This invention relates to a data transmission method or the like suitable for transmitting video data, audio data or the like. There is transmitted a serial digital transfer interface transmission packet in which an interval of each line of a video frame comprises an end synchronizing code area into which an end synchronizing code is inserted, an ancillary data area into which ancillary data is inserted, a start synchronizing code area into which a start synchronizing code is inserted and a payload area. The payload area has inserted thereto first data containing extension data having editing point information at the picture unit of video data and second data containing main data comprising video data and/or audio data. The reception side is able to effect a necessary processing such as muting of sounds on the editing point by effectively utilizing editing point information.

The SDI (Serial Digital Interface) format is standardized by SMPTE-259M of the SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) which issues standards concerning television engineering and video engineering. This SDI format is fundamentally a signal standard for the D-1 format or the D-2 format which may be a digital signal standard.
This SDI format is able to effect the transmission for only data of limited media. To be concrete, media that can be transmitted may be one channel of video data and about 8 channels of baseband audio data. For this reason, the SDI format is unsuitable for multimedia or multichannel.
Also, the SDTI (Serial Data Transport Interface) format is standardized by SMPTE-305M of the SMPTE. This SDTI format is suitable for multimedia or multichannel while the advantage of the SDI format is being effectively utilized and a common property with the SDI format is being kept in part. This SDTI format is the standard for transmitting the baseband signal and is able to transmit an end synchronizing code (EAV: End of Active Video) and a start synchronizing code (SAV: Start of Active Video) together.
That is, according to the SDTI format, there can be transmitted a serial digital transfer interface transmission packet in which an interval of each line of a video frame comprises an area into which an EAV is inserted, an ancillary data area into which ancillary data is inserted (ancillary data portion ANC), an area into which an SAV is inserted and a payload area into which video data and audio data are inserted.
When the above-mentioned SDTI format is in use, the editing of a stream may be realized by switching. In this case, the NTSC system may use the 10th line as the switching timing, and the PAL system may use the 6th line as the switching timing. The switching may be executed at the timing using video data mainly. As a result, there is the risk that audio data will cause an audio gap due to the following reasons.
For example, when audio data having a sampling frequency of 48 kHz is equally divided into each frame of the NTSC system video signal having 525 lines/frame and 59.94 fields/second, the number of audio data samples per one video frame becomes 1601.6 samples (=(48 kHz/59.94 fields)×2 fields) and does not become an integer. Therefore, when each sample of audio data is block-divided in correspondence with each video frame, 1601 samples or 1602 samples may be allocated to each video frame.
In this case, since the number of audio data samples of 5 video frames becomes 8008 samples (=5×1601.6 samples), the above-mentioned block division may be executed at the 5-frame sequence as shown in FIG. 22A. That is, the 5 frames comprising the first frame of 1602 samples, the second frame of 1601 samples, the third frame of 1602 samples, the fourth frame of 1601 samples and the fifth frame of 1602 samples may be repeated.
When the audio data is block-divided at the 5-frame sequence as described above, if the editing is executed by switching the stream as described above, there is then the risk that a continuity of 5-frame sequence will be lost. For example, if a 5-frame sequence of a stream STMa is presented as shown in FIG. 22A and is used as a reference phase, then as a phase pattern of a stream STMb which may be replaced with the stream STMa by switching, there may be considered five kinds of phase patterns shown in FIGS. 22B to F.
When the phase pattern of the stream STMb is presented as shown in FIG. 22B, the continuity of the 5-frame sequence can be prevented from being lost even though the switching is executed. However, when the phase patterns of the stream STMb are presented as shown in FIGS. 22C to F, the continuity of the 5-frame sequence will be lost. Depending on the switching timing, there occurs an interval (audio gap) in which frames of 1601 samples may continue to cause one audio data sample to become insufficient.
When this audio gap is reproduced as it is, an audio waveform becomes discontinuous. There is then the risk that a large noise that cannot be expected will occur. Therefore, an editing point at which the audio gap will occur should be detected, and sounds should be muted upon reproduction.
An object of this invention is to enable the receiving side to easily execute a processing such as muting sounds necessary for an editing point. Also, an object of this invention is to enable the stream switching point generated in a transmission line to be easily detected as an editing point.

Data transmitting method and data transmitter


A plumbing connector and method of connection including: a fitting having external threads on at least the first end; a tube having a first end inserted into the first end of the fitting; and an annular gasket, a compression ring, a lock ring, and a nut coaxial with and surrounding the outer diameter of the tube. The nut has internal threads adapted to engage the external threads of the fitting and is adapted to contain the gasket, the compression ring, and the lock ring upon threading of the nut onto the fitting. Upon threading and tightening of the nut onto the fitting, the gasket is compressed, an inner edge of the lock ring bitingly engages the outer diameter of the tube, and the gasket forms a seal with at least the first end of the fitting, the outer diameter of the tube, and an outer edge of the lock ring.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plumbing connector utilizing a fitting securement ring within a threaded connector. More specifically, the invention is directed to a plumbing connector for attaching a vacuum breaker tube to the outlet of a flush valve.
Description of Related Art
In a typical flush valve assembly, a vacuum breaker tube is attached to the outlet of the flush valve. This vacuum breaker tube is attached with additional fittings leading up to a fixture or directly to the spud of a fixture. There have been many problems with blow-outs of the vacuum breaker tube when it is not sufficiently secured to the fixture. Because a flush valve is used to flush water at high velocities, the joint where the tube and the fixture are connected can become compromised causing the tube to blow out of the fitting. These blow-outs can lead to flooding of the surrounding area.
An example of a prior art connector 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The assembly consists of the vacuum breaker tube 12 and a fitting 14, in this case, a brass elbow. The elbow fitting 14 includes a brass body, a brass nut 16, a friction ring 18, and a rubber gasket 20. The brass nut 16 is slipped over the tube 12 followed by the friction ring 18, and then the rubber gasket 20. Once these items are slipped over the tube 12, the tube 12 can then be inserted into the elbow fitting 14. The internal threads of the nut 16 are then threaded onto the external threads of the elbow fitting 14. As the nut 16 is threaded to the elbow, the assembly gets tighter and the gasket 20 begins to compress between the top of the nut 16 and the top of the fitting 14 as shown in FIG. 2. As the gasket 20 is compressed, its inner walls tightly engage the tube's 12 outer wall. At the same time, the bottom of the gasket 20 is being compressed into the end of the elbow fitting 14. In this manner, two seals are created. One seal is created by the compression of the gasket 20 against the tube's 12 outer wall. The second seal is created by the compression of the bottom of the gasket 20 against the elbow fitting's 14 flat top edge. The grip of the rubber gasket 20 on the tube 12 is the only part preventing the tube 12 from blowing out of the elbow fitting 14. This type of securement often proves to be insufficient to overcome the force created by the flushing of the flush valve and the vacuum tube 12 is blown out the fitting 14.

Fitting securement ring for threaded connector


Disclosed in the present disclosure is a data line, with two ends of the data line being provided with a first interface and a second interface respectively, and the first interface and the second interface being used for connecting to devices, wherein at least one end of the data line is provided with a first connection apparatus, with the first connection apparatus being connected to the other end of the data line or a second connection apparatus provided at the other end of the data line, so that the data line forms a circular shape by way of the connection of the first connection apparatus. By way of the present disclosure, the problem in the related art that is inconvenient to carry the data line is solved, so that the user experience is improved.

With the increasing of the terminal devices on the market, a data line is also widely applied, for example, the data line may be used to charge the terminal and used for data transmission and so on. The data line has become an indispensable accessory of the terminal. However, currently it is inconvenient to carry the data line. And, there is no product in the related art that aims to improve the convenience of carrying the data line.


