A sheet processor includes a holding unit for holding a folded batch of sheets, a pressing member for pressing against a folded portion of the batch of sheets, a nipping member for nipping portions of the batch adjacent to the folded portion so as to nip the batch of sheets from opposite directions, and a casing for supporting the pressing member and the nipping member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet processor for processing a folded portion of a folded batch of sheets, such as a portion equivalent to a spine of a booklet, and to an image-forming apparatus provided with such a sheet processor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, stitching/folding devices are used to form booklets by folding back a batch of about 20 or less stacked sheets. In such stitching/folding devices, a batch of sheets may simply be folded back, or may be saddle-stitched before being folded back, or may be bound together using an adhesive (i.e. perfect binding) instead of using thread or staples.
However, as shown in FIG. 15, the folded region of a batch S includes a folded portion Sb (i.e. the spine of a booklet) and its adjacent portions that form a curve and thus bulge. Since this bulging folded region of the batch S has resiliency, when multiple batches S of sheets are stacked one on top of the other, the stack of batches S becomes unstable. This led to difficulties in storing or transferring the stack of batches S.
To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-260564 (GB2381237) (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,208), for example, discloses a sheet processor that can flatten the folded region of the batch S including the folded portion Sb so that the folded batch S can be laid flat, as shown in FIG. 16.
FIGS. 17A to 17C and 18 illustrate a conventional sheet processor 901. In the sheet processor 901, a half-folded saddle-stitched batch S of sheets forming a booklet is conveyed to a stopper plate 905 by a conveyor belt 906 in a manner such that the folded portion Sb (the spine) of the batch S is the leading end. Referring to FIG. 17A, the stopper plate 905 is movable in the vertical direction and temporarily receives and stops the batch S conveyed by the conveyor belt 906. Subsequently, referring to FIG. 17B, the batch S is nipped between a pair of gripping members 902 and 903, and the stopper plate 905 is then lifted upward. Here, the folded portion Sb protrudes from the pair of gripping members 902 and 903. The stopper plate 905 moves away from the folded portion Sb. The sheet processor 901 then presses a pressing roller 904 against the folded portion Sb and moves the pressing roller 904 along the folded portion Sb. Thus, the bulging folded portion Sb is pressed by the pressing roller 904 and is made flat, as shown in FIG. 18.
In the conventional sheet processor 901, the gripping members 902 and 903 nip the region of the batch S adjacent to the folded portion Sb entirely along the folded portion Sb before moving the pressing roller 904 to flatten the folded portion Sb. For this reason, the nipping force of the gripping members 902 and 903 lacks uniformity since the nipping force received by the folded portion Sb is different between the opposite longitudinal end portions of the folded portion Sb and the central portion of the folded portion Sb. Specifically, nipping entirely along the folded portion Sb in the longitudinal direction causes the gripping members 902 and 903 to bend, thus causing the opposite longitudinal end portions of the gripping members 902 and 903 to apply a stronger nipping force than the central portion. Consequently, when the folded portion Sb is being pressed and flattened by a folded-portion flattening unit of the sheet processor 901, a rip or a wrinkle can be formed quite easily at the central portion of the folded portion Sb where the nipping force received is relatively small.
Furthermore, because the gripping members 902 and 903 nip the region of the batch S adjacent to the folded portion Sb entirely along the folded portion Sb according to the sheet processor 901, a loose area in the folded portion Sb, which can be formed when the pressing roller 904 applies pressure to the folded portion Sb, cannot escape. Such a loose area forms a wrinkle in the folded portion Sb, thus leading to a bad appearance of the batch S.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,088,904 and 2,066,620 disclose devices for squaring the folded portion of a batch of sheets. Such devices are provided with a first roller for pressing against the folded portion of the batch of sheets, and a pair of second rollers for nipping a region of the batch adjacent to the folded portion. According to the concept of such a structure, the finished result of the processed folded portion of the batch is considered to be dependent on, for example, the positional relationship between the first roller and the second rollers, and the balance of the pressures applied to the batch of sheets from the first and second rollers. However, there are no disclosures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,088,904 and 2,066,620 regarding a structure for holding the first and second rollers.

Sheet processor and image-forming apparatus


A method of fabricating a multi-bit flash memory, having a control gate, a floating gate, a source region, a drain region and a channel region. An isolation region is formed in the floating gate to partition the floating gate into a plurality of conductive blocks. The conductive blocks are arranged in an array with rows extending from the source region to the drain region. Each row of the array has two conductive blocks. Before any data is written to the flash memory, the channel regions under the conductive blocks of the same row have the same threshold voltage, while the channel regions under the conductive blocks of different rows have different threshold voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a non-volatile memory, and more particularly, to a multi-bit flash memory and method of fabricating the same.
2. Related Art of the Invention
Among various non-volatile memories, the flash memory has become a memory device broadly applied in personal computer and electronic equipment due to the advantages of multiple data accesses and data retention after power interrupt.
The typical flash memory includes floating gate and control gate made of doped polysilicon. The floating gate is formed between the control gate and the substrate and under a floating state without electric connection to any other devices. The control gate is coupled to the word line. The flash memory further includes a tunneling oxide and a dielectric layer located between the substrate and the floating gate, and between the floating gate and the control gate, respectively. While programming the flash memory, a positive voltage is applied to the control gate, and a relatively small voltage is applied to the drain region (or source region). Thereby, hot electrons generated between the substrate and the drain region (or source region) are injected through the tunneling oxide and trapped in the floating gate. The hot electrons are uniformly distributed all over the polysilicon floating gate. Therefore, one flash memory cell can store either "1" or "0" and is a single-bit memory cell.
The increase of semiconductor integration has driven the demand for developing multi-bit memory cells. For example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,237, a method of fabricating a flash memory with multi-bit memory cells is disclosed. In this disclosure, a floating gate is partitioned into two independent blocks to form the two-bit structure. Again, the multi-bit memory cell cannot meet the high-density data storage requirement, and the memory cell able to store multiple bits is required.

Method of fabricating multi-bit flash memory


A magnetic sensor having adjustable electrical dimensions, such as electrical read width and electrical stripe height, is disclosed. The magnetic sensor includes a sensor stack with one or more bias electrodes positioned with respect to the sensor stack. The electrical width or electrical stripe height of the sensor stack is a function of a voltage applied to the bias electrodes. The electric field produced by the bias electrodes alters the electrical profile of the magnetoresistive device.

The present invention relates generally to the field of magnetic data storage and retrieval systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a read sensor having adjustable electrical dimensions.
In a magnetic data storage and retrieval system, a magnetic read/write head typically includes a reader portion having a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor for retrieving magnetically encoded information stored on a magnetic disc. Magnetic flux from the surface of the disc causes rotation of the magnetization vector of a sensing layer of the MR sensor, which in turn causes a change in electrical resistivity of the MR sensor. The change in resistivity of the MR sensor can be detected by passing a current through the MR sensor and measuring a voltage across the MR sensor. External circuitry then converts the voltage information into an appropriate format and manipulates that information as necessary to recover the information encoded on the disc.
MR sensors have been developed that can be characterized in three general categories: (1) anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensors, (2) giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensors, including spin valve sensors and multilayer GMR sensors, and (3) tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) sensors.
AMR sensors generally have a single MR layer formed of a ferromagnetic material. The resistance of the MR layer varies as a function of cos2 α, where α is the angle formed between the magnetization vector of the MR layer and the direction of the sense current flowing in the MR layer.
GMR sensors have a series of alternating magnetic and nonmagnetic layers. The resistance of GMR sensors varies as a function of the spin-dependent transmission of the conduction electrons between magnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic conductive layer and the accompanying spin-dependent scattering which takes place at the interface of the magnetic and nonmagnetic layers and within the magnetic layers. The resistance of a GMR sensor depends on the relative orientations of the magnetization in consecutive magnetic layers, and varies as the cosine of the angle between the magnetization vectors of consecutive magnetic layers.
TMR sensors have a configuration similar to GMR sensors, except that the magnetic layers of the sensor are separated by a nonmagnetic insulating film thin enough to allow electron tunneling between the magnetic layers. The tunneling probability of an electron incident on the barrier from one magnetic layer depends on the character of the electron wave function and the spin of the electron relative to the magnetization direction in the other magnetic layer. As a consequence, the resistance of the TMR sensor depends on the relative orientations of the magnetization of the magnetic layers, exhibiting a minimum for a configuration in which the magnetizations of the magnetic layers are parallel and a maximum for a configuration in which the magnetizations of the magnetic layers are anti-parallel.
For all types of MR sensors, magnetization rotation occurs in response to magnetic flux from the disc. As the recording density of magnetic discs continues to increase, the width of the tracks on the disc must decrease, which necessitates smaller and smaller MR sensors. As MR sensors become smaller in size, particularly for sensors with dimensions less than about 0.1 micrometers (μm), the sensors have the potential to exhibit an undesirable magnetic response to applied fields from the magnetic disc. MR sensors must be designed in such a manner that even small sensors are free from magnetic noise and provide a signal with adequate amplitude for accurate recovery of the data written on the disc.
To sustain a compound annual growth rate in areal density of 60% or more over the next few years, read widths of less than 40 nm will be required. At these dimensions, the capability of conventional lithographic steppers and etch/strip processes to maintain adequate targeting and sigma control is uncertain. Alternate technologies that relax lithographic line width requirements while hitting electrical and magnetic width targets are desirable. In conventional devices, electrical read width and electrical stripe height have not been easily controlled. Rather, these electrical dimensions have been controlled by a combination of device properties, including physical line width, stabilizing magnet strength, shield-to-shield spacing, and bias current. The variance in electrical read width and electrical stripe height is influenced by the combined sigma of these separate elements, requiring separate optimization of each element. The present invention is directed to a read head having an adjustable electrical read width and electrical stripe height without separate optimization of these device properties.

