by the step interpolation distance.

Timing-based servo (TBS) is a technology developed specifically for linear tape drives in the late '90s. In TBS systems, recorded servo patterns consist of transitions with two different azimuthal slopes, and head position is derived from the relative timing of pulses generated by a narrow head reading the pattern. TBS patterns also allow the encoding of additional longitudinal position (LPOS) information without affecting the generation of the transversal position error signal (PES). This is obtained by shifting transitions from their nominal pattern position, as shown in FIG. 1. In tape systems there are typically available two dedicated servo channels from which LPOS information as well as PES can be derived. The timing-based track-following servo for linear tape systems has been adopted by the linear tape open (LTO) consortium as a standard for the so-called LTO tape drive systems.
Usually, the detection of LPOS information is based on the observation of the shifts of the peaks of the dibit signal samples at the servo-channel output. This approach has the following severe limitations:                a) The A/D converter sampling frequency has to change with the tape velocity if a constant rate expressed in number of samples per micrometer that is independent of tape velocity is desired. If a fixed sampling frequency is adopted, the rate depends on the tape velocity.        b) A consequence of the choice of a fixed sampling rate is that the number of samples per dibit response at the LPOS detector (peak detector) is variable depending on the velocity.        c) No reliable LPOS detection is possible during acceleration and deceleration, i.e., during the phase at which the velocity is changing towards the target velocity.        d) Peak detection is not the optimum detection scheme for the LPOS pattern, which is generated using pulse position modulation (PPM) techniques.        e) There is no possibility to monitor the time evolution of the signal at the output of the servo channel since there is no time reference.        f) There is no possibility to have a measure of reliability of the LPOS detection process.
In order to support sufficient resolution at high velocities using prior art LPOS asynchronous architecture, illustrated in FIG. 2, higher ADC sampling rates are required. For example, if the highest target velocity is ν=12.5 m/s, then a resolution of 0.83 μm is obtained assuming an ADC sampling rate of 15 MHz. Clearly, such a resolution is not adequate when one wants to resolve LPOS pulse position modulation of +/−0.25 μm. In particular, a sampling rate of 250 MHz would be required to obtain a resolution of 0.05 μm using the asynchronous approach.

Synchronous servo channel for longitudinal position detection and position error signal generation in tape drive systems

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus and a method for searching for personalized content based on a user's comment are provided and designed to search for and provide the personalized content based on a user's preference using a user comment-based search technique, thereby raising user's satisfaction with search results and enhancing search accuracy.

1. Field
The present invention is related to a technology for searching for content, and more specifically, to an apparatus and a method for searching for personalized content based on a user's comment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Without a definite content title or name, it is hard to search for content. For example, in the case of searching for a specific movie, it is difficult to search for the movie without knowing a movie title, a director or a film studio.
However, if a movie is searched based on viewers' reaction, that is, their comments, it may be much easier to find the movie even though a definite content title or name is not given.
The inventor of the present invention has researched a technology for searching for personalized content based on a user's preference using the user comment-based search technique in order to raise a user's satisfaction with search results and enhance search accuracy.

Apparatus and method for searching for personalized content based on user's comment

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


Provided is a production method for a transparent conductive film wherein: a substrate has formed thereon a transparent conductive oxide, a conductive metal body, and a conductive polymer comprised in a transparent composite conductive layer; or else a substrate has formed thereon a transparent conductive oxide layer; a conductive metal body layer, and a conductive polymer layer comprised in a transparent composite conductive layer; or a substrate has formed thereon a transparent conductive oxide layer, and also a conductive metal body and a conductive polymer comprised in an organic-inorganic hybrid layer in a transparent composite conductive layer. Also provided is a transparent conductive film produced by means of the method.

