An illuminated two-piece fiber glass fishing rod having a light emitting diode (LED) or a light bulb proximate its tip encased in an extended transparent tubular plastic portion as part of a hollow tip segment of the rod. The illumination is energized by battery encased in the handle of the hollow butt segment. The hollow tip and the butt segments are connected by a male-female electrical connection in the ferrules and rod segments. The segments are disassembled for portage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fishing poles. More specifically, the invention is an illuminated fishing pole having an extended luminescent source incorporated proximate its tip.
2. Description of Related Art
The prior art of interest describes numerous illuminated fishing poles, but none discloses the present invention. There is a need in this crowded art for a two-piece fishing rod which has an extended lighted region incorporated proximate the rod""s tip, and yet which is conveniently dismantled into two easily transportable rod pieces. The related art of interest will be discussed in the order of perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.K. Patent Application No. 2 175 781 A published on Dec. 10, 1986, for George C. Moore et al. describes a lighted fishing rod comprising a hollow fishing rod internally coated with a reflective layer. Three dry cell batteries are housed in the butt end, which end is provided with a removable cap. The batteries when energized by a on/off reciprocating switch on the butt, reflect light via a light bulb having a conical reflector inside the butt. The light is reflected through the hollow rod to a solid translucent circular cylindrical sectionxe2x80x9d proximate the rod tip. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring the bulb and reflector in the butt section of the rod to reflect light through a reflective inner rod surface to a solid translucent rod section.
U.K. Patent Application No. 2 052 231 A published on Jan. 28, 1981, for Brian D. Pavey describes a lighted fishing rod comprising an LED lamp positioned above the tip guide connected by one insulated wire through the hollow glass-fiber rod to the batteries in the handle accessible at the butt end. The other wire is grounded at the tip guide and to the batteries. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring the 3 volt LED to be mounted above the tip guide and lack an on/off switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,946 issued on May 16, 2000, to L. Taizo Toelken describes a lighted, dual reel capable fishing rod adapted for the use of a spin-cast reel (on top of the handle) or a spinning reel (below the handle) with dual eyelets on top and below the rod. An extended bracket underneath and proximate the rod tip supports and end eyelet for the spinning reel mode. The rod tip is made of translucent plastic. The hollow handle contains a battery connected by electrical wires to an LED at the rod tip. The rod has connecting ferrules, but to avoid breaking the wires, a bungee pullout eliminator strap is provided. The end of the handle has an axial on/off pushbutton switch for the battery. It is noted that excessive illumination is not desired in the invention because the fish would be scared away. The lighted fishing rod is distinguishable for requiring a dual reel capacity, an LED at the tip of the rod, and a push-in on/off switch at the rear end of the handle.
U.K. Patent Application No. 1,364,812 published on Aug. 29, 1974, for Peter J. Watts describes a lighted fishing rod comprising a twelve feet long beach pole having a capped lamp at the tip above the tip guide connected to internal wires and energized by battery inside the butt end with an external switch. The separate pole parts are connected by connector elements with single pins and ground connections. A second embodiment provides printed circuit connections. A third embodiment the tubular walls of the pole provide incorporated conductive laminations. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring single pin connections for its first embodiment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,499 issued on Jan. 16, 1962, to Beaser G. Fore describes a two-piece illuminated fishing rod comprising an electric bulb at the tip of a hollow phosphorescent paint coated rod, which rod is removably connected to a hollow handle having an on/off switch and an internal battery. The device is distinguishable for requiring the bulb at the rod tip, a phosphorescent paint coated rod, and lacking the conductor connection in the middle of the rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,618 issued on Oct. 3, 1978, to Charles S. Utsler describes three embodiments of a fishing pole with spaced illumination means energized by a battery source in the hollow handle. A light bulb is present in front of the reel in a housing which also accepts the rod portion snugly with or without threading. The first embodiment (FIG. 3) employs a bundle of optical fibers, wherein one fiber emerges in front of each line guide at the tip of the pole. The second embodiment (FIG. 4) employs a single optical fiber which is looped to emerge proximate each guide and at the tip of the rod. The third embodiment (FIG. 5) employs electrical wiring to illuminate a light emitting diode (LED) under each guide, between guides, opposite the guides, and at the rod tip. These embodiments are distinguishable because the illumination is required to appear throughout the rod length at separate and distinct regions and at the tip, and lack the essential conductor connection in the middle of the rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,887 issued on Jun. 26, 1973, to Marion Van Leeuwen describes a nibble detecting light for fishing poles comprising a capped housing attached to the rod tip, which housing contains a light bulb, a compression spring contact and a battery. The fishing line passes through an eye in an upstanding flange of the housing. The cap is screwed in to make the compression spring contact the battery to light the bulb. The device is distinguishable for requiring a housing at the rod tip having an eye for the fishing line.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,629 issued on May 13, 1975, to John A. Kaye describes a fishing light assembly for attachment to a fishing rod comprising a mercury switch activated light bulb in a casing, which casing is mounted below the rod proximate the tip. Bending of the rod by a fish biting causes the bulb to light. The device is distinguishable for requiring a mercury switch for initiating the light.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,375 issued on Oct. 6, 1987, to Kenneth L. Mills describes a fishing pole tip signal light assembly comprising a gallium arsenide-gallium phosphide LED emitter situated in the mounting sleeve of the guide ring or either exposed or embedded in the guide ring by epoxy resin. The resin can also contain luminous or phosphorescent material. The wiring is connected to a battery in or by the handle or a lithium battery affixed to the tip end (not shown). The device is distinguishable for requiring special LED compositions which must be mounted at the rod tip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,247 issued on Jan. 21, 1992, to Randolph W. Robinson et al. describes a fishing rod lighting system comprising a light bulb housed in the handle in front of the reel underneath and activated by a single pole switch on top of the handle. The switch functions to energize a set of two batteries in the handle. The object of the lighting system is to light the eyelets and line under poor ambient light conditions. The system is distinguishable for requiring the light source to illuminate the line and all eyelets of the fishing rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,797 issued on Jan. 19, 1993, to John J. Edwards et al. describes a night fishing light for a fishing rod comprising an LED light fastened by a Velcro strap underneath the rod at the tip with the conductor wires strapped by cable ties underneath the pole to the batteries in a holder strapped underneath the handle in front of the reel by another Velcro strap. The device is distinguishable for requiring external attachment to a fishing rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,061 issued on Apr. 27, 1993, to David L. Echols, Jr. describes a movement indicator assembly kit for a fishing rod comprising in a first embodiment a light-emitting diode (LED) located adjacent to a battery containing housing with an on/off switch attached by Velcro on the top side of the rod in front of the reel. The LED light traverses an optic fiber inside the rod to the tip having a reflector cap. In a second embodiment, the batteries are housed in the butt end of the rod. The kits are distinguishable for requiring the light and reflector cap at the rod tip, an optic fiber traversing the rod, and lacking ferrules for disassembling the rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,493 issued on Oct. 22, 1996, to Richard T. describes a fishing rod having a lamp with a first retractable universal bulb and a second light bulb. The first bulb is positioned on the end of a flexible connector tube which traverses inside the handle from a dorsal switch and exits underneath and positioned upwards to serve as a bug light or to illuminate the reel. A second light bulb positioned in the handle with batteries illuminates a bundle of fiber optic cables which illuminate each eye or guide. The dorsal switch can be two-way on/off or three-way with a flashing mode. The elongated tube can be replaced with a bulb underneath in front of the reel. The lighting apparatus is distinguishable for requiring at least two light bulbs and fiber optic cables.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,433 issued on Apr. 14, 1996, to Kevin D. Sparks describes a fishing pole which is automatically illuminated when a fish strikes the line. The pole includes a hollow handle provided with a switch and an internal light bulb under the reel and a battery. The rod is hollow, translucent and has wires or alternatively contains fiber optic cables which can also externally wrap around the rod length. A pressure sensor mounted either internally or externally at the pole tip inside the eyelet detects bending of the pole to illuminate the light bulb. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring a pressure sensor and fiber optic cables.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,853 issued on Sep. 26, 2000, to Christine Genous-Moore describes a night light fish strike indicator for a fishing rod comprising batteries and a beam concentrator lens in a housing attached on top of the rod in front of the reel or inside the handle. A fiber optic cable extends from the concentrator lens to the tip above the eyelet and is housed in a U-shaped indicator. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring a fiber optic and beam concentrator lens.
U.K. Patent Application No. 1,118,237 published on Jun. 26, 1968, for Charles H. Ilsen describes a lighted fishing rod comprising a light bulb attached above the rod tip. The bulb is connected by an inner conductive wire to a single pin plug and spring-loaded socket for detachable connection to an external large D.C. battery. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring the bulb at the rod tip and an external large D.C. battery.
Canadian Patent Application No. 2,009,972 published Aug. 8, 1991, for Randolph W. Robinson et al. describes a double-lighted fishing rod with a spinning reel underneath comprising batteries inside the butt. In a first embodiment, a single pole switch is located on top of the butt to energize a first lamp with lens to illuminate the eyelets to the tip. In a second embodiment, a second lamp with lens is positioned behind the first lamp to illuminate the reel. The lamps are controlled by a two-way switch with the option of separate or simultaneous control of the two lamps. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring the metal tube and directing the illumination forward and optionally rearward underneath the rod.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention solves the problem of xe2x80x9cseeingxe2x80x9d the bite when fishing in darkness, especially when the fisherman is physically remote from the rod. In the present invention, a fishing rod has an extended illuminated rod section proximate the rod tip. The illumination is supplied by either a light bulb or a light-emitting diode (LED) installed in the extended section within a transparent plastic tube. The bulb or LED is energized by a battery source enclosed in the butt of the rod. A set of insulated wires connects the battery source to the illuminating means. The rod has two segments for enabling portage, and requires connection means in the ferrule. The invention can be used for either a spin-cast reel or spinning reel supporting rod. An on/off switch, either a slide type or a pushbutton, is located on the butt or handle.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an extended light portion integrated in a fishing rod.
It is another object of the invention to provide the extended light portion proximate the rod tip.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electrical connection means for a two-piece fishing rod.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a switch on the rod handle for operating the extended light portion.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a versatile illumination system for a fishing rod using either a spin-casting reel or a spinning reel.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which are inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing their intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.


