The present disclosure provides a polyimide resin having at least two glass transition temperatures measured by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Also, a metal-clad laminate including the polyimide resin.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a polyimide resin. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a polyimide resin applicable to a metal clad laminate.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flexible printed circuit (FPC) board is made from the raw materials of a flexible insulation layer and copper foil which have the capacity to endure bending deformation. Due to its flexibility and bendability, FPC enables three-dimensional wiring through adaptation to the size and shape of the product and is light and thin, making it one of the essential components in various high-tech devices such as cameras, video cameras, displays, disk drives, printers, mobile phones and other such devices. The properties of raw materials affect the performance of the FPC and the capacity of raw material supply affect the yield of the FPC. The raw materials used in a FPC include resin, copper foil, adhesive, coverlay, flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL). Polyimide is superior in ductility, coefficient of thermal expansion, thermal stability and mechanical property, etc., and is thus a common resin material for FPC.
A flexible metal clad laminate, for example, flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL), is an upstream material for a flexible printed circuit board. The existing FCCLs may be divided, in light of their structures, into three-layer FCCLs (3 L FCCLs) with adhesive and two-layer FCCLs (2 L FCCLs) without adhesive. The 2 L FCCL is made by a special process, contains no low heat-resistant adhesives such as epoxy or acrylate resins, and is thus more reliable. Moreover, 2 L FCCL is better suited to development of thinner products, and thus is gradually replacing 3 L FCCL in practice.
The FCCLs may be divided, in light of the circuit configuration requirements of the products (e.g., printed circuit boards), into single-sided and double-sided FCCLs. Single-sided FCCL is the most fundamental FCCL. It has a copper foil layer useful for circuit formulation clad only on one side thereof. Single-sided FCCL has the advantages of easy fabrication process, low cost, and good flexibility. Double-sided FCCL has a copper foil layer clad on both upper and lower sides. Accordingly, circuits may be formed on both sides of the double-sided FCCL, and may electrically connect to each other by a via hole. Therefore, double-sided FCCL can achieve a higher integration, is beneficial to controlling electrical resistance, and is useful for circuit fabrication simultaneously on both sides, so as to save time.
The structure of a general double-sided polyimide FCCL comprises, sequentially, copper foil, a thermoplastic polyimide layer, a polyimide layer, a thermoplastic polyimide layer and copper foil, and may be prepared from bottom to top by coating one layer on another layer. In other words, the existing polyimide FCCL structure can be prepared sequentially by coating a thermoplastic polyimide layer on a copper foil, coating a polyimide layer on the thermoplastic polyimide layer, coating another thermoplastic polyimide layer on the polyimide layer and then laminating it onto another copper foil. Another process is to coat a thermoplastic polyimide layer on the opposing sides of a polyimide layer, form a structure in the order of a thermoplastic polyimide layer, a polyimide layer and a thermoplastic polyimide layer via baking, and then laminate a layer of copper foil onto the opposing sides of the above structure using a hot press machine.
The existing process involves several repetitions of coating and lamination, is complicated and takes a lot of time. Moreover, two thermoplastic polyimide layers are needed in the existing process. A thermoplastic polyimide layer has less dimensional stability and heat resistance, and so it is easy for foam and delamination to occur in the FCCL during a high temperature process, thereby affecting the yield.
A new process has been introduced to the industry. In this process, a double-sided polyimide FCCL is prepared by laminating two single-sided FCCLs, each of which comprises copper foil, a polyimide layer on the copper foil and a thermoplastic polyimide layer on the polyimide layer, in the manner that the thermoplastic polyimide layers on the two single-sided FCCLs face each other. With the new process, there is no need to repeat the coating and lamination steps layer-by-layer as the existing process does. In other words, in the new process, a double-sided polyimide FCCL can be prepared by carrying out the procedure for preparing single-sided FCCLs once to provide the single-sided FCCLs which are coated with a polyimide layer and then laminating two of such single-sided FCCLs to each other. However, since the adhesion between two polyimide layers is worse, a thermoplastic polyimide layer (TPI) is still required. Thermoplastic polyimide has a lower glass transition temperature (Tg), less heat resistance, higher thermal expansion coefficient, greater size change during expansion and contraction, and is prone to cause warpage or delamination of the FCCL.
In addition, single-sided FCCLs are generally used to prepare single-sided flexible printed circuits. However, single-sided FCCLs tend to warp. Therefore, during printing of the single-sided circuit, a photoresist is applied not only to the surface of the copper foil for circuit fabrication, but also to the surface of the polyimide layer, such that structural balance is achieved on two opposite sides of the FCCL, thereby alleviating the occurrence of warpage. The photoresist is removed in a subsequent step. However, this increases the fabrication cost.

Polyimide resin and metal-clad laminate comprising the same


Disclosed are methods for preventing free radical-induced oxidative damage and inflammatory response in biological tissue. The methods comprise exposing biological tissue to vapor-phase, phenolic antioxidants such as vaporized 2,6-diisopropylphenol.

Among the most common causes of damage to biological tissue are oxidative processes that result in the production of free radicals. These highly reactive species frequently cause unwanted reactions which can damage biological tissues. In addition, free radicals can initiate chain reactions that result in the continued formation of new free radicals. Such chain reactions can damage many constituent molecules that comprise biological tissue before the reactions are ultimately terminated.
Free radicals can be formed by any one, or a combination, of a large number of oxidizing agents, oxidation-inducing agents and certain microbial agents including certain viruses. Examples of well-known oxidizing agents which promote the production of free radicals include the following: ozone, oxygen, halogens, hypochlorite (bleach), nitrogen oxides, hydrogen peroxide, ionizing radiation, combustion products, and ultraviolet radiation. Examples of oxidation-inducing agents include the chemotherapeutic agents doxorubicin (Adriamycin.RTM.) and bleomycin (Bleonoxane.RTM.). Examples of some viruses that appear to produce tissue damage by causing increased oxidizing activity include HIV (human immunodeficiency virus, or AIDS virus) and influenza virus. Although most oxidizing agents are naturally occurring substances, many of them are produced in large quantities from artificial sources such as internal combustion engines, cigarettes, electrical equipment, arc discharge sources, high energy lamps, water treatment procedures, and commercial manufacturing and processing operations.
The biological damage that is produced by the aforementioned oxidizing agents is primarily due to their involvement in the production of free radicals. Often, free radicals cause unwanted biological damage by creating structural damage to lipids, nucleic acids, protein, and many other biomolecules. The following are representative examples of free radical-induced biological damage.
Humans and most living organisms require some exposure to sunlight for optimum health. However, exposure to the shorter wavelength components of sunlight (ultraviolet e.g., 320 nm or shorter) can cause topical tissue damage such as erythema (sunburn), premature aging of the skin (e.g., drying, wrinkling, loss of elasticity, abnormal pigmentation), cancer and activation of viruses such as herpes as well as immune suppression. It is believed that much of the damage caused by sunlight is the result of chain reactions which originate when the ultraviolet light promotes the production within the tissue surface of free radicals such as superoxide and hydroxyl. Similar processes of free radical tissue damage are caused by exposure to other forms of energetic radiation such as radioactivity, X-rays, gamma rays and the like.
Smoking is known to be a major cause of lung cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory tract diseases, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Even non-smokers who are exposed to tobacco smoke (i.e., "second hand smoke") are at a higher risk for these disorders. Tobacco smoke, as well as byproducts of other combustion processes (e.g., internal combustion engines, heating and cooking with fuels, natural fires) are known to contain free radical species which are thought to be major contributors to tissue damage.
Several other forms of respiratory tract damage are thought to be linked to free radical oxidation. These other forms include respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary vasoconstriction, influenza, pneumonia, asthma, damage caused by ischemia reperfusion, and damage resulting from auxiliary breathing systems or respirator therapies that involve the use of supplemental oxygen and/or increased gas pressure.
A very common result of respiratory tract damage and of virtually all forms of oxidative tissue damage is inflammation. In the respiratory tract, inflammation, whether caused by chemical agents, radiation, microbes or viruses, contributes to difficulty in breathing and to impairment of oxygen transport into the blood.
Antioxidants are chemical compounds that inhibit free radical oxidation by neutralizing free radicals. Biological systems generally contain internal mechanisms to protect against oxidative free radical damage. Organisms including humans have at least two different classes of antioxidants useful in preventing oxidative damage. One class, known as antioxidant enzymes, is normally produced by the body's own cells, and serves to neutralize various types of free radicals throughout the body. For example, superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a natural antioxidant enzyme that converts the superoxide radical into a less harmful species. Additionally, glutathione peroxidases and catalase remove excess hydrogen peroxide--a compound that is harmful to cells and can generate free radicals. A second class of antioxidants present in biological organisms includes certain nutrients. For example, vitamins E (tocopherol), C (ascorbate), and beta-carotene are all known to be antioxidants and free radical scavengers.
Additionally, phenolic antioxidants, both natural and synthetic, are commonly used to counteract and/or prevent free radical-induced oxidative damage. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) are examples of synthetic antioxidants that are added to pastries, oils, and other foods to retard rancidity. Probucol, another synthetic antioxidant, is effective in animal, and humans against lipid oxidation and atherosclerosis. Vitamin E, mentioned above, is an example of a naturally occurring material used to counteract or prevent oxidative damage.
Antioxidants for human use are usually provided orally as a solid (e.g. tablet), liquid, or liquid solution. For example, beta-carotene and vitamins C and E are commonly taken as solids (tablets, capsules) or as solutions. The drug Lorelco (probucol) is typically taken as a tablet. (Physicians Desk Reference, 43rd edition, 1989, page 1415). Occasionally, an antioxidant may be administered via inhalation, in the form of an aerosol. See, for example, Z. Borok et al., "Effect of glutathione aerosol on oxidant-antioxidant imbalance in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis" Lancet 338(8761), 215-216 (1991), and R. Buhl et al., "Augmentation of glutathione in the fluid lining of the epithelium of the lower respiratory tract by directly administering glutathione aerosol" Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 87(11), 4063-4067 (1990), both of which are incorporated herein by references for all purposes. Fine droplets, however, are difficult to uniformly produce and deliver to relatively inaccessible sites. For example, spray droplets delivered via inhalation tend to accumulate in the upper respiratory tract, without penetrating into the inner reaches of the lung.
Thus, it can be seen that there is a need for a penetrating, easy to deliver form of antioxidant. This type of antioxidant can have very important medical and environmental health benefits.