Magnetic sensor with electrically defined active area dimensions


A self locking, snap mounted attachment device formed integrally with a plastic member, such as the end plate or piston of an air spring, for mounting the member on a separate support member. The device has a rigid member terminating in arcuate outer surfaces. Preferably two pairs of flexible fingers are mounted between the arcuate end surfaces on opposite sides of the rigid member. The fingers have stems with curved outer surfaces, which in combination with the curved surfaces of the rigid member define an imaginary circle complemental to a circular hole in the support member into which the attachment device is to be inserted. A shoulder is formed on each of the finger stems and snaps into engagement with the support member after passing through the attachment hole. The rigid member resists shear forces exerted on the device and the fingers automatically snap into position to secure the end plate or piston on the support member when the device is inserted into the attachment hole.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to attachment devices and in particular to a self locking, snap mounted attachment device intended primarily for use for mounting the end members of an air spring between two spaced support members without additional attachment fasteners.
2. Background Information
Air springs consisting of a pair of spaced end members and an intervening flexible sleeve or bellows which forms an internal pressurized fluid chamber, have been used for many applications, such as mounting between spaced components of a vehicle for absorbing road shock, supporting parts of machines and equipment such as presses on which shock forces are continually imparted, and for regulating and maintaining the spacing between two spaced components of various pieces of equipment. These air springs assume various configurations depending upon their particular application. Such air springs usually consist of one end member which is an end cap with the other end member being a piston. The piston usually has a conical outer surface over which a rolling lobe of the flexible bellows moves for affecting the damper of the vehicle or equipment on which the air spring is mounted. Some examples of such prior art air springs are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,564,177, 4,787,606 and 4,852,861.
Heretofore, these air springs were attached to the spaced supporting members, and in particular to the spaced components of a vehicle, by various attachment bolts or fasteners which extend into the piston and end cap such as shown in certain of the above referenced patents.
However, for certain applications, due to the limited space available for mounting the air springs within a vehicle and the inaccessibility of the air spring mounting supports or brackets, difficulties are encountered in reaching both ends of the air spring for securing the same to the supporting structures by usual attachment bolts. Also, the use of separate attachment bolts, even if access is possible, requires additional equipment and manpower for securing the bolts to the air springs.
Therefore, the need exists for an improved attachment device for mounting a first member such as an end cap of an air spring onto a supporting structure, and in particular for mounting the end cap and piston of an air spring onto spaced supports within a vehicle without separate attachment bolts or fasteners.
Various types of self locking or snap mounted attachment devices have been developed in the past for various applications, examples of which are shown in the following patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,292 discloses a snap fastener which includes a stud element having beveled surfaces which joins a neck and a large diameter surface. The beveled surface will facilitate removal of the stud from the socket opening. A bulbous head has a curved cam surface which facilitates attachment of the fastener to the socket.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,155 discloses a bushing formed of plastic having resilient ears which project radially outwardly from a main body of the bushing adjacent one end, and has a radial annular shoulder on the bushing adjacent the other end which is snap fitted through a hole in a plate when inserted through the hole with the ears remaining on the exterior of the plate, afterwhich a pin is snap fitted into the bushing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,008 discloses a fastener having a shoulder portion that facilitates secure attachment of the fastener. The stud fastener has a disc shaped head and legs which have shoulders which extend through a support aperture to engage edges of the aperture and attach the fastener to the support.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,729 discloses a brake yoke rod retainer for an automatic washer which has a plurality of segments which have frustoconical surfaces which are formed as angled cam surfaces to facilitate installation and removal of the retainer on the washer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,155 discloses a snap lock connector in which a male member of the connector has leading and camming surfaces which correspond to leading and camming surfaces of a female member. These camming surfaces facilitate the insertion and withdrawal of the male member within the female member. The connector is used principally for assembling furniture to facilitate storage and shipping.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,303 discloses an attachment block assembly that is connected to a support structure by use of resilient leg elements. A base component is forcibly removed from the frame plate by flexing the resilient legs inwardly so that a latch member will be allowed to glide over the edge of an opening. The snap fastener legs each have a cam surface to facilitate removal and insertion of the fastener from a plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,543 discloses a push pin fastener for securing automotive trim to an automobile body. The fastener includes two cantilevered arms or legs having locking surfaces which facilitate insertion of the pin and prevent removal once inserted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,265 discloses a two piece stud assembly in which the stud has a plurality of angled flexible camming members engaged within a counterboard receiving aperture of a second member for securing the stud within the bushing for attaching two members together.
Although many of the prior art self locking, snap mounted attachment devices perform satisfactory for their intended purpose, they would not be suitable for applications in which the attached device would experience shear forces, which forces are exerted in a generally radial direction on the attachment device, in addition to resisting longitudinal or axial pull out of the device from the attachment members. Most of the known prior art fasteners and attachment devices provide an easy means of attaching a member to a supporting structure by the use of flexible, cam actuated members. However these flexible members are not able to resist shear loading due to the flexible fingers or tabs being unable to resist such forces without becoming loose or breaking in the supporting structure.
Therefore, the need exists for an improved attachment device which permits the ease of assembly of a member onto an attachment member, and in particular for securing an air spring between two spaced supports, in which the attachment device is able to withstand radial shear forces without loosening of the mounted member or lessening of the retention of the securement fingers with respect to the mounting structures.

Self locking, snap mounted attachment device


According to one embodiment, a radome configured to extend over an opening of an antenna and includes a rigid layer overlying a ballistic-resistant layer. The rigid layer includes a honeycomb base material having a plurality of holes that extend transversely to the surface of the ballistic-resistant layer.

Antennas, such as those that operate at microwave frequencies, typically have multiple radiating elements having relatively precise structural characteristics. To protect these elements, a covering referred to as a radome may be configured between the elements and the ambient environment. These radomes shield the radiating elements of the antenna from various environmental aspects, such as precipitation, humidity, solar radiation, or other forms of debris that may compromise the performance of the antenna. In addition to structural rigidity, radomes may also possess relatively good electrical properties for allowing transmission of electro-magnetic radiation through its structure.


An electronic module for enhancing an operation of a conventional parking meter. The electronic module comprises a shell defining a hollow conformation and being attachable to a conventional parking meter, in substitution to an upper housing portion of that conventional parking meter. The electronic module has a meter condition sensor for detecting from a distant point one of the time expiry indicator and the violative condition indicator of that parking meter, when the indicator is in an indicating mode, and a vehicle sensor affixed to the shell for detecting from a distant point, a parked vehicle. The electronic module further has: an electronic circuitry mounted inside the shell and having a power source for operating the module; means for receiving a first signal from the meter condition sensor and a second signal from the vehicle sensor; means for processing the first and second signals and means for transmitting a coded message to a remote receiver. Each side of the shell has a light operable into an ON mode by the electronic circuitry simultaneously to a transmission of the coded message. There is also provided on a front face of the shell, an electronic display screen for displaying an advertisement message to a user of this parking meter, and on a top portion thereof, a solar panel to recharge the battery of the electronic circuitry.

Parking meters in general permit vehicles to be parked along a street for an allowable period of time, which is determined by the amount of money inserted therein. A mechanical clockwork or electronic timer inside the parking meter runs down the allowable time until it reaches zero time, and causes an overdue parking indication to appear through a window of that meter. In recent years, parking meters have been improved greatly by the development of low powered electronic circuitry, ultrasonic transmitters and receivers, and wireless communication systems.
Revenues from parking meters are normally used by municipalities to cover the ever-increasing costs of maintaining its infrastructure in a good condition. Therefore the improved modern meters are attractive for a municipality for increasing the revenues generated from its metered parking systems.
A first example of modern parking meters is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,461 issued on Oct. 3, 1995 to James P. Jacobs. The electronic parking meter described therein includes; means for detecting and determining the denomination of coins, a liquid crystal display having a digital time counter, a sonar transducer for detecting the presence of vehicles, and an infrared transceiver enabling parking authority personnel to communicate with the meter. The meter is operated in three conditions including an off condition, an inactive condition and an active condition to provide conservation of power so that the meter is entirely battery operated.
Electronic parking meters having these described features are especially attractive to municipalities because all time expiry conditions thereof are readily communicated to parking authority personnel via a central computer. The parking authority personnel may thereby be effectively dispatched to those vehicles in violation of parking rules, to issue parking tickets to the owners of those vehicles. Such improvement of a metered parking system is known to increase revenues from those meters considerably.
Other examples of modern electronic parking meters are solar powered and also have liquid crystal displays, for displaying advertisement messages to users of metered parking spaces. These particular meters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,348, issued on Aug. 15, 1995 to Joshua Mushell, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,149 issued on Oct. 3, 1989 to Gary W. Speas. Hence, another source of income for a municipality having electronic parking meters is generated from the sale of advertising messages displayed on the liquid crystal displays of the meters, to businesses located near the metered parking spaces.
The replacement of a quantity of conventional mechanical meters with newer electronic models represents, nonetheless, a substantial investment of funds for the purchase of the electronic units, an investment of manpower time and wages for replacing the conventional meters by the electronic models, and a financial loss in the writing-off of the undepreciated value of the conventional meters. Therefore, in a period of budget restraint as during the present times, the acquisition of electronic meters is not economically feasible for many municipalities.
As an alternative to an entire replacement of conventional parking meters by electronic units, a number of retrofit electronic devices exists to enhance the operation of conventional parking meters. Such a unit mounts adjacent to a conventional parking meter, and connects to the clockwork of the meter. A first and second examples of these controllers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,535,870 issued on Oct. 27, 1970 to Harold B. Mitchell, and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,372, issued on Dec. 28, 1976 to Welch et al.
The controller of the first example or the control unit of the second example, comprises an ultrasonic transmitter and a receiver to detect the presence of a vehicle near a standard parking meter. Once the vehicle leaves the parking space, the meter is automatically returned to zero time such that a next vehicle cannot take advantage of the remaining time credit of the meter. In the first case, the controller is connected inside the meter to a mechanical switch, and has a solenoid for resetting the clock hand to a zero time position. Similarly, in the latter example, the control unit is connected to a pair of solenoids and a pair of mechanical switches mounted inside the meter head.
The installation of the retrofit units of the prior art requires intensive modifications to the clockwork of conventional parking meters. These modifications are usually better done by the original manufacturer of the meters. Therefore, the upgrading of a quantity of conventional meters with the retrofit units represents also a substantial investment in manpower time and wages to remove and send the meters to the manufacturer, and to reinstall the modified meters. Other expenses include the cost for modifying the clockwork, and the lost of revenue from the parking system when substitutable meters are not available to replace those meters removed for alteration.

