A disposable diaper has a chassis and a body fluid absorbent structure. The body fluid absorbent structure comprises a panel of body fluid absorbent material and a liquid-pervious sheet covering a surface of the panel facing the wearer's skin. The diaper is provided with a plurality of crossover members extending across the body fluid absorbent structure and facing the liquid-pervious sheet. The crossover member has its transversely opposite end portions bonded to the diaper in the vicinity of the side edge portions of the body fluid absorbent structure and its intermediate portion defined between the side end portions not bonded to the liquid-pervious sheet.

The present invention relates to a disposable diaper for absorption and containment of body wastes.
A disposable diaper disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 1999-342156 (hereinafter referred to as "Citation 1") includes an upper sheet above a liquid-pervious topsheet. The upper sheet is bonded to the diaper along an outer peripheral portion of the upper sheet and a crotch region of the diaper is formed in its transversely middle zone with an opening which is, in turn, provided along its peripheral portion with an elastic member attached in stretched state thereto. The elastic member contracts and the peripheral portion of the opening is spaced apart from the topsheet as the diaper is curved in a back-and-forth direction. This known diaper allows body wastes to be caught in a space defined between the upper sheet and the topsheet by aligning the opening of the upper sheet with the wearer's anus and urinary organs. Such upper sheet serves as means adapted to prevent body wastes from coming in contact with the wearer's skin. Thin rubber threads or the like are used as the elastic member attached to the upper sheet.
A disposable diaper disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 1993-285174 (hereinafter referred to as "Citation 2") includes an upper sheet a liquid-pervious first upper sheet and a liquid-resistant second upper sheet on the upper surface of the first upper sheet wherein the second upper sheet is formed in its middle zone with an opening extending in a back-and-forth direction of the diaper. Liquid-resistant flaps extending from transversely opposite side edges of the opening and these flaps are provided along respective outer side edge portions with elastic members. Longitudinally opposite end portions of each of the flaps are bonded to the second upper sheet. In this diaper also, the second upper sheet serves as a means adapted to prevent body wastes from coming in contact with the wearer's skin and thin rubber threads or the like are used as the elastic members attached to the second upper sheet.
Each of the diapers disclosed in Citations 1 and 2 includes the upper sheet provided above the topsheet covering the absorbent core and serving as a means to prevent body waste from coming in contact with the wearer's skin. In both cases, contraction of the elastic members attached to the upper sheet brings the upper sheet in close contact with the wearer's skin In these diapers, however, the elastic members comprising thin rubber threads may locally irritate the wearer's skin and cause pain and/or rash


A blank (10) for a coffin comprising a blank body (12) defining a plurality of wall panels (14, 16, 18, 20) each having a pair of opposed sides; a base supporting member (28) formed integrally with one side of at least one of the panels; and a flap member (30) formed integrally with opposite side of at least one of panels. In one embodiment an insert (58) is held captive between at least one of side wall panels of the blank body and their associated flap portions folded onto the side wall panels to impart rigidity to a side wall of a coffin formed from blank.

In response to rising costs for coffins and caskets, coffin manufacturers have turned to a variety of low cost materials. Such materials include plastics and low grade timber particle board, such as chipboard and medium density fibreboard (MDF).
As a result of increasing environmental concerns, chipboard and MDF are coming under scrutiny. Coffins formed from either of these materials use unnecessary amounts of wood, produce chemical pollutants when burnt and the coffins if buried are particularly slow to breakdown and decompose. Biodegradable materials such as cardboard or corrugated board offer significant environmental benefits.
One major concern when using cardboard or corrugated board is that of appearance. Customers typically desire a product that looks expensive yet is inexpensive to purchase. A further equally important concern is that coffins constructed from cardboard, or other like materials, typically lack structural integrity. In use, this often results in difficulty in carrying the coffin. Handles, if provided, are usually only decorative. Further, the lid must usually be permanently sealed with glue, preventing it from being opened and closed.


A circuit for a bus system. The circuit includes: a measuring circuit, which is configured to measure a first resistance value between two bus-side terminals of the circuit; an ascertainment circuit, which is configured to ascertain a second resistance value as a function of the first resistance value; and a resistive circuit, which is configured to set a resistor connectable between the two bus-side terminals to the second resistance value.

Long-lasting oscillations of a bus voltage of a bus system due to improper scheduling or improper topology of the bus systems are significant factors which may result in error-prone data transfer. In particular shortening of the bit time due to increased transmission rates is problematic in this case.
To compensate for oscillations of the voltage, German Patent Application No. DE 10 2015 222 334 A1 describes that bus oscillations are selectively suppressed upon data reception. A masking element is provided for masking oscillations of the bus signal for a predetermined masking time if a monitoring result shows that oscillations, a difference of the bus signal after a transition of the bus signal from a dominant to a recessive state, exceed at least one predetermined threshold value.

Circuit for a bus system and method for operating a circuit


A polymeric fluorescent substance has a prolonged service life and high luminescence brightness. The substance also has excellent thermal stability and good practicality. The polymeric fluorescent substance is adapted for emission of visible fluorescence in a solid state, and includes at least one type of repeating units represented by a specified chemical formula (1). In addition, the substance has a number average molecular weight of 103 to 108 as determined using polystyrene as a standard. A process for producing the polymeric fluorescent substance, and an organic EL element using the polymeric fluorescent substance are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymeric fluorescent substance and an organic electroluminescent element using the polymeric fluorescent substance.
2. Background Art
Electroluminescent elements ("electroluminescent" being hereinafter often abbreviated to "EL") are luminescent elements utilizing electroluminescence. The construction of electroluminescent elements is basically anode/organic luminescent layer/cathode, and electroluminescent elements, in which a hole injection transport layer or an electron injection layer is properly added to the above basic construction, are known in the art. Among organic EL elements are those using a polymeric fluorescent substance as a luminescent material. For example, a polymeric fluorescent substance of a poly-p-phenylenevinylene derivative is proposed in J. H. Burroughes et al., Nature, vol. 347, P. 539 (1990) and D. Braun et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 58, P. 1982 (1991).
However, it is difficult to provide blue luminescence from the poly-p-phenylenevinylene derivative. On the other hand, a polyfluorene polymer is proposed in M. Fukuda et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., vol. 28, p. L1433 (1989) and Y. Ohmori et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., vol. 30, p. L1941 (1991). The polyfluorene is thermally and chemically stable and exhibits very strong fluorescence in a solution or solid state. Further, the polyfluorene is very advantageous in that the introduction of a substituent such as a long alkyl chain renders the polyfluorene soluble in organic solvents and thus can provide excellent film forming properties and can relatively easily realize blue luminescence.
However, it has been often pointed out π-conjugated polymers such as poly-p-phenylenevinylene and polyfluorene have liquid crystallinity derived from the molecular structure and, upon heating or the application of an electric field, molecular chains per se associate to form excimer which shifts the luminescence wavelength to a longer wavelength or deteriorates luminescence efficiency.
From the viewpoint of suppressing such excimer luminescence, research and development for enhancing the thermal stability have been made. It is estimated that polymer chains having a high molecular weight have small molecular chain mobility due to such a state that, in high-molecular weight polymer chains, yarn spheres have been entangled with each other while polymer chains having a low molecular weight have large molecular chain mobility and, thus, upon heating or application of an electric field, are unfavorably moved and associate.
The excimer formation is significant particularly in blue luminescent elements. To overcome this drawback, an element comprising a luminescent layer using a polymer, from which a low molecular weight component has been removed by GPC (gel permeation chromatography), is proposed in K.-H. Weinfurtnaer et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 76, p. 2502 (2000).
In this element, however, the luminescence efficiency at 100 cd/m2 is low and 1.55 cd/A. Thus, there is still a need for a polymeric organic EL element possessing excellent blue luminescence, service life, luminescence efficiency, and thermal stability.

Polymeric fluorescent substance, process for producing the same, and organic electroluminescent element


An adapter mount for attaching to a fitting tube includes an adapter tube having an outer circumferential surface; a first expandable ring placed on the outer circumferential surface of the adapter tube and comprising of elastic material for expanding and fitting to the inner surface of the fitting tube; an adjustment ring configured to be threaded to the adapter tube to generate a rotational threading force; a compression ring for translating the rotational threading force from the adjustment ring to a longitudinal compressing displacement of the first expandable ring, causing an outer surface of the first expandable ring to fit to the inner surface of the fitting tube; and a stop attached to the adapter tube for preventing the adjustment ring from separating from the adapter tube.

Accurately and quickly center fitting a tube or rod into another tube (an adapting tube) has been a constant challenge for users in a variety of fields. A conventional way to accomplish this is to thread both the adapter and the adapting tube together to ensure the strength and centering of the fitting. However, this method requires time consuming threading action during loading and unloading process. In addition, different thread specifications for the adapter and the adapting tube from different manufactures give rise to compatibility problems.
The focuser draw tube of a telescope also have this problem. For example, the slop between a laser collimator and the focuser draw tube exists in all telescope focusers. When a user racks the laser collimator in and out, the slop has a large impact on the position of the laser beam. In fact, just tightening a "set screw" on the focuser can often make the laser beam move around considerably. In short, any small mis-alignment of installed laser collimator in the focuser draw tube substantially affected aligning the telescope.
Therefore, there is a need for a quick and easy adapter mount, which securely and accurately centered attaches to an adapting tube.