Airborne protectants against oxidative tissue damage


A method and related system may construct predictable 4-D flight profiles for fuel-efficient Optimized Profile Descents (OPD) in compliance with a Required Time of Arrival (RTA) constraint at a metering waypoint. The method may determine a feasible RTA window at the 95% confidence level enabling pilot awareness to accept or reject the RTA clearance. These methods may eliminate path unpredictability while retaining OPD benefits using constant flight path angle segments during descent. Thus, the vertical descent profile is clearly defined and, therefore, predictable to both pilots and air traffic control.

Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) or Continuous Descent Approaches may use idle or near-idle thrust during descents to reduce fuel consumption, engine noise and carbon emissions. With Optimized Profile Descents, aircraft may descend continuously from cruise altitude to the bottom of descent or to an initial approach fix without level path segments. However, to utilize OPDs without reducing the traffic throughput around an airport, Air Traffic Control may impose an RTA at a metering waypoint to safely merge incoming traffic. If idle thrust is used during the OPD, the descent profile is a function of not only aircraft speed, aircraft weight, wind and temperature, but also aircraft platforms and engine types. Therefore, the idle descent profile may vary from one aircraft to another and from one flight to another flight.
One highly efficient performance characteristic of a transport category aircraft may include a constant cruise phase followed by an idle-power descent from cruise altitude to the landing. This idle-power descent may include a constant Mach descent phase, a constant calibrated airspeed (CAS) descent phase, a deceleration from constant CAS to a statutory speed (e.g., 250 knots), a 250 knot descent phase, a deceleration to final approach speed, and a landing. One goal for maximum efficiency may include an idle power descent from a Top of Descent (TOD) point (often 40,000 feet mean sea level (MSL)) to 1000 feet above ground level (AGL) where engines must normally be spooled up for landing and possible missed approach. This most efficient idle-power descent, however, is often unavailable due to a variety of path constraints including additional traffic in the terminal area.
During aircraft transition from en route to landing, air traffic controllers may frequently issue instructions (or clearances) to change aircraft trajectories based on this additional traffic. These instructions may include temporary altitude assignments, increasing or decreasing speed adjustments, and temporary off-course lateral vectoring. These instructions enable traffic controllers to manage air traffic flow while ensuring proper aircraft separation and flight safety. However, these controller instructions cause inefficiencies in performance requiring aircraft to execute suboptimal maneuvers, such as stair-step descents. A stair-step descent burns significantly more fuel and generates more carbon emissions and engine noise than an uninterrupted OPD because OPDs use idle or near-idle thrust to execute a smooth speed-and-altitude profile during the descent phase of flight, while complying with multiple path constraints.
To enable OPDs without reducing traffic capacity throughout the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) area, a RTA constraint is usually imposed by air traffic controllers on a metering waypoint on the boundary of the TRACON area or on an Initial Approach Fix (IAF) to enable safe merging of air traffic. Therefore, upon receiving the RTA in-flight, the onboard Flight Management System (FMS) must be able to quickly construct the 4-dimensional (4-D) trajectory of an OPD in compliance with the assigned RTA.
A 95% confidence level may be one requirement by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to ensure each aircraft receiving a RTA is able to comply. Systems meeting the 95% confidence level may enjoy preferential treatment or exclusive use of a particular published arrival procedure.
A maximum performance OPD may be the best case scenario based on fuel economy, carbon emissions, and cost to the operator. However, the maximum performance idle descent OPD may not comply with the traffic clearance requirements of the local TRACON.
Consequently, a need exists for a system and related method combining the benefits of a maximum performance and RTA compliant OPD with the requirement for predictability by an air traffic control tasked with traffic separation.

Predictable and required time of arrival compliant optimized profile descents with four dimensional flight management system and related method


Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system, and computer program product for qualifying changes to an instruction set in source code. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for quantifying changes to an instruction set in source code can be provided. The method can include receiving text in a code editor as an edit to source code of a computer program querying a data store of code change costs with at least a portion of the edit. The method additionally can include retrieving in response to the query a code change cost associated with the edit. Finally, the method can include displaying in the code editor the retrieved code change cost.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to program code development and more particularly to capturing performance data for newly developed or changed code.
Description of the Related Art
Software testing is an investigation conducted to determine the quality of a software product or service under test. Software testing can be performed by the programmer or team of programmers who had developed the software program code of the software product in the first instance, or for more organized efforts, by a group of dedicated software testers or quality assurance testers. The testers typically use different types of testing methods, including white box testing, black box testing, and gray box testing. White box testing refers to when a tester has access to the internal data structures and algorithms including the computer code that implements the structures and algorithms; black box testing treats the software as a "black box"—without any knowledge of internal implementation; and, gray box testing involves the tester having knowledge of internal data structures and algorithms for the purpose of designing test cases, but testing at the user, or black-box level.
During the development phase for a new release of an application under test, part of the testing of a new code base of the application under test involves capturing performance data, such as central processing unit (CPU) usage resulting from the application under test. Performance measurement usually involves running sets of well-defined test cases against the application under test and using system tooling to measure concomitant changes to the system performance resulting from the execution of the application under test when compared to earlier releases of the application under test. In addition, software monitoring products can generate additional data from the execution of the application under test, which can provide a coarse level of CPU-usage at the region level and at an individual transaction level.
But, a tester using software monitoring tools to test an application under test still must use a "post-processing tool" to analyze and breakdown performance data collected during testing. In addition, a tester still must run specific benchmark comparisons on different computing systems to compare and then contrast CPU costs for code paths used for specific workloads in testing an application under test. Oftentimes, this level of in-depth performance analysis and testing is not available to support and service software developers deploying changes to an application under test. Thus, software developers often must apply small alterations to existing programs and work to schedules that preclude complete performance reevaluations of an application under test after each of the changes have been applied to the application under test. With no analysis and testing tools available, performance metrics thus are only based upon the experience and best judgment of the software developer.

Automated and heuristically managed solution to quantify CPU and path length cost of instructions added, changed or removed by a service team

International Business Machines Corporation


During the production of, for example ozone, an electric corona discharge is generated in atmospheric air by means of the high-voltage generator, so that ozone is formed from atmospheric oxygen. The high-voltage generator applies a high voltage between two electrodes (4, 14) in a discharge chamber; the electrodes are insulated from one another by a high-voltage insulator (6) which also acts as a dielectric. Electric breakdowns can occur through the insulator (6), so that in the course of time the surface of the insulator is damaged. The insulator then loses its insulating effect. In order to counteract this phenomenon, the exceeding of a predetermined current threshold value by the discharge current is detected in the high-voltage generator; a microprocessor (46) determines the number of times that said threshold value is exceeded per predetermined time interval, and the high voltage is controlled to a lower value if the number of times per predetermined time interval is too high.

The invention relates to a high-voltage generator for applying a high-voltage discharge current to a discharge unit.
A high-voltage generator of this kind can be used, for example for producing an electric discharge in a discharge chamber (the discharge unit) in order to produce ozone. During such a process a high-voltage generator causes a corona discharge in atmospheric air, so that ozone is formed from the atmospheric oxygen. The corona discharge is caused by the high-voltage generator applying a high voltage between two electrodes in the discharge chamber. The electrodes are separated from one another by a high-voltage insulator which also acts as a dielectric. Atmospheric air is present in the space between the electrodes. The high voltage is controlled to a value such that it does not yet cause high-voltage breakdown but a corona discharge which forms ozone from the oxygen present in the atmospheric air.
Because atmospheric air is treated in the discharge chamber, the condition of this air (i.e. the pressure, temperature, humidity and impurities) will vary comparatively strongly from one instant to another. As a result, it may occur that at a voltage for which initially only a corona discharge occurred an electric breakdown occurs due to the changed atmospheric conditions. This electric breakdown affects the surface of the high-voltage insulator in the discharge chamber, thus degrading its insulating properties. After a large number of electric breakdowns, the high-voltage insulator loses its insulating effect so that the high voltage for generating the corona discharge can no longer be sustained and the high-voltage insulator has to be replaced after a comparatively short period of time.

