A method and apparatus for measuring a structure. An x-ray system and the structure are positioned relative to each other. The x-ray system comprises a gas source configured to provide a gas, a laser system configured to emit a laser beam, a steering system, and a detector. The steering system is configured to direct a first portion of the laser beam into the gas such that an electron beam is generated by the laser beam interacting with the gas and is configured to direct a second portion of the laser beam into the electron beam such that a collimated x-ray beam is formed. The detector is configured to detect the collimated x-ray beam. The collimated x-ray beam is emitted with the structure positioned relative to the x-ray system.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to measuring structures and, in particular, to measuring edges of structures. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for measuring the edge of cylindrical structures using x-rays.
2. Background
Radiography uses x-rays to view unseen or hard-to-image objects. Radiography has both medical and industrial applications. With respect to industrial applications, x-rays are used to make measurements. In particular, the measurement made from x-rays may be used as one form of non-destructive testing. X-rays are used to inspect materials for inconsistencies using x-rays to penetrate various materials. X-rays also are used to test and grade welds on objects. These objects include, for example, pressurized piping, pressure vessels, high-capacity storage containers, pipes, structural welds, machine parts, metal plates, and/or other suitable objects.
One type of radiography is tangent radiography. For example, tangent radiography is commonly used to make measurements of pipe walls. These measurements may be used to identify pipe wall thinning. Further, tangent radiography also has been used to look for bond separation and check liner conditions. Tangent radiography is commonly used to detect fine detail in the edges of cylindrical or curved structures. Tangent radiography is used to check for gaps, fit up, corrosion, degradation, and/or other types of inconsistencies.
For example, currently available tangent radiography systems may be used to make measurements of large structures, such as those greater than two meters in diameter. This type of radiography, however, has limitations in usefulness as the structure increases in size to around 10 meters or more in diameter. The standoff distances and trade-off in resolution and sensitivity make a quantitative evaluation of some structures impractical.
As a result, this type of measurement is rarely applied to aircraft. With rockets and missile systems, this type of radiography may be used with limitations to the resolution and the size of features that can be measured or detected. With tangential radiography, the x-ray beam unsharpness decreases the resolution and the size of features that can be measured or detected.
One solution may involve moving the detector closer to the region of interest. With a cylinder, the detector may be moved to take into account the change in transmission length at the edge of the cylinder. However, limitations may be present on how close the detector can be placed with respect to the location containing a feature.
The energies used to obtain the desired results may add to the scattering and size of the radiation fields that occur for this type of measurement. As a result, extensive shielding or having operators located remotely from the testing site may be required. These types of limitations increase the expense and/or decrease the feasibility of performing tests using tangential radiography for structures, such as aircraft.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues.

Tangent radiography using brilliant x-ray source


The present invention provides a novel thermal filtering system and method for making such a thermal filtering system to filter out external temperature fluctuations within an enclosure. In accordance with one aspect of the invention the system includes an external insulation layer, an internal insulation layer, and a layer of phase change material located in between and thermally in series with the layers of insulation.

The benefits of adding insulation to a structure are well known. Insulation restricts the flow of heat from a higher temperature (the "hot" side), through the insulating materials, to a lower temperature (the "cold" side). As soon as a temperature difference exists across an insulating material, thermal energy begins to flow. By slowing the rate of heat transfer, insulation enables conventional heating and cooling devices to maintain a desired temperature within a structure. However, because the heat begins to flow nearly instantaneously, a change in either the inside or the outside temperature is instantly reflected in a change in the rate of heat flow. In order to maintain the desired internal temperature, the heating and cooling equipment must be able to respond quickly to changes in the temperature difference. This may be difficult, however, because structures generally have either a large volume of air or a large mass in the internal environment, both of which resist rapid temperature changes. As a result, during rapid external temperature variations, the inside temperature is often either higher or lower than desired. It would be desirable to devise a method of maintaining a nearly constant rate of heat flow so as to maximize the efficiency of conventional heating and cooling equipment and to improve the correlation between the desired inside temperature and the actual inside temperature. In so doing, both the temperature variations and energy output required to maintain a desired inside temperature would be minimized.
Common forms of insulation include fiberglass batts and boards of extruded polystyrene. Other insulating materials include various vegetable and mineral fibers (generally used as blown-in insulation), other minerals (such as expanded perlite), and metal foils (for reflecting radiant thermal energy). Perlite is a naturally occurring volcanic glass which may be expanded to form an insulating material having many voids. It is the presence of such voids and the air or other gases that they entrap that provide the insulating properties of most insulating materials.
During the 1970s and 1980s, thermal research focused on development of suitable materials and configurations for storing solar energy during periods of peak solar insolation, and releasing it gradually during off-peak periods or during the night to the inside environment. These materials were generally built to store solar energy falling directly onto containers filled with phase change materials (hereinafter PCMs). PCMs attracted interest for their ability to store heat energy. PCMs are chemical compounds that use the latent heat properties of a material to store heat energy as chemical energy. "Latent heat" is a measure of the energy required to change a material from one state to another. A PCM stores heat by "melting" (or changing from a solid to a liquid) and releases heat by "freezing" (or changing from a liquid to a solid). Unfortunately, some PCMs are very hygroscopic, which means that they absorb water, which in turn decreases their effectiveness by providing a path for heat transfer through the PCM, in effect, a thermal short circuit.
The interest in phase change materials for building envelopes waned with the decrease in interest in active solar heating. The experience revealed, however, that the corrosive nature of the salts used as PCMs made it difficult to prevent PCM storage containers from leaking. Therefore it would be desirable to have these PCM materials stored in a medium that would not be affected by the corrosive salts, and that would seal the PCM off from atmospheric humidity.
The interest in solar energy developed in part from petroleum fuel shortages. The shortages and concomitant increased prices heightened both utilities' and consumers' awareness of their energy usage. This concern has remained to this day. Energy utility rates are generally lower at the time of day when the load on the utility system is the lightest. The utilities prefer to have a steady demand, and naturally, both commercial and private consumers prefer to pay lower rates. With ever increasing energy costs it would be desirable to move energy consumption to the time of day when the rates will be the lowest, thereby leveling out the load on the utility system as well.