Providing improvements in searching, identifying, and publishing information over computer networks, and on individual computers or other information access devices, by creating and sharing link relationships between documents distributed on the network, computers, or other devices. Further providing methods for billing for the use of link relationships to relate and search document objects. Methods for enabling users of a network to provide other users with access to link relationships between documents are described. In one example, this is accomplished by creating link directories for storing link relationships between documents and making the link relationships accessible to users. The users may populate the link directories with link relationships. Furthermore, the methods include a step of billing users based upon the link directories created and/or a step of billing users based upon the activity of users accessing the link directories.

Networks connecting many computers offer users access to a wide variety of information. Computers are exceptional devices for storing, sorting and relating large amounts of information. Information is stored on computers and networked computing and storage devices as documents or objects, together referred to as document objects. Such document objects may contain any form of information, from text documents and articles, financial data, statistical information, electronic mail, images and photos, music, animation, and even motion pictures.
The Internet, as a network of interconnected networks, offers users access to an even broader collection of information—the Worldwide Web (the "Web"). On the Web, publishers offer information for educational, recreational, and commercial purposes. The Internet, and it's predominant Web form, is organized and accessed by assigning document objects an address, or Uniform Resource Locator ("URL"). These URLs define the transfer protocol for and location of each individual document object on the Internet, or other network, including the Internetworking Protocol ("IP") address of the host computer system of the document object.
A URL may also represent an address including instructions for accessing a document object that is generated on request by retrieving and rendering for presentation organized information in response to information supplied by the requester. When the URL contains enough information to recreate the document object generated in such a manner, that document object can be recreated for others using the URL. A URL may also include information, sometimes called a bookmark, with information allowing the rendering tool to present or highlight a location in the document upon opening the document.
Users accessing computer networks and the Internet are generally required to perform their own searches across the networks for the information, stored as document objects, that they desire or need. As the amount of information available on computer networks, and on the Internet in particular, grows exponentially, existing search and information location techniques become increasingly less effective. Existing Internet search techniques often yield too many seemingly related references which are not, in fact, truly useful to the user. The usefulness of traditional Internet search and indexing systems is actually decreasing as the number of documents on the Internet explodes.
Existing search, categorization, and retrieval techniques for document objects stored on computer networks, while generally executed at the high speeds of modern computer systems, are increasingly imprecise and often much too broad, as well as time and labor intensive, owing to the explosion of information being added to those networks.
A need exists to enhance the network user's information search and access experience.
A need exists to provide network users with information relevant to the individual document object they are accessing and provide that information in a context of value to them by presenting relationships the document object they are accessing participates in with other document objects within a specific context. Such other document objects may or may not be offered by the publisher of the document object currently accessed. A need exists to provide network users with information relevant to the specific information the user may be searching for and relevant to the user's immediate personal, professional, geographic and other interests. A need further exists to enable users to derive value and/or revenue from providing this service to users.
A need exists for entities or groups to be able to communicate information to their employees or members as those employees or members access document objects on a network, and to enable those employees or members to view content deemed important to the entities or groups. A need further exists for publishers of content on the Internet to be able to personalize content presented to Internet users without requiring the establishment of a personal relationship between the user and the content publisher. A need exists to enable the collection of the search experiences of a group of users and share that experience with other users of networked information devices. A need further exists to enable users to derive value and/or revenue from the process of collecting and sharing search experiences with other users.
A need exists for creators of document object content to be able to distribute that content to users of a network with similar interests by means other than through a traditional website hosting service, Internet portal or by placement with a web search engine. A need further exists for content creators to derive value and/or revenue from the process of sharing their content with other users through the use of relationships with other document objects.
A need exists to aggregate related document objects on a user's computer, or other information access device, without modifying the document objects or the means by which they are stored.

Method for users of a network to provide other users with access to link relationships between documents


A process for the deinking of wastepaper is disclosed. The process comprises administering a sufficient amount of a branched alcohol alkoxylate surfactant to a sample of waste paper for which treatment is desired. The surfactant is effective for the flotation of the ink.

Dry toner electrostatic printing inks, including laser and xerographic inks, are important and growing contaminants in the area of wastepaper recycling. Traditionally, paper has been printed with water or oil-based inks which were adequately removed by conventional deinking procedures. In these methods, secondary fiber is mechanically pulped and contacted with an aqueous medium containing a surfactant. Ink is separated from pulp fibers as a result of mechanical pulping and the action of the surfactant. The dispersed ink is separated from pulp fibers by such means as washing or flotation.
Conventional deinking processes have shown minimal success in dealing with dry toner electrostatic printing inks, with the necessary chemical and mechanical treatments of the furnish proving to be time consuming and often rendering a furnish which is unacceptable for many applications. The development of a deinking program for office waste contaminated with electrostatic printed copy will make this furnish more amenable to the recycling process.
The ability to recycle office waste will prove commercially advantageous and will have a significant impact on the conservation of virgin fiber resources. Although electrostatic printed waste has not reached the volume of impact printed waste commonly seen in the industry, indications are such that usage of electrostatic print is increasing steadily and that waste copies available to the recycling industry will also increase.
Some deinking systems employ chemical aggregation and densification followed by forward cleaning to remove non-impact inks, and flotation deinking to remove impact inks (i.e., offset) and other contaminants. The chemical nature of many of these deinking products has caused them to act as defoamers in aqueous papermaking systems. A separate flotation aid is thus often added to the flotation cell in order to overcome the defoaming effect of the earlier chemicals.
A major difficulty in utilizing mixed office waste as a recycled fiber source is the high level of laser and xerographic ink contaminants. Laser and xerographic inks use dry toner rather than ink. During the process, heat or the combination of heat and pressure are applied to cause the toner particles to fuse to the paper surface and one another. Toner may be removed from the fiber surface by repulping under alkaline conditions. However, the separated particles are flat, plate-like, of varying size, and have a density close to that of water. These inks should be separated from the fiber and reduced to a particle size range that will facilitate removal through mechanical means (e.g., flotation).
A problem in using mixed office waste in a recycle stream is dealing with the extreme pH and temperature adjustments in the pulping sequence, which facilitate release/separation of the laser/xerographic ink particles from the fiber. The present invention allows for the separation of ink particles at lower pulping temperatures and pH levels. Removal of the inks using flotation in turn minimizes water usage and the effluent accumulation seen with washing.

Deinking wastepaper containing electrostatic printed ink using branched alcohol alkoxylate surfactant


A combination child's seat and armrest assembly includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The portions are pivotably attached to each other at the front of the assembly, thereby providing for the raising and lowering of the upper portion. In its lowered position, the assembly functions as an armrest for the driver and passenger. In its raised position, a child may be seated facing front, or the bottom side of the raised upper portion. This positioning securely fits the child between the raised upper portion and the seat back of the vehicle's seat. A bed telescoping between the rear seat and the front seat may also be provided.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a combination child's seat and armrest assembly for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a combination that is reversibly moveable from one of a folded position serving as an armrest to a raised position whereby a child may be seated in the assembly. A bed telescoping between the rear seat and the front may also be provided.
II. Description of the Relevant Art
Of increased concern for parents of young children over the last decade has been the application and use of seats for children in motor vehicles. This concern is based on the well-known fact that if small children are not buckled in place in a moving vehicle, particularly in an automobile, this situation presents a potentially lethal accident. Particularly, an unrestrained child acts like a free-moving missile if the car is impacted by another vehicle or if the vehicle strikes a standing object in an accident.
Acknowledging the existence of this problem, many states have enacted laws which require that children of certain ages be buckled into conventional seat belts presently provided in all automobiles.
However, such passenger restraint systems are directed at adults, and while they may have application for use to some extent with older children, conventional seat belts are not practically useable for very small children and infants.
Accordingly, between the time shortly after birth and the time when the child is physically developed enough to be seated and restrained with an adult-sized restraint system, the method of restraining a child must be modified.
Presently it is known to restrain small children and infants into a car seat specifically designed for such passengers. The car seat is a semi-portable chair which preferably has its own built in seat belt. The semi-portable chair is conventionally positioned in the front seat of an automobile or in the back seat thereof and the provided seat belt is strapped about or through the frame of the car seat. In this manner, the seat is held in place by the conventional restraint system of the automobile, just as an individual would be held therein. A small child or infant passenger is himself strapped into the child's seat. Conventionally, the child has its back to the direction of travel, and faces the rear window. This arrangement provides for maximum support of the child's as-yet still weak neck and related musculature.
This known system suffers from several disadvantages. First, and foremost, the utilization of a car seat is extremely inconvenient because it requires the parents to install and remove the car seat virtually every time a trip is taken. Furthermore, because the contours of many car seats differ from each other, fitting a car seat, which is of supposedly universal design, to the variety of present car seats is very difficult.
Second, and related to the first problem, because of the inconvenience of having to manipulate the car seat, many times parents of young children do not trouble themselves with the installation of the car seat, particularly when they are in a hurry. This results in children often being transported in a vehicle without proper restraint.
Third, such car seats are remarkably expensive and for many people do not provide an affordable option.
Fourth, many times the parents of small children fail to improperly situate the child's car seat, thus compounding the problem in the event of an accident whereupon the seat, with a child strapped therein, is itself potentially a missile-like object.
Accordingly, the prior approaches is to solving the problem of providing convenient and efficient means of holding a small child or infant in place within the seat of a automobile or similar vehicle have failed to eliminate the inconvenience and ineffectiveness of known seating systems.

