An elongated stick supports an interior end and an exterior end and is formed of a some what resilient but largely rigid material such as wood or plastic or the like. The interior end of the sticks supports a quantity of absorbent material formed in a shaped pad. A moisture-retaining package encloses the interior end of the stick and the absorbent pad to form a moisture-retaining pocket there about. A quantity of nail polish removing solvent such as acetone is absorbed and retained within the absorbent pad. A small quantity of excess solvent may also be enclosed within the moisture-retaining pocket.

The practice of painting and otherwise decorating fingernails and toenails is well known in the art and has been practiced in a variety of cultures in different ways for many years. During this long period of time, women have variously decorated their finger and toe nails with a variety of materials. While in some instances complex and even costly materials including decals, hand painted images, gold leaf or even precious stones have been utilized, the majority of nail decorating involves coating the nails with a high luster paint-like generally referred to as "nail polish".
The process of "polishing" nails is to some extent a misnomer in that the process is more correctly likened to a painting process. This nail polishing process is deceptively simple in its description but is often subject to a substantial skill requirement to provide satisfying results. For the most part, the process of polishing and painting nails involves initially cleaning the nails and removing all previous nail polish. An additional step of filing and shaping and trimming often also is carried forward. Once the nails are prepared one or more coats or layers of nail polish are successively applied. The nail polish is usually air-dried and the nail polish typically cures to a high luster.
It is during this process of applying one or more layers of nail polish to the prepared nails that the need for the above described invention arises. All to often, even the most skilled of nail polish practitioners or amateurs inadvertently apply small amounts of nail polish to the skin areas surrounding the nails. Unfortunately, the process of cleaning the surrounding skin and removing such inadvertently displaced nail polish may result in ruining the nail polish layer itself. Thus, substantial care and precision is exercised in cleaning surrounding skin and removing excess undesired nail polish.
In resent years, nail decorating has advanced to include so-called "artificial" nails. Such nails utilize simulated nails formed of a synthetic material which are shaped to fit upon and overlie the user's natural nails. Artificial nails are often carefully shaped to precisely fit upon the natural nail and are secured thereto with a specialized adhesive. Once the artificial nail has been adhesively secured, the above described nail painting process may be carried forward.
One vexing problem associated with decorating nails results from the manner in which human nails grow outwardly from the cuticle skin surrounding the interior portion of the nail. This outward growth creates a gap between the inner edge of the artificial nail and the cuticle. Painting natural nails is subject to a similar difficulty in that the interior edge of the nail polish layer is also moved away from the cuticle during growth forming a gap between the cuticle and the nail polish edge.
In natural nails, this gap is usually cared for during the process of removing old nail polish and replacing it with new polish as described above. In the case of artificial nails, an additional step of filling the physical gap between the artificial nail inner edge and the cuticle takes place prior to cleaning and repolishing.
Regardless of the type of nail used, natural or artificial, the above mentioned difficulties associated with cleaning excess polish from the surrounding skin of the nail must be carefully undertaken. Typically, a practitioner utilizes one or more so-called cosmetic sticks which are well known and include a simple elongated resilient or rigid member having an end portion covered with an absorbent material such as cotton or the like. This absorbent material is soaked in a solvent such as acetone and is used to carefully dissolve and remove excess nail polish.
Some practitioner's, particularly professionals, operate with greater precision using cleaning sticks which they form as needed by winding absorbent cotton material upon the ends of a variety of differently sized and shaped cleaning sticks. Thereafter, these absorbent ends are dipped in solvent and used as necessary. Unfortunately, whether used by professionals or amateurs, the process of soaking the absorbent ends of cleaning sticks in solvent is some what messy and time consuming. In addition, women often find themselves needing to touch up or even fully polish their nails in difficult inconvenient situations such as traveling or the like. Under such conditions, a container of solvent and the process of soaking the absorbent end of cleaning stick is extremely inconvenient and often difficult to perform. Further, there are certain environments in which the opening of a container of a volatile material such as acetone or other solvents is not permitted.
Accordingly, there arises a need in the art for a more convenient method of cleaning excess nail polish from the surrounding skin using a apparatus which is equally convenient and easy to carry and use.

Nail polish cleanup sticks having moisture-retaining package


In order to secure stable magnetic properties in a magnet alloy ribbon obtained by a melt rapid cooling method, and obtain excellent magnetic properties and corrosion resistance in a bonded magnet, the area ratio of dimple-like recesses (22) present in the surface (roll surface) of the alloy ribbon in contact with a cooling roll during solidification is defined. As a result, an alloy ribbon for a magnet having stable magnetic properties can be obtained. The use of a powder obtained by grinding such an alloy ribbon enables formation of a bonded magnet having excellent magnetic properties and corrosion resistance.

In regard to a method of producing an alloy ribbon by jetting an alloy melt of a rare earth magnet material on a single metallic roll, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 3-52528 discloses in line 30 of column 7 on page 4 to line 42 of column 9 on page 5 that an alloy ingot sample is placed in a quartz tube and melted, and then the melt is jetted at a constant speed on a metallic disk having too high heat capacity for the melt through a circular orifice provided in the lower portion of the quartz tube to obtain an alloy ribbon. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-64739 reports that for a rare earth-transition metal-B system magnet composition, the rotational speed of a roll is an important factor which influences the magnetic properties of an alloy ribbon.
However, consideration has not been given to how the detailed dimensions, shape and surface state of an alloy ribbon affect magnetic properties.
In addition, a permanent magnet material produced by a conventional rapid cooling method has the following problems.
1) Magnetic properties deteriorate due to variations in the micro structure which constitutes the alloy ribbon.
2) In the formation of a bonded magnet, when a resin is nonuniformly adhered to a magnet powder, reliability, particularly corrosion resistance, deteriorates.

Thin magnet alloy belt and resin bonded magnet


The invention is directed to gassing stabilized aqueous coating compositions comprising