Generally, a transparent conductive layer has been used as an essential component of electric and electronic devices such as a power source in display devices, an electromagnetic wave shielding film in home appliances, a transparent electrode in various display fields such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diodes (OLED), a field emission display (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP), a flexible display, an electronic paper, or the like. Currently, as a material of the transparent conductive layer, a conductive inorganic oxide material such as indium-tin oxide (ITO), antimony-tin oxide (ATO), antimony-zinc oxide (AZO), or the like, is mainly used.
The transparent conductive layer having relatively high conductivity and transmittance may be produced using the material by a sputtering method, an ion beam method, a vacuum deposition method, or the like, that are generally used. However, in this method, cost for investing into vacuum equipments is high, and it is difficult to mass-produce the transparent conductive layer and prepare a large size transparent conductive layer. Particularly, this method has a limitation in a transparent substrate requiring a low temperature process, such as a plastic film.
At the time of deposition by the sputtering method, a composition of the transparent conductive layer may be changed according to the conditions such as oxygen partial pressure, a temperature, and the like, and the transmittance and resistance of the thin film may be rapidly changed.
Therefore, a method for producing a transparent conductive film performed by coating a layer using a wet coating method such as a spin coating method, a spray coating method, a dip coating method, a printing method, or the like, which are appropriate for low cost and a large size, and then firing the coated layer, or the like, has been suggested. For example, a transparent conductive layer using a metal fine particle and a binder is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1999-011487, a composition for a transparent conductive layer in which a hollow carbon nano fiber is added to tin oxide is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1999-064113, and a coating solution for a transparent conductive light selectively absorbing film in which neodymium oxide is added to tin oxide or indium oxide is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-009405. In addition, a method for preparing a solution for a transparent conductive layer containing a metal particle such as gold, silver, or the like, is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-213441.
A surface resistance of the transparent conductive layer produced by the above-mentioned methods is high, time-dependent changes, such as an increase in the surface resistance according to the change in the surroundings and time, or the like, are generated therein, such that initial conductivity may not be maintained. Therefore, this transparent conductive film has a limitation in being used as the transparent conductive layer due to low transmittance In addition, productivity may also decrease since the processes are complicated and various.

Production method for a transparent conductive film and a transparent conductive film produced thereby


Systems and methods are provided for master-to-master OT-based artifact peering. A “master-to-master” architecture for artifacts is implemented in a network comprising a plurality of nodes and clients, where no node is designated a “master” or “primary” for a given artifact. A first node receives a subset of remote proposed operations from a second node and determines if a conflict exists between the received subset of remote proposed operations and at least one of a plurality of locally-proposed operations. The first node resolves the conflict based on a total-ordering agreed upon between the first node and the second node. The first node transforms at least one operation, either received or locally-proposed, based on the resolved conflict. The first node than updates a local log to include the transformed operation.

Operational transformations (OTs) facilitate concurrent edits for multiple users on a single artifact (e.g., document, map, spreadsheet, etc.). Any change to an artifact is considered an operation (e.g., adding a point to a map, changing the text in a document), and multiple users (e.g., clients) are capable of performing operations concurrently to change the artifact. For example, multiple users can perform operations (e.g., add or modify points) with respect to an artifact (e.g., a map). However, in some cases more than one user may seek to concurrently change the same data object (e.g., the point on a map), resulting in a conflict.

Systems and methods for artifact peering within a multi-master collaborative environment


A low water recovery rate desalination system and method. This system and method enables the purification of water in a more environmentally sustainable manner than conventional systems. The environmental benefit of this invention is derived from its ability to desalinate water and produce a brine byproduct that is less concentrated than that of conventional desalination systems. The system is composed of three elements. They are a water makeup element, a concentration element and a desalination system. The water makeup element and the concentration element can integrated with a conventional desalination technology to form a complete desalination system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the production of desalinated water from seawater or other sources of water contaminated with saline. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system of producing desalinated water from a saline contaminated water source through a low water recovery desalination system
2. Related Art
Desalination systems are desirable in many arid regions and in marine applications where fresh water supplies are limited but large amounts of seawater, inland waterways, rivers, or other sources of salt containing water are available.
Conventional desalination systems utilize reverse osmosis or distillation processes. Both of these processes typically result in recovery ratios of approximately 50%. Thus for every gallon of water taken in as feed ½ of a gallon will become purified product water and the other ½ gallon will be discharged with a brine content approximately double in concentration of the feed water's concentration. Discharge of this concentrated brine to the environment can produce localized negative impacts. Reverse osmosis and distillation processes operate at high recovery ratios in order to reduce specific power consumption. This is required because in conventional systems all of the feed is either heated, as in the case of distillation, or pressurized as in the case with reverse osmosis.
The maximum recovery rate conventional systems can operate at is usually limited by the tendency of the feed waters to form scaling deposits. Scale forming compounds, such as calcium and silica, can precipitate on the membranes or heat transfer surfaces of the primary desalination system. This can result in costly equipment replacements or cleaning. The tendency to form scale is a function of the maximum concentration of scale forming materials in the concentrated brine, which is in turn determined by the feed concentrations of these solutes and the system water recovery ratio. Due to composition, this typically limits the recovery ratio in most seawater desalination applications to about 50%.
Additionally, due to the need to operate at high recovery rates, feed pretreatment is usually required. Existing pretreatment methods produce solid wastes that are usually disposed of in landfills and may contain hazardous contaminates such as heavy metals. Conventional desalination systems also kill most organisms entrained in the feed and produce a brine byproduct that is high in salts and toxic to most organisms.
Although conventional desalination systems exist, there are no systems available which efficiently operate at water recovery rates low enough to produce a brine that is environmentally benign. There is also a need for systems which do not produce solid wastes and which reduces or eliminates the kill rate of entrained marine organisms in the feed water.
What is needed is a low water recovery rate desalination system that reduces the negative environmental impacts of desalination.