Combination child's seat and armrest for a vehicle


An image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveyance passage, a photosensitive drum, a transfer unit, a fixing section, a conveyance unit, one or more detection sensors, an airflow generating section, a cooling airflow passage, and a shielding member. The conveyance unit is at an opposite side of the transfer unit from the photosensitive drum with a predetermined clearance from the transfer unit. Each detection sensor is disposed to face the transfer unit in cross section intersecting the axial direction of the photosensitive drum. The sheet detection sensor performs a predetermined detection. The airflow generating section causes a cooling airflow to flow between the transfer unit and the conveyance unit in the axial direction. The cooling airflow passage guides the cooling airflow toward each detection sensor. The shielding member blocks an airflow from a location around the transfer unit toward the cooling airflow passage in a direction intersecting the axial direction.

The present disclosure relates to image forming apparatuses for forming an image on a sheet.
Devices known for forming an image on a sheet include image forming apparatuses. An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance motor and a guide member inside the main body, and the temperature of the conveyance motor and the guide member tends to be high. For cooling the conveyance motor and the guide member, a type of an image forming apparatus is further provided with a fan and a duct. The airflow generated by the fan is directed to the guide member through an opening formed in the duct. The airflow is further guided along the guide surface of the duct toward the conveyance motor.

Image forming apparatus having airflow generating section and shield member in conveyance unit


Provided is a nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode having a higher light extraction efficiency and a higher polarization degree. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode according to the present invention comprises an active layer generating a polarized light, a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface, and a fourth side surface. The first and second side surfaces consist only of a plane including the Z-axis and the Y-axis. The third and fourth side surfaces are perpendicular to the first and second side surfaces and include the X-axis. The third and fourth side surfaces include an inclined surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode having a principal plane of an m-plane has been researched and developed actively. The reason is because the nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode having a principal plane of an m-plane does not have a piezoelectric field, which decreases a luminous efficiency thereof. Hereinafter, a nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode having a principal plane of an m-plane is referred to as "m-plane nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode". The m-plane nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode emits a polarized light.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2013-038208 discloses an m-plane nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode which improves light extraction efficiency. FIG. 10 is a duplicate of FIG. 2 included in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2013-038208. As shown in FIG. 10, the disclosed m-plane nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode 10 comprises an optically-transparent substrate 11, a semiconductor layer 12, an n-electrode 13 and a p-electrode 14. The optically-transparent substrate 11 comprises four inclined surfaces S1-S4.
WO 2012/137406 discloses an m-plane nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode which improves an orientation distribution property. FIG. 11 is a duplicate of FIG. 5 included in WO 2012/137406. As shown in FIG. 11, this disclosed m-plane nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode 300 comprises a p-electrode 308, a p-type semiconductor layer 307, an active layer 306, an n-type semiconductor 306, an n-electrode 309 and a substrate 304. The substrate 304 has an inclined surface 311d which includes a c-axis.

Nitride semiconductor light-emitting diode

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A printer apparatus and method for processing image data includes a disk storage module operable to receive, store and output compressed image data, a semiconductor RAM memory device, a data decompressor operates on the compressed image data output by the RAM memory device and a controller that determines if the disk storage module is ready to operate in a write mode or in a read mode to output compressed image data from the disk storage module for transfer to the RAM memory device. The controller also determines if the disk storage module is ready to operate in both modes, and the controller is operative to provide a preference for operation of the read mode and controls the disk storage module so that compressed image data is output from the disk storage module and written into the RAM memory device.

The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for storing images on a mass memory device such as a disk storage module for subsequent printing on a high-speed copier or printer. More particularly, the method and apparatus are directed to controlling disk accesses for image loads and retrieves such that the disk storage is preferably available to retrieve or output images from the disk storage module whenever the images are needed for printing.
High-speed digital copiers and printers require temporary storage for images prior to printing them. Typically, a printer apparatus will include an image storage subsystem for storing image data representing the images. This image storage subsystem serves two important purposes. First, it decouples the speed at which input images are acquired (scanned or rasterized) from the speed at which they are printed. Second, the temporary storage allows multiple copies of a document to be produced without having to re-acquire the input images; i.e., rescan the document or in the case of an input from a computer rerasterize the data from a coded form or object form used in a page description language. For high-volume printing, where multiple sets of large documents need to be produced, the temporary storage is most economically implemented using one or more disk drives or hard drives. Compressing the images before they are stored on the disks can further increase the capacity of the temporary storage.
A system using a disk memory to store images prior to printing them is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,226 to Chen et al. Chen et al discloses a high-speed digital printing system that can output over 100 page-size images per minute. A disk memory stores information in compressed form for output to an image out terminal (IOT) or marking engine as needed. A typical letter-sized page image at 600 dots per inch resolution may require 4 Megabytes of data to be furnished to the marking engine or IOT. Such image data may be required to be accessed from disk memory within a period of 300 milliseconds. In addition, there are other demands of storing image data in the disk memory for recording on subsequent image frames. Data input to the system may be derived from word processors or other sources of electronic image information and typically are expressed in a page description language such as HP-PCL or Postscript(trademark) and require decomposition such as through rasterization. Image data may also be input to the system from a scanner which provides rasterized information. The decomposed or rasterized image data may then be subject to compression to reduce storage requirements and be stored in the disk memory.
Chen et al notes the problem of competition for bandwidth in submitting data to the image output terminal (IOT) and competition in retaining a usable supply of image data to be delivered to the JOT when needed.
Chen et al resolves the problem of competition for disk access by providing a priority between software entities that provide commands to an operating system. In Chen et al requests from the marking engine for image data are assigned a highest priority so that decomposed data may be taken in real time without undergoing compression or may be retrieved from the disk ahead of other prior requests that are of less priority.
A problem with the system of Chen et al is that when a lower priority request is being operated upon, the higher priority request must wait until completion of the lower priority request and thus requires a skip frame period to be introduced which can affect adversely upon productivity.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus having a more optimum control over disk or mass memory access to improve productivity of the marking engine.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a printer apparatus comprising a marking engine subsystem for recording information on an image recording member; and an image storage subsystem for buffering image data for output to the marking engine subsystem, the image storage subsystem including (a) an input for receiving rasterized image data; (b) a data compressor that operates on the rasterized image data to compress the rasterized image data to form compressed image data; (c) a disk storage module that is operable to receive, store and output the compressed image data; (d) a semiconductor RAM memory device that stores at least one page of the compressed image data; (e) a data decompressor that operates on the compressed image data output by the RAM memory device and decompresses the compressed image data to decompressed rasterized image data form for output to the marking engine subsystem; and (f) a controller that determines if the disk storage module is ready to operate in a write mode to receive compressed image data currently being stored in the RAM memory device and determines if the disk storage module is ready to operate in a read mode to output compressed image data from the disk storage module for transfer to the RAM memory device and, if the disk storage module is ready to operate in both modes, the controller is operative to provide a preference for operation of the read mode and controls the disk storage module so that compressed image data is output from the disk storage module and written into the RAM memory device.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided in a printer apparatus that includes a marking engine subsystem for recording information on an image recording member an image storage subsystem for buffering image data for output to the marking engine subsystem, the image storage subsystem comprising a disk storage module that is operable to receive, store and output image data; and a controller that determines if the disk storage module is ready to operate in a write mode to receive image data and determines if the disk storage module is ready to operate in a read mode to output image data from the disk storage module, and if the disk storage module is ready to operate in both modes, the controller is operative to provide a preference to the read mode and image data is output from the disk storage for subsequent output to the marking engine subsystem; and wherein the controller controls operation of the write mode so that transfers of image data to the disk storage module are limited to no more than a portion of the image data of a page before permitting operation of the read mode.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of managing movement and storage of image data to and from a mass memory device in a printer apparatus, the method comprising determining if the mass memory device is ready to operate in a write mode to receive image data; determining if the mass memory device is ready to operate in a read mode to output image data stored in the mass memory device; and if the mass memory device is ready to operate in both modes: a) providing preference for operation in the read mode, and b) outputting from the mass memory device image data stored in the mass memory device; and c) controlling an operation of the write mode so that transfers of image data to the mass memory device are limited to no more than a portion of the image data of a page.
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of managing movement of image data in a printer apparatus comprising (a) inputting rasterized image data to an image storage subsystem of the apparatus; (b) compressing the rasterized image data to compress the rasterized image data to form compressed image data; (c) storing at least one page of the compressed data in a semiconductor RAM memory device; (d) outputting the compressed data from the RAM memory device to a disk storage module; (e) outputting the compressed image data from the disk storage module to the RAM memory device; (f) outputting the compressed image data from the RAM memory device that was previously stored in the disk storage device to a data decompressor; (g) decompressing the compressed image data to decompressed rasterized image data form; and (h) determining if the disk storage module is ready to operate in a write mode to receive transfers of compressed image data currently being stored in the RAM memory device and determining if the disk storage module is ready to operate in a read mode to output compressed image data from the disk storage module for transfer to the RAM memory device and, if the disk storage module is ready to operate in both modes, preference is provided for operation in the read mode and compressed image data is output from the disk storage module and written into the RAM memory device.
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of managing movement and storage of image data to and from a mass memory device in a printer apparatus, the method comprising determining when a next retrieval request is expected for transferring image data from the mass memory device in a read mode; and controlling transfers of image data to the disk storage module so that in a write mode, the transfers are limited to no more than a portion of the image data of a page and the amount of image data transferred in the write mode is related to time remaining until the next expected retrieval request.