The invention concerns aqueous coating compositions with aluminum flakes and phosphonic acid derivate based passivator resin.
In principle, the problem when using metallic special-effect pigments, particularly aluminum pigments in waterborne coatings, is that the aluminum pigments react with the water to form aluminum hydroxide, with the generation of hydrogen. It is necessary, therefore, to stabilize these pigments in aqueous media. Commercial aluminum pigments for aqueous systems are, therefore, generally chromated, phosphated or coated with silica or polymer. Moreover, the aluminum pigments may be stabilized by passivators also present in the coating agent. This is advantageous and necessary, particularly in those fields of application where a relatively long storage time of the waterborne coating agents, e.g., a long term storage stability of about 12-24 months in vehicle refinishing, is required.
Various possibilities of stabilizing/passivating aluminum pigments in aqueous systems are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,358 discloses coating compositions employing phosphoric acid compounds, which are reaction products of an addition polymer with a hydroxyl group, a monomeric alcohol and a phosphoric acid derivate. Such compositions are not very hydrolytically stable. WO-A-96/08518 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,674) describes N-acyl aminomethylene phosphonates and derivatives and their use in waterborne coatings. Such compositions have limited compatibility with other binders and limited durability because of N-containing linkages. EP-A-391 230 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,556) discloses compounds which are the reaction product of an alpha-aminomethylene phosphonic acid with an epoxy group of a compound containing at least one epoxy group. Such reaction products have limited end use in water-borne compositions that are anionically stabilized since the amino groups destabilize the coating composition. U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,125 discloses aqueous metallic coating compositions comprising acrylic copolymers prepared by copolymerizing an ethylenic unsaturated monomer and a phosphate monomer to reduce the gassing of aluminum flakes. Such compositions have limited hydrolytic stability and limited effectiveness. EP-A-170 474 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,112) discloses reaction products of compounds having a phosphoric acid group xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 PO(OH2) with compounds having an epoxy group. Such reaction products only give limited gassing stability. WO-A-99/06450 describes aqueous coating compositions with passivator compounds based on a reaction product of a phosphonic acid derivate and a hydroxy-functional addition polymer. These formulations don""t show a good balance between gassing performance and final color stability.
The object of the invention was, therefore, to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide aqueous coating compositions containing metallic pigments, which compositions have reproducibly good gassing stability, even after prolonged storage, without adversely affecting color properties of the coatings obtained therefrom. Coatings obtained from the coating compositions should exhibit no change of color shade and no impairment of brightness and metallic flop.
The object was achieved by aqueous coating compositions that contain reaction products of phosphonic acid derivatives and epoxy compounds as passivator component for the metallic pigments.
The present invention is directed to aqueous coating compositions comprising:
A) at least one reaction product of
(a) 5 to 95 weight percent, preferred 10-60 weight percent, of at least one phosphonic acid derivative selected from compounds I and II
xe2x80x83wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of H or O=P(OH)2; R2 and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH and an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic substituent having 1 to 25 carbon atoms and optionally up to 10 heteroatoms of at least one of oxygen and phosphorus; and Rxe2x80x2 is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic substituent having 1 to 25 carbon atoms and optionally up to 10 heteroatoms of at least one of oxygen and phosphorus;
(b) 5 to 95 weight percent, preferred 40-90 weight percent of at least one compound having at least two epoxy groups and a number average molecular weight Mn of 300 to 5000 g/mol; and
(c) 0 to 90 weight percent of a compound having one epoxy-functional group, wherein the proportions by weight of components (a), (b) and (c) total 100 weight percent; and
B) at least one metallic pigment.
It was surprisingly found that the above described hydrophobic-substituted phosphonic acid based compounds A) are particularly effective for inhibiting the corrosion of metallic pigments in aqueous coating compositions and that aqueous coating compositions containing the phosphonic acid based compounds show a very good balance between antigassing performance and appearance as well as color properties of the applied coatings.
In a most preferred embodiment, the present invention is directed to aqueous coating compositions comprising
A) 0.1-5 weight percent, preferred 0.3-3 weight percent of at least one reaction product specified above,
B) 0.5-30 weight percent, preferred 1-15 weight percent of at least one metallic pigment,
C) 1-30 weight percent, preferred 5-25 weight percent of at least one film forming binder,
D) 15-85 weight percent, preferred 40-80 weight percent of water and optionally
E) 1-25 weight percent, preferred 5-12 weight percent of pigments, which are different from component B), organic solvents and/or additives which are conventionally used in coating compositions, wherein the proportions by weight of component A), B), C), D) and E) total 100 weight percent.
Component A) of the coating compositions according to the invention are reaction products of the components a), b) and optionally c). Preferred components A) have a number average molecular mass Mn of 400-20000 g/mole, most preferably 600-5000 g/mole and an acid value of 25-300 mg KOH/g, most preferably 40-200 mg KOH/g.
The reaction products A) are preferably made at a temperature between 50xc2x0 C. and 180xc2x0 C. in a solvent, a solvent blend or a water/solvent blend. Catalysts can used to speed up the reaction. Typical catalysts known to shorten the reaction time between epoxy and acid groups are metal salts, amines and quaternary ammonium salts. Examples are sodium, potassium and lithium hydroxide, triethylamine, benzyldimethylamine, cyclohexyldimethylamine, triethylammoniumchloride, triethylammoniumbromide, triethylammoniumiodide and triethylbenzyl phosphonium bromide.
Compounds corresponding to the general formula I, preferably with Rxe2x95x90C1- to C10-alkyl, may be used as component a). The alkyl radicals may be substituted by heteroatoms such as oxygen, phosphorus or silicon. Examples hereof are ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl and nonylphosphonic acid. It is also possible to use derivatives of diphosphonic acid as component a). For example, these may then be 1-hydroxyalkane-1,1-diphosphonic acids. An example of the latter is 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid. Moreover, compounds corresponding to the general formula II, preferably with Rxe2x80x2xe2x95x90C1- to C10-alkyl may be used as component a). The alkyl radicals may be substituted by heteroatoms such as oxygen, phosphorus or silicon. A preferred example of compounds corresponding to formula II is vinylphosphonic acid. Ethylphosphonic acid, propylphosphonic acid, octylphosphonic acid and vinylphosphonic acid may be used preferably as component a). Mixtures of several phosphonic acid derivates a) can be used.
The epoxy compounds b) are polyepoxides with an average of at least 2 epoxy groups per molecule. These epoxy compounds can be saturated, unsaturated, cyclic, acyclic, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic. They may contain substituents such as halogen, hydroxyl, ether, alkyl and/or aryl groups. In general the epoxide equivalent weight of the epoxy compounds b) will range from 150 to about 4,000, typically from 150 to about 1500.
The epoxy compounds b) preferably comprise polyglycidyl ethers based on polyhydric, preferably dihydric alcohols, phenols, hydrogenation products of these phenols and novolaks (condensation products of phenols with aldehydes). The preferred epoxy equivalent weights of these epoxy compounds are between 160-500. The polyglycidyl ethers based on polyhydric, preferably dihydric phenols obtained by reacting an epihalohydrin, such as epichlorohydrin or epibromohydrin, with a polyphenol/diphenol in the presence of an alkali. Examples of polyhydric phenols are resorcin, hydroquinone, 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (bisphenol A), dihydroxydiphenylmethane (bisphenol F, optionally mixtures of isomers), 4,4xe2x80x2-dihydroxy-3,3xe2x80x2-dimethyldiphenylpropane, 4,4xe2x80x2-dihydroxydiphenyl, 4,4xe2x80x2-dihydroxydiphenylcyclohexane, 4,4xe2x80x2-dihydroxybenzophenol, bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,1-ethane, 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene and the hydrogenated derivatives of such compounds.
The polyglycidyl ethers based on polyhydric, preferably dihydric alcohols, obtained by reacting an epihalohydrin, such as epichlorohydrin or dichlorohydrin, with a aliphatic or cycloaliphatic polyhydric alcohol in the presence of an alkali. Examples of polyhydric alcohols are ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,2- and 1,3-propylene glycol, polyoxypropylene glycols, 1,4-butylene glycol, 1,5-pentane diol, 1,6-hexane diol, glycerin, bis-(4-hydroxycyclohexyl)-2,2-propane.
Polyglycidyl esters of polycarboxylic acids, which are obtained by reaction of, for example, epichlorhydrine with an aliphatic, aromatic or cycloaliphatic polycarboxylic acid, can also be used as component b). Examples of polyglycidyl esters of polycarboxylic acids are diglycidyl esters of adipic acid, diglycidyl esters of phthalic acid and diglycidyl esters of hexahydrophthalic acid.
Addition polymerized resins containing at least two epoxy groups may also be employed as component b). Such materials may be produced by the addition polymerization of unsaturated epoxy functional monomers, like (meth)allyl glycidyl ether, 3,4-epoxy-1-vinylcyclohexane, epoxycyclohexyl (meth)acrylate, vinyl glycidyl ether, 2-methyl glycidyl (meth)acrylate and glycidyl (meth)acrylate, typically in combination with ethylenically unsaturated monomers such as styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, alpha-ethyl styrene, vinyl toluene, t-butyl styrene, acrylamide, methacrylamide, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, ethacrylonitrile, ethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, isopropyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, isobomyl methacrylate, and the like.
Polyglycidyl ethers based on polyhydric, preferably dihydric phenols, are preferably used as component b). Polyglycidyl ethers of bisphenol A and polyglycidyl ethers of bisphenol F are especially preferred as component b). These products are commercially available, e.g. under the trade name Epicote(copyright) from Shell, for example Epicote(copyright) 828, Epicote(copyright) 1001, Epicote(copyright) 1004 or Epicote(copyright) 1007.
Mixtures of several epoxy compounds b) can be used.
Examples of mono epoxy compounds (component c) which may be utilized include compounds as simple as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, cyclohexene oxide, and the like. Representative examples of mono epoxy compounds (component c) are: alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and mixed aryl-alkyl monoglycidyl ethers as e.g. butyl glycidylether, phenyl glycidylether, tert.-butylphenyl glycidylether, 2-ethylhexyl glycidylether, cyclohexyl glycidylether, benzyl glycidylether. Further examples are alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and mixed aryl-alkyl monoglycidyl esters. Examples for glycidyl esters are the glycidyl esters of saturated monocarboxylic acids branched in the alpha position, e.g., the glycidyl esters of saturated alpha-alkylalkane monocarboxylic acids or alpha, alphaxe2x80x2-dialkylalkane monocarboxylic acids. Preferred these are glycidyl esters of saturated alpha, alphaxe2x80x2-dialkylalkane monocarboxylic acids having 7 to 13 carbon atoms in the molecule, particularly preferably having 9 to 11 carbon atoms in the molecule. These products are commercially available, e.g. the versatic 10 acid glycidyl ester known under the trade name Cardura(copyright) E10 from Shell.