High-voltage generator with voltage control on the basis of the discharge current


A magnetofluidic suspension turbine combines a fluidic bearing and a magnetic circuit comprising a magnet in the stator and an airgap defined between polepieces of a ferromagnetic circuit between the rotor and the stator. This ferromagnetic circuit includes facing centering members on opposite sides of the airgap.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a magnetofluidic suspension turbine of the type combining a radial fluidic bearing and a magnetic circuit adapted to generate a dynamic recentering return force on radial displacement of the rotor relative to the stator. The invention is more particularly concerned with an improvement to said magnetic circuit. A turbine of this kind can be used to drive a coating product sprayer member, which is generally in the form of a bowl, at a high rotation speed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Document EP 0 567 436 describes a turbine of the above kind comprising a stator and a rotor and in which air injector means are provided to feed a laminar space defined between two respective facing plane surfaces (perpendicular to the required theoretical rotation axis of the rotor) of the rotor and of the stator and forming a radial fluidic bearing. This fluidic bearing is balanced by a magnetic circuit, part of which is in said rotor and part of which is in said stator and which comprises a defined radial airgap in substantially the same plane as the laminar space of the fluidic bearing. The magnetic circuit of the prior art device is remarkable in that it comprises magnets radially inside and magnets radially outside of the rotor and the stator, respectively, the magnets facing each other and being disposed symmetrically about the plane of the airgap.
Although a system of this kind is satisfactory in use, its industrial manufacture encounters a number of difficulties, in particular requiring difficult adjustments.
The difficulties encountered include the fact that the circumferencial field generated by an annular magnet is not homogeneous. Because of this, the magnetic axis of the rotor is rarely coincident with its geometrical axis. This can lead to an imbalance when the rotor is rotating at high speed; this defect is difficult to correct. Moreover, the magnets are glued into the rotor. It is therefore difficult to control the magnetic centering of the magnets and the size of the airgap, which causes disparities from one turbine to another.
For all these reasons it can be necessary to combine rotors and stators in matched pairs, which can subsequently lead to maintenance problems should it prove necessary to change the rotor. Finally, rare earth magnets have relatively low resistance to the centrifugal forces generated at high rotation speeds. The risk of a magnet of this kind bursting obliges the manufacturer to adopt a particular form of assembly (banding) around the magnets in the rotor. The invention eliminates all these disadvantages.


A bucket seat includes a support surface (14), curved shaped members (1) for supporting the support surface (14), receiving members (2) for receiving respective shaped members (1) and extending in a same direction as the shaped members (1), and an arrangement for rotating the shaped members (1) and the receiving members (2) in opposite direction for changing an inclination of the support surface (14), with an alignment of respective shaped members (1) and the receiving members (2) being maintained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bucket seat or a similar seat or couch with a support surface supported by curved shaped members.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bucket seat or similar seating items having a backrest formed of a support surface and curved shaped members supporting the support members, and displaceable between upright and lean-back positions are known. The known seating items have support surfaces the profile of which does not change when the backrest is displaced from an upright position to a lean-back position. Furthermore, the seats with an unchangeable profile of the backrest does not provide for relaxation of the body of a seating person.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a seating item, in particular, a bucket seat which would insure a natural relaxation of the body of the seating person without a need in a self-movement correction.

Bucket seat with inclination-profile adjusting mechanism


An aqueous solution contains phosphate for producing layers of phosphate on metal surfaces selected from the group consisting of iron, steel, zinc, zinc alloys, aluminum and aluminum alloys. The solution contains 0.3 to 5 g Zn2+/1, 0.1 to 2 g nitroguanidine/1 and 0.05 to 0.5 g hydroxylamine/l, with an S-value amounting to 0.03 to 0.3 and the ratio of the weight of Zn2+ to P2O5=1:5 to 1.30.

The invention relates to an aqueous solution containing phosphate for producing phosphate layers on metal surfaces of iron, steel, zinc, zinc alloys, aluminium or aluminium alloys. The invention relates, furthermore, to a method for phosphatizing metal surfaces with the use of an aqueous phosphatization solution.
German Patent Application 196 34685.1 of the 28th August 1996 proposes an aqueous phosphate-containing solution for producing phosphate layers on metal surfaces of iron, steel, zinc, zinc alloys, aluminium or aluminium alloys, which solution contains 0.3 to 5 g Zn2+/l and 0. 1 to 0. 3 g nitroguanidine/l, with the S-value amounting to 0.03 to 0.3 and the ratio of the weight of Zn2+ to P2O5=1:5 to 1:30, and which solution produces crystalline phosphate layers in which the crystallites have a maximum edge length  less than 15 xcexcm. Furthermore, a method for phosphatization, in which the metal surfaces are cleaned, are subsequently treated with the afore-mentioned aqueous phosphate-containing solution for a period of 5 seconds to 10 minutes at a temperature of 15 to 70xc2x0 C. and are finally rinsed with water, is proposed in said German patent application.
The underlying object of the invention is to improve the aqueous phosphate-containing solution and the method for phosphatization that have been proposed in German Patent Application 196 34 685.1 in such a way that the maximum edge length of the crystallites present in the phosphate layers that are produced is significantly  less than 15 xcexcm, that the phosphate layers that are produced have a layer weight of 2 to 4 g/l, and that the phosphate layers that are produced are constant or uniform with regard to the layer weight and the edge length of the crystallites even when the phosphatizing bath is operated for a comparatively long time.
The underlying object of the invention is achieved by providing an aqueous phosphate-containing solution for producing phosphate layers on metal surfaces of iron, steel, zinc, zinc alloys, aluminium or aluminium alloys, which solution contains 0.3 to 5 g Zn2+/, 0.1 to 2 g nitroguanidine/l and 0.05 to 0.5 g hydroxylamine/l, with the S-value amounting to 0.03 to 0.3 and the ratio of the weight of Zn2+ to P2O5=1:5 to 1.30. The nub of the invention thus lies in the fact that the solution, proposed in the aforementioned German patent application contains, in addition to the accelerator nitroguanidine also the accelerator hydroxylamine in a small concentration, with the nitroguanidine concentration of the solution in accordance with the invention having been significantly reduced in relation to the nitroguanidine concentration of the solution proposed in said German patent application.
According to the invention a solution that is particularly advantageous and preferred is one which contains 0.1 to 1.5 g nitroguanidine/l and also 0.1 to 0.4 g hydroxylamine/l. When these preferred features in accordance with the invention are applied, optimum phosphatization results are obtained.
Although, on the one hand, a solution for phosphatizing iron surfaces which has a zinc concentration of 0.2 to 2 g/l and contains as the accelerator hydroxylamine, hydroxylamine salts or hydroxylamine complexes that give the solution a hydroxylamine concentration of 0.5 to 50 g/l, preferably 1 to 10 g/l, is known from the printed specification EP-B 0 315 059 and although, on the other hand, a solution for producing copper-containing phosphate layers on metal surfaces of steel, zinc-coated steel, steel coated with zinc alloy, aluminium and its alloys, which solution has a zinc concentration of 0.2 to 2 g/l, a copper concentration of 0.5 to 25 mg/l, a P2O5 concentration of 5 to 30 g/l, contains as the accelerator hydroxylamine, hydroxylamine salts and hydroxylamine complexes that give the solution a hydroxylamine concentration of 0.5 to 5 g/l, and can additionally contain an organic nitro-compound as an oxidizing agent is known from the printed specification EP-B 0 633 950, it was extremely surprising for the person skilled in the art that already with comparatively small concentrations of nitroguanidine and hydroxylamine it was possible to produce phosphate layers that have an optimum layer weight of 2 to 4 g/m2 and whose layer weight is very uniform even during continuous operation and whose crystallites in each case have a maximum edge length  less than 15 xcexcm, with, nevertheless, the edge length as a rule being significantly  less than 10 xcexcm. These surprisingly advantageous effects of the solution in accordance with the invention are linked with a further advantageous effect that lies in the fact that, on account of the comparatively small concentration of the accelerators, relatively small quantities of accelerator from the solution in accordance with the invention are entrained out of the phosphatization bath into the subsequent treatment stages and ultimately into the waste water. The solution in accordance with the invention thus guarantees that the two phosphatization accelerators are supplied in an almost quantitative manner.
The solution in accordance with the invention is also neither disclosed nor made obvious to the person skilled in the art by the prior art mentioned above, since, in comparison with the solution proposed in German patent application 196 34 685.1 the solution in accordance with the invention only uses the comparatively low nitroguanidine concentrations as well as additionally hydroxylamine and, in comparison with the solutions which are known from the two European patent specifications that have been mentioned, the solution in accordance with the invention uses hydroxylamine concentrations which are lower than the hydroxylamine concentrations disclosed in the prior art that has been mentioned added to this is the fact that in the two European patent specifications that have been mentioned the use of nitroguanidine as an accelerator is not disclosed and the two European patent specifications mentioned call upon the person skilled in the art to use high hydroxylamine concentrations, since in accordance with printed specification EP-B 0 315 059 a hydroxylamine concentration of 1 to 10 g/l is claimed as being preferred and in accordance with example 1 of the printed specification EP-B 0 633 950 operations are carried out with a hydroxylamine concentration of 1.7 g/l the merit of the present invention therefore lies in having recognized that it is possible to deposit on various metal surfaces qualitatively very high-grade phosphate layers from a solution which has a very low hydroxylamine content and a comparatively small nitroguanidine content, in which case, with regard to the hydroxylamine content the invention does not follow the course marked out by the prior art, namely the use of quite high hydroxylamine concentrations.
In a further development of the invention it is provided that the solution contain 0.3 to 3 g Zn2+/l. The solution is therefore preferably suitable for use within the scope of low-zinc technology. Furthermore, in a further development of the invention it is provided that the solution additionally contain 0.5 to 20 g NO3xe2x88x92/l, that the solution additionally contain 0.01 to 3 g Mn2xe2x88x92/l and/or 0.01 to 3 g N2+/l and/or 1 to 100 mg Cu2+/l and/or 0.01 to 3 g Co2+/l. In particular, the copper content of 1 to 100 Mg Cu2+/l in the absence of nickel is responsible for the fact that qualitatively high-grade phosphate layers are produced. During the phosphatization of surfaces containing aluminium it has proved to be particularly useful in accordance with the invention if the solution contains 0.01 to 3 g Fxe2x88x92/l and/or 0.05 to 3.5 g/l of at least one complex fluoride. In accordance with the invention the solution contains (SiF6)2xe2x88x92 or (BF4)xe2x88x92 as the complex fluoride.
The nitrate content in accordance with the invention advantageously promotes the observance of a constant layer weight. The nitrate is added to the phosphatization solution in the form of alkali nitrates and/or by means of the cations present in the system, for example as zinc nitrate and/or as HNO3. Since the nitrate-free aqueous solution also delivers good phosphatization results, the acceleration effect of the nitrate, which is known per se, is very probably of secondary importance in the present case. The metal ions Mn2+, Ni2+, Cu2+ and Co2+ that are added to the phosphatization solution are incorporated in the phosphate layer and improve the lacquer adhesion and the corrosion protection. The free fluoride is added to the phosphatization solution when metal surfaces made of aluminium or aluminium alloys are phosphatized. The complex fluorides are added to the phosphatization solution in particular to improve the result of phosphatization on surfaces that are coated with zinc.
The underlying object of the invention is achieved, furthermore, by the provision of a method for phosphatizing metal surfaces, wherein the metal surfaces are cleaned, are subsequently treated with the aqueous phosphate-containing phosphatization solution for a period of 5 seconds to 10 minutes at a temperature of 15 to 70xc2x0 C. and are finally rinsed with water. This method can be carried out with simple technical means and works operationally in an extremely reliable manner. The phosphate layers produced by is means of the method are of a consistently good quality which does not diminish even when the phosphatization bath is operated for a comparatively long time. The minimum phosphatizing time in the case of the method in accordance with the invention is less than in the case of the known low-zinc methods which operate with the usual accelerators. What is considered to be the minimum phosphatizing time is the time during which the surface is phosphatized so as to become closed. Surprisingly, it has been found that the method parameters that have proved to be advantageous in the case of the method proposed in German Patent Application 196 34 685.1 can generally also be used in the case of the method in accordance with the invention.
It is proposed in accordance with the invention that the treatment of the metal surfaces with the phosphatization solution be effected by spraying, dipping, spray-dipping or roller-application. These operating techniques open up a very broad and varied application spectrum for the method in accordance with the invention. In accordance with the intention it has proved to be particularly advantageous if the phosphatization solution used for spraying has a ratio of the weight of Zn2xe2x88x92 to P2O5=1:5 to 1:30, with the period required for spraying amounting to 5 to 300 seconds, and if the phosphatization solution used for dipping has a ratio of the weight of Zn2+ to P2O5=1:5 to 1:18, with the period required for dipping amounting to 5 seconds to 10 minutes.
In accordance with the invention it is advantageous in many cases if, after having been cleaned, the metal surfaces are treated with an activating agent which contains a titanium-containing phosphate. This assists the formation of a closed, crystalline phosphate layer. Moreover, in accordance with the invention it is provided that the metal surfaces be treated with a passivating agent subsequent to the rinsing process that follows phosphatization. The passivating agents used can both contain Cr and also be free from Cr.
When cleaning the metal surfaces as provided according to the method in accordance with the invention, both mechanical impurities and adherent grease are removed from the surface that is to be phosphatized. Cleaning the metal surfaces belongs to the known prior art and can advantageously be carried out with an aqueous alkaline cleaner. It is advantageous if the metal surfaces are rinsed with water after cleaning. The cleaned or phosphatized metal surfaces are rinsed either with tap water or with desalinated water.
In accordance with the invention it is particularly advantageous if the nitroguanidine is introduced into the aqueous solution in the form of a stable, aqueous suspension. This can either be effected the stable, aqueous suspension containing a layer silicate as a stabilizer, with the layer silicates [Mg6(Si7.4Al0.6)O20(OH)4]Na0.6xc3x97XH2O or [(Mg5.4Li0.6)Si8O20 (OH, F)4]Na0.6xc3x97XH2O being used in a quantity of 10 to 30 g/l nitroguanidine suspension, or can be effected by the stable, aqueous suspension contains a stabilizer which consists of a polymeric sugar and polyethylene glycol, with the ratio of the weight of the polymeric sugar to polyethylene glycol amounting to 1:1 to 1:3 and with the stabilizer being used in a quantity of 5 to 20 g/l nitroguanidine suspension. As a result of the two stabilizers of the nitroguanidine suspension, advantageously the suspension remains unchanged for several months and desludging in the phosphatization bath is promoted The introduction of the nitroguanidine into the phosphatization solution in the form of a stabilized suspension avoids the disadvantages which arise from the fact that nitroguanidine is present as a powder and in this form can only be evenly distributed in the phosphatization solution with difficulty. The suspensions produced in accordance with the invention can easily be conveyed by pumping and are stable for 12 months, that is, the nitroguanidine does not settle even after a comparatively long period of time. The suspensions are produced by suspending the laminated silicate or the organic stabilizer in completely desalinated water and mixing the nitroguanidine in afterwards.
The suspension is destroyed at the pH-value of 2 to 4 that prevails in the phosphatization solution and the nitroguanidine is released in a finely dispersed form and dissolved.
Finally, it is provided in accordance with the invention that the solution according to the invention and also the method according to the invention be used to treat work pieces before lacquering, in particular before electro-dip lacquering

