An electrosurgical instrument for cutting and coagulating tubular tissue structures, especially tubular ones, includes a pair of spaced-apart electrodes that are stationarily mounted at the distal end of an elongated tubular barrel. A hook-shaped cutting member has an incline segment thereon for cooperating with a ramp formed at the distal end of the instrument. A tubular body structure to be severed is first brought into contact with electrodes and subjected to a RF current sufficient to coagulate and seal the same. Actuation of a lever on the instrument's handle causes the hook-shaped cutting member to deflect into a space containing the tissue structure and with continued actuation in a proximal direction causing a cutting edge on the hook of the cutting member to pass through and sever the tissue structure.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electrosurgical instruments for cutting and coagulating tissue, and more particularly to an instrument especially designed for cutting and sealing tubular body tissues, such as veins, fallopian tubes, vas deferens and the like.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
In coronary bypass surgery, the bypass graft frequently comprises a segment of the great saphenous vein harvested from the patient's leg. In doing so, a surgeon would typically use a scalpel to cut longitudinally along the leg to expose the saphenous vein and then use blunt dissection techniques to remove a segment thereof which necessitates severing and subsequent coagulation of side branches emanating from the great saphenous vein to effect hemostasis before the original incision is closed. This procedure necessarily creates an extensive wound in the leg that often proves painful and slow to heal.
Less invasive techniques for harvesting the great saphenous vein have been devised and can be divided into either skin bridging or endoscopic. Skin bridging encompasses a procedure that involves making multiple incisions, ranging in length from 2 to 8 cms with retraction of the remaining overlying skin for access to the saphenous vein. Retraction is accomplished with a conventional blade-type retractor. The endoscopic technique offers an advantage of using only one or two incisions from 1 to 2 cms in length with the dissection then carried out with the assistance of an endoscope and specially designed endoscopic instruments that range in length from 24 to 45 cms. With the endoscopic technique, an instrument is used to create a tunnel around the great saphenous vein by entering a first of the transverse incisions and manipulating the instrument until its distal end is approximately midway to the adjacent incision, at which point the instrument is removed and reinserted in that adjacent incision and advanced towards the first incision until the tunnels meet. The process is then repeated along the length of the patient's leg.
While that instrument is useful in freeing the saphenous vein from adjacent connective tissue, a need exists for a companion instrument that can be used to cut and coagulate side branches emanating from the great saphenous vein. A cutting/coagulating forceps, such as that described in my earlier Rydell et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,638, while readily adaptable to use in severing and sealing such branch veins is unnecessarily complex in that it requires a mechanism for manipulating the forceps jaws to make them open and close about the branch veins as well as a mechanism for actuating the cutting blade. Moreover, the scissors-style handle used on my earlier instrument is not ergonomically well suited to cutting and sealing side branches encountered when harvesting a segment of the saphenous vein for use in bypass surgery.

Bipolar electrosurgical instrument for cutting and sealing tubular tissue structures


An electric control apparatus for a damper device in a suspension system of an automotive vehicle, wherein absolute velocity of a sprung mass of the vehicle and relative velocity of the sprung mass to an unsprung mass of the vehicle in vertical movement are detected to determine a target damping coefficient in a predetermined small value when the detected absolute velocity is different from the detected relative velocity in a movement direction and to increase the target damping coefficient in accordance with an increase of a ratio of the detected absolute velocity to the detected relative velocity when the detected absolute velocity coincides with the detected relative velocity in the movement direction, and wherein a magnitude of vertical vibration of the sprung mass is detected to correct the target damping coefficient to a predetermined small value when the detected magnitude of vertical vibration of the sprung mass is less than a predetermined value and to increase the maximum value of the target damping coefficient in accordance with an increase of the detected magnitude of vertical vibration of the sprung mass more than the predetermined value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suspension system of an automotive vehicle, and more particularly to an electric control apparatus for controlling a damping coefficient of a damper device in the suspension system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 5(1993)-294122, there has been proposed an electric control apparatus for a damper device in a suspension system of an automotive vehicle, wherein absolute velocity x' of a sprung mass of the vehicle in vertical movement and relative velocity y' of the sprung mass to an unsprung mass of the vehicle in vertical movement are detected to determine a target damping coefficient of the damper device in a small value when the detected absolute velocity x' is different from the relative velocity y' in a movement direction (when vibration of the sprung mass is in a vibration region) and to increase the target damping coefficient of the damper device in accordance with an increase of a velocity ratio x'/y' of the detected absolute velocity x' to the detected relative velocity y' when both the absolute velocity x' and relative velocity y' are coincident in the movement direction (when vibration of the sprung mass is in a damping region).
In the control apparatus described above, both the absolute velocity x' and relative velocity y' will change sinusoidal with a large phase difference. Particularly, when the sprung mass of the vehicle is vibrating at a low resonance frequency of about 1 Hz, the phase difference becomes approximately ninety degrees, and the velocity ratio x'/y' of the absolute velocity x' to the relative velocity y' changes sinusoidal as shown in FIG. 6. This means that the damping coefficient of the damper device suddenly increases when both the absolute velocity x' and relative velocity y' coincides in the movement direction. Such a sudden change of the damping coefficient will occur as well as at start of vibration of the sprung mass and deteriorate the riding comfort of the vehicle when the sprung mass was vibrated.

Electric control apparatus for damper device in suspension system of automotive vehicle


A process for forcibly infusing liquid potting compound into the exposed strands of a cable prior to forming a termination. The process uses a mold that encloses the exposed strands. Potting compound is then pumped into the mold, where it runs around and through the exposed strands. A second venting passage is preferably employed, so that the liquid potting compound flows through the mold without trapping any air pockets.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of cables and ropes. More specifically, the invention comprises a process for thoroughly infusing liquid potting compound into the strands of a rope or cable prior to affixing an anchor or for other uses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices for mounting a termination on the end of a rope or cable are disclosed in detail in copending U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/404,973 to Campbell, which is incorporated herein by reference. Throughout this disclosure, the term "strand" will be used to describe the constituents of synthetic cables, natural-fiber cables, and ropes. Although synthetic cables are used for the illustrations, the reader should understand that the methods and devices disclosed are equally applicable to any type of stranded cable.
It is often useful to affix a piece of hardware to the end of a cable. Examples of hardware would be threaded fasteners, hooks, and eyes. Such hardware will be generically referred to as an "anchor." Anchors typically have an expanding internal passage or some type of interlocking features, such as ridges. The strands proximate the end of a cable are wetted with liquid potting compound. The wetted strands are then placed within the internal passage of the anchor. The potting compound then hardens to form a solid, thereby locking a length of strands into the anchor. The anchor, along with the contained strands and solid potting compound will be referred to as a "termination."
Those skilled in the art will know that the term "potting compound" generally refers to any liquid which can be transformed into a solid (such as by air-drying, cooling, reacting with a catalyst, etc.). Examples include thermoplastics, molten metals, thermosets, and reactive compounds (such as two-part epoxies).
Two methods of infusing liquid potting compound into the strands of a cable are in common use. These are: (1) Pulling an anchor into its final position around the exposed strands and pouring the liquid potting compound into an open end of the anchor; or (2) Infusing the exposed strands with liquid potting compound, then pulling the anchor into its final position (The infusion is typically accomplished via painting on the liquid potting compound or dipping the exposed strands into a vat of liquid potting compound).
Under either approach, the potting compound may fail to fully infuse the strands. Moreover, both approaches must generally be performed manually, resulting in drastic variations from termination to termination.
FIG. 1 shows four cables 10 with exposed strands in varying configurations. The far left example shows core strands 12 exposed and ready for potting in an undisturbed state. Proceeding to the right, the next example shows the exposed strands being compressed to form fanned strands 14. The next example shows the exposed strands being splayed to form conical strands 16. The far right example shows the strands being splayed apart further to form radially fanned strands 44. All these examples, as well as others, may be employed prior to infusing the exposed strands with liquid potting resin.


A process of liquefying gas to produce a liquid cryogen comprising compressing a gas stream using a compressor, work expanding the compressed gas stream using at least one expansion turbine to produce an expanded gas stream together with power, mechanically transferring the power generated by the expansion turbine(s) to drive the compressor, using the expanded gas stream to provide refrigeration duty for liquefaction, and recycling the cooled expanded compressed gas stream to the compressor.