Other epoxy compounds having one epoxy group which may be utilized include: the monoglycidyl esters of monocarboxylic acids, such as glycidyl benzoate, glycidyl naphthoate as well as the monoglycidyl esters of substituted benzoic acid and naphthoic acids. Further examples of suitable mono epoxy compounds are those with olefinically unsaturated double bonds. These epoxy-fuctional monomers include e.g. (meth)allyl glycidyl ether, 3,4-epoxy-1-vinylcyclohexane, epoxycyclohexyl (meth)acrylate, vinyl glycidyl ether, 2-methyl glycidyl (meth)acrylate and glycidyl (meth)acrylate.
Mixtures of several mono epoxy compounds c) can be used.
The relative proportions in which the phosphonic acid derivate a), the compound containing at least two epoxy groups b) and optionally the mono epoxy compound c) may be reacted together to form the reaction product (component A) may vary widely. However, typically the amount phosphonic acid derivate a) and epoxy compound b) and optionally mono epoxy compound c) are chosen to provide a ratio of moles of epoxy groups to moles of replaceable hydrogens from the phosphonic acid group(s) in a preferred range of 1:1.05 to 1:10. If component c) is also reacted, it is used preferably in amounts from 0 to 60 wt-%, based on the total amount of components a), b) and c). The aqueous coating compositions according to the invention contain metallic pigments as component B). Examples of metallic pigments for utilization in the waterborne coating composition of the invention include any metallic pigments which are generally known for use in pigmented waterborne coating compositions. Examples include metallic pigments, particularly metallic flake pigments, composed of aluminum, copper, zinc and/or brass as well as those composed of other malleable metals and alloys such as nickel, tin, silver, chrome, aluminum-copper alloy, aluminum-zinc alloy, and aluminum-magnesium alloy. Aluminum flake pigments are preferred. Untreated pure aluminum pigments or aluminum pigments already pretreated for use in waterborne coating agents may be used. The latter may be chromated, for example, or coated with polymers.
Preferred coating compositions according to the invention contain at least one film-forming polymer (component C). Any number of the film-forming polymers known to the skilled person of the kind conventionally used for the preparation of aqueous coating compositions may be used. They may be conventional water-dilutable binders based on for example vinyl polymers, (meth)acrylic copolymers, polyesters, polyurethanes, alkyd resins, epoxy resins and polyamine resins and modified forms of the resins mentioned. The binders may be used on their own or in combination with one another.
In order to ensure sufficient water dilutability of the binders, these are modified in a suitable manner to render them hydrophilic. The binders may be ionically or non ionically modified. An anionic and/or non ionic modification is preferred. An anionic modification may be obtained, for example, by incorporating carboxyl groups which are at least partially neutralized. A non ionic modification may be obtained, for example, by incorporating polyethylene oxide units.
Cross-linking agents for cross-linking the film-forming binders may also be contained in the coating compositions according to the invention. The cross-linking agents are conventional cross-linking agents for coating compositions known to the skilled person. Examples hereof include polyisocyanates, blocked polyisocyanates and aminoresins. The choice of cross-linking agents depends on the functional groups of the film-forming binders available for cross-linking.
Component A) should be contained in the aqueous coating compositions according to the invention in an amount such that sufficient gassing stability of the metallic pigments is achieved. The amount of component A) in the coating compositions depends, therefore, in particular on the amount of metallic pigments that are present. The amount of phosphorus present in component A) is particularly important. The amount of component A) is selected, therefore, preferably in such a way that the proportion of phosphorus in component A) is 0.2-5.0 wt-%, particularly preferably 0.8-3.5 wt-%, based on the amount of metallic pigment. That is, with small amounts of phosphorus in component A) (i.e. small amounts of compound a)), a relatively large amount of component A) should be used in the coating composition in order to ensure the required quantity proportions of phosphorus. The amount of compound a) in component A) should, in turn, be large enough to confer on component A) an acid value which ensures good water dispersibility. A minimum acid value of 20 mg KOH/g should be present.
Component A) is used preferably in salt form after neutralization with a base. Examples of suitable neutralizing agents include ammonia or amines such as N,N-dimethylethanolamine and triethylamine. Neutralization may take place particularly preferably after mixing component A) with the metallic pigments.
The coating compositions further contain water (component D), e.g. at least 15 wt-%, preferably 40-80 wt-% water.
The aqueous coating composition of the invention may also include, and typically does include, one or more of a wide variety of other pigments which are different from the metallic pigments (component B) and generally known for use in coating compositions, including color and/or special effect pigments. Suitable color pigments are all pigments of an organic or inorganic nature which are conventionally used in coating compositions. Examples of inorganic or organic color pigments are titanium dioxide, Micronesia titanium dioxide, iron oxide pigments, carbon black, azo pigments, phthalocyanine pigments, quinacridone, perylene or pyrrolopyrrole pigments. Optionally soluble dyes and/or transparent pigments can also be included.
Examples of special effect pigments which may be used are interference pigments such as metallic pigments coated by metal oxides, e.g., titanium dioxide-coated, iron oxide-coated or mixed oxide-coated aluminum; coated mica, such as titanium dioxide-coated mica and/or mica coated with other metal oxides, e.g. with Fe2O3 and/or Cr2O3, iron oxide flake; and graphite pigments. Further examples of special effect-imparting pigments which may be used are the so-called OV-pigments (OV=optical variable) and the so-called LCP-pigments (LCP=liquid crystal polymer). All pigments that can be used, can be used each individually or in combination.
The coating compositions can likewise contain organic solvents and additives conventionally used in coating compositions. The organic solvents may originate from the preparation of the binders or are added separately. Examples of suitable solvents are monohydric or polyhydric alcohols, e.g. propanol, butanol, hexanol; glycol ethers or esters, for example diethylene glycol dialkyl ether, dipropylene glycol dialkyl ether, each with C1- to C6-alkyl, ethoxypropanol, butyl glycol; glycols, for example ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, N-methyl pyrrolidone and ketones, e.g. methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, cyclohexanone; aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbons, for example toluene, xylene, or straight-chain or branched aliphatic C6-C12-hydrocarbons. It is preferred to use water-miscible solvents.
Examples of additives conventionally used in coating compositions are leveling agents, rheology-influencing agents, such as highly dispersed silicic acid or polymeric urea compounds, thickeners, such as carboxyl group-containing polyacrylate thickeners or associative thickeners based on polyurethane, defoamers, surface-active agents, anti-crater agents, bonding agents and curing accelerators. The additives may be employed in the coating compositions of this invention. If used, these additives are used in conventional amounts known to the skilled person.
Various procedures may be used for preparing the aqueous coating composition of the invention. One method is to bring the metallic pigment (component B) into contact with the phosphonic acid based passivator (component A) prior to the incorporation of the pigment into the aqueous coating composition. This may be done by adding the passivator compound to the metallic pigments or a metallic pigment paste (e.g., pigment as normally supplied commercially), or it may be added at an earlier stage such as during the actual production of the pigment. Alternatively, the passivator compound of the invention may be introduced into the aqueous coating composition of the invention by simply introducing it as a further ingredient in the formulation of the aqueous coating composition, for example during the mixing of film-forming resin, metallic pigment and aqueous medium together with other conventional and optional constituents such as crosslinking agents, co-solvents, thickeners and other pigments. Preferably used is the method of adding the passivator compound to the metallic pigments or a metallic pigment paste. Especially preferred is adding the passivator compound to the metallic pigments or a metallic pigment paste, neutralizing the passivator compound with a base and dispersing the neutralized mixture in the aqueous phase. Also preferred is to dissolve the passivator compound in an organic solvent and then dispersing the metallic pigments or pigment paste in this mixture.
The aqueous coating composition with metallic pigments according to the invention can be expediently used in connection with a multi-layer coating. They are, in particular, suitable for the preparation of single stage top coat layers and especially for the preparation of base coat layers in a multi-layer coating.
The application of the pigmented aqueous coating compositions prepared according to the invention is carried out according to conventional methods, preferably by spray application. The coating compositions are for example applied in resulting dry film thicknesses of 10-30 xcexcm. Metal and plastics substrates, in particular those known in the vehicle industry, are suitable. Examples include, iron, zinc, aluminium, magnesium, or alloys thereof, and polyurethanes, polycarbonates, or polyolefins. Said substrates are usually precoated, for example, with conventional primers and/or conventional fillers. The waterborne basecoat layers may however also be applied to intact existing coatings (finishes or repair coatings) or primed new parts, e.g. primed plastics parts.
The coating composition according to the invention can be cured at room temperature or force-cured at higher temperatures, for example of up to 80xc2x0 C., preferably of 40 to 60xc2x0 C. They can, however, also be cured at higher temperatures of for example 80-150xc2x0 C.
Subsequently, the applied base coat compositions can be coated over with transparent clear coats. The clear coats may thereby be applied to the base coat layer either after drying and/or curing of the base coat layer or wet-on-wet, optionally after a flash-off phase. Preferably the clear coats are applied wet-on-wet to the base coat layer. The flash-off time may be, for example, 15 to 45 minutes, depending on the relative humidity.
In principle, suitable clear coats are all the well-known non-pigmented or transparent-pigmented coating agents of the kind customarily used, for example, in motor vehicle coating. The clear coats may be solvent-based or water-based or powder clear coats. The clear coats may be cured as described above for the curing of the base coat. For example, curing may be carried out at room temperature over a period of several hours or by forced drying at temperatures of for example 40xc2x0 C. to 60xc2x0 C., e.g., within 30 to 80 minutes.
The aqueous coating composition according to the invention can be used for industrial and vehicle coating.
The coating compositions according to the invention exhibit a balanced relationship between very good gassing stability and good reproducibility of visual properties of the coatings obtained from them. In particular, good stability of color shade, sufficient brightness and a good metallic flop effect are obtained, whereas when known passivators are used good gassing stability may be obtained at times only at the expense of the appearance and optical characteristics of the coatings obtained. The passivators (component A) used in the coating compositions according to the invention efficiently prevent or reduce the gassing of untreated metallic pigments. They may also, however, be used very satisfactorily for typical pretreated metallic pigments of the kind used for waterborne coating agents. The passivators (component A) may be incorporated very satisfactorily in the aqueous coating compositions. They can be converted easily, particularly in the neutralized form, separately or preferably in mixture with the metallic pigments, to the aqueous phase.