Aqueous solution and method for phosphatizing metallic surfaces


A composition for attracting male pink hibiscus mealybugs which contains a carrier material or carrier and effective amount of (R)-lavandulyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate and (R)-maconelliyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate. Also a method for attracting male pink hibiscus mealybugs to an object or area, which method involves treating said object or area with effective amount of (R)-lavandulyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate and (R)-maconelliyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate. Cyclobutanes, 2,2-dimethyl-3-(1-methylethylidene)cyclobutanes, having the formula:

The present invention relates to a composition for attracting male pink hibiscus mealybug (PHM), which composition contains a male pink hibiscus mealybug attracting effective amount of (R)-lavandulyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate and (R)-maconelliyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate, and optionally a carrier material or carrier. The present invention also relates to a method for attracting male pink hibiscus mealybugs to an object or area, which method involves treating said object or area with a male pink hibiscus mealybug attracting composition containing a male pink hibiscus mealybug attracting effective amount of (R)-lavandulyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate and (R)-maconelliyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate, and optionally a carrier material or carrier. In addition, the present invention relates to a method for disrupting male pink hibiscus mealybugs mating with female pink hibiscus mealybugs, involving exposing a pink hibiscus mealybugs population to a composition containing (R)-lavandulyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate and (R)-maconelliyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate in a quantity sufficient to disrupt male pink hibiscus mealybugs mating with female pink hibiscus mealybugs, and optionally a carrier material or carrier. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a cyclobutane having the formula:
wherein R1 is hydrogen, a C1-11 straight or branched alcohol, aldehyde, alkyl, ether (e.g. methanol, ethanal, 4-methylhexane, heptyloxymethane), or esters thereof with a C1-10 saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched acid (e.g., formic acid, acetic acid, 2-methylbutyric acid, 3-methyl-2-butenoic acid) and R2 is hydrogen, methyl, C2-10 saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched alkyl (e.g. hexane, isopropenyl, 4-methyl-4-pentene).
The pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae), causes severe economic problems throughout tropical and subtropical regions. It appears to be native to Australia or Southern Asia (Williams, D. J., Bull. Entomol., Res. 86: 617-628 (1996)). This exotic insect pest has been spreading through the entire Caribbean region since it was first detected on the island of Grenada in 1994 (Matile-Ferrero, D., and J. Eitienne, Revue Francaise d'Entomologie, 18: 38 (1996); Etienne, J., et al., Bulletin de la Societe entomologique de France, 103: 173-174 (1998)). Since then, it has spread to Southern California, Mexico, Central America, and, in 2002, to Florida (Anonymous, Pink Hibiscus Mealybug Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (2002), http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/enpp/ento/pink.htm).
PHM feeds on a wide range of host plants, inflicting severe damage by injecting toxic saliva into the host plant leading to malformation of fruit, leaves and shoots, stunting of plant growth, and eventual plant death (Kairo, M. T. K., et al., International Pest Management Reviews, 5: 241-254 (2000)). Agricultural crops in the United States expected to be at greatest economic risk to PHM invasion include ornamental crops, vegetable crops, citrus, grapes, avocados, and many other plants (Anonymous, The Hibiscus or Pink Mealybug, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (1996), http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_phphmealybug.html). Potential losses of $750 million per year have been estimated if the insect cannot be controlled (Carter-Lane, S., and J. Redding, Exotic Parasitic Wasps to Attack Invasive Mealybug in California, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (1999), http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/news/1999/09/MELBUGCA.HTM). To date, detection of PHM infestations relies on visual inspection, although live virgin females can be used as an attractant source (Stibick, J. N. L., New pest response guidelines: Pink hibiscus mealybug Maconellicoccus hirsutus, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (1997); Serrano, M., et al., Environ. Entomol., 30: 339-345 (2001)); however, limited availability and low survivorship of live virgin females made this application impractical. A synthetic pheromone would provide a much more economical, convenient, and useful survey tool. An artificial lure might also enable the development of mass trapping and mating disruption technology for managing this pest, which would complement ongoing biological control eradication efforts in the Caribbean, California, and Florida.