The invention relates to the liquefaction of gas to form a cryogen. In particular, the invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for the production of a liquid cryogen from gas by liquefaction.
An important method for the production of liquid cryogen, such as, for example, liquid nitrogen, involves compressing a stream of gas comprising feed gas and recycled gas using a multistage intercooled recycle compressor, cooling the compressed gas, liquefying part of the cooled gas, and work expanding other parts of the gas in one or more expansion turbines to provide heat exchange refrigeration cooling and condensation duty for the process.
It is well known in the art that the use of two expansion turbines operating over different temperature spans, each running at a speed to maximize its performance, is significantly more efficient than the use of a single expansion turbine, due to the closer temperature approaches achieved in the main liquefier heat exchanger. To maximize the overall efficiency of the liquefier, the substantial mechanical power developed by the expansion turbines in producing the refrigeration should be recovered efficiently. For low overall cost, the capital associated with the recovery of the turbine power must be low.
Broadly speaking, there are two methods of recovering the mechanical power generated by expansion turbines. First, it is well known to load expansion turbines with electrical generators thereby recovering the power generated in the form of electricity. However, whilst this method is efficient, such electrical generators are expensive and therefore increase the overall capital cost of the liquefaction process. In addition, an electric generator load expansion turbine usually requires a speed reduction gearbox and mechanical energy is lost in the gearing between the expansion turbine and the electrical generator.
The second method is to recover the power mechanically. For air separation processes, it is known for the mechanical power generated by liquefier expansion turbines to be used to drive a compressor compressing an air separation unit process stream. Such compressor/expander combinations can be a cost effective and efficient means of recovering power developed by a single expander. However, these combinations have the disadvantage of requiring both the expander and the compressor to run at the same speed which is unlikely to be the optimum speed for either component. Further, this combination requires the liquefier expander be associated with the air separation unit feed compressor that is disadvantageous if one wishes to operate the liquefier separately from the air separation unit.
It is also known in the liquefier art to use an expansion turbine to drive a stage of compression, typically to further compress at least part of the gas compressed by the recycle compressor. Such expansion turbine/compressor combinations are sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9ccompandersxe2x80x9d and provide about 10-20% of the total compression power. For liquefiers, there is a particular advantage in using an expansion turbine to further compress at least a portion of the gas from the recycle compressor. However, while companders are efficient, they are relatively expensive, require aftercoolers and require instrumentation or controls to prevent then overspeeding. This extra equipment increases the overall cost of the liquefier.
As far as the inventors are aware, there is no prior public disclosure of recovering the turbine power by mounting the turbines on the liquefier recycle compressor or of the advantages derivable therefrom.
An efficient, low cost liquefaction method and apparatus has now been developed in which the power generated by the expansion turbine(s) is recovered in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The improvement results, in particular, in a reduction of the capital cost and ease of construction of liquefiers without sacrificing efficiency.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided in a method of liquefying a gas to produce a liquid cryogen comprising:
compressing a gas stream comprising a recycle gas stream in a compressor to provide at least one compressed gas stream;
cooling at least a portion of said compressed gas and work expanding the resultant cooled compressed gas in at least one expansion turbine to provide an expanded gas stream and generate mechanical power;
cooling and at least partially condensing the gas to be liquefied by heat exchange with said expanded gas stream providing refrigeration duty for said cooling and condensation; and
recycling without compressing said heat-exchanged expanded gas stream to the compressor to provide said recycle gas stream,
the improvement consisting in that the expansion turbine is mechanically linked to the compressor so that the mechanical power generated by said expansion turbine provides a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor.
A feed gas stream may be introduced into the process cycle and introduction can occur at numerous different locations. For example, the feed stream may be combined with the recycle stream prior to compression in the compressor. If the pressure of the feed stream were high enough, it could join newly compressed gas stream downstream from the compressor. If the pressure of the feed stream were at a suitable intermediate pressure then the feed stream could join the cycle as an interstage feed stream to the compressor or be combined with an interstage outlet stream from the compressor. The feed stream may be available as a cryogenic gas and join the circulating fluid at a suitable point inside a cold enclosure. Part of the feed stream may be available as a cryogenic gas and part as a warm gas, each part joining the cycle at an appropriate point.
In certain embodiments of the present invention, the feed stream may never join the circulating stream because it has a different composition. In these embodiments, the feed stream is cooled and condensed to form a product liquid against returning expanded gas streams of the recycling fluid. None of the circulating fluid is condensed. An example would be if the circulating fluid were air and the feed and product streams were nitrogen or if the circulating fluid were standard nitrogen and the feed and the product streams were ultrapure nitrogen.
The feed gas may be any suitable gas that is capable of producing a liquid cryogen. Particular examples of suitable gases include any of the common atmospheric gases such as nitrogen, oxygen and argon, many hydrocarbon gases such as methane and ethane, and mixtures of these gases such as air and natural gas.
The improved method is particularly suitable for liquefaction processes using at least one multistage intercooled integrally geared centrifugal compressor for feed and recycle compression duty assembled with one or more expansion turbines. In particularly preferred embodiments of the invention, expansion turbines drive the compressor via a gear drive.
Preferably, the gas to be liquefied comprises a portion of the compressed gas and the compressed gas comprises make-up and recycle gas. Alternatively, the gas to be liquefied consists of a portion of the compressed gas and said compressed gas comprises make-up gas and recycle gas. In other embodiments, the gas to be liquefied does not comprise recycle gas.
In preferred embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, there is a single expansion turbine to provide a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor. In this embodiment, the expansion turbine may be mounted opposite the compressor on a single pinion. The expansion turbine may drive the compressor by a dedicated pinion. In a different arrangement, the expansion may be mounted on its own pinion and drive the compressor via a gear drive.
In particularly preferred embodiments, the cooled compressed gas is expanded at different temperatures in at least two expansion turbines, each expansion turbine providing a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor.
There are several different arrangements of the expansion turbines in these particularly preferred embodiments. In one arrangement, the expansion turbines may operate at the same speed and drive the compressor by a gear drive comprising a single pinion common to the expansion turbines. The expansion turbines may then operate at different pressure ratios to provide optimum performance at substantially the same speed. In another arrangement, a first expansion turbine may drive the compressor by a gear drive comprising a first pinion common to the first expansion turbine and the compressor and second expansion turbine may also drive the compressor by a second pinion of the gear drive which is common to the second expansion turbine and the compressor. In a further arrangement, the expansion turbines may operate at different speeds and drive the compressor by a gear drive comprising a separate pinion for each turbine.
The expansion turbine pressure ratios are preferably selected to minimise the difference in the optimum speeds of the two expansion turbines. For optimum expansion turbine aerodynamic efficiency, the expansion turbine wheel should be designed for an optimum wheel tip velocity and an optimum specific speed as is well known in the art.
Efficiency of the present invention is a function of machine geometry, Reynolds Number and Mach Number as well as operating conditions and expansion turbine speed. Both the actual wheel tip velocity and specific speed of an expansion turbine are functions of the expansion turbine speed in revolutions per minute (rpm), the expansion turbine enthalpy drop, the impeller geometry and the exhaust volumetric flow of the expansion turbine. The optimum wheel tip velocity is a function of the isentropic enthalpy drop across the expansion turbine that is, in turn, a function of the expansion turbine pressures and inlet temperature. As is well known in the art, the enthalpy drop reduces with decreasing temperature, but increases with increasing pressure ratio. Thus, to achieve an optimal speed match, the expansion turbine with the colder inlet temperature (the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine) should have a larger pressure ratio than the expansion turbine with the warmer inlet temperature (the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine).
In embodiments having two expansion turbines mounted on the same pinion, the expansion turbines must run at the same rpm and, ideally, their performances and efficiencies should be as close to optimum as possible. Provided the pressure ratio of the cold expansion turbine is larger than that of the warm expansion turbine, then there are enough variables available to the designer to arrange for both expansion turbines to operate close to their performance and efficiency optima. The variables include the expansion turbine inlet and exhaust pressures and inlet temperatures, the mass flow rate split between the expansion turbines, the impeller geometries and the selected pinion speed at which the two expansion turbines must run.
In a first arrangement of a particularly preferred embodiment having two expansion turbines operating at different temperatures, the compressed gas portion to be cooled and expanded is cooled to a first temperature to provide an xe2x80x9cintermediatelyxe2x80x9d cooled compressed gas stream. A portion of the intermediately cooled compressed gas stream is work expanded in a xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a first expanded gas stream. A remaining portion of the intermediately cooled compressed gas stream is further cooled to a second temperature below said first temperature to provide a further cooled compressed gas stream that is expanded in a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a second expanded gas stream. Both said first and second expanded gas streams provide cooling and condensation heat-exchange duty.
In this arrangement, the compressor may have a first compression stage and at least one further compression stage, the second expanded gas stream being recycled to the first compression stage and the first expanded gas stream being recycled to a further compression stage.
The xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine may drive a stage of the compressor by a gear drive comprising a first pinion common to the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine and the compression stage and the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine may drive a further stage of the compressor by a second pinion of the gear drive which is common to the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine and the further compression stage.
In a second arrangement of a particularly preferred embodiment having two expansion turbines providing a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor, the compressed gas portion to be cooled and expanded is cooled to a first temperature to provide an xe2x80x9cintermediatelyxe2x80x9d cooled compressed gas stream. The intermediately cooled compressed gas stream is work expanded in a xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a first expanded gas stream that is cooled to a second temperature below said first temperature to provide a cooled first expanded gas stream. The cooled first expanded gas stream is work expanded in a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a second expanded gas stream that is used to provide cooling and condensation heat-exchange duty.