Disk-based image storage system and method with prioritized loading and retrieval operations


A method, and a specific enzyme mixture, for depilling cotton-containing goods, either as unfinished fabric or as finished garments, to create a smooth surface while minimizing the loss of fabric strength. The method consists essentially of removing less than approximately 3.0% of the initial fabric weight with a Trichoderma cellulase enzyme mixture comprising less than naturally-occuring amounts of CBHI, CBHII, EGI and EGIII protein components, and further consisting essentially of at least 80% endoglucanase II (EGII) as the protein component.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a depilling treatment of unfinished cotton fabric pieces, or finished garments, with cellulase enzymes, wherein the treatment removes less than approximately 3.0% of the initial fabric weight. More specifically, this invention relates to a method for reducing or preventing fabric strength loss during depilling by employing certain specific cellulase mixtures, and preferably Trichoderma cellulase enzyme mixtures consisting essentially of at least 80% EGII. It has been discovered that with enzyme mixtures enriched in EGII, the removal of pills is more efficient, and fabric destruction during enzyme treatment can reduced by about 88%, relative to the standard commercial cellulase enzymes now in use.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Cellulase enzymes widely are used to improve the appearance and softness of cotton-containing fabrics and garments. As used herein, the terms "cotton goods" denotes finished or unfinished fabrics consisting of cotton or blends of cotton with other fibers.
One widespread application of cellulase enzymes is for treating cotton-containing fabrics so as to "stonewash" denim, in which cellulase enzymes largely have replaced stones for generating the soft, faded denim that is desired by consumers. Further details of cellulase for denim stonewashing can be found in Nielsen, et al, ENZYME APPLICATIONS (INDUSTRIAL), Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, (Kirk-Othmer Publishers, 1993), vol. 9, p. 603-604 ( referred to hereafter as "Nielsen, et al").
A second widespread application of cellulase enzymes is for treating cotton-containing fabrics so as to remove cotton fuzz and loose surface fibers on or in the fabric, which categorically involves removal of less than approximately 3.0% of the initial fabric weight, and typically less than 1.0%. This process is known variously by the terms "depilling", "biopolishing", "biofinishing", and "reformation". The term "depilling" will be used herein to refer to all such fabric treatments. In depilling, the cellulase treatment smooths the surface of the fabric, which in turn imparts improved softness and appearance, thereby increasing the quality and value of the fabric. Cellulase treatment for depilling also helps to prevent the subsequent formation of fiber pills that make the garments appear worn, and improves the uniformity of the fabric by removing dead or immature cotton. Further details of cellulase for depilling further can be found in Nielsen, et al, at pages 595-604. Depilling of cotton-containing goods is the field of the present invention.
Shear stress is applied to cotton garments during garment manufacturing and in repeated wearing, washing, and tumble drying, and thereby damages the surface. A close look reveals the presence of fibrils ranging in size from a few microns to a few millimeters. The damaged surface scatters light, giving a dull, grayish appearance with decreased color brightness and contrast between different colors. Dust particles also tend to adhere to the damaged areas, adding to the gray appearance. The damaged fibers also make the surface more rigid, thereby decreasing hand, or softness.
Cellulase enzymes hydrolyze exposed beta-1,4 bonds in cellulose. This leads to removal of the fibrils, which are the most exposed part of the fabric. The removal of fibrils is believed to directly improve the softness of the garments and also to lead to better color and cleanliness, both by removing soil attached to the fibrils and by improving the penetration of other cleaning compounds being used. The removal of fibrils initially also helps to prevent a subsequent formation of fibrils.
Cellulase enzymes have several advantages over conventional fabric softeners used to improve the smoothness and sheen on cotton fabrics. Conventional softeners, which are primarily clay or cationic surfactants, coat the fabric and impart a greasy feel, which is undesirable. Softeners also decrease the water absorbency, which is a disadvantage for towels and the like. The enzymes are also preferred from an environmental point of view.
In a typical depilling treatment step during garment manufacturing, fabric (usually dyed), water, buffer, detergents, and enzyme are added to a rotating horizontal or vertical drum jet dyer, washing machine, or other device that provides agitation and shear to the fabric. The treatment is typically for 15 to 120 minutes at 35.degree. C. to 60.degree. C., at a pH of 4 to 6.5 . The ratio of liquor to fabric is usually between 2.5:1 and 6:1, by weight . The amount of cellulase enzyme added typically corresponds to a cellulase activity of about 1,000 to 200,000 CMC units per kilogram of fabric, based on the cellulase assay method of Ghose (1987). After treatment, the enzyme is often destroyed by heating the solution to 70.degree. C. for 10 minutes. The fabric is removed from the machine, dried, and prepared in rolls, sometimes after additional dying. A summary of publications that further describe details of conventional cellulase treatments for depilling of cotton fabrics during manufacturing is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,851, at Column 1.
For a depilling treatment during a laundering step, the cellulase is included in a detergent mixture with the many other ingredients. The other ingredients might include other enzymes, such as proteases, lipases, and cellulases, as well as surfactants, buffers, builders, bleach, anti-redeposition agents, optical brighteners, anti-oxidants, and solubilizers.
One conventional detergent mixture containing cellulase enzymes is further described by Clarkson, et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,474, (hereafter referred to as "Clarkson '474"). The treatment is typically for 15 to 60 minutes at 20.degree. C. to 70.degree. C., and at a pH of 7 to 9.5. The ratio of liquor to fabric, by weight, is usually between 2.5:1 and 10:1. The amount of cellulase enzyme added typically corresponds to a cellulase activity of about 200 to 40,000 CMC units per kilogram of fabric, based on the cellulase assay method of Ghose (1987).
Cellulase enzymes are used for the depilling of cotton fabrics and of blends of cotton and man-made fibers, including lyocell, rayon, polyester, acrylic, nylon, and cellulose acetate. Further details are illustrated in Clarkson '474, at column 7. Cellulase treatment is carried out on fabrics or sewn garments comprising material made of cotton or cotton blends, with or without a resinous finish. Cellulase depilling may be carried out on fabrics of at least 40% cotton, by weight. However, results are more pronounced and economical if the cotton content is more than 60% by weight, and the best results are obtained if the cotton content is more than 75% by weight.
The cellulase enzymes from one particular genus of wood-rotting fungus, Trichoderma, often are used in depilling applications. Trichoderma cellulases are preferred in textile processing and laundering because of a highly potent action against cotton and other forms of cellulose. Trichoderma cellulase products are commercially available from Iogen Corporation of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Genencor International; Novo Nordisk; Enzyme Development Company, and others. Commercial cellulases such as Iogen Cellulase are referred to as "natural" or "complete" cellulases because they contain most, if not all, of the six most prevalent naturally occuring cellulase components: cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI); cellobiohydrolase II (CBHII); endoglucanase I (EGI); endoglucanase II (EGII); endoglucanase III (EGIII) and endoglucanase V (EGV).
The widespread use of complete cellulases for depilling attests to the usefulness of these enzymes. However, one disadvantage of such complete cellulases in depilling treatments is that they can cause a significant loss of strength of the fabric. See Clarkson, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,853, (hereafter "Clarkson '853"). Loss of strength arises from the action of the cellulase against cellulose on the main body of the fabric, rather than just the desired action against fuzz or pills. Excessive strength loss can cause damage to the fabric, such as pin holes or overly worn spots, and decrease the useful life of the fabric. Decreasing the strength loss would overcome these problems. In addition, decreasing the strength loss would allow one to achieve the desired appearance and softness in fabrics with higher strength than presently achievable. This would result in valuable new products for the industry and the consumer.
To decrease the loss of strength caused by Trichoderma cellulase, efforts have focused on the properties of the individual enzymes that comprise Trichoderma cellulase.
Trichoderma naturally makes a mixture of about two dozen different types of cellulase enzymes, which are individually known as components. Several of the most prevalent of these components have been identified and named, including cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI), cellobiohydrolase II (CBHII), endoglucanase I (EGI), endoglucanase II (EGII), endoglucanase III (EGIII), and endoglucanase V (EGV).
Each of the Trichoderma cellulase enzymes have been classified into an appropriate family of the more than 40 recognized families of hydrolase enzymes. Classification is based on the sequence of amino acids that comprise the enzymes and the three dimensional structure, as described by Claesssens and Henrissat, "SPECIFICITY MAPPING OF CELLULOLYTIC ENZYMES: CLASSIFICATION INTO FAMILIES OF STRUCTURALLY RELATED PROTEINS CONFIRMED BY BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS", in Protein Science vol. 1, p. 1293-1297 (1992). The approximate properties, classification, references for amino acid sequences, and proportion of total cellulase protein in the natural enzyme of various Trichoderma cellulase components are summarized, in TABLE 1.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Trichoderma Cellulase Components Enzyme Mol. wt. Isoelectric pt. Family Reference Conc. (%) ______________________________________ CBHI 63,000 4.3 7 A 50-60 CBHII 58,000 6.0 6 B 15-18 EGI 53,000 4.6 7 C 12-15 EGII 50,000 5.3 5 D 9-11 EGIII 25,000 7.4 12 E 0-3 EGV 23,000 3.7 45 F 0-3 ______________________________________ References: A. Shoemaker, et al, Molecular Cloning Of ExoCellobiohydrolase I Derived From Trichoderma Reesei Strain L27. BIO/TECHNOLOGY vol. 1, p. 691-696 (1983). B. Chen, et al, Nucleotide Sequence And Deduced Primary Structure Of Cellobiohydrolase II From Trichoderma Reesei. BIO/TECHNOLOGY, vol. 5, p. 274-278 (1987). C. Penttila, et al, Homology Between Cellulase Genes Of Trichoderma Reesei: Complete Nucleotide Sequence Of The Endoglucanase I Gene. GENE vol. 45, p. 253-263 (1986). D. Saloheimo, et al, EGIII, A New Endoglucanase From Trichoderma Reesei: The Characterization Of Both Gene And Enzyme. GENE, Vol. 63, p. 11-21 (1988). E. Ward, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,101 F. Saloheimo, et al, A Novel, Small Endoglucanase Gene, Egl5, From Trichoderma Reesei Isolated By Expression In Yeast. MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOG Vol. 61, p. 1090-1097.
It should be emphasized that the nomenclature used in TABLE 1 is that nomenclature as currently used in this field, and reflects certain changes from earlier nomenclature. For example, the component "EGII" incorrectly and widely had been referred to as--EGII--in early reference works. See, for example, the discussion in Stalbrand, et al, APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 61, p.1090-1097 (1995) ).
One approach followed by prior art workers seeking to decrease the fabric strength loss due to depilling treatments has been to produce what is known as a "truncated version" of cellulase components.
Most cellulase components comprise a catalytic core domain and a cellulose binding domain, separated by a flexible linker that consists of several amino acids. Techniques have been reported for cleaving either the core domain or the binding domain. Techniques also have been reported for using Trichoderma strains with modified DNA, so as to encode only a desired portion of the cellulase. See the published patent document Fowler, et al, WO 95/16782,(hereafter "Fowler '782") The use of protease enzymes to cleave a desired portion of an enzyme also has been reported. See Woodward, et al, BIOTECHNOL. APPL. BIOCHEM., Vol. 19, p. 141-153 (1994).
These truncated cellulases have not solved the problems of strength loss in depilling, as reported by Kumar, et al in "OPTIMIZING THE USE OF CELLULASE ENZYMES IN FINISHING CELLULOSIC FABRICS", 1995 AATCC conference, Atlanta, page 238, (hereafter referred to as "Kumar, et al"). This paper compares performances in depilling (or "biofinishing" as the term appears therein) among Standard Whole Cellulase (which contains the six major cellulase components) and two novel cellulases. One novel cellulase is said to be a "modified acid cellulase", (i.e., a truncated cellulase prepared using procedures of Fowler '782), and does not show any decrease in fabric strength loss during depilling, relative to Standard Whole Cellulase.
A second approach towards decreasing fabric strength loss during depilling treatents has been to choose mixtures of cellulase components that offer advantages relative to the natural mixture. By using well known techniques of genetic engineering or protein processing (described in Clarkson '853), one can alter the relative amounts of cellulase components present.
Bjork et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,463 (hereafter "Bjork '463") and the published patent document Clarkson, et al, WO 93/22428 (hereafter "Clarkson '428") teach that a cellulase enzyme enriched in CBHI components will have less strength loss, as well as superior performance in softening and improving the feel of cotton fabrics, than cellulase with its endoglucanases present. The enzyme mixture with best performance taught by Bjork '463 is 96% CBHI, 2% EGI, and 2% EGII (see TABLE 3 of EXAMPLE 3), with 500 ppm CBHI and 10 ppm of EGI and EGII, divided equally. This mixture also is indicated on FIG. 1 herein as "Bjork '463-best". Very poor performance is indicated for a mixture that is 45% EGI, 45% EGII, and 10% CBHI. This mixture, which is indicated as 10 ppm CBHI and 100 ppm divided between EGI and EGII, also is indicated on FIG. 1 herein as "Bjork '463-poor".
The teachings of Bjork '463 also are supported by the teachings of Cavaco-Paulo and Rios, "ANALYSIS OF THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CELLULASE TREATED FABRICS", (1996 AATCC conference, Nashville), at p. 129.
Clarkson, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,507 and Clarkson '853 both allege a particular cellulase enzyme composition for treating cotton fabric to achieve enhanced feel, softness, color enhancement and a stone washed appearance. That particular enzyme composition is taught necessarily to be substantially free of CBHI-type components (column 2, line 57). In one preferred embodiment, the enzyme also is taught necessarily to be free of CBHII components. In a second preferred embodiment, the enzyme is taught necessarily to have at least 10% endoglucanase components. In a third preferred embodiment, the enzyme is taught necessarily to have at least 20% endoglucanase components.
Clarkson '853 alleged best results with a mixture that was 50% EGI, 37% EGII, and 13% EGIII. That mixture is indicated on FIG. 1 herein as "Clarkson '853 best" and is described by Clarkson '853 as "CBHI and CBHII deleted" within Example 16. The necessary proportions of endoglucanases in that mixture as stated above were determined, as follows: In Clarkson '853, at Example 13, the proportions of cellulase components in the natural mixture are listed as being CBHI 45-55%; CBHII 13-15%; EGI 11-13%; EGII 8-11%; EGIII 1-4%. At Example 16, the preferred enzyme is said to have all CBHI and CBHII deleted. If CBHI and CBHII are removed from the total mixture, and the average concentrations of the remaining enzymes are normalized to total 100%, the result will be as stated above.
The second best performance shown by Clarkson '853 was a mixture that was 37% CBHII, 32% EGI, 24% EGII, and 7% EGIII. This mixture is indicated on FIG. 1 as "Clarkson '853 2nd best" and is described by Clarkson '853 as "CBHI deleted". The proportions of enzymes in this mixture as stated above were determined, as follows: In Clarkson '853, at Example 13, the proportions of cellulase components in the natural mixture are listed as being CBHI 45-55%; CBHII 13-15%; EGI 11-13%; EGII 8-11%; EGIII 1-4%. At Example 16, the second-best enzyme is said to have all CBHI deleted. If CBHI is removed from the total mixture, and the average concentrations of the remaining enzymes are normalized to total 100%, the result will be as stated above.
The third best performance shown by Clarkson '853 was a mixture that was 68% CBHI, 16% EGI, 12% EGII, and 4% EGIII. This mixture is indicated on FIG. 1 as "Clarkson '853 3rd best" and is described by Clarkson '853 as "CBHII deleted". The proportions of enzymes in this mixture as stated above were determined, as follows: In Clarkson '853, at Example 13, the proportions of cellulase components in the natural mixture are listed as being CBHI 45-55%; CBHII 13-15%; EGI 11-13%; EGII 8-11%; EGIII 1-4%. At Example 16, the third-best enzyme is said to have all CBHII deleted. If CBHII is removed from the total mixture, and the average concentrations of the remaining enzymes are normalized to total 100%, the result will be as stated above.
The worst performance reported by Clarkson '853 was with the natural cellulase mixture, which also is indicated on FIG. 1 herein.
Clarkson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,474 (hereafter "Clarkson '474") claim the use of enzymes containing at least 40% EGIII for treating cotton. In a preferred embodiment, the enzyme consists of no more than 5% CBHI components, and at least 70% EGIII. Clarkson '474 claim that this mixture of enzymes is advantageous in that it can be used in alkaline pH (column 3, line 58). There is no suggestion that these mixtures of enzymes result in less strength loss than the mixtures taught by Clarkson '853.
The single example of cellulase mixtures described by Clarkson '474 is substantially pure EGIII. This is indicated on FIG. 1.
The patent publication, Saloheimo, et al, WO 94/28117 relates to uses for the component EGV endoglucanase. This enzyme is taught to be active at alkaline pH and is recommended for use in the textiles industry (page 16, line 19). However, Saloheimo et al neither disclose nor suggest if this enzyme might be superior in depilling performance to other mixtures or components described in the prior art.
Kumar, et al describe measured performances in depilling with Standard Whole Cellulase which contains all of the major cellulase components, and also for two alleged "novel cellulases". One of the novel cellulases so denoted is said to be an "enriched endo-cellulase" but the components present or removed are not identified. Kumar, et al allege that the "enriched endo-cellulase" enzyme causes less strength loss in depilling than would Standard Whole Cellulase. This "enriched endo-cellulase" was not, however, recommended for applications with high abrasion requirements such as heavy cotton and lyocell, since high doses and additional time are said to be required (page 243, middle paragraph).