Aqueous coating compositions with phosphonic acid based compounds

Abstract: A) a metallic pigment and at least one reaction product of:

Abstract: (a) 5 to 95 weight percent of a at least one phosphonic acid derivative selected form compound I and II

Abstract: wherein R1 is H or Oxe2x95x90P(OH)2; R2 and R3 are independently H, OH or an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and aromatic substituent having 1 to 25 carbon atoms and optionally up to 10 heteroatoms of at least one of oxygen and phosphorus; and Rxe2x80x2 is an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and aromatic substituent having 1 to 25 carbon atoms and optionally up to 10 heteroatoms of at least one of oxygen and phosphorus;

Abstract: (b) 5 to 95 weight percent of a at least one compound having at least two epoxy groups and a number average molecular weight Mn of 300 to 5000 g/mol; and

Abstract: (c) 0 to 90 weight percent of a compound having one epoxy-functional group, wherein the proportions by weight of components (a), (b) and (c) total 100 weight percent.

Abstract: B) at least one metallic pigment.


A method of monitoring usage to determine accumulated component fatigue damage includes evaluating available data for calculating an accumulated component fatigue damage for a component over a pre-determined time frame. The method includes determining at least one available method for calculating the accumulated component fatigue damage based on the available data. The method includes determining the accumulated component fatigue damage for the component using the at least one available method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to fatigue damage due to accumulated loading, and more particularly to systems and methods for aircraft fatigue monitoring.
2. Description of Related Art
Structures such as air vehicles, and particularly rotorcraft structures, are susceptible to accumulated fatigue damage and subsequent fatigue cracking from repetitive loading cycles over the course of the vehicle's service life. Traditional methods to protect against fatigue cracking include assigning a component retirement time or inspection interval based on aircraft utilization rates, for example, using flight hours and/or total take-off and landing cycles. This method requires conservative assumptions about how the aircraft is used in order to ensure a sufficiently low likelihood, e.g. risk, of failure due to fatigue cracking. Due to these conservative assumptions, the frequency of component retirement or inspection in many cases ends up being more than necessary for a given aircraft in view of the actual fatigue damage, usage or loading history of the vehicle.
Such conventional methods and systems have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is still a need in the art for improved methods and systems for aircraft fatigue monitoring. The present disclosure provides a solution for this need.

Systems and methods for fatigue monitoring


A method of manufacturing a negative electrode for a lithium secondary battery includes the steps of mixing graphite particles as a main constituent that generates intercalation and de-intercalation of lithium ions with a compound including copper ions, obtaining graphite composite powder having copper oxide particles formed at least on a part of the surface of at least a part of the graphite particles by chemical reaction of the copper ions, and mixing the graphite composite powder with a binding material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lithium secondary battery, and more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a negative electrode including graphite particles which can cause intercalation and de-intercalation of lithium ions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Secondary batteries using alkali metal such as lithium have attracted a lot of research efforts to comply with reduction in the size and power consumption of electronic equipments. The usage of alkali metal alone such as lithium for a negative electrode yields a problem that short circuit occurs within the battery by repeating operations of charge/discharge. Repetition of charge/discharge means that dissolution and precipitation of the alkali metal are effected repeatedly to result in growth of alkali metal dendrite on the surface of the negative electrode. This dendrite may become so great that it penetrates the separator between the negative electrode and the positive electrode to come into contact with the positive electrode, resulting in a short circuit.
The growth of dendrite can be suppressed to improve the charge/discharge cycle characteristics by using an alkali metal alloy as the negative electrode for a secondary battery instead of alkali metal. However, dendrite growth cannot be completely suppressed even in the case where an alkali metal alloy is used as the negative electrode. The possibility still remains of a short circuit within the battery.
Recently, a negative electrode of carbon or a conductive organic polymer material has been developed taking advantage of attraction and discharge of alkali metal ions instead of metal dissolution, deposition, diffusion in solid or the like carried out in the case of an alkali metal or an alloy thereof. In a negative electrode of carbon or conductive polymer material, dendrite generated in the case of a negative electrode of alkali metal or alloy thereof are not grown in principle. The problem of a short circuit caused by dendrite growth within a battery is circumvented.
Carbon is a preferable material as an electrode for a battery since it is chemically stable and can be doped with either an electron-donor element or an electron-acceptor element.
When carbon is used as an active material for a negative electrode, the amount of lithium that can be intercalated between layers of carbon is 1 lithium atom per 6 carbon atoms at maximum, i.e., LiC.sub.6 is the maximum. The theoretical electric capacity just by reaction between carbon and lithium is 372 mAh/g per unit weight of carbon at this upper limit.
Carbon can take various forms such as amorphous carbon to graphite. Sizes and arrangements of hexagonal nets of carbon atoms vary depending upon the starting materials and manufacturing processes. Usage of carbon materials without graphite as the active materials for negative electrodes are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 62-90863, 62-122066, 63-213267, 1-204361, 2-82466, 3-252053, 3-285273, and 3-289068. None of the carbon materials disclosed in these documents can achieve the above-described theoretical capacity. Even carbon materials having a relatively large charge/discharge capacity exhibit linear change of a considerable gradient in potential during de-intercalation of lithium to be insufficient for the available voltage range in an actually assembled battery. It can be said that the carbon materials disclosed in the above cited documents are not satisfactory as the material for manufacturing a negative electrode in a battery with sufficient charge/discharge capacity.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 4-112455, 4-115457, 4-115458, 4-237971, and 5-28996 disclose usage of graphite materials as the active materials for negative electrodes. The above-described theoretical capacity is achieved by none of these graphite electrodes. They are not satisfactory for use in manufacturing a battery with high capacity.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 3-216960 discloses a secondary battery that allows a large current flow and improvement in cycle life time and safety by forming a lithium layer on the surface of a porous carbon material avoiding clogging of the pores. Another Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 4-39864 discloses a secondary battery superior in charge/discharge cycle characteristics and improved in self-discharge characteristics with a great electrode capacity by using a negative electrode having a metal that can form an alloy with lithium or an alloy including lithium permeated into the pores of a carbon material. These batteries are disadvantageous in that the manufacturing process is complicated since lithium must be treated in an inactive atmosphere, resulting in increase in the cost thereof.
Although attempts have been made to improve the battery cycle characteristics and discharge efficiency after storage at a high temperature, for example, by using a negative electrode of a carbon material coated with metal such as nickel and copper as in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 4-184863, significant increase in the capacity of the negative electrode could not be expected.

Method of manufacturing a negative electrode for lithium secondary battery


The present invention relates to a process for preparing ABS polyblends having an alkenyl aromaticalkenyl nitrile monomer matrix polymeric phase reinforced with rubber particles grafted with said monomers and having a bimodal rubber particle size distribution, the process comprising: charging continuously a formulation of said monomers having a soluble diene dissolved therein and a first grafted diene rubber particle dispersed therein to a back-mixed reaction zone operating at 50-80% steady state, flow-through, conversion of said monomer formulation, continuously mass polymerizing said charged monomer formulation to 50-80% conversion, forming and dispersing said soluble rubber as second grafted diene particles having a particle size larger than said first grafted rubber particles, continuously withdrawing an effluent from said reaction zone and separating said ABS polyblend from said effluent.

As is well known, polyblends of rubber with styrene/acrylonitrile polymers have significant advantages in providing compositions of desirable resistance to impact for many applications. Various processes have been suggested or utilized for the manufacture of such polyblends including emulsion, suspension and mass polymerization techniques and combinations thereof. Although graft blends of a monoalkenyl aromatic and ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomers and rubber prepared in mass exhibit desirable properties, this technique has a practical limitation upon the maximum degree of conversion of monomers to polymer which can be effected because of the high viscosities which are encountered when the reactions are carried beyond a fairly low degree of conversion after phase inversion takes place. As a result, techniques have been adopted wherein the initial polymerization is carried out in mass to a point of conversion beyond phase inversion at which the viscosity levels are still of practical magnitudes, after which the resulting prepolymerization syrup is suspended in water or other inert liquid and polymerization of the monomers carried to substantial completion.
N. E. Aubrey in U.S. Pat. No. 3,509,237 disclosed a mass/suspension method of polymerization styrene/acrylonitrile having diene rubbers dissolved therein with the rubber being grafted, inverted and dispersed as rubber particles under agitation. After phase inversion, the viscous mixture is suspended in water and polymerization is completed producing a polyblend in the form of beads.
Such mass/suspension processes are used commercially, however, present the economic problems of batch operations requiring long cycles at relatively low temperatures to control the heat of polymerization. Continuous mass polymerization processes have great economic advantages if they can be run at higher temperatures and higher rates with the necessary control of the great heats of polymerization. In the case of polyblends, the dispersed rubber phase must be formed and stabilized as to its morphology bringing it through the continuous polymerization of the rigid matrix polymer phase so that the physical properties of the polyblend meet exacting property specifications.
Various methods have been developed for the continuous mass polymerization of polyblends. Ruffing et.al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,481 disclose a process wherein the diene rubbers are dissolved in predominantly monovinylidene aromatic monomers and polymerized in four reaction zones. Such processes require physically separated reactors providing different reacting conditions for each step of polymerization involving costly multiple reactors and specialized equipment.
Bronstert et.al. disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,946 a similar process wherein the prepolymerization step is run to a solids content of no more than 16% to provide a rubber particle having a particular structure. Bronstert et.al. disclose a need for separated nonstirred downstream reactors for final polymerization each providing a particular set of reacting conditions to insure final properties for the polyblend.
Okasaka et.al. disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,526 a process for producing rubber modified thermoplastic resins by extracting a grafted diene rubber from a latex into a styrene-acrylonitrile monomer phase, separating the monomer-rubber phase from the water phase and mass polymerizing the monomer-rubber phase to provide a polyblend of styrene/acrylonitrile polymer and a single grafted rubber phase.
N. E. Aubrey in U.S. Pat. No. 3,509,237 further discloses a process for preparing styrene/acrylonitrile/rubber polyblends having a first and second grafted rubber phase wherein the first grafted rubber has a large particle size and the second grafted rubber has a smaller particle size. Such polyblends have superior properties if the smaller particle size rubber phase constitutes the largest proportion of the total rubber phase. A process for making such polyblends is disclosed wherein the two grafted rubber polyblends are prepared in batch processes separately and thereafter melt blended mechanically to form a polyblend having a first and second grafted rubber phase.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a continuous polymerization process that will produce rubber modified ABS type polymeric polyblends having a matrix polymer phase of predetermined average molecular weight and molecular weight distribution.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a continuous polymerization process for producing ABS type polyblends having first and second grafted rubber phase particles of predetermined morphology.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a continuous mass polymerization process with the necessary heat control using only one reaction zone minimizing the need for two or more reaction zones with extended conversion cycles and costly process equipment or the need for batch operations in preparing polyblends having two rubber phases having different morphology, in particular, a bimodal size distribution for the rubber particles.