An adaptive tuning method for a wireless communication device determines the impedance of a matching circuit relative to an impedance to be matched and adjusts the impedance of the matching circuit accordingly. A passive surface acoustic wave (SAW) device includes multiple terminated interdigital transducers (IDTs) which generate reflected SAWs when excited by incident SAWs, each reflected SAW having magnitude and phase characteristics dependent upon the particular IDT termination. According to the invention, the IDT terminations include the impedance matching circuit and the impedance to be matched. Input IDTs in the SAW device are excited with electrical signals, which are converted to generate the incident SAWs. The resultant reflected SAWs are converted by output IDTs into output electrical signal signals which can then be analyzed to determine magnitude and phase differences between the output electrical signal signals and generate an impedance matching circuit control signal based thereon.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the field of antennas used in wireless communication devices and particularly to adaptive tuning of such antennas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been a proliferation in recent years in the field of wireless telecommunications. Items such as cordless and cellular telephones, pagers, wireless modems, wireless email devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs) with communication functions, and other mobile communication devices are becoming commonplace, particularly among individuals who need to be quickly contacted from remote locations. With such devices, it is very important to maintain a clear, strong signal that preserves the integrity of the transmission.
The antennas used with previous wireless communication devices are prone to many significant problems. Some devices, such as pagers and cellular telephones, are usually worn on the person of the user. However, the human body has certain inherent dielectric properties that create an electromagnetic boundary. The boundary conditions of the body of the user change the surrounding impedance, affecting the antenna current distribution and the signal radiation pattern, thus lowering the gain of the antenna by about 4 dB. In this way, the antenna is xe2x80x9cdetunedxe2x80x9d. Antenna detuning may also be caused by the presence of certain objects such as metallic bodies and also various ground plane conditions. This effect results in a shorter operating radius and poor in-building performance for some wireless communications devices.
Such boundary effects can be particularly pronounced in modern mobile communication device designs, in which embedded antennas are common. A signal transmitted from or received by an antenna which is integrated into a communication device may encounter several boundaries, including for example a printed circuit board, a battery, a display screen, a device housing, a device carrying case and any of a multitude of other elements or components associated with the device, in addition to a user""s body. All such boundaries affect signal propagation and the surrounding impedance seen by the antenna.
Previous devices also suffer from performance problems related to the polarization characteristics of transmission and reception signals. Electromagnetic radiation propagates in any plane and can thus be regarded as having vertical and horizontal polarizations. In order to receive a strong signal, an antenna must be property aligned with the polarization plane of the incoming signal. However, when a mobile device is in operation, it may be turned in all different directions and may not be optimally aligned to receive an incoming signal. In a two-way device, transmissions from the device can be affected by a similar problem. Known device antennas incorporate a loop design, which is nominally effective at implementing the two polarizations but suffers from low gain and low bandwidth. Boundary sources also affect the reception of a polarized signal.
At least a portion of the signal power losses associated with antennas in wireless devices is due to signal reflection. Ideally, all of the signal power of a signal input to an antenna should be converted into an output signal. In reference to FIG. 1, all of the power in a signal generated by a communication unit 12 in a wireless communication device 10 and input to an antenna 16 through a line 14 would ideally be radiated out into the air by antenna 16. A communication signal received over the air by antenna 16 would similarly be converted into a received signal and input to the communication unit 12. However, in reality the characteristic impedance of the communication unit 12 and line 14 interacts with the characteristic impedance of the antenna 16. Unless these impedances are equal, some signal reflection will occur at the interface between line 14 and antenna 16.
One known method of addressing the above-noted problems is to provide an impedance matching circuit between communication circuitry and an antenna, as shown in FIG. 2. Communication device 20 is substantially the same as device 10, but includes impedance matching circuit 24 in line 14. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, impedance matching circuit 24 will normally be an LC circuit with inductance and capacitance elements connected in any one of a number of standard matching circuit topologies. On the communication unit side of line 14, characteristic impedance is relatively easily determined in accordance with known techniques. For example, line 14 may be a coaxial cable having a standard characteristic impedance of 50 xcexa9, in which case the impedance matching circuit 24 would be designed and implemented such that the overall impedance of the matching circuit 24, in conjunction with the characteristic impedance of the antenna 16, is also 50 xcexa9.
A major problem with impedance matching in mobile or other wireless communication systems is that impedance matching circuits are normally calibrated during device manufacture and do not normally provide for adjustments in the field, whereas surrounding impedance affecting antennas is rarely constant. In the example receiver 20, over the air signals transmitted and received by antenna 16 may encounter such dielectric boundaries as the housing of device 20, printed circuit boards on which the communication unit 12 is built, electronic components in the communication unit 12, batteries for powering the device 20, display 18, input device 22 and the body of a device user, all of which will affect the impedance seen by the antenna 16. Such impedances can be estimated, but are dependent upon the orientation of the device with respect to its surroundings. Thus, even the best estimates of impedance matching requirements cannot possibly remain accurate for all device operating conditions.
Another known technique intended to compensate for signal reflection effects is shown in FIG. 3. The device 30 is similar to devices 10 and 20, but includes signal power measurement and amplifier control arrangements in addition to the impedance matching circuit 24. The arrangement shown in FIG. 3 is normally used only in a transmit signal path, as indicated by the illustrated unidirectional connections between components. In FIG. 3, a signal generated in communication unit 12 for transmission from device 30 is amplified by power amplifier 26 and then fed to directional power coupler 28. The transmission signal is split between the impedance matching circuit 24 and a termination 34. A reflected signal induced by the combination of antenna 16 and matching circuit 24 is then fed back to a signal power measurement unit 32, which develops an amplifier control signal. Such conventional arrangements measure only signal magnitude and are not designed or intended to determine signal phase. Since effective antenna and surrounding impedances are dependent upon orientation of the antenna, phase information can be important for accurate impedance matching. Furthermore, instead of correcting the underlying problem causing signal power losses, these conventional systems merely boost signal power so that the signal losses can be tolerated.
Therefore, there remains a need for an improved impedance matching arrangement and technique. According to the invention, surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology is used to determine the magnitude and phase of reflected signals and thereby impedance magnitude and phase in a wireless communication device. The determined magnitude and phase are then used to develop control signals which are advantageously used to adjust components in an impedance matching circuit to thereby provide adaptive tuning in a communication device.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved impedance matching method and system which provide for an increased operating radius for a wireless communication device.
A related object of the invention is to provide a wireless communication device with improved performance in physically congested operating environments, such as within buildings.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an impedance matching method and system that render a wireless communication device less sensitive to environmental fluctuations.
The inventive method and system also enable a wireless communication device to operate with less sensitivity to directional position.
According to an aspect of the invention, a method for adaptive tuning in a wireless communication device comprises the steps of determining magnitude and phase differences between impedance of a matching circuit and an impedance to be matched and adjusting the impedance of the matching circuit to compensate the differences.
The determining step preferably comprises the steps of providing a first IDT track comprising a first input IDT configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal, a first output IDT configured to produce an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, and a first terminated IDT positioned adjacent to the first input IDT and the first output IDT and configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal and an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, providing a first termination circuit connected to the first terminated IDT and causing the first terminated IDT to reflect a SAW toward the first output IDT responsive to a SAW produced by the first input IDT, applying an electrical input signal to the first input IDT to produce a first SAW, and receiving a first electrical output signal produced by the first output IDT in response to a first reflected SAW produced by the first terminated IDT responsive to the first SAW. The first electrical output signal may then be processed to determine impedance magnitude and phase of the first termination circuit. When the first termination circuit is the impedance matching circuit, the determining step may further comprise the step of comparing the impedance magnitude and phase of the first termination circuit with a predetermined magnitude and phase of the impedance to be matched to thereby determine the magnitude and phase differences.
In an embodiment of the invention, the determining step further comprises the steps of providing a second IDT track comprising a second input IDT configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal and a second output IDT configured to produce an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, and a second terminated IDT positioned adjacent to the second input IDT and the second output IDT and configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal and an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, providing a second termination circuit connected to the terminated IDT and causing the second terminated IDT to reflect a SAW toward the second output IDT responsive to a SAW produced by the second input IDT, applying an electrical input signal to the second input IDT to produce a second SAW, and receiving a second electrical output signal produced by the second output IDT in response to a second reflected SAW produced by the second terminated IDT responsive to the second SAW.