Method and enzyme mixture for improved depilling of cotton goods


The present invention provides novel compounds having a dual antagonistic activity against thromboxane A2 receptor and prostaglandin D2 receptor and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them.

Some compounds similar to those of the present invention having a [2.2.1] or [3.1.1] bicyclic skeleton have been described as thromboxane A2 (TXA2) antagonists in the Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 53295/1991. TXA2 is known to possess various activities such as platelet aggregation, thrombogenesis, contraction of airway smooth muscle, advance of respiratory anaphylaxis and the like. The TXA2 antagonists have, therefore, been considered to be useful as anti-thrombotic agents, anti-vasoconstrictor, anti-respiratory contractile agents as well as medicines for treating myocardial infarction or asthma. The TXA2 antagonists can be used for treating or improving conditions of diseases such as arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction, acute myocardial ischemia angina, cardiovascular shock or preventing unexpected death and the like.
Further, other compounds similar to those of the present invention having a [2.2.1] or [3.1.1] bicyclic skeleton have been described as prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) antagonists in WO97/00853. PGD2 is a prostanoid released from mast cells in which it is produced through PGG2 and PGH2 from arachidonic acid by the action of cyclooxygenase activated by immunological or unimmunological stimulation.
PGD2 can cause strong contraction of smooth muscle of bronchus to lead to bronchial asthma, and dilate the peripheral vessels to cause an anaphylactic shook in a systemic allergic state.
Accordingly, PGD2 antagonists are useful for the improvement of conditions caused by excessive production of PGD2, particularly as medicines for treating diseases involved with mast cell dysfunction, for example, systemic mastocytosis and disorder of systemic mast cell activation as well as tracheal contraction, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, urticaria, itching, atopic dermatitis, alimentary allergy, ischemic reperfusion injury, cerebrovascular disorder, and inflammation.
As shown above, PGD2 receptor antagonists have a quite different character from that of TXA2 receptor antagonists in the site and mechanism of action and indications thereof.
On the other hand, a compound having a dual antagonistic activity against both a TXA2 receptor and a PGD2 receptor can be useful as therapeutic agents for various diseases caused by TXA2 or PGD2.
For example, in the case of bronchial asthma, it is known that TXA2 cause potent tracheal contraction and respiratory anaphylaxis and PGD2 effects infiltration of eosionophils. From these comprehension, TXA2 and PGD2 are thought to be one of causative substances of the pathopoiesis and advance of asthma, thus the dual antagonistic compounds are expected to be more potent agents for treating asthma than ever known antagonists.
Further, in the case of allergic rhinitis, it is recognized that TXA2 and PGD2 cause the swelling of nasal mucosa through the aggravation of vascular permeability, and PGD2 induces the nasal blockage through the enlargement of vascular volume. Therefore, the dual antagonistic compounds are expected to be more potent agents for treating nasal blockage than ever known antagonists.
These diseases and condition thereof might be treated by administering both a TXA2 receptor antagonist and a PGD2 receptor antagonist at the same time, for example, in combination therapy or as a mixture thereof. But the administration of two or more agents often causes some problems due to the difference of their metabolic rate. For example, when the antagonists are different from each other in the time to reach a maximum blood concentration or the duration of action, they do not always efficiently exhibit each receptor antagonistic effect at the same time, failing to give a desired additive or synergic effect.
It has therefore been desired to develop medicines having a dual antagonistic activity against TXA2/PGD2 receptors, which exhibit new excellent therapeutic effects and can be used for many indications.