The invention relates to a method for inhibiting the growth of organisms causing body odor on a human or animal body. The invention comprises the following step:                topical application of 1,2-decanediol,wherein the amount of 1,2-decanediol applied is sufficient to inhibit the growth of organisms forming body odor at the site of application.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to 1,2-decanediol as an agent for inhibiting the growth of organisms causing body odour.
The human skin is populated by a multiplicity of different bacteria. The majority of these bacteria are not pathogenic and irrelevant for the odour of the skin. Others, on the other hand, are capable of decomposing secretions produced by the body, which can result in a more or less strong body odour (in particular underarm and foot odour). The microorganisms which can cause body odour include, in particular, the species listed in the following table.
MicroorganismsEffectStaphylococcus epidermidisUnderarm odour; body odour in generalCorynebacterium xerosisUnderarm odourBrevibacterium epidermidisUnderarm odour, foot odour
Staphylococcus epidermidis, Corynebacterium xerosis and Brevibacterium epidermidis are gram-positive bacteria.
Body odour can be controlled in various ways. With a first control strategy the microbial production of odour substances is not influenced or is influenced to only an insignificant extent, but the odour substances formed are masked by superimposing other fragrances or they are absorbed by absorbents.
In an alternative strategy an attempt is made to prevent the formation of unpleasant odour substances from the start. This aim can be achieved on the one hand by the use of antiperspirants, that is to say by the use of substances which suppress or at least severely inhibit perspiration. On the other hand, the formation of body odour can be controlled by the use of antimicrobial active compounds which, because of their action, destroy, or at least decisively inhibit the reproduction of, the bacteria which lead to the decomposition of secretions produced by the body and thus to the formation of the unpleasant odour substances.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prominent example of an antimicrobial active compound against organisms forming body odour is the substance farnesol; in this context see DE 27 28 921 A1 (corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,665) and DE 33 15 058 (corresponds to EP 0 126 944). However, those skilled in the art are also aware of a number of further substances which are already used for the stated purpose.
In the cosmetics industry there is an ongoing demand for alternatives to the antimicrobial active compounds known hitherto for controlling body odour. The aim here is always an antimicrobial substance with the following characteristics:                good effectiveness against the microorganisms responsible for body odour (including underarm odour and foot odour), even in low concentration that is harmless from the dermatological standpoint,        toxicologically harmless,        good compatibility with the skin, that is to say no production of skin irritations on application of an amount of active compound which kills the microorganisms responsible for body odour or at least inhibits their growth,        stability, in particular in the customary cosmetic formulations, and        low production costs, that is, to say can be produced using standard methods and/or starting from standard precursors.
The search for a suitable (active) substance that possesses at least the first and, in addition, one or more of the other characteristics mentioned to an adequate degree is made more difficult for the cosmetic specialist in that there is no dependence between the chemical structure of a substance, on the one hand, and its biological activity towards certain organisms (for example the organisms responsible for body odour that have been mentioned above). Equally there is no predictable relationship between the antimicrobial action, toxicological harmlessness, compatibility with the skin and/or the stability.
In the light of this state of affairs, the aim of the present invention was to indicate an antimicrobial active compound that is suitable for inhibiting the growth of organisms causing body odour.
In particular, the active compound to be indicated should be effective against Corynebacterium xerosis, Staphylococcus epidermidis and/or Brevibacterium epidermidis. Moreover, the amount of active compound to be applied topically in order to achieve the desired microbial action should preferably not cause any skin irritation.
The said aims are achieved by indicating 1,2-decanediol as antimicrobial active compound.
In this context the invention is based on the surprising finding that 1,2-decanediol has an excellent action against organisms forming body odour in general, and against Corynebacterium xerosis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Brevibacterium epidermidis and mixtures of two or more of the said organisms in particular, even when applied in extremely small amounts (concentrations).
Although specialists in the field have already very extensively studied the antimicrobial action of 1,2-diols, which is more or less good in the individual case, hitherto there has been no indication of the outstanding properties of 1,2-decanediol with respect to the particular organisms mentioned. It is also not possible to discern any trend that would have suggested this special effect from the literature.
Thus, although certain indications for the bacteriostatic action of 1,2-decanediol towards certain organisms in relation to the preservation of foods and cosmetics are known from JP-A 51 91327, this publication gives no indications of any antimicrobial action towards the organisms responsible for body odour.
All that is known from JP-A 11 322591 is that certain 1,2-alkanediols having a chain length of 4 to 10 C atoms can be used in order to reduce the dose of conventional antiseptic microbicides in an antimicrobial formulation. 1,2-Pentanediol and 1,2-hexanediol as well as 1,2-octanediol are mentioned as preferred. The Japanese document contains no indication of the action of 1,2-decanediol towards organisms that are responsible for the formation of body odour.
In FR 2 771 632 A1 it is disclosed that certain 1,2-alkanediols having a chain length of 8 to 18 C atoms can be used in a mixture with an N-acylamino acid as an agent against dandruff. Here again 1,2-octanediol is mentioned as preferred.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,953 it is stated that straight-chain 1,2-alkanediols having a chain length of in total 5 to 14 C atoms and preferably 6 to 8 C atoms are suitable for topical application to the skin and in this context in particular for the treatment of acne, for the treatment of capillary layers, for disinfecting minor wounds (scratches) for disinfecting the hands of surgeons and patients as well as for disinfecting the udders of animals giving milk. U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,953 furthermore discloses that formulations that in addition to an alkanediol contain a gel of the glyceryl polymethacrylate type can be used in low concentration for the treatment of acne, skin problems, impetigo, body odours based on microorganisms, "athlete's food (sic)" and the like. In this patent these possible applications are ascribed to a synergistic interaction between the gel and the alkanediol. 1,2-Octanediol is indicated as the preferred alkanediol. The following are mentioned as organisms against which the said combination formulations are effective: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Lysteria monocytogenis, Propionibacterium acnes as well as pathogenic organisms of the species Lysteria, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Pseudomonas. An action of 1,2-decanediol against organisms forming body odour, such as, in particular, Corynebacterium xerosis, Staphylococcus epidermidis and/or Brevibacterium epidermidis is not disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,953.
EP 0 524 548 A1 discloses certain antimicrobially active mixtures which in addition to (A) an antimicrobially active aromatic alcohol of the formula 1
in which R1 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 C atoms and n is an integer from 1 to 6, contain (B) an antimicrobially active 1,2- or 1,3-diol of the formula R2—CHOH—(CHR3)x—CH2OH, where x=0 or 1 and if x=0 R2 is an alkyl group having 6 to 22 C atoms or an alkoxymethyl or 2-hydroxyalkoxymethyl group having, in each case, 6 to 22 C atoms in the alkoxy group, and if x=1 the group R2 is hydrogen and R3 has one of the abovementioned meanings for R2, the components being present in a weight ratio of 9:1 to 1:9. The antimicrobially active mixtures disclosed are said to be suitable for the preparation of skin cleansing agents having an antiseptic action and for the preservation of aqueous preparations of substances that are microbially degradable or perishable. EP 0 524 548 A1 does not contain an indication of the action of 1,2-decanediol against organisms that are responsible for the formation of body odour.
A number of further documents are concerned either with 1,2-decanediol, without disclosing antimicrobial actions of this substance, or are concerned with the action of other 1,2-alkanediols without relating to 1,2-decanediol. To this extent reference is made to the following documents: FR 2 755 371; JP 11 310506; WO 99/11237; WO 99/56715; WO 99/56716; JP 20 0044419; JP 11 335258; JP 10 053510; J. Food Sc. 42(3), 699–701; EP 1 000 542; DE 199 24 496 and JP 20 0148720.
The present invention relates primarily to a method for inhibiting the growth of organisms causing body odour on a human or animal body, the method comprising the topical application of 1,2-decanediol in an amount that is sufficient to inhibit the growth of organisms forming body odour at the site of the application.
Usually 1,2-decanediol is applied in the form of a formulation which in addition to 1,2-decanediol will also contain conventional excipients and, for example, a fragrance or the like. In such a method a formulation containing 1,2-decanediol is applied topically in such a way that the amount of 1,2-decanediol applied with the formulation is sufficient to inhibit the growth of organisms forming body odour at the site of application.
In the present context the finding that an antimicrobially active formulation which contains 1,2-decanediol does not have to contain a gel and in particular does not have to contain glyceryl polymethacrylate gel, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,953, is particularly important.
It is equally unnecessary to provide an alcohol of the formula 1,
in which R1 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 C atoms and n is an integer from 1 to 6, as is disclosed in EP 0 524 548 A1, in such a formulation.
Even in the absence of these substances having a synergistic action, extremely small amounts of 1,2-decanediol are sufficient to inhibit the growth of the said organisms to such an extent that a troublesome odour is no longer developed. In this context the amount of 1,2-decanediol applied will preferably be so small that the 1,2-decanediol does not give rise to any irritation of the skin. Cosmetic formulations which can cause irritation of the skin are virtually precluded from use in the market and therefore, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,953, particular value was placed on the fact that in the gel/diol substance mixture described in that patent the concentration of diol can be so low that there is no risk of irritation to the skin (cf. U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,953, column 2, lines 9 to 14).
Although 1,2-decanediol already has an excellent action against the said organisms on its own, it is, of course, not precluded to add a further antimicrobial active compound to control these or other organisms. If a further antimicrobial active compound is also present in a formulation in addition to 1,2-decanediol, the formulation is preferably so composed that, compared with a comparison formulation which contains no 1,2-decanediol but otherwise has the same composition, it has an antimicrobial action against Corynebacterium xerosis, Staphylococcus epidermidis and/or Brevibacterium epidermidis that is increased by a factor of 4 and a MIC value in relation to these organisms that is reduced by at least a factor of 4. The second antimicrobial active compound will thus preferably have only a low activity against the said organisms, but possess high effectiveness against other organisms.
It is pointed out that in the context of the present text, the term 1,2-decanediol comprises both (a) the 2S-configured enantiomer and (b) the 2R-configured enantiomer as well as (c) arbitrary mixtures of 2S- and 2R-configured decanediols. It is true that for commercial reasons it is particularly advantageous to use the racemates of the relevant diols to control the microorganisms forming body odour since these are particularly readily accessible synthetically; however, the pure enantiomers or non-racemic mixtures of these enantiomers are also suitable for the purposes according to the invention.
With a view to formulations according to the invention that contain 1,2-decanediol it is preferred that the concentration of the diol in these formulations is adjusted to a value of between 0.0002 and 20% (m/m). In this context concentrations in the range between 0.02 and 5% (m/m) are preferred.
1,2-Decanediol has only a very weak odour and can therefore also be employed in high concentration in perfume oil compositions. Such perfume oil compositions then have a bacteriostatic action against organisms forming body odour, so that the inherent odour of such a perfume oil composition is retained for longer in the case of topical application. Since the perfume content in a cosmetic finished product is usually only approximately 1% (m/m), a perfume which contains 1,2-decanediol as antimicrobial active compound will preferably consist of approximately 5–50% (m/m) 1,2-decanediol. Use in such high relative concentrations is possible without any problems.
The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of examples.
Tests to Determine the Antimicrobial Action of 1,2-diols
1. General Test Conditions (MIC Value Determinations)
To prepare various test concentrations 2.6 ml of a 3.3% stock solution (3.3 g 1,2-decanediol or comparison substance in 100 ml ethanol (96% in H2O; Merck, Cat. no. 1.00971)) was used at the starting material in each case. Further test concentrations (diluted sample) in the form of a geometric dilution series were prepared by progressive 2:1 dilution with ethanol (96%; Merck, Cat. no. 1.00971).
Determination of the antimicrobial action of 1,2-decanediol (or of a comparison substance) was carried out with the aid of the agar dilution method based on DIN 58 940/ICS and DIN 58 944/ICS. Petri dishes 5.5 cm in diameter were filled with 8.7 ml freshly prepared Mueller-Hinton agar (Merck, Cat. no. 1.05437 or Wilkins-Chalgren agar boillon (sic), Oxoid, Cat. no. CM 643, supplemented with 10 g agar-agar/litre) kept liquid at 50° C., to which in each case 0.3 ml of the particular sample, that is to say 3.3% (V/V) based on the total volume of agar and sample, was added.
By means of this further dilution of the undiluted stock solution and of the already diluted samples with the test agar (0.3 ml of the stock solution or of the corresponding diluted sample+8.7 ml agar) 30-fold lower end concentrations were prepared in each case (when using the stock solution an initial concentration of 1,100 ppm results). The concentrations given below are based on the pure substance and have been converted to ppm. 2 agar plates were cast per test concentration and nutrient medium.
The following controls were carried out, with 2 agar plates in each case:
TABLE 1ControlsC1: 9.0 ml Mueller-Hinton agar(non-inoculated)C2: 8.7 ml Mueller-Hinton agar + 0.3 ml ethanol (96%)(non-inoculated)C3: 8.7 ml Mueller-Hinton agar + 0.3 ml ethanol (96%)(inoculated)C4: 9.0 ml Mueller-Hinton agar(inoculated)
After solidification and drying (about 1 h at 37° C.), the test plates were inoculated in point form with, in each case, 1 μl of the test organism suspensions listed below. To check purity and identity, the aerobically growing bacteria Brevibacterium epidermidis, Corynebacterium xerosis; and Staphylococcus epidermidis were cultured on Columbia blood agar (BioMérieux, Cat. no. 43049). Further details on the test organisms can be taken from Table 2.
TABLE 2Test organisms (strain identities)Test organismStrain IDBrevibacterium epidermidisATCC 35514Corynebacterium xerosisATCC 7711Staphylococcus epidermidisATCC12228
The preparation of the test organism suspensions of the test organisms for Brevibacterium epidermidis, Corynebacterium xerosis, and Staphylococcus epidermidis was carried out by incubation of Mueller-Hinton bouillon (Merck, Cat. no. 1.10293), which had been inoculated with a few individual colonies of the particular test organisms, at 36° C. After a distinct turbidity had been achieved, sterile nutrient bouillon was added to the suspensions in such an amount that the turbidity thereof corresponded to McFarland Standard 0.5 (approx. 108 CFU/ml).
The inoculated plates were incubated under the conditions given in Table 3 and were then assessed. The MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) was considered to be the lowest active compound concentration with which there is macroscopically no growth. Minimum, barely visible growth or a few small individual colonies were assessed as inhibition.
TABLE 3Inoculation and incubationGrowthTest organismStrain IDconditionsNutrient mediumIncubationBrevibacteriumATCCaerobicMueller-Hinton18 h atepidermidis35514agar36° C.CorynebacteriumATCCaerobicMueller-Hinton18 h atxerosis 7711agar36° C.StaphylococcusATCCaerobicMueller-Hinton18 h atepidermidis12228agar36° C.2. MIC Values for 1,2-decanediol Compared with 1,2-octanediol
Suspensions of the microorganisms described above were incubated in accordance with the general test conditions described under 1. and the MIC values of 1,2-decanediol were determined (see Table 4). For reference purposes the MIC values for 1,2-octanediol were also determined.
TABLE 4MIC values [ppm] for 1,2-octanediol and 1,2-decanediol1,2-1,2-Test organismStrain IDOctanediolDecanediolStaphylococcusATCC 122281800225epidermidisCorynebacterium xerosisATCC 7711 3600225BrevibacteriumATCC 355143600450epidermidis
Comparison of the 1,2-diols shows that the MIC values for 1,2-octanediol are between 3,600 and 1,800 ppm and are thus relatively high. In contrast to this, the MIC values for 1,2-decanediol are distinctly lower.
3. Growth Curve for Corynebacterium xerosis—General Test Conditions
Solutions Used:
    AC medium: 37 g brain heart infusion, 5 g glucose, 1 ml Tween 80, made up to 1 l with H2O.Test Substances:    1,2-Octanediol (0.3%)    1,2-Decanediol (0.3%)    Farnesol (0.3%)Control:    AC medium without active compoundTest Solutions:    Relevant test substance in AC mediumSuspension Test (see FIG. 1)
60 ml AC medium were inoculated with 0.4 ml of a fresh overnight culture of the test organism Corynebacterium xerosis (C. xerosis 7711). The culture vessel was shaken at 30° C. and 250 rpm until a cell density of 105 to 106 cells/ml had been reached. The test substances were weighed out and in each case dissolved in 2.5 ml AC medium with brief heating to 60° C. The test solutions obtained in this way were then added to 2.5 ml bacterial suspension in each case and the mixtures were incubated for 20, 60 and 180 min maintaining the growth conditions. 100 μl of the incubated test solutions were then taken and the bacterial titre determined by plating-out on nutrient medium.
The growth curves for the test batches described above are shown in FIG. 1.
4. Results (Growth Curves for Corynebacterium xerosis)
The growth curve for Corynebacterium xerosis (FIG. 1) shows that when used in a concentration of 0.3% 1,2-decanediol has by far the greatest effectiveness of the substances tested. The effectiveness of 1,2-decanediol is even greater than that of farnesol, a known deodorant active compound (see above), which was used as positive control.
5. Determination of the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations of a Deodorant Pump Spray Formulation Containing 1% Decanediol Compared with a Deodorant Pump Spray Formulation without 1,2-decanediol
Pump spray formulations which (a) contained 1,2-decanediol and (b) contained no 1,2-decanediol were tested in accordance with the general test conditions described under 1.
To prepare various concentrations of dilute sample    (a) 3 ml of a deodorant pump spray formulation containing 1% (m/m) 1,2-decanediol (composition: ethanol: 10% (m/m), propylene glycol: 5% (m/m), solubilising agent: 2% (m/m), water: 82% (m/m), 1,2-decanediol: 1% (m/m)) and    (b) 3 ml of a deodorant pump spray formulation containing no 1,2-decanediol (composition as under (a) but without 1,2-decanediol content and water content increased to 83% (m/m)).were progressively diluted 2:1 with an ethanol/water mixture (ethanol 96%, Merck, Cat. no. 1.00971; volume ratio ethanol:water=1:9).
Test concentrations in the form of geometric dilution series were prepared in this way.
The determination of the antimicrobial action of the deodorant pump spray formulations containing 1,2-decanediol and containing no 1,2-decanediol was again carried out with the aid of the agar dilution method in accordance with DIN 58 940/ICS and DIN 58 944/ICS. Because of lower concentrations of 1,2-decanediol in the formulations compared with the general test conditions according to point 1 above (1.0% (m/m) instead of 3.3% (m/m)), in these tests petri dishes 5.5 cm in diameter were filled with only 6 ml (instead of 8.7 ml) freshly prepared Mueller-Hinton agar (Merck, Cat. no. 1.05437 or Wilkins-Chalgren agar boillon (sic), Oxoid, Cat. no. CM 643) kept liquid at 50° C., to which the relevant (stock) formulations themselves and also their dilution stages were added (in each case addition of 3 ml, that is to say 33% (V/V) based on the total volume of agar and added formulation).
By means of this further dilution with the test agar (3 ml stock formulation or correspondingly diluted sample plus 6 ml agar), 3-fold lower end concentrations were obtained in each case (when using the stock solution containing 1,2-decanediol an initial concentration of 3333 ppm 1,2-decanediol is obtained). Two agar plates were cast per test concentration and nutrient medium, suspensions of the microorganisms described above were incubated and the MIC values determined. For reference purposes the MIC values of the comparison pump spray formulation without decanediol were also determined. Further details on the MIC value determinations can be taken from point 1.
6. MIC Values of a Deodorant Pump Spray Formulation Containing 1% Decanediol (a) Compared with a Deodorant Pump Spray Formulation Without 1,2-decanediol (b)
Suspensions of the microorganisms described above were incubated in accordance with the general test conditions described under 1. and the MIC values of a deodorant pump spray formulation containing 1% decanediol (a) compared with a deodorant pump spray formulation without 1,2-decanediol (b) were determined (see Table 5).
TABLE 5MIC values [ppm] for 1,2-decanediolTest organismStrain ID(a)(b)Staphylococcus epidermidisATCC 12228523333Corynebacterium xerosisATCC 7711 2081667Brevibacterium epidermidisATCC 355141041667
The tests showed that the deodorant pump spray formulations containing 1,2-decanediol (a) show a dramatically increased antimicrobial action against Corynebacterium xerosis, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Brevibacterium epidermidis compared with formulations which contain no 1,2-decanediol but otherwise have the same composition (b).