In such a multiple IDT track embodiment, the first termination circuit may be the impedance matching circuit, the second termination circuit may be a reference circuit having known impedance, and the determining step may then further comprise the steps of frequency down converting the first electrical signal by mixing the first and second electrical output signals to generate a mixed signal and low pass filtering the mixed signal to generate a filtered signal, and processing the filtered signal to determine impedance magnitude and phase of the first termination circuit. The magnitude and phase differences may be determined by comparing the impedance magnitude and phase of the first termination circuit with a predetermined magnitude and phase of the impedance to be matched.
The first input IDT and the first output IDT may comprise a first input/output IDT having first electrical input/output terminals, such that the step of applying an electrical input signal to the first input IDT comprises the step of applying the electrical input signal to the first electrical input/output terminals and the step of receiving a first electrical output signal comprises the step of receiving the first electrical output signal from the first electrical input/output terminals. The second input IDT and the second output IDT may similarly comprise a second input/output IDT having second electrical input/output terminals, such that the step of applying an electrical input signal to the second input IDT comprises the step of applying the electrical input signal to the second electrical input/output terminals and the step of receiving a second electrical output signal comprises the step of receiving the second electrical output signal from the second electrical input/output terminals.
A method according to the invention may further comprise the steps of providing a third termination circuit and switchably connecting either the first termination circuit or the third termination circuit to the first terminated IDT. The first termination circuit may be the impedance matching circuit, the third termination circuit may be the impedance to be matched, and the determining step may further comprise the steps of connecting the first termination circuit to the first terminated IDT, applying an electrical input signal to the first input IDT to produce the first SAW, receiving the first electrical output signal, connecting the third termination circuit to the first terminated IDT, applying an electrical input signal to the first input IDT to produce a third SAW, and receiving a third electrical output signal produced by the first output IDT in response to a third reflected SAW produced by the first terminated IDT responsive to the third SAW. The first and third electrical output signals may then be processed to determine the magnitude and phase differences. Alternatively, the first termination circuit may be the impedance matching circuit, the second termination circuit may be the impedance to be matched, and the determining step comprises the steps of processing the first electrical output signal to determine impedance magnitude and phase of the first termination circuit, processing the second electrical output signal to determine impedance magnitude and phase of the second termination circuit, and comparing the impedance magnitude and phase of the first termination circuit and the impedance magnitude and phase of the second termination circuit to determine the magnitude and phase differences.
When a third termination circuit is to be used, the determining step may instead comprise the further steps of providing a third IDT track comprising a third input IDT configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal and a third output IDT configured to produce an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, and a third terminated IDT positioned adjacent to the third input IDT and the third output IDT and configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal and an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, providing a third termination circuit connected to the terminated IDT and causing the third terminated IDT to reflect a SAW toward the third output IDT responsive to a SAW produced by the third input IDT, applying an electrical input signal to the third input IDT to produce a third SAW, and receiving a third electrical output signal produced by the third output IDT in response to a third reflected SAW produced by the third terminated IDT responsive to the third SAW.
In a preferred triple-track embodiment, the first termination circuit is the impedance matching circuit, the second termination circuit is a reference circuit having known impedance, the third termination circuit is the impedance to be matched, and the determining step comprises the steps of frequency down converting the first and third electrical output signals by mixing the first and second electrical output signals to generate a first mixed signal, mixing the second and third electrical output signals to generate a second mixed signal and low pass filtering the first and second mixed signals to respectively generate a first filtered signal and a second filtered signal, and processing the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal to determine the magnitude and phase differences.
An adaptive tuning system according to an aspect of the invention comprises a passive SAW device, means for supplying an electrical input signal to excite the passive SAW device, means for processing electrical output signals produced by the SAW device responsive to the electrical input signals to generate a control signal, and an adjustable impedance matching circuit connected to receive the control signal, the impedance of the impedance matching circuit being dependent upon the control signal.
In one embodiment, the passive SAW device comprises a first IDT track, the first track including a first input IDT configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal, a first output IDT configured to produce an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, a first terminated IDT positioned adjacent to the first input IDT and the first output IDT and configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal and to produce an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, and a first termination circuit connected to the first terminated IDT and causing the first terminated IDT to reflect a SAW toward the first output IDT responsive to a SAW produced by the first input IDT, the magnitude and phase of the reflected SAW being dependent on the first termination circuit. In this embodiment, the first input IDT produces a first SAW in response to an electrical input signal from the means for supplying and the first output IDT produces a first electrical output signal in response to a first reflected SAW produced by the first terminated IDT responsive to the first SAW.
The adjustable impedance matching circuit may be connected as the first termination circuit, and the means for processing may then generate the control signal based on a comparison between the first electrical output signal and a predetermined signal. The predetermined signal is preferably dependent upon an impedance to be matched by the impedance matching circuit.
The passive SAW device may further comprise a second IDT track, the second track including a second input IDT configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal, a second output IDT configured to produce an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, a second terminated IDT positioned adjacent to the second input IDT and the second output IDT and configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal and to produce an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, and a second termination circuit connected to the second terminated IDT and causing the second terminated IDT to reflect a SAW toward the second output IDT responsive to a SAW produced by the second input IDT, the magnitude and phase of the reflected SAW being dependent on the second termination circuit. The second termination circuit may be an impedance to be matched by the impedance matching circuit. This impedance to be matched may be known or unknown.
The first input IDT and the first output IDT may comprise a single first input/output IDT and the second input IDT and the second output IDT may similarly comprise a single second input/output IDT.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the first termination circuit is switchably connected to the first terminated IDT in the first IDT track, such that any one of a plurality of different termination circuits may be switchably connected to the first terminated IDT. The plurality of different termination circuits preferably includes the impedance matching circuit and an impedance to be matched by the impedance matching circuit.
In a still further embodiment, the passive SAW device further comprises a third IDT track, the third track including a third input IDT configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal, a third output IDT configured to produce an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, a third terminated IDT positioned adjacent to the third input IDT and the third output IDT and configured to produce a SAW output when excited by an electrical input signal and to produce an electrical output signal when excited by a SAW input, and a third termination circuit connected to the third terminated IDT and causing the third terminated IDT to reflect a SAW toward the third output IDT responsive to a SAW produced by the third input IDT, the magnitude and phase of the reflected SAW being dependent on the third termination circuit. The third input IDT produces a third SAW in response to an electrical input signal from the means for supplying, and the third output IDT produces a third electrical output signal in response to a third reflected SAW produced by the third terminated IDT responsive to the third SAW.
In further preferred embodiments of the invention, the system further comprises a frequency down converter, the converter comprising mixers for mixing the first and second electrical output signals and a reference frequency signal to generate a mixed signals and low pass filters for filtering the mixed signals to generate a down converted signals. In such embodiments, the means for processing generates the control signal based on the down converted signals. The reference frequency signal may be supplied by either an oscillator or, in multiple-track embodiments, by one of the IDT tracks.
According to an aspect of the invention, each IDT is configured to operate at a predetermined frequency equal to a frequency at which a communication device sends or receives communication signals. The impedance matching circuit is preferably connected to an antenna of the device.
Communication devices in which adaptive tuning methods and systems according to the present invention may be implemented include, but are in no way limited to, such devices as cordless telephones, mobile communication devices, cellular telephones, wireless modems, hand-held electronic communication devices, pagers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) enabled for communications.
Further features of the invention will be described or will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description. As will be appreciated, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