Electronic module for conventional parking meter


Disclosed is a hybrid built-in self test (BIST) architecture for embedded memory arrays that segments BIST functionality into remote lower-speed executable instructions and local higher-speed executable instructions. A standalone BIST logic controller operates at a lower frequency and communicates with a plurality of embedded memory arrays using a BIST instruction set. A block of higher-speed test logic is incorporated into each embedded memory array under test and locally processes BIST instructions received from the standalone BIST logic controller at a higher frequency. The higher-speed test logic includes a multiplier for increasing the frequency of the BIST instructions from the lower frequency to the higher frequency. The standalone BIST logic controller enables a plurality of higher-speed test logic structures in a plurality of embedded memory arrays.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to BIST architectures and more particularly, to an architecture for embedded memory arrays that segments BIST functionality into remote lower-speed executable instructions and local higher-speed executable instructions.
2. Description of the Related Art
As embedded memory sizes continue to increase, overall BIST testing time will also increase; hence, novel schemes that reduce testing time while maintaining test integrity and diagnostic resolution are of great value.
In current and future designs, there is a need to separate and distribute memory arrays across a die, placing them near the functional units that they are associated with. To associate a BIST with each memory array would consume a considerable amount of chip real estate. An architecture that provides for a single BIST that could test all the memories without significant extra time for testing would be advantageous given the above stated trend.
As embedded memory performance and complexity continues to increase, BIST testing at application speeds also becomes more important; hence, novel schemes that support increased BIST performance, while still maintaining BIST flexibility and minimizing design schedule and chip real estate impact are of great value. An architecture that allows for a single BIST that can test a diverse range of memory types and sizes at a number of different performance points would be advantageous.

Remote BIST high speed test and redundancy calculation

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to a surge protection device ensemble comprising a surge protection device having an overvoltage protection means in a first housing, wherein the first housing has at least two connections for contacting the overvoltage protection means, characterized in that the surge protection device ensemble also has a fuse module having a fuse in a second housing, wherein the second housing has at least two connections for contacting the fuse, characterized in that the second housing having one of the connections of the fuse module is inserted in a form-fitting manner into one connection of the at least two connections of the surge protection device, wherein the fuse module provides an electrical connection on the inserted side between the fuse module and the surge protection device.

Surge protection devices are used in many areas of electrical installation technology. These surge protection devices offer surge protection to downstream devices or equipment.
Particularly in the industrial environment, surge protection devices are used in control cabinets or on a mounting rail.
There are essentially two different types of surge protection devices. A first type incorporates a fuse in addition to an surge protection element, while another type incorporates only the surge protection element without an additional fuse.
Providing surge protection devices without a fuse allows one to produce the surge protection devices in higher quantities and thus more cost-effectively. If a fuse is required, such an additional fuse is spatially wire-fitted in the vicinity. This means that additional installation space is required. If such a fuse is retrofitted in an existing electrical installation, considerable effort can be expected. In addition, the installation space is often inadequate, so that additional fuses cannot be easily placed on a mounting rail.
On this basis, it would be desirable to also provide an installation space-saving fuse while maintaining the cost-effectiveness of the surge protection device so that it can be utilized in a flexible manner.
The task is solved by means of an surge protection device ensemble according to claim 1. Additional advantageous embodiments of the invention are indicated in the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.
The invention will be described in greater detail below (with reference to the drawings). It should be noted that various aspects are described which can be used individually or in combination. This means that any given aspect can be used with various embodiments as long as it is not explicitly represented as a mere alternative.
Also, for simplicity's sake and as a rule, reference will always be made below to only one entity. However, unless noted otherwise, the invention may also have several of any of the entities in question. To that extent, the use of the words "a" and "an" are to be understood only as an indication that at least one entity is being used in a single embodiment.
To the extent that methods are described hereinafter, the individual steps of a method can be arranged and/or combined in any sequence as long as the context does not explicitly provide otherwise. Furthermore, the methods can be combined with one other unless expressly indicated otherwise.
As a rule, specifications having numerical values are not to be understood as exact values, but as having a tolerance of +/−1% to +/−10%.
References to standards or specifications or norms shall be understood to be references to standards or specifications or norms which are or were valid at the time of the application or—if a priority is claimed—at the time of the priority filing. However, this shall not be understood as a general exclusion of the applicability of subsequent or superseding standards or specifications or norms.
Hereinafter, "adjacent" explicitly includes a direct proximity relationship without, however, being limited to it, and "between" explicitly includes a position in which the intermediate part is in direct proximity to the surrounding parts.
FIG. 2 shows a surge protection device ensemble. Such a surge protection device ensemble 1 comprises a surge protection device SPD having an overvoltage protection means ÜSE-G in a first housing SPD-G.
As one can see in FIG. 2, the surge protection device SPD may have mechanical devices or attachment elements 200 for attaching to a mounting rail. Furthermore, the surge protection device SPD may have devices for electrically contacting a potential conductor, e.g., the mounting rail. This electrical contacting may for example also be combined with the mechanical device for attaching to a mounting rail or be integrated in it. The inner electrical circuit structure of the overvoltage protection means ÜSE-G of the surge protection device SPD may be designed in a suitable manner (circuit structure of the overvoltage protection means ÜSE-G is understood to be within the housing SPD-G).
The surge protection device may provide connections for one or more different protected/unprotected potentials. The first housing SPD-G of the surge protection device ensemble 1, i.e., the housing of the surge protection device SPD, has at least two connections SPD-A1, SPD-A2 for contacting the overvoltage protection means ÜSE-G.
Furthermore, the surge protection device ensemble 1 comprises at least one fuse module S having a fuse F in a second housing S-G. The drawing illustratively shows two fuse modules S in a form-fitting arrangement relative to each other.
The second housing S-G of the surge protection device ensemble 1, i.e., the housing of the fuse module S, has at least two connections S-A1, S-A2 for contacting fuse F. The second housing S-G may be form-fittingly inserted with one of the connections, in this case with the left connection S-A1 of the fuse module S, into a connection, e.g., connection A1 or connection A2 of the at least two connections A1, A2 of the surge protection device SPD. If a fuse module S is inserted in such a manner, an electrical connection is provided on the inserted side between the fuse module S and the surge protection device SPD.
This now means that the fuse module(s) S can also be attached to the surge protection devices SPD at a later point in time. Since the fuse modules can be used instead of a direct conductor connection, for example, no additional installation space is required in the vicinity/next to the surge protection device SPD. In other words, the ensemble can also be utilized in tight installation spaces and thus allows one to flexibly provide a conductor with a fuse S.
Such fuse modules S offer a substantial advantage specifically in applications having high operating voltages and currents.
A particular advantage is that the fuse modules of the proposed surge protection device ensemble 1 are form-fitting. The fuse module can thereby be mounted in a form-fitting manner to a surge protection device SPD on at least one of two or more connections. Alternatively or additionally, an arrangement of two (or more) fuse modules S can also be designed to be form-fitting among each other as well as in relation to the surge protection device SPD, so that simple installation is made possible. This is achieved, for example, by the outer contour of the elements of the surge protection device ensemble 1. In the predetermined arrangement, this is preferably executed in such a manner that the fuse modules S engage one on top of the other in such a manner that first the bottom fuse module S can be connected and then the upper fuse module S can be connected in a second step. The fuse modules S now interlock in their outer contour in a space-saving manner.
The (respective) fuse module S electrically contacts one of the present connection terminal blocks of the surge protection device SPD and in turn provides an additional connection terminal block for connecting a conductor. This means that if a fuse module S is retrofitted, the previous conductor can be removed from the corresponding connection SPD-A1, SPD-A2, and then the fuse module can be used (and possibly protected) in the connection freed up in this manner. The previous conductor can then be used (and possibly protected) in the connection S-A2 on fuse module S.
This means that, depending on the application, customers can decide whether to provide one path or even multiple paths with a fuse module S.
Particularly advantageously, the fuse module S is designed in such a manner that it can be connected to all connections of the surge protection device SPD.
The connections SPD-A1, SPD-A2 as well as the connection SPD-A2 may have suitable fuse devices. For example, screw connections or clamps, such as the push-in technology of the applicant, may be provided. The connection S-A1 of the fuse module S may be produced for example from a suitable stamped part which has a cross-section in accordance with the nominal currents to be carried.
The fact that the fuse module S may also have an essentially one-piece housing is particularly advantageous.
In one embodiment of the invention, the fuse module S is designed in such a manner that it can be inserted into each connection SPD-A1, SPD-A2 of the surge protection device SPD. However, without limiting generality, it may also be provided that a certain sequence must be complied with. However, this is not absolutely necessary and it may also be designed differently by means of a suitable design of the fuse module S.
In particular, the surge protection device SPD may be designed in such a manner that a similar fuse module can be inserted in a form-fitting manner in each of the connections SPD-A1, SPD-A2, etc. In this way, the number of possible fuse modules can be kept low, which makes low production costs possible. In addition, installation is simplified since mix-ups and thus possibly incorrect installations are now no longer possible.
As already described, the surge protection device SPD may have attachment elements 200 for a support rail. This means that the surge protection device ensemble 1 can be installed in typical control cabinets. However, other attachments may also be provided alternatively or additionally, e.g., screw connections or similar.
In another embodiment of the invention, the surge protection device SPD and/or the fuse module(s) S have an overall width of less than 7 mm, particularly preferably 6.2 mm or less.
According to an additional embodiment of the invention, the surge protection device SPD and the fuse module S have cooperating holding elements, which provide a detachable connection. For example, the connection S-A1 may be designed in a pin-like manner so that it can be inserted into a correspondingly designed socket-like connection SPD-A1, SPD-A2. For example, the socket-like connection SPD-A1, SPD-A2 may be a push-in connection or a screw connection. The connection S-A2 of the fuse module S may be designed in a similar manner as the socket-like connection SPD-A1, SPD-A2. For example, as one can see in FIGS. 1d, 3-6, the connection S-A2 of the fuse module S may be designed as a screw connection.
In another embodiment of the invention, the housing S-G of the fuse module S has an opening Ö, through which a fuse F can be inserted and/or removed. This means that the fuse may be fabricated in accordance with the intended purpose in the field. Likewise, the fuse can also be changed in the event of a malfunction. This means that the design allows cost-effective installation as well as cost-effective repair. In this connection, reference is made to FIGS. 3-6. FIG. 3 shows the fuse module S in a state having a closed opening and the inserted fuse F, i.e., ready for installation. FIG. 4 shows the fuse module S with the opening Ö opened and the fuse F removed. FIG. 5 in turn shows the opened state with the fuse F inserted in a diagonal side view, while FIG. 6 shows a lateral, diagonally downward view. The electrical contact elements, which are integrated in the fuse module S and in electrical contact with the connections S-A1 and S-A2, are visible here. When the opening Ö with the inserted fuse F closes, the corresponding electrical contacts to fuse F are created. As one can see in FIGS. 3-6, the opening Ö may be designed in a hinge-like manner.
Without limiting generality, the opening Ö may be a flap opening or a twist opening or a slide opening. This means that the fuse model S may be designed with a one-piece housing S-G, which allows changing the fuse F. This can be created for example by provision of a double-film hinge at the opening Ö. In other words, the opening Ö can be capped by a one-piece closure.
Furthermore, the housing S-G of the fuse module S may have a status indicator 300 of the fuse F. This status indicator 300 is provided by a lateral viewing window. A viewing window can be arranged here on the side of the opening Ö and/or on the opposite side. However, other locations such as the top side and bottom side (e.g., in relation to the illustration in FIG. 1a-d) are also alternatively or additionally possible. It shall be noted that in the event that multiple fuse modules S are arranged side by side, e.g., given two surge protection devices SPD arranged side by side, the ability to directly read a status of the fuse F may not always be possible. In this case, the corresponding fuse F can be readily inspected by removing/pulling off the fuse module.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the surge protection device ensemble 1 has two fuse modules S, wherein the two fuse modules S are in each case inserted in one of the two connections of the surge protection device SPD, wherein the two fuse modules S can be arranged in a form-fitting manner. This means that the fuse modules S may interlock and thus also mutually support each other. In this way, higher mechanical forces can be absorbed, which substantially increases the robustness.