Use of 1,2-decandiol for combating germs causing body odor


An apparatus and method for generating a three-dimensional object. The apparatus includes a build material area, at least one agent distributor with a fluid reservoir to store fluid agent and at least one fluid ejection die to selectively eject fluid agent in the build material area. A cooling system to remove heat from the at least one fluid ejection die has a heat sink. The at least one fluid ejection die is in thermal contact with the heat sink via the fluid agent of the fluid reservoir.

Additive manufacturing systems that generates three-dimensional (3D) objects on a layer-by-layer basis are used for producing three-dimensional objects. Examples of additive manufacturing systems include three-dimensional printing systems. The generation of three-dimensional objects by additive manufacturing systems may be affected by the type of additive manufacturing technology used and by heat dissipation during the manufacturing process.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate but not necessarily identical, elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and the size of some parts may be exaggerated to more clearly illustrate the example shown. Moreover the drawings provide examples and/or implementations consistent with the description; however, the description is not limited to the examples and/or implementations provided in the drawings.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method for recovering data from a redundant storage object comprises a command, executable upon a redundant storage object, which provides a mechanism for discovering the existence of copies of the data image and the number of copies of the data image available. The present invention further provides the capability of retrieving a copy of the data image(s) from underlying virtualization layers. By querying specific layers of the IO path to determine if a specific layer has copies of the data image, the number of copies may be determined and specified copies of the data image retrieved. This allows higher layers within a system to perform recovery if incorrect data is detected.