A golf club preferably in the form of a golf putter includes a hard stainless steel club head having a striking surface for contacting a golf ball with a recess formed therein. A softer brass plate and an advertising insert closely fit within the recess, and are covered by transparent epoxy which hardens to form a portion of the striking surface through which advertising printed on the insert is visible. The club head further includes a rear recess behind the front recess, between which is defined a thin perforated wall. The stainless steel body, the brass plate, the transparent epoxy, and the perforated wall provide a golf putter which has a large sweet spot and which provides for advertising.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to golf clubs, and more particularly to golf putters having heads which utilize inserts to provide the desired putting characteristics for the putter. Specifically, the invention relates to a putter head with a clear plastic insert on the face thereof, which may have a advertising indicia behind the insert.
2. Background Information
Golf is a sport which has provided a challenge for people for years due to the unique combination of finesse and strength required to play the game well. To stay at the top of one""s game, professional golfers play many rounds of golf per week. However, most golfers play golf only for fun such as on weekends and their golf game suffers due to the relatively infrequent play. Consequently, such weekend golfers have sought improved golf clubs and golf balls which are more forgiving of errors in their golf swing.
A variety of golf clubs have been devised over the years in an attempt to make the clubs more forgiving of errors during their golf swing and in general during play. One area of focus has been on golf putters since a high percentage of the strokes in a round of golf occur after the golf ball has been hit onto the green (i.e. during putting). A variety of different style golf putters have thus been developed to aid the golfer during putting such as various lines on the golf ball striking surface and the top of the putter head to help the golfer align the golf ball striking surface with the hole in the green. Also, putters have been designed which are more forgiving to improper putting strokes, having a larger so called xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d, wherein the putter head contacts the golf ball without significant twisting which causes the golf ball to travel off course. This typically involves the placement and distribution of the mass of the putter head behind the golf ball striking surface thereof.
The range of golf putter designs is limited only by the imagination of the putter designer. Attempts include a variety of shapes for the body of the putter head, various alignment lines on the body, various angles for the golf ball striking surface, and various materials or inserts incorporated into the golf ball striking surface to alter the rebound characteristics of the golf ball when contacted during putting. While some of these putter designs have made improvements in the forgiveness of the putter and enlarged the sweet spot, they still lack a truly large sweet spot. Furthermore, golf putters lack any effective form of advertising to promote the golf club, or for other paid advertisers to promote their product or service, except in the form of advertising indicia which is on an adhesive label applied to the club or which is cast into metal club heads during club head manufacture. Such labels do not give a professional look to the golf club, and the cast-in variety require more complex casting molds and shorter casting runs, increasing the cost to produce the golf clubs.
There is thus, a continuing need for golf clubs and in particular golf putters which overcomes the number of problems associated with the prior art.
One of the advantages of the present invention is that it provides a golf putter which is forgiving of imperfectly stroked putts by having an enlarged sweet spot.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a method for advertising while the putter is used or otherwise displayed.
These and other advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification, claims, and abstract.
The present invention relates to a putter head for a golf putter, a golf club for advertising, and a method of advertising using the golf club. The putter head is for a golf putter of the type having an elongate shaft with a hand grip connected to a gripping end thereof and a putter head attachment end. The putter head includes an elongate body having a heel adapted for attachment to the putter attachment end and a toe. A striking face extends along the body with a front recess formed in the striking face. The front recess has a bottom surface. The putter head further includes a plastic insert of mating configuration to the front recess which is disposed in the front recess. An outside surface of the plastic insert is substantially coplanar with the striking face forming a golf ball striking surface.
The golf club for advertising includes an elongate shaft having a gripping end and a club head attachment end, with a hand grip connected to the gripping end of the shaft. The golf club further includes a club head having a body with a heel adapted for attachment to the club head attachment end, and having a toe. A golf ball striking surface extends along the body with a front recess formed in the striking face having a bottom surface. A transparent plastic insert of mating configuration to the front recess is disposed in the front recess. An outside surface of the plastic insert is substantially coplanar with the striking face forming a golf ball striking surface. An advertising indicia is visible through the plastic insert.
The method of advertising comprises the steps of 1) providing a golf club of the type having an elongate shaft with a hand grip connected to a gripping end thereof and a club head attachment end, a club head which includes a body having a recess formed therein, a plastic insert of mating configuration to the recess disposed in the recess, and an advertising indicia which is visible through the plastic insert; and 2) displaying the advertising indicia to persons such as by using the golf club to play golf.
The above description sets forth, rather broadly, the more important features of the present invention so that the detailed description of the preferred embodiment that follows may be better understood and contributions of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and will form the subject matter of claims. In this respect, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or as illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.


The fiberscope (referred to as an xe2x80x9cendoscopic styletxe2x80x9d by the inventor) has a largely semi-rigid insertion cord which permits a user to pre-form the endoscopic stylet to follow the anticipated contours of the airway leading to the trachea and to insure that it reliably shepherds the associated endotracheal tube to the intended tracheal position. By visually tracking the progress of the endoscopic stylet through the airway, specifically through the vocal cords and into the trachea, placed at the proper distance above the carina, as permitted by the fiberoptic portions of the endoscopic stylet, proper positioning of the endotracheal tube is virtually assured, and post-intubation verification would be unnecessary in most instances since intubation is itself verification of proper endotracheal tube placement.