The first expanded gas stream need not necessarily be cooled to a second temperature below said first temperature. In some arrangements, the first expanded gas stream may be reheated to the second temperature to produce a reheated first expanded gas stream that is then word expanded in the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expander to provide the second expanded gas stream. In other arrangements, the first expanded gas stream may be fed directly to the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine without cooling or reheat.
In the second arrangement, the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine may drive the compressor by a gear drive comprising a first pinion common to the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine and the compressor and the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine may drive the compressor by a second pinion of the gear drive which is common to the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine and the compressor.
In a third arrangement of a particularly preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention having two expansion turbines, the compressor has at least one intermediate compression section and a final compression section. The compressed gas portion to be cooled and expanded comprises an intermediate pressure part, withdrawn from the compressor after an intermediate compression section, and a final pressure part, withdrawn from the final compression section. The intermediate pressure part is cooled to a first temperature and work expanded in a xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a first expanded gas stream. The final pressure part is cooled to a second temperature below the first temperature and expanded in a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a second expanded gas stream. Both the first and second expanded gas streams provide cooling and condensation heat-exchange duty.
In this arrangement, both the first and second expanded gas streams may be recycled to the first intermediate compression section of the compressor.
The xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine may drive a stage of the compressor by a gear drive comprising a first pinion common to the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine and said compression stage and the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine may drive another stage of the compressor by a second pinion of the gear drive which is common to the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine and said another compression stage.
In each of these arrangements of a particularly preferred embodiment having two expansion turbines providing a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor, the expansion turbines may operate at the same speed and drive the compressor by a gear drive comprising a single pinion common to the expansion turbines. In this arrangement, the expansion turbines may operate at different pressure ratios to provide optimum performance at substantially the same speed. Alternatively, the expansion turbines may operate at different speeds and drive the compressor by a gear drive comprising a separate pinion for each turbine.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, in a method of liquefying a gas to produce a liquid cryogen comprising:
compressing a combined feed and recycle gas stream in a compressor to provide at least one compressed gas stream;
cooling a portion of the compressed gas and work expanding the resultant cooled compressed gas in at least one expansion turbine to provide an expanded gas stream and generate mechanical power;
cooling and at least partially condensing a remaining portion of the compressed gas by heat exchange with said expanded gas stream providing refrigeration duty for said cooling and condensation; and
recycling said heat-exchanged expanded gas stream to the compressor to provide said recycle gas stream,
the improvement consisting in that the expansion turbine is mechanically linked to the compressor and the mechanical power generated by said expansion turbine provides a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor.
According to one specific embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of liquefying a gas to produce a liquid cryogen comprising:
compressing a recycle gas stream in a compressor having at least a first compression section and a final compression section to provide a compressed gas stream from said final compression section;
cooling a portion of said compressed gas stream to a first temperature to provide an xe2x80x9cintermediatelyxe2x80x9d cooled compressed gas stream;
work expanding a portion of said intermediately cooled compressed gas stream in a xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a first expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine being mounted on a pinion that is mechanically linked by a gear drive to the compressor to provide a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
further cooling a remaining portion of said intermediately cooled compressed gas stream to a second temperature below said first temperature to provide a further cooled compressed gas stream;
work expanding said further cooled compressed gas stream in a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a second expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine operating at the same speed as, but with a higher pressure ratio than, the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine and also mounted on said pinion to provide a further portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
cooling and at least partially condensing the remaining portion of said compressed gas stream by heat exchange with said first and second expanded gas streams together providing refrigeration duty for said cooling and condensation thereby providing heat exchanged first and second expanded gas streams;
recycling the heat-exchanged first expanded gas stream to the compressor downstream of the first compression section; and recycling the heat-exchanged second expanded gas stream to the first compression section.
According to another specific embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method of liquefying a gas selected from air and components thereof comprising:
compressing a recycle gas stream in a compressor having an inlet and an outlet to provide a compressed gas stream from said outlet;
cooling a portion of said compressed gas stream to a first temperature to provide an xe2x80x9cintermediatelyxe2x80x9d cooled compressed gas stream;
work expanding said intermediately cooled compressed gas stream in a xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a first expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine being mounted on a pinion that is mechanically linked by a gear drive to the compressor to provide a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
cooling said first expanded gas stream to a second temperature below said first temperature to provide a cooled first expanded gas stream;
work expanding said cooled first expanded gas stream in a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a second expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine operating at the same speed as, but with a higher pressure ratio than, the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine and also mounted on said pinion to provide a further portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
cooling and at least partially condensing the remaining portion of said compressed gas stream by heat exchange with said second expanded gas stream together providing refrigeration duty for said cooling and condensation thereby providing a heat exchanged second expanded gas stream; and
recycling the heat-exchanged second expanded gas stream to the compressor inlet.
In a further specific embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method of liquefying a gas selected from air and components thereof comprising:
compressing a recycle gas stream in a compressor having at least a first compression section and a final compression section to provide a first compressed gas stream upstream of said final compression section and a second compressed gas stream from said final compression section;
cooling said first compressed gas stream to a first temperature to provide an xe2x80x9cintermediatelyxe2x80x9d cooled compressed gas stream;
work expanding said intermediately cooled compressed gas stream in a xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a first expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine being mounted on a pinion that is mechanically linked by a gear drive to the compressor to provide a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
cooling a portion of said second compressed gas stream to a second temperature below said first temperature to provide a second cooled compressed gas stream;
work expanding said second cooled compressed gas stream in a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine to provide a second expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine operating at the same speed as, but with a higher pressure ratio than, the warm expansion turbine and also mounted on said pinion to provide a further portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
cooling and at least partially condensing the remaining portion of said second compressed gas stream by heat exchange with said first and second expanded gas streams together providing refrigeration duty for said cooling and condensation thereby providing heat exchanged first and second expanded gas streams; and
recycling both the heat-exchanged first expanded gas stream and the heat-exchanged second expanded gas stream to the first compression section.
In modifications of the aforementioned specific embodiments of the present invention, the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine is mounted on a first pinion that is mechanically linked by a gear drive to the compressor and the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine is mounted on a second pinion that is mechanically connected by the gear drive to the compressor. Both the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbines provide a portion of the mechanical power to drive the compressor.
In a second aspect of the present invention, there is also provided in an apparatus for liquefying a gas to produce a liquid cryogen comprising:
a compressor for compressing a gas stream comprising a recycle gas stream to provide at least one compressed gas stream;
heat exchange means for cooling at least a portion of the compressed gas;
at least one expansion turbine for work expanding the resultant cooled compressed gas to provide an expanded gas stream and generate mechanical power;
condensing heat exchange means for cooling and at least partially condensing the gas to a liquefied against said expanded gas stream providing refrigeration duty for said cooling and condensation; and
recycle conduit means for recycling without compressing said heat-exchanged expanded gas stream to the compressor to provide said recycle stream,
the improvement consisting in that said expansion turbine and compressor are mechanically linked so that the expansion turbine provides a portion of the mechanical energy required to drive the compressor.
The compressor is preferably an intercooled integrally geared turbomachine assembly with multiple centrifugal compressor and expansion turbine stages assembled on pinion shafts, driven by a common gear drive, e.g. a bullgear. In embodiments of the invention having pinion shafts, the pinion shafts may have pinion gears that allow the pinion to drive the gear drive.
The expansion turbine and compressor may be connected by a gear drive. Preferably, the expansion turbine is mounted on a dedicated pinion that is linked mechanically to the compressor. However, in a preferred embodiment, the expansion turbine is mounted opposite the compressor on a pinion.
In preferred embodiments of the apparatus aspect of the present invention, there are at least two expansion turbines expanding the cooled compressed gas portion at different temperatures, both expansion turbines being mechanically connected by a gear drive to the compressor.
There are several different arrangements of the preferred embodiments. In one arrangement, a first expansion turbine drives the compressor by a gear drive comprising a first pinion common to the first expansion turbine and the compressor and a second expansion turbine drives the compressor by a second pinion of the gear drive which is common to the second expansion turbine and the compressor.
In a second arrangement, the expansion turbines have a common pinion. Alternatively, the expansion turbines operate at different speeds and drive the compressor by a gear drive comprising a separate pinion for each turbine.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of this aspect of the present invention, the apparatus comprises:
heat exchange means for cooling a compressed gas portion to a first temperature to provide an xe2x80x9cintermediatelyxe2x80x9d cooled compressed gas stream;
a xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine for work expanding a portion of the intermediately cooled compressed gas stream to provide a first expanded gas stream;