Computer applications store data in file systems or raw volumes without knowledge of the underlying structure of the storage object. This abstraction allows virtualization of the storage so that redundancy and other storage features can be implemented transparently to the application. However, if the application maintains metadata for checking the integrity of the data when it is read from the storage object, it does not have a mechanism for retrieving a redundant copy of the data. For example, an application could generate a cyclic redundancy code (CRC) and append it to the data written to a mirrored volume or disk array that implements mirroring. The fact that the data is mirrored is transparent to the application. Under normal conditions, the volume manager or disk array would detect any errors that occur and retrieve the data from the mirrored copy, returning it to the application without any indication of error. If the application should detect that the CRC on a read block of data is incorrect, it does not have the capability to read the alternate data image to check it for accuracy.
Unfortunately, the existing solutions to this problem are to retry the read operation or recover data from a back-up device. A retry of the read operation could be attempted, hoping that a subsequent read might be executed to the mirror image of the data instead of the primary storage location. The most likely outcome would be that the same data image would be returned from some underlying cache memory. In the case of RAID 5, where the only alternate data image available must be reconstructed from the other drives in the redundancy group, the alternate image would never be accessed unless the primary copy indicated an error to the disk array.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a mechanism to recover from certain types of errors without going through the tedious off-line process of restoring data from a back-up device.

Method for recovering data from a redundant storage object


A video playback system with multiple video decoders includes a content provider server for providing video signals of a target video; a first video decoder; a first display for displaying video content outputted from the first video decoder; a second video decoder; a second display for displaying video content outputted from the second video decoder; a playback control server for controlling the first and the second video decoders; and a mobile communication device for transmitting selection messages to the playback control server via internet and then transmitting modification messages to the playback control server via internet. The playback control server opts to utilize the first video decoder to receive a portion of video signals of the target video according to the selection message, and opts to utilize the second video decoder to receive subsequent video signals of the target video according to the modification message.

The disclosure generally relates to a video playback system and, more particularly, to a video playback system with multiple video decoders and related computer program products.
With the progress of internet, many video playback systems utilizing internet to transmit content of videos have been developed. In existing applications, however, a content service provider typically performs identity authentication and billing procedures with respect to a user based on a single video decoder, such as a set-top box, binding with the user. If the user has installed multiple video decoders of the same content service provider, services provided by different video decoders have to be separately charged, and the same video is not allowed to be successively playbacked in different video decoders.
For example, when a particular video is playbacked to a half by a first video decoder (such as a set-top box connected with a TV in a living room), if the user wants to pause the playback of the particular video and wants to move to another room to utilize a second video decoder (such as a set-top box connected with a TV in a bedroom) to playback remaining portion of the same video, the conventional video playback system is unable to allow the second video decoder to directly jump to the beginning of the remaining portion of the particular video. The user is required to utilize a remote control of the second video decoder to repurchase the particular video, and then utilizes the remote control to fast-forward the particular video to a point where the video was previously paused on the first video decoder. Such an operation is not only troublesome to the user, but also causes the user to be charged twice for the same video by the content service provider.
Additionally, the conventional remote control of the video decoder typically utilizes a directional infrared ray to transmit control signals. Thus, the user has to point a signal emitting terminal of the remote control toward a receiving end of the video decoder precisely in order to manipulate operations of the video decoder. In addition, the video decoder has to be placed within a signal transmission range of the remote control. Otherwise, the video decoder is unable to receive the control signals from the remote control. In other words, the conventional video playback systems only allow the user to use the remote control to manipulate the video decoder within a limited distance, and the user is not allowed to manipulate a video decoder in a remote distance. For example, the user is not allowed to manipulate a video decoder located in another room of the same building or located in another building.

Video playback system with multiple video decoders and related computer program products


Methods and systems are provided for a cooling device connected to components of a motor vehicle. The cooling device influencing a fluid flow moving past the vehicle components. In one example, a system may include a cooling device positioned below an oil sump. The cooling device may feature an apparatus such that a fluid flows between the apparatus and oil sump. The cooling device may also be positioned below a transmission housing.

The present application is directed to a drive unit for a motor vehicle including a motor with a motor oil sump and a transmission. The transmission may include a transmission housing. A cooling device may be used for reducing the temperature of the motor, transmission, or both.
Cooling of the motor or transmission oil if often utilized even during normal operation. Cooling may be further utilized in the case of high payload, trailer load or high motor rotational speeds.
Previous attempts to cool transmission oil or engine oil have included transmission heat exchangers or oil coolers, which are operated with a coolant. The generated heat may be reduced if it is not possible to adequately reduce the temperature. Otherwise, motor and transmission damage can occur. One method of reducing generated heat would be to reduce the load or speed of the engine but this method limits the usability of the engine.
However, the inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such systems. As one example, transmission heat exchangers or oil coolers require additional weight and space. The components are also susceptible to faults and may have high cost.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a drive unit for a motor vehicle having: a motor with a motor oil sump; a transmission with a transmission housing; and a cooling device including a flow-guiding apparatus and a fastening apparatus, wherein the cooling device is fastened to at least one of the motor oil sump or to the transmission housing by the fastening apparatus and wherein the flow-guiding apparatus is arranged spaced apart from at least one of the motor oil sump or the transmission housing such that a cooling fluid may flow between the flow-guiding apparatus and at least one of the motor oil sump or the transmission housing. In this way, the flow-guiding apparatus directs the cooling fluid past the engine and transmission housing which may increase heat transfer.
As one example, a flow-guiding apparatus may extend along the motor oil sump and transmission housing. This apparatus is shaped to conduct a cooling fluid between the apparatus and the oil sump and transmission housing. One embodiment includes a flow-guiding apparatus in which the distance between the apparatus and oil sump increases towards the front of the vehicle. This shape may increase the flow of the cooling fluid past the oil sump and transmission housing. Further embodiments include a fastening apparatus which fits into a groove in the flow-guiding apparatus. This arrangement maximizes surface contact between the flow-guiding apparatus and fastening apparatus which may increase heat transfer away from the oil sump and transmission housing. Thus, the use of the flow-guiding apparatus helps to draw heat from the oil sump and transmission housing. The embodiments of the present application may reduce the motor and transmission oil temperature.
These embodiments may be simple to implement, require less additional space than conventional approaches, low weight, high reliability, and low cost.
Embodiments described in this application use at least two methods to improve the cooling of the motor and transmission oil temperature. One method is to improve heat conductance between vehicle components, such as motor oil sump and transmission housing, and a cooling device. A second method is to improve the heat transfer to a cooling fluid which flows past the motor oil sump and/or the transmission housing.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.