Attractant pheromone for the male pink hibiscus mealybug,

Abstract: wherein R1 is hydrogen, a C1-11 straight or branched alcohol, aldehyde, alkyl, ether (e.g. methanol, ethanal, 4-methylhexane, heptyloxymethane), or esters thereof with a C1-10 saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched acid (e.g., formic acid, acetic acid, 2-methylbutyric acid, 3-methyl-2-butenoic acid) and R2 is hydrogen, methyl, C1-10 saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched alkyl (e.g. hexane, isopropenyl, 4-methyl-4-pentene). A method of disrupting male pink hibiscus mealybug mating with female pink hibiscus mealybugs, involving exposing a pink hibiscus mealybug population to a composition containing a pink hibiscus mealybug mating disrupting effective amount of (R)-lavandulyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate and (R)-maconelliyl (S)-2-methylbutanoate, and optionally a carrier material or carrier.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture


A cell washer is disclosed. The cell washer includes a vessel configured to hold cells. The vessel includes an elongated body including an opening, an inner surface, and a pocket defined by a first inner surface portion of the inner surface disposed between and radially outward relative to a second inner surface portion and a third inner surface portion of the inner surface, and a cavity. The vessel also includes an actuating device capable of causing the vessel to spin about an axis.

Particle analysis generally, and cellular analysis in particular, frequently requires removing or replacing liquids that suspend particles or cells. This is useful to remove interfering substances, excess stains, unbound labeled antibodies, detergents, permeabilizing agents, lysing agents, fixatives, neutralizing agents, and other materials. In some situations, cell washing may also be useful to reduce unwanted interactions between cell types mediated by dissolved materials.
Traditional methods for particle or cell washing involve a variety of processes such as sedimenting and decanting, acoustic separation, centrifugation, filtration, flow through structured channels, and magnetic separation. These methods are difficult to automate, bulky, time-consuming, and frequently need single-use consumables. There is a thus a need for an easily automated process and device for cell washing.
A purpose of cell washing is to remove unwanted substances that may affect further processing or subsequent analysis. Cell washing generally involves removal of a suspending liquid and resuspension of the cells in a replacement liquid, generically called a wash liquid. Cell washing may use different wash liquids at different portions of the wash process and may also include extended exposure to selected wash liquids or agitation to encourage transfer of unwanted substances.
Cell washing may lose, injure, activate, alter, or destroy cells, may cause undesirable interaction between cells, or may differentially deplete a sample of certain cell types. These effects can alter the results of subsequent analysis. For example, exposure of cells to high accelerations (such as that produced by inertial effects of high-speed rotation or "centrifugal force") or high fluid shear rate can rupture some cell types more than others. An assay of a washed cell mixture thus may not accurately reflect the proportions of cells present in the original sample. There is a thus a need for a process and device for cell washing that preserves the properties and proportions of a wide variety of cells in a sample.
Wash efficacy is one measure of the quality of a wash procedure. A wash has a high efficacy if it removes more of the unwanted substances. A process with low wash efficacy leaves more of the unwanted substances. Multiple instances of a process may in some cases be chained to improve the wash efficacy of the combined process. A simple dilution model, though not realistic for all wash processes, serves to illustrate the concept of wash efficacy. If a wash process leaves at the end of the wash a fraction d of the fluid present at the start of a wash, then after n iterations, the fraction of the original fluid (including the original unwanted substances) remaining is (d)n. The wash efficacy may be expressed as the inverse of the fraction remaining: in this case 1/d for a single process and 1/dn for the multiple iteration process. For example, if a wash process leaves 10% of the original liquid after one iteration, its wash efficacy may be expressed as 1/0.1=10. Four iterations of such a wash process gives an ideal combined wash efficacy of 1/0.14=10,000.
However, wash steps may not be chained without consequence: additional wash iterations take additional time and may increase the likelihood of cellular alteration or loss. Further, the resuspension process may be particularly damaging to cells as it typically relies upon high fluid shear. There is a thus a need for a process and device for cell washing that efficaciously washes cells with fewer wash iterations and hence fewer instances of resuspension.
Cells may be sensitive to the magnitude and duration of applied forces during washing; extended exposure to high forces causes more damage to cells. However, in centrifugal cell washers, the time for cells to sediment under an applied force decreases as the force increases. There is thus a need for a cell washer device and process that reduces the exposure of cells to high forces for extended times.
Living cells are generally slightly denser than aqueous wash liquids. In centrifugal cell washers, the denser cells sediment through the wash liquids in regions of high relative force. A wash protocol in a centrifugal cell washer usually includes repeated cycles of sedimenting the cells, removing as much as possible of the wash liquid, and resuspending the cells in fresh wash liquid. The time required to sediment cells depends on the distance the cells travel through the wash liquid and is hence longer with larger volumes of wash liquids present before sedimentation. It is therefore desirable to sediment from an initially small volume of wash liquid. The wash efficacy of such a process is limited by the amount of wash liquid remaining after each removal step (an amount usually limited by mechanical constraints) as compared to the total volume of wash liquid exposed to the cells. Thus it would be beneficial to sediment the cells from an initial low volume of wash liquid but to expose the cells to additional wash liquid after sedimentation. However, once the cells are sedimented to a region of high relative force, additional wash liquid cannot appreciably interact with cells because the force causes the less dense liquid to float "above" the cells. There is thus a need for a cell washer device and process that permit interaction of additional wash liquid with cells undergoing wash during a single wash iteration.
In centrifugal cell washing, use of closed containers requires complex rotating connections to add or remove liquids. However open containers permit liquids to escape unless the container volume is large compared to the contained volume. There is thus a need for an open-container cell washer that accommodates relatively large volumes of liquids.
Embodiments of the invention solve these and other problems individually and collectively.


An underlayment sheet (10, 10′) is applied in overlapping courses to a roof deck (36) for establishing a weather-resistant membrane for use as a final exposed surface or below a roof covering (50). The underlayment sheet (10, 10′) has a bottom surface (16, 16′) to which a pressure sensitive adhesive section (22, 22′) is applied generally continuously along its length. A non-adhesive section (24, 24′) also extends the length of the bottom surface (16, 16′) adjacent its upper long edge (18, 18′) for providing a contact surface with the roof deck (36) which is devoid of any adhesive material. The non-adhesive section (24, 24′) is attached to the roof deck (36) using tin tags (44, 44′) or other mechanical fastening components. When subsequent underlayment sheets (10, 10′) are applied in overlapping courses, the adhesive sections (22, 22′) bond over the preceding underlayment sheet (10, 10′) to establish a water tight seal. The top surface (14) of the underlayment sheet (10) may include a supplemental bonding strip (30) which adheres directly to the adhesive section (22) of an overlying underlayment sheet (10) to establish a tenacious seal. The top surface (14′) may also be impregnated with a course granular material (52) to serve as a final, exposed surface for the roof in lieu of shingles or the like. If a future re-roofing operation is required, the subject underlayment system can be removed from the roof deck (36) without damaging or delaminating the roof deck (36) material.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an underlayment sheet of the type applied in overlapping courses to a roof deck for a building structure, and more particularly toward such an underlayment sheet of the self-adhering type used to enhance water and weather resistance capabilities of the roof system.
2. Related Art
In typical pitched roof applications for residential and commercial buildings, a water-resistant membrane in the form of an underlayment sheet is installed between the roof deck and the outer roof covering. In some applications, the underlayment may even comprise the final roofing layer without any shingles or other coverings applied over top. The underlayment sheet is typically applied in overlapping courses and is designed to help the roof shed water and provide secondary weather protection.
In applications where water issues are a particular concern, either from ice damming or low-slope roof pitches, or severe weather encounters, various special underlayment techniques have been proposed. More traditionally, a two-ply underlayment system known as the 30/90 hot mop system is used. In this system, a base sheet of 30 lb traditional underlayment material is affixed to a plywood or OSB roof decking with so-called "tin tag" or "cap nail" fasteners to provide mechanical attachment directly to the decking. The 30 lb underlayment sheets are applied in overlapping courses beginning at the bottom (eaves) edge and working in parallel rows toward the ridge. After the 30 lb underlayment sheet has been installed, a roofing contractor applies hot asphalt over the entire surface. The asphalt may be heated to 525° F., typically, at which temperature the hot, runny asphalt poses a significant burn issue to workers on and around the roof. A 90 lb underlayment material is then applied directly over the hot, unset asphalt to establish a bonded two-ply system. This traditional method usually requires two trips to the job site and different crews to apply first the 30 lb underlayment sheet in overlapping courses and then later the hot asphalt with 90 lb top layer. Additionally, different equipment is used for the different phases. A roof may not be considered water tight until the complete two-ply system has been installed.
A more recent underlayment system has been proposed for establishing a water-proof underlayment, which is known generally as the peel and stick method. Originally intended for applications in which ice damming was a concern, the peel and stick underlayment products have found increased acceptance in warmer client markets to help shed roof water such as may be encountered in storm conditions, and which may be more problematic in low-slope situations where water accumulation tends to be more of an issue. Typically, the peel and stick underlayment is designed to be installed sticky side down directly to the plywood decking in overlapping courses. Some in the industry suggest that such peel and stick products cause less harm to the roof deck than traditional underlayment systems because they are less susceptible to corrosion. In addition, they are not installed with nails or screws so they do not weaken the deck or transfer heat to the interior which could make air conditioning systems less efficient. Also, there are no holes that could allow moisture to seep in. Accordingly, while the peel and stick products have been touted as an effective improvement over the traditional two-ply 30/90 hot mop system, many local building codes have opposed use of the peel and stick underlayment directly upon the plywood decking. Many municipalities are requiring a base sheet of traditional (organic felt or fiberglass) underlayment sheet anchored with nails to the roof decking prior to applying the peel and stick products over top. Code bodies reason that when it is time for a re-roof, the peel and stick applied directly to the roof decking will cause delamination damage to the plywood or OSB decking. Delamination of the decking could lead to replacement of the plywood decking, thus driving the cost of future re-roofs up significantly. If used in this code-approved fashion, the peel and stick underlayment is hardly more economical than the traditional 30/90 hot mot two-ply system.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved waterproof or water-resistant underlayment system for roof structures which is less expensive than the current peel and stick products used according to code recommendations, and less complicated and dangerous to apply than the 30/90 hot mop two-ply systems. Furthermore, there is a need to provide such a waterproof underlayment system which is not likely to cause delamination damage to plywood/OSB decking, thereby facilitating future re-roof projects. Furthermore, there is a need for a waterproof underlayment system which uses fewer nails or screws than current methods, thereby increasing the strength of the deck and diminishing heat transfer to the building interior.