heat exchange means for further cooling a remaining portion of the intermediately cooled compressed gas stream to a second temperature below the first temperature to provide a further cooled compressed gas stream; and
a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine for work expanding the further cooled compressed gas stream to provide a second expanded gas stream, and
conduit means for feeding the first and second expanded gas streams to the condensing heat-exchange means.
In this embodiment, the compressor preferably has a first compression section and at least one further compression section. The recycle conduit means preferably recycles the second expanded gas stream to the first compression section and the first expanded gas stream to a further compression section.
A first expansion turbine may drive a stage of the compressor by a gear drive comprising a first pinion common to the first expansion turbine and said compression stage and a second expansion turbine may drive another stage of the compressor by a second pinion of the gear drive which is common to the second expansion turbine and said another compression stage.
Optionally, the two expansion turbines may be mounted opposite each other on the same pinion. Alternatively, where the expansion turbines operate at different speeds, they may drive the compressor by a gear drive comprising a separate pinion for each turbine.
In a second particularly preferred embodiment of this aspect of the present invention, the apparatus comprises:
heat exchange means for cooling a compressed gas portion to a first temperature to provide an xe2x80x9cintermediatelyxe2x80x9d cooled compressed gas stream;
a xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine for work expanding the intermediately cooled compressed gas stream to provide a first expanded gas stream;
heat exchange means for cooling the first expanded gas stream to a second temperature below the first temperature to provide a cooled first expanded gas stream; and
a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d exchanger for work expanding the cooled first expanded gas stream to provide a second expanded gas stream; and conduit means for feeding said second expanded gas stream to the condensing heat-exchange means.
A first expansion turbine may drive the compressor by a gear drive comprising a first pinion common to the first expansion turbine and the compressor and a second expansion turbine may drive the compressor by a second pinion of the gear drive which is common to the second expansion turbine and the compressor.
Optionally, the two expansion turbines may either be mounted opposite each other on the same pinion or, where the expansion turbines operate at different speeds, they may drive the compressor by a gear drive comprising a separate pinion for each turbine.
Preferably, the apparatus comprises:
heat exchange means for cooling a compressed gas portion to a first temperature to provide an xe2x80x9cintermediatelyxe2x80x9d cooled compressed gas stream;
a warm expansion turbine for work expanding said intermediately cooled compressed gas stream to provide a first expanded gas stream;
a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine for work expanding said first expanded gas stream to provide a second expanded gas stream; and
conduit means for feeding said second expanded gas stream to the condensing heat-exchange means.
In a third particularly preferred embodiment of this aspect of the present invention, the compressor has at least one intermediate compression section and a final compression section providing an intermediate pressure compressed gas steam withdrawn from the compressor after an intermediate compression section and a final pressure compressed gas stream withdrawn from the final compression section of the compressor. The heat exchanger means cools the intermediate pressure compressed gas stream to a first temperature and the final pressure compressed gas stream to a second temperature below the first temperature. A first xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine work expands the cooled intermediate pressure compressed gas stream to provide a first expanded gas stream and a second xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine work expands the final pressure compressed gas stream to provide a second expanded gas stream and wherein conduit means feeds said first and second expanded gas streams to the condensing heat-exchange means.
In this preferred embodiment, the recycle conduit means preferably recycles the heat exchanged first and second expanded gas streams to the first compression section of the compressor.
As with the first particularly preferred embodiment of the apparatus aspect, in the third particularly preferred embodiment, a first expansion turbine may drive a stage of the compressor by a gear drive comprising a first pinion common to the first expansion turbine and the compression stage and a second expansion turbine may drive a further stage of the compressor by a second pinion of the gear drive which is common to the second expansion turbine and the further compression stage.
Optionally, the two expansion turbines may either be mounted opposite each other on the same pinion or, where the expansion turbines operate at different speeds, they may drive the compressor by a gear drive comprising a separate pinion for each turbine.
According to a specific embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for liquefying a gas selected from air and components thereof comprising:
a compressor having at least a first compression section and a final compression section for compressing a recycle gas stream to provide a compressed gas stream from said final compression section;
heat exchange means for cooling a portion of said compressed gas stream to a first temperature to provide an xe2x80x9cintermediatelyxe2x80x9d cooled compressed gas stream;
a xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine for work expanding a portion of said intermediately cooled compressed gas stream to provide a first expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine being mounted on a pinion that is mechanically linked by a gear drive to the compressor to provide a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
heat exchange means for further cooling a remaining portion of said intermediately cooled compressed gas stream to a second temperature below said first temperature to provide a further cooled compressed gas stream;
a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine for work expanding said further cooled compressed gas stream to provide a second expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine being for operation at the same speed as, but with a higher pressure ratio than, the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine and also mounted on said pinion to provide a further portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
heat exchange means for cooling and at least partially condensing the remaining portion of said compressed gas stream and for said first and second expanded gas streams to together provide refrigeration duty for cooling and condensation to provide heat exchanged first and second expanded gas streams; and
recycle conduit means for recycling the heat-exchanged first expanded gas stream to the compressor downstream of the first compression section and recycling the heat-exchanged second expanded gas stream to the first compression section.
According to another specific embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for liquefying a gas selected from air and components thereof comprising:
a compressor having an inlet and an outlet for compressing a recycle gas stream to provide a compressed gas stream from said outlet;
heat exchange means for cooling a portion of said compressed gas stream to a first temperature to provide an xe2x80x9cintermediatelyxe2x80x9d cooled compressed gas stream;
a xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine for work expanding said intermediately cooled compressed gas stream to provide a first expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine being mounted on a pinion that is mechanically linked by a gear drive to a compressor to provide a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
heat exchange means for cooling said first expanded gas stream to a second temperature below said first temperature to provide a cooled first expanded gas stream;
a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine for work expanding said cooled first expanded gas stream to provide a second expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine being for operation at the same speed as, but with a higher pressure ratio than, the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine and also mounted on said pinion to provide a further portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
heat exchange means for cooling and at least partially condensing the remaining portion of said compressed gas stream against said second expanded gas stream to provide refrigeration duty for said cooling and condensation thereby providing a heat exchanged second expanded gas stream; and
recycle conduit means for recycling the heat-exchanged second expanded gas stream to the compressor inlet.
According to another specific embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for liquefying a gas selected from air and components thereof comprising:
a compressor having at least a first compression section and a final compression section compressing a recycle gas stream to provide a first compressed gas stream upstream of said final compression section and a second compressed gas stream from said final compression section;
heat exchange means for cooling said first compressed gas stream to a first temperature to provide an xe2x80x9cintermediatelyxe2x80x9d cooled compressed gas stream; a xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine for work expanding said intermediately cooled compressed gas stream to provide a first expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine being mounted on a pinion that is mechanically linked by a gear drive to the compressor to provide a portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
heat exchange means for cooling a portion of said second compressed gas stream to a second temperature below said first temperature to provide a second cooled compressed gas stream;
a xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine for work expanding said second cooled compressed gas stream to provide a second expanded gas stream, said xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine being for operation at the same speed as, but with a higher pressure ratio than, the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine and also mounted on said pinion to provide a further portion of the mechanical power required to drive the compressor;
heat exchange means for cooling and at least partially condensing the remaining portion of said second compressed gas stream and for said first and second expanded gas streams to together provide refrigeration duty for cooling and condensation thereby providing heat exchanged first and second expanded gas streams; and
recycle conduit means for recycling both the heat-exchanged first expanded gas stream and the heat-exchanged second expanded gas stream to the first compression section.
In alternative embodiments of the aforementioned specific embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention, the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d expansion turbine is mounted on a first pinion that is mechanically linked by a gear drive to the compressor and the xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbine is mounted on a second pinion that is mechanically connected by the gear drive to the compressor. Both the xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccoldxe2x80x9d expansion turbines provide a portion of the mechanical power to drive the compressor.
By assembling the expansion turbines used in the preferred embodiments of the liquefier process onto the integrally geared centrifugal compressor for the recycle compression service, significant cost reduction can be achieved. Only a single machinery module is required (apart from any feed compressor if required), together with a cold enclosure and piping. This advantage results in a small footprint for the liquefier, a reduction in construction time and facilitates relocation of the liquefier.
If the liquefier uses two expansion turbines then, by mounting the two expansion turbines on a single pinion of the recycle compressor, additional cost reduction can be achieved. In particular, the liquefier has only a single major machine module (other than any feed gas compression if required). Also the aftercoolers are not required thereby further reducing the cost and footprint of the liquefier. Further, as expansion turbines loaded on an integrally geared centrifugal compressor operate at a constant speed, the possibility of overspeeding the expansion turbines is significantly reduced.
A further advantage of the invention is that the number of liquefier equipment modules is reduced because the expansion turbines are mounted on the recycle compressor. This would reduce construction time and reduce the cost of relocation of the liquefier.