A fuel communicating assembly including a base having a wall disposed about a longitudinal axis. The wall having a surface exposed to the longitudinal axis. The surface defining a chamber. The wall having an end that defines an aperture to the chamber. The assembly further including a component having a housing. The housing having an exterior surface. A portion of the exterior surface disposed within the chamber. A metallic member having an inner surface and an outer surface contiguous with the exterior surface of the component. The outer surface is contiguous with the surface of the wall so that the portion of the exterior surface of the component is retained within the chamber and the aperture of the chamber is hermetically sealed. A method of retaining a component within a base is also described.

It is believed that sealed connections are used in fluid communication assemblies. These sealed connections typically include a threaded inner bore that is formed in a female fitting. The female fitting typically also has a conical seal-seating surface formed at its outer end. The connection also generally provides a male fitting that is threaded in the outer bore. The male fitting typically also has a conical seal-seating surface formed on the outer bore. The seal-seating surface of the male fitting is generally complementary to the conical surface formed at the outer end of the bore of the female fitting. The connection further provides a sealing member formed of a compliant metallic material. The sealing member typically has a generally complementary seal-seating surface that provides a sealed connection. The sealing member is typically compressed between the complementary sealing surfaces. The male fitting is generally tightened to a predetermined torque and the sealing member fluidly seals the female and male fitting members.
It would be beneficial to provide a sealed connection without having to provide male and female fittings that are threaded. In addition, it would be beneficial to eliminate the step of tightening the threaded fittings to a predetermined torque in order to seal the connection.

Compliant sealing connection for fuel components


A device for drilling a layer of coke within a reactor to effect the decoking of the reactor includes a decoking tool arranged at one end of a hose for conveying a decoking fluid to the tool. The decoking tool has a first part and a second part coaxial with the first part. The second part has means for ejecting the decoking fluid against the coke layer, including a first ejection means for ejecting the fluid in a substantially axial direction downwardly to penetrate the coke layer, a second ejection means ejecting the fluid in a substantially lateral direction and a third ejection means for ejecting the fluid in a substantially upward direction to remove any coke accumulated above the tool.

Coking is a well-known process in the refining industry and its objective is to upgrade heavy cuts and particularly distillation residues by causing them to undergo thermal decomposition.
This generally takes place in large, empty reactors where distillates are produced by decomposition and released from the reactor while coked products are deposited inside the reactor.
The feedstock is usually introduced at the bottom of the reactor and, in this case, the coke is first deposited on the bottom of the reactor; it then fills up the lower parts of the reactor up to a predetermined height.
At this point, feedstock injection is stopped and this feedstock is sent to a second, empty reactor.
After this first coke formation stage, there is a second stage in which the coke produced is recovered.
For this purpose, after all the residual hydrocarbons have been drained from the reactor and it has been cooled, its upper part is opened and a hole is bored with appropriate tools. These are usually supported by a scaffolding or derrick for boring into the reactor from its top. The derrick structure (one per reactor) is installed around the reactors, themselves located well above ground so that the feedstock can be injected and the coke produced can be recovered from the reactor by gravity then conveyed to a storage area or to the consumer.
Patents FR-2,615,198, FR-2,622,596 and FR-26,640,992 of the applicant describe decoking processes and devices that avoid the derricks around the reactors to make the entire structure simpler, reduce investment cost, and render coke extraction more practical and economical. The teaching in these documents consists in a first stage of spraying water under pressure in the direction of the coke vertically downward such as to penetrate the coke layer, and continuing this operation until the decoking tool reaches the bottom of the reactor, then, in a second stage, ejecting the water sideways and simultaneously raising the tool to empty the reactor. Rotation of the tool is effected by tangential reaction of water in a direction comprising a tangential component or by a mechanical system driven by a water flow tapped off the main flow used to cut the coke.
Since coke is a brittle material, the mass of coke around the hole bored by the downward water jets slumps into a compact mass. When the decoking device is raised, the tool may be caught in this compact mass and a substantial pulling force has to be exerted on the shaft supporting the decoking tool to release it and continue the emptying operation with the aid of side jets. This relatively high pulling force leads to deterioration of the decoking tool and the hose.


An ion wind generator (20) is arranged on one side of a light source (1). The ion wind generator (20) produces an air current by negatively ionizing air by corona discharges at a needle electrode (21), or negative side, and drawing the negatively-ionized air at a cylindrical electrode (22), or positive side. The air current blows toward the light source (1) and removes heat generated by the light source (1). An ultraviolet ray from the light source (1) is introduced to a vent of the ion wind generator (20) by a first dichroic mirror (4) and a ultraviolet ray reflection mirror (17). Though air exhausted from the vent includes ozone (o3) produced by corona discharges, the ozone is decomposed by the ultraviolet ray.

A projection type video display is so configured that light emitted from a light source is modulated by a light valve such as a liquid crystal panel to be projected, so that it must comprise a high-luminance light source. Consequently, measures to prevent heat generated from the high-luminance light source itself and heat generated when light is absorbed in a light polarizing plate in the liquid crystal panel or various types of optical components are required. Conventionally, a projection type video display has a structure in which air is sucked and exhausted and heat is released from the device by rotating a fan with a motor (see JP-A-2001-222065)
In a suction and exhaust mechanism using motor driving, however, noises are produced due to suction and exhaust sound by rotating sound of a motor and hissing sound of a fan. As a result, there is a disadvantage that the noise produced by the suction and exhaust sound is offensive to the ear when a projector is used.