Pharmaceutical composition comprising a dual antagonist against PGD

Abstract: A compound of the formula (I):

Abstract: wherein R1 is —CH2—CH═CH—CH2—CH2—CH2—COOR2 or —CH═CH—CH2—CH2—CH2—COOR2; R2 is hydrogen or alkyl; m is 0 or 1; p is 0 or 1; X1 and X3 each is independently optionally substituted aryl or optionally substituted heteroaryl; X2 is a bond, —CH2—, —S—, —SO2—, —CH2—O—, —O—CH2—, —CH2—S—, —S—CH2—, or the like; X4 is —CH2—, —CH2—CH2—, —C(═O)—, or the like, have a dual antagonistic activity against both a thromboxane A2 receptor and a prostaglandin D2 receptor.


A combine harvester for corn is adjusted so that the threshing system maintains the grain and cobs together and there is provided a first sieve to separate the grain and cobs from residue material which is discharged from a rear of the first sieve and a second sieve to separate the grain which passes through the second sieve from the cobs which are discharged from a rear end of the second sieve. The grain is transferred to a clean grain tank and the cobs are conveyed to a tank on a towed cart.

World ethanol production is expected to experience double-digit growth in the next years. Much of the growth is expected to occur in the United States where, with the current pace of expansion, the United States will be the leading producer of ethanol in the near future.
In the United States, ethanol is made almost exclusively from corn. As of December 2006, 16% of the United States corn crop was being used to displace 3% of the nation's annual gasoline consumption. The US government has a stated goal of reducing its dependence on foreign oil by 20%. If this reduction were to come entirely from corn based ethanol it would use up the nation's corn crop. As a result there has been a considerable amount of research in the production of ethanol from other sources.
Government and private sector scientists have been working on ways to produce ethanol from cellulosic material. Ethanol produced from switch grass, mixed prairie grasses and woody plants grown on marginal land could potentially meet the growing demand for green fuel. One leading company has targeted the collection of corn cobs, which is currently a waste material, as a cellulosic ethanol feed stock.
Current methods to collect whole cobs are very crude. A small number of farmers have built equipment to be mounted or pulled behind their combines for collecting the cobs separated from the grain. Work is being done to improve the construction of such towed collection devices so that this may become a viable technique.
Research in the feed value available from the entire corn field has determined that high moisture ear corn is equal to or better feed than corn grain for growing feeder cattle or dairy cows. This finding has the advantage of allowing a farmer to recover a higher tonnage of feed per acre than previously thought available. These farmers want to feed a mixture of corn grain and corn cobs to the cattle and now cellulosic ethanol companies are looking at this method of harvesting cobs with interest. Modification of existing corn grain combines is therefore desirable for collection of cobs.
A small number of innovators have experimented with what is known as Corn Cob Mix (CCM) technology. There are not any commercially available systems at this time, however a number of patents listed below teach how to adjust the threshing system of the combine to break the cobs into small sections. A number of different arrangements are then provided for modifying the separating system to collect a mixture of corn cobs and grain in the grain tank of the combine. In all cases the upper sieve is replaced with a CCM sieve and the lower sieve is removed allowing the cobs and grain to be collected below the sieve and transported to the grain tank.
Collection and storage of the mixture of grain and cobs using the CCM system is generally not an issue for a cattle feedlot or dairy operation, as these farmers generally have acquired the necessary equipment to store the feed. However the average corn grain farmer does not have this equipment.
Ethanol companies are looking at field side storage of cobs. These cobs may need to be stored in piles for up to 1 year before being used. The adaptation of the corn cob mix for ethanol use has a number of uncertainties and problems including storage of broken cobs which can lead to spoilage and increased field traffic. In most cases the volume yield of cobs is almost equal to that of the grain. This means that CCM equipped combines will be unloading twice as much as a corn grain harvester, leading to more operator stress, more trips by the grain cart to the combine and back to the pile and this can cause reduced future yields due to soil compaction.
The corn grain farmer will still require his corn separated from the cobs to properly store the grain and give him the marketing freedom of the higher valued corn. Field side separation of the corn from the cobs will be required. There are now 1800 bushel grain carts that can unload in less than 3 minutes commercially available, therefore a large surge tank will be required to handle a quick unload from a large grain cart. The field side separator will need to be very large, will be costly and difficult to move.
The following prior patents are concerned with this general field:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,141 (Stukenholtz) issued Mar. 19th, 2002 discloses a combine collection system with at least two on-board bins and appropriate separation equipment to place corn grain in one tank and whole cobs in the second tank. An air supplied separating system is attached to the rear of the combine and the cobs are delivered via air pressure to the second tank placed on top of the combine.
This arrangement has not been and will not be widely commercially available due to the number of different combines in use today. Market acceptance of mounting a tank on top of the combine will be low and there will be issues with transportation and storage of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,106 issued Oct. 26, 1993 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,505 issued Jan. 9, 1989 both of Shrawder each disclose a combine which is adjusted in the threshing system to reduce cobs to usable segments which are 1 to 3 inches long by adjusting threshing clearances. The material is fed to the cleaning shoe where grain is separated through the upper sieve and the cobs are rejected at the rear end of the upper sieve. An auger is added behind the upper sieve of the cleaning shoe for transportation of the separated cobs to a blower. A second auger is mounted parallel to the first behind the first to collect any missed cobs along with stems for further cleaning. Many single auger residue collection systems of this general type have been sold over the last years. The system, using one or two such augers, is however a very crude method of saving the cobs separated from the grain. There is very little adjustment for changing conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,019 (McBroom) issued Jul. 15, 1986 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,213 (Phillips) issued Oct. 22, 1985 both disclose a combine which is adjusted to break all cobs into 1 to 3.5 inch pieces. An upper sieve is provided to allow the passage of grain and cobs through while discharging the remaining lighter material and plant debris over its end in a conventional manner. The lower sieve is removed and a mix of grain and cobs is stored in the combine's grain tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,447 (Hoefer) issued Aug. 21, 1984 discloses a combine which is designed with the tailings to be returned to the threshing section of the combine or at the operator's option to the cleaning section without passing through the threshing section.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,160 (Corbet) issued Feb. 12, 1980 discloses a residue saver in the form of an auger and trough which is shown mounted behind the combine's sieve. The residue saver can be adjusted by opening or closing a lower part of the trough to save all materials or only large residue such as cobs. The saved residue is blown into a trailing wagon. This arrangement provides very little adjustment in that simply a hole is cut in the bottom of an auger trough near a fan and the heavy particles drop out and lights get sucked into the fan. This is not near enough control over the cleanliness of the corn cob sample.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,291 (Soteropulos) issued Aug. 1, 1972 discloses a specialized corn harvesting machine which harvests and chops up both the corn and the stover. The grain can be stored in a tank, and the stover is stored in the same of in a second tank or spread back on the ground

Separating cobs from grain in a corn harvester


A digital joystick interface circuit includes a trigger detecting circuit, a flip-flop circuit and a value comparator. The trigger detecting circuit is provided for processing the changes of the voltage or electric currents of a game interface so as to reset the trigger signal of the interface. The flip-flop circuit controls the charge cycle of the game port and causes a counter to start counting during the time delay of the charge cycle. The value obtained by the counter after reading the joystick's coordinate signal or switch signal is compared with that of the comparator. When the two values are equivalent, the flip-flop circuit will reset, achieving coordinate addressing.