1. Field of The Invention
Applicant""s invention relates to endoscopy and to instruments and methodologies which are useful in the performance of intubation procedures.
2. Background Information
Intubation is the process by which an endotracheal tube is inserted into the trachea of an individual who requires assistance in breathing. The need for intubation often arises from a cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest, or from trauma when the patient is unable to breath without outside intervention. Alternatively, elective intubation may be involved in preparing a patient for surgery under general anesthesia when the capacity for independent breathing will be interrupted.
Intubation is a well-established procedure for obtaining an artificial airway, but is often difficult for the medical professional, and potentially dangerous (or, at least, ineffective) for the patient. Properly negotiating the anatomy of the pharynx and larynx to ultimately place an endotracheal tube in the trachea for a proper intubation necessarily requires that the endotracheal tube pass through a patient""s vocal cords, not a structure that is always visible at the time of intubation, and thus intubation is often a partially blind procedure that relies on imperfect, indirect methods for confirming proper endotracheal tube placement.
A laryngoscope is an instrument held with the left hand during intubation, and is used to divert the patient""s tongue and epiglottis, thereby distorting the anatomy to expose the vocal cords. Exposing the vocal cords makes an intubation (where the endotracheal tube must pass through the vocal cords and enter the trachea) at least possible. Often, however, even with the laryngoscope in an optimal position, the vocal cords cannot be visualized due to a small mouth opening, inability to flex the neck due to trauma or other reasons, or an anterior position of the larynx, and, therefore, placement of the endotracheal tube becomes a partially blind procedure. In fact, the most critical phase of intubation is that where the endotracheal tube is seen passing through the vocal cords and into the trachea. Without seeing this, an intubation becomes more difficult and may even be impossible.
In any event, absolute certainty of the proper placement of the endotracheal tube in the trachea is an indispensable requirement of every intubation. Thus, even if the vocal cords can be visualized and the endotracheal tube is seen passing through the vocal cords and into the trachea, indirect methods for verifying proper placement of the endotracheal tube are required to assure that the endotracheal tube is in proper position within the trachea, that being 2.5 to 3.0 cm above the carina.
Methods for insuring proper endotracheal tube placement, and thereby excluding an esophageal intubation (where the endotracheal tube extends into the esophagus, rather than the trachea) are not always reliable. Even the most reliable indirect methods for verifying a tracheal intubation are undesirably time consuming, expensive, and can be associated with incidental risks (such as by radiation exposure).
The most commonly employed indicator for proper placement of an endotracheal tube involves listening to the upper abdomen and chest for breath sounds as the patient is ventilated. Such apparent indications of proper endotracheal tube placement have, however, been reported in cases which ultimately turned out to involve esophageal intubations.
Another indirect method for verifying proper placement of an endotracheal tube involves measuring carbon dioxide emissions from the endotracheal tube (to indicate that the endotracheal tube is in communication with the patient""s lungs and, therefore, in a position for exhausting the carbon dioxide of respiration). The carbon dioxide detection method involves the expense of a disposable carbon dioxide sensor, and is susceptible to both xe2x80x9cfalse positivesxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cfalse negativesxe2x80x9d under certain circumstances relating to the patient""s gastric state and/or cardiac function at the time of intubation.
Another method of determining proper placement of an endotracheal tube is by x-ray verification. This involves radiation exposure which should be avoided when non-radiation methods are equally efficacious. Moreover, x-ray verification of proper endotracheal tube placement is time consuming and involves additional expense.
In light of the limitations to indirect, post-intubation indication of proper endotracheal tube placement, it is highly desirable to insure that proper tracheal intubation has occurred in the first place, and even more desirable to confirm proper placement as the intubation is proceeding. Absolute assurance of correct endotracheal tube placement is only possible when the medical professional can actually watch the tube pass through the vocal cords and into the trachea, and see its position in the trachea.
Visualization of the path through which an endotracheal tube must pass in connection with an intubation is known (See Fiberoptic Endoscopy and the Difficult Airway. Ovassapian, Andranik (Lippincott-Raven)). However, no existing instrument permits visualization of the intubation process itself, as it proceeds. Also, existing endoscopes are not specifically or exclusively designed for intubation and can be difficult to use by other than highly trained and experienced practitioners of intubations. According to Dr. Ovassapian, two methods for so called fiberoptic endoscopy are presently available: the xe2x80x9ctube-firstxe2x80x9d approach, and the xe2x80x9cscope-firstxe2x80x9d approach.
In the tube-first approach to fiberoptic intubation, an intubating airway (a temporary device that is placed in the patient""s mouth to guide an endotracheal tube generally toward its intended target) is placed, and an endotracheal tube is then inserted into the passageway of the intubating airway. While a second person supports the endotracheal tube, which is now held in position by the intubating airway, the fiberscope is advanced (using both hands) through the endotracheal tube through the vocal cords and into the trachea. Using the fiberscope as a guide wire, one of the medical professionals then advances the endotracheal tube over the fiberscope and (hopefully) into the trachea. The long fiberscope insertion cord is then withdrawn while, holding the endotracheal tube in place.
The tube-first approach to fiberoptic intubation using presently available apparatuses is not without its limitations. A common problem may occur when the fiberscope is advanced through the endotracheal tube. As the distal tip of the fiberscope nears the distal end of the endotracheal tube, the fiberscope tip may (and often does) pass through the xe2x80x9cMurphy""s eyexe2x80x9d of the endotracheal tube. The Murphy""s eye is a lumen which opens through the side of the endotracheal tube near its distal end which is provided for preventing complete blockage of the endotracheal tube, even if the distal opening somehow becomes blocked. When the fiberscope tip does pass though the Murphy""s eye, withdrawing the fiberscope after placement of the endotracheal tube is often impossible, unless the endotracheal tube is also withdrawn. Withdrawing the endotracheal tube under these circumstances is, on occasion, impossible without substantial trauma to the patient. Maneuverability of the endotracheal tube/fiberscope combination is severely hampered, and the combined cross sectional dimension of the two entangled items near their terminal ends is substantially larger than can be safely withdrawn from the patient. Whatever the complications associated with this event, precious time is consumed, and the objective of rapidly and accurately establishing, what in many cases is a life saving airway, will be delayed or even prevented. Furthermore, the pliable insertion cord of presently available fiberscopes can be easily displaced by the stiffer endotracheal tube, and the endotracheal tube may, therefore, be placed in the esophagus, even though the fiberoptic scope was initially in the trachea.
In the scope-first approach, the medical professional first attempts to direct the fiberscope, with an endotracheal tube pre-loaded back on the most proximal segment of the insertion cord, fully into the trachea, after which the endotracheal tube is, as described before, advanced over the fiberscope, using the fiberscope essentially as a guide wire, into the trachea. This approach reduces the likelihood of accidentally extending the fiberscope tip through the Murphy""s eye of the endotracheal tube, but exacerbates the limitations of the fiberscope to act as a guide wire. The fiberscopes of the prior art are often simply too flexible to reliably act as a guide wire type device for shepherding the endotracheal tube to its intended position in the trachea relative to the carina. This is true, in part, because the fiberscope must, over a longer and more curved path than involved in the tube-first approach, deflect and conform the advancing endotracheal tube, against a certain degree of rigidity of its own, to traverse the pathway to the trachea. A lack of sufficient or moldable rigidity of the fiberscope often makes it quite difficult to direct the fiberscope along the intended pathway, even though the practitioner can see where the fiberscope is going.
In both the tube-first approach and the phases of the scope-first approach, during which the endotracheal tube is advanced over the fiberscope, the distal margins of the endotracheal tube may still impinge on laryngeal anatomy and be incapable of being advanced into the trachea, in part, because the highly flexible fiberscope, even if properly placed, may not be able to resist the deviating forces which act against the endotracheal tube. Also, during any phase of an intubation procedure where one attempts to advance an endotracheal tube over an already-placed fiberscope, there may be a tendency to inadvertently pull the fiberscope back from its proper position as the endotracheal tube is advanced, thereby resulting in an esophageal intubation or other complications. This is true particularly because two practitioners are necessarily involved in presently known fiberoptic intubation procedures, and perfect coordination between the two, to detecting the lack thereof in the often hectic environment of a difficult intubation, for example, is not always possible.
The need for two practitioners for performing fiberoptic endoscopy in the context of intubation procedures arises, in part, from the fact that available fiberscopes and endotracheal tubes are not truly designed to be used together. Presently available fiberscopes include features which are unnecessary for intubation purposesxe2x80x94auxiliary channels for transporting irrigation fluids, for fluid evacuation, or even for biopsy work. Their length far exceeds that of the endotracheal tubes with which they may be used, thus making possible the Murphy""s eye entanglement problem described above. As already mentioned, presently available fiberscopes lack a sufficient degree of rigidity to retain a desired configuration which would be most helpful in manipulating the fiberscope and endotracheal tube as one unit and insuring that the fiberscope (and the loaded endotracheal tube) will follow a desired path shape which ends in the trachea. Finally, the complexity of full-function fiberscopic systems (largely the result of unnecessary features for intubation purposes) makes the units difficult to use and the associated intubation unnecessarily difficult to complete.
It would well serve medical professionals and their patients to have available a single device which addresses the deficiencies of equipment which is presently used to perform intubation, and could be employed using the standard hand motions that are generally well known by most practitioners who perform routine intubations. The effect would be to simplify intubation and thereby increase the probability that each intubation will proceed properly, swiftly, and safely.
The beneficial characteristics of an improved intubation system would arise from a uniquely configured fiberscope. The fiberscope would be of a new design, compared to currently known fiberscopes, and includes an insertion cord which is configured to prevent extension of its distal tip beyond the distal end of an endotracheal tube fitted thereon. To enhance the directional control of the fiberscope (e.g. enabling the direct translation of the user""s hand movements to the distal portions of the fiberscope), and to bolster its ability to pass anatomical features which would otherwise tend to divert the fiberscope in an undesirable direction, or interfere with the endotracheal tube""s following of the fiberscope, the insertion cord would be modified from currently available examples. The insertion cord would include a malleable, rigidity enhancing member which will endow it both with the rigidity which is desirable, to aid in controllably advancing the cord along its intended path and the shape memory which will allow the user to form segments of its length to conform to the pathway which it must traverse during the intubation. In the absence of irrigation and evacuation channels and similar unnecessary features of present fiberscope models, the newly designed fiberscope would be easier to clean and maintain, and likely be available at a lower cost. It could also be made to exhibit a smaller cross section and thus be suitable for a wider range of endotracheal tube sizes, including those for pediatric use.