An exemplary LED lamp assembly includes a housing (21), a printed circuit board (22), one or more LEDs (23), a light reflective module (24) and a lamp cover (25). The housing includes a top cover (211), a base sheet (213), a plurality of sidewalls (215), and an opening (218). LEDs are electrically connected to the printed circuit board on the base sheet includes a light-emitting side surface (233) and a top surface (235), a portion of the light-emitting side surface facing the opening, and the top surface facing the top cover. The reflective module defines a through hole (247) for allowing the LED passing therethrough. The first-light-distributing member (26) is located in the housing between the LED and the opening. The lamp cover covers the opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lamp assembly, and more particularly to a light-emitting diode lamp assembly employed in a direct type backlight module of a liquid crystal display.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Typically, light-emitting diode (hereinafter called LED) has advantages such as low energy consumption, long service life, and so on. Therefore, LEDs are widely used in lamps.
Typically, FIG. 3 illustrates an LED lamp assembly 10 using LEDs 13 as a light source. The LED lamp assembly 10 includes a housing 11, a printed circuit board 12, a plurality of side-emitting type LEDs 13, a light reflective module 14, a plurality of round reflective sheets 15, and a lamp cover 16. The housing 11 is an elongated, hollow structure having an opening 112. The LEDs 13 are arranged apart and electrically connected to the printed circuit board 12. The printed circuit board 12 with the LEDs 13 is disposed on a bottom surface of the housing 11. The light reflective module 14 includes a rectangular bottom reflective plate 144 and four connecting sidewalls 142 extending around a periphery of the bottom reflective plate 144. The bottom reflective plate 144 defines a plurality of through holes 146 corresponding to the LEDs 13, thus allowing light-emitting portions of the LEDs 13 to pass through. The light reflective module 14 can be mounted into the housing 11 via the opening 112. The round reflective sheets 15 are positioned at the tops of the LEDs 13 respectively. The lamp cover 16 seals the opening 112 of the housing 11. Light from the light-emitting portions of the LEDs 13 is substantially reflected at either the sidewalls 142 or the bottom reflective plate 144, finally exiting the lamp cover 16. With the help of the light reflective module 14, an efficiency of light energy utilization of the LED lamp 10 is increased.
Generally, in order to enhance a uniformity of light exiting from the backlight module 10, there must be a definite space between the LEDs 13 and the lamp cover 16 to prevent dark strips caused by reduced intensity of light between adjacent lamps 13 from appearing on the lamp cover 16. Therefore, a volume of the LED lamp assembly 10 is still definitely large.
What is needed, therefore, is an LED lamp assembly which has a small volume.


A substrate is transported based on coordinates information indicating a receiving position of the substrate and a placement position of the substrate by a hand. If the substrate is shifted from a first position, the substrate is received by the hand while a center of the substrate is shifted from a normal position of the hand. The hand that holds the substrate is moved toward a second position. A plurality of portions at an outer periphery of the substrate are detected before the substrate is placed. A shift of the substrate with respect to the normal position of the hand is detected based on the detection result, and the coordinates information is corrected such that a shift between a position of the center of the substrate to be placed at the second position by the hand and the center of the second position is canceled.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that perform predetermined processing on a substrate.
(2) Description of Related Art
Substrate processing apparatuses are used to subject various types of substrates such as semiconductor substrates, substrates for liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, optical disks, magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, and photomasks, and other substrates to various types of processing.
Generally in such a substrate processing apparatus, a plurality of different processing are successively performed on one substrate. The substrate processing apparatus described in JP 2008-60302 A includes an indexer block, a processing block for an anti-reflection film, a processing block for a resist film, a development processing block, a processing block for a resist cover film, a resist cover film removal block, a cleaning/drying processing block and an interface block. An exposure device which is a separate external device from the substrate processing apparatus is arranged to be adjacent to the interface block.
In the substrate processing apparatus described above, the substrate carried in from the indexer block is transported to the exposure device via the interface block after anti-reflection film formation, resist film formation, and resist cover film formation are performed in the processing block for an anti-reflection film, the processing block for a resist film and the processing block for a resist cover film. The substrate is transported to the resist cover film removal block via the interface block after a resist film on the substrate is exposed in a predetermined pattern in the exposure device. The substrate from which a resist cover film is removed in the resist cover film removal block is transported to the development processing block. The substrate is transported to the indexer block after development processing is performed on the resist film on the substrate in the development processing block such that the resist film having the predetermined pattern is formed.
A film formed at a peripheral edge of the substrate before exposure processing may be stripped due to a mechanic contact at the time of transportation of the substrate and become particles. In JP 2008-60302 A, a removal liquid is discharged to the peripheral edge of the substrate after each formation of the anti-reflection film, the resist film and the resist cover film. Thus, the film at the peripheral edge of the substrate is removed.

Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd.


A process for the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of the multiple condensed ring heterocyclic organosulfur compounds present in petroleum and chemical streams. The stream is passed through at least one reaction zone countercurrent to the flow of a hydrogen-containing treat gas, and through at least one sorbent zone. The reaction zone contains a bed of Group VIII metal-containing hydrodesulfurization catalyst and the sorbent zone contains a bed of hydrogen sulfide sorbent material.