Method and apparatus for the production of a liquid cryogen


A heater controller controls power supplied to a heater capable of adjusting the temperature of a placement surface such that the heater reaches a set temperature. A temperature monitor measures the power supplied in the non-ignited state where the plasma is not ignited and in the transient state where the power supplied to the heater decreases after the plasma is ignited, while the power is controlled such that the temperature of the heater becomes constant. A parameter calculator calculates a heat input amount and the thermal resistance by using the power supplied in the non-ignited state and in the transient state to perform a fitting on a calculation model for calculating the power supplied in the transient state. A set temperature calculator calculates the set temperature of the heater at which the wafer reaches the target temperature, using the heat input amount and thermal resistance.

There has been known a plasma processing apparatus that performs a plasma processing such as, for example, an etching on a workpiece such as, for example, a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, also referred to as "wafer") using plasma. In this plasma processing apparatus, the temperature of the wafer is an important parameter in the etching process.
Therefore, in the plasma processing apparatus, a method including burying a heater capable of controlling the temperature in a placement table on which a wafer is placed and controlling the temperature of the wafer with the heater has been proposed. In addition, a method of predicting the temperature of a wafer heated by a heater has been proposed. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2016-001688, 2009-302390, and 2017-011169.

Plasma processing apparatus, temperature control method, and temperature control program


An OLED device having pillars, wherein the pillars serve to pattern a conductive layer during deposition. The profile of the pillars covers the edges of at least one functional layer to protect it from exposure to potentially deleterious substances.

FIG. 1 shows a pixelated OLED device 100 which serves, for example, as a display in various types of consumer electronic products, including cellular phones, cellular smart phones, personal organizers, pagers, advertising panels, touch screen displays, teleconferencing and multimedia products, virtual reality products, and display kiosks.
The OLED device comprises a functional stack formed on a substrate 102. The functional stack comprises of one or more organic functional layers 104 between two conductive functional layers (106 and 108) which serve as electrodes (anode and cathode). The conductive layers are patterned as desired. For example, the conductive layers can be patterned to form rows of anodes in a first direction and columns of cathodes in a second direction. OLED cells or pixels are located where the cathodes and anodes overlap. Charge carriers are injected through the cathodes and anodes via bond pads 112 for recombination in the organic layers. The recombination of the charge carriers causes the organic layer of the pixels to emit visible radiation. The device is encapsulated with a cap 110, hermetically sealing the cells.
As shown in FIG. 1, t-shaped pillars 114 are used to facilitate patterning of the upper conductive layer. The pillars can also be tapered with the top being wider than the bottom. Tapered or t-shaped pillars are described in, for example, Ext. Abstr. 44th Spring Meeting Japan Society of applied Physics and related Societies, 1997, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,962,970, 5,952,037, 5,742,129, or 5,701,055, which are all herein incorporated by reference for all purposes. The pillars are formed on the substrate after the formation of the lower conductive layer 106. Thereafter, the organic layer and conductive layer are deposited. Due to the profile of the pillars, the continuity of the upper conductive layer is disrupted, leaving segments of the conductive layer 108a over the organic layer 104 and segments 108b on top of the pillars.
However, the functional stack is susceptible to damage resulting from exposure to atmospheric constituents like oxygen and moisture that penetrated into the interior of the device. The cathode layer comprises, for example, magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), barium (Ba), silver (Ag), aluminium (Al) or a mixture or alloy thereof, which are susceptible to damage caused by exposure to any potentially deleterious substance such as water vapor and oxygen.
Referring to FIG. 1, the edges of the functional stack layers are exposed due to the profile of the pillars 114. Open edges such as 120 of the upper conductive layer and organic layer are especially susceptible to damage caused by water and oxygen and are typically areas which are affected first. The result may be shrinking pixels or dark, non-emitting spots due to the lack of current flow, leading to a reduction in the useful life of the OLED device.
Known methods typically employed to protect the functional stack include hermetically sealing the device and providing a desiccant inside the device to absorb oxygen and moisture that permeates through the sealant. However, residual oxygen and moisture still remaining within the encapsulated device will cause the shrinkage of pixels over time, due to the reaction with oxygen and water, typically starting at the exposed edges of the functional layers.
Alternatively, the upper conductive layer comprises an electron-emitting cathode layer and a protective conductive layer. The electron-emitting layer comprises, for example, Ca, Mg and/or Ba, or a mixture or alloy thereof, which are highly reactive to air and water. The protective layer comprises, for example, more stable materials such as silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), chromium (Cr), gold (Au) and/or aluminum (Al) or a mixture or alloy thereof. The protective conductive layer covers a surface of the electron-emitting layer to protect it from exposure, but does not cover the edges of the cathode layer due to the profile of the pillars. Hence, the edges of the cathode layer are still exposed to residual oxygen and water.
As evidenced from the foregoing discussion, it is desirable to provide a method to effectively pattern electrodes in the fabrication of OLED devices and protect the edges of the functional stack from damage caused by exposure to potentially deleterious substances.

Patterning of electrodes in OLED devices

Institute of Materials Research and Engineering


The conveyor has a plurality of sliding runners (5) coupled to guiding elements (2) that are fixed to a rotary platform (1). Each runner (5) has fixed thereto a cam follower (6) inserted in a groove (3) of the rotary platform (1) and coupled to a stationary closed-loop cam (4), and a retaining element (7) having a suction port (8) for retaining a container (M) and a suction outlet (9) in communication with the suction port (8). A stationary suction chamber (10) located above the rotary platform (1) has a perforated side wall (11) parallel to a portion of the closed-loop cam (4). Each suction outlet (9) moves in a path facing and adjacent to the perforated side wall (11) of the suction chamber (10) during a part of each rotation of the rotary platform.

Document EP 2226277 B1 describes a rotary conveyor for transferring containers comprising a rotor operated by a motor for rotating about a rotation axis. The rotor has a perimetric wall with a plurality of suction openings distributed along its periphery in correspondence with retaining elements configured for being coupled with the containers. In an inner region of the perimetric wall of the rotor, there is a stationary suction chamber connected to a low pressure source. The suction chamber defines a laterally open channel facing the perimetric wall along a predetermined circumferential arc, such that the suction chamber is partly demarcated by the perimetric wall of the rotor and such that when the rotor rotates, the suction openings are communicated directly with the suction chamber along the predetermined circumferential arc. As the rotor rotates, a container is retained in each of the retaining elements by suction at the start of the predetermined circumferential arc, conveyed by the rotor along the predetermined circumferential arc, and released at the end of the predetermined circumferential arc.
Document EP 2722296 A1 discloses a rotary conveyor with suction and change of pitch for transferring containers, comprising a rotary platform rotating about a rotation axis, a plurality of guiding elements fixed to the rotary platform and a plurality of grooves parallel to the guiding elements formed in the rotary platform. The guiding elements and grooves are uniformly distributed around the rotation axis and extend from a peripheral region to a central region of the rotary platform. A stationary closed-loop cam defining a path not centered with respect to the rotation axis is located below the rotary platform. Each guiding element has coupled thereto a runner provided with a cam follower inserted through the corresponding groove and coupled to the closed-loop cam, such that each runner performs a back and forth movement along the corresponding guiding element during one rotation of the rotary platform.
In the rotary conveyor of the mentioned document, EP2722296A1, each runner has fixed thereto a retaining element provided with a suction port suitable for retaining a container, and each suction port is in communication with a suction chamber through a corresponding suction conduit. The suction chamber is located in a stationary position below the rotary platform and has an upper wall in contact with a lower surface of the rotary platform. The closed-loop cam and a suction groove parallel to a portion of the path defined by the closed-loop cam are formed in this upper wall of the suction chamber. The suction conduit of each runner has an open lower end which communicates with the suction chamber through an intersection of the corresponding groove formed in the rotary platform and the suction groove formed in the suction chamber, and this open lower end of the suction conduit follows the changing position of the mentioned intersection during the back and forth movement of the runner occurring during a part of each rotation of the rotary platform.
The rotary conveyor of the mentioned document EP2722296A1 has several drawbacks. First, the fact that the upper wall of the suction chamber is in contact with a lower surface of the rotary platform can generate considerable friction resulting in unacceptable component wear and/or heating. Furthermore, the fact that both the closed-loop cam and the suction groove are formed in the upper wall of the suction chamber makes it necessary to replace the entire suction chamber when only the path of the closed-loop cam is to be modified. On the other hand, using grooves formed in the rotary platform both for the passage of the corresponding cam followers and for the passage of air at their intersections with the suction groove requires high precision in the paths of the closed-loop cam, the grooves formed in the rotary platform and the suction groove for obtaining an acceptable air flow rate in any position without considerable losses, which imposes certain limitations in the design of such paths.

Rotary conveyor with suction and change of pitch for transferring containers


A copier for recording images of plural documents on recording sheets. The copier includes: a scanner for reading the images of the documents by photoelectrically converting the images so as to obtain image data corresponding to the images; a document feeder for sequentially feeding the documents to the scanner; a memory for storing the image data, including plural data compression/expansion circuits for compressing and expanding the image data, a selector for selecting one of the plural data compression/expansion circuits, and a memory member for storing the image data compressed by the selected one of the plural data compression/expansion circuits; a printer for forming images, corresponding to the selected image data from the memory, on the recording sheets; and a controller circuit for generating memory data overflow signals when a remaining area of the memory member is not more than a predetermined value. The controller also controls the document feeder, the scanner, and the memory in response to the memory data overflow signals so that the scanner stops reading the images, the memory changes a compression ratio of the image data to a higher ratio, the document feeder feeds back the documents to an original order, and reads the documents from a first one.