Adaptive tuning device and method utilizing a surface acoustic wave device for tuning a wireless communication device


A device for fastening printing forms (10) on printing form cylinders (1) of rotary printing presses. The printing forms (10) extend into a clamping channel (3) with their leading edge (12) and their trailing edge (13) and are tensioned therein, via clamping elements, on the lateral surface (2) of the printing form cylinder (1) in a circumferential direction of the printing form cylinder (1) and retained in the clamping channel (3). The clamping elements are accommodated on a tensioning shaft (6) which is rotatably inserted in a bore of the printing form cylinder (1). The clamping elements are designed as spring elements (16, 27) in Y-shape (21), including a first and a second resilient section (17, 19).

Priority to German Patent Application No. 100 60 826.4, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, is hereby claimed.
The present invention relates to a spring element for fixing in place printing forms on printing form cylinders which are contained in printing units of rotary printing presses, the printing forms being printing forms which have a plate-shaped configuration and feature angularly bent leading edges and trailing edges.
European Patent No. 0 534 579 B2 relates to a device for changing printing plates in a rotary printing press. In this design approach, provision is made for a plurality of leaf springs which are each formed of a leaf spring member and have a U-shaped cross-section. These leaf springs are accommodated in a spring groove. The leaf springs each include a leg via which the leading end of the printing plate is retained in the clamping channel; the leaf springs, moreover, include a second leg via which an angularly bent trailing printing plate edge is fixed in place in the clamping channel of the printing form cylinder. A tensioning spindle is acted upon by a preloading element so that the tensioning spindle can be moved is such a manner that the leaf springs can act both upon a leading edge and upon a trailing edge of a printing plate.
The leaf spring arrangement known from European Patent EP 0 534 579 B2 involves the disadvantageous circumstance that, due to the narrow installation space, the leaf springs cannot be fitted into a preassembled tensioning shaft which is already integrated into the printing form cylinder.
In view of the indicated related art, an object of the present invention is to provide a spring element which is easy to mount and dismount, for fixing in place printing forms on cylinders.
According to the present invention, this objective may be achieved by a device or fixing printing forms on printing form cylinders of rotary printing presses, the printing forms extending into a clamping channel with their leading edges and trailing edges and, via clamping elements in the clamping channel, being tensioned on the lateral surface of the printing form cylinder in a circumferential direction of the printing form cylinder and retained in the clamping channel. The clamping elements are accommodated on a tensioning shaft which is rotatably accommodated in a bore of the printing form cylinder, and the clamping elements are designed as Y-shaped spring elements including a first and a second resilient section.
The advantages which can be attained using this design approach are to be seen above all in that a tension spring element configured in this manner needs an extremely small installation space and that it can be installed after the tensioning spindle has already been introduced into the receiving bore in the printing form cylinder accommodating the printing form. This involves that the installation work is made easier and rationalized; moreover, the spring element configured according to the present invention for fixing in place printing forms can be replaced in the clamping channel of a printing form cylinder easily. During the replacement of the clamping elements configured according to the present invention, it is not required to remove the cylinder from the side walls of the printing unit, which would result in unjustifiably long standstill times (downtime) of the respective printing unit. A further advantageous aspect of the design approach according to the present invention is to be seen in that a spring element having the design proposed according to the present invention allows both the printing form to be tensioned in a circumferential direction on the lateral surface of the respective printing form cylinder and the leading printing form edge to be fixed in place on a side wall of the clamping channel concurrently with the tensioning of the trailing printing form edge. The configuration of a spring element according to the present invention makes it possible for the printing form ends to be fixed in place in the clamping channel, involving a high retention force, while at the same time permitting compensating movements of the printing form on the lateral surface due to the flexural elasticity of the clamping element configured according to the present invention.
In an advantageous refinement of the idea of the present invention, a plurality of spring elements can be accommodated side by side in the clamping channel of the respective printing form cylinder. This permits an easy mounting or dismounting of the spring elements on printing units of rotary printing presses which contain extremely slender and therefore relatively wide printing form cylinders.
A first variant of an embodiment of the spring elements configured according to the present invention includes a first and a second resilient section made of flexurally elastic material of different material thickness. In this context, in a particularly simple manner in terms of production engineering, the first and the second resilient section can be made of materials of different material thickness which are joined to form a spring element configured according to the present invention, the spring qualities of the spring element being adjustable through the selection of the material thickness. Thus, for instance, the first resilient section which tensions the trailing edge of a printing form in a circumferential direction on the lateral surface of a printing cylinder can be designed with a higher, a greater material thickness in comparison with the second resilient section of the spring element projecting from the first resilient section in a Y-shaped manner.
To improve the transfer of the retention force, the first resilient section designed with a greater material thickness is provided with an angularly bent, hook-shaped end region via which the trailing edge of the printing form to be fixed in place on the lateral surface of the printing form cylinder is grasped and tensioned in a circumferential direction. Because of the flexural elasticity inherent in the first resilient section, the tensional force is permanently transferred to the printing form when the spring element is in a tensioning position.
At a spreading location, the second resilient section of the spring element branches off from the first resilient section in a Y-shaped fashion in a manner which reduces the required installation space. Because of this, the spring element configured according to the present invention can be inserted into the clamping channel provided on the printing form cylinder with the locating section ahead which can easily be introduced into the receiving slot of the tensioning shaft which accommodates and actuates the spring element.
The second resilient section projecting from the first resilient section in a Y-shaped manner includes a curved region at whose side facing the leading edge of the printing form, a linear contact region is formed. Via the linear contact region, the second section abuts against the leading edge of the printing form retained on a side wall of the printing form cylinder and fixes the leading edge permanently in place in the clamping channel while, at the same time, the first resilient section grips under the trailing edge of the printing form with its hook-shaped end, tensioning the printing form in a circumferential direction on the lateral surface of the printing form cylinder.
In addition to configuring the second resilient section of the spring element in a manner that a linear contact with the leading printing form edge is provided, this section can also be provided with coatings which increase the coefficient of friction, pin-shaped retaining elements extending through the angularly bent leading printing form edge, thus fixing in place the leading edge on a side wall of the clamping channel in the printing form cylinder.
In a further variant of an embodiment of the spring element configured according to the present invention, the spring element can be designed in one piece with a continuous locating section from which first and second resilient sections project in a Y-shaped manner. In this variant of an embodiment of the spring element proposed according to the present invention, the first and second resilient sections can be alternately formed on a workpiece in a segment-like manner. The first and second resilient sections are separated from each other by slot-shaped openings so that the one-piece spring element is easy to manufacture in terms of production engineering, using simple forming processes. In this context, according to the second variant of the design approach of the present invention, the end of the first resilient section of the spring element designed in one piece which end grasps the trailing edge of the printing form can be provided with a rounded region which reduces the risk of injury to the person who manually changes the printing form. Besides, the spring elements configured according to the present invention can, of course, also be used for retaining, tensioning and fixing in place plate-shaped printing forms which can be conveyed to the printing form cylinders of rotary printing presses or removed therefrom via automatic or semi-automatic printing plate changing devices.
The design approach proposed according to the present invention, can preferably be used on rotary printing presses, it being particularly preferred for use in web-fed rotary printing presses, for example short-run or newspaper presses.

Spring element for fixing in place printing forms on printing form cylinders


A precooling system for an evaporative cooler for a closed loop cooling fluid system includes a supplemental heat exchanging coil connected in the cooling fluid loop upstream of the main evaporative cooler coils and positioned in the outlet air flow through the evaporative cooler, but above or outside the path of the spray water. The supplemental heat exchanging coil provides enough additional cooling capacity to allow the spray water system to be completely shut off and the spray water sump drained during low outside ambient temperature operation. Freeze up of the sump and other parts of the spray water system are completely eliminated and a substantial saving in spray water consumption and energy for freeze prevention systems is realized.

The present invention pertains to evaporative cooling systems and, more particularly, to an evaporative cooler for cooling process fluid in a closed system.
Closed loop evaporative coolers for cooling process water or other fluids in industrial applications are well known in the art. Such units are usually mounted outside the factory building, typically on a roof, where process fluid used to cool industrial equipment and machines inside the factory is directed for cooling and returned for recirculation through the equipment. In a typical evaporative cooler, a number of vertically spaced horizontally disposed banks or tiers of cooling coils are supported within a housing through which a flow of outside ambient air is induced with a fan or fans to direct cooling air into the housing and up through the tiers of coils. A spray water system, including a header and nozzle arrangement, is positioned above the uppermost tier of the main cooling coils within the housing to direct a spray of water downwardly over the coils and counter to the upward flow of cooling air. The evaporative effect of the spray water supplements the effect of the cooling air flow, all in a well known manner, to cool the process water or other cooling fluid which is continuously pumped through the serially connected banks of cooling coils.
In the use of evaporative coolers in temperate climates where operation at below freezing temperatures in winter months is required, steps must be taken to prevent freeze up of the spray water system, including the prevention of freezing in the spray water sump at the bottom of the unit where the spray water is collected and recirculated by pump to the spray header. Electric heaters or other types of heating equipment must be placed in the spray water sump to prevent freeze up in cold weather. Such heating systems add substantially to the operating costs of an evaporative cooler and, in extremely cold weather, spray water passing through the cooling coils still freezes and results in decreasing operating efficiencies. Also, the operation of spray water systems in evaporative coolers in a range of ambient temperature conditions both below and above zero often results in a characteristic formation of a plume of water vapor which is aesthetically undesirable.
It is known in the prior art to position precooling coils above the spray water header and connect the same in series with the main cooling coils in the condenser unit for a refrigeration system. U.S. Pat. No. 2,068,478 shows one such system. However, operation of the evaporative cooler includes continuous operation of the spray water system and, in addition, the precooling coils are substantially larger in size and in basic cooling capacity than are the main evaporative cooling coils.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,026,690 shows a similar system, but with a modification wherein the precooler coils and the main evaporative cooler coils though serially connected are positioned in parallel passages within the cooler housing. Thus, the precooler coils are not positioned above the spray water header so as to receive the same flow of cooling air as the main cooling coils.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,213,622 discloses an evaporative cooling unit which includes a precooling coil positioned within the cooler housing and in the flow of cooling air. The precooling coil is located immediately above the spray water header. The system includes a temperature responsive control which operates to shut off the flow of spray water as the temperature drops below freezing.
British patent specification 845844 also discloses a supplemental finned precooler positioned in the housing of an evaporative cooler above the spray water cooling system. One of the functions of the fins of the precooling coils is to act as a mist eliminator by trapping airborne spray water particles to separate the water from the cooling air discharged from the unit.

Non-freeze closed loop evaporated cooling system


Disclosed is a two-stage catalytic process for hydrodemetallation and hydrodesulfurization of heavy hydrocarbon streams containing asphaltenes and a substantial amount of metals. The first stage of this process comprises contacting the feedstock in a first reaction zone with hydrogen and a demetallation catalyst comprising hydrogenation metal selected from Group VIB and/or Group VIII deposed on a large-pore, high surface area inorganic oxide support; the second stage of the process comprises contacting the effluent from the first reaction zone with a catalyst consisting essentially of hydrogenation metal selected from Group VIB deposed on a smaller-pore, catalytically active support comprising alumina, said second-stage catalyst having a surface area within the range of about 150 m.sup.2 /gm to about 300 m.sup.2 /gm, having a majority of its pore volume in pore diameters within the range of about 80 A to about 130 A, and the catalyst has a pore volume within the range of about 0.4 cc/gm to about 0.9 cc/gm.