A thermal management system for a vehicle and method for controlling a water-heating type PTC heater thereof by controlling a PTC heater that uses water for heating, in which a heat source for heating is secured by operating the water-heating type PTC heater and thereby additionally heating a coolant, while charging a battery, in a thermal management system for a vehicle, during a heating mode, in which: refrigerant circulates through a second heat exchanger, a waste heat recovery chiller, a compressor and an indoor heat exchanger; and the coolant passes through a water-cooling type battery module, the water-heating type PTC heater, a battery chiller, electric parts and the waste heat recovery chiller.

A vehicle having an engine as a driving source with gasoline, diesel, or the like as an energy source is currently a general type of vehicle. However, such an energy source for a vehicle causes various problems such as environmental pollution and decrease in oil reserves, and the necessity of new energy sources is increasing. One of the current technologies that are almost in practical use is a vehicle driven using a fuel cell as an energy source.
However, it is not possible to utilize a heating system using coolant in such a vehicle using a fuel cell, unlike a conventional vehicle using an engine with oil as an energy source. That is, in the conventional vehicle having an engine as a driving source with oil as an energy source, a great amount of heat is generated from the engine, a coolant circulation system for cooling the engine is provided, and the heat absorbed from the engine to the coolant is used for heating the inside of the vehicle. However, the driving source of the vehicle using the fuel cell does not generate such a great amount of heat as generated from the engine. For this reason, there has been a limit in using the conventional heating system.
Accordingly, various studies have been performed for the fuel cell vehicle. For example, a heat pump to be used as a heat source may be added to an air conditioning system, or a separate heat source such as an electric heater may be provided.
As a related technology, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2012-0103054 (published on Sep. 19, 2012, and entitled "HEAT PUMP SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE") has been disclosed.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a conventional heat pump system 10 for a vehicle.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the heat pump system for a vehicle largely includes an outdoor heat exchanger 11, an indoor heat exchanger 12, an evaporator 13, a compressor 14, an expansion means 15, a waste heat recovery chiller 16, a battery chiller 17, and a water-cooling type battery module 18.
In the heat pump system 10 for a vehicle, during a heating mode, refrigerant is expanded, and the expanded refrigerant is vaporized in the outdoor heat exchanger and then secondarily vaporized again in the waste heat recovery chiller. Thereafter, the vaporized refrigerant is introduced into the compressor.
At this time, coolant having passed through the water-cooling type battery module recovers energy released from a power electronics (PE) part, which is an electric part for driving an electric vehicle, such as an on-board charger (OBC), a motor, or an electric power control unit (EPCU), and then vaporizes the refrigerant secondarily while passing through the waste heat recovery chiller.
That is, the heat pump system for a vehicle uses the heat generated when the battery is cooled and the PE part is operated, as a heat source of a heat pump. However, there has been a problem in that a sufficient heat source is not supplied to the heat pump when operated, resulting in deterioration of the heat pump efficiency.
In addition, there has been a limit in the heat pump system for a vehicle in that waste heat from the battery and from the PE part can be used only under a substantially high load condition.

Thermal management system for vehicle and method for controlling water-heating PTC heater thereof


A flow cytometry system and related method, among other things, are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the system includes first, second, and intermediate slab formations, the last of which has formed therewithin a microfluidic channel, a lens structure arranged proximate the microfluidic channel, and a light conveying structure arranged proximate to the lens structure. The lens structure is configured to direct a portion of light to proceed between the channel and the conveying structure. The intermediate slab formation is sandwiched between the other two slab formations. In at least another embodiment, the system includes a microfluidic prism arranged proximate to the second end of a light conveying structure. Light emanating from a microfluidic channel is provided to the conveying structure at the first end, conveyed to the second end, and provided to the prism, which outputs a plurality of portions of the light at different frequencies in different directions.

Flow cytometry devices are commonly employed to measure physical and/or chemical properties of particles such as cells (or other material) that are suspended in a fluid stream. Such information can be of significant value in a variety of circumstances. For example, doctors can utilize information derived using flow cytometry devices to obtain information regarding their patients' blood counts, white blood cell counts, leukemia progression and other characteristics. Also for example, flow cytometry devices can be used to conduct biological research, and for a variety of other purposes. A long standing commercial objective has been to reduce the complexity and cost of flow cytometry systems in order to make them more attractive for certain routine clinical diagnostic applications, such as HIV AIDS diagnosis and therapy monitoring. One pressing need for simpler, low-cost systems exists in Africa and Asia, where significant funds from organizations such as the WHO and the Gates Foundation are now available for the purchase of therapeutic drugs, but the availability of these expensive drugs is limited and the drugs are rationed based upon strict WHO diagnostic criteria that involve measurement of the patient's lymphocyte sub-populations (primarily CD4/CD8 counts and ratios).
Flow cytometry devices operate by shining light that is well-collimated (sometimes but not necessarily from a laser) onto a fluid passage through which is flowing a fluid carrying the cells (or other particles or material) of interest. Upon encountering the cells the light is scattered or absorbed. Depending upon the amount (and directions) of scattering and on the amount and color of the induced fluorescence, information can be determined about the characteristics of the cells. In addition, in many benchtop flow cytometry systems, dichroic mirrors are employed for separating fluorescence signals by wavelength. Optical filters are additionally used in such systems for selectively passing a particular wavelength band of interest to a detector. Typically, such systems employing dichroics and optical filters are bulky systems having multiple parts, which increase the complexity and cost of such cytometry systems. Thus, while at this time there remains a great need for information that can be reliably obtained through flow cytometry techniques, the relatively high complexity and costs of conventional flow cytometry techniques limit their use largely to laboratories within major metropolitan areas.
While many conventional flow cytometry systems are generally large, complicated and expensive devices insofar as the systems typically employ lasers, specialized lenses, expensive (e.g., quartz) glass flow tubes, and multiple photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), some attempts have also been made to develop smaller, less complicated, and less expensive systems. One type of system employs a transparent microfluidic channel through which flow the cells (or other particles or material) of interest, and polymer waveguides or fiber optics arranged along sides of the channel that are capable of directing light to, or conducting light away from, the channel. In at least some such systems, lenses are employed between the waveguides and the sides of the microfluidic channels so as to focus light directed toward the microfluidic channels.
Although such systems employing microfluidic channels and waveguides are potentially smaller and less expensive than many other types of conventional systems, systems of this type have certain disadvantages. In particular, because of the relative sizes of the waveguides, microfluidic channels and/or lenses in such systems, it is difficult to position multiple waveguides proximate a given microfluidic channel in such a way as to gather light emanating from the channel in different directions, such that it is difficult to gather multi-parameter data. Further, while the lenses are useful for guiding at least some of the light emanating from the channel, a significant amount of the light emanating from the channel nevertheless typically is lost as it passes over or under the waveguides. Also, it is often difficult to separate out or distinguish desired components of light emanating from a channel from other light components. Further, it is often difficult to control the positioning and speed of movement of sample materials of interest (e.g., cells, other biological materials, particulate matter) through the microfluidic channel and past one or more sensors in a manner that facilitates optical sensing of those materials of interest and results in the generation of useful optical data.
For at least these reasons, it would be advantageous if an improved system employing microfluidic channel(s), waveguide(s) and lens(es) could be developed that could be implemented as part of a microfluidic photonic sensor system for use in flow cytometry applications and/or other applications. It further would be advantageous if, in at least some embodiments, such an improved system allowed for better sensing of light emanating from a given microfluidic channel in a variety of directions, and/or was more efficient in directing light to the waveguides. It would additionally be advantageous if, in at least some embodiments, it was possible to separate out or distinguish among different portions of light of different spectra emanating from a microfluidic channel, without the complexity and cost associated with the use of dichroics, optical filters and the like. It would further be advantageous if, in at least some embodiments, it was possible to better control the positioning and movement of materials of interest within a sample for enhanced optical sampling.