The present invention relates to an electrophotographic copier, and more specifically, to an apparatus in which: a document image is photoelectrically converted into image data; the image data is compression processed; the processed data is temporarily stored in a memory means and then read out; and the image is recorded according to the read-out image data.
The following recording apparatus in which: a document image is read out; the read-out image data is compression processed and stored in a memory; the stored image data is sequentially read out and an image is formed, instead of the image formation in which a document image is directly projected onto a photoreceptor of an image forming apparatus; and, when an insufficient memory capacity remains in the apparatus, image data storing in the memory is stopped, and an alarm is activated, is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Open to Public Inspection No. 38462/1988.
When image data is written into an image data storing memory, the larger the data compression ratio is, the smaller the required memory capacity needs to be. However the reproduced image quality is proportionately deteriorated.
In contrast to this, the smaller the data compression ratio is, the larger the required memory capacity needs to be, although deterioration of the reproduced image quality is at a minimum.
The data memory capacity required for a single sheet of document differs greatly depending on the kind of image, for example, a photographic image or a character image. Accordingly, the required memory capacity can not be determined until the image is actually read. Normally, the data compression ratio in the memory apparatus is previously set such that the image quality is not adversely affected. However, since the memory capacity installed in this kind of recording apparatus is limited, it can not be avoided that the writable memory capacity may be reduced to zero at the time of image data writing in the memory, that is, when memory data overflows the memory capacity.
When memory data overflows, the structure disclosed in the foregoing Japanese Utility Model is adopted in the apparatus.
In this case, when the memory data overflow alarm is noted by the operator, he had to manually change the data compression ratio, and the order of documents to be read out was returned to the initial one so that the image data reading operation into the memory was repeated.
In cases where the number of document sheets is reduced and the image data reading operation into the memory is carried out again from the first when the memory data overflow occurred, the following operations are carried out. When the documents are single sided and are fed in such a manner that the image surfaces are right side up and the stacked documents are fed sequentially from the top to bottom, the number of document sheets can be reduced easily. However, when the documents are fed in such a manner that the image surfaces are right side down in single sided documents and the stacked documents are fed sequentially from the bottom to top, or when the documents are double sided, the number of the document sheets can not be reduced easily. In such cases, when the operations are not carefully performed, there is a possibility that pages are missed, or the documents are read in such a manner that the document sheets are out of sequence. Accordingly, a longer period of time is necessary for the re-arrangement of the copied sheets.
Further recently, there is a tendency that the following method of using an image recording apparatus is becoming popular in order to increase the productivity of copying operation. The method is that the process of reading a document and simultaneously storing the obtained image data in a memory and the process of reading a document and simultaneously making an copy by performing a image forming operation are parallelly executed. In this case, when the number of the copying set is one, the storing operation in the memory and the copying operation of the image data are completed immediately. When the number of the necessary copying sets is N (N is an integer not less than 2), the rest of the copying sets, the number of which is N-1, is provided by reading out the image data from the memory, in which the image data are already stored, and forming the image accordingly. When the aforementioned copying method is used, the recovery operation from memory overflow takes unexpected effort.

Image recording apparatus with a memory means to store image data


A quantum dot/quantum well light emitting diode (LED) is provided with a LED at one side of a substrate, and a second light emitting layer and a third light emitting layer at the other side of the substrate. When a proper forward bias is applied to the LED to emit a first light by the first light emitting layer, the first light is used to excite the second light emitting layer and the third light emitting layer to generate the second light output and the third light output of different colors respectively. Then, the light output of a desired color can be generated by mixing the first light, the second light and the third light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Light Emitting Diode (LED), and more particularly to a phosphor-free quantum dot/quantum well LED.
2. Related Art
Light Emitting Diode (LED) is a semiconductor light emitting component. Different from the traditional incandescent bulb which illuminates by a high current applied to heat the filament, the LED only requires a low current to emit the equivalent light. LED is based on the fact that in semiconductor materials when electrons are binding with holes the energy released is revealed in the form of emitting light. Due to having the advantages of small volume, long lifespan, low driving voltage, low power consumption, quick response, excellent shock resistance and good monochromaticity and on the like, the LED is widely used in light emitting component, such as various electrical appliances, information board communication products. Depending on the control of the chip type and process, various homochromous lights can be obtained.
Due to its power-saving feature, the LED can be used as lighting equipment instead of bulbs in the future. But now the white LED can not be widely used because of its luminance and price; however, white LED will contribute to the booming of the LED industry. At present, most of the white LED products emit yellow light by stimulating the phosphor with a blue LED. These two lights, after being mixed, can give a visual impression of white light. As the luminance of the blue LED is improved gradually, the application of the white LED has a bright future in the lighting market.
The development of high luminance LED vitalizes the LED industry. Especially, the success of the development of blue, green LEDs improves the luminous efficiency gradually. At present, the luminance of the LED can be higher than that of several candles and is still improved progressively. Due to the progressing luminance of the blue light, the application of the white LEDs produced by coating phosphor will be widely used in the lighting market. However, it is very difficult to control the light emitted by a white LED to be pure white, as it is produced by mixing the blue and the yellow light; instead, the light is approximately white with cyan or yellow halation, i.e. having unequal color temperature.
Presently, the commercially available mature product is the inorganic white LED developed by Japanese Nishia Chemical Institute. Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic structure view is shown. A blue die 10 with a wavelength of 460 nanometer is coated with a layer of yttrium aluminum garnet phosphor 20 which is excited by the blue LED to produce a yellow light with a wavelength of 555 nanometer complementary with the blue light. Then, the yellow and blue light complementary with each other is mixed according to the lens principle to obtain the desired white light. In this way, the manufacture cost of a white LED is low and the structure of the power loop is simple.
This white LED mainly comprises blue die and phosphor. However, because the lifespan of a phosphor is short, the lifespan of a LED is limited. Furthermore, as the light emitted by the LED does not contain red light, red light cannot be emitted when irradiating red objects, thus causing poor color rendering index.
To improve poor color rendering index, a method of mixing the lights emitted by of red, blue, green LEDs respectively is proposed to produce a white emitting light source. However, since LEDs of different wavelengths are not in the same area, but separated from one another with a fixed distance, the problem of poor color rendering index still exists.
At present, the advanced technology employs two epitaxy materials which produce lights of different wavelengths to produce a white light source by wafer bonding or wafer fusion. However, because the process of wafer bonding is employed in producing the light source, which results in an absorption to the double-chip interface, the emitting efficiency will be reduced, and the technological requirements and cost are indirectly raised, and also the difficulty in the manufacture is increased and the product yield is reduced.
Therefore, it is the problem to be solved that how to develop a phosphor-free LED having the features of high color rendering index, long lifespan, low cost and so on.

Quantum dot/quantum well light emitting diode

Industrial Technology Research Institute


Disclosed is the mobile terminal including a display to display a first screen information, a user tracking device to detect that a user's stare with respect to a connected external electronic apparatus is within a predetermined range with the display serving as a reference, and a controller to receive a second screen information from the connected external electronic apparatus based on the detected user's stare, and the controller to control the display to simultaneously display the received second screen information and the first screen information.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a method of controlling the mobile terminal, and particularly to a mobile terminal that is capable of connecting to an external electronic apparatus and a method of controlling the mobile terminal.
2. Background
In general, a terminal may be classified into a mobile (portable) terminal and a stationary terminal according to a moveable state. The mobile terminal may be also classified into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to a user's carriage method.
As functions of the terminal become more diversified, the terminal can support more complicated functions such as capturing images or video, reproducing music or video files, playing games, receiving broadcast signals, and the like. By comprehensively and collectively implementing such functions, the mobile terminal may be embodied in the form of a multimedia player or a device. Various attempts have been made to implement complicated functions in such a multimedia device by means of hardware or software.
On the other hand, occasionally, the user may view or use content displayed on a different electronic apparatus at the same time or alternatively while viewing content displayed on the mobile terminal. In such a case, the user experiences an inconvenience in that he/she has to view a screen of the mobile terminal and a screen of the different electronic apparatus alternatively in order to use all the content displayed on the mobile terminal and the different electronic apparatus.