This invention relates to a catalytic process for hydrotreating heavy hydrocarbon streams containing asphaltenic material, metals and sulfur compounds. More particularly, this invention relates to hydroprocessing using multiple-stage catalytic treatment with catalyst having improved effectiveness of activity maintenance in the desulfurization of metal-containing hydrocarbon streams.
As refiners increase the proportion of heavier, poorer quality crude oil in the feedstock to be processed, the need grows for processes to treat the fractions containing increasingly higher levels of metals, asphaltenes, and sulfur.
It is widely known that various organometallic compounds and asphaltenes are present in petroleum crude oils and other heavy petroleum hydrocarbon streams, such as petroleum hydrocarbon residua, hydrocarbon streams derived from tar sands, and hydrocarbon streams derived from coals. The most common metals found in such hydrocarbon streams are nickel, vanadium, and iron. Such metals are very harmful to various petroleum refining operations, such as hydrocracking, hydrodesulfurization, and catalytic cracking. The metals and asphaltenes cause interstitial plugging of the catalyst bed and reduced catalyst life. The various metal deposits on a catalyst tend to poison or deactivate the catalyst. Moreover, the asphaltenes tend to reduce the susceptibility of the hydrocarbons to desulfurization. If a catalyst, such as a desulfurization catalyst or a fluidized cracking catalyst, is exposed to a hydrocarbon fraction that contains metals and asphaltenes, the catalyst will become deactivated rapidly and will be subject to premature replacement.
Although processes for the hydrotreating of heavy hydrocarbon streams, including but not limited to heavy crudes, reduced crudes, and petroleum hydrocarbon residua, are known, the use of fixed-bed catalytic processes to convert such feedstocks without appreciable asphaltene precipitation and reactor plugging and with effective removal of metals and other contaminants, such as sulfur compounds and nitrogen compounds, are not common because the catalysts employed have not generally been capable of maintaining activity and performance.
While multiple-stage catalytic processes for first hydrodemetallation followed by hydrodesulfurization treatment of heavy hydrocarbon streams having a high metals content are known, catalyst deactivation continues to be generally prohibitive to commercial application; particular difficulty has been experienced in the deactivation of the desulfurization catalyst primarily because conventional desulfurization catalysts containing Group VIII metal, particularly cobalt, have been relied upon, resulting in insufficient catalyst life, where metals in the hydrocarbon feedstock have caused desulfurization activity of the catalysts to deteriorate. Examples of multiple-stage catalytic processes for hydrotreatment of heavy hydrocarbon streams containing metals are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,180,820 (Gleim et al., 1965); 3,730,879 (Christman, 1973); 3,977,961 (Hamner, 1976); 3,985,684 (Arey et al., 1977); 4,016,067 (Fischer, 1977); 4,054,508 (Milstein, 1977); 4,051,021 (Hamner, 1977) and 4,073,718 (Hamner, 1978).
The catalysts disclosed in these references contain hydrogenating component comprising one or more metals from Group VIB and/or Group VIII on high surface area support such as alumina, and such combinations of metals as cobalt and molybdenum, nickel and molybdenum, nickel and tungsten, and cobalt, nickel, and molybdenum have been found useful. Generally, cobalt and molybdenum have been preferred metals in the catalysts disclosed for hydrotreatment of heavy hydrocarbon streams, both in first-stage catalytic treatment to primarily remove the bulk of the metal contaminants, and in second-stage catalytic treatment primarily for desulfurization. None of the references disclose actual examples of processes employing catalyst containing only Group VIB metal in the second-stage catalyst, and none of the references has suggested that desulfurization activity can be maintained and the life of the desulfurization catalyst can be improved if the catalyst contains only Group VIB metal.
Hopkins et al. in co-pending United States patent application Ser. No. 811,835, filed June 30, 1977, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,531 which is incorporated herein by reference, disclose a process for hydrodemetallation of hydrocarbon streams containing asphaltenes and a substantial amount of metals, which comprises contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a catalyst consisting essentially of a small amount of a single hydrogenation metal from Group VIB or Group VIII, deposed on a large pore alumina; suitable examples of the hydrogenation metal are nickel or molybdenum. The catalyst is characterized by a surface area of at least 120 m.sup.2 /gm; a pore volume of at least 0.7 cc/gm, and an average pore diameter of at least 125 A units.
Hopkins et al. suggest that while hydrodemetallation of heavy hydrocarbon streams is improved by employing catalyst consisting essentially of a single Group VIB or Group VIII hydrogenation metal, the substantially demetallated effluent will not normally be sufficiently desulfurized for further refining processes; consequently, there is great need for durable, effective desulfurization catalyst for use in processing the substantially demetallated stream.
The general object of this invention is to provide an improved process for hydrodemetallation and hydrodesulfurization of heavy hydrocarbon streams containing metals.
Another object of this invention is to improve the maintenance of activity of catalyst employed in the hydrodesulfurization stage of hydrodemetallation-hydrodesulfurization treatment of metal-containing heavy hydrocarbon streams.
We have found that the objectives of this invention can be attained by a sequential, two-stage hydrotreatment of metal-containing heavy hydrocarbon feedstock wherein a demetallation catalyst employed in the first stage provides demetallated effluent which is contacted in the second stage with the desulfurization catalyst containing at least one original Group VIB metal deposed on an alumina support. We have found for example that as little as 2.2 wt.% cobalt oxide causes rapid deactivation of the second-stage catalyst for sulfur removal; as a result of omitting from the second-stage desulfurization catalyst the conventional Group VIII component, the deactivating effect of the Group VIII metal, particularly cobalt, is eliminated and the process of this invention will achieve significantly improved combination of hydrodemetallation and hydrodesulfurization of the metal-containing heavy hydrocarbon streams, with greatly extended life of the second-stage, hydrodesulfurization catalyst, even under severe conditions of operation. The combined effect of substantially demetallating the feed with effective catalyst in the first stage, together with the elimination of the deactivating influence of Group VIII metal in the second-stage catalyst accomplishes the particularly effective preservation of the desulfurization activity of the second-stage catalyst and the improved length of the on-stream service permitted by the process of this invention.
Briefly, this invention comprises a two-stage process for hydrometallation and hydrodesulfurization of a hydrocarbon feedstock containing asphaltenes and a substantial amount of metals. The first stage of this process comprises contacting the feedstock in a first reaction zone with hydrogen and a demetallation catalyst typically comprising hydrogenation metal selected from Group VIB and/or Group VIII deposed on a large-pore, high-surface area inorganic oxide support, suitably alumina, silica, magnesia, zirconia and similar materials; the first-stage catalyst has a surface area of about 120 m.sup.2 /gm to about 400 m.sup.2 /gm, an average pore diameter within the range of about 125 A to about 350 A, and a pore volume within the range of about 0.7 cc/gm to about 1.5 cc/gm. The second stage of this process comprises contacting the effluent from the first reaction zone with a catalyst consisting essentially of at least one active original hydrogenation metal selected from Group VIB deposed on a smaller-pore, catalytically active support comprising alumina, and said metal being in at least one form selected from the group consisting of the elemental form, the oxide, and the sulfide. The catalyst has a surface area within the range of about 150 m.sup.2 /gm to about 300 m.sup.2 /gm, an average pore diameter within the range of about 90 A to about 160 A, and the catalyst has a pore volume within the range of about 0.4 cc/gm to about 0.9 cc/gm.
The preferable pore volume distribution for the second-stage catalyst is summarized as follows:
______________________________________ Pore Diameters, A % of Pore Volume ______________________________________ 50-80 <40 80-100 15-65 100-130 10-50 130+ <15 ______________________________________
We have found that it is surprisingly important to the desulfurization performance of the second-stage catalyst of this invention that maximum surface area exists as shown in FIG. 5, in the catalyst pores having diameters in the range of about 80-130 A; preferably the second-stage catalyst has about 90 m.sup.2 /gm to about 180 m.sup.2 /gm surface area in 80-130 A pores and more preferably such pores contain about 115-180 m.sup.2 /gm.
The term "active original hydrogenation metal" is used herein to refer to only the hydrogenation metal that is incorporated into the catalyst during its preparation and does not include any metal that is deposited upon the catalyst during the use of the catalyst in any process. Molybdenum, which is generally superior to chromium and tungsten in demetallation and desulfurization activity, is a preferred Group VIB metal component in both the first-stage catalyst and the second-stage catalyst. While generally Group VIB metal provides superior demetallation activity in comparison to Group VIII metal, nickel is a preferred Group VIII metal component in the first-stage catalyst.
The support for both first-stage catalyst and second-stage catalyst of this invention is preferably alumina; however, the support can comprise silica, phosphate, or other porous refractory inorganic oxide, preferably in an amount less than about 5 wt.% of the support.
In both stages or reaction zones, catalysts may be employed in the form of a fixed-bed or an ebullated bed of particles. In the case of a fixed-bed, the particulate material catalyst should have a particle size of at least 1/32 inch effective diameter.
Broadly, the present invention is directed to a process for the hydrotreating of heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks. Such feedstocks will contain asphaltenes, metals, nitrogen compounds, and sulfur compounds. It is to be understood that the feedstocks that are to be treated by the process of the present invention will contain from a small amount of nickel and vanadium, e.g., about 40 ppm, up to more than 1,000 ppm, of the combined total amount of nickel and vanadium and up to about 25 wt.% asphaltenes. This process is particularly useful in treating feedstock with a substantial amount of metals containing 150 ppm or more of nickel and vanadium and a sulfur content in the range of about 1 wt.% to about 10 wt.%. Typical feedstocks that can be treated satisfactorily by the process of the present invention will also contain a substantial amount of components that boil appreciably above 1,000.degree. F. Examples of typical feedstocks are crude oils, topped crude oils, petroleum hydrocarbon residua, both atmospheric and vacuum residua, oils obtained from tar sands and residua derived from tar sand oil, and hydrocarbon streams derived from coal. Such hydrocarbon streams contain organometallic contaminants which create deleterious effects in various refining processes that employ catalysts in the conversion of the particular hydrocarbon stream being treated. The metallic contaminants that are found in such feedstocks include, but are not limited to, iron, vanadium, and nickel.
Nickel is present in the form of soluble organometallic compounds in most crude oils and residuum fractions. The presence of nickel porphyrin complexes and other nickel organometallic complexes causes severe difficulties in the refining and utilization of heavy hydrocarbon fractions, even if the concentration of such complexes is relatively small. It is known that a cracking catalyst deteriorates rapidly and its selectivity changes when in the presence of an appreciable quantity of the organometallic nickel compounds. An appreciable quantity of such organometallic nickel compounds in feedstocks that are being hydrotreated or hydrocracked harmfully affects such processes. The catalyst becomes deactivated and plugging or increasing of the pressure drop in a fixed-bed reactor results from the deposition of nickel compounds in the interstices between catalyst particles.
Iron-containing compounds and vanadium-containing compounds are present in practically all crude oils that are associated with the high Conradson carbon asphaltic and/or asphaltenic portion of the crude. Of course, such metals are concentrated in the residual bottoms, when a crude is topped to remove those fractions that boil below about 450.degree. F. to 600.degree. F. If such residuum is treated by additional processes, the presence of such metals adversely affects the catalyst in such processes. It should be pointed out that nickel-containing compounds deleteriously affect cracking catalysts to a greater extent than do iron-containing compounds. If an oil containing such metals is used as a fuel, the metals will cause poor fuel oil performance in industrial furnaces, since they corrode the metal surfaces of the furnaces.
While metallic contaminants, such as vanadium, nickel, and iron, are often present in various hydrocarbon streams, other metals are also present in a particular hydrocarbon stream. Such metals exist as the oxides or sulfides of the particular metal, or they are present as a soluble salt of the particular metal, or they are present as high molecular weight organometallic compounds, including metal naphthenates and metal porphyrins, and derivatives thereof.
Sequentially hydrotreating heavy hydrocarbon feedstock with the first-stage catalyst of this invention followed by the second-stage catalyst of this invention will allow hydrodemetallation and hydrodesulfurization with greatly extended catalyst life even under severe conditions.