A variable optical attenuator with tunable wavelength selectivity includes at least two reflectors disposed parallel to each other at a predetermined angle from an optic axis and driving units connected to said at least two reflectors for allowing the reflectors to move back and forth in a direction perpendicular or parallel to the optic axis or to revolve centering on an axis perpendicular or parallel to the optic axis. Since the variable optical attenuator of the present invention serves as a variable optical attenuator and, at the same time, as a tunable wavelength filter, problems of insertion loss and optical alignment that might be caused by separately installing a variable optical attenuator and a wavelength filter can be effectively prevented. Moreover, by implementing the variable optical attenuator and the tunable wavelength filter by using a single device, the size of a system using the optical attenuator can be reduced.

In a DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexing) optical communications system, 40, 80, or 128 number of channels separated from each other by a wavelength difference of 0.4 nm or 0.8 nm are modulated at several tens of Gbs and then transmitted simultaneously through a single optical fiber, thereby enabling the expansion of a data transmission rate up to several terabytes per second. Since, however, different wavelengths suffer different absorption losses within the optical fiber and, further, optical characteristics of devices employed in the optical communications system, e.g., an optical source, an optical amplifier, a photo detector, a wavelength division multiplexer and demultiplexer, etc., are varied depending on a wavelength involved, there occur differences in optical intensity between the channels. Thus, an optical attenuator has been conventionally employed in order to adjust the differences in optical intensity between the channels.
Conventionally, there exist three types of optical attenuators.
First, there is an optical attenuator which changes continuously a path of light coming from an input fiber in order to adjust an amount of light to be introduced into output fiber. In an optical attenuator of this type, a reflector perpendicular to optic axes of the optical fibers is partially inserted between two optical fibers aligned in a straight line to reflect some portion of the light. In addition to the above-described configuration, it is also possible that two optical fibers are aligned parallel to each other in a direction perpendicular to a reflector. In this configuration, the amount of light that comes from an input fiber and then is reflected to output fiber can be controlled by varying an angle of the reflector. Besides, the distance between two optical fibers can be varied to adjust the amount of diffracted light introduced to an opposite optical fiber. Furthermore, optic axes of two optical fibers can be separated in a direction perpendicular to a propagation direction of light.
However, since this type of optical attenuator using the above-described various attenuation methods does not have wavelength selectivity, it involves steps for separating channels from each other and adjusting differences in optical intensity of the channels. Accordingly, the system structure has been complicated.
Second, there exists an optical attenuator using transmission characteristics of a Fabry-Perot cavity. Specifically, employed in this optical attenuator is the fact that a transmittance for a certain wavelength is differed as a distance between two reflectors is changed. If a reflectance of the reflectors is high, a transmittance of a Fabry-Perot cavity for a certain channel near a resonant wavelength gets rapidly changed as a function of the distance between reflectors though a channel selectivity is increased. Accordingly, it is required to regulate the distance between the reflectors very minutely, which proves to be difficult and troublesome. If the reflectance of the reflectors is low, on the other hand, the gradient of transmittance relative to the distance between reflectors is lowered, so that a transmitted power can be easily adjusted. However, the channel selectivity is decreased that light of neighboring channels can be transmitted concurrently. Thus, it is required to separate the channels from each other as in the case of the first type of optical attenuator.
Thirdly, there is an optical attenuator using a Faraday effect. In this type of attenuator, light is polarized by a polarizer at an input terminal, and then the polarization direction changes while the light passes through a material having a Faraday effect. A transmitted power is controlled by adjusting an polarization angle of the light relative to a polarizer located at an output terminal. In this method, however, light having only one specific polarization direction can be transmitted through the polarizer at the input terminal, so that loss rate of randomly polarized light reaches 50% or more. Further, in case polarized light emitted from a laser is employed, there exists a necessity for arranging the polarizer at the input terminal parallel to a polarization state of the laser. Furthermore, since it is very difficult to arrange all of the to-be-reflected light to be perpendicular to the to-be-transmitted light, the third type of optical attenuator also requires a process for separating the channels from each other by employing an additional device, as in the above-cited two cases.

Variable optical attenuator with tunable wavelength selectivity

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


An imaging device includes: an imaging unit configured to image a subject and generate image data; a display configured to display information including an image corresponding to the image data; a first recording slot mounting a first recording medium for recording the image data; a second recording slot mounting a second recording medium for recording the image data; a recording controller configured to set a recording mode between: an automatic switching mode in which recording of the image data is performed by repeatedly switching between the first and the second recording media in a predetermined order; and a simultaneous recording mode in which recording of the image data to the first and the second recording media is simultaneously performed; and a display controller configured to display setting mode information relating to the recording mode set by the recording controller in a different display mode for each recording mode.

The present disclosure relates to an imaging device which images a subject and generates image data.
In the related art, an imaging device, which is capable of recording captured video data in a plurality of recording media, has been known (for example, see JP 2007-174693 A). In the imaging device, when there is no available capacity in a recording medium in the middle of recording image data, a saving destination is switched to a different recording medium to continue the recording of image data.
Meanwhile, among users of the imaging device, there is a demand for saving of the same image data in different file formats or saving a plurality of the same data for backup. In the above-described technique, however, it is difficult for a user to flexibly and easily set a recording mode of image data with respect to the plurality of recording media.


A method or system including implementing one or more indicators to specify traffic ordering associated with an optical networking protocol and ordering traffic according to the one or more indicators.

Optical fiber is an increasingly popular transmission medium and is known to be more secure than traditional wireline media or wireless transmission. However, it is still possible to intercept synchronous optical networking (SONET) signals or other optical transmissions by conventional means. Additionally, it is possible to tap optical fiber by bending the optical fiber to a point where the signal has been attenuated but not terminated. This may enable the collection of scattered optical transmissions (i.e., the signal). The transmissions can then be analyzed providing unauthorized access. Collected transmissions may be re-assembled into standard synchronous optical networking (SONET) structures and used by a hacker to gain information.

Method and system for a secure bi-directional line switched ring


A chip-on-board electronic device includes an electronic device die affixed to a printed circuit board, and electrically interconnected thereto by wirebonds. The electronic device is protected by coating it with a layer of silicon oxynitride and, optionally, an overlying thin layer of a conformal coating such as parylene. Under some circumstances, a protective layer of an organic material may be used instead of the layer of silicon oxynitride. The chip-on-board electronic device may be protected with an overlying layer of the conformal coating.

This invention relates to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to the protection of such devices against damage from external environmental effects.
Microelectronic devices are typically fabricated as an array of active and passive elements on a substrate, sometimes termed a die. The electronic elements may be in planar microchip form or discrete elements, or both. The die must be supported, and, for some applications, the electronic elements protected against physical and chemical damage arising from external sources.
In one widely used approach, the device is encapsulated inside a hermetically sealed package, made of a material such as aluminum oxide, and having electrical leads extending through the walls of the package. The package protects the device against extremely aggressive physical and chemical environments. On the other hand, package structures are relatively expensive, heavy, and bulky. It may be difficult and time consuming to make the attachments to the electrical leads. The packages are potentially subject to leaking over the course of their service lives. Replacement or repair of devices within the package is difficult.
In another approach, the die is mounted to a printed circuit board, and the electrical interconnections are achieved using wirebonding procedures. This approach is quite popular and is used in many consumer electronics products. Manufacturing costs are considerably lower than for packaged devices, size and weight are reduced, and components may be easily tested and replaced if necessary during fabrication or service. This latter approach has the disadvantage that the electronic device is not well protected against external influences such as corrosion. For most consumer products, the corrosive effects are of relatively minor significance, as failed devices may be readily replaced.
Electronic devices placed into space aboard satellites or other spacecraft must remain reliable for many years. The ambient atmosphere in space is relatively benign in respect to corrosion. The protection afforded by hermetic packages is not required and is preferably not utilized due to the other disadvantages of hermetic packages, but it is necessary to provide a moderate degree of protection. Additionally, the device and its protection must withstand the loads and vibrations produced during the launch and maneuvering of the spacecraft.
There is a need for an improved approach to the support, interconnection, and passivation of electronic devices for use in environments which are relatively benign in respect to corrosion. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.
The present invention provides a method of preparing an electronic device assembly having a die mounted to a support, termed a xe2x80x9cchip-on-boardxe2x80x9d device. The device is relatively inexpensive in its support approach, yet provides a moderate degree of protection for the electronic components that is fully sufficient for many applications such as spacecraft electronics. The protective technique is compatible with the use of fine-wire wirebonds, wherein the wires are about 0.001 inch in diameter or smaller in size. The protection is inexpensive and readily furnished, adds little weight, and permits repair and/or replacement of components as may be necessary.
In accordance with the invention, a method of preparing a chip-on-board electronic device assembly comprises the steps of providing an electronic device die having an electronic circuit element thereon, wherein the electronic circuit element has a die electrical bonding pad thereon, and providing a printed circuit board having a circuit board electrical bonding pad thereon. The die is affixed to the printed circuit board. At least a portion of the die is coated with a layer of silicon oxynitride, and the die electrical bonding pad and the circuit board electrical bonding pad are electrically interconnected with a wire. The coating is performed before the die is affixed to the printed circuit board.
Optionally but preferably, a thin layer of a conformal coating material such as parylene is applied overlying the layer of silicon oxynitride. The coating is preferably from about 0.1 to about 0.5 micrometers thick, and is applied by a technique such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) that does not disturb the wires of the wirebonds.
In a variation of this approach, the die electrical bonding pad and the circuit board electrical bonding pad are electrically interconnected with a fine wire having a diameter of less than about 0.001 inches. Thereafter, the die is coated with a layer of an organic protective coating. The coating is accomplished by forming a mist of the material of the organic protective coating, and depositing the mist onto the die. The fine wire of the wirebond is not disturbed or bent, yet is protected. A thin layer of a conformal coating material such as parylene may be applied over the organic protective coating.
This approach to preparing a chip-on-board electronic device provides an electronic device that is relatively inexpensive to mount and protect, but is fully suitable for spacecraft and other applications where a relatively modest degree of corrosive attack is expected, the device must withstand relatively severe loadings and vibrations, yet weight and volume must be low. Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. The scope of the invention is not, however, limited to this preferred embodiment.