(A) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a digital joystick interface circuit, and more particularly to a trigger detecting circuit for resetting the trigger signals of a game interface and, via a comparator, achieving a circuit for coordinate addressing.
(B) Description of the Prior Art
Generally, the coordinate addressing of game interfaces is controlled by joysticks. A conventional joystick is shown in FIG. 2. It includes a variable resistance 10 for connecting a middle point thereof to a game port of the game interface. By means of the time delay caused by the variable resistance 10, resistor R1, and capacitor C1, coordinate addressing is achieved. However, problems occur is that variable resistance 10 is subject to damage, and the capacitor C1 is easily affected by ambient temperatures and generates errors so that delay is not precise, and causing the coordinates to be displaced. In another conventional joystick, shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of analog switches 20 are connected to a series of resistors which replace variable resistance 10. Although switching of contacts may prevent damage to the resistances to a certain extent, there is the problem of error with the capacitor C1 working in conjunction with the resistances to constitute the time delay. This is because, while this arrangement would be more precise if the capacitor were in a vacuum, changes in temperature will cause the capacitor to generate errors easily. At the same time, in order to make smaller capacitors, it is necessary to provide a dielectric in the middle. Therefore, the precision of the delay will be affected more easily. Besides, in order to achieve higher precision, such analog switch joysticks are usually provided with more resistances, hence increasing the probability of error and cost, which is very unsatisfactory indeed.


An implantable cardiac stimulation device and method treats intrinsic ventricular rhythms lacking atrial transport to the heart. Once an arrhythmia detector detects an intrinsic ventricular rhythm lacking atrial transport, an atrial pulse generator paces the atria to restore atrial transport. The pacing is maintained at a constant rate for a first time period after which the pacing rate is decreased over a recovery time period. The device and method may also be employed for treating accelerated junctional rhythms, accelerated idioventricular rhythms, and first degree AV block, all of which result in inhibition of a dual-chamber pacemaker.

The present invention generally relates to an implantable cardiac stimulation device. The present invention more particularly relates to such a device and a method for treating an accelerated junctional rhythms, accelerated idioventricular rhythms, and marked first degree AV block, all of which may result in inhibition of a dual-chamber pacemaker leading to symptoms associated with the loss of appropriate atrioventricular synchrony and its associated atrial contribution to ventricular filling.
Implantable cardiac stimulation devices are well known in the art. They include implantable pacemakers which provide stimulation pulses to a heart to cause a heart, which would normally or otherwise beat too slowly or at an irregular rate, to beat at a controlled normal rate. They also include defibrillators which detect when the atria and/or the ventricles of the heart are in fibrillation and apply cardioverting or defibrillating electrical energy to the heart to restore the heart to a normal rhythm. Implantable cardiac stimulation devices may also include the combined functionalities of a pacemaker and a defibrillator.
As is well known, implantable cardiac stimulation devices sense cardiac activity for monitoring the cardiac condition of the patient in which the device is implanted. By sensing the cardiac activity of the patient, the device is able to provide cardiac stimulation therapy when it is required.
In a healthy heart, the sinoatrial node (SA node) serves as the natural pacemaker of the heart. It is a group of specialized myocardial cells located on the posterior wall of the upper right atrium at the junction between the atrium and the superior vena cava. It initiates electrical impulses in the heart""s myocardium at a more rapid rate than other myocardial cells.
The atrioventricular node (AV node) transmits electrical signals from the atria to the ventricles. It is a small concentration of specialized conductive tissue at the base of the atrial septum. The AV node serves an important role in maintaining atrioventricular synchrony, the sequence of an atrial depolarization followed by a ventricular depolarization after an appropriate PR interval. Maintenance of atrioventricular synchrony enhances cardiac output and the loss of it (loss of atrial transport) may reduce cardiac output by 10 to 30%. If the SA node fails, the AV node is capable of serving as a back-up pacemaker of the heart. However, the cardiac rate, under such circumstances, is generally lower than normal (40 to 60 beats per minute) and without atrial transport. However, in special circumstances, the junctional pacemaker may accelerate and usurp control from an otherwise normal sinus node. In the setting of sinus node dysfunction for which a pacemaker was implanted, the junctional focus may accelerate and usurp control from the otherwise normal dual-chamber pacemaker.
Accelerated junctional rhythms may occur as a consequence of AV nodal ablation, intrinsic disease involving the atrioventricular node or junction, as a consequence of metabolic imbalance or as a side effect of a multiplicity of medications.
Hence, patients with SA node dysfunction or who have had their AV node ablated generally have a demand pacemaker to regulate their heart rhythm. While such devices do regulate cardiac rhythm, these patients can experience accelerated junctional rhythms. These rhythms occur at a relatively high rate as a result of parasympathetic withdrawal or increased sympathetic stimulation. The intrinsic rhythm will be sensed by the pacemaker causing it to inhibit. The result is a loss of atrial transport. This abnormal rhythm may be associated with retrograde conduction to the atrium. In both circumstances, hemodynamics and cardiac output may be compromised. Also, under these conditions, the implanted demand pacemakers may be unable to provide assistance as the high rate may cause these devices to be inhibited.
A similar rhythm, but arising from a ventricular focus, is termed accelerated idioventricular rhythm (AIVR). It will have similar consequences with respect to compromising hemodynamics and for the patient who has a dual-chamber pacemaker, result in its inhibition. This rhythm may be associated with retrograde conduction.
A third rhythm is a sinus rhythm with marked first-degree AV block. At accelerated rates, the sinus P wave is appropriately tracked. However, in the setting of either an atrial premature beat that occurs so early as to coincide with the portion of the pacemaker""s timing cycle where the atrial channel is refractory or a ventricular premature beat initiating a PVARP with the sinus beat thus coinciding with this refractory period, the P wave will not be tracked. However, if AV nodal conduction is intact, but with very slow conduction (a long time required to conduct from the atrium to the ventricle), the resulting native ventricular depolarization will cause the pacemaker to be inhibited. The result is that appropriate AV synchrony will be lost and the pacemaker will be inhibited.
In each of these three rhythms, there is an intrinsic ventricular rhythm effectively inhibiting the pacemaker yet each is associated with the loss of an optimal AV delay compromising cardiac function.
The present invention provides an implantable dual-chamber cardiac device and method for treating intrinsic ventricular rhythms lacking in atrial transport. A rhythm detector detects an intrinsic ventricular rhythm lacking in atrial transport when an R-wave detector detects a predetermined number of successive R-waves at a rate below a given rate and when each successive R-wave fails to be preceded by an atrial event, either intrinsic or paced.
When this rhythm is detected, an atrial pulse generator delivers an atrial pacing pulse to an atrium of the heart prior to each successive R-wave. The atrial pacing pulses are delivered an AV delay prior to the R-waves and the pacing rate is held constant for a time period. Thereafter, the pacing rate is gradually reduced during a recovery time period until a base rate is reached or until the end of the recovery time period.
If the period of AR pacing is supplanted by another intrinsic ventricular rhythm lacking in atrial transport, the device again begins delivering atrial output pulses at an appropriate time prior to the R-waves.
An intrinsic ventricular rhythm lacking atrial transport may also be detected by detecting successive R-waves succeeded by corresponding P-waves occurring during corresponding relative post-ventricular atrial refractory period intervals. When such a rhythm is detected, a pacing pulse is applied to an atrium a time period after each refractory sensed P-wave. The time period is selected to be sufficiently long to enable full recovery of the atria to render the pacing pulses effective in capturing the atria and restoring AV synchrony.
In accordance with the present invention, atrial transport is restored when the pulse generator would otherwise be inhibited. Further, the heart rate is returned to a more normal rate.
The device and method may further be used to treat intrinsic ventricular rhythms lacking atrial transport including accelerated junctional rhythms, accelerated idioventricular rhythms as well as marked first degree AV block that results in inhibition of a dual or multichamber pacing system. The present invention may be used to advantage in a stand-alone implantable dual-chamber pacemaker or in an implantable device having both a dual-chamber pacemaker and a cardioverter/defibrillator.

Implantable cardiac stimulation device and method for treating intrinsic ventricular rhythms associated with loss of atrial transport


A virtual environment may be generated, the environment including a procedurally generated virtual property. The virtual property may include various features automatically generated based upon a procedural rule set, so as to provide variability between two or more virtual properties. One or more procedurally generated virtual properties may be provided to a user, and various virtual tools may be provided via which the user may identify relevant aspects corresponding to risk associated with the virtual property.

Conventionally, real property owned, leased, or otherwise used by a business or individual may be eligible to be insured based upon risk factors associated with the property. When evaluating a real property (e.g., a commercial building such as a bakery, coffee shop, or medical office), a property specialist or other subject matter expert may be physically dispatched to the real property to assess the real property, including the structure and contents thereof, to identify the risk factors (or lack thereof) associated with the real property.
Expertise in property assessment requires a significant degree of experience. That is, a prospective property assessment specialist ("trainee") must be trained to identify relevant aspects of a real property or structure that may affect risk associated with the real property. Conventionally, an expert trainer and the trainee may physically travel to a real property or other physical site to provide property assessment training to the trainee. Travel is typically necessary in these situations because telephony and fixed-point digital image analysis (e.g., video conferences) do not allow individuals to move about the real property to dynamically and closely examine the features thereof. These time-consuming and costly travel practices, while often necessary to actually generate an insurance policy for the real property, would ideally be avoidable in the process of training a prospective property specialist. Furthermore, any one particular real property to which a trainee might expose the trainee to only the set of conditions or features present at the one real property, in which the trainee may only encounter a very small subset of aspects that are relevant in determining risk for other properties.
Existing VR systems do not entirely overcome the difficulties of property assessment training as described above. For example, virtual environments are time-consuming to develop, and any one particular virtual environment might still only provide a small subset of aspects of a property that might be relevant in determining risk. Thus, the trainee may require exposure to a large number of virtual environments to achieve a full virtual training experience. Furthermore, conventional techniques would require that a virtual environment is created manually, and as such, creating any one virtual environment may require significant time and expertise, amounting to costs comparable to the aforementioned conventional training methods.

Adjustable virtual scenario-based training environment

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company


The object of the present invention is to provide a more practical liquid-absorbing substrate capable of absorbing not only water but also alcohols, wherein liquid absorbency and gel properties of the substrate can be easily controlled.