Process for demetallation and desulfurization of heavy hydrocarbons


To provide a method for producing a water/oil repellent composition which can impart water/oil repellency to a surface of an article and has excellent durability (wash durability and heavy-rain durability) and an article which has water/oil repellency and is less susceptible to deterioration of water/oil repellency when it is washed or in heavy rain.

A method of treating an article with a water/oil repellent composition having a copolymer comprising polymerized units derived from a monomer having a polyfluoroalkyl group (hereinafter referred to as a Rf group) dispersed in a medium is known as a method for giving water/and oil repellency to a surface of the article (e.g. a fiber product). Such a water/oil repellent composition is required not to lose the water/oil repellency substantially even when repeatedly subjected to washing (wash durability).
As a water/oil repellent composition with excellent wash durability, the following water/oil repellent compositions have, for example, been proposed:
(1) a water/oil repellent composition containing a copolymer, as an indispensable component, which consists essentially of polymerized units derived from following monomer (a) and following monomer (b) (Patent Document 1):
monomer (a): a monomer having a C1-6 perfluoroalkyl group (hereinafter referred to as a RF group), etc.;
monomer (b): a (meth)acrylate having an alkyl group having at least 15 carbon atoms, etc.;
(2) a water/oil repellent composition containing a copolymer, as an indispensable component, which contains polymerized units derived from following monomer (a) and monomer (b) in an amount of at least 30 mass % and less than 80 mass % and further contains polymerized units derived from monomer (c) (Patent Document 2):
monomer (a): a monomer having a C1-6 RF group, etc.;
monomer (b): a monomer having no Rf group and having a cross-linkable functional group;
monomer (c): at least one monomer having no Rf group (excluding monomer (b)), which contains the following monomer (c1) or (c2) in an amount of at least 50 mass % based on the total amount of monomer (c):
monomer (c1): a (meth)acrylate having a C16-40 alkyl group, etc.; and
monomer (c2): a monomer, of which the glass transition point of the homopolymer is from −50° C. to 40° C. (excluding monomer (c1)).
However, the water/oil repellent compositions (1) and (2) have a problem such that their water/oil repellency is likely to deteriorate when they are exposed to heavy rain. Therefore, a water/oil repellent composition is desired, of which the water/oil repellency does not substantially deteriorate even when it is exposed to heavy rain, i.e. a water/oil repellent composition with heavy-rain durability is desired.
Patent Document 1: WO02/083809
Patent Document 2: WO2004/035708

Method for production of water/oil repellent composition and article

Abstract: A method for producing a water/oil repellent composition which comprises polymerizing a monomer component comprising the following monomer (a) in coexistence with the following compound (x) in a medium in the presence of a surfactant and a polymerization initiator: monomer (a) is a compound of the formula (Z—Y)nX wherein Z is a C1-20 polyfluoroalkyl group or the like, Y is a bivalent organic group or a single bond, n is 1 or 2, and X is a polymerizable unsaturated group; and the compound (x) is a compound having at least two groups of —(CH2)a—CHR1—(CH2)b—SH, wherein R1 is a methyl group or an ethyl group, a is an integer of from 0 to 2, and b is 0 or 1.


Sodium dichloro s-triazine trione compositions can be prepared in high yields with essentially no waste disposal requirements, without need for refrigeration, with ease of process control and surprisingly low generation of hazardous byproduct nitrogen trichloride by chlorinating a sodium s-triazine trione in an aqueous mixture wherein the triazine compounds are essentially completely in the liquid phase and the amount of water is below about 65%.

Sodium dichloro s-triazine trione (herein at times called "SDT") has been heretofore manufactured by chlorinating disodium cyanurate and then reacting the resulting dichlorocyanuric acid with sodium hydroxide, e.g. as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,294,797 issued Dec. 27, 1966 to C. D. Shallenberger et al. However, that preparation of SDT has the disadvantage of producing an aqueous sodium chloride waste stream of substantial size from the disodium cyanurate chlorination step.
It has also been known that salts of dichlorocyanuric acid can be prepared by chlorinating cyanuric acid in the presence of the hydroxide of the desired metal, e.g. as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,228 issued Aug. 15, 1967 to R. J. Fuchs et al.
More recently, it has been found that useful compositions containing SDT and byproduct sodium chloride can be prepared in high yields with essentially no waste disposal requirements by chlorinating a sodium s-triazine trione in an aqueous slurry and then converting the slurry to a solid composition by water removal (e.g. spray drying) as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,267 issued Oct. 24, 1978 to G. D. Nelson et al. Although the discovery was a significant advance in the art, difficulties have been experienced at times in handling the reaction slurry, e.g. line plugging and undesirably long reaction times. In addition, because the chlorination is exothermic, a refrigeration system is generally required to maintain the reaction temperature of 10.degree.-60.degree. C. (preferably 40.degree.-45.degree. C.) prescribed in that patent. It would be less costly to carry out the reaction without such refrigeration, but it has been expected that a higher reaction temperature would result in formation of substantial quantities of nitrogen trichloride, a byproduct which is toxic and highly explosive. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,178,429 issued Apr. 13, 1965 to S. Vazopolos.
An improved process by which such SDT compositions can be prepared in high yields with essentially no waste disposal requirements is very desirable, and it is an object of this invention to provide such a process. Another object is such a process which does not require use of a refrigeration system. Another object is such a process in which the reaction mixture is subject to more convenient handling and control. A further object is such a process having a relatively short reaction time. An important object is such a process which does not result in formation of NCl.sub.3 in amounts too large for non-hazardous disposal. Still another object is to provide SDT-containing compositions prepared in accordance with such a process. These and other objects of the invention will be more fully apparent from the following detailed disclosure, in which all parts and percentages are by weight and all temperatures are in degrees Centrigrade except where otherwise noted.

Preparation of sodium dichloro-s-triazine trione compositions


An allyletherificated phenol aralkyl resin is obtained through the reaction of a phenol aralkyl resin with an allyl halide in the presence of a base in an organic solvent at room temperature to 100.degree. C. and changed into an allylated phenol aralkyl resin at 160.degree.-250.degree. C. through Claisen rearrangement. The two resins are low in melt viscosity. Epoxy resin compositions containing the allylated phenol aralkyl resin as the curing agent give cured products being excellent in heat and moisture resistances.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to phenol aralkyl resins, preparation processes thereof and epoxy resin compositions containing allylated phenol aralkyl resins. Particularly it relates to allyletherificated phenol aralkyl resins, allylated phenol aralkyl resins, preparation processes thereof and epoxy resin compositions containing allylated phenol aralkyl resins.
2. Prior Art
Allyletherificated phenol resins and allylated phenol resins obtained through the reaction of a phenol with an allyl halide are known. They are generally used as curing agents for epoxy and maleimide resins. JP-A-04-023824/1992 (Tokkaihei) discloses a resin composition containing a polyallylphenol as a curing agent for epoxy resins.
Cured products containing the known allylated phenol resins are excellent in intensity and rigidity at normal and high temperatures and their price is relatively inexpensive and stable in the market. However, they are apt to absorb relatively large amounts of moisture and are inferior in mechanical properties under high humidity conditions.
JP-A-04-004212/1992 (Tokkaihei) discloses an allylated product of phenol-aromatic hydrocarbon resin. The product is a constituent of a resin composition for sealing semiconductors and the resin composition is improved in moisture absorbability and low stress properties. However, it discloses neither an allyletherificated phenol aralkyl resin, nor an allylated phenol aralkyl resin, nor preparation processes thereof. A mixed solvent consisting of water and acetone is used in the examples, and the resulting resins are copolymers in which allyletherification and allylation of phenol nucleus proceed at the same time. Optionally, an allyletherificated phenol aralkyl resin is not obtained under the condition, nor is an allylated phenol aralkyl resin.
The above-mentioned copolymers are allylated phenol-aromatic hydrocarbon resin composition represented by the following formula, ##STR1## wherein R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are hydrogen atoms or a methyl group, EQU 0<a, b, c, d<100 and a+b+c+d=100
a, b, c and d in the formula each stand for the percentage of the resin constituents.
With the marked advancement of technology in electric and electronic fields, there has been a demand for a resin which can ensure excellent qualities even when it is used in a small amount. For example, in the field of IC sealing materials, there is a demand for a resin which has excellent molding and processing properties, and a low viscosity so that it can be used as a filler with high filling capability. It is important to reduce viscosity while retaining the required heat and moisture resistant properties.