Low water recovery rate desalination system and method


An improved method for manufacture of simvastatin of formula (I) in high purity. The process for preparation of compound (I) comprises

Simvastatin of formula (I) is a valuable hypocholesteremic drug, which inhibits biosynthesis of cholesterol by competitively inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) thereby reducing the rate of formation of cholesterol in the human body. Simvastatin of formula (I) like its structurally similar analog lovastatin is active physiologically in the dihydroxylic acid form of formula (II) but is administered in the lactone form of formula (I).
                wherein R is hydrogen, NH4+ or an alkali metal
The lactone form (I) is prepared by lactonization of the 3,5-dihydroxy acid derivative of formula (II) lactonization by various methods, which generally involves heating compound of formula (II) in the presence or absence of a bronsted acid or a dehydrating agent at various temperatures, employing various solvents.
Lactonization of the 3,5-dihydroxy pentanoic acid derivative of formula (II) is invariably accompanied by the formation of associated impurities especially the dimer impurity of formula (III) in variable amounts. This impurity is usually formed at higher temperature or in highly acidic conditions. Another impurity encountered during lactonization is the anhydro impurity (IV), which is formed in highly acidic conditions. These impurities are difficult to remove utilizing conventional methods of purification and if removed, considerably lower the yield of the product.

Prior art methods usually disclose the yield and purity of compound (I) but fail to mention any associated impurity such as the anhydro impurity of formula (IV) and the acetyl impurity (V), which could be formed during the reaction, when strong acids like methane sulfonic acid or a solvent like acetic acid is employed.
                wherein R is