An automatic machine for rapidly fabricating a continuous length of metallic honeycomb core having a finite width and a precise height for use, substantially as fabricated, in bonding in a honeycomb core panel structure from a continuous strip of preformed metal foil having spaced crest and trough sections. The machine includes a fixed central foil guide that directs a continuous strip of metallic foil to a horizontally translatable guide that positions the foil strip between two banks of vertically biased banks of individual weld blocks having sets of vertically disposed weld pin electrodes. A spreader carriage that is horizontally translatable in synchronism with the translatable guide momentarily spreads individual opposed biased weld blocks to permit the foil strip to be laid against a previously received portion of such foil strip in horizontal and vertical registry of the crests and troughs of the preformed strip. As the foil strip is so positioned, the two opposing sets of weld wheel electrodes are sequentially actuated to weld the vertically registered crests and troughs of foil together in precise horizontal and vertical alignment in a continuous sequential wave-like motion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an improvement in the fabrication of metallic honeycomb core and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an automatic machine for rapidly manufacturing metallic honeycomb core material having a finite width and precise height from a continuous metal foil strip material, which honeycomb core is suitable for ultimate use substantially as it is fabricated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many manufacturing processes, such as welding, require that several parts be brought together and assembled precisely at a work station, held there in such assembled relation for the duration of the welding period and then moved from the work area to make way for successive parts to be introduced, assembled, and acted upon therein. An example of this type arises in the manufacture of metallic honeycomb. In fabricating this honeycomb core, strip feed and positioning means comprising inter-nesting electrode and indexing pins juxtaposed sections of corrugated metal ribbon or strips so that troughs of one strip rest on the crests of an adjacent strip. The strips are then held in this position while contacting electrode pins on the upper and lower welding assemblies and welding wheels on the weld wheel assemblies pass welding current through the abutting nodes of the adjacent crests and troughs to weld the same together and form adjacent cells of the honeycomb core. When selected crests and troughs have been welded together, the electrode pins and welding members are withdrawn from the formed cell and, following the shuttling of the core by the indexing pins, the indexing pins are re-inserted and re-applied as the process is repeated, as necessary, to complete the desired core.
For a completely satisfactory result in providing high quality honeycomb core, the juxtapositioning of the strip sections must be very precise; the pressure, movement and electrical contacting of the welding members must be critically controlled and precision positioning, alignment, and movement of the parts must prevail repetitively in the cell-to-cell formation though the length and width of the honeycomb core.
Various honeycomb core machines have heretofore been proposed and used with varying degrees of success. Examples of prior art machines for producing honeycomb core are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,927,991 by W. A. Schoelz; 3,070,686 by P. Vinson et al.; 3,077,533 by F. H. Rohr et al.; 3,092,711 by H. B. Bennett et al. and 3,108,368 by C. W. Christinan.
In general, these prior art machines require that the maximum width of the honeycomb core material is either dictated by the number of weld electrode positions or that the honeycomb core, or such portion produced of it, be horizontally translated back and forth by the operator or other means so that a width greater than the number of weld electrode positions can be accomplished. The prior art machines also produced wavy or uneven surface core which had to be later trued due to the use of a single set of wheel weld electrodes. Also, in order to get a precise dimensional honeycomb core material, a thick blanket was produced initially, then this blanket was sliced or machined to obtain the desired width, length and thickness. This operation is very labor intensive and produces a considerable amount of waste.
Another prior art machine of interest is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,436 by W. F. Rethwish et al, which patent is assigned to the present assignee. This patent discloses an automatic machine for producing a continuous length of honeycomb core material of finite width and height from a continuous strip of corrugated ribbon material. This machine includes a main frame and transport assemblies. The transport assembly carries a corrugated ribbon laying means which positions a layer of corrugated ribbon strip between horizontally displaced upper and lower weld electrode assemblies as the transport assembly shuttles back and forth across the main frame assembly. The transport assembly also carries a welding means which is vertically translatable to a welding position in contact with the layer of corrugated ribbon strip.
The operation of this machine provides for the transport assembly to lay a predetermined portion of the corrugated ribbon between the upper and lower weld electrode assemblies commensurate with the width of the welding means. The welding means is then actuated to weld such portion of the corrugated ribbon strip to a previously positioned portion of such ribbon strip. The transport assembly is then moved along the main frame a predetermined distance to lay an additional portion of corrugated ribbon and then stopped where the welding process is repeated. This transport, dwell for welding, and continued transport of the transport assemblies along a track on the main frame is repeated until the desired width of honeycomb core has been fabricated. While honeycomb core fabricated by this machine has a finite width and height it is desired to fabricate such honeycomb core of equal or enhanced quality on a more rapid basis.
A need therefore exists for an improved machine that can rapidly fabricate metallic honeycomb core having a predetermined width and a precise height and which is suitable for ultimate use substantially as fabricated without having to be subjected to further processing in order to prepare such core for ultimate use. The fabrication of honeycomb core having a precise net height without having to be subjected to further processing is very desirable since a need for net metallic core has substantially increased. Net metallic core is advantageously used in the manufacture of metallic honeycomb core panels wherein the metal honeycomb core is bonded to metal face skins by a suitable metal joining process which requires all facing surfaces of such core to precisely meet the planar surfaces of the metal faces. Net metal core is also desirable in the manufacture of honeycomb core panels that are adhesively bonded together.
Yet another prior art metal honeycomb welding apparatus of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,865 issued to E. E. Jones which is directed to a metal honeycomb welding apparatus having a number of finger electrodes that are insertable into a honeycomb core panel. A welding means provides for carrying a corrugated metal strip to a welding station by means of weld heads which position such strip for welding. The weld heads include welding elongated members which advance into a welding position where a number of "tit-like" projections on an edge face of a corrugated metal strip are to be welded. After welding of one weld face of the strip, the welding elongated members are withdrawn, indexed and again translated forwardly to another welding position. Such cycle is repeated until the number of desired welds is accomplished. This apparatus does not appear to fabricate metallic honeycomb core having a precise net vertical height and it is obviously limited in the speed with which it can fabricate metal core.
It is a principal objective of the present invention to provide an improved machine to fabricate at high production rates a continuous length of metallic honeycomb core of finite width and precise height that is substantially suitable for ultimate use as it exits the machine.
It is a second principal objective of the present invention to provide an improved machine for rapidly fabricating honeycomb core that is substantially net in height and of great uniformity and high quality.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a machine that produces net metallic honeycomb core at relatively high production rates.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a machine for rapidly fabricating metallic honeycomb core which has uniform high quality welds at abutting nodes of the continuous metal foil strip comprising the core.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a machine for fabricating metallic net honeycomb core by reversibly feeding a continuous strip of metal foil successively through a plurality of sequential weld stations positioned along a main frame to fabricate the net honeycomb core in one relatively continuous movement.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a machine for fabrication of metallic net honeycomb core by sequentially welding a set of nodes of a continuous deformed metal strip, as it is positioned in place with a series of non-translating weld head assemblies which span the entire width of the honeycomb core.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a machine for fabricating net metallic honeycomb core from a continuous metal foil strip which provides for upward rotation of the foil positioning mechanism and welding mechanism from their operative positions to expedite maintenance of the machine and to reduce the time required to reconfigure the machine to make honeycomb core of another size.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and application of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Advanced automatic machine for rapidly fabricating net metallic honeycomb core


Disclosed is protective headgear for an aviator. The headgear includes a helmet adapted to be worn by the aviator, a visor and a mechanism for mounting the visor to the helmet. The mounting mechanism is defined by a pair of gear train assemblies, one of which is mounted to each side of the helmet adjacent to a helmet front opening. Each gear train assembly includes multiple gears that allow the visor to be manually moved between a deployed position wherein the visor covers a portion of the helmet front opening to protect the aviator's face and eyes, and a stowed position wherein the visor is completely clear of the helmet front opening so as to not obstruct the forward view of the aviator.

This invention relates to protective headgear. In particular, the present invention is military aviator headgear comprising a helmet, a visor and a mechanism for mounting the visor to the helmet to allow controlled actuation of the visor between deployed and stowed positions.
The use of various types of protective gear for military aviators (i.e., both aircraft pilots and crew members) is well known. In particular, protective gear for the head and eyes has been used since the first open cockpit aircraft went into production. This early form of head and eyes protection took the form of a helmet and goggles. Today, military aviators, and specifically pilots, in both rotary and fixed wing aircraft, are required to wear prescribed protective headgear.
This headgear typically takes the form of a helmet having a hard outer shell formed of a synthetic composite material, such as fiberglass and an inner close fitting foamed polymer lining. The hard outer shell withstands shock loads, that may result, for example, from aircraft ejection, while the resiliency of the foamed lining evenly dissipates the forces of the shock load over a wider area. This interaction between the outer shell and liner helps to protect the helmet wearer against head injury, such as a concussion. A visor (i.e., face shield) is typically attached to the helmet so as to cover at least a portion of a helmet front opening that permits forward viewing by the wearer. The visor protects the face and eyes of the wearer and the visor is typically tinted to shield the wearer's eyes from glare or sunlight. A mounting mechanism attaches the visor to the helmet to permit raising and lowering of the visor between in use (i.e., deployed) and stowed positions.
Protective headgear comprising a helmet, and a visor which is mounted via a mechanism to permit visor movement between stowed and use positions are generally known. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,127 issued to Rittman et al., U.S. Patent to Hanson and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,397,047; 4,297,747; and 4,247,960 all issued to Nava, disclose devices for controlled lifting of visors for motorcycle helmets. However, these devices are not particularly suited for headgear to be used by military aviators because of the extremely limited range of movement of the visor between stowed and use positions. Typically, the range of motion permitted by motorcycle visor lifting devices is limited to such an extent that the visor, in the stowed position, does not clear the helmet front opening and therefore restricts the forward viewing of the helmet wearer. This arrangement is unacceptable in the military aviator environment since any obstruction within an aviator's line of sight, such as occasioned by a temporarily unneeded and stowed visor that is interfering with the aviator's forward view, may adversely affect the aviator's control of the aircraft or the aviator's ability to identify perilous circumstances.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,269 to Ansite et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,502 to Howell and U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,930 to Petit et al. all disclose protective headgear designed for aviators. Though, the protective headgear of each of these patents incorporates a visor movably mounted to a helmet, the operation of moving the visor between in use and stowed positions presents disadvantages. For example, to move the visor between use and stowed positions, the mounting mechanism for the visor of Howell requires that a screw knob be first loosened, the visor is then moved and then the screw knob is retightened to hold the visor in its new position. Clearly this operation to move the visor of Howell is cumbersome, and may affect an aviator's ability to control an aircraft and move the visor under stressful circumstances. For visor movement, the mounting mechanism of Ansite et al. requires that an aviator perform complicated compound translational and rotational movement of the visor to move the visor between use and stowed positions. As with Howell, the operation of moving the visor of Ansite et al. is complicated and may be even dangerous in a high stress situation. Like Ansite et al., the mounting mechanism of Petit et al. also requires that the visor perform compound translational and rotational motion as the visor moves between use and stowed positions. However, unlike Ansite et al., the mounting mechanism of Petit et al. permits claimed one handed operation to achieve this visor movement. But, to achieve this single handed visor operation, the mounting mechanism of Petit et al. requires the aviator to grope for a handle on either side of the helmet to move the visor between use and stowed positions. As with Ansite et al. and Howell this could be difficult and dangerous in high stress situations.
There is a need for improved protective headgear for aviators. In particular, there is a need for headgear having an articulated mounting mechanism for a visor that allows an aviator to quickly and easily move the visor between deployed and stowed positions even in high stress aeronautical situations. In addition, the visor in its stowed position should not obstruct the aviator's line of sight or otherwise interfere with the aviator's forward view through the helmet's front opening. Lastly, the components of the headgear should be relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

Headgear having an articulated mounting mechanism for a visor


The hydrocracking catalyst of the present invention is a hydrocracking catalyst comprising a catalyst support comprising a zeolite and an amorphous composite metal oxide having solid acidity, and at least one active metal supported by the catalyst support and selected from noble metals of Group 8 to Group 10 in the periodic table, wherein the hydrocracking catalyst contains a carbonaceous substance comprising a carbon atom, and the content of the carbonaceous substance in the hydrocracking catalyst is 0.05 to 1% by mass in terms of the carbon atom.