Recently, water-absorbing materials have been widely used in various fields including baby diapers, adult diapers, hygiene products such as sanitary products, and agricultural/gardening supplies. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-155806 describes an absorbent substrate in which cellulose ether is cross-linked via polyglycidyl ether.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-179253 ("JP '253") describes a gel sheet containing a low-substituted cellulose ether having a molar substitution of 0.05 to 1.0, aqueous cellulose ether having a molar substitution of 1.1 to 1.4, and water. JP '253 describes that this sheet is a gel sheet having adequate strength and elasticity while containing much water, and having further improved feel and adherence to the skin.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-194200 ("JP '200") describes cosmetics containing a self-cross-linked alkyl cellulose derivative hydrogel as a substrate, wherein the cosmetics have excellent stability, safety, biodegradability, as well as excellent sense of use, appearance, etc. In JP '200, alkyl cellulose is cross-linked by radiation to form a hydrogel.
On the other hand, also known are compositions containing a water-absorbing polymer (such as hydroxypropyl cellulose) and a water-absorbing silica gel.
For example, Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Material, Technical Information Institute Co. Ltd, 2000, pp. 329-334 describes a hydrogel using a hybrid of polyvinyl alcohol and SiO2. This document describes that the degree of swelling (evaluated according to the length change of a piece of the specimens) and the tensile stress of the resultant hydrogel change according to the amount of tetraethoxysilane (amount of SiO2) . Water absorbency of this hybrid, however, is not as high as that of hydroxypropyl cellulose. This hybrid also does not have liquid absorbency for ethanol.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,728 describes use of films containing a water-absorbing polymer as a substrate for iontophoresis which allows transdermal absorption of a drug by electric current. Although a film containing hydroxypropyl cellulose and silica gel is described as an example in the patent, the molecular weight of the hydroxypropyl cellulose is unclear and a solid silica gel is added. Accordingly, an additional test was carried out using a hydroxypropyl cellulose having the same molecular weight as those used in the Examples of the present invention. However, a substrate having sufficient properties as a liquid-absorbing substrate was not obtained.
Furthermore, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 7-309972 ("JP '972") describes a biodegradable composition containing hydroxypropyl cellulose and tetraethoxysilane or its hydrolytic polycondensates. The composition described in JP '972 is intended to be utilized for, for example, surface material of capsules for agrichemicals, fertilizer or the like and is not intended to be used as a water-absorbing substrate. In the document, the molecular weight of the hydroxypropyl cellulose is unclear. According to the Examples, tetraethoxysilane heated and hydrolyzed in the presence of water is used. Therefore, an additional test was carried out using hydroxypropyl cellulose having the same molecular weight as those used in the Examples of the present invention. However, a substrate having sufficient properties as a liquid-absorbing substrate was not obtained.
Furthermore, POLYMER, Volume 35, No. 25, 1994, pp. 5565-5570 describes production of a complex of hydroxypropyl cellulose and silica by adding water and hydrochloric acid to hydroxypropyl cellulose having a weight-average molecular weight of 60 thousand and tetraethoxysilane and hydrolyzing and polycondensing the tetraethoxysilane. A substrate having sufficient properties as a liquid-absorbing substrate was not obtained from an additional test of this method.

Abstract: Namely, the present invention relates to a liquid-absorbing substrate containing:

Abstract: (A) a product obtained by hydrolysis and polycondensation of a compound represented by the formula (I)(R1)nM(X)m-n  (I)(wherein, R1 represents a hydrogen atom, C1-C6 alkyl, or C2-C6 alkenyl; M represents a metal atom; X represents a hydrolyzable group; m represents the atomic valence of M; and n represents an integer of 0 or 1) in a solvent in the presence of a catalyst; and(B) a cellulose derivative having a mass-average molecular weight of 1×105 to 5×106.


The invention provides a process for treating a metallic surface, other than a clean aluminum or aluminum alloy surface, which comprises treating the surface with an organosilane and exposing the surface to a laser.

The present invention relates to a process for treating a metal surface, particularly in order to improve its adhesion properties.
Our published patent application No. WO96123037 describes a process for treating a metal surface which is aluminium or an aluminium alloy in order to improve its adhesion properties which comprises treating the clean metal surface with an organosilane and exposing the surface to a laser.
We have now surprisingly found that the organosilane and laser treatment is also suitable in pretreatment of other metal surfaces prior to bonding or other processing where adhesion properties of the surfaces are important and also in the pretreatment of an aluminium or aluminium alloy surface which is not clean.
Accordingly the present invention provides a process for treating a metallic surface, other than a clean aluminium or aluminium alloy surface, which comprises treating the surface with an organosilane and exposing the surface to a laser.
The metallic surface may be of any metal. Examples of suitable metals include steel, e.g. stainless steel, iron in ferrite form, titanium, magnesium, copper, gold, nickel or chromium or an alloy of said metal. The metallic surface may also be a non-clean aluminium or aluminium alloy surface.
The metallic surface may be treated with the organosilane and the laser in either order. Preferably, however, an organosilane is first applied to the metallic surface and the coated surface is exposed to a laser.
It is also possible to expose the surface to a laser, apply an organosilane, and then expose the surface again to a laser.
The metallic surface may be clean; for example, it may be degreased, generally using any standard method such as wiping with a solvent such as acetone, vapour degreasing, dipping with or without ultrasonic treatment or by using alkaline degreasing agents. The process of the invention can also be used to treat the metallic surface when it is not clean, for example when it is oily or when it is aged.
The organosilane may be a compound of formula I
RnSi(OR1)mxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I)
where R is an organic group which may be reactive or non reactive, R1 is alkyl, alkoxyalkyl or acyl, n is 1 or 2 and m is 2 or 3 such that n+m=4. Preferably n is 1 and m is 3.
Examples of organic groups R include alkyl, phenyl, vinyl, acrylatoalkyl, glycidyloxyalkyl and the like, where xe2x80x9calkylxe2x80x9d groups have 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
When R1 is alkyl, it is preferably lower alkyl with 1 to 4 carbon atoms and most preferably methyl or ethyl. When R1 is alkoxyalkyl, each alkyl moiety preferably has 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Most preferably as alkoxyalkyl R1 is methoxyethyl. When R1 is acyl it preferably has 2 to 4 carbon atoms, most preferably acetyl.
Specific examples of suitable silanes are:
CH2xe2x95x90C(CH3)COO(CH2)3Si(OCH3)3
CH3Si(OCH3)3
C6H5Si(OCH3)3
CH3(CH2)2Si(OCH3)3
HS(CH2)3Si(OCH3)3
CH2xe2x95x90CHSi(OOCCH3)3
CH2xe2x95x90CHSi(OCH2CH3)3
CH2xe2x95x90CHSi(OCH3)3
Cl6(CH2)3Si(OCH3)3 and
CH2xe2x95x90CHSi(OCH2CH2OCH3)3
The silane may be used in solution in water or an organic solvent.
If water is used as the solvent and the silane is difficult to dissolve, a small amount of a nonionic wetting agent may be added to the water before the silane addition. Alternatively, the silane may be used as an emulsion.
Suitable organic solvents include alcohols, esters, ethers, ketones and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Preferred alcohols are alkanols with 1 to 10 carbon atoms such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, hexanol and decanol. Preferred esters are C1-C4 alkyl esters of C1-C4 aliphatic carboxylic acids such as methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate and methyl propionate. Preferred ethers are dialkyl ethers such as diethyl ether, butoxyethanol and cyclic ethers such as tetrahydrofuran. Preferred chlorinated hydrocarbons are dichloromethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, and trichloromethane. Preferred ketones are lower aliphatic ketones such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone. Mixtures of these solvents may be used if desired. The most preferred solvents are polar solvents such as ketones, especially acetone. Water and/or a carboxylic acid may also be added to suitable organic solvents as part of the solution.
The solution may contain any concentration of silane preferably from 1 to 10% by weight of the silane based on the total weight of the solution.
The organosilane solution may be applied by any suitable method, for example, wiping, brushing or spraying on to the areas to be treated.
Degreasing, when desired, of the metal surface, the application of organosilane solution and the laser treatment may all be carried out with automatic equipment such as robots.
Any suitable laser may be used, e.g. at 400 nJ/pulse. Suitable lasers include, for example excimer lasers and Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers. Others are well known in the literature.
For high treatment speeds and not to damage the metal surface through unacceptable high energy concentrations, good results can be obtained using an unfocussed laser.
The actual power level needed to avoid damaging the metal surface depends on the actual surface being treated and on the specific laser used. This can be readily determined by simple experiment.
After treatment of the metallic surface by the process of the invention, the surface is ready for bonding or other processing where the adhesion properties of the surface are important, for example coating or encapsulating. The bonding may be to another surface by means of an adhesive or, e.g. by applying a coating to the surface. When bonding to another surface, that other surface may be metallic or non metallic. If it is metallic, it too may be pretreated by the same process as described above if desired.
When the treated surface is bonded to another surface, this may be achieved using any adhesive such as 1-component or 2-component epoxy or polyurethane adhesives. Preferably the adhesive used is one which will react with the organosilane used in the process of the invention.
The process of the invention provides excellent joint performance, a fast treatment, a clean process, ecological advantages over conventional xe2x80x9cwetxe2x80x9d processes and sandblasting processes, allows for the use of a wide range of adhesives and makes local treatment of the areas to be bonded possible. A marked improvement in adhesion properties of metal surfaces can be obtained by the process of the invention.
The invention is illustrated by the following Examples.