The Regents of the University of California


A method and apparatus are provided for the non-recirculating self-sanitization of a carbon filter (14) in a water pretreatment system (12). The apparatus includes a heat exchanger (50) that can maintain an activated carbon bed (44) of the carbon filter (14) at a desired sanitization temperature during service operation of the pretreatment system (12) where the pretreatment system (12) is providing a pretreated water stream (32H) for final treatment.

Many industries, including the bottled water, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical industries, utilize water in various ways to manufacture products, clean and sanitize components, and/or to provide services. For many of the industrial uses of water, the water must repeatably meet stringent quality requirements. For example, being the most widely used ingredient in the manufacture of drugs, within the pharmaceutical industry, water must meet stringent quality requirements mandated by the Food and Drug Administration, whether the water is used for cleaning, sanitizing, or for drug manufacturing. It is typical for water pretreatment and final treatment systems, and in particular pharmaceutical water pretreatment and final treatment systems, to include a number of components, including for pretreatment: media filters for removal of suspended solids, water softeners for hardness and ammonia (if required) removal, carbon filters to dechlorinate the water, polishing water softeners for ammonia removal, and a reverse osmosis or distillation system for final treatment.
In order to ensure proper operation and overall service life of such systems and their various components, a number of factors must be considered. Two such factors are the removal of microbial control agents (dechlorination) and control of microbial bacterial growth (sanitization). In this regard, the removal of microbial control agents is often necessary for such systems because the water provided by the local municipality often contains microbial control agents, such as chlorine or chloramines, which are put into the water by the local municipality to control bacteria within the municipality's distribution network. Such microbial control agents can be detrimental to some water pretreatment and final treatment components. For example, such microbial control agents can cause premature failures of reverse osmosis membranes and can cause severe stress cracking and corrosion of austenitic stainless steel components.
In order to remove such microbial control agents, water pretreatment systems can utilize a number of methods, two of which are chemical injection and carbon filtration. Because chemical injection introduces a possibility of chemical contamination of the water being treated, carbon filtration is widely accepted as the preferred method in the pharmaceutical industry. Carbon filter dechlorination is accomplished by passing chlorinated water over a bed of activated carbon media contained within a pressure vessel generally constructed of fiberglass, lined carbon steel, or stainless steel. Typically the activated carbon media is a natural material manufactured from coal, wood, peat, or coconut shell, which when activated by steam or other means has a tremendous adsorption capability provided by its microscopic physical structure and large internal surface area. As chlorinated water passes over the activated carbon bed, chlorine adheres to the surface of the carbon granules and is removed from the water. Carbon filtration can also be an effective means for the breakdown of chloramines (a combination of chlorine and ammonia). However, although the carbon media will adsorb the chlorine, subsequent downstream processes must be considered to address ammonia removal.
While they are an effective means for dechlorination, carbon filters can create an optimum environment for microbial bacteria to prosper, which raises the second factor identified above, control of microbial bacterial growth, thereby requiring that the carbon filters be sanitized, at least periodically, in order to control microbial bacterial growth. Within the pharmaceutical industry, carbon filters are sanitized typically by heat or by the addition of a chemical disinfectant, with provisions for validation and monitoring the effectiveness of the sanitization process also being requirements. When chemical disinfectants are used, provisions must be made to remove the chemical disinfectants and to monitor such removal. Because of this, heat sanitization is generally regarded as the preferred method.
Heat sanitization is accomplished by either elevating the temperature of water flowing through the carbon bed of the carbon filter, via an external heating source and recirculating system, or by the injection of clean steam into the carbon filter directly. Heat sanitization is an effective method to control microbial bacteria because the elevated temperature prohibits the survival of microbial bacteria. However, with either approach, the carbon filter must be isolated from service during the sanitization process, and both approaches require subsequent backwashing and rinsing steps to flush out the dead bacteria from the system. Unless the system includes a redundant carbon filter (which doubles the sites where bacteria can grow and proliferate), the water pretreatment process must be suspended for the duration of the sanitization process. If a redundant carbon filter is utilized in the system, the redundant filter must be properly sized to handle the full service load of the pretreatment system, or sanitization must be scheduled during periods of low demand. Typically, such heat sanitization process includes the steps of: isolating the carbon filter from service, draining the carbon filter (for clean steam approach only), heating, holding that temperature for sanitization, cooling down, backwashing and rinsing, and return to service.

Non-recirculating, self-sanitizing carbon filter system


An electrohydraulic device for controlling clutch engagement in motor vehicles and the like, incorporating a hydraulic actuator having the rod of its piston connected to the clutch lever, a hydraulic circuit for controlling the hydraulic actuator via an interceptor mechanism, an electronic control unit which causes the interceptor mechanism to feed the hydraulic actuator and thereby cause clutch release, as well as to enable the hydraulic actuator to discharge, and at least one solenoid valve connected to the discharge circuit of the hydraulic actuator which is caused to open by the electronic control unit due to a sequence of electronic pulses related to the rotational speed of the vehicle engine. The command to the interceptor mechanism is provided by the electronic control unit automatically when predetermined engine operating conditions exist or by the action of the driver. A control hydraulic actuator, is situated between the interceptor mechanism and the hydraulic actuator, downstream of a relative piston. The relative piston involves an opposing spring for adjusting its working stroke according to the engagement stroke of the clutch. A line is communicatively interposed between the hydraulic circuit connecting the hydraulic actuator and an outer hydraulic circuit which acts when the clutch is in the engagement position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrohydraulic device for controlling the engagement of the clutch in motor vehicles and the like.
In motor vehicles, the clutch is generally controlled by a pedal which by overcoming the reaction of one or more springs causes the clutch plate, rigid with the main gearbox shaft, to separate from the flywheel, which is rigid with the crankshaft (clutch disengaged). On releasing the pedal the elastic reaction of the previously loaded springs prevails to again bring the plate into contact with the flywheel, so restoring their torsional connection (clutch engaged).
To provide a servo-control for both clutch release and engagement, and thus make clutch control easier and quicker, and particularly suitable for invalids without the use of a lower limb, it has been proposed to utilize the vacuum of the engine when in operation.
Specifically, the clutch lever is provided with a switch for controlling one or more solenoid valves, which use the engine vacuum to control the clutch operation. In practice the driver has merely to operate the gear lever in order to automatically disengage and then re-engage the clutch thereby.
Although this known method solves the general clutch servo-control problem, it has certain limits and drawbacks, and in particular:
its action is not totally reliable under all conditions. In particular, when the engine is idling (for example in queues) it is unable to create the necessary vacuum for repeated clutch operation;
if the engine should accidentally stall (for example when maneuvering or because of low temperature) there may not be sufficient vacuum to release the clutch and thus disengage the gear;
there is a certain delay in its action, which in some situations can make the vehicle difficult to control. This is particularly the case in the so-called "pavement-window test", in which the front of a vehicle faces a pavement step, beyond which there is an obstacle such as a window. the need to bring the engine up to high speed to enable the vehicle to climb the step means that the clutch cannot be immediately released after this climb in order to halt the vehicle before collision with the obstacle. A further example in which the negative consequences of a delay in the release of the clutch are evident is in automobile competitions, in which this delay obliges "short" entry into a bend (i.e. with anticipated gear change), which can result in precious fractions of a second lost;
unsmooth and insensitive control, in that the clutch engagement is practically uncontrollable by the driver, being totally dependent on vacuum control, and smooth, slow movements such as those generally required when parking or when close to obstacles are not possible.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Control systems of hydraulic or electromagnetic type have also been studied. These have however been used up to the present time only in experimental form on racing vehicles and with considerable operational limitations.
DE-A-3 306 519 discloses a hydraulic actuator for controlling clutch engagement and release, a hydraulic circuit for controlling the actuator via an interceptor, an electronic control unit to control the interceptor to feed the hydraulic actuator to thus cause clutch release, and to enable the actuator to discharge, one or more solenoid valves connected into the discharge circuit of the hydraulic actuator and caused to open by the control unit by a sequence of pulses related to the rotational speed of the vehicle engine. The command to the interceptor for feeding the hydraulic actuator is provided by the control unit automatically when predetermined engine operating conditions exist, and/or by the action of the driver.
EP-A-0 254 483 discloses a fluid pressure regulator valve comprising a linear solenoid that acts on an asymmetric spool valve to selectively communicate one port with another to thereby regulate fluid pressure.

Electrohydraulic device for controlling the engagement of the clutch in motor vehicles and the like


An input structure for associative memories, including an array of elementary cells, a number of input lines, a number of output lines, a number of address lines, and a number of enable lines. Each elementary cell is formed by a D flip-flop having a data input coupled to one of the address lines and an enable input coupled to one of the enable lines, and by a switch coupled between an input line and an output line, and having a control input coupled to the output of a respective latch to selectively couple the respective input line and output line according to the data stored in the latch.