Preparation of passivated chip-on-board electronic devices

deceasedby Attila Simanyi, administrator


A textile winding machine having a transport system for recirculating bobbin tube support members carrying empty bobbins, and diverting tube support members carrying partially unwound bobbins, and tubes having remnant windings of yarn thereon into diverting paths is disclosed. Each bobbin has an information transfer device which contains data pertaining to the bobbin tube on which it is carried. At least one reading device is present in the transport system for reading the information transfer device. The transport system comprises a storage path for storing tube support members; a device for diverting tube support members; and a control unit connected to the reading device for controlling the diverting device to divert tube support members which tube support members are determined by the control unit in conjunction with the reading device to the storage path to have predetermined storage path conditions. The transport system may also include a delivery path and an ancillary transport path extending between the return path and the delivery path for transport of tube support members therebetween. A counting device may be included and coupled to the memory device for writing bobbin data on the associated tube support member and may be disposed in an area for transferring bobbins to tube support members.

In automatic textile winders operating in conjunction with automatic spinning machines, it is important to be able to automatically monitor the condition of the bobbin tubes as they are recirculated to determine defects in the performance of the machine and identify the particular station at which defects occur.
German Patent Disclosure DE 39 11 799 A1 discloses a transport system for bobbin tube support members in a textile winder, the tube support members having posts for transporting bobbins on tubes. These tube support members each have an information transfer means incorporating data pertaining to the bobbins or bobbin tubes. This may, for instance, involve data providing information identifying which station of a spinning machine has produced a given bobbin. In this way, it can be determined which spinning station is malfunctioning, e.g., is producing bobbins with deficiencies in quality. This same prior disclosure also describes furnishing the information on the yarn batch.
This prior disclosure, however, cannot remove tube transport support members carrying defective bobbins and therefore requires human intervention to remove bobbins to prevent system malfunction. If a bobbin cannot be prepared with the automatic preparing means of the machine, or in other words if the yarn end cannot be pre-placed properly to be engaged by yarn receiving devices at a textile winding station, then such a bobbin may recirculate continuously on its tube support member in the closed transport system. Particularly when a batch is being processed in which this defect occurs multiple times, such constantly recirculating defective bobbins unnecessarily reduce the capacity of the winder and thus lower the output of the textile winder. A textile winding machine which provides for the removal of defective bobbins without human intervention is, therefore, desired.

Textile winding machine with a tube support member transport system


A system is disclosed for transmitting data from satellites to unmanned or manned air vehicles (U/MAVs), and then from U/MAVs to Gateway/customer premise equipment (Gateway/CPE). Conversely, the system transmits data from the Gateway/CPEs to the U/MAVs, and then from the U/MAVs to satellites. The transmission between the satellites and U/MAVs involves optical or high frequency microwaves, and the transmission between the U/MAVs and the Gateway/CPEs occurs at lower microwave frequencies. A converting unit within the U/MAVs convert the data between the optical and higher microwave frequencies and the lower microwave frequencies. In another embodiment, data is crosslinked by transmitting it from a first U/MAV to other U/MAVs.

Satellites are used for the collection and transfer of data in connection with communications, navigation and/or surveillance. Such data usually originates from a transmitting device on the surface of the earth, however, satellites can also collect data from the atmosphere and space via sensors installed aboard the satellite. The data received by a satellite is normally transmitted to a receiving unit on the surface of the earth, or it is relayed to another satellite or satellites before it is transmitted to a receiving unit on the earth's surface.
Satellites normally transfer data to stations on the earth's surface through microwaves. While satellites are capable of transmitting data at optical frequencies (i.e. lasers), satellite transmissions to earth stations at optical or laser frequencies would not be practical because the transmission would suffer an unacceptable attenuation during passage through the earth's atmosphere.
Unmanned or manned air vehicles (U/MAVs), such as airships, also have been used in the past to receive and relay communications, power, and other transmissions from stations located on the surface of the earth to other earth-based receiving stations or U/MAVs (See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,742,358 and 5,348,254).
While satellites, airships or U/MAVs, and earth stations have been used to relay or transfer data, such systems have relied either on satellites or airships, and have not combined into one system satellites, U/MAVs and earth-based stations.
It is consequently an object of the present invention to construct a system to transfer and/or relay data at very high rates from a satellite or satellites to an unmanned or manned air vehicle or vehicles (U/MAVs), and then from the U/MAV(s) to a Gateway/Customer Premise Equipment (Gateway/CPE).
It is another object of the present invention to construct a system to transfer and/or relay data at very high rates from one or more Gateway/CPEs on the surface of the earth to one or more U/MAVs, and then from the U/MAV(s) to one or more satellites.
It is another object of the present invention to increase overall data throughput between satellites and Gateway/CPEs.
It is still another object of the present invention to enhance the capabilities of satellites to transmit data at optical frequencies.
It is yet another object of the present invention to construct a system to transfer and/or relay data at very high rates from one U/MAV to other U/MAVs.

System for satellite to airship to gateway/customer premise equipment, and airship to airship, high data rate relay


A method and apparatus for optimizing and assessing the response to extra-systolic stimulation (ESS) are provided. An optimization/monitoring parameter is calculated as a function of potentiation ratio, PR, and recirculation fraction, RF, derived from measurements of myocardial contractile function during and after ESS. PR may be computed as the ratio of the contractile function on post-extra-systolic beats during ESS to baseline contractile function. RF may be computed as the slope of a linear regression performed on a plot of the contractile function for a post-extra-systolic beat versus the contractile function for the previous post-extra-systolic beat after ESS is ceased. The ESI resulting in a maximum optimization/monitoring parameter, preferably computed as the product of PR and RF, is determined as the optimal ESI. The operating ESI may be automatically adjusted, and/or PR and RF data may be stored for monitoring purposes.

Cardiac myocytes stimulated with so-called paired, coupled, bi-geminal or intercalated pacing stimulation produce enhanced mechanical function on subsequent depolarizations of the heart. Herein, this type of cardiac pacing therapy is referred to as extra-systolic stimulation (ESS) which refers to delivery of cardiac pacing therapy soon after either an intrinsic or pacing-induced systole. The magnitude of the enhanced mechanical function is strongly dependent on the timing of the extra systole relative to the preceding intrinsic or paced systole. When correctly timed, an ESS pulse causes depolarization of the heart but the attendant mechanical contraction is absent or substantially weakened. The contractility of the subsequent cardiac cycles, referred to as the post-extra-systolic beats, is increased as described in detail in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,098 issued to Bennett et al., incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The mechanism for stroke volume augmentation and other effects of ESS therapy is thought to be related to the calcium cycling within the myocytes. The extra systole initiates a limited calcium release from the sarcolasmic reticulum (SR). The limited amount of calcium that is released in response to the extra systole is not enough to cause a normal mechanical contraction of the heart. After the extra systole, the SR continues to take up calcium with the result that subsequent depolarization(s) cause a large release of calcium from the SR, resulting in vigorous myocyte contraction.
As noted, the degree of mechanical augmentation on post-extra-systolic beats depends strongly on the timing of the extra systole following a first depolarization, referred to as the "extrasystolic interval" (ESI). If the ESI is too long, the effects of ESS therapy are not achieved because a normal mechanical contraction takes place in response to the extra-systolic stimulus. As the ESI is shortened, a maximal effect is reached when the ESI is slightly longer than the physiological refractory period. An electrical depolarization occurs without a mechanical contraction or with a substantially weakened contraction. When the ESI becomes too short, the stimulus falls within the absolute refractory period and no depolarization occurs.
One method for quantifying the effect of extra-systolic stimulation includes measuring a parameter indicative of myocardial contractile function on a pre-extra-systolic beat or beats and on a post-extra-systolic beat or beats and determining the ratio of these measures, which may be referred to as the "potentiation ratio" or "PR." The potentiation effect following an extra systole will generally persist for several post-extra-systolic beats before the contractile function returns to the baseline, pre-extra-systolic function. The rate of decay of the potentiation effect is referred to as the "recirculation fraction" or "RF." A return to baseline contractile function after a period of extra-systolic stimulation typically occurs within about six heart beats. However, RF may be higher or lower depending on the calcium handling properties of the myocardium which may be affected by the disease state of heart failure.
The above-cited patent to Bennett et al. generally discloses a paired pacing cardiac stimulator for the treatment of congestive heart failure or other cardiac dysfunctions. A cardiac performance index is developed from a sensor employed to monitor the performance of the heart, and a cardiac stress index is developed from sensor employed to monitor the cardiac muscle stress. Either or both the cardiac performance index and cardiac stress index may be used in controlling the delivery of PESP stimulation. Prior non-provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/322,792 filed 28 Aug. 2002, in which was issued into U.S. Pat. No. 6,738,667 on May 18, 2004, and corresponding PCT application (publication no. WO 02/053026) by Deno et al., which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses an implantable medical device for delivering post extra-systolic potentiation stimulation. PESP stimulation is employed to strengthen the cardiac contraction when one or more parameters indicative of the state of heart failure show that the heart condition has progressed to benefit from increased contractility, decreased relaxation time, and increased cardiac output PCT Publication WO 01/58518 (still pending) by Darwish et al., incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, generally discloses an electrical cardiac stimulator for improving the performance of the heart by applying paired pulses to a plurality of ventricular sites. Multi-site paired pacing is proposed to increase stroke work without increasing oxygen consumption and, by synchronizing the timing of the electrical activity at a plurality of sites in the heart, decrease a likelihood of development of arrhythmia.
As indicated in the referenced '098 patent, a possible confounding factor to broad utilization of ESS stimulation is potential for arrhythmia induction. If the extra-systolic pulse is delivered to cardiac cells during the vulnerable period, the risk of inducing tachycardia or fibrillation in arrhythmia-prone patients can increase. Thus, it is clear that an extra-systolic pulse must be delivered safely after the vulnerable period but within a limited window of time for achieving effective stroke volume augmentation and other effects of ESS therapy.