The minimization of the dimer impurity (III) is generally achieved by carrying out lactonization in a short duration or at a lower temperature or with dehydrating reagents like phosphorous pentoxide, molecular sieves etc which do not take part in the reaction.
The dimer impurity (III) is normally formed in reaction conditions, which are highly acidic or in concentrated solutions wherein there is a greater interaction between the substrate molecules. Therefore, prior art methods generally utilize high level of dilution of organic solvents between 40-50 times (w/w) per gram of the starting compound of formula (II) for controlling the level of impurities but in the process lactonization takes a longer time, between 20-60 hours for completion of reaction which consequently reduces the production capacity and increases the time cycle for each run.
Regulatory authorities all over the world are becoming very stringent about the level of impurities in an approved drug. Pharmacopoeial specification requires that the impurities such as the dimer impurity (III), anhydro impurity (IV) and acetyl impurity (V) in Simvastatin (I), which is difficult to remove by conventional methods, should be below 0.4%.
Needless to mention, most of the prior art methods do not give product conforming to the above mentioned criteria.
A brief summary of the prior art methods and their shortcomings has been already disclosed in our pending PCT Application PCT/IN04/00075, which describes an improved method for preparation of various compounds, which are structural analogues of simvastatin (I).
The method disclosed in PCT Application PCT/IN04/00075 is an improvement over the prior art methods and the invention residing in this application lies in the selection of a mixture of organic solvents viz. toluene and methyl ethyl ketone, temperature between 60-75° C., selection of catalyst, lower dilution of solvent which reduces reaction time and gives simvastatin of formula (I) of high purity, substantially free from impurities and conforming to pharmacopoeial specification.
The method disclosed in PCT Application PCT/IN04/00075 however requires a higher temperature (60-75° C.), a mixture of solvents viz. toluene and methyl ketone in a specific ratio (7:3). Further, Simvastatin (I) obtained by the above method also requires extensive purification for removal of associated impurities, since the dimer impurity (III) and the anhydro impurity (IV) (0.40% and 0.64% respectively) formed during lactonization are sufficiently high. Purification for removal of impurities lowers the yield to between 65-72%, therefore it is imperative to control these impurities during lactonization itself.
Therefore there exists a need for a method for manufacture of simvastatin of formula (I), which is simple, efficient and cost-effective but also gives simvastatin (I) in high yield and purity, substantially free of impurities.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved process for preparation of simvastatin of formula (I) of high purity, with better yields and dimer purity (III) less than 0.05% and anhydro impurity of formula (IV) at less than 0.15%.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved process for synthesis of simvastatin of formula (I) by agitating the corresponding 3,5-dihydroxy pentanoic acid derivative of formula (II) in a chlorinated solvent and in the presence of a weak acid like orthophosphoric acid at a temperature between 27-40° C. and in a short duration of 12-14 hours as compared to between 20-60 hours reported in prior art methods.
Yet another object of the invention relates to carrying out lactonization of the compound of formula (II) in a significantly lower dilution between 17 to 20 times (w/w) per gram of compound (II) and to give compound (I) of high purity and thereby making the process cost-effective.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to reduce the number of steps for isolating simvastatin (I) so as to conform to pharmacopoeial specification.
The present inventors have found that simvastatin of formula (I) can be synthesized from the 3,5-dihydroxy pentanoic acid derivative or its salt (II) by agitating in a chlorinated solvent for a period of 12-14 hours in the presence of a weak acid like orthophosphoric acid to give compound (I) of high purity, with dimer impurity (III) between 0.02% to 0.04% and which conforms to pharmacopoeial specification.
The present inventors further found that lactonization of compound of formula (II) can be achieved in a higher yield and purity through a method which utilizes a single solvent like a chlorinated solvent, at a lower temperature of 35±2° C. and utilizing an aqueous solution of an inorganic acid like orthophosphoric acid which not only reduces the dimer impurity of formula (III) below 0.05% but also reduces the formation of the anhydro impurity (IV) below 0.15%, during the lactonization reaction. Due to the low level of impurities formed during the reaction, extensive purification like prior art methods are not required thereby improving the yields.

Abstract: the steps of agitating a compound of formula (II),

Abstract: wherein R is hydrogen, NH4+ or an alkali metalin an organic solvent and in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of between 27° C. to 40° C. in the presence of a weak acid followed by neutralization with an organic base and obtaining compound of formula (I) in high purity and substantially free of impurities through a step of isolation and crystallization.