The fiberscope, designed according to the present invention, is what might better be described as an endotracheal tube xe2x80x9cEndosconic Styletxe2x80x9d for it serves both functions of a fiberoptic endoscope for visualization and manipulation of the intubation procedure and those of a stylet to help conform the endotracheal tube to any configuration for somewhat forcibly advancing the apparatus along a desired path, even against resistance from existing anatomical features. Because of these features, and the fact that the endoscopic stylet and its intended endotracheal tube mate would be of approximate equal length and designed for use, relative to each other, as static components of a single unit during an intubation procedure, the system would be used by a single practitioner. Adding the feature of an remotely-controlled, articulating terminal segment for the insertion cord of the endoscopic stylet would enable the practitioner to maneuver the distal end of the associated endotracheal tube which is fitted thereon, thus further enhancing the ease of use and reliability of the endoscopic stylet system.
No existing instrument allows its user to visualize the precise position of the distal end of the endotracheal tube relative to surrounding anatomy as the endotracheal tube is being placed, and, by manipulating the end of the insertion cord, directly affect the orientation of the distal endotracheal tube end, and thereby guide the endotracheal tube through the vocal cords.
More specific features of the intubation system of the present invention will be disclosed in the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment. In sum, however, the endoscopic stylet system of the present invention: (1) facilitates simultaneous advancement of the terminal end of an endotracheal tube and of a fiberscopic instrument for visualization of such advancement; (2) permits independent use by a single practitioner by eliminating unnecessary system bulk and fiberscope insertion cord length; (3) substantially reduces likelihood of esophageal intubations and of Murphy""s eye entanglement complications; (4) affords its users remote controllability of the terminal segments of the endotracheal tube for ease of maneuvering through action of the associated, remotely controllable segment of the fiberscopic stylet; (5) affords greatly enhanced directional control of the distal portions of the fiberscope; (6) facilitates the negotiation of anatomical features which would otherwise tend to divert the fiberscope in an undesirable direction, or interfere with the endotracheal tube""s following of the fiberscope; and (7) eliminates inadvertent mis-direction of a previously, properly-placed fiberscope, as in the case of presently practiced procedures where an endotracheal tube is independently advanced over the fiberscope.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel instrumental system for the performing intubation procedures.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an instrumental system for performing intubation procedures, which system obviates complications associated with the use of presently available fiberscopic instruments for intubation procedures.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an instrumental system for performing intubation procedures, which system obviates the complexity, risks and potential delays associated with xe2x80x9ctube-firstxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cscope-firstxe2x80x9d procedures of the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an instrumental system for performing intubation procedures, which system virtually insures that an esophageal intubation will not have occurred at the end of the placement phase of the procedure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an instrumental system for performing intubation procedures, which system simplifies the intubation procedure by combining stylet or guide wire type functions with the fiberscopic instrument for diverting or managing anatomical structures which would otherwise impede progress of the fiberscope and permitting the advancement and manipulation, as a unit, of both the fiberscopic and endotracheal tube components of the system using the same hand motions as are presently known to most practitioners who perform intubations.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an instrumental system for performing intubation procedures which allows its user to visualize the precise position of the distal end of the endotracheal tube relative to surrounding anatomy, and, by manipulating the end of the insertion cord, directly affect the orientation of the distal endotracheal tube end, and thereby guide the endotracheal tube through the vocal cords to a proper position in the trachea.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an instrumental system for performing intubation procedures, which system directly verifies proper placement of an endotracheal tube, not after intubation, but simultaneously with intubation, thus eliminating wasted time, expense, and/or radiation exposure involved with presently employed indirect methods as well as virtually any chance of an improperly placed endotracheal tube during an intubation procedure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an instrumental system for performing intubation procedures, which system includes a fiberscopic type instrument which is specifically sized and configured to correspond to the length of an endotracheal tube with which the fiberscopic instrument will be used, such that there is little excess insertion tube length to manage during an intubation, and little, if any, danger of engaging the distal tip of the fiberscopic instrument with the Murphy""s eye of the endotracheal tube.
In satisfaction of these and related objectives, Applicant""s present invention provides an intubation system which is based on newly designed fiberscope design. The endoscopic stylet of the present invention is designed to serve, not only as the means for transmitting a visual image of the anatomical surfaces of the areas through and to which its distal tip passes during an intubation procedure, but to serve as a semi-rigid stylet which may be formed into, and hold, a shape for conforming generally to the contour of the pathway past which the instrument must pass during the procedure. In addition to making its passage through the desired pathway easier because of the option for pre-forming its shape to correspond to the anticipated pathway contours, this semirigidity characteristic of the xe2x80x9cendoscopic styletxe2x80x9d of the present invention serves the functions of: (1) a stylet for diverting anatomical features, such as the tongue which might (even with the help of a laryngoscope) otherwise obstruct the intubation procedure; and (2) a guide structure for an endotracheal tube which helps prevent a diversion of the endotracheal tube from the course defined by the endoscopic stylet into the trachea, even as against diversionary forces applied by unfavorable upper airway anatomy (such as a posteriorly displaced epiglottis due to lymphoid tissue), or by soft tissue edema, tumors, or unusually pronounced fatty deposits.
The features designed into the endoscopic stylet of the present invention, individually and collectively, were selected specifically for their utility in performing intubation procedures. Absent from the endoscopic stylet are features which have no utility for intubations, and, in fact, may hinder the procedure. Such features include excessive insertion cord length, the one or more working channels, integral suction and irrigation systems, cauterizing tips, etc. which are found in many non-intubation specific fiberscopic instruments.
Benefits of this selection of features exceed the readily apparent. The cross sectional size of the insertion cord of the present endoscopic stylet may, for example, be smaller for accommodating even the smallest endotracheal tubes with which the instrument might be used. Also, by not merely adding features, but eliminating unnecessary ones, the present instrument is a more cost effective choice for intubation procedures than instruments of old design. Further, by reducing the instrument""s bulk and complexity, one expands the group of medical professionals who will more readily be able to use the instrument from that relatively small group who are qualified to use presently available endoscopic instruments. The latter two pointsxe2x80x94cost savings and simplicity of use and operationxe2x80x94could well translate into saved lives, as the instrument might well be found in environments which traditional endoscopic instruments would never be placed, such as with paramedical field personnel. Further still, cleaning and maintenance of the endoscopic stylet (without unnecessary and difficult-to-clean working channels) is much less time-consuming than instruments of the prior art.
The endoscopic stylet is provided with a remotely deflectable tip portion. The semi-rigid proximal and middle portions of the insertion cord of the endoscopic stylet greatly facilitate maneuvering the distal tip, past the anatomy of the mouth and throat, into position near the vocal cords. Once in this position, the user actuates the deflectable tip to orient it for easy passage through the vocal cords and into the trachea. Because the endotracheal tube of the present system is intended to be loaded on the endoscopic stylet during the entirety of the insertion phase of an intubation procedure, and the terminal end of the endotracheal tube is substantially coextensive with that of the endoscopic stylet, deflecting the tip portion of the endoscopic stylet effects a like deflection of the distal portion of the endotracheal tube. The endoscopic stylet and the associated endotracheal tube as a single unit become highly maneuverable by one practitioner using the right hand, while the left hand is maintaining the best possible exposure by placing the laryngoscope in the standard position. Thus, the hand motions involved are at least very similar to those already known and employed by most practitioners performing standard endotracheal intubations, aided only by a stylet that puts the operator""s eye at the distal end of the endotracheal tube, and gives the operator the ability to flex and rotate the endotracheal tube tip.
The endoscopic stylet is configured to correspond to the length of endotracheal tubes with which the instrument will be used, thereby eliminating such excess insertion cord length as would prevent the effective single-handed use of the instrument if it shared length-wise dimensions of typical fiberscopes of the prior art. The handle member, which includes the eye piece for viewing images transmitted from the distal tip of the endoscopic stylet and thumb controls for manipulating the divertable distal portion of endoscopic stylet, is compact and situated immediately proximal to the position of a loaded endotracheal tube. This means that the user can operate the endoscopic stylet and endotracheal tube as a single unit duplicating hand motions that are already known as standard intubation techniques by most practitioners. The practitioner need only use the right hand to manipulate the endoscopic stylet, leaving the left hand to maintain exposure with the laryngoscope. This obviates the need for a second practitioner.
The substantial correspondence between the length of the insertion cord of the endoscopic stylet with that of the endotracheal tube reduces the possibility of the endoscopic stylet tip passing through and lodging in the Murphy""s eye of the endotracheal tube. Also, because of the stylet characteristics of the endoscopic stylet, there is no need for using an intubating airway, a separate stylet or guide wire, and no need for performing either a xe2x80x9ctube-firstxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cscope-firstxe2x80x9d type procedure with the inherent delays and chances for esophageal intubations. Finally, because the user is visually monitoring the progress of the endotracheal tube as it progresses toward and through the patient""s vocal cords, there is no need for intubation verification. The real-time visual verification of the endoscopic stylet, which necessarily carries with it the distal portion of the endotracheal tube as it passes through the vocal cords and into the trachea, insures a proper endotracheal tube placement in every instance. One merely needs to insure that the endotracheal tube not be inadvertently withdrawn as the endoscopic stylet is withdrawn at the end of the placement phase of an intubation, just as this is necessary as a stylet is withdrawn during a standard intubation.