The present invention relates to a process for the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of the multiple condensed ring heterocyclic organosulfur compounds present in petroleum and chemical streams. The stream is passed through at least one reaction zone countercurrent to the flow of a hydrogen-containing treat gas, and through at least one sorbent zone. The reaction zone contains a bed of Group VIII metal-containing hydrodesulfurization catalyst and the sorbent zone contains a bed of hydrogen sulfide sorbent material.
Hydrodesulfurization is one of the fundamental processes of the refining and chemical industries. The removal of feed sulfur by conversion to hydrogen sulfide is typically achieved by reaction with hydrogen over non-noble metal sulfides, especially those of Co/Mo and Ni/Mo, at fairly severe temperatures and pressures to meet product quality specifications, or to supply a desulfurized stream to a subsequent sulfur sensitive process. The latter is a particularly important objective because some processes are carried out over catalysts which are extremely sensitive to poisoning by sulfur. This sulfur sensitivity is sometimes sufficiently acute as to require a substantially sulfur free feed. In other cases environmental considerations and mandates drive product quality specifications to even lower sulfur levels.
There is a well established hierarchy in the ease of sulfur removal from the various organosulfur compounds common to refinery and chemical streams. Simple aliphatic, naphthenic, and aromatic mercaptans, sulfides, di- and polysulfides and the like surrender their sulfur more readily than the class of heterocyclic sulfur compounds comprised of thiophene and its higher homologs and analogs. Within the generic thiophenic class, desulfurization reactivity decreases with increasing molecular structure and complexity. While simple thiophenes represent the more labile sulfur types, the other extreme, which is sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9chard sulfurxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9crefractory sulfurxe2x80x9d is represented by the derivatives of dibenzothiophene, especially those mono- and di-substituted and condensed ring dibenzothiophenes bearing substituents on the carbons beta to the sulfur atom. These highly refractory sulfur heterocycles resist desulfurization as a consequence of steric inhibition precluding the requisite catalyst-substrate interaction. For this reason, these materials survive traditional desulfurization and they poison subsequent processes whose operability is dependent upon a sulfur sensitive catalyst. Destruction of these xe2x80x9chard sulfurxe2x80x9d types can be accomplished under relatively severe process conditions, but this may prove to be economically undesirable owing to the onset of harmful side reactions leading to feed and/or product degradation. Also, the level of investment and operating costs required to drive the severe process conditions may be too great for the required sulfur specification.
Typically, catalytic hydrodesulfurization of liquid-phase petroleum feedstocks is carried out in co-current, downflow, xe2x80x9ctrickle bedxe2x80x9d reactors in which both the preheated liquid feedstock and a hydrogen-containing treat gas are introduced to the reactor at a point, or points, above one or more fixed beds of hydrodesulfurization catalyst. The liquid feedstock, any vaporized hydrocarbons, and hydrogen-containing treat gas all flow in a downward direction through the catalyst bed(s). The resulting combined vapor phase and liquid phase effluents are normally separated in a series of one or more separator vessels, or drums, downstream of the reactor.
Conventional co-current catalytic hydrodesulfurization has met with a great deal of commercial success, however, it has limitations. For example, because of hydrogen consumption and treat gas dilution by light reaction products, hydrogen partial pressure decreases between the reactor inlet and outlet. At the same time, any hydrodesulfurization reactions that take place results in increased concentrations of H2S which strongly inhibits the catalytic activity and performance of most hydroprocessing catalysts through competitive adsorption onto the catalyst. Thus, the downstream portion of catalyst in a trickle bed reactor are often limited in reactivity because of the simultaneous occurrence of multiple negative effects, such as low H2 partial pressure and the presence of the high concentrations of H2S. Further, if a bed of is present downstream of a co-current hydrodesulfurization zone its effect is quickly diminished if substantial sulfur breakthrough occurs. Further, liquid phase concentrations of the targeted hydrocarbon reactants are also the lowest at the downstream part of the catalyst bed.
Another type of hydroprocessing is countercurrent hydroprocessing which has the potential of overcoming many of these limitations, but is presently of very limited commercial use. U.S. Pat. No. 3,147,210 discloses a two stage process for the hydrofining-hydrogenation of high-boiling aromatic hydrocarbons. The feedstock is first subjected to catalytic hydrofining, preferably in co-current flow with hydrogen, then subjected to hydrogenation over a sulfur-sensitive noble metal hydrogenation catalyst countercurrent to the flow of a hydrogen-containing treat gas. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,767,562 and 3,775,291 disclose a countercurrent process for producing jet fuels, whereas the jet fuel is first hydrodesulfurized in a co-current mode prior to two stage countercurrent hydrogenation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,556 also discloses a two stage co-current/countercurrent process for hydrofining and hydrogenating aromatics in a diesel fuel stream.
In light of the above, there is still a need for a desulfurization process that can convert feeds bearing the refractory, condensed ring sulfur heterocycles at relatively mild process conditions to products containing substantially no sulfur.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a process for the desulfurization of a stream selected from petroleum and chemical streams containing condensed ring sulfur heterocyclic compounds in a process unit comprised of at least one reaction zone having a non-reaction zone upstream and downstream thereof and at least one sorbent zone containing a bed of hydrogen sulfide sorbent material downstream of the first of said at least one reaction zones, which reaction zone(s) contain hydrodesulfurization catalyst, which process comprises:
(a) feeding said stream to one or more hydrodesulfurization reaction zones counter-current to upflowing hydrogen-containing treat gas;
(b) passing the resulting liquid phase effluent from at least one of said reaction zones through a zone containing a bed of hydrogen sulfide sorbent material;
(c) recovering a vapor phase effluent from said reaction zone in an upstream non-reaction zone, which vapor phase effluent is comprised of hydrogen-containing treat gas and vaporized sulfur reaction products from said reaction zone:
(d) recovering downstream from said sorbent zone a liquid phase effluent characterized as having substantially no sulfur.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Group VIII metal is a noble metal selected from Pt, Pd, Ir, and mixtures thereof.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hydrogen sulfide sorbent is selected from supported and unsupported metal oxides, spinels, zeolitic based materials, and layered double hydroxides.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sorbent zone contains a mixed bed of hydrodesulfurization catalyst and hydrogen sulfide sorbent.
It is well known that so-called xe2x80x9ceasyxe2x80x9d sulfur compounds, such as non-thiophenic sulfur compounds, thiophenes, benzothiophenes, and non-beta dibenzothiophenes can be removed without using severe process conditions. The prior art teaches that substantially more severe conditions are needed to remove the so-called xe2x80x9chardxe2x80x9d sulfur compounds, such as condensed ring sulfur heterocyclic compounds which are typically present as 3-ring sulfur compounds, such as beta and di-beta dibenzothiophenes. An example of a typical three ring xe2x80x9chardxe2x80x9d sulfur compound found in petroleum streams is 4,6-diethyldibenzothiophene. While the desulfurization process of the present invention is applicable to all sulfur bearing compounds common to petroleum and chemical streams, it is particularly suitable for the desulfurization of the least reactive, most highly refractory sulfur species, particularly the class derived from dibenzothiophenes, and most especially the alkyl, aryl, and condensed ring derivatives of this heterocyclic group, particularly those bearing one or more substituents in the 3-, 4-, 6-, and 7-positions relative to the thiophenic sulfur. The process of the present invention will result in a product stream with substantially no sulfur. For purposes of this invention, the term, xe2x80x9csubstantially no sulfurxe2x80x9d, depends upon the overall process being considered, but can be defined as a value less than about 1 wppm, preferably less than about 0.5 wppm, more preferably less than about 0.1 wppm, and most preferably less than about 0.01 wppm as measured by existing, conventional analytical technology. It is important that the sulfur levels be as low as possible because the noble metal ring-opening catalysts are susceptible to deactivation, even at relatively low sulfur levels.
Catalysts suitable for use in the present invention are those comprised of a noble or non-noble metal, or metals, of Group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements supported in a highly dispersed and substantially uniformly distributed manner on a refractory inorganic support. Various promoter metals may also be incorporated for purposes of selectivity, activity, and stability improvement.
Group VIII noble metals that may be used for the hydrodesulfurization catalysts of the present invention include Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh, Ru, and Os; preferably Pt, Pd, and Ir; and more preferably Pt and Pd. Preferred bimetallic noble metal catalysts include Ptxe2x80x94Ir, Pdxe2x80x94Ir, and Ptxe2x80x94Pd; Ptxe2x80x94Ir and Ptxe2x80x94Pd. These mono- and bimetallic noble metal catalysts may contain a promoter metal, preferably selected from Re, Cu, Ag, Au, Sn, Zn, and the like, for stability and selectivity improvement. Preferred Group VIII non-noble metals are Fe, Co and Ni, more preferably Ni, and most preferably Ni promoted with Mo. In addition to these Group VIII metals, hydrogenation catalysts based on Cu and compounds of Cu known in the art may serve as the hydrodesulfurization catalyst of this invention. Copper chromite is a preferred example of this class of catalysts.
Suitable support materials for the catalysts and hydrogen sulfide sorbents of the present invention include inorganic, refractory materials such as alumina, silica, silicon carbide, amorphous and crystalline silica-aluminas, silica-magnesias, aluminophosphates boria, titania, zirconia, and mixtures and cogels thereof. Preferred supports include alumina and the crystalline silica-aluminas, particularly those materials classified as clays or zeolitic materials, and more preferably controlled acidity zeolitic materials, including aluminophosphates, and modified by their manner of synthesis, by the incorporation of acidity moderators, and post-synthesis modifications such as demetallation and silylation. For purposes of this invention particularly desirable zeolitic materials are those crystalline materials having micropores and include conventional zeolitic materials and molecular sieves, including aluminophosphates and suitable derivatives thereof. Such materials also include pillared clays and layered double hydroxides.
The noble metals may be loaded onto these supports by conventional techniques known in the art. These include impregnation by incipient wetness, by adsorption from excess impregnating medium, or by ion exchange. The metal bearing catalysts are typically dried, calcined, and reduced; the latter may either be conducted ex situ or in situ as preferred. The catalysts are not presulfided as the presence of sulfur is not essential to HDS or ASAT activity and activity maintenance. However, in some cases the sulfided form of the catalyst may be employed without harm and may be preferred if the absence of catalyst sulfur contributes to the loss of selectivity or to decreased stability. If sulfiding is desired, then it can be accomplished by exposure to dilute hydrogen sulfide in hydrogen or by exposure to a sulfur containing hydrocarbon feed until sulfur breakthrough is observed.
Total metal loading for noble metal based HDS and ASAT catalysts is in the range of about 0.01 to 5 wt. %, preferably to 0.1 to 2 wt. %, and more preferably to 0.15 to 2 wt. %. For polymetallic noble metal catalysts similar ranges are applicable to each component; however, the bimetallics may be either balanced or unbalanced where the loadings of the individual metals may either be equivalent, or the loading of one metal may be greater or less than that of its partner. The loading of stability and selectivity modifiers ranges from 0.01 to 2 wt. %, preferably 0.02 to 1.5 wt. %, and more preferably 0.03 to 1.0 wt. %. The catalysts may or may not contain chloride and sulfur. Chloride levels range from 0.3 to 2.0 wt. %, preferably 0.5 to 1.5 wt. %, and more preferably 0.6 to 1.2 wt. %. Sulfur loadings of the noble metal catalysts approximate those produced by breakthrough sulfiding of the catalyst and range from 0.01 to 1.2 wt. %, preferably 0.02 to 1.0 wt. %.
The hydrogen sulfide sorbent of this invention may be selected from several classes of material known to be reactive toward hydrogen sulfide and capable of binding same in either a reversible or irreversible manner. Metal oxides are useful in this capacity and may be employed as the bulk oxides or may be supported on an appropriate support material such as an alumina, silica, or a zeolite, or mixtures thereof. Representative metal oxides include those of the metals from Groups IA, IIA, IB, IIB, IIIA, IVA, VB, VIB, VIIB, VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements. The Periodic Table of the Elements referred to herein is that published by Sargent-Welch Scientific Company, Catalog No. S-18806, Copyright 1980. Representative elements include Zn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Mo, Co, Mg, Mn, W, K, Na, Ca, Ba, La, V, Ta, Nb, Re, Zr, Cr, Ag, Sn, and the like. The metal oxides may be employed individually or in combination. The preferred metal oxides are those of Ba, K, Ca, Zn, Co, Ni, and Cu. Representative supported metal oxides include ZnO on alumina, CuO on silica, ZnO/CuO on kieselguhr, and the like. Compounds of the Group IA and IIA metals capable of functioning as hydrogen sulfide sorbents include, in addition to the oxides, the hydroxides, alkoxides, and sulfides. These systems are disclosed in the following patents of Baird et al. incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,003,823; 4,007,109; 4,087,348; 4,087,349; 4,119,528; 4,127,470.
Spinels represent another class of hydrogen sulfide sorbents useful in this invention. These materials are readily synthesized from the appropriate metal salt, frequently a sulfate, and sodium aluminate under the influence of a third agent like sulfuric acid. Spinels of the transition metals listed above may be utilized as effective, regenerable hydrogen sulfide sorbents; zinc aluminum spinel, as defined in U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,020, incorporated herein by reference, is a preferred spinel for this invention. The sulfur capacity of spinels may be promoted through the addition of one or more additional metals such as Fe or Cu as outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,806, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Zeolitic materials may serve as hydrogen sulfide sorbents for this invention as detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,206 and -207, which are incorporated herein by reference. These materials share with spinels the ability to function as regenerable hydrogen sulfide sorbents and permit operation of this invention in a mode cycling between sulfur capture and sulfur release in either continuous or batch operation depending upon the process configuration. Zeolitic materials incorporating sulfur active metals by ion exchange are also of value to this invention. Examples include Zn4A, chabazite, and faujasite moderated by the incorporation of zinc phosphate, and transition metal framework substituted zeolites similar to, but not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,185,135/6/7, and 5,283,047, and continuations thereof, all incorporated herein by reference.
Various derivatives of hydrotalcite (often referred to as LDH, layered double hydroxides) exhibit high sulfur capacities and for this reason serve as hydrogen sulfide sorbents for this invention. Specific examples include Mg4.8Al1.2(OH)12Cl1.2, Zn4Cr2(OH)12Cl2, Zn4Al2(OH)12Cl2, Mg4.5Al1.5(OH)12Cl1.5, Zn4Fe2(OH)12Cl2, and Mg4Al2(OH)12Cl3 and may include numerous modified and unmodified synthetic and mineral analogs of these as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,539,306, 3,796,792, 3,879,523, and 4,454,244, and reviewed by Cavani et al. in Catalysis Today, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 173-301 (1991), all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Particularly active hydrogen sulfide sorbents are LaRoach H-T, ZnSi2O5 gel, Zn4Fe2(OH)12Cl2, and the Fe containing clay, nontronite. A study of several Mgxe2x80x94Al hydrotalcites demonstrated a preference for crystallites less than about 300 Angstroms. Particularly novel are pillared varieties of smectites, kandites, LDHs and silicic acids in which the layered structure is pillared by oxides of Fe, Cr, Ni, Co, and Zn, or such oxides in combination with alumina as demonstrated by, but not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,666,877, 5,326,734, 4,665,044/5 and Brindley et al, Clays And Clay Minerals, 26, 21 (1978) and Amer. Mineral, 64, 830 (1979), all incorporated herein by reference. The high molecular dispersions of the reactive metal make them very effective scavengers for sulfur bearing molecules.