Mobile terminal and method of controlling the mobile terminal


α,β-Unsaturated sulfones, sulfoxides, sulfonimides, sulfinimides, acylsulfonamides and acylsulfinamides of Formula I:

A. Proliferative Disorders
Extracellular signals received at transmembrane receptors are relayed into the cells by signal transduction pathways (Pelech et al., Science 257:1335 (1992)) which have been implicated in induction of cell proliferation, differentiation or apoptosis (Davis et al., J. Biol. Chem. 268:14553 (1993)). One such signal transduction pathway is the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. See, Nishida et al., Trends Biochem. Sci. 18:128 (1993) and Blumer et al., Trends Biochem. Sci. 19:236 (1994). Much of the MAPK pathway is conserved over different species. The most thoroughly studied of the MAPKs are extra cellular signal regulated kinases (ERKs) (Posada et al., Science 255:212 (1992); Biggs III et al., PNAS. USA 89:6295 (1992); and Garner et al., Genes Dev. 6:1280 (1992)) and c-Jun NH2 terminal kinases (JNKs) (Hibi et al., Genes Dev. 7:2135 (1993)). JNKs are members of a class of stress activated protein kinases (SAPK) and are shown to be activated by treatment of cells with UV radiation, pro-inflammatory cytokines and environmental stress (Derijard et al., Cell 1025 (1994)). Activation of ERK has been shown to involve kinase mediated phosphorylation of threonine and tyrosine residues, which signals cell proliferation. In contrast, activation of JNKs leads to cell growth inhibition and apoptosis.
Protein tyrosine kinases are enzymes which catalyze a well defined chemical reaction: the phosphorylation of a tyrosine residue (Hunter et al., Ann. Rev. Biochem. 54:897 (1985)). Receptor tyrosine kinases in particular are attractive targets for drug design since blockers for the substrate domain of these kinases is likely to yield an effective and selective antiproliferative agent. The potential use of protein tyrosine kinase blockers as antiproliferative agents was recognized as early as 1981, when quercetin was suggested as a PTK blocker (Graziani et al., Eur. J. Biochem. 135:583-589 (1983)).
The best understood MAPK pathway involves extracellular signal-regulated kinases which constitute the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK kinase cascade (Boudewijn et al., Trends Biochem. Sci. 20, 18 (1995)). Once this pathway is activated by different stimuli, MAPK phosphorylates a variety of proteins including several transcription factors which translocate into the nucleus and activate gene transcription. Negative regulation of this pathway could arrest the cascade of these events.
B. Angiogenesis Inhibition
Angiogenesis, or development of new blood vessels, is implicated in a host of diseases including tumorigenesis, metastasis and tumor growth, retinopathies, neovascular ocular disorders, and postangioplasty or postatherectomy restenosis. See, Bicknell et al. (1996) Curr. Opin. Oncol. 8: 60-65; Gariano et al. (1996) Survey Ophthalmol. 40: 481-490; and Wilcox, J. N. (1993) Am. J. Cardiol. 72: 88E-95E).
Recent research has indicated that differences in the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and sFlt-1 by smooth muscle cells and human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs) are consistent with the role of these cells in angiogenesis. See, Belgore et al., Eur. J. Clin. Invest. 2003, 33(10), page 833-39. Studies have indicated a therapeutic potential of placental growth factor (PlGF) and its receptor FLT1 in angiogenesis. An antibody against FLT1 has been shown to suppress neovascularization in tumors and ischemic retina, and angiogenesis and inflammatory joint destruction in autoimmune arthritis. See, Luttun et al., Nat Med., 2002, 8(8) page 831-40.
Expression and secretion of angiogenic factors by tumors has been investigated. It has been suggested that because tumors express multiple angiogenic factors, broad spectrum antagonists of angiogenesis can provide effective means of tumor stabilization. Anti-angiogenic approaches to tumor therapy have been defined to involve interference with growth, migration and differentiation of blood vessels associated with tumor growth. Anti-angiogenic agents have been categorized to include protease inhibitors, modulators of cytokines, heparin-like molecules, and antagonists of vascular growth factors. Growth factor antagonists have been categorized to include heparin-like molecules, angiogenin antagonists, antisense fibroblast growth factor, DS 4152, suramin analogs, and protein-bound saccharide-K (Bicknell et al., Id.).
C. Biological Activity of Curcumin
Curcumin is a compound that is isolated from the commonly used spice turmeric. The structure of curcumin is shown in Scheme 1.

Curcumin has been shown to inhibit the progression of chemically induced colon and skin cancers in animal models. In HT29 cells curcumin-induced modulation of genes involved in transition through the G2/M phase has been observed to correspond to a cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. See, van Erk et al., J. of Carcinogenesis 2004, 3:8. Curcumin has also been observed to downregulate expression of some cytochrome P450 genes and to affect expression of metallothionein genes, tubulin genes, p53 and other genes involved in colon carcinogenesis. Id.
The antiproliferative effects of curcumin are believed to be related to inhibition of aminopeptidase N (APN), an enzyme that is linked to invasiveness and angiogenesis in tumors. See, Kwon et al., Chem. Biol., 10, 695 (2003). Curcumin has also been shown to have direct antiangiogenic activity in vitro and in vivo. See, Arbiser et al., Mol Med., 1998, 4(6): page 376-83.
Curcumin has also been shown to be effective in the dinitrobenzene sulfuric acid (DNB) induced murine colitis model, which is an experimental model of IBD. See, Salh et al., Am. J Phys. Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 2003 285(1), page 235-43. In the DNB-induced murine colitis model, curcumin was observed to attenuate macroscopic damage, to improve intestinal cell function, and to inhibit the nuclear transcription factor NF-κB activation in the colon.
Curcumin is also effective in biological assays that are predictive of activity in age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and presenile dementia. Curcumin has been shown to reduce the oxidative damage (isoprostane levels) and synaptophysin loss induced by intracerebroventricular infusion of beta amyloid (Abeta) peptides. See, Chu et al., Neurobiol. Aging, 2001, 22(6): page 993-1005.
Cancer and other proliferative disorders remain a major unmet medical need. Cancer treatments often comprise surgery, chemotherapeutic treatments, radiation treatment or combinations thereof. Chemotherapeutic treatments for most cancers only delay disease progression rather than providing a cure. Cancers often become refractory to chemotherapy via development of multidrug resistance. Particular cancers are inherently resistant to some classes of chemotherapeutic agents. See DeVita et al, Principles of Cancer Management: Chemotherapy. In: Cancer. Principles and Practice of Oncology, 5th edition, Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia, N.Y. (1977), pp. 333-347.
Progress continues in treatment of proliferative disorders such as cancer, and in the treatment of angiogenesis-mediated disorders. However, there remains a need to develop new therapeutic agents.

Alpha, beta-unsaturated sulfones, sulfoxides, sulfonimides, sulfinimides, acylsulfonamides and acylsulfinamides and therapeutic uses thereof

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, M1, M2, L, E1, E2, Q1, Q2 and n are as defined herein, are useful as anti-angiogenesis agents, as agents for treatment of age related senile dementia, and as antiproliferative agents including, for example, as anticancer agents.

Temple University—Of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education


A phage-based antibiotic susceptibility test is carried out by maintaining a patient sample in a sealed sample well during addition of the phage and Luciferin substrate used in the test, in order to prevent contamination of the laboratory environment. The phage is adhered in dried form to a metal carrier disk which is retained beneath the cap of the sealed sample well by means of an external magnet, and is mixed with the patient sample by removing the external magnet and allowing the carrier disk to fall to the bottom of the sample well. The Luciferin substrate is adhered to the underside of the cap and is mixed with the patient sample by shaking or inverting the sealed sample well after the metal carrier disk has separated from the underside of the cap. A row of connected sample wells and caps may be employed to allow the same patient sample to be tested with multiple antibiotics.

The diagnosis of a bacterial disease is only the first step in its treatment and cure. Due to the existence of drug-resistant forms of many types of bacterial diseases, it is sometimes necessary to perform further tests in order to determine which antibiotic, among all of those known to be effective against the disease in question, will be effective for the particular patient and bacterium involved. Typically, these additional tests are carried out using culture methods. The various antibiotic agents are individually cultured with a patient sample, and the antibiotic which most effectively kills the bacteria is then elected for use in treating the patient.
While culture methods are useful in determining which antibiotic will be effective, they are very time-consuming, requiring as much as twelve weeks to determine antibiotic susceptibility. The resulting delay in beginning treatment can allow the disease to progress further, sometimes to the point where the patient dies. Recently, a new method has been developed which reduces the time necessary to determine antibiotic susceptibility to as little as two days. This method, which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,709 to Ulitzur et al incorporated herein by reference, uses a specific bacteriophage which has the ability to infect the disease-causing bacteria. The phage causes the infected bacteria to produce an enzyme known as Luciferase. Luciferase is a well-known enzyme which, when combined with the substrate Luciferin, causes the substrate to emit light. In a phage-based test for antibiotic susceptibility, a patient sample is cultured individually with each antibiotic for a day or two. The phage is then added to the sample and incubated for a few hours, after which the Luciferin substrate is added. The sample is then observed for the presence of luminescence. If luminescence is present, the bacteria are still alive and the antibiotic with which they were initially cultured was not effective against them. If there is no observed luminescence, the bacteria are dead and the antibiotic with which they were initially cultured was effective against them.
Because phage-based antibiotic susceptibility tests are performed on patient samples containing live bacteria, they are dangerous to handle and special precautions must be observed. The addition of phage and Luciferin to the sample, and transfers of the sample between different containers, must be carried out in isolation from the general laboratory environment. These requirements have kept the phage-based antibiotic susceptibility testing method from wide acceptance. Presently, it is not possible to add the phage, and subsequently the Luciferin substrate, to the patient sample without opening the culture plate or test tube in which the sample is contained.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which contains all of the elements necessary for carrying out phage-based antibiotic susceptibility testing.
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus which can be used to sequentially add phage and Luciferin, at different times, to a patient sample or antibiotic culture while remaining sealed.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus which will allow gas transfer with the ambient environment while remaining sealed to bacteria.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an apparatus which will permit instrumented detection of luminescence while sealed.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an apparatus or device which can be used to sequentially add phage and Luciferin, at different times, to multiple patient samples or antibiotic cultures while remaining sealed.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method for carrying out phage-based antibiotic susceptibility tests, and other types of biological and non-biological processes, on liquid samples while the samples are contained in sealed sample wells.