A centrifuge intended for processing blood and blood components of use with a ring type blood processing bag with associated secondary bags. The rotor of the centrifuge has supports arranged along its periphery and a rotating inner lid a clamp function that secures the ring bag along and between supports. The supports can also function as valves or a welding apparatus for the tubing between the processing bag and the associated secondary bags.

The claimed invention relates to a centrifuge for processing blood and blood components and of which the function is based on an effective utilization of blood processing bags of ring type with associated, if required, secondary bags and other accessories. The secondary bags and the other accessories are of standard type within the area of technology and together these and the characteristic ring bags that are necessary for the centrifuge, in accordance with the invention, could be joined to the bag intended for various special blood processing purposes. This bag set, which is completely manufactured of inert plastic material allowing the blood and blood components to be seen, can therefore have different structures and designs depending on which type of blood processing they are intended for, but they are all based on the utilization of the ring bag as a basic component. The intention of the claimed invention is to offer a blood processing centrifuge with its special shape that makes it possible to limit the number of manual handling stages to a minimum, within every type of blood processing operation in which a centrifuging stage is included.
Different types of centrifuges intended for processing blood and blood components and also several types of ring bags intended for using in these centrifuges are to be found described in, for example, WO 87/06857, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,114,396, 5,723,050, WO 97/30715, WO 98/35757. Of the centrifuges described therein it is primarily those that are included in the two latter-named patent documents that purpose-intended ring bags are utilized combined with standard secondary bags. In the blood processing bags that are stated in WO 87/06857 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,396, instead of purpose-intended ring bags a more complicated type of bag is included, which consists of a ring formed blood processing chamber manufactured as one unit with a centrally arranged secondary bag. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,723,050 a further description is given of a ring bag intended for the same purpose which, in turn, is secured in a central assembly cover which, on the one hand, gives a central control of the ring bag and, on the other hand, to give room internally for the required secondary bags. In WO 97/30715 and WO 98/35757 it is indicated that the ring bags which are used during centrifuging are secured in the centrifuge by a number of holes on their periphery intended to be fitted over the pins secured in the centrifuge and which are intended for that purpose. This is all well and good but is not sufficiently good as has been shown during the course of the years. The stresses on the bags inner periphery edges, especially when it is only thin pins holding them in place, can be so excessive that the edges of the bags rupture.
To solve this problem the centrifuge, in accordance with the invention, has been equipped with a small number of, for example, three to five supports with a little larger diameter, divided at the same height as the intended position for the ring bag""s inner periphery onto which the purpose-made guide holes along the ring bag""s inner periphery are located. Via the support""s greater contact line with the ring bag and by the centrifuge also being equipped with an opening and closing inner lid, which in the closed position clamps the ring bag""s inner edge securely along and between the guide holes we have, in an effective way, been able to determine the ring bag""s position in the centrifuge rotor and limit the stresses on the ring bag""s inner edge. Consequently, the clamping function limits, through its greater contact area, the load on the ring bag""s inner edge and prevents it from slipping over or, in some other way, being released from the supports while the centrifuging is activated. Apart from that, in the inner lid, one or several photocells are advantageously arranged which after centrifuging are used for determining when emptying the ring bag shall be interrupted, in other words, when approaching the interface between the desired and the non-desired component.
By placing the previously described supports with less asymmetry and with the ring bags intended guide holes arranged in the same asymmetric way, a prior defined position for the ring bags is obtained automatically. This has several advantages as it is also possible to define the position for the tubes that connect the ring bags in the different bag sets with each respective secondary bag. We, of course, have found that we can utilize the thicker supports for some other purpose than just for holding the ring bags in position in the centrifuge. According to the claimed invention the supports can thus be equipped with built-in clamping instruments in which the different tubes between the ring bag and secondary bags can be arranged and with which the passage through these tubes can be opened and closed. Apart from that these clamp valves can, on condition that there is sufficient electric power via the centrifuge rotor, be combined with a cutting and welding function with which the tube which passes the clamp valve in question can be sealed and cut as soon as the connecting function, which it represents, is no longer needed. Another occasion when it simplifies how the ring bag is to be placed in the centrifuge is when the used bag set contains a cell trap for which there should suitably exist a preferred space in the centrifuge rotor or on its inner lid. A similar cell trap can, for example, be of the type that is described in WO 97/30715, which in principle consists of one on one priorly defined arc in the slightly longer connecting tube in the centrifuge""s rotating part.
That it is at all possible to weld requires, as previously indicated, access to electric power in the centrifuge""s rotor and this problem has, in accordance with this further variant of the invention, been solved by means of an arranged slip-ring clutch along the centrifuge""s rotor axle. Access to the slip-ring clutches that are concentrically arranged around the centrifuge""s rotor axle, and by which means access to the electric power in the centrifuge rotor, has also made possible an effective program control of the different functions in the centrifuge.
A further improvement to the blood processing centrifuge, in accordance with the invention, relates to the production of medicinally valuable blood platelet plasma from the concentrate product, which is designated Buffy Coat at blood donor centers. Before the Buffy Coat can be centrifuged, making the blood platelet-rich product accessible, the original material, which is viscous, is diluted with a standard diluting solution. An example of a similar standard diluting solution that is used profusely in this area is generally designated T-Sol. In normal cases the Buffy Coat is available in the form of concentrates from previous extractions of red blood cells and plasma from whole blood. Each concentrate batch of Buffy Coat is, as a rule, too small, even after diluting with the relevant diluting solution, to be worth an individual centrifuging. As ever) similar type of Buffy Coat concentrate is initially available in its own blood processing bag, a decided amount of diluting solution was previously manually added to each of a number of similar blood processing bags and shaken manually until an acceptable mixture resulted, and added together to a larger bag which was centrifuged.
Apart from all manual handling and the related time required, there is a risk that the person who must shake the blood bags receives-neck and shoulder injuries in the long-term.
To be able to also mechanise this blood processing stage we have now, on the one hand, produced a special bag set intended for that purpose and which includes a ring bag, and on the other hand equipped the centrifuge, in accordance with the invention, with a special mixing function. In the design preferred by us of this part of the invention, the mixing function has been built into or made securable to the outer lid of the centrifuge. In or on the outer lid there is a specially arranged small electrically powered motor. This motor has the special characteristic that it never makes a complete revolution in any direction but is quickly stopped before making a complete revolution and thereafter returns to a new incomplete revolution. The movement of +92 degree, lasting one or several minutes, has shown that it produces the mixing function we have endeavoured to reach, which, will become evident, has as its prime task the replacement of the previous manual flushing of the Buffy Coat bags with the required amount of diluting solution, which, today, generally follows after the operation named Pooling. The special motor function is achieved by means of a gear box, crank function or by control of the motor. From a theoretical point of view the hydraulic motor could also be used for this purpose, even when taking into account a lower shaking speed and longer mixing time.
Connected to the aforementioned motor there is a cassette or holder in which the number of concentrate bags with Buffy Coat that are intended to be included in a process can be attached. Before these concentrate bags are attached to the cassette they have been joined, by sterile welding, via an own connecting tube, to the bag set intended for processing to which there is included a connecting tube with which all bags with Buffy Coat can be connected to a bag with the required amount of diluting solution, as well as via an other connecting tube to a ring bag and finally a connecting tube between the ring bag and a storage bag for the desired final product.
When extracting blood platelet plasma from the Buffy Coat the number of bags with the original material that is intended to be included in a centrifuging are connected via separate connecting tubes in each bag set. These connecting tubes are then in turn joined in a multi-way connector to which the diluting solution bag""s connecting tube is also connected. The latter connecting tube is applied at the same time to a clamp valve on one of the centrifuge rotor""s supports while the bags with Buffy Coat are attached to the aforementioned cassette and the bag with the diluting solution is suspended in the intended holder sufficiently high up for the desired amount of diluting solution to be able to be added to each respective Buffy Coat bag. The addition of the diluting solution to the Buffy Coat bags is then controlled by the aforementioned clamp valve, which, in turn, is controlled by a control program that is part of the centrifuge""s control system, which also selects the time for starting the motor and the length of time it must be operated. It is most suitable to add the diluting solution in several portions with a motor operation between each addition. Resolving the Buffy Coat in the diluting solution is carried out without any manual shaking operation. As the motor operates the cassette with a special forwards and backwards movement we avoid the problem associated with damaging the various tubes. It is only the tube between the ring bag and the final product""s storage bag that is not affected by the mixing operation. After the resolution of the Buffy Coat in the different original bags is finalized, the contents of all the bags are added to the ring bag included in the bag set via a separate connecting tube, which is also connected to the previously named multi-way connector and which, on its way to the ring bag, is placed in the clamp valve on another support by which this connection is controlled. After all substance has been transferred to the ring bag the connection between this and the original bags is interrupted and the diluting solution by sealing the relevant connecting tube on one of the centrifuge rotor""s supports, which it passes, after which the empty bags and their connecting tubes can be rejected. After that a centrifuging of the diluting solution/Buffy Coat mixture is carried out while the storage bag intended for the final product is allowed to lie in the centrifuge rotor""s center chamber. At the end of the centrifuging operation the lighter blood platelet product is transferred to the final storage bag. In connection with that the designed apparatus is utilized in a well-known way to expose the ring bag to an external pressure with which it can be emptied, to a greater or lesser degree. This apparatus consists of a membrane arranged under the ring bag, beneath which hydraulic fluid can be added and thereby expose the ring bag to an external pressure. When emptying the ring bag needs to be interrupted it is decided by one or several arranged photocells located in the centrifuge""s outer lid which employ the difference in color between the light desired blood platelet""s rich final product and the-dark heavier concentrate products that are gathered along the outer periphery of the bag. When emptying the ring bag it is suitable to do this in a well-known way through the designed cell trap which, for example, can be of the type described in WO 97/30715. When the desired amount of blood platelet plasma is removed from the ring bag the connecting tube between the ring bag and the final storage bag is sealed in a well-known way whereby both ends of the tube are blocked. All that remains after that is to point out that the holder for the diluting solution bag and cassette for the Buffy Coat bags can be made removable, in order not to interfere with the centrifuge""s other functions.