Recently, from the viewpoint of raise in environmental consciousness, liquid fuels in which the contents of environmental load substances such as sulfur and aromatic hydrocarbons are small have been demanded. From such a viewpoint, as a technique which can produce a base stock for fuel oil that substantially contains neither sulfur nor aromatic hydrocarbons and is rich in aliphatic hydrocarbons, particularly, base stock for kerosene and gas oil, a technique that has been attracting attention is one which synthesis gas (mixed gas containing carbon monoxide gas and hydrogen gas as main components) is produced from a hydrocarbon source such as natural gas by a reforming reaction, hydrocarbons are synthesized from this synthesis gas by a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction (hereinafter, also referred to as the "FT synthesis reaction"), and the hydrocarbons are further refined by hydroprocessing and fractionation to thereby obtain a base stock for fuel oil (see Patent Literature 1, for example). This technique is called GTL (Gas To Liquids) process.
A synthetic oil obtained from synthesis gas by the FT synthesis reaction (hereinafter, also referred to as the "FT synthetic oil") is a mixture containing aliphatic hydrocarbons with a wide carbon number distribution as a main component. A naphtha fraction, a middle distillate fraction, and a wax fraction can be obtained by fractionating this FT synthetic oil according to boiling points. Among the respective fractions, the middle distillate is the most useful fraction corresponding to base stock for kerosene and gas oil and is desired to be obtained with a high yield.
Hydrocarbons can be obtained with a boiling point range comparable to the middle distillate by hydrocracking a wax fraction contained in a significant amount in combination with the middle distillate in the FT synthetic oil, and the useful middle distillate can be obtained with a high yield from the FT synthetic oil by using this method.
In the hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon raw oil containing the above-described wax fraction, it is necessary to enhance the cracking rate of the wax fraction, for enhancing the yield of the middle distillate; on the other hand, there is a problem that if the cracking rate is enhanced, the production of the light fraction attributed to excessive hydrocracking raises and rather the yield of the middle distillate reduces. Thus, as a hydrocracking catalyst used in the hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon raw oil containing the wax fraction, it is required to have a high hydrocracking activity and also to suppress the production of the light fraction attributed to excessive hydrocracking and give the middle distillate with a high selectivity. As such a hydrocracking catalyst, a catalyst comprising a catalyst support comprising a zeolite and an amorphous composite metal oxide having solid acidity and an active metal supported by the catalyst support and selected from noble metals of Group 8 to Group 10 in the periodic table is known (see Patent Literatures 2 and 3, for example).

Hydrocracking catalyst and method for producing a hydrocarbon oil

JAPAN OIL, GAS AND METALS NATIONAL CORPORATION

NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN ENGINEERING CO., LTD.


A bicycle rim brake basically has a first brake arm, a second brake arm and a link. The first brake arm has a first coupling portion configured to pivot about a first pivot axis and a first mounting portion. The second brake arm has a second coupling portion configured to pivot about the first pivot axis and a second mounting portion. The second mounting portion is configured to mount a second friction member. The link is pivotally coupled to the second brake arm about a second pivot axis that is offset from the first pivot axis. The link has a coupling structure configured to be coupled with a movable member and a contact portion contacting the first brake arm. The coupling structure is spaced from the second pivot axis. The contact portion pivots the first and second brake arms about the first pivot axis as the link pivots about the second pivot axis.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a bicycle rim brake. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bicycle rim brake having a pair of brake arms pivotally mounted to a bicycle.
2. Background Information
Bicycles are typically provided with at least one brake device for stopping. Currently, a wide variety of bicycle brake devices are available. One of the most popular types of bicycle brake devices is a rim brake. Rim brakes are configured to apply a braking force to the wheel of a bicycle by pinching the rim of the wheel with a pair of brake shoes attached to a pair of brake arms. One well-known example of a bicycle rim brake assembly is the caliper brake. Caliper brakes are also available in several configurations. For example, caliper brakes include a side pull type, a center pull type and a dual-pivot, side pull type. One example of a caliper brake is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,880.


A new and distinct cultivar of Crapemyrtle plant named ‘G2X133251’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; bright green-colored leaves; numerous inflorescences with pinkish lavender-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Crapemyrtle plant, botanically known as Lagerstroemia indica and hereinafter referred to by the name 'G2X133251'.
The new Crapemyrtle plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bellefonte, Pa. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact, mounding and freely-branching Crapemyrtle plants with large inflorescences, high temperature tolerance, winter hardiness and resistance to Powdery Mildew.
The new Crapemyrtle plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in August, 2010 of Lagerstroemia indica 'Natchez', not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Lagerstroemia indica identified as code number 8170-3, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Crapemyrtle plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on Jan. 9, 2011 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled nursery environment in Bellefonte, Pa.
Asexual reproduction of the new Crapemyrtle plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bellefonte, Pa. since Feb. 2, 2011 has shown that the unique features of the new Crapemyrtle plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


The present disclosure discloses method and an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) (101) of autonomous vehicle for determining an accurate position. The ECU (101) determines centroid coordinate from Global Positioning System (GPS) points, relative to autonomous vehicle and identifies approximate location and orientation of vehicle on pre-generated map based on centroid coordinate and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data. Distance and direction of surrounding static infrastructure is identified from location and orientation of autonomous vehicle based on road boundaries analysis and data associated with objects adjacent to autonomous vehicle. A plurality of lidar reflection reference points are identified within distance and direction of static infrastructure based on heading direction of autonomous vehicle. Position of lidar reflection reference points are detected from iteratively selected shift positions from centroid coordinate. Thereafter, ECU (101) corrects initial position of autonomous vehicle by adding centroid coordinate with selected shift position to determine accurate position of autonomous vehicle.

In recent times, autonomous driving technology has grown rapidly for meeting requirement of safety and transportation efficiency. Autonomous vehicle system requires inputs from environment or physical world. Generally, an environment map is perceived by the autonomous vehicle system in multiple ways including, map data of the environment, three-dimensional data points of the environment using sensors for example, Lidar, location information through Global Positioning System (GPS)/Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and the like. The autonomous vehicle system requires information about current position and orientation of autonomous vehicle with respect to the environment map. Specifically, for movement of the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle system may require current vehicle location or position and orientation in the environment map to generate a route and motion plan.
The autonomous vehicle system requires a map in correlation with its environment for autonomous navigation. While the map covers a wide span of area, the autonomous vehicle system must be informed about physical position of the autonomous vehicle on the environment and represent current position of the autonomous vehicle in the map. This process is called as initial position localization of the autonomous vehicle. Currently, to know the initial position, the autonomous vehicle depends primarily on location service provided by GPS or GNSS receivers, mounted on the autonomous vehicle. The GPS or GNSS receivers may generally reach an accuracy of estimated position nearly 7.8 meters, 95 percentage of the time. In addition, a Real Time Kinematic (RTK) correction signal technique is required to achieve centimetre level accuracy. Usually, signal condition in urban environment is strongly degraded due to poor sky view, building obstructions, multi-path reflections and the like. Thus, the position of the autonomous vehicle identified may not be at an acceptable level most of the time.
Also, other methods for example, landmark based localization are utilized, where multiple known landmarks are marked in the map and is observed to calculate the position of the autonomous vehicle. But this method also requires a lot of pre-arrangement of landmarks in the environment of navigation. Also, this pre-arrangement of landmarks at known positions is not possible at all instances along path to find initial position of the autonomous vehicle.
The information disclosed in this background of the disclosure section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Method and system for determining an accurate position of an autonomous vehicle


A system and method for flexible multiple protocols are presented. A device's logical layer may be dynamically configured on a per interface basis to communicate with external devices in a coherent or a non-coherent mode. In coherent mode, commands such as coherency protocol, system commands, and snoop response pass from the device's internal system bus to an external device, thereby creating a logical extension of the devices internal system bus. In non-coherent mode, the input-output bus unit receives commands from the internal system bus and generates non-coherent input-output commands, which are eventually received by an external device.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for flexible multiple protocols. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method to dynamically configure a device's logical layer interface to communicate with an external device in a coherent mode or a non-coherent mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
The amount of input-output ports that are physically available on a processor chip for interconnect purposes is limited due to the physical size of the input-output drivers and receivers, the number of escapes to the next level of packaging, power restrictions, and other such factors. A single processor may be used in multiple system configurations that require multiple types of interfaces. In addition, these multiple configurations may also have varying bandwidth requirements for the individual interfaces. For example, a processor that is used in a particular application may require a significant amount of non-coherent input-output bandwidth for applications such as clustering or graphics. A different application may require the same processor to support a coherent connection to other processors in order to form a larger computer system.
A challenge found is that designing a processor to support multiple required protocol interfaces and worst case bandwidth requirements on each interface is costly due the large number of physical I/O that would be required, circuits required to drive the I/O, and power required to support the I/O, as well as physical limitations of higher levels of packaging.
A circuit designer understands the impracticality of including an over abundance of interfaces in a circuit design and, therefore, scrutinize which interfaces to include in a particular circuit design. In order to determine which interfaces to include in a circuit design, the circuit designer attempts to identify interfaces that a customer may wish to use when connecting peripherals to the device. For example, a circuit designer may know that customers may wish to communicate with peripheral devices using USB ports. In this example, the circuit designer determines the most practical number of USB interfaces to include in the design.
A challenge found with this approach, however, is that processors with fixed interfaces are limited in which peripheral devices may be connected, which results in limited applications.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method to dynamically select a device's communication protocols based upon its externally connected devices.