A preferred class of hydrogen sulfide sorbents are those which are regenerable as contrasted to those which bind sulfur irreversibly in a stoichiometric reaction. Hydrogen sulfide sorbents which bind sulfur through physical adsorption are generally regenerable through manipulation of the process temperature, pressure, and/or gas rate so that the sorbent may cycle between adsorption and desorption stages. Representative of such sorbents are zeolitic materials, spinels, meso-. and microporous transition metal oxides, particularly oxides of the fourth period of the Periodic Chart of the Elements.
Hydrogen sulfide sorbents which bind sulfur through a chemisorptive mechanism may also be regenerated by the use of reactive agents through which the sulfur bearing compound is reacted and restored to its initial, active state. Reagents useful for the regeneration of these types of hydrogen sulfide sorbents are air (oxygen), steam, hydrogen, and reducing agents such as carbon and carbon monoxide. The choice of regenerating agent is determined by the initial, active state of the sorbent and by the chemical intermediates arising during the regeneration procedure. Active hydrogen sulfide sorbents regenerable by reaction with oxygen include the oxides of manganese, lanthanum, vanadium, tantalum, niobium, molybdenum, rhenium, zirconium, chromium, and mixtures thereof. Active hydrogen sulfide sorbents regenerable through reaction with steam, either alone or in combination with oxygen, include the oxides of lanthanum, iron, tin, zirconium, titanium, chromium, and mixtures thereof. Active hydrogen sulfide sorbents regenerable through the sequential action of hydrogen and oxygen include the oxides of iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, silver, tin, rhenium, molybdenum, and mixtures thereof. Active hydrogen sulfide sorbents regenerable through the action of hydrogen include iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, silver, mercury, tin, and mixtures thereof. In addition all transition metal oxides are regenerable from their corresponding sulfates by reduction with hydrogen, carbon, or carbon monoxide. These regeneration reactions may be facilitated by the inclusion of a catalytic agent that facilitates the oxidation or reduction reaction required to restore the sulfur sorbent to its initial, active condition.
In addition, of particular interest as regenerable hydrogen sulfide sorbents are two classes of materials: zeolitic materials enriched in the alkali metals of Group IA; the high surface area, porous materials represented by zeolite-like structures, nonstoichiometric basic oxides of the transition metals, reviewed in part by Wadsley (Nonstoichiometric Compounds, edited by Mandelkorn, Academic Press, 1964) and numerous surfactant templated metal oxide materials analogous to MCM-41 type structures as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,296 incorporated herein by reference.
These regeneration processes operate over a temperature range of 100-700xc2x0 C., preferably 150-600xc2x0 C., and more preferably 200-500xc2x0 C. at pressures comparable to those cited below in the general disclosure of process conditions common to this invention.
Also suitable are activated carbons and acidic activated carbons that have undergone treatment well known to those having skill in the art to enhance their acidic properties. Acidic salts may also be added to the activated carbons, used on other high surface area supports, or used as bulk sorbents.
The hydrodesulfurization catalyst and the hydrogen sulfide sorbent used in the practice of the present invention may be utilized in various bed configurations within the reactor. The choice of configuration may or may not be critical depending upon the objectives of the overall process, particularly when the process of the present invention is integrated with one or more subsequent processes, or when the objective of the overall process is to favor the selectivity of one aspect of product quality relative to another. Various bed configurations are disclosed with the understanding that the selection of a specific configuration is tied to these other process objectives. A bed configuration utilizing a common reactor where the hydrogen sulfide sorbent zone is placed upstream of the hydro-desulfurization catalyst zone is excluded. One bed configuration consists of a stacked bed wherein the hydrodesulfurization catalyst is stacked, or layered, above and upstream of the hydrogen sulfide sorbent zone. Stacked beds may either occupy a common reactor, or the hydrodesulfurization catalyst may occupy a separate reactor upstream of the reactor containing the hydrogen sulfide sorbent. This dedicated reactor sequence is preferred when it is desirable to operate the hydrodesulfurization catalyst and the hydrogen sulfide sorbent at substantially different reactor temperatures or to facilitate frequent or continuous replacement of the hydrogen sulfide sorbent material.
The hydrogen sulfide sorbent zone can also contain a mixed bed wherein particles of the hydrodesulfurization catalyst are intimately intermixed with those of the hydrogen sulfide sorbent. In both the stacked and mixed bed configurations, the two components may share similar or identical shapes and sizes, or the particles of one may differ in shape and/or size from the particles of the second component. The latter relationship is of potential value to the mixed bed configuration if it should be desirable to effect a simple physical separation of the bed components upon discharge or reworking.
Materials can also be formulated which allow the HDS function and the hydrogen sulfide sorbent function to reside on a common particle. In one such formulation, the HDS and hydrogen sulfide sorbent components are blended together to form a composite particle. For example, a finely divided, powdered Pt on alumina catalyst is uniformly blended with zinc oxide powder and the mixture formed into a common catalyst particle, or zinc oxide powder is incorporated into the alumina mull mix prior to extrusion, and Pt is impregnated onto the zinc oxide-containing alumina in a manner similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,249, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Another formulation is based on the impregnation of a support with a HDS-active metal salt (e.g., Pt) and a hydrogen sulfide sorbent-active salt (e.g., Zn) to prepare a bimetallic catalyst incorporating the HDS metal and the hydrogen sulfide sorbent on a common base. For example, a Ptxe2x80x94Zn bimetallic may be prepared in such a manner as to distribute both metals uniformly throughout the extrudate, or, alternatively, the Zn component may be deposited preferentially in the exterior region of the extrudate to produce a rim, or eggshell, Zn rich zone, or the Pt component may be deposited preferentially in the exterior region of the extrudate to produce a rim, or eggshell, Pt rich zone. These are often referred to as xe2x80x9ccherryxe2x80x9d structures.
Three component bed configurations are also suitable for use herein, the choice of which is subject to the conditions previously disclosed for two component systems. One variation of the three component bed is the stacked/stacked/stacked configuration where the three components are layered sequentially with a hydrodesulfurization catalyst occupying the top and bottom positions and the hydrogen sulfide sorbent the middle zone. While the three-component systems may occupy a common reactor, these systems may also occupy multiple reactors where, for example, a HDS catalyst occupies the lead reactor and a stacked hydrogen sulfide sorbent/HDS catalyst occupies the tail reactor. These arrangements permit operating the two reactor sections at different process conditions, especially temperature, and imparts flexibility in controlling process selectivity and/or product quality.
It will also be understood that the present invention can be practiced such that the hydrogen sulfide sorbent zone contains a mixed bed of hydrodesulfurization catalyst and hydrogen sulfide sorbent, a composite of hydrodesulfurization catalyst and hydrogen sulfide sorbent, and/or a support impregnated with a hydrogen sulfide sorbent active salt, and a hydrodesulfurization active metal.
The composition of the sorbent bed is independent of configuration and may be varied with respect to the specific process, or integrated process, to which this invention is applied. In those instances where the capacity of the hydrogen sulfide sorbent is limiting, the composition of the sorbent bed must be consistent with the expected lifetime, or cycle, of the process. These parameters are in turn sensitive to the sulfur content of the feed being processed and to the degree of desulfurization desired. For these reasons, the composition of the guard bed is flexible and variable, and the optimal bed composition for one application may not serve an alternative application equally well. In general, the weight ratio of the hydrogen sulfide sorbent to the hydrodesulfurization catalyst may range from 0.01 to 1000, preferably from 0.5 to 40, and more preferably from 0.7 to 30.
The feedstocks of the present invention are subjected to countercurrent hydrodesulfurization in at least one catalyst bed, or reaction zone, wherein feedstock flows countercurrent to the flow of a hydrogen-containing treat gas. It is within the scope of the present invention that the feed steam first pass through a co-current hydrotreating reaction zone which contains a hydrotreating catalyst, preferably a hydrodesulfurization catalyst, preferably a non-noble metal catalyst. The liquid effluent will then be passed to at least one countercurrent reaction zone containing hydrodesulfurization catalyst, preferably a noble metal catalyst. Each reaction zone will be preceded and followed by a non-reaction zone where products can be removed and/or feed or treat gas introduced. The non-reaction zone will be a zone which does not contain catalyst. The non-reaction zone can be an empty cross-section in the reaction vessel or it can contain a material suitable for promoting liquid/gas contacting. Non-limiting examples of such materials that can be used to promote liquid/gas contacting include glass beads, wire mesh, as well as other suitable inert material that can withstand the process conditions in the non-reaction zone. Upflowing hydrogen-containing treat gas flowing through the non-reaction zone will serve to strip dissolved sulfur reaction products such as H2S from the liquid effluent flowing through the zone.
Suitable hydrodesulfurization catalysts for use in an upstream co-current reaction zone, if present, can be any conventional hydrotreating catalyst and includes those which are comprised of at least one Group VIII metal, preferably Fe, Co and Ni, more preferably Co and/or Ni, and most preferably Ni; and at least one Group VI metal, preferably Mo and W, more preferably Mo, on a high surface area support material, preferably alumina. The Group VIII metal is typically present in an amount ranging from about 2 to 20 wt. %, preferably from about 4 to 12%. The Group VI metal will typically be present in an amount ranging from about 5 to 50 wt. %, preferably from about 10 to 40 wt. %, and more preferably from about 20 to 30 wt. %. All metals weight percents are on support. By xe2x80x9con supportxe2x80x9d we mean that the percents are based on the weight of the support. For example, if the support were to weigh 100 g. then 20 wt. % Group VIII metal would mean that 20 g. of Group VIII metal was on the support. Typical hydrodesulfurization temperatures will range from about 100xc2x0 C. to about 400xc2x0 C. at pressures from about 50 psig to about 2,000 psig.
While the present process need not have a co-current reaction zone, it will have at least one countercurrent reaction zone wherein the liquid feedstream will flow downward counter to upflowing hydrogen-containing treat gas. It will be understood that the treat gas need not be pure hydrogen, but can be any suitable hydrogen-containing treat gas. The vapor phase which in the catalyst bed of a countercurrent reaction zone, will typically contain sulfur impurities, will be swept upward with the upflowing hydrogen-containing treat-gas and collected, fractionated, or passed along for further processing. It is to be understood that all reaction zones can either be in the same vessel separated by non-reaction zones, or any can be in separate vessels. The non-reaction zones in the latter case will include the transfer lines leading from one vessel to another. If a preprocessing step is performed to remove the so-called xe2x80x9ceasy sulfurxe2x80x9d, the vapor and liquid are disengaged and the liquid effluent directed to the countercurrent reactor or reaction zone. The vapor from the preprocessing step can be processed separately or combined with the vapor phase product from the countercurrent reactor. The vapor phase product(s) may undergo further vapor phase hydroprocessing if greater reduction in heteroatom and aromatic species is desired or sent directly to a recovery system. The catalyst may be contained in one or more beds in one vessel or multiple vessels. Various hardware (i.e. distributors, baffles, heat transfer devices) may be required inside the vessel(s) to provide proper temperature control and contacting (hydraulic regime) between the liquid, vapors, and catalyst.
The countercurrent contacting of an effluent stream from a reaction zone, with hydrogen-containing treat gas, strips dissolved H2S impurities from the effluent stream, thereby improving catalyst performance. That is, the catalyst and sorbent can be on-stream for substantially longer periods of time before regeneration or replacement is required. Further, higher sulfur removal levels will be achieved by the process of the present invention.
The hydrogen sulfide sorbent zone can be placed in any location or locations downstream from the first reaction zone. Further, the sorbent can be either contiguous and downstream from a reaction zone, or it can be separated by a non-reaction zone. It is preferred that the sorbent zone be separated from an upstream reaction zone by a non-reaction zone, more preferably when the non-reaction zone contains a substantially inert material that will promote liquid/gas contacting. The hydrogen sulfide sorbent zone can be operated in either a countercurrent or co-current mode.
The process of this invention is operable over a range of conditions consistent with the intended objectives in terms of product quality improvement and consistent with any downstream process with which this invention is combined in either a common or sequential reactor assembly. It is understood that hydrogen is an essential component of the process and may be supplied pure or admixed with other passive or inert gases as is frequently the case in a refining or chemical processing environment. It is preferred that the hydrogen stream be sulfur free, or substantially sulfur free, and it is understood that the latter condition may be achieved if desired by conventional technologies currently utilized for this purpose. In general, the conditions of temperature and pressure are significantly mild relative to conventional hydroprocessing technology, especially with regard to the processing of streams containing the refractory sulfur types as herein previously defined. This invention is commonly operated at conditions that favor aromatic hydrogenation as opposed to conditions that favor reforming. These conditions include temperatures of 40-425xc2x0 C. (104-932xc2x0 F.) and preferably 225-400xc2x0 C. (437-752xc2x0 F.). Operating pressure includes 100-3000 psig, preferably 100-2,200 psig, and more preferably 100-1,000 psig at gas rates of 50-10,000 SCF/B (standard cubic feet per barrel), preferably 100-7,500 SCF/B, and more preferably 500-5,000 SCF/B. The feed rate may be varied over the range 0.1-100 LHSV (liquid hourly space velocity), preferably 0.3-40 LHSV, and more preferably 0.5-30 LHSV.
The process of this invention may be utilized as a stand-alone process for purposes of various fuels, lubes, and chemicals applications. Alternatively, the process may be combined and integrated with other processes in a manner so that the net process affords product and process advantages and improvements relative to the individual processes not combined. Potential opportunities for the application of the process of this invention follow; these illustrations are not intended to be limiting.
Process applications relating to fuels processes include: desulfurization of FCC streams preceding recycle to 2nd stage processing; desulfurization of hydrocracking feeds; multiring aromatic conversion through selective ring opening (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,763,731; 5,811,624 and U.S. Ser. Nos. 523,300; 524,357, filed Sep. 5, 1995 and incorporated herein by reference); aromatics saturation processes; sulfur removal from natural gas and condensate streams. Process applications relating to the manufacture of lubricants include: product quality improvement through mild finishing treatment; optimization of white oil processes by decreasing catalyst investment and/or extending service factor; pretreatment of feed to hydroisomerization, hydrodewaxing, and hydrocracking. Process applications relating to chemicals processes include: substitute for environmentally unfriendly nickel based hydroprocessing; preparation of high quality feedstocks for olefin manufacture through various cracking processes and for the production of oxygenates by oxyfunctionalization processes.