Centrifuge for processing blood and blood components in ring-type blood processing bags


Systems and method are provided for adjusting certain pixel values in an image. In an embodiment of the invention, an average pixel value of pixels at given distances from a selected pixel are examined to determine if the pixel is in a high-contrast area. If the pixel is in a smooth color gradient transition area, the pixel value may be adjusted in some embodiments using an additional dither or dither pattern to reduce differences between the pixel values of the selected pixel and the additional average pixel values exceeding the lower threshold.

When image data, such as data representing a photograph, picture, or video, is processed electronically by a computing device, the device may not be able to display the original image with complete fidelity. In some instances, artifacts not found in the original image may appear in the electronically-processed image. For example, in some electronically processed images, discrete color bands with various intensities and color levels may appear in lieu of smooth color transition gradients contained in the original image. These banding artifacts may become even more noticeable in resource or bandwidth limited devices. Image processing resources may be determined by various factors including the color space implementation, compression algorithms, and color correction implementation.
Many electronic and computing devices use technologies based on a fixed bit color space implementation which limits the possible number of different colors used. For example, video cards and processors in many digital devices such as computer and video game consoles may be configured to process images in 8 bit, 16 bit, and/or 24 bit RGB color models. In a 16 bit RGB color model there are generally 216 or 65,536 different possible colors, typically with 25 or 32 different shades of red and blue, and 26 or 64 different shades of green assignable to each pixel. In a 24 bit color model there may be up to 224 or 16,777,216 different possible colors with 28 or 256 different shades of red, green, and blue assignable to each pixel. While having over 16.7 million different possible colors may seem large, the human eye is still able to detect changes from one color to the next.
Many electronic and computing devices also use various lossy image compression techniques to maximize use of image processing resources. Often, these lossy image compression techniques further exacerbate banding artifacts in electronically processed images. Lossy image compression techniques, such as JPEG, MPEG, and H.264, exacerbate banding artifacts by reducing the number of colors in an image to save space. For example, some compression methods examine small pixel blocks in an image and average out different colors in each block using a transform function, such as a discrete cosine transform to even out the color and reduce the total number of colors. By further reducing the number of available colors, the differences between different color shades and transition bands become even more pronounced.
While it may be desirable to reduce banding artifacts in smooth color transition areas of an image, it may also be desirable to maintain definite color transition bands in certain high contrast areas of an image. For example, sections of an image involving contrasting colors, such as those found in an image of an intricate Oriental carpet may contain definite transition bands between the contrasting regions to maintain sharpness and detail. Removing these definite transition bands may result in a loss of detail and a perception of a lower image quality.
Thus, there is a need to reduce banding artifacts in smooth color gradient transition areas of an image while maintaining definite transitions between colors in areas with greater contrast.

Adaptive dithering during image processing


A multi-layer film includes a base layer comprising a polyolefin and at least one additional layer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene, wherein the base layer and the at least one additional layer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene are not suitable for use as a heat sealable film. The multi-layer films of the present invention have improved metallizable surfaces and the metallized films exhibit excellent gas (e.g., oxygen and water vapor) barrier properties, as well as good pick off, optical properties (optical density, haze, and gloss), and coefficient of friction (COF).