Device and method for phage-based antibiotic susceptibility testing


Racemic amines are enzymically converted by enantioselective carbamation to produce to chiral carbamates. Simple homocarbonates employed as substrates. The chiral carbamates may then be deprotected to yield the original amine in a chiral form. Alternatively, the chiral carbamates may be reduced so as to produce methylated chiral amines.

Racemic amines may be enantiomerically resolved using various physico-chemical separation techniques after derivation with a tag molecule. M. Pawlowska et al. disclose a method for enantiomerically separating aliphatic and aromatic amines using aromatic anhydrides as nonchiral derivatizing agents. (Journal of Chromatography A. (1994): vol. 666(1-2):485-91.) Alternatively, T. Toyo'oka et al. disclose a method for enantiomerically separating amines using chiral tagging reagents and high-performance liquid chromatography. (Biomedical Chromatography (1994): vol. 8(2):85-9.)
Racemic amines may also be enantiomerically resolved without tagging or derivation using various chiral physico-chemical separation techniques. N. Huynh et al. disclose a chromatographic separation of enantiomeric amines using N-benzyloxycarbonyl-glyclyl-L-proline as a counter ion in methanol. (Journal of Chromatography A. (1995): vol. 705(2):275-87. S. Branch et al. disclose a separation method employing capillary electrophoresis with cyclodextrins for separating enantiomers of phenethylamine. (Journal of Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Analysis (1994): vol. 12(12):1507-17. R. Kuhn et al. disclose the use of capillary zone electrophoresis with optically active crown ethers for separating enantiomers. (Electrophoresis (1994): vol. 15(6):828-34.) J. Mazzeo et al. disclose the use of micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography using novel chiral surfactants for separating enantiomers of amines. (Journal of Chromatography A. (1994): vol. 680(1):125-35.)
Amines may also be enantiomerically resolved by the enzymatic formation of amides using esters as substrates. (H. Kitaguchi, et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., (1989): vol. 111, pp 3094; S. Fernandez et al., J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. (1992): pp 2885; and V. Gotor, et al., J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. (1993): pp 2453.) These unsymmetrical carbonates are, however, not readily available and may be too reactive to avoid non-enzymatic reactions. Methods for protecting amines by derivation with vinyl carbonates using the lipase from Candida antarctica have been reported. (M. Pozo, et al., Tetrahedron (1992): vol. 48, pp 6477; M. Pozo et al., Tetrahedron (1993): vol. 49, pp 10725.)
Unlike the enantiomeric resolution of amines, methods for the enantiomeric resolution of alcohols are relatively well developed. Racemic alcohols may be resolved by an irreversible enzymatic acylation using lipases or serine proteases as catalysts in high concentrations of organic solvents. Preferred acylation reagents include activated esters such as trifluoroethyl-, choloroethyl-, cyanomethyl-, enol-, oxime- or thioesters, or anhydrides. Methods for enzymatically acylating alcohols have been extensively reviewed. (Klibanov. A., Acc. Chem. Res. (1990): vol. 23, pp 114; Wong, C.-H. et al., Enzymes in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Pergamon, Oxford, 1994, pp 72; and J.-M. Fang, J.-M et al., Synlett. (1994): vol. 6, pp. 393.) Enol esters are preferred acylating reagents for alcohols. (See: H. M. Sweers et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. (1986): vol. 108, pp 6421; M. Degueil-Castaing, et al., Tetrahedron Lett. (1987): vol. 28, pp 953; Y. Wang, et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. (1988): vol. 110, pp 7200; and K. Laumen, et al., J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun. (1988), pp 1459.) The rate of enzymatic acylation for enol esters is relatively fast. Furthermore, since the released enol is spontaneously tautomerized to a ketone, the process irreversible and free of any inhibition that might be caused by the leaving alcohol. The product is easy to isolate. These acylating reagents, however, can not be used in the enzymatic acylation of amines as they are too reactive and give high background reactions.
What is needed is a method for enantiomerically resolving amines by an enzymatic derivation with homocarbonates to form chiral carbamates.

Enantioselection of amines using homocarbonates with hydrolase


Copolyimide compositions and methods for their preparation which are melt-processible at relative low pressures, i.e. less than 1000 psi, and are suited for laminating and molding, are described. The invention additionally encompasses copolyimide precursors, reinforced polyimide composites and laminates made from said polyimides where the composite is reinforced by fibrous materials. This is achieved by reacting at least one aromatic dianhydride where each anhydride group is located on an aromatic ring with the carbonyl units in an ortho orientation relative to one another, with at least one diamine which is capable of a transmidization reaction upon incorporation into the polyimide backbone, and with at least one other diamine which is not capable of undergoing such reaction, the diamine which is capable of undergoing the transimidization reaction being present in an amount of from about 1-50 mole percent in relation to the diamine that is not susceptable to transimidization.

Polyimides are useful as components which require excellent thermal, electrical and/or mechanical properties. For general discussion of polyimides preparation, characterization and applications see Polyimides, Synthesis, Characterization and Applications, K. L. Mittal, ed Plenum, N.Y. 1984.
Polyimides based on pyromellitic dianhydride and various organic diamines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,140 to Gannett et al (E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Co.).
Polyimides based on diamines such as 2,2'-di-(p-aminophenyloxy)diphenyl and various dianhydrides are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,880 to Darms (Ciba-Geigy Corp.).
Harris et al. in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/315,327, has disclosed the preparation of soluble polyimides based on polyphenylated diamines. The polyimides taught in this reference are typically rod like polyimides and possess little if any thermoplastic properties.
Numerous patents deal with the manufacture of composites utilizing carbon fibers or other similar fibrous reinforcing agent with polyimides.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,280, Gupta teaches the use of carbon fiber reinforced polyimide composites for fabricating tools. Gupta teaches the use of a different class of polyimides than those employed in the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,514, Edelman teaches a process for the preparation of polyimide composites including carbon fiber reinforced polyimide composites. The main thrust of the Edelman patent is the use of a class of cyclic peroxyketal catalysts. Edelman teaches the use of divalent aryl radicals.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,470, Webb teaches that transimidization can be used as a mode of propagation in the preparation of polyimides. However, the use of transimidization to aid in the processing of copolyimides is not disclosed. Diamines that undergo transimidization are also not disclosed. In Webb, transimidization only occurs at the growing chain ends.
None of the above composite patents teach or insinuate that the copolyimides or copolyimide composites of the present invention would have the unusual properties necessary.

Thermoplastic copolyimides and composites therefrom


A photo filter (e.g., multi-dimensional) light field effect system includes an eyewear device having a frame, a temple connected to a lateral side of the frame, and a depth-capturing camera. Execution of programming by a processor configures the system to create an image in each of a least two dimensions and create a multi-dimensional light field effect image with an appearance of a spatial rotation or movement and transitional change, by blending together a left photo filter image and a right photo filter image in each dimension and blending the blended images from all dimensions.

Computing devices, such as wearable devices, including portable eyewear devices (e.g., smartglasses, headwear, and headgear); mobile devices (e.g., tablets, smartphones, and laptops); and personal computers available today integrate image displays and cameras. Currently, users of computing devices can utilize photo filters to create effects on images. Various photo decorating applications feature tools like stickers, emojis, and captions to edit the images.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A system and method for graphically indicating patient information. The invention includes a representative image of the patient with icons to indicate or inform a health care worker of the condition of the patient. Each icon in a set of icons represents a condition available for use in describing the condition of a particular patient. Each icon is located at a predetermined position of the image in each implementation of the invention. After a user creates an image with icons selected for a particular patient, a fixed representation of the image is created. The fixed representation of the image (e.g., on a sheet of paper) is placed proximal to the patient (e.g., bedside) for visual conveyance of the patient's condition.

Systems exist for communicating patient information to nursing home or hospital health care workers to assist in the care of the patient. Such information includes whether the patient is combative, hard-of-hearing, visually impaired, etc. Such systems convey this patient information by placing symbols on a representation of the specific patient, such as a photograph of the patient's face. However, there is a need for a system which conveys patient information more specifically by associating the patient information with a specific, applicable part of the patient's body in a manner easily recognized by a trained health care worker. For example, left leg weakness would be indicated by a specific symbol placed on top of the left leg of an image representing the patient.
Existing systems for communicating patient information include pictorial symbols or icons movable by the health care workers and anyone else who visits the patient. There is a need for a system which conveys patient information in a fixed representation generally unalterable by persons other than the health care workers.
The invention described below addresses these and other disadvantages.

Method of graphically indicating patient information