Phenol aralkyl resins, preparation process thereof and epoxy resin compositions


A semiconductor integrated circuit memory structure is provided which uses macro-cellulated circuit blocks that can permit a very large storage capability (for example, on the order of 64 Mbits in a DRAM) on a single chip. To achieve, this, a plurality of macro-cellulated memory blocks can be provided, with each of the memory blocks including a memory array as well as additional circuitry such as address selection circuits and input/output circuits. Other peripheral circuits are provided on the chip which are common to the plurality of macro-cell memory blocks. The macro-cell memory blocks themselves can be formed in an array so that their combined storage capacity will form the large overall storage capacity of the chip. The combination of the macro-cell memory blocks and the common peripheral circuitry for controlling the memory blocks permits a faster and more efficient refreshing operation for a DRAM. This is enhanced by a LOC (Lead On Chip) arrangement used in conjunction with the memory blocks.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device and a defect relieving method therefor and, more particularly, to technologies which are effective when used in a dynamic RAM (i.e., Random Access Memory) having a large storage capacity such as 64 Mbits, although the invention is not limited to this, and a defect relieving method therefor.
There has recently been developed a dynamic RAM (which may be referred to as "DRAM") which has a large storage capacity of about 16 Mbits. This dynamic RAM is exemplified on pages 67 to 81 of "Nikkei Micro Device" published on Mar. 1, 1988 by NIKKEI McGRAW-HILL.
A semiconductor memory device such as the DRAM using MISFETs includes a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix form. In case data is to be written in or read out from an arbitrary memory cell of the DRAM, a row address decoder and a column address decoder select the row and column corresponding to address signals coming from the outside to address that memory cell. In response to the selection signals from the row address decoder, the word driver drives the word line of the row to be selected to a selection level. The aforementioned word line acts as the gate electrode of the selected MISFET of the memory cell. The aforementioned gate electrode acts as a mask for forming the source or drain electrode of the selected MISFET by an ion implantation. The aforementioned gate electrode is made of polycrystalline silicon, for example, because it has to stand the heat of the heat treatment after the ion implantation.
To attain a higher degree of integration of the aforementioned semiconductor memory device, the memory cell array becomes larger so that the word lines become longer. Since the polycrystalline silicon has a high resistance, the word lines take an extremely high resistance so that the CR time constant is enlarged. This causes a delay in the signal transmission time from the word driver. Thus, it is possible to adopt the technology, by which word shunting lines made of a material having a low resistance such as aluminum are disposed close to and in parallel with the aforementioned word lines made of polycrystalline silicon so that the transmission delay of word line drive signals may be reduced by connecting the aforementioned word shunting lines and the aforementioned word lines.
Incidentally, the word shunting lines are described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 106693/1977.
In accordance with the aforementioned large storage capacity, the memory chips are naturally large-sized. Accordingly, in a dynamic RAM having its storage capacity enlarged to about 64 Mbits, the signal transmission speed is dropped as the wiring length is increased by making the elements (e.g. the wiring layer and the circuit elements) finer and by having the wiring lines lugged around the chip. As a result, the DRAM intended to achieve the aforementioned high storage capacity has to take into special consideration the drop in the operation speed due to the aforementioned signal delay. In other words, a new technology different from the techniques used in the prior art for about 1 Mbit or 4 Mbits is required for realizing the large storage capacity of about 64 Mbits.
In order to improve the degree of integration of the semiconductor memory device, on the other hand, it is necessary to reduce the size of the memory cell and the width of the wiring lines such as the word shunting lines. In the DRAM of 16 Mbits, for example, it is expected that the word shunting lines have a width of about 0.6 to 0.8 .mu.m. The word shunting lines are frequently made of aluminum. In case the electric wiring lines are made of thin aluminum, they can easily be broken by the so-called "electro-migration phenomena" (which will be shortly referred to as "EMD"), in which wiring metal will migrate while exchanging kinetic energy with the carriers. We have also found another problem that the wiring materials are broken by the so-called "stress migration" (which will be shortly referred to as "SMD"), in which a strain is caused in the wiring materials by the stress coming from the inter-layer insulating films.

Semiconductor integrated circuit device having a plurality of memory blocks and a lead on chip (LOC) arrangement


A high temperature low friction dynamic seal includes a wire mesh base portion and a compressed shell portion on the base portion. The shell portion includes between approximately 2% and 30% of high aspect ratio vermiculite having a mean particle size of less than approximately 50 microns, between approximately 10% and 88% of high temperature resistant fibers and between approximately 10% and 88% of one or more a solid lubricants selected from a group consisting of barium fluoride, calcium fluoride, cerium fluoride and a eutectic of barium fluoride and calcium fluoride. The method of forming the seal includes the steps of forming a compressed wire mesh base portion, applying an aqueous paste-like mixture of the shell portion components to the base portion, evaporating the water from the shell portion and compressing the shell portion and the base portion.