The present invention relates to films with improved metallizable surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to a polymeric film with improved metallizable surfaces, wherein the film, particularly after metallization, possesses a superior balance of oxygen and water vapor barrier characteristics as well as optical properties.
Polymeric films have been widely used for packaging various food and non-food products. In order to ensure proper preservation of products packaged in such polymeric films, it is necessary to provide films with barriers against the transmission of air, moisture, deleterious flavors, and the like. Also, in the packaging of various products, it is important to provide films having good optical properties. Conventional polymeric films, however, typically lack the balance of excellent gas barrier characteristics and good optical properties required for packaging films. For example, polypropylene films are particularly preferred in the manufacture of packaging films as a result of their low cost and ease of manufacture. Such films, however, inherently permit the transmission of oxygen and water vapor from the outside to the inside of the package. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, transmission of oxygen and water vapor through food packaging promote deterioration of the foods packaged therein.
Multi-layer polymeric films having improved gas and moisture barrier characteristics have been developed. For example, it is known that films incorporating ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer as a coextruded or coated layer thereon exhibit improved oxygen and moisture barrier properties. U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,620 discloses an oriented polypropylene base layer having a coating on one surface of a blend of vinyl alcohol homopolymer or copolymer and an ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, with a further metal layer thereon. Films incorporating ethylene-vinyl alcohol as coextruded or coated layers, however, are difficult and expensive to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,318 discloses a metallized oriented thermoplastic film structure having a propylene homopolymer or copolymer substrate with a high density polyethylene skin layer on at least one side of the substrate. The high density polyethylene skin layer is further provided with a thin metal layer which has been vapor deposited thereon. In one embodiment, the high density polyethylene skin layer is treated with flame or corona discharge, and the metal coating is thereafter deposited onto the flame or corona discharge treated layer. Although films which incorporate a high density polyethylene skin do not suffer from the deleterious effects of metal pick off, such films do not provide optimum oxygen and water vapor barrier properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,394 discloses a heat-sealable multi-layer film which comprises: (a) a base layer comprising isotactic polypropylene; and (b) at least one additional layer comprising syndiotactic polypropylene. According to the patent, the film has, inter alia, both good heat sealing and optical properties.
While the prior art discloses various packaging films, many conventional films do not provide a surface which is desirable for metallization and do not possess balanced optical properties and oxygen and water vapor barrier characteristics. Some films provide heat sealing skin layers that are not adequate for metallizing. Thus, there is a need in the art for films fulfilling the requirement of improved surface for metallizing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a film with improved metallizable surfaces.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a film having excellent oxygen and water vapor barrier properties as well as good optical properties.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a multi-layer film comprising:
(a) a base layer comprising a polyolefin; and
(b) at least one additional layer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene, wherein the base layer and the at least one additional layer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene have slow crystallization rates and are not suitable for use as a heat sealable film, unless an additional heat sealable layer is provided as an unrelated optional layer.
The present invention relates to a multi-layer film including (a) a base layer comprising a polyolefin and (b) at least one additional layer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene, wherein the base layer and the at least one additional layer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene are not suitable for use, without unrelated optional layers, as a heat sealable film.
By the phrase xe2x80x9cmetallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene,xe2x80x9d it is meant that the syndiotactic polypropylene possesses a molecular structure that corresponds or substantially corresponds to a syndiotactic polypropylene obtained by using an appropriate metallocene catalyst in the polymerization of propylene. By the phrase xe2x80x9cnot suitable for use as a heat sealable film,xe2x80x9d it is meant that the layer does not exhibit substantial heat sealability and/or hot tack in the temperature range of about 100 to about 130xc2x0 C. Specifically, films may or may not exhibit a heat seal by standard tests at 100xc2x0 C., with most values at 0 g/inch seal strength but, in all cases, hot tack measurements will be less than the minimum level accepted as a standard for use, i.e. 150 g/inch, at all heat sealing temperatures below 115xc2x0 C. The multi-layer films of the present invention have improved metallizable surfaces and exhibit excellent gas (e.g., oxygen and water vapor) barrier properties, as well as good pick off, and optical properties (haze and gloss), when metallized.
The syndiotactic polypropylene polymers used to produce an excellent surface for metallizing have a very slow crystallization rate. This rate is so slow as to produce unacceptable hot tack and to give the polymers unacceptable sealing characteristics for heat sealable film applications. These polymers have different characteristics from the characteristics inherent in films with good heat sealability.
The polyolefin of the base layer contemplated for the present invention may be any suitable polyolefin useful in the manufacture of thermoplastic polymeric films. Preferably, the polyolefin of the base layer is a propylene homopolymer or copolymer. Propylene homopolymers of particular use include isotactic polypropylene, preferably 80-100% isotactic polypropylene, most preferably about 95% isotactic polypropylene. The propylene homopolymers preferably have a melt flow (measured in accordance with the standard ASTM D1238 method) ranging from about 1.2 to about 10 g/10 minutes, most preferably from about 2.5 to about 6 g/10 minutes. Particularly preferred propylene copolymers include 99.8-93/0.2-7 wt % propylene/ethylene copolymers and other copolymers.
Another desirable polymer suitable for the base layer of the film of this invention is a high density polyethylene (HDPE), which is a substantially linear polymer having a density, e.g., of 0.952 to 0.962 g/cc, a melting point of, e.g., 120 to 148xc2x0 C. and a substantial degree of crystallinity.
If it is desired to produce a film which is opaque after being subjected to uniaxial or biaxial orientation, microspheres, incompatible polymers, and/or other adjunctives known in the art may optionally be dispersed in the base layer before extrusion and orientation of the film. Such adjunctives are typically material with a higher melting point than and immiscible with the polymer of the base layer and would include any of the polymers disclosed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,377,616 and 4,632,869. The adjunctives may comprise a polymer, e.g., a polyester such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a nylon, an acrylic resin, polystyrene, or an inorganic material, such as synthetic or naturally-occurring compounds and minerals, or other materials such as glass, metal, or ceramic. The preferred material for the adjunctives is PBT. The particle size of the adjunctives as determined in the opaque film may be, e.g., 0.1 to 10 microns, preferably 0.75 to 2 microns. The adjunctives may be present in the base layer in an amount up to about 20 wt %, preferably 3 to 12 wt % based on the total weight of the base layer. To preserve the structural integrity of the adjunctive-containing base layer, a layer of the unmodified base layer material may be coextruded on one or both sides of the adjunctive-containing base layer. In this case, the total of the adjunctive-containing base layer and the non-adjunctive-containing layer(s) may be considered the overall base layer. When such a structure is subjected to uniaxial or biaxial orientation, the oriented film develops an opaque appearance.
As discussed above, the metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene of the present invention includes syndiotactic polypropylene produced by polymerizing propylene in the presence of a metallocene catalyst. These metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene products are commercially available, but may be produced according to known methods. Such methods are described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,162,278; 5,158,920; 5,155,080; 5,036,034; 4,975,403; 4,892,851; 4,794,096; 5,055,438; 5,153,157; 5,057,475; 5,198,401; 5,278,119; and in Organometallics, 13(3), pp. 954-96, which are incorporated by reference herein.
The metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene preferably has a melt flow (ASTM D1238) of about 1 to about 15 g/10 minutes, preferably about 2 to about 9/10 minutes, most preferably about 4 to about 7 g/10 minutes. Additionally, the metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene of the present invention has a syndiotacticity of about 70-90% based on racemic pentads and 80-98% based on racemic dyads (measured according to 13C NMR spectroscopy), preferably 75-85% based on racemic pentads.
Although the present invention contemplates a multi-layer film containing any layer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene, the layer comprising the metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene preferably constitutes the skin layer of the multi-layer film. For example, the multi-layer may be in the form of a three-layer structure of a base layer comprising isotactic polypropylene, a skin layer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene, and an opposite skin layer comprising the same or different polymer. The multi-layer film of the present invention may comprise more than three layers, e.g., four, five, six, seven, or more layers.
The metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene of the present invention may be in the form of a bulk layer coated on the base layer or some other layer, or coextruded with the base layer or some other layer.
The multi-layer film of the present invention may further include a metal layer deposited on the outer layer. Such deposited metal layers are well known in the art, and can be deposited using any known method, for instance, vacuum deposition, electroplating, sputtering, etc. Preferably, the metal layer is one of vacuum-deposited aluminum, copper, silver, chromium, gold, and mixtures thereof, with aluminum being most preferred.
Optionally, a heat sealable polymer layer can be incorporated into the multi-layer film. .Such a heat sealable polymer layer can be any coating or layer which will permit the film to be heat sealed to itself or to some other surface. Preferably, the multi-layer film includes a polypropylene base layer, a metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene on one side thereof, and a heat sealable layer on the other side thereof. The preferred polymers which may be used to form the heat sealable layer include ethylene polymers, e.g., ethylene-propylene copolymer or an ethylene-propylene-butene-1 terpolymer. The weight ratio of ethylene to propylene to butene-1 may preferably be from about 0-15% ethylene, 50-99% propylene, and 0-35% butene-1, with an ethylene-propylene copolymer containing from about 2-7% by weight ethylene and from about 93% to about 98% by weight propylene and an ethylene-propylene-butene-1 terpolymer containing from about 1-5% by weight ethylene, from about 1-35% by weight butene-1, and from about 60-98% by weight propylene being particularly preferred.
Additionally, a printable surface layer may be used. For example, the multi-layer film can include a polypropylene base layer with a metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene on one side thereof, and a printable surface layer on the other side thereof. The printable surface layer may be selected from any polymer capable of receiving a printed image thereon, such as a polyolefin homopolymer, copolymer or terpolymer, polycarbonate, polyester, high density polyethylene, and so forth.
Further, a polymeric film may be deposited on a metal layer of the multi-layer film. Such a polymeric film can improve the gauge, stiffness, and puncture resistance of the overall film, and can further enhance the barrier properties of the film. The polymeric film may be oriented, unoriented, transparent or opaque. Preferably, the polymeric film is polypropylene or polyethylene, most preferably oriented polypropylene (OPP). This additional polymeric film can be laminated to the metal layer of the multi-layer film using any suitable adhesive, such as a hot melt low density polyethylene.
The multi-layer films of the present invention generally have a total thickness of about 0.4 mil to about 2.5 mils. The metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene may preferably have a thickness of about 0.02 mil to about 0.4 mil.
The metallized multi-layer films of the present invention exhibit excellent barrier properties against oxygen and water vapor transmission. For example, the oxygen transmission rate of the multi-layer film of the present invention may be less than 5 cc/100 in2/24 hours, while the water vapor transmission rate may be less than 0.06 g/100 in2/24 hours. Also, the multi-layer films of the present invention can, e.g., have the following typical properties:
The present invention also relates to a method of producing the above-described multi-layer film with improved metallizable surfaces, wherein the film possesses a superior balance of oxygen and water vapor barrier characteristics as well as optical properties. The method comprises:
(a) providing a base layer comprising a polyolefin;
(b) providing at least one additional layer comprising a metallocene-catalyzed syndiotactic polypropylene;
(c) forming a multi-layer film comprising the base layer of (a) and the additional layer of (b); and
(d) optionally orienting the multi-layer film in the machine and/or transverse direction(s).
The film is usually prepared by coextruding the polymers of the above-described layers. After such extrusion of the basic film substrate using conventional extrusion techniques, the film is heated and molecularly oriented in the longitudinal, i.e., machine direction and optionally in the transverse direction. This uniaxial or biaxial orientation , which greatly improves the stiffness and tensile strength properties of the film, is accomplished by using conventional techniques to sequentially or simultaneously stretch the film, e.g., 3 to 8 times in the machine direction and optionally 5 to 12 times in the transverse direction, at a drawing temperature of about 115xc2x0 C. to about 185xc2x0 C. In most cases, a coextruded film having a base layer of polypropylene homopolymer would be biaxially oriented.
For some purposes, it may be desirable to produce the polymer substrate comprising the base (core) layer and one or two adjacent skin layers by a cast film or chill roll extrusion process rather than a coextrusion and orientation process. In this case, the final polymer substrate is essentially unoriented and the final metallized film is generally much less stiff than films in which the substrate is prepared by a coextrusion and orientation process.
Before applying a metal or other layer, the surface intended to receive the metal or other layer may be treated to ensure that the coatings will be strongly adhered to the film, thereby eliminating the possibility of the coatings peeling or being stripped from the film. This optional treatment may be accomplished by using known techniques such as, e.g., film chlorination, exposure to gaseous chlorine, treatment with oxidizing agents such as chromic acid, hot air or steam treatment, flame treatment, corona discharge treatment, and the like.
Application of a metal layer to the film is usually accomplished by conventional vacuum deposition, although other methods known in the art such as electroplating or sputtering may also be used. Aluminum is preferred as the metal Used for this purpose, but other materials such as gold, zinc, copper, silver and the like may also be used for certain purposes.