Method and apparatus for optimization and assessment of response to extra-systolic stimulation (ESS) therapy


A method and apparatus for polishing semiconductor wafers in which a force applied to the wafer is uniformly distributed across a surface of the wafer during polishing using a hydrostatic or compliant material situated between the wafer and a piston. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrostatic or compliant material is an elastic solid or fluid filled bag. One or more teflon disks or teflon coated surfaces may be included between the hydrostatic or compliant material and a second compliant layer to form a bearing to allow the wafer to rotate about its central axis during polishing.

In polishing semiconductor wafers, the wafer is placed in a template which is moved over a polishing pad. In the wax mount process where the semiconductor wafer is mounted on a mounting plate with a wax, the wafer does not rotate, and the process is critically dependent upon the cleanliness and mechanical perfection of the wafer, the mounting plate to which the wafer is attached, and the head which applies force to the mounting plate. Other template designs neither facilitate a truly uniform pressure on the backs of the wafers nor have low friction surfaces to allow rotation of each wafer on its own axis.

Semiconductor wafer polishing using a hydrostatic medium


This document relates to a display apparatus, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus and method of a plasma display panel. An image processing apparatus of a plasma display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an inverse gamma correction unit that gamma-corrects an image signal through previous stored gamma data, a half-toning unit that adds an error diffusion error value (Ei) of neighboring pixels to a noise value (n(i, j)) of a predetermined pattern and diffuses the added result into the inverse gamma corrected image signal, and a sub-field mapping unit that maps the half-toned image signal to a sub-field mapping table.

1. Field of the Invention
This document relates to a display apparatus, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus and method of a plasma display panel.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel, i.e., a light-emitting device. The plasma display apparatus is called a flat display apparatus that displays a motion picture or a still image using a gas discharge phenomenon within the plasma display panel.
In the plasma display panel, a plurality of first and second sustain electrode lines and address electrode lines are formed in upper and lower glass substrates, respectively. The entire screen is divided into a plurality of cells by means of the respective electrode lines. Images are displayed by an address discharge and a sustain discharge that selectively occur within each cell.
The term "address discharge" refers to a discharge between the address electrode and the sustain electrode, and the term "sustain discharge" refers to a discharge between the first and second sustain electrodes. The sustain discharge functions to sustain an address discharge.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a general plasma display apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, a plasma display panel 10 comprises 640 R (Red), G (Green) and B (Blue) address electrode lines R1, G1, B1, . . . , R640, G640, B640 (hereinafter referred to as "vertical electrode lines"), and 480 first and second sustain electrode line pairs S1, S2, . . . , S479, S480 (hereinafter referred to as "horizontal electrode lines).
A microcomputer 20 digitizes externally input R, G and B image data and outputs 8-bit R, G and B digital image data (implement 256 gray levels). The microcomputer 20 also outputs various control signals necessary to drive the plasma display panel 10 according to the digital image data and an external signal.
A scan and sustain driver 30 supplies the 480 horizontal electrode lines S1 to S480 with a scan pulse and sequentially scans the 480 horizontal electrode lines one by one, according to the control signal of the microcomputer 20. The scan and sustain driver 30 then supplies the entire horizontal electrode lines S1 to S480 with a sustain pulse in order to sustain a discharge and emission of each cell.
The scan and sustain driver 30 comprises a clock and data generator 31 that generates a clock signal (CLK) and a data signal (DO) according to the control signal of the microcomputer 20, a sustain pulse generator 32 that generates the sustain pulse according to the control signal of the microcomputer 20, and a driving Integrated Circuit (IC) 33 connected to the 480 horizontal electrode lines S1 to S480, for sequentially supplying the scan pulses to the 480 horizontal electrode lines S1 to S480 and then supplying the sustain pulse to them at the same time, according to the clock signal (CLK), the data signal (DO) and a sustain pulse.
A memory unit 40 stores the R, G and B digital image data, which are output from the microcomputer 20, on a frame basis, a color basis and a bit basis. An address driver 50 reads bit values of 640 R, G and B digital image data corresponding to the horizontal electrode lines scanned by the scan and sustain driver 30 from the memory unit 40, and supplies the read bit values to the 640 R, G and B vertical electrode lines R1 to B640.
Meanwhile, a method of driving the plasma display apparatus can be mainly classified into a sub-field driving method and a sub-frame driving method. A process in which the plasma display apparatus constructed above displays an image of 256 gray levels on the plasma display panel screen in accordance with the sub-field driving method will be described below.
In the sub-field driving method, to implement 2x gray levels, one frame screen is displayed with it being divided into X sub-field screens. Externally input image data are digitized into X-bit digital image data and then supplied to the plasma display panel.
Furthermore, each sub-field screen consists of a reset period, an address period and a sustain period. Of them, the reset period and the address period are allocated in the same manner every sub-field, but the sustain period is differently allocated depending on bit weight of digital image data displayed in the address period. Therefore, gray levels of an image can be implemented through a combination of the respective sub-fields (using an eye's integral effect).
That is, as shown in FIG. 2, one frame is divided into eight sub-fields (SF1 to SF8). If a luminance value corresponding to 128:64:32:16:8:4:2:1 is made to correspond to each sub-field, an image corresponding to gray level data 0 to 255 can be displayed through a combination of several sub-fields.
Therefore, the microcomputer 20 digitizes the externally input R, G and B image data in order to implement 256 gray levels, outputs 8-bit R, G and B digital image data (the highest bit value B1 to the lowest bit value B8). The microcomputer 20 also outputs various control signals necessary to drive the plasma display panel 10 according to the digital image data and an external signal.
At this time, the 8-bit R, G and B digital image data output from the microcomputer 20 are stored in the memory unit 40 on a frame basis, a color basis and a bit basis.
Thereafter, in the reset period and the address period of the first to eight sub-field screens (SF1 to SF8), the driving IC 33 applies an erase pulse for erasing wall charges formed in a previous field to the entire horizontal electrode lines S1 to S480 (first step). The driving IC 33 applies a write pulse for forming uniform wall charges to a three-electrode surface discharge type plasma display panel 10 (second step). The driving IC 33 applies an erase pulse again to form wall charges on the 640 R, G and B vertical electrode lines R1 to B640 so that a voltage of a subsequently applied address pulse is lowered (third step). If the scan pulses are sequentially applied to the 480 horizontal electrode lines S1 to S480 one by one according to the clock signal (CLK), the data signal (DO) and the sustain pulse (fourth step), scanning of the 480 horizontal electrode lines S1 to S480 is completed.
Furthermore, when supplying the scan pulse at the fourth step, the address driver 50 supplies each of the 640 R, G and B vertical electrode lines R1 to B640 with an address pulse (1 bit value of R, G and B digital image data) corresponding to a horizontal electrode line, which is scanned as the scan pulse is applied, in synchronization with the scan signal. Therefore, a discharge can be generated within a discharge space of each cell to which an address pulse of logic "high" is applied.
At this time, the address driver 50 disposes the 8-bit R, G and B digital image data (B1 to B8) corresponding to each cell in the form of B1→SF1, B2→SF2, . . . , B7→SF7, B8→SF8.
Meanwhile, if the address period of each of the sub-field screens (SF1 to SF8) is completed, the driving IC 33 receives a sustain pulse from the sustain pulse generator 32 and supplies the entire horizontal electrode lines S1 to S480 with a sustain pulse whose number is proportional to SF1:SF2: . . . SF7:SF8=27:26: . . . 21:20 (a relative luminance ratio). That is, during a time T, the most significant bit (MSB) scans lower bits in order of bits close to the MSB, during T/2, T/4, . . . T/64, T/128, so that a discharge and emission of some cells in which a discharge has occurred in the address period is sustained during a period where the sustain pulse is supplied (the sustain period).
If the configuration of the first to eight sub-field screens (SF1 to SF8) is completed through the above process, an image of 256 gray levels is displayed on the plasma display panel 10.
Furthermore, the number of sub-fields is generally about 12. The number of gray levels that can be obtained using two sub-fields is 2. However, all of them cannot be used. This is because of pseudo contour in a motion picture, which has been a problem depending on the sub-field driving method of the plasma display panel.
If a specific combination of sub-fields for producing a lot of pseudo contour is all taken out, the number of real gray levels that can be really produced can be less than 100.
To represent gray levels higher than that using such a small gray level, another method has to be additionally used. This method is an intermediate gray level generating method called "half-toning". This method functions to fill between real gray levels.
Error diffusion or dithering is usually used. The error diffusion method is a slightly modified method of the Floyd Steinberg method. The dithering method is a cyclic repeat method on a frame cycle using a 4×4 mask.
The error diffusion method is a method of diffusing gray level error values of an input pixel into neighboring cells. This method is technology that is generally used in a printing apparatus such as a printer. More particularly, if the error diffusion method is employed in an AV motion picture, excellent representation is possible. In this method, predetermined pattern noise, which is generated due to the use of a dither, does not occur.
If a still image such as PC mode is to be displayed, however, the error diffusion method has a still noise pattern. If a luminance difference between real gray levels is high, the noise pattern is very strong. Therefore, this may result in dot noise of a pattern. More particularly, this is true of a dark screen on which low gray levels are generally displayed.
To prevent the still noise pattern from occurring, a method of adding some random noise to an image signal is generally used. If the random noise is used, the noise pattern is changed little by little every moment. This removes the dot noise of the still noise pattern. However, the noise pattern that continues to move can be seen as noises in a dark image having lots of low gray level. This may lead to a sizzling phenomenon of the screen. This cannot be avoided even if a very small amount of noise is added.
More particularly, in the plasma display panel, in the case of a screen having a low Average Picture Luminance (APL), a luminance difference between real grays is high since a lot of sustain pulses is used. Therefore, there is a problem in that the sizzling noise is very unpleasant to the eye.