The instant invention relates to high temperature seals and more particularly to a high temperature low friction dynamic seal for use in applications, such as in the exhaust system of an automobile.
It is generally recognized that the fuel efficient engines of most modern automobiles operate at substantially higher temperatures than the less efficient engines of older automobiles. In this regard, it is well recognized that the operating temperature of an internal combustion engine is directly related to combustion efficiency and that as a result, an engine which is designed for maximum fuel efficiency inherently operates at higher temperatures than a less efficient engine. Further, the temperatures of the exhaust gases emitted by a fuel efficient engine are normally substantially higher than the temperatures of the exhaust gases from a less efficient engine. For this reason, the various components of the exhaust systems of most modern automobiles must generally be capable of withstanding prolonged exposure to substantially higher temperatures than the components of the exhaust systems of older automobiles.
In addition to the above, it has been found that in many cases it is advantageous to mount the engine of a front wheel drive automobile in transverse relation. However, it has been further found that when an engine is transversely mounted in an automobile it is generally necessary for the exhaust system of the automobile to be at least partially flexible in order to accommodate normal movement of the engine during acceleration and deceleration. Specifically, it has been found that it is generally necessary to provide at least one flexible joint in the exhaust system of a vehicle having a transversely mounted engine in order to compensate for relative movement between the engine and the vehicle chassis. Further, it has been found that in order to provide an effective leak-proof joint of this type for a vehicle having a relatively fuel efficient engine it is necessary for the joint to include a low friction seal which is capable of withstanding temperatures of at least approximately 1400.degree. F. However, while various seals have been heretofore available which are capable of withstanding temperatures in this range, virtually all of the heretofore available seals for applications of this type have been found to produce objectionable squeaking noises when they are used in flexible joints in exhaust systems.
The instant invention provides an effective dynamic seal which can be utilized in a flexible joint of an exhaust system of a modern automobile without producing objectionable squeaking noises. Specifically, the seal of the instant invention is capable of effectively sealing a flexible joint in a high temperature exhaust system of a modern automobile without producing squeaking noises. In particular, the seal of the instant invention comprises a compressed wire mesh base portion and a high temperature resistant low friction dry rubbing composite or shell portion on the base portion. The base portion is preferably formed in a circular ring-like configuration from compressed knitted wire mesh and the shell portion is preferably applied to the outer surface of the base portion. The shell portion comprises between approximately 2% and 30% by weight of vermiculite having an aspect ratio (length or width/thickness) of greater than approximately 10 and a mean particle size of less than approximately 50 microns. The shell portion further comprises between approximately 10% and 88% by weight of high temperature resistant fibers having a melting point of at least approximately 1400.degree. F. and between approximately 10% and 88% by weight of a solid lubricant consisting of one or more materials selected from a group consisting of barium fluoride, calcium fluoride, cerium fluoride and a eutectic of barium fluoride and calcium fluoride. The shell portion is preferably compressed on the base portion so that it forms a smooth low friction mating surface on the seal and the shell portion preferably further comprises between approximately 1% and 30% by weight of a mixture consisting of graphite and an oxidation inhibitor selected from a group consisting of aluminum metaphosphate and titanium diboride, wherein the weight ratio of graphite to oxidation inhibitor in the mixture is between approximately 50:1 and 1:1. The seal preferably further comprises a metal sheet having a melting point of at least approximately 1400.degree. F. on the inwardly facing side of the base portion and the vermiculite preferably has a mean particle size of less than approximately 10 microns. The fibers in the seal preferably consist of fibers, including whiskers, selected from a group consisting of metal fibers having a melting point above approximately 1650.degree. F., alumina fibers and boron fibers and in the preferred embodiment of the seal the fibers comprise stainless steel fibers.
In order to form a seal of the above type in accordance with the method of the instant invention a compressed wire mesh base portion is first formed and thereafter a formable composition is applied to the base portion to form a shell portion thereon. The formable composition which is applied to the base portion preferably comprises between approximately 5% and 65% by weight of a mixture consisting of between approximately 4% and 40% by weight of water and between approximately 60% and 96% by weight of vermiculite having an aspect ratio of at least approximately 10 and a mean particle size of less than approximately 50 microns. The formable composition further comprises between approximately 10% and 88% by weight of fibers selected from a group consisting of alumina fibers, boron fibers and fibers of one or more metals having a melting point of at least approximately 1400.degree. F., and between approximately 10% and 88% by weight of a solid lubricant selected from a group consisting of barium fluoride, calcium fluoride, cerium fluoride and a eutectic of barium fluoride and calcium fluoride. After the formable composition has been applied to the base portion, the base portion with the formable composition thereon is heated to evaporate substantially all of the water from the formable composition and the water free formable composition is then compressed to form a compressed shell portion on the base portion having a substantially smooth outer surface thereon. In particular, both the base portion and the shell portion are preferably compressed so that the total volume of the voids in the entire seal structure is less than approximately 50 % of the seal volume and so that the total volume of the voids in the shell portion is less than approximately 40% of shell portion volume. The formable mixture which is applied to the base portion preferably further comprises between approximately 1% and 30% by weight of a mixture consisting of graphite plus an oxidation inhibitor selected from a group consisting of aluminum metaphosphate and titanium diboride wherein the ratio of graphite to oxidation inhibitor is between approximately 50:1 and 1:1. Further, the step of forming the base portion preferably includes a step of applying a metal sheet to the inwardly facing side of the wire mesh ring before compressing the wire mesh ring to form the base portion. The metal sheet preferably has a melting point of at least approximately 1400.degree. F. and preferably at least approximately 1650.degree. F. Further, the vermiculite preferably has a mean particle size of less than approximately 10 microns and the fibers in the composite material preferably have a melting point of at least approximately 1650.degree. F.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective high temperature seal for a flexible joint for an automotive exhaust system.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a high temperature seal which can be effectively utilized in a flexible joint in an exhaust system without producing squeaking noises.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide a method of making an improved high temperature seal for an exhaust system.
An even still further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective method of making a seal which can be utilized in a flexible joint in a high temperature exhaust system without producing squeaking noises.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.


The problem of the invention is to provide a material web, comprising a supporting web and information carriers positioned thereon, in which the supporting web is constructed as a continuous web and on which are only located faultless information carriers.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing a faultless material web, as well as to a faultless material web.
The not previously published DE 19 848 716 discloses a method and an apparatus for producing a sequence of faultless components on a material web. In this method a material web comprising a supporting web on which are arranged information carriers at regular intervals is supplied. The supplied web contains not only faultless information carriers, but also information carriers having faults. The fault rate is in the range of the production waste of information carrier manufacture. However, for the further processing of the information carriers it is necessary to eliminate all faulty information carriers. For this purpose, according to the prior art method, the supplied material web is monitored for faulty information carriers. If an information carrier is detected as being faulty, then in a cutting device the supporting web is cut through both immediately upstream and also immediately downstream of the faulty information carrier. Subsequently the free ends of the supporting web are bonded and pressed together.
The material web production apparatus forming a basis for said document has a supply of a material web having faulty parts, a cutting device for cutting the supporting web of the material web, a bonding and pressing device for the automatic placing on one another of the free ends of the supporting web and a discharge device, in which the discharged sequence of faultless information carriers is collected for further processing.
In the method and apparatus according to said prior art the supporting web of the material web is cut through and then engaged again. This prevents a permanent reuse of the supporting web, because it has a plurality of cutting and refastening points to which no information carriers can be applied. In addition, at the bonding or welding points, in certain circumstances the supporting web has thickened portions, which may prove prejudicial during the further processing of the information carriers.
The problem of the invention is to provide a material web, comprising a supporting web and information carriers located thereon, in which the supporting web is constructed as a continuous web and on which are only located faultless information carriers with a uniform grid dimension.
Based on the preamble features, the characterizing features of the independent claims serve to solve the set problem.
In the method according to the invention for producing a faultless material web with information carriers detachably applied thereto, the supply takes place of a material web also having faulty information carriers. At least the faulty information carriers are detached or separated from the supporting web of the material web supplied. Then, exclusively faultless information carriers are arranged in uniformly spaced manner on the material web. Further developments of the method according to the invention can be gathered from the dependent subclaims.
Apparatuses according to the invention for producing a faultless material web have a supply device for supplying a material web, which has faulty information carriers, as well as a first discharge device for the material web exclusively having faultless information carriers. For the identification of faulty information carriers an identification device is provided past which is moved the information carriers. For the separation of information carriers from the material web having the faulty information carriers a detaching or separating device is provided.
Further developments of the apparatus according to the invention can be gathered from the dependent subclaims.
The material web according to the invention has information carriers detachably located on a supporting web. The supporting web is constructed as a flowing, continuous web. Only faultless information carriers are arranged in uniformly spaced manner on the supporting web.
Further developments of the material web according to the invention can be gathered from the dependent subclaims.

Method and apparatus for producing a faultless material web, as well as faultless material web

Abstract: According to the invention from one material web are separated at least the faulty information carriers and a uniform sequence of faultless information carriers is produced on a supporting web.


A ski boot comprising an outer boot having a sole on which an improved foot supporting insert rests, the insert including a footbed supported by a rear heel balance post, a central metatarsal balance pad and a forward toe balance pad, the insert forming and holding the foot of a skier in a functional cavus or high-arched foot positon when a foot is placed thereon and being laterally tiltable relative to the sole within the boot upon inversion or eversion of the foot thereby creating a weight shift which is transferred to a lateral edge of a ski attached to the boot causing the ski to turn.

This invention primarily relates to an improvement in ski boots, particularly in regard to the manner in which the ski boot functions with respect to the foot and the leg of the skier in turning or maneuvering. It constitutes an improvement on the ski boot inventions disclosed and claimed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,446, issued Feb. 21, 1978, and my copending application Ser. No. 875,178 filed Feb. 6, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,659, particularly in the means for supporting the feet in the boots, to provide comfortable, functionally superior ski boots.
In skiing, the skier turns by shifting his weight so that it is temporarily transferred to either the inside or the outside edges of his skis. This causes an unbalanced effect on the skis, and they turn in the direction of the weighted edges. In short, it is this weighting and corresponding unweighting of the sides of the skis which permits the skier to maneuver as he skis down a hill.
In the art prior to my inventions, the ski boot is locked to the ski by the binding and the ski boot cannot move in any direction without producing a corresponding movement in the ski. As the foot and the ankle of the skier are firmly and substantially immovably held in the prior art ski boot so that movement of the skier's foot without moving his leg is not possible, the skier turns by twisting his entire torso. The knees of the skier are laterally moved in the direction of the turn, bending his lower legs outwardly causing the boot to tilt and thereby shifting weight to the edge of the ski as required. Unfortunately, this lateral movement of the knee tends to turn the foot itself and the ski in the opposite direction against the turn. As a result, the skier expends a substantial amount of energy in turning and experiences a substantial strain particularly with respect to the knees and proximal joints. Furthermore, as a result of this arrangement the ski boots in the art prior to my inventions must be fabricated so that the sidewalls are strong enough to lock the ankle and foot in place, but at the same time the skier must be able to bend his leg laterally in order to turn, which causes additional stress proximally.
These prior art ski boots, therefore, do not take advantage of the foot's natural lateral tilting movement, which is known as inversion and eversion. In terms of bone structure, the foot has a subtalar joint, formed by the talus and the os calcis which is responsible for most of the lateral movement of the foot. Because of this subtalar joint, the foot can be tilted without moving the remainder of the leg to the extent required by prior art ski boots, and it is, therefore, possible to shift the weight of the body just by inverting or everting the foot with substantially less moving of the knees or twisting of the torso. However, the subtalar motion, or inversion and eversion of the foot, cannot exist if the ankle and the foot are held in place, as they usually are in prior art ski boots, some of which are even form fitted to the individual's feet.
Accordingly, the prior art ski boot design is unsatisfactory from a number of standpoints, particularly since it does not permit the skier to turn easily without a great expenditure of energy and stress on various parts of the body, such as the knees and torso.