System and method for flexible multiple protocols

International Business Machines Corporation


A decryption apparatus stores secret keys, each of which is specified by two nodes in tree structure in first memory, one of the two nodes indicated by ciphertext index information item of the decryptable ciphertext being an ancestor node of leaf and the other of the two nodes being a node which is not an ancestor node of leaf, and stores an identifier of decryption apparatus corresponding to a leaf in a tree structure in a second memory. The decryption apparatus acquires a plurality of ciphertexts, each ciphertext including a ciphertext index information item indicating two nodes in the tree structure which correspond to a decryption key for decrypting the respective ciphertext, and acquires a decryptable ciphertext from the plurality of ciphertexts. Further, the decryption apparatus selects, from the stored secret keys, a secret key corresponding to the respective ciphertext, and derives a decryption key from the selected secret key to decrypt the decryptable ciphertext by using the derived decryption key.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention-relates to a decryption apparatus which decrypts a ciphertext.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various kinds of cryptographic methods in broadcast cipher communication are known. Of these methods, a method capable of invalidating a secret key is useful. To invalidate a secret key is to eliminate the secret key of a decryption apparatus having a specific secret key (which will be referred to as an invalid decryption apparatus) from a system by encrypting a plaintext (encryption target data) in a form that it cannot be decrypted by the invalid decryption apparatus and can be decrypted by other decryption apparatuses.
If, for example, the secret key of a given decryption apparatus is leaked for some reason, a third party (who is not permitted by the sender to perform decryption) may acquire the leaked secret key and decrypt the ciphertext. It is therefore necessary to invalidate the secret key of the decryption apparatus. In such a case, invalidating the secret key makes it possible to eliminate all leaked secret keys (including copies) without withdrawing them.
As a cryptographic method which can invalidate secret keys, a subset difference method (to be referred to as an SD method hereinafter) which uses a binary tree structure of decryption apparatuses is known (reference 1: D. Naor, M. Naor, and J. Lotspiech: "Revocation and Tracing Schemes for Stateless Receivers," In Proc. of CRYPTO '01, LNCS 2139, Springer-Verlag, pp. 41-62, 2001).
The above method is an efficient method in the sense that transmission overhead is proportional only to the number of invalid decryption apparatuses. In the SD method, a binary tree with each decryption apparatus identifier (ID) assigned to a leaf (a lowermost node in the tree structure will be referred to as a leaf) is assumed, and a secret key is assigned to each node pair constituted by two arbitrary nodes in the binary tree structure. Each decryption apparatus is assigned a plurality of secret keys each of which satisfies a condition that a leaf indicated by the corresponding decryption apparatus ID has one of the above two nodes as an ancestor node but does not have the other node as an ancestor node, and index information representing two nodes corresponding to each of the secret keys. In this case, the ancestor node is a parent node of the leaf node or a parent node of the parent node and so on. For example, referring to FIG. 3, the ancestor nodes of leaf node "1" are nodes "9", "13", and "15". In practice, not all secret keys which satisfy the above condition are assigned to the corresponding decryption apparatus, and introducing a one-way function provides the decryption apparatus with a fewer number of secret keys from which all the secret keys satisfying the above condition can be derived, and index information corresponding to each of these secret keys.
In general, a sender transmits a plurality of ciphertexts, and index information indicating two nodes assigned to a decryption key for decrypting a ciphertext is added to each ciphertext. A recipient (decryption apparatus) who has received a plurality of ciphertexts determines whether each ciphertext can be decrypted by the decryption apparatus (this processing will be referred to as ciphertext determination process hereinafter). If the decryption apparatus is not an invalid decryption apparatus, a decryptable ciphertext always exists.
Subsequently, a secret key from which a decryption key for decrypting a ciphertext determined as decryptable can be derived is selected from the plurality of secret keys held by the decryption apparatus (this processing will be referred to as secret key selection process hereinafter).
Lastly, a decryption key is derived from the selected secret key, and the ciphertext is decrypted by using the derived decryption key.
As a cryptographic method which realizes secret key invalidation, the SD method is preferably used in terms of transmission overhead. However, the SD method has the following problem.

Decryption apparatus and decryption method


A power-saving and long-life particulate incinerating mechanism for use in a reverse-cleaning regenerative exhaust black smoke removing system. Also disclosed is a particulate incinerating method therefor. A hopper has a bottom portion and slant portions made of a heat-insulating material. An air pipe having a large number of small holes extends substantially along the hopper bottom. A heater extends above the air pipe in parallel to it. The small holes of the air pipe are formed such that air can be jetted out from the small holes toward the heater. A relatively small quantity of particulate burning assist air is always supplied from the small holes of the air pipe, and a relatively large quantity of purging air is substantially periodically supplied from the small holes.

The present invention relates to a particulate incinerating method and mechanism for use in a reverse-cleaning regenerative exhaust black smoke removing system for diesel engines. More particularly, the present invention relates to a particulate incinerating method and mechanism wherein the power consumption is minimal and a heater for ignition has a long lifetime.
There have been proposed various exhaust black smoke removing systems using a gas-permeable porous filter for trapping and incinerating particulates (soot) in exhaust gas discharged from diesel engines. FIG. 1 is a schematic view for describing the principle of a cross-flow filter for trapping particulates in exhaust gas. The cross-flow filter is known, for example, from JP-B2-5-63604 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-63604).
The cross-flow filter as shown in FIG. 1 has a filter consisting essentially of a multiplicity of rectangular filter plates 11 made of a gas-permeable porous ceramic material having a filter function, which are stacked in a rectangular parallelepiped configuration. Each filter plate 11 has a first passage 14 formed from a large number of through-holes 15, both ends of which are open. Each pair of adjacent filter plates 11 are separated from each other by spacers 22 to define a thin rectangular parallelepiped-shaped second passage 24 between the two filter plates 11.
Exhaust gas containing particulates, which is discharged from a diesel engine, is introduced into the first passages 14 from openings provided in inlet surfaces 12, as shown by the arrow E in FIG. 1. The exhaust gas is prevented from flowing out from particulate discharge surfaces 13. Consequently, the exhaust gas passes through the gas-permeable porous ceramic material constituting the filter plates 11 and further passes through the second passages 24 to flow out from gas outlet surfaces 23. Particulates of large diameter in the exhaust gas cannot pass through the ceramic material; therefore, these particulates are deposited on the wall surfaces of the first passages 14 and thus removed from the exhaust gas, and only dedusted exhaust gas H is discharged from the gas outlet surfaces 23. After exhaust gas has been passed through the first and second passages 14 and 24 for a predetermined period of time, cleaning air is passed for a short period of time (momentarily) in a direction reverse to the flow direction of exhaust gas, that is, from the second passages 24 to the first passages 14 through the gas-permeable porous material, thereby removing the deposited particulates from the wall surfaces of the first passages 14, and thus regenerating the filter by reverse cleaning. The particulates removed from the wall surfaces drop through the first passages 14 by gravity, as shown by the arrow P in FIG. 1, and enter a hopper (not shown) under the particulate discharge surfaces 13. The particulates are incinerated in the hopper.
FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing a conventional exhaust black smoke removing system using the filter shown in FIG. 1. In the system shown in FIG. 2, dust-containing exhaust gas E discharged from a diesel engine G enters an inlet chamber 62 through an exhaust inlet pipe 57. In the inlet chamber 62, the exhaust gas E is guided to the inlet surface 12 of the filter 10 and passed through the filter 10 to remove particulates therefrom, thus becoming dedusted exhaust gas H, which is then discharged through an exhaust outlet pipe 58, an exhaust valve 92, etc.
In the conventional exhaust black smoke removing system shown in FIG. 2, reverse cleaning of the filter 10 is carried out under control of a controller C as follows: After dust-containing exhaust gas E has been passed through the filter 10 for a predetermined period of time, a solenoid valve 93 is opened to allow compressed air of 6-8 kg/cm.sup.2 to be supplied from an air tank S to an actuator 94, causing the actuator 94 to close an exhaust valve 92. At substantially the same time as the exhaust valve 92 is closed, a solenoid valve 84 provided in an air pipe 82 for providing communication between the air tank S and an air nozzle 75 opening into the exhaust outlet pipe 58 is opened for a short period of time to allow compressed air to be jetted into the exhaust outlet pipe 58 through the solenoid valve 84 and an air nozzle 75. The compressed air flows through a path reverse to that of exhaust gas. That is, the air passes through the second passages of the filter 10 and further passes through the gas-permeable porous material to enter the first passages, thereby removing deposited particulates from the peripheral wall surfaces of the first passages in cooperation with the effect of pressure waves produced from the air nozzle 75, and allowing the removed particulates to drop into a hopper 68 through the particulate discharge surface 13. Thus, the filter 10 is regenerated by reverse cleaning.
Particulates dropping into the hopper 68 are incinerated by heat from an ignition heater 66 provided in the hopper 68. The ignition heater 66 is heated by electric power supplied from a battery V. This type of exhaust black smoke removing system is known from JP-B2-5-63604 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-63604) and JP-U-5-58812 (Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 5-58812). In order to avoid interference with the overall discharge of exhaust gas from the diesel engine during the filter reverse cleaning process, there are provided two parallel systems each consisting essentially of the filter 10, the exhaust valve 92, the hopper 68, etc., and the two systems are alternately subjected to reverse cleaning process, thereby allowing either of the exhaust outlet pipes 58 to be open at all times.
In the conventional reverse-cleaning regenerative exhaust black smoke removing system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. particulates are incinerated in a hopper disposed away from the filter. Therefor, the heat of incineration of particulates is not directly applied to the filter, and thus no heat load is imposed on the filter. Moreover, ash resulting from the incineration of particulates will not accumulate in the filter; this enables the filter lifetime to be increased. However, systems to be mounted on vehicle are generally demanded to save electric power and to reduce costs. Therefore, a relatively low-cost heater is used for ignition of particulates, and because the ignition heater is buried in particulates, it is likely to overheat. Accordingly, the lifetime of the heater is unfavorably short.