As is known, for performing complex processing functions, associative memories with cells capable of memorizing a number of analog or digital multibit values are currently being studied, and for which use is advantageously made of nonvolatile floating-gate cells, particularly flash-EEPROMs, in which the value to be memorized is related to the threshold voltage of the cell. To read the cells, memorize the analog data and perform the processing operations, the cells must therefore be supplied through a specific input circuit with a number of appropriately memorized analog voltages.
According to one known solution (U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,302), the input circuit comprises a sample-and-hold circuit having one input, N outputs and N+1 temporary storage paths and a control circuit that provides for cyclically coupling the input to the temporary storage paths to load all the analog input values sequentially on to the temporary storage paths and supply them cyclically to the output. In view of the time taken to load the analog voltages and supply them to the output, the above circuit is unsuitable for applications involving the storage and/or reading of a large number of multi level analog or digital signals.

Input structure for analog or digital associative memories


A polyphase brushless DC motor has an integral automatic feedback arrangement affording excellent accuracy and a high degree of magnetic balance. The stator pole elements of the motor are identical and equidistantly spaced, and each is wound with two coils. One coil on each pole element comprises sensor circuitry; the other comprises power circuitry. As a result, all pole elements of the stator are utilized both to produce rotor drive torque and also to generate electrical signals that provide highly accurate rotor-position information.

This invention relates to brushless DC motors having position sensing capability.
Electrical servo systems are widely utilized for many different applications in which position control is necessary; typically, they are used to drive robots and X-Y tables, to position mirrors for laser applications and gun turrets, in integrated circuit production equipment, and the like. Primary criteria for such systems are of course high precision and responsiveness to input commands, as well as economy and facility of manufacture, reliability and durability.
Stepper motors have been used for such motion control applications, and are advantageous from the standpoint of providing high stiffness and positioning capability, coupled with comparatively low cost and relative simplicity. However, they do not generally offer optimal dynamic characteristics and, because of the absence of feedback capability, elements of uncertainty are inherent.
Closed loop DC servo motor systems provide considerable dynamic performance benefits, including speed range, acceleration, torque-to-inertia ratios, and frequency response; however, they tend to be deficient in static performance characteristics. Moreover, the feedback devices employed in such servo motor systems for the extraction and utilization of information for commutation, and for speed and position control (e.g., shaft angle position detectors, tachometers encoders and resolvers), are expensive, tend to be fragile in some instances, and may give rise to unreliability. In general, systems of this kind are relatively complex and troublesome to install and maintain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,961, which issued on Aug. 18, 1987 to Ralph W. Horber, provides a motion control system, and a brushless DC motor for use therein, which are relatively incomplex and inexpensive to manufacture, which afford a highly desirable balance of accuracy of rotor-position information, speed and torque characteristics, and which are highly effective, efficient and reliable in and for their intended purposes. The motor operates in a closed-loop mode without need for any added feedback device.
It is of course desirable to increase accuracy and improve other operating characteristics in any such apparatus. Accordingly, it is the broad object of the present invention to provide an improved brushless DC motor of the kind described and claimed in the above-identified Horber patent, in which the accuracy of the feedback signal is increased substantially.
Additional objects of the invention are to provide a motor having the foregoing features and advantages, which is highly responsive to commands, which enables extraction of exact rotor position information at standstill and has a very large number of angular resolution points to provide extremely precise position information, and which generates increased torque and has very smooth running, and full power starting, torque characteristics.
The prior art shows a wide variety of systems and motors, some of which may be employed for motion control applications and may have certain of the features hereinabove discussed, as indicated by the following United States patents:
Polakowski U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,512 provides a brushless DC motor which employs silicon controlled rectifiers in the armature switching circuits, the turn-on signal being generated by an angular position detector and the turn-off signal being generated by a capacitor. The position detector may consist of a series of stationary coils which are sequentially inductively coupled, by a member mounted to rotate with the field structure, with a common coil.
In Veillette U.S. Pat. No. 3,501,664, a system is disclosed for regulating a DC motor having an internal stator field that is rotated in space 90.degree. ahead of the rotor field. The stator has teeth on its inner periphery arranged in non-diametrically oriented pairs, which carry secondary windings through which current, applied through a primary winding on the main body of the stator, is transferred sequentially as the rotor poles align with the teeth during rotation.
The DC motor taught by Lahde U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,407 utilizes two-terminal field coils as both a pickup, to sense the position of the rotor, and also as a power coil to provide driving torque.
Kobayashi et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,353 shows an electronically commutated motor having an outside and an inside rotor positioned on a common shaft, the inside rotor serving a position detecting function. Primary and secondary windings on an internal detecting stator are variable electromagnetically coupled, depending upon the position of the rotor.
A phonograph turntable, driven directly by an electrically controlled, variable speed brushless DC motor, is shown in Kobayaski et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,248. Winding pairs within the stator are selectively coupled, depending upon the position of an internal position detector rotor, to control current flow through particular outer stator windings to drive an external rotor.
In Coupin et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,895, an electronically commutated DC motor is described in which the stator is wound with pairs of power and detector coils, the latter providing a speed-dependent signal which is dephased by 90.degree. for control of the power amplifier.
A self-exciting DC motor, having means for preventing rotation in one direction, is disclosed in Kanamori U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,463. The stator poles are wound with both field and armature coils, and the position detecting elements include cores that are magnetically saturated by a permanent magnet and high frequency coils.
Machida U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,823 teaches a circuit for a brushless DC motor, in which the stator employs star-connected fixed windings. Means is provided for detecting position signals induced in the fixed windings by rotation of the rotor, which signals are employed to control switching means for supplying driving current to at least one of the windings.
In Gosling et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,420, an oscillator with an LC resonance circuit is employed in the control circuit for a brushless DC motor, oscillation of the oscillator being modulated in response to induction caused in a sensing coil by the rotor field.
Wright U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,435 discloses a circuit for a brushless DC motor, wherein the voltage induced across one unenergized winding is sampled, integrated and compared to a predetermined, position-indicating voltage to derive a control signal while at least one other winding is energized, for selective commutation.
A commutatorless DC motor drive system is provided by Gelenius U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,237, in which a permanent magnet rotor induces AC potential waveforms in phase displaced stator phase windings. Means is provided for initiating rotor rotation from standstill, to initially induce the potential waveforms in the stator phase windings, means is provided for producing a switch point reference signal, and means responsive to the induced waveforms is provided for sustaining rotor rotation by sequentially completing and interrupting individual stator phase winding energizing circuits, in controlled relation to the reference signal.
Dittman et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,622 discloses a two phase gyrosystem which employs two series-connected, motion-sensing reference coils, located 180.degree. apart, for motor drive and control.
A brushless DC motor is disclosed in Muller U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,440 which utilizes a permanent magnet rotor in which the poles, viewed in the direction of rotation, have approximately rectangular or trapezoidal magnetization curves. The harmonic fields included in such poles induce voltages in a sensor winding of the stator which corresponds to the harmonic wave for which the winding is dimensioned.
A control device for a brushless DC motor is taught in Tokizaki et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,450. It has a rotor position detecting circuit in which voltages induced in stator coils by rotation of the rotor are compared to neutral voltage at a virtual neutral point to detect polarity changing points. Based thereupon, an invertor controls the conducting modes of the stator coils to control rotation of the motor.
The DC motor of Rhee U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,658 includes brushes and a commutator. After starting, the brushes are centrifugally displaced from the commutator to break the starting circuit.
In June of 1985, an article entitled "Multiple-Pole Stepping Motor" was published. It described a hybrid stepping motor wound for two-phase operation, wherein every two adjacent poles of each group are connected in series, but for opposite polarity.


A catheter connector and method of use is disclosed. The catheter connector includes a body, a proximal end port, and a seal. The body has a proximal end and a distal end. Further, the body defines a hollow interior from the proximal end to the distal end. The hollow interior is configured to receive a catheter at least partially therethrough. The proximal end port includes a cavity and is configured with the proximal end of the body for mating communication with a fluid delivery device, such as a pump, reservoir, syringe, or the like. This port may have any conventional configuration, such as a Luer-lock fitting. The seal is configured within the interior of the body and includes a passage configured for receipt of the catheter. In addition, at least a portion of the seal is configured within the cavity of the proximal end port. Further, the seal is configured to compress around the catheter so as to axially secure the catheter within the body.

The use of catheters to deliver or withdraw fluids from a patient for various medical procedures is well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,959,623 describes a pain management system that uses various embodiments of infusion catheters to deliver fluid medication from a pump, through tubing, to a wound site. With such configurations, catheter connectors are typically used to connect the catheter to various devices, such as tubing, a fluid reservoir or other fluid delivery device, and so forth. In the system of the '623 patent, a conventional Toughy Borst connector is used to connect the distal end of a medical tube to the proximal end of the catheter.
In addition to Tuohy-Borst connectors, various other configurations of catheter connectors are available. For example, Epimed International of Farmers Branch, Tex., USA, manufactures a low profile twist-lock catheter connector known as the "Stingray™ Connector." This device has axially aligned halves that twist to an open position to allow insertion of the catheter in a first half, and subsequently twist to a closed position with and audible and tactile click that indicates complete engagement with the catheter. The second half connects to a tube or other fluid delivery device for delivering fluid through the connector to the catheter.
Smiths Medical International Ltd. of the United Kingdom offers a catheter connector under the "EpiFuse™" trade name that consists of two halves joined by a living hinge. A catheter is inserted into a hole at the base of the connector and is retained when the two halves are folded and locked together.
Coupling of the catheter connector to the catheter needs to be quick and easy, as there is little to no time for a doctor or nurse to adjust and/or study the device. As such, the medical art is continuously seeking new and improved catheter connectors that provide quick and reliable connection. The present invention provides such a connector.