Image processing apparatus and method of plasma display panel


The present invention is an office chair capable of dynamically tilting to provide a desired seat inclination from an upright position to a maximum tilted position. The preloading mechanism of the spring includes an adjusting screw and a tension arm which provides leverage. The leverage of the preloading mechanism facilitates turning the adjusting screw to vary the preloaded tension of the springs. Also, a spindle cover is provided to stop movement of the seat at the maximum tilted position, and to stop movement of a toggle mechanism at the upright position.

The present invention relates to chairs, particularly to office chairs of the type which recline. More specifically, the field of the invention is that of knee tilt control mechanisms for office chairs.
A problem with prior art tilting chairs involves the position of the chair occupant's feet. When a chair seat is tilted about an axis located in the middle of the seat, the rear of the seat is lowered simultaneously with the elevation of the front. The occupant's knee is normally located adjacent to the front of the seat, so that when the front rises so do the occupant's legs thereby causing the feet to be lifted above the ground. This lifting of the legs above the floor is undesirable and many prior art chair structures exist which attempt to solve this problem.
In one prior art chair design, a tilting axis is provided near the front of the seat so that when the chair is tilted, the front edge of the seat remains at relatively the same height above the ground. With such an arrangement, the occupant's legs are not lifted above the ground because the tilting occurs about an axis in the vicinity of the knees. However, prior art knee tilt control mechanisms have problems associated with the amount of resistance against tilting. For example, a high resistance spring causes tilting, particularly in positions of near full tilt, to be unnecessarily difficult as the linear increase of resistance may be too strong for many persons. Further, a low resistance spring causes unwanted tilting because the initial force of the occupant's body sitting down biases the seat in a substantial backward tilt, which is an undesirable position when working at a desk or table.
To overcome the above mentioned problems, one prior art chair includes a mechanical lock for maintaining an upright position. To recline in this chair, the occupant must first unlock the mechanism before reclining. Similarly to return to the upright position, the occupant must move to and then lock the chair in the upright position. The mechanical lock detracts from the comfort and flexibility of the chair because the chair occupant must operate the lock to adjust the position of the chair.
Another prior art chair includes a passive knee tilt mechanism, i.e., a mechanism which responds to the positioning of the occupant. The passive knee tilt mechanism provides a high initial resistance to tilting and then a generally increasing resistance for the remainder of the possible tilting angle. Because of the high initial resistance, the occupant will be in the upright position unless the occupant exerts a backward force. Further, with the exertion of a reasonable amount of force the occupant can easily recline. The knee tilt mechanism includes two springs, one providing a linear resistance to tilting and the other attached to a cam lever so that at a predetermined angle the compression of the other spring remains relatively constant.
Having the tilt axis positioned in front of the spindle axis of a chair allows the seat to recline and potentially impact the spindle hub. The resistance of the springs limit the tilting of the chair. However, a significantly large force can overcome the resistance of the springs, for example a relatively large person falling backwards into the seat.
Another chair which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,993 has a passive knee tilt mechanism including a spring and a toggle lever. The spring provides a linearly increasing resistance to tilting, and the toggle lever provides a non-linear resistance which at a predetermined angle initially increases sharply then gradually decreases from the maximum level. The spring is adjusted by rotation of a knob connected to a flexible shaft which is threadedly connected to an upper portion of the spring support, the upper portion engaging and moving on a cam guide of the seat. The toggle lever also includes a means for adjusting the angle at which the toggle lever begins to provide resistance so that the chair rests at that angle. However, movement of the spring support in the cam guide must overcome the frictional resistance of the cam surface. Also, the flexible shaft may be less reliable than a directly connected adjusting screw for adjusting the spring.
One feature common to most office chairs having springs involves adjusting the chairs, resistance to tilting. Prior art spring adjustment mechanisms generally use either direct acting or sliding wedge types of adjustment. One type of chair structure uses a direct acting adjustment mechanism wherein an adjustment knob mechanism acts along the centerlines of springs to make the adjustments. Turning the knob is difficult because the spring and friction forces directly resist the axial movement of the knob. Another direct acting adjustment involves double torsion springs, wherein a knob mechanism acts on one of the arms of the spring. Turning the knob is slightly less difficult than with a single spring because some leverage is provided by the structure of the double torsion spring; however, the mechanical advantage gained by double torsion spring structure provides only a marginal improvement, below a 2:1 leverage. Prior art sliding wedge arrangements include a wedge driven by an adjusting screw to compress the springs. Turning the knob is facilitated by the leverage of the wedge and resisted by the friction between wedge surfaces, thus creating a net effect which differs little from direct acting adjustment arrangements.
What is needed is a tiltable chair which is easier to adjust and has an adjustment mechanism which utilizes a greater amount of leverage. Also, a tiltable chair having a more effective positive stop is needed.


A column shift type transmission control device used in a tilt steering system. A tilt joint for coupling the upper control rod and the lower control rod of the transmission control device is provided in cabin side and the lower control rod is supported by the mount bracket so as to make an opening in the mount bracket smaller to contribute for noise separation and for easy assembling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a column shift type transmission control device to be used in a tilt steering system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional tilt steering system, a tilt joint for coupling the upper control rod and the lower control rod of the column shift type transmission control device is arranged at the engine room side with respect to the dash panel.
In such a conventional construction, the shape of the opening hole in the mount bracket for passing the rod becomes larger in order to cover swing movement of the upper control rod. This was a disadvantage in view of noise separation and the noise generated in the engine room tends to intrude into the cabin quite easily. Furthermore, since the lower control rod is not supported by the mount bracket, a support bracket for supporting the lower control rod in the engine room side should be provided, for instance, on a gear box of the steering device and a dust boot for sealing the clearance between the upper control rod and the opening hole of the mount bracket should be provided. This causes complication in mounting and inconvenience for the noise separation.


The apparatus includes a generally circular table having a fence about its periphery, and is provided with a conveyor for feeding quantities of container crowns onto the table. The table is rotated so that the container crowns are moved outwardly against the fence and fed centrifugally into a twist chute for receiving the crowns. The apparatus is provided with first and second curved channels coupled for conveying containers out of the twist chutes, the second curved channel merging together with the first channel at a point along their respective paths, with the path length of the first channel being substantially longer than that of the second channel between the twist tube, twist chute and the merging point. The apparatus includes the escapement assembly, the speed of which is controlled and is operated at the merging point for controlling the rate of movement of container crowns out of the first and second channels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for orienting and feeding container crowns and similar articles at high rates of speed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Container crowns typically have a corrugated, gear-like shape and tend to lock together when conveyed. In my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,812, apparatus is described for automatically orienting and feeding container crowns and similar articles into a vertical reservoir used to recirculate the crowns and reduce the locking of the crown edges. Improvements to the apparatus disclosed in that patent are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,953 to Smith, which describes a deflecting member at the bottom of the hopper having magnetic disks along a rotating vertical surface to facilitate movement of container crowns out of the reservoir. However, the recirculation techniques described in the '812 patent is counter productive to the control of the flow of container crowns and inhibits higher rates of speed.
Other prior art of interest includes French Patent 1,114,037 which discloses a horizontal centrifugal conveyor table similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,812, discussed above.
Other prior art of general interest also includes the following U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,145 to Miller; U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,921 to Tackett; U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,924 to Schultz; U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,369 to Vergobbi; U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,594 to Ravn et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,592,336 to Thurston et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,140 to Myer et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,305,067 to Mayer; 3,401,832 to Wyle et al; U.S. Pat. No. 2,772,005 to Dubin et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,745,537 to Cadman et al.

Apparatus and methods for feeding container crowns and similar articles at high through-put rates