Particulate incinerating method and mechanism for exhaust black smoke removing system


To provide an efficient method to form a functional porous layer, a functional material being supported on a porous material such that the content of the functional material has a desired concentration distribution in the depth direction of the porous layer, a method to manufacture a fuel cell applying the above method to form a reacting layer and an electronic device and an automobile having the fuel cell manufactured by the method as a power supply. A method to form a functional porous layer including a functional material being supported on a porous material. The method includes applying a plurality of solutions or dispersions containing the functional material, the solutions or the dispersions having different surface tensions, to a porous layer to control the permeation of the functional material in the depth direction of the porous layer according to the difference in the surface tensions.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method to form a functional porous layer, a functional material being supported such that the content of the functional material varies in the depth direction of the porous layer, to a method to manufacture a fuel cell applying the above method to form a reaction layer, and to an electronic device and an automobile having the fuel cell manufactured by the method as a power supply.
2. Description of Related Art
A fuel cell including an electrolyte membrane, an electrode (anode) disposed adjacent to one face of the electrolyte membrane, and an electrode (cathode) disposed adjacent to the other face of the electrolyte membrane is well known in the related art. For example, in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, which includes an electrolyte membrane composed of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, the following reactions are performed. On the anode side of the fuel cell, hydrogen gas splits into hydrogen ions and electrons, the electrons are conducted to the cathode side, and the hydrogen ions are moved in the electrolyte membrane to the cathode side. On the cathode side of the fuel cell, oxygen gas, the hydrogen ions, and the electrons are allowed to react to form water molecules.
In this solid electrolyte fuel cell, each of the electrodes generally includes a reaction layer composed of metal microparticles, which are a reaction catalyst of reactive gases, a gas diffusion layer composed of carbon microparticles disposed adjacent to the reaction layer toward a substrate, and a current-collecting layer composed of a conductive material disposed between the gas diffusion layer and the substrate. On one substrate (first substrate), hydrogen gas passes through gaps between the carbon microparticles of the gas diffusion layer and is uniformly diffused. The hydrogen gas is then allowed to react at the reaction layer to form electrons and hydrogen ions. The electrons are collected in the current-collecting layer and are conducted to a current-collecting layer on the other substrate (second substrate). The hydrogen ions are moved to a reaction layer on the second substrate through a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and then allowed to react with electrons that are conducted from the current-collecting layer, and oxygen gas to form water molecules.
According to this fuel cell, for example, the following methods to form the reaction layer are known in the related art. (a) A paste to form a catalyst layer of an electrode prepared by mixing a catalyst supported on carbon, a solution of polymer electrolyte and an organic solvent is applied on a substrate (polytetrafluoroethylene sheet) and the substrate is dried. The dried paste on the substrate is bonded by pressing on an electrolyte membrane with heating. The substrate is then stripped off, thereby transferring the catalyst layer (reaction layer) to the electrolyte membrane Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 08-88008. (b) A solution of electrolyte containing a solid catalyst supported on carbon particles is sprayed on a carbon layer, which is used as an electrode and the solvent in the solution is volatilized, thereby forming the reaction layer Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-298860.
However, these methods include many steps and are complicated. Furthermore, applying the catalyst uniformly and applying a predetermined amount of the catalyst to a predetermined position accurately are difficult to achieve. Unfortunately, the above methods decrease a characteristic, i.e. power density of the fuel cell and increase the production cost because of the increasing use of an expensive catalyst, such as platinum.

Method for forming functional porous layer, method for manufacturing fuel cell, electronic device, and automobile


Disclosed is a student performance monitoring system and method. In certain embodiments, a software program can be stored on a computer readable medium, executed by a computer and interacted with by a user, such as a teacher. The device, system and method include selecting students, scoring them and recording their effort in categories relevant to student learning. The student scores can also be used to generate reports and select students for recognition awards. In one example, a handheld computing device, such as a smart phone can be conveniently utilized. However, other computing devices may also be used instead of or in addition to those described herein. Other embodiments include a method and a system for monitoring student performance. The system and method can also be accessed by teachers, students and parents through an internet portal. The program can be configured as a web application.

There are many grading systems in use for scoring student performance. One common method in the U.S. is to assign a letter grade or corresponding numerical value (e.g. 4-point and 16 point scales). However, these systems only convey a raw outcome score for the student performance. These systems do not report the level of effort or participation that a given student exhibits. Thus, parents or guardians of a student often do not know why their student may be performing poorly or exceptionally in certain areas, subjects, or classes.
It is also difficult for teachers to maintain detailed notes or records to identify reasons for weakness in a given student's performance. It is further a difficulty to require approximately equal distribution of participation in classroom activities for all students.
Therefore, there is a need to provide an improved student performance tracking or monitoring system and method.

Student performance monitoring system and method


This invention relates to a fiberizable glass compositions consisting essentially, expressed in terms of mole percent on the oxide basis, of at least 65% total of 5-55% ZnO, 28-40% P.sub.2 O.sub.5, 0.3-5% MoO.sub.3 and 10-35% R.sub.2 O, wherein R.sub.2 O consists of at least two alkali metal oxides in the indicated proportions selected from the group consisting of 0-25% Li.sub.2 O, 0-25% Na.sub.2 O, and 0-25% K.sub.2 O, and up to 35% total of optional ingredients in the indicated proportions selected from the group consisting of 0-10% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0-15% B.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0-15% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 +B.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0-15% Cu.sub.2 O, 0-25% Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-5% F, 0-35% PbO, 0-35% SnO, 0-35% PbO+SnO, 0-5% ZrO.sub.2, 0-4% SiO.sub.2, 0-20% MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO+MnO, 0-20% MgO, 0-20% CaO, 0-20% SrO, 0-20% BaO and 0-10% MnO, and 0-5% rare earth metal oxide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zinc-phosphate glass composition suitable for continuously making glass fibers which may be used as a reinforcement for high temperature polymer composites.
2. Background of the Invention
The reinforced plastic industry has been using glass fibers in various forms for reinforcing polymer matrices; the glass phase provides increased stiffness and strength to the polymer phase. However, up until now most, if not all, commercially available glass fibers produced for reinforcement were E-glass fibers, i.e. calcium-alumino-silicate glass fibers. However, one disadvantage of these fibers is that the processing temperatures used in making these glass/polymer composites are well below the softening point of these silicate fibers. Therefore, because these fibers are brittle, they are quite prone to breakage during compounding. As a result, the fibers within the composite tend to get chopped up during compounding such that these shortened silicate glass fiber-reinforced polymer composites possess less strength than if the fibers would not have been shortened. Another shortcoming is that these composites are limited as to the proportion of fibers which can be added to the polymer; anything greater than about 20% by volume causes the viscosity of the mixture to be to high for forming at the processing temperature.
With the invention of base alkali metal zinc phosphate glasses exhibiting transition temperatures below 450.degree. C. which possessed good resistance to attack by water in U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,677 (Beall et al.), the possibility of forming composites where a zinc-phosphate glass and a polymer were co-deformable at the polymer processing temperature became possible. That patent discloses glass compositions consisting essentially, expressed in terms of mole percent on the oxide basis, of about 10-35% R.sub.2 O, wherein R.sub.2 O consists of at least two alkali metal oxides in the indicated proportions selected from the group 0-25% Li.sub.2 O, 0-25% Na.sub.2 O, and 0-25% K.sub.2 O, 23-55% XnO, 28-40% P.sub.2 O.sub.5, and up to 35% total of the following optional ingredients from the group 0-6% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0-8% B.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0-8% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 +B.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0-15% CuO, 0-5% F, 0-35% PbO, 0-35% SnO, 0-35% PbO+SnO, 0-5% ZrO.sub.2, 0-4% SiO.sub.2, and 0-15% MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO+MnO, consisting of 0-10% MgO, 0-10% CaO, 0-10% SrO, 0-12% BaO, and 0-10% MnO.
However, although the above compositions were capable of being drawn into fiber, the ability to continuously draw fibers was not possible. Not only did the produced fiber contain nodules, but additionally the glass devitrified during fiber drawing. Both of these shortcomings of the process were a result of the glass wetting the platinum bushings which resulted in the glass backing up the bushing via capillary wetting and further causing a build-up of the glass upstream from the orifice. Because of this "wetting" problem, the fiber drawing process caused regular breakage of the fiber, as well as shutdowns in order to unclog the orifice by cleaning out the devitrified glass.

Fiberizable zinc-phosphate glass compositions