Countercurrent desulfurization process for refractory organosulfur heterocycles


The present disclosure relates to a detecting circuit for a circuit breaker, comprises: a detection sensor configured to output a detection signal by detecting a voltage or a current on an alternating current electric power circuit; a low pass filter configured to output a signal from the detection sensor after removing a high frequency component from the signal; an offset remover configured to output a signal from the low pass filter after removing a direct current offset from the signal; an amplifier configured to amplify a signal from the offset remover, and to output the signal; and a comparator configured to output a breaking control signal such that the circuit breaker operates to a circuit breaking position, if the detection signal input to the amplifier is equal to or larger than a reference voltage.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a circuit breaker, and particularly, to a circuit breaker capable of precisely determining a size of a target alternating current (abbreviated as AC hereinafter) component, even if a voltage detection signal or a current detection signal includes noise.
2. Background of the Disclosure
A detecting circuit for a circuit breaker in accordance with the related art will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a detecting circuit for a circuit breaker in accordance with the related art. As shown in FIG. 1, the detecting circuit for a circuit breaker includes a detection sensor 20 configured to detect a voltage or a current on an AC circuit; a peak level detector 21 connected to an output terminal of the detection sensor 20, and configured to detect a peak level of a voltage detection signal on the AC circuit or a current detection signal on the AC circuit output from the detection sensor 20; and a comparator 22 connected to an output terminal of the peak level detector 21, and configured to compare an output signal from the peak level detector 21 with a reference voltage.
As shown in FIG. 2, a wave of voltage detection signal (Va) or a current detection signal, which is detected from an AC circuit by the detection sensor 20, shows a waveform which fluctuates up and down based on a Root Mean Square (abbreviated as RMS hereinafter) value wave (Vrms), due to noise included therein.
A peak level of the detection signal (Va) is extracted by the peak level detector 21 of a next stage.
Then the peak level of the detection signal is compared with a reference voltage by the comparator 22 of a next stage. If the peak level of the detection signal is equal to or larger than the reference voltage, the comparator 22 outputs a signal of a high level. The output signal of a high level (Vout) has a waveform shown in FIG. 3.
A circuit breaker 10 of FIG. 1 operates to a breaking position ('trip' position), by the signal of a high level, which is output from the comparator 22.
However, the conventional detecting circuit for a circuit breaker may have the following problems.
Firstly, the detection signal (Va) shown in FIG. 2, which has been distorted due to harmonic noise such as switching noise from a diode or a transistor, is compared with a reference voltage of the comparator 22. Then the compared signal is output as an output signal (Vout) shown in FIG. 3. This may cause a malfunction of the circuit breaker 10.


An object control device includes an object of interest specifying unit configured to specify an object of interest to obtain position information on the object of interest, an obstacle determining unit configured to determine whether there is an obstacle between the object of interest and the object, and a time measuring unit configured to measure a period after determining that there is the obstacle, and a holding unit configured to hold position information of the object of interest when the period reaches a predetermined period, and an object action control unit configured to control a direction of a part of the object, based on the position information obtained by the object of interest specifying unit before the period reaches the predetermined period, and based on the position information on the object of interest held in the holding unit after the period reaches the predetermined period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an object control device, a computer readable storage medium storing an object control program, and an object control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been known games in which a character is moved to a predetermined destination and then caused to perform a predetermined action. For example, there is a game in which, in a virtual space, a character that is not operated by a player is moved to a position of a predetermined item and caused to catch the item.
In addition, there have been known game programs in which a character tracks an object of interest. Specifically, for example, in a virtual space, a character tracks an object of interest, and when having moved to the position of the object of interest, is caused to perform a predetermined action with respect to the object of interest.

Object control device, computer readable storage medium storing object control program, and object control method