Films with improved metallizable surfaces


A cleaning kit for removing process impurities carried on the surface of a NOx reduction catalyst which is installed in the path of a flue gas flow exiting from a fossil fuel burning facility including: a reagent supply grill; a source of supply of liquid cleaning reagent; a reagent collection basin; and a recirculating structure. The reagent supply grid is adapted to be selectively positioned above a portion of a catalyst layer. The source of supply of liquid cleaning reagent adapted to be in communication with the supply grid, and the reagent collection basin being adapted to be selectively positioned below the portion of such catalyst layer to catch cleaning reagent therein after such reagent passes through such portion of the catalyst layer, the recirculating structure recirculates at least a portion of such reagent from the collecting basin for recirculating through such supply grid for further cleaning of such portion of the catalyst layer.

The present invention relates to a method for scrubbing and/or regenerating of wholly of partially deactivating catalytic devices for nitrous oxide removal from stack gases, wherein the catalytic devices are treated with a scrubbing, or respectively regeneration fluid.
Such catalytic devices are also called SCR (selective catalytic reduction) catalytic devices. The deactivation of such catalytic devices has several different causes, mainly:
Clogging of the honeycomb structure, or respectively the free spaces in the catalytic device. Because of this, the stack gas does not reach the catalytic device and the clogged conduit of the catalytic device is not used for the catalytic reaction. In order to use the installed catalytic material as efficiently as possible, attempts are made to decrease the clogging of honeycomb channels or plate channels by cleaning measures, such as steam blowers in the DENOX installation of manual cleaning actions. In spite of this, some of these honeycombs, or respectively free spaces in the catalytic device, become clogged over time. With some installations the catalyst modules are removed and placed on an appropriate shaking device. The clogs are loosened by the shaking movements. In this way the stack gas again gains access to the catalytic material. The increase in activity does not constitute a regeneration, it only provides access to the clogged catalytic material. The surface layer being formed during operation remains untouched by this cleaning step.
Worsening of the gas diffusion at the surface of the wall of the catalytic device because of the growth of a thin surface layer of approximately 1 to 100 xcexcm and clogging of pores. Because of this, the stack gas can only reach the pores of the catalytic material poorly of not at all. The formation of a thin surface layer worsens the chemical transformation of NOx and NH3 into N2 and H2O, because the gas diffusion into the catalytic material is greatly hampered.
Clogging of the active catalytic centers on the surface of the catalytic devices by means of the accumulation of so-called catalytic poisons, for example As, K, Na. The settling of catalytic poisons, such as arsenic, for example, on the active centers of the catalytic device makes the reaction at these centers impossible and in this was also aids in a reduction of the activities of the catalytic material.
Abrasion of catalytic material by solids, such a fly ash, contained in the stack gas. The catalytic material is reduced because of the loss of catalytic material and therefore of the surface available for the reaction. The abrasion of catalytic material is irreversible process which results in a permanent loss of activity. The following actions can also simultaneously occur in the course of abrasion by fly ash:
Removal of catalytic material and of an existing surface layer,
Retention of components of the fly ash and therefore formation of a fresh gas diffusion-hindering surface layer.
A method is described in German Patent DE 38 16 600 C2, in which the regeneration of catalytic devices contaminated by arsenic is described. This method does not take into consideration the portion of the deactivation by a gas diffusion-hindering surface layer. Aqueous solutions of nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid of acetic acid are employed as the scrubbing suspension in the method according to the noted German Patent. These scrubbing suspensions have the disadvantage that for one they are too expensive and also that the disposal of the acids contaminated by arsenic is elaborate.
A method is described in European Patent, EP 0 136 966 B1, in which initially the dust adhering to the surface is removed with dry steam. The catalytic poisons are then intended to be dissolved and rinsed out in a second step by wet steam with a moisture content of xe2x89xa6=0.4. Drying is performed with dry steam again. In the method in accordance with this European Patent, the thin, gas diffusion-hindering layer is not removed in a first step, instead clogged conduits are merely opened again. This has already been done on a large-scale basis for a long time in the form of so-called dust or soot blowers. The second step of this method can have an activity-increasing effect only with catalytic devices wherein the gas diffusion-hindering layer does not exist over the entire surface or not at all. Also, the generation of large amounts of dry and wet steam is very energy-intensive.
A regeneration method for deactivated catalytic devices is described in Japanese Patent, JP-A-63 147 155, wherein the catalytic devices are removed, placed into a basket, which is suspended in a regeneration treatment tank. A flow of regeneration fluid exists in the tank. The fluid consists of a suspension of an abrasive powder in water or in an acid scrubbing fluid.
Japanese Patent, JP-A-52 027 091, describes a regenerating method, in which catalytic devices with reduced performance are treated with water with a diluted aqueous inorganic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,628 describes catalytic devices for nitrogen removal made of pulverulent or granular activated charcoal with catalytic metal additives (W, MO, V, CU, etc.). When the catalytic activity is reduced because of the formation of ammonium sulfate, the pulverulent catalytic products, which have been packed into a column, are regenerated in that either N2 in passed through them at 350xc2x0 C. or they are washed with hot water at approximately 80xc2x0 C.
A method for the reactivation of catalytic devices is described in German Patent, DE 30 20 698 C2, which removes the deactivating substances by means of a defined pressure and a defined temperature. Various gases, for example methane, propane, carbon dioxide or argon can be added in the process for optimizing the method. This method also does not consider the gas diffusion-hindering surface layer.
A great disadvantage of most of the mentioned methods is the fact that they can only be performed in a separate installation. To this end the removal of the catalytic devices and therefore an outage of the installation is required.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to further develop a method of the type mentioned above in such a way that gas diffusion on the surface of the catalytic devices is again made possible, wherein additionally the clogging of the active centers by catalytic poisons is reversed to the greatest extent possible, and which can be performed inside the nitrogen removal installation without the removal of the catalytic devices.
This object is attained in that the scrubbing, or respectively regenerating fluid is fully desalinated water.
The function of the present invention is based on the dissolution and removal of the surface layer for restoring the gas diffusion and exposing of active centers for the nitrogen-removing reaction of the surface of the catalytic device. In this case the composition of the fluid must be selected in such a way that, along with a small consumption of regenerating suspension, the fastest possible dissolution of the surface layer is achieved. In connection with the regeneration of SCR catalytic devices it has surprisingly been shown to be useful to employ fully desalinated water, for example demineralized water, for dissolving the surface layer. The use of demineralized water as the scrubbing fluid prevents the introduction of catalytic poisons with the scrubbing fluid. In comparison with other possible fluids, demineralized water has the advantage that it is relatively inexpensive and that in most cases it can be produced at the location of the power plant itself The cleaning and regeneration of the catalytic devices is performed at ambient temperatures, so that no energy is required for heating the fluid. By means of this method it is possible to drastically reduce the number of deactivated catalytic devices to be disposed. Above all, in large installations for the reduction of nitric oxides, so-called DENOX installations, this method is suitable for regenerating the used and deactivated catalytic devices, i.e. to again increase the reduced catalytic activities, without having to remove them
An advantageous further development of this method provides, that the catalytic devices are first mechanically cleaned by vacuuming or blowing the deposits out, which is then followed by a scrubbing cycle, which removes the surface layer by means of a regenerating suspension and dissolves the clogs of the active centers to a great extent. It has been shown to be advantageous for the consumption a regenerating suspension if only a small portion of the regenerating suspension is continuously removed and regenerated, i.e. the larger part can be employed in a recirculating operation.
An additional opportunity for reducing the scrubbing water is the use of a suitable abrasive which only removes the surface layer. This method can also be practiced inside the nitrogen removal installation. The abrasive (for example small glass spheres), together with the parts of the gas diffusion-hindering surface layer, can then be disposed of together with the fly ash from the electronic filter.
Further advantageous developments of the present invention are defined in the claims.
An exemplary embodiment for the use of a suitable regeneration device will be described in greater detail in what follows, making reference to the attached drawings.

Method of cleaning and/or regenerating wholly or partially de-activated catalysts of stack-gas nitrogen scrubbing