An oil tank uses centrifugal movement of oil to separate blow-by gases. The oil tank has a tank body with an internal oil chamber. The oil chamber is spaced from the walls of the oil tank. The oil is delivered to the oil chamber and the oil swirls along the inner wall of the oil chamber in a helical pattern thereby allowing separation between the oil and the blow-by gases. The oil settles in the bottom of the oil chamber, which is in fluid communication with the region defined between the tank body and the oil chamber. The oil chamber is placed in an off-center location relative to the bottom of the tank body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an oil tank for an engine-driven vehicle that separates oil from blow-by gas. More particular, the present invention relates to such an oil tank in which blow-by gas is separated from the oil by centrifugal action.
2. Description of the Related Art
In oil tanks, such as that disclosed in United States Published Patent Application No. 2003/0045187, published on Mar. 6, 2003, which claimed priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-233362, filed on Aug. 1, 2001, there often is a mixture of oil and so-called blow-by gases. The oil tank disclosed in the '187 publication comprises an outer cylinder that extends in a vertical direction. An upper cover and a lower cover close off the top and the bottom of the outer cylinder. An inner cylinder is positioned along the axial centerline of the outer cylinder. A plurality of annular partition plates are positioned along the inner cylinder and extend between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder. These partition plates divide the annular space between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder into multiple oil chambers in the vertical direction. The inner peripheral edges of the partition plates are fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder while the outer peripheral edges of the partition plates are spaced from the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder.
The inlet of the oil tank is in the upper end of the outer cylinder. The inlet is positioned such that the oil flows into the annular space between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder. The oil inlet also is positioned such that, when seen in plan view, the oil flows in along the inner peripheral surface of the inner peripheral wall of the outer cylinder. The oil outlet of the tank is formed at the lower end of the outer cylinder such that it opens to the lower end of the annular space defined between the inner and outer cylinders.
The annular space is partitioned by the plural partition plates into plural oil chambers arranged in the vertical direction. The oil chambers are connected by the gap formed between the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder and the outer peripheral edges of the partition plates. The upper portion of the uppermost oil chamber of the plural oil chambers is connected to the atmosphere by a blow-by gas discharge pipe. One end of the blow-by gas discharge pipe opens to the upper end portion of the annular space and the pipe then extends through the inside cylinder such that the other end is positioned outside of the oil tank.
In an oil tank constructed in this manner, oil mixed with blow-by gas is pressure-fed into the uppermost annular oil chamber. The mixed oil flows along the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder and it spins around inside the oil chamber. The oil and the blow-by gas are separated with the oil going to the outer side and blow-by gas moving to a more central location due to centrifugal forces. The spinning of the oil causes these forces and the differences of the specific gravities of oil and blow-by gas causes the movement. The oil flows down into the lower oil chamber through the gap formed between the outer cylinder and the partition plates, and is discharged to the outside of the oil tank (is supplied to the engine) from an oil discharge port positioned in the lowermost portion of the oil tank. The blow-by gas is dispersed into the atmosphere through the blow-by gas discharge pipe from the uppermost oil chamber inside the oil tank.
Because the oil must flow downward through the gaps formed between the outer cylinder and each of the partition plates, and there has been a limit on increasing the flow volume of oil through the tank. For this reason, it has not been possible to use such an oil tank in an engine requiring a large supply of oil.
Sometimes the conventional oil tank cannot separate the blow-by gas from the oil in the upper oil chamber, and blow-by gas remains in the oil. The blow-by gas cannot rise counter to the oil flowing downward. For this reason, the ability of the conventional oil tank to separate gas and liquid is poor and some of the blow-by gas ends up being supplied to the engine together with the oil.
The conventional oil tank has also had the problem that oil mist floating above the liquid surface in the uppermost oil chamber also ends up being discharged into the atmosphere through the discharge pipe together with the blow-by gas.


A copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor is made by coating particles of a ferroelectric material with a very thin coating of the phosphor. The phosphor is made by reacting zinc- and copper- and/or manganese-containing species with hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen chloride gases in a low-temperature vapor state reaction.

Electroluminescent lamps typically provide approximately 30 foot-lamberts of illumination and are thus suitable for various low-intensity illumination applications, such as decorative lighting, egress lighting, cockpit and dashboard display panels, and membrane switches. They have also been used as backlighting sources for liquid crystal display (LCD) devices. However, most LCD applications, including black/white and color LCD displays and high definition displays, require greater backlighting illumination than electroluminescent lamps can provide.
Zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphors and methods of making them (including copper-activated zinc sulfide, manganese-activated zinc sulfide, and copper- and manganese-activated zinc sulfide) are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,807,587 to Butler et al., 3,031,415 to Morrison et al., 3,031,416 to Morrison et al., 3,152,995 to Strock, 3,154,712 to Payne, 3,222,214 to Lagos et al., 3,657,142 to Poss, and 4,859,361 to Reilly et al., all of which are assigned to the assignee of the instant invention. However, none of these electroluminescent zinc sulfide phosphors are sufficiently bright for use in most LCD backlighting applications or high definition display devices.
It would be an advantage in the art to provide a copper- and/or manganese-activated zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor having improved luminance for use in LCD and high definition display devices, and a method of making the phosphor.

Zinc sulfide electroluminescent phosphor particles and electroluminescent